Kazuma kept hitting the bespectacled man brutally, each attack feeling like a hammer striking bone.
However, before the bespectacled man's life truly slipped away, a calm voice broke the oppressive silence.
"That's enough."
Kazuma turned with a face full of blood and wounds, his breathing heavy and rough.
Before him stood a handsome man wearing black sunglasses, donning an elegant black leather jacket.
The man stood upright, the gaze behind his sunglasses unfathomable, but an aura of calmness and authority enveloped him.
"Let them go," the man said again, with a more authoritative tone. There was no fear in his voice, as if Kazuma, whose body possessed the strength of a monster, was merely a small threat to him.
Kazuma, in his loss of control, did not hear or care about the man's command.
With one deep breath, he turned fully and walked closer with a feral gaze.
Blood flowed from Kazuma's mouth, and the arm that still could move was ready to unleash another attack.
The man in black sunglasses sighed briefly, "I've warned you."
Kazuma immediately launched a heavy punch towards the man's head, hoping to end it with a single strike.
But with a startling speed, the man evaded, his movements fluid, then in a quick motion, he drew two daggers hidden within his jacket.
The sound of metal screeching rang out as the daggers emerged from their sheaths, and before Kazuma could react, the man moved with lightning speed. "Slash!" A swift strike landed on Kazuma's still-moving arm, leaving a shallow but sharp wound.
On the sidelines,
"What speed is that!" muttered one of Kazuma's henchmen, stunned at witnessing the man's movements, which were even faster than the previous bespectacled man. "How is that possible?"
Kazuma took a step back, surprised by the speed and precision of the man's attack. He swung his remaining left hand, but his attack missed as the man in black sunglasses easily ducked, then retaliated with another quick slash, this time hitting Kazuma's thigh.
"Shing!" Blood flowed from the new wound, but Kazuma still stood, although his body was now beginning to lose its strength.
The man did not give Kazuma a chance to think.
Each of his attacks was precise, as if he knew Kazuma's weakest points. "Cross slash!" Two simultaneous strikes sliced across Kazuma's chest with a speed almost invisible to the eye.
Kazuma growled in anger, trying to counterattack, but the man in black sunglasses agilely spun his body, easily evading every attack.
His strikes came from unexpected angles, his daggers gleaming under the light as they left traces of wounds on Kazuma's skin.
"Damn it!" Kazuma grunted as he swung a massive punch that missed again.
His breathing grew heavier, his muscles feeling fatigued from the previous brutal fight. The wounds he had sustained now made every movement increasingly difficult.
"You're too tired, Kazuma," the man spoke in a calm tone. "There's no point in continuing this. Surrender them, and I'll let you go."
But Kazuma didn't listen. With one final attack, he leapt forward, trying to strike his opponent with full force.
But the man in black sunglasses was already prepared. In a nimble movement, he