He followed Alen out the back. Normally, there would be a few men standing guard, but no one was here, maybe because it was still early, or just because of Vincent's shitty luck. With no one around, Alen could easily stab him and get away with it.
Now, his life was once again being threatened… only this time, he might actually die.
"How did you figure it out?" Alen asked, his tone no longer friendly.
"Does it matter?" Vincent replied. If he was going to die regardless, why give Alen the satisfaction?
"You're right, it doesn't. I was just curious, since you only met me today," Alen shrugged.
"I've spent the past few weeks building myself up inside the gang, only for you to come and ruin everything… such a shame," he sighed.
"Who exactly are you, Vincent?" he asked.
Vincent hesitated. With the broken bottle pressed against his throat, it was hard to even swallow.
"I'm not anything special. Don Angel was already on to you. That's why he told me to fish you out," Vincent answered.
"Oh, that makes sense… I guess I was being too sloppy," Alen said, almost casually.
"But it doesn't matter now. My cover's blown. I can't start all over again, even if I kill you."
"That means… you're going to let me go?" Vincent asked, hopeful.
"Fuck no," Alen said flatly. "If I go back to my boss empty-handed, he'll be pissed. So, you're coming with me."
"What? Why?"
"Don't ask me dumbass questions. Just move. We need to get far enough so I can call for an extraction."
An extraction sounded like a death sentence to Vincent. He couldn't just follow Alen quietly. If he did, he was sure he'd never make it out alive. At least now he knew Alen wouldn't kill him here. But if he followed him… who knew what would happen?
He had to make a move.
Suddenly, Vincent grabbed the broken glass bottle with his bare hand and punched at Alen's face.
Alen blocked quickly, but it created some distance between them, enough for Vincent to pull away, though his hand was sliced in the process.
[Moderate pain extracted +21 points]
Blood poured from the cut, but Vincent only winced. His endurance was high enough to bear it, and before long, his regeneration kicked in, and the bleeding stopped.
"Come with me quietly, or I'll fill your body with holes," Alen threatened, pointing the jagged shard at Vincent.
Vincent didn't budge. He raised his fists, taking a fighting stance.
"You'll have to make me," he said.
"I don't blame you for thinking you can take me," Alen chuckled. "That's because you don't know who I am."
But he was wrong.
Vincent could now see his physique clearly, probably thanks to his increased intelligence. Every muscle on Alen's body was defined and precise, plus the fact that he already knew he was a good fighter. Vincent realized immediately—Alen wasn't ordinary.
This wasn't going to be easy.
"System," he whispered. "Put everything into strength and speed."
[Okay boss]
The rush hit instantly, power surging through his limbs, bringing confidence to him as well.
"Seems like you want to die so bad," Alen scoffed. "Don't worry. I'll grant your wish."
Alen's first strike was wild and easy to read. Vincent ducked, dodging the glass shard. He countered with an uppercut, but Alen leaned back, twisting his body to land a sudden back-kick.
The air was knocked from Vincent's lungs as the kick hit his stomach, dropping him to the ground. But he forced himself back up quickly.
Alen was fast and deceptively strong. His smaller frame hid a dangerous amount of power.
"Come on, I have to finish this fast," Alen said arrogantly.
Vincent began to consider running.
'Maybe if I'm fast enough, I can make it back inside the bar,' he thought, eyeing the nearby door.
'But if I turn my back on him, it'll be easier for him to finish me. And what if the door locked automatically?'
He wouldn't normally overthink like this, but now, every possibility played out in his head another effect of his increased intelligence. One thing was clear though, Alen hadn't even gone all out yet.
Vincent was still weighing his options when Alen threw a heavy punch.
He blocked it, just barely, stumbling back but never losing sight of his opponent.
Alen lunged in with a stab aimed at Vincent's throat, but Vincent grabbed his arm and forced the shard from his grip.
Enraged, Alen struck with his knee, hitting Vincent square in the face.
[Moderate pain extracted +30 points]
Vincent couldn't let him reclaim the shard. He braced through the pain and charged, tackling Alen by the waist and slamming him to the ground.
Alen rolled and popped back up. "You really aren't a pushover."
"I thought you'd be worn out from all the earlier fighting… but it looks like you've still got some fight in you," he said with a grin.
Vincent was breathing heavily. His stamina was draining fast.
'I thought I increased it earlier… maybe because I also boosted strength and speed,' he reasoned.
'So that means I need to balance things out.'
"System, put the pain extracted into stamina."
[Sure thing boss]
It hardly made a difference, and something else tugged at his thoughts.
'I haven't landed a single clean hit…'
His brows furrowed. Alen might've been toying with him, but even then, no clean hit?
"I guess I'll have to get serious if I want to end this quickly," Alen muttered.
This time, his charge was blindingly fast. Vincent didn't even have time to react before the first punch landed—then another, this one dangerously close to breaking his jaw.
His vision blacked out for a second—only to come back to another crushing blow.
Then another.
Blow after blow fell like rain.
[Excruciating pain extracted +67 points]
'I can't fight this monster…'
Vincent only managed to escape once he collapsed to the ground. But even then, Alen wasn't done.
He walked over to the broken glass, picked it up, and turned back toward Vincent's bloody face.
"You shouldn't have messed with a pro," he said, raising the weapon for the final blow.
Suddenly, a knife came flying through the air—aimed straight for Alen's throat.
Alen leapt back just in time to dodge it.
His eyes snapped to the side—to see Jay standing a short distance away.