Volume 5 Chapter 31 It's Live From The Scene, But...
"Take this!"
Nikyou's punches were raw and unrefined—just brute force with serious weight behind them. The guy he was up against managed to block with his arms, but the impact made him wince as it hit him right in the core.
He tried to strike back, raising his fist for a counterattack, but as soon as he lifted his arm, Nikyou's kick slammed into him, hitting the open spot. The blow landed at just the right moment, and the guy's expression changed. He bent over in pain, barely managing to keep his arms up to protect his head. But Nikyou didn't give him a chance to recover. He shot a punch right through the gap in the guy's guard, striking his chin. The impact made the guy's head snap back, forcing him to stumble backward. Despite this, he still had some fight in him. He shot Nikyou a sharp glare and swung his fist from above, putting all his weight into it.
But Nikyou wasn't there anymore. The guy's punch hit nothing but air. Suddenly, Nikyou was behind him, locking his arms around the guy's torso and securing a tight grip around his abdomen. When the guy turned to see what was happening, all he saw was Nikyou's ferocious grin.
"Zuaraaa!!"
With a shout, Nikyou lifted the man's body as if pulling it out and slammed it onto the ground with a forceful arch of his hips.
Nikyou's fighting style was impressive. More than just brute strength and speed, his 'skill' in combat stood out. Whether it was instinct or deliberate targeting, it seemed like he was executing the most effective attacks at the timing that would bother his opponent the most. It was like he could 'read their breathing'.
Recalling the time when I competed with Nikyou in arm wrestling, I was almost defeated when the starting signal was given. He must have read the timing of the starting signal and the moment I put in my strength, and swiftly turned the tables.
'The boss is getting bold in his recklessness. By my judgment, he might have a fair match against Mikage in a bare-handed one-on-one fight.'
Gram's unwavering praise was nothing short of genuine recognition.
──And all of this commentary was provided by Gram himself.
As for me, I was in the midst of swinging around a delinquent, holding both of his legs and tossing him about with grand gestures. I swept away the small fries who had gathered nearby, and finally, I loosened my grip and threw him off with centrifugal force.
"I told you to let me know if anything happened, but timing is everything, you know. Timing!"
It's hard not to give it my all, and trying to hold back while mentally commentating on Nikyou's fighting style feels like my brain is about to explode.
As I wiped the sweat off my forehead and grumbled,
"Don't fall behind those amateurs! Show those damn Kahlua bastards the spirit of the Jingin Family!"
"""Yeah!!"""
Even though we were at a distance, Nikyou's voice rang loud and clear to us. Responding to his powerful roar echoing all around, the Jingin Family also reacted vigorously. Amidst those who already had bruises and blood flowing, they showed no signs of backing down.
If things continue like this, there's no doubt it'll be a victory for us, the Jingin side. Despite being outnumbered, we're overwhelmingly superior in momentum and morale. On the contrary, the Kahlua side is gradually starting to hesitate. They've been intimidated by Nikyou's voice just now.
Encouragement for allies, fear for enemies. It's exactly like a commander on the battlefield.
As Gram analyzed earlier, even without me and Mikage, this brawl would have ended in victory for the Jingin Family.
But──
'Despite your appearance, you're quite the worrywart. But, well, you can't let your guard down, partner."
The first part was unnecessary, but it's true.
Listening to Gram's opinion and hearing about Nikyou's fighting prowess, even now, when it seems like the outcome is almost certain, I can't shake off the feeling of unease.
I haven't had enough life experience to judge what kind of man Narinki is just by seeing him briefly earlier. But can a man who relies solely on money like him build an organization that rivals the Jingin Family, a long-standing presence in the Eubarest underworld, in such a short time?
And then it hits me.
"What about Reed? If his mercenary group were here, it'd be a breeze."
'Sorry, no idea. He vanished right around the time the fight was about to start.'
Thinking back, the guy I dealt with earlier, or the skilled fighter Nikyou took down, they were good, sure, maybe a cut above the average thugs. But on the flip side, they were just about on my level, or at least something I could handle barehanded if I had to.
It was said that there were individuals in Kahlua who made Reed cautious. Reluctantly, Mikage couldn't imagine someone recognized as a capable figure by a corner would exaggerate.
Amidst the swirling anxiety in my mind and uncertainty about Reed's whereabouts, I made a decision.
"Gram."
'Hahaha. I thought it might come to this. Even if there's a hidden trap, we should finish this before it appears. I'll show you the direction, so just charge straight in.'
That was straightforward and helpful.
However, charging in recklessly without thinking is unwise. Well, ultimately, it won't change the fact that I'll charge in forcefully, but leaving uncertainties unattended isn't ideal.
"Before that, about Mikage──"
"Right here."
"Whoa!?"
I was greatly surprised when Mikage, whom I was trying to locate with Gram's help, spoke from an extremely close distance. I turned around, my heart racing, and naturally, there was the figure of the silver fox.
"I assumed Yukina-sama would summon me soon, so I hurried here."
"...It's good that you saved me the trouble."
Her intuition is more like clairvoyance at this point.
I swallow a slight shiver and regain my composure. This is no time to let my guard down.
"I need you to support Nikyou. If the boss goes down, Jingin falls apart."
Though the members of Jingin are individually more skilled than the average thugs, it's their overwhelming morale that really tips the scales. And Nikyou is the one bolstering that morale. If he were to fall here, it would spell disaster.
"──Understood. Take care, Yukina-sama."
Mikage doesn't probe further, but she probably has an idea of my intentions.
After nodding to my dependable comrade, I turn my heels in the direction Gram indicated.
My target: the leader's head.
──No, more accurately, the pig's head.
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