Broody's powerful hand tightened around Yohan's throat, squeezing hard enough to make it difficult to breathe.
Yohan struggled relentlessly, both hands gripping Broody's wrist as he desperately tried to break free. But every attempt failed.
Robin spoke up, "This is our Commander Broody Lee's grip strength. Nobody has escaped it so far," He adjusted his glasses, "and you won't either."
He paused before adding,
"Except Yano. I don't think anyone else could."
"Yano…" something inside Yohan burned at the name. But escaping Broody's grip was proving nearly impossible.
"If I don't do something right now, I'm going to suffocate."
His vision was gradually darkening. His throat felt like it was on fire.
"No… I'm not using it yet. I don't want to drain myself this early."
"What are you mumbling about?" Broody leaned his face closer.
In an instant, Yohan drove two fingers straight toward Broody's eyes.
Broody immediately released him and staggered backward, clutching his eyes in pain.
Yohan seized the opening and lunged toward him. But before he could reach Broody—
"CHEATER!"
Robin shouted as he launched himself forward. His foot came flying toward Yohan's ribs at incredible speed. Yohan shifted sharply to the left at the last possible moment, narrowly avoiding the kick.
Rodriguez, leaning against the wall from a distance, watched Yohan carefully, "Pretty good reflexes."
But Robin wasn't finished.
After missing Yohan, Robin carried his momentum toward the wall. He planted one foot against it and pushed off hard, twisting his body in midair.
Using the rebound, he redirected his momentum into a fast, spinning kick aimed straight at Yohan's head.
Yohan immediately raised both arms into a tight cross-guard.
BAM!
The kick was blocked, but the tremendous force behind it drove him several steps backward.
Robin landed smoothly.
He didn't waste even a second.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he exploded forward again, charging straight at Yohan.
Yohan's eyes widened, "That speed, if he catches me, I'm finished.
Robin moved like a cheetah closing in on its prey.
Yohan twisted aside and narrowly dodged the incoming attack, but Robin had already anticipated it.
As his momentum carried him past Yohan, Robin dropped low, slid across the ground, and spun around.
Then,
WHAM!
A flying knee shot toward Yohan.
Yohan bent his entire upper body backward, narrowly avoiding it.
Robin landed on both feet.
Yohan was behind him now.
But Robin immediately planted his hands on the ground and swung his legs upward, rotating his body into a powerful hand-assisted spinning kick.
Yohan couldn't dodge this one.
BAM!
The kick struck the top of his head.
Yohan's entire body jolted from the impact.
His legs suddenly went weak, and he dropped heavily to the ground.
Robin didn't waste a single second.
He stepped forward and drove a powerful soccer-style instep kick straight into Yohan's chest.
BANG!
Yohan was sent flying backward.
His body crashed through the wall, leaving cracks spreading across its surface. His vision blurred as he stared toward Robin. Even through the haze, the anger in his pale green eyes was unmistakable.
Robin, eyes flaming too, adjusted his glasses and walked toward him, "What the hell was that eye attack, huh? Cheating bastard."
But then, to everyone's surprise, Yohan started laughing.
Robin stopped.
Yohan slowly pushed himself upright. "Only dumbasses play fair in a street fight," He looked directly at Robin. "You're the ones who decided to outnumber me and make a plan to kill me." His smile widened slightly, "So don't complain when I fight dirty."
After seeing Robin's kicks, everyone had started feeling sorry for Yohan. But now, they were afraid. Even Rodriguez had pushed himself away from the wall and was standing upright, pulling his phone from his pocket.
"You're still standing?" Robin asked.
Somehow remaining on his feet, Yohan held his ribs and replied, "Yeah. The game hasn't even started yet."
"You really are something." Robin sounded genuinely impressed.
Yohan began walking toward him, "If I were just some ordinary weakling, I wouldn't have picked a fight with you guys in the first place," He tilted his head slightly, "You've thought about that, haven't you?"
Robin stared at him sharply.
The entire crew was stunned.
Rodriguez thought to himself, "He has a point."
"Still, you're nothing compared to us." Broody spoke calmly from a distance. He was sitting on the ground, his eyes noticeably red.
Robin suddenly looked over, "Broody... your eyes!"
Broody shook his head, "It's nothing," He lowered his gaze, "but there's something bothering me." His voice became quieter, "Even after bringing this many people here, why is he still standing?" He clenched his fists, "and that's after the two of us took turns attacking him," his voice began to tremble, "That has never happened before."
Broody's lips started shaking. He looked genuinely frustrated.
Rodriguez stared at him in disbelief, "Hey! Why are you crying? You can still finish him if you want."
