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The sudden appearance of two figures in the shadowy alley added an ominous tone to the already tense atmosphere. One, clad in a white hoodie, spoke with a casual confidence, while the other, wearing a purple and red mixed hoodie, remained silent, their faces obscured by the hoods.
"The timing of your arrival..."
"Either you're arrogant fools here to die or arrogant enough to believe you're stronger than me."
Illumi's low, icy voice echoed through the narrow passage as he slowly turned to face them.
"What kind of arrogance defines you?"
"Hahaha, don't be so harsh," the figure in the white hoodie chuckled, stepping forward until he was seven meters away from Illumi.
"You're a guest of this city—we won't harm you."
"On the contrary, we're here as the hosts of this city... to welcome you."
Illumi kept his eyes lowered, letting the blood drip steadily from his hand. His voice was heavy and cold.
"Hosts of the city?"
"All you're doing is spouting pretty words. You're nothing but a cancer festering in the shadows of this place."
The man in the white hoodie shrugged nonchalantly, neither denying nor disputing Illumi's assessment.
"Well, what you say isn't wrong."
"It seems you already know. Then why did you go so far as to nearly kill him?"
Illumi's expression darkened. He knew exactly who the man was referring to—Yamashita Jin'o, his opponent from the 150th floor.
"Given the tattoos on his back, it's clear he holds a high position in your gang."
Indeed, Illumi had recognized Yamashita Jin'o as a member of the underworld the moment he saw the elaborate tattoo during their match. In certain parts of this world, just like in some factions of his previous life, there were unspoken rules about tattoos.
In the criminal underworld, the higher one's status, the larger and more intricate the tattoos they were allowed to bear. A tattoo as extensive and detailed as Yamashita Jin'o's could only belong to someone of significant standing—likely a top-ranking member of the gang.
"State your purpose."
Illumi decided to probe further, curious about their intentions.
"It's simple."
The man in the white hoodie relaxed his stance, placing his hands on his hips.
"Yamashita Jin'o was scheduled to compete in an underground boxing match tonight."
"Since you left him half-dead, it's only natural that you take his place."
The statement clarified the nature of the organization these men represented—a vast criminal syndicate with interests extending beyond the Sky Arena into underground fighting circuits, and possibly even reaching the 200th floor.
"And if I refuse?"
A smirk tugged at the corner of Illumi's lips. He disliked being coerced, and he despised threats even more.
"Oh~?"
The man in the white hoodie's smile faltered, his tone growing darker as he stepped forward and pulled back his hood, revealing short, golden hair.
"I'll handle this."
"You stay out of it."
"Sigh..." The figure in the purple hoodie finally spoke, exhaling deeply before taking a step back.
"Understood."
Still smiling, Illumi watched the confident postures of the two men and stepped forward to meet them head-on.
"Oh~, quite the atmosphere here between us three."
The blond-haired man exuded a weathered aura, appearing to be around 30 to 35 years old. His sharp gaze swept over Illumi's frame like a blade inspecting its target.
"Let's start with introductions."
"My name is Ivan Douglas. I'm a hired thug for the gang, and also a participant in underground boxing matches."
"Let me make one thing clear—I'm not fighting you to avenge that trash, Yamashita Jin'o."
"This is business, not personal."
Ivan cracked his knuckles and stretched his shoulders, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. His fists shot out in rapid succession, demonstrating his preference for close-range combat.
"I won't hurt you too badly, but you will replace Yamashita Jin'o in the match."
"If you refuse, then prepare to end up in the morgue."
Illumi ignored the threat. Ivan's expression hardened as he lunged forward, unleashing a flurry of jabs aimed at Illumi.
"Swish, swish, swish…!!"
Ivan's fists hammered relentlessly toward Illumi, who responded with agile dodges, weaving and sidestepping with ease. Their movements—one attacking, the other evading—brought them to the crossroads of the alley.
"You're just scurrying around like a rat."
Ivan's brow furrowed as he struggled to land a blow. Illumi's small frame moved with uncanny precision, narrowly avoiding each strike.
As Illumi retreated to the intersection, Ivan's eyes gleamed with calculation. While throwing another punch, he lifted his leg in a high kick aimed at Illumi's head.
"Boom!"
A deafening crash echoed through the alley as Ivan's kick shattered part of the wall, sending chunks of debris flying.
But Illumi had anticipated the move. Just as the kick approached, he crouched down, neatly avoiding the attack.
"Your kicks leave much to be desired," Illumi taunted.
While Ivan demolished the corner of the wall, Illumi didn't remain idle. With a smirk, he targeted Ivan's groin and delivered a powerful punch.
"Thud!"
The sound of flesh colliding reverberated, accompanied by what seemed like the cracking of an eggshell.
"Guh… guh… aaaahhh!!"
Ivan let out a series of agonized screams, clutching his groin with both hands. He hopped backward on one foot, retreating three steps before slipping on a banana peel and crashing to the ground, unable to rise.
"High kicks truly leave you wide open."
"Is this the caliber of fighter in your underground matches?"
Illumi stood still, flexing his fist with a mocking smile.
"You seem tough, but deep down, you're rather straightforward."
Still trembling on the ground, Ivan clutched his groin as Illumi turned his attention to the figure in the purple hoodie, chuckling lightly.
"And what about you?"
"Don't feel like picking a fight with me?"
The figure in the purple hoodie remained enigmatic, their expression obscured beneath the hood. Only a wide grin revealed rows of perfectly aligned teeth as they stepped forward, speaking in a calm tone.
"You're quite something, kid."
"Really, very impressive. It's making me itch to get involved."
"Slap!"
Suddenly, Ivan, still sprawled on the ground, grabbed the purple-hooded figure's ankle, preventing them from advancing.
"Ah~?"
The purple-hooded figure glanced down at Ivan, who gazed up at them with steely determination, his voice hoarse.
"Didn't I tell you not to intervene?"
"Aren't you done for?"
The purple-hooded figure smirked, looking down at Ivan.
"You… don't underestimate me, you bastard!"
Ivan trembled as he forced himself to stand, gritting his teeth in defiance.
"Thud!"
With a soft sound, Ivan's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed limply to the ground, unconscious.