Oliver stomped his foot down onto Herb's chest. Herb remained stunned and unable to speak.
{What... the fuck was that...}
The problem to Herb was that he had moved at twice the speed of an average person, used an attack guaranteed to at least stun, and was trained in boxing to a rather high degree. Yet somehow this boy had moved faster than him.
His attacks also seemed so fluid, as if they came from natural instinct.
But another thing disturbed Herb.
The smile.
It was still there.
Oliver stared down Herb as if he saw something fun in it. Oliver ran a free hand through his black curls and for but a passing moment a shadow crossed his face. Herb saw nothing short of the devil.
"Hey."
Herb nearly jumped (which would be difficult with Oliver's foot placing him down).
"You can still fight, right?"
Herb narrowed his eyes in confusion. What was this kid going on about? Oliver removed his foot from Herb's chest and took a few steps back. Herb stared at him in schock.
Surely this kid couldn't be serious.
"Come on. Get up."
Oliver's smile disappeared and his expression was nothing but nonchalant. A pressure seemed to exude from his body.
Herb stood up and frowned. This was bad. He raised his fists and once more got into the traditional boxing fighter's stance. His feet were apart for balance.
"Good."
Oliver raised a hand, palm outstretched and placed a foot forward.
"let's go"
Without another word shared, the steps separating them were closed immediately and they both shared a common look.
Of determination. With no desire to lose.
*************************************************
"This is interesting."
Rano wore a black camisole and blue flats, baggy beige jeans too. She was seated atop a ventilation shaft on top of a three-storey office building. It was full kilometre away from the multistorey car park that serviced the offices around. This was the very same carpark that Herb and Oliver were fighting in.
Rano viewed the distant car park without so much as a squint. She really could see the fight, the fast exchange of blows and dodges shared between the two humans. The boy seemed to be running on nothing but cold bloodlust while the man in the blue hoodie was simply fighting because the situation demanded it.
It was clear to see his heart was not in it.
But even so, Rano watched every muscle in the man's body tense as he received continuous blow after blow from the boy. Rapid, accurate and never in the same place twice, the man struggled to keep up.
Rano watched this with fascination. Did the boy truly value that phone so much? Or was there something else... something primal and dangerous lurking within him?
Rano gave off one of her rare smiles. Interesting? This was pure amazing. She reached a hand out and grabbed the soda cup she had bought at a convenience store some blocks away. Slurping enthusiastically, she waited for it.
The moment the boy let it all out.
************************************
Herb had to admit the boy was nothing short of skilled. There was strength and speed behind every single swing of his fist. Clearly a practitioner of martial arts, and yet...
"Why are you slowing down?..."
The first two blows that had knocked Herb down were so fast he doubted he could have dodged them. Even with 'Muscle Drive' cranked to max.
Yet as they fought, the boy struck with skill and strength, yet he was rapidly slowing down and, as soon as Herb felt confident enough. He struck out a blow that connected. A low kick to the calf that seemed to disorient the boy's flow and gave Herb a dangerous opening.
He struck him full in the chest without mercy.
The boy flew a metre back, his body crashing into the floor without any preparedness. All the air rushed out of his lungs and he lay there, wincing in pain.
Herb stared the boy down. Dumbstruck, he decided this was no longer worth it. His punch and the fight had steered the boy away from the car's path and now the way was clear. Herb hopped in and closed the door.
He revved the engine and drove forward. With skill, he drove down the ramp and away.
Perhaps it may look like cowardice, but Herb didn't like fights. He didn't need to kill a kid, and it would be simpler to just leave right there and then.
But as he drove onto the road slowly, he felt the urge to look up. The third floor was at least 16 metres above the road. He couldn't see into it except the stone railings.
But just as he was about to look away...
Leaping over the stone railing, the boy hang in the air as he dropped towards Herb and his car at high speed.
*****************************************
"I'm almost there."
Oliver didn't know what exactly 'there' was, but he willed himself to get up. The thief had driven away and had left him there. But Oliver felt the urge to catch up to him.
Something wouldn't let him think otherwise.
And so a crazy thought took over him and he looked over the rail at the edge of the carpark floor.
The black and red sports car had just cleared the ramp and was now on the road preparing to turn.
Oliver took a step back and jumped over the railing.
For a moment he hanged in open air, strong wind crashing into his face. But it didn't matter.
He was almost there.
In an instant, he began the drop and rushed towards the thief's car.
With a tremendous 'crash' he dropped on top of the car's hood, crumpling it like tin foil. The windows shattered, the car alarm rang off, and the roof swallowed up Oliver's feet.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!!!!"
Oliver's gaze turned towards the sidewalk. There the thief was on his knees. Rage and unbelieving shock carved into his face.
"ARE YOU INSANE!?!?"
The thief got to his feet, tears of rage welling up in his eyes. Oliver observed him nonchalantly and hopped off the car. His feet hit tarmac, and he stretched out his limbs. No hint of damage appeared on him.
He was ever so close.
"I'LL KILL YOU! YOU BLOODY FUCK!"
The thief let out his rage in a single yell and rushed Oliver. Big muscles and balled fists moving with murderous intention.
Oliver swerved right as the man cut a quick uppercut. There was strength in it, enough to cave in a normal man's skull. But just as fast, the thief withdrew the fist and threw a barrage of fast, powerful blows. Each intended to harm severely rather than knock out.
Oliver matched every single blow with his own, and it soon turned into a beautiful dance. Powerful blows equally matched. Oliver's speed, however, increased with the flow and soon he was back to striking blows that couldn't be guarded fast enough.
{THIS IS IT!}
'BAM!'
Oliver landed a blow on the thief's side, just below the ribcage, and the thief coughed out spittle. It was a critical hit.
{THIS IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!}
Oliver gave an elbow strike that connected beautifully with the thief's nose. Blood spewed and dirtied Oliver's jacket. The thief was slowing down, no longer able to keep up, but Oliver didn't give him the chance to faint.
{A PROPER FUCKING FIGHT!}
Oliver drew back a fist and felt his every sense tingling with sensation. Instinct led him to this action. And even the very words that left his mouth came out as if they were the only natural thing to say.
"Beginner skills..."
Time seemed to still, and the thief began to topple backwards, strength having left him. He was fainting. But before he fainted, Oliver meant to deliver this blow.
For it was his destiny. This blow would start it all.
"First circle..."
Oliver released his fist, an aura of power surrounding his body.
"Simple-"
"That's enough."
***********************************************