But Broody didn't seem to hear him. He covered his face with both hands and began crying. Nobody had ever seen Broody Lee cry like that. For several moments, nobody attacked. Nobody spoke. The entire alley fell strangely silent. The only sound was Broody's quiet sobbing.
Yohan stood frozen for a few seconds. He had never seen someone who possessed that kind of overwhelming physical power break down like this. But he said nothing.
After a while, Broody wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and slowly stood up. He tightened the jacket tied around his waist.
"Enough." His voice was completely different now, "I'm done wasting time." He started walking toward Yohan, "I'll finish him right now and go home."
Broody's heavy footsteps echoed through the alley. But something caught Yohan's attention. His eyes widened.
Broody's already enormous arms seemed even more tense than before. The muscles along his forearms and neck stood out sharply as he walked.
Yohan's instincts screamed, "What the hell is that?"
Before he could think any further, chaos erupted from the back of the crew.
"THE HAYES GANG IS ATTACKING AGAIN!"
Everyone turned in surprise. Rodriguez immediately looked toward Robin, "You said you destroyed them before you came here!"
But in the sudden chaos, nobody had time to answer. The surprise attack threw Wild Stomp into confusion. People began shouting from every direction.
Broody, Robin, Rodriguez, and Yohan, who were near the end of the alley, instantly became alert.
Broody turned toward Robin, "How the hell are they back?"
The noise grew louder. Nobody could understand what was happening.
"Robin—"
CLANG!
A large metal pipe struck the back of Broody's head. The sound echoed through the alley.
Broody shouted and collapsed to the ground.
Everyone froze.
Broody was down.
Through the crowd came Ethan Hayes. His face was covered with bruises and scratches from the earlier fight. He stopped directly behind Broody, "What did you think?" Ethan's voice was filled with anger, "You thought I'd just accept losing to a bunch of kids?" He picked up the metal pipe, "You destroyed my dreams and thought you'd walk away?" He raised the pipe, "I can handle this little trouble." His expression hardened, "But today, you're the ones going down."
Ethan lifted the pipe higher, "Now watch this."
Yohan stared in disbelief, "Hey! He's attacking your Commander! What the hell are you doing standing there?"
Robin simply smiled, "You just watch."
The instant he said it, Broody's hand slammed against the ground. He launched himself upward.
BAM!
His fist connected with Ethan's jaw. Ethan was lifted off his feet.
Before Ethan could recover, Broody grabbed his collar and drove his forehead into Ethan's face.
Ethan staggered.
Broody immediately wrapped his arms around him, lifted him, and threw him hard onto the ground.
The impact shook the alley.
Before Ethan could recover, Broody grabbed him again, hoisted him over his shoulder, and drove him down with a devastating body slam.
The force of the impact cracked the floor beneath them. Everyone turned toward the scene.
Then, Robin sprinted toward Ethan. He jumped. His right knee shot forward with explosive speed.
BAM!
The strike knocked Ethan backward. He collapsed and stopped moving.
Yohan stared from a distance, horrified at what he had just witnessed.
Rodriguez slowly walked over. He crouched beside Ethan and checked whether he was breathing. After a moment, Rodriguez shook his head, "It's over for this guy."
Fear spread through the entire crew, but Yohan was completely stunned, "They're not normal."
He didn't waste another second. Taking a deep breath, Yohan turned and ran for the exit of the alley with everything he had. Rodriguez suddenly noticed him, "HEY! HE'S RUNNING! SOMEONE CATCH HIM!"
But it was already too late. Yohan had escaped the alley. Robin immediately took off after him, "Fifteen people. Immediately."
His men followed him out.
Meanwhile, Yohan ran for his life, "These people, they're not human. I have to get away!"
His phone kept ringing in his pocket, but he couldn't stop to answer it. Luna kept calling him again and again. Eventually, unable to contain her worry, she turned to her father, "Yohan isn't answering! Please, do something!"
Mr. James immediately called the police.
At the same time, Yohan reached the park from the previous night. Robin and his men soon caught up with him. The chase continued deeper into the park, where thick trees and vegetation surrounded them. Then, Yohan stopped. Robin and his men stopped as well. Robin looked at him, "Not feeling like running anymore?"
Yohan didn't answer. Instead, he slowly looked around. Trees, shadows, narrow paths, cover everywhere. A faint smile appeared on his face, "Perfect."
He turned around. Now he was facing Robin and the others, "Now I'll show you what a real game looks like."
Robin's men exchanged nervous glances. Something had changed. Robin noticed it too. The atmosphere had suddenly become different. The feeling they'd been trying to understand all this time, the thing they'd only been able to speculate about, was finally appearing before their eyes. Yohan's pale green eyes began to glow, bright unnaturally bright, like the eyes of a predator emerging from the darkness. And for the first time, Robin understood.
The real Yohan had finally awakened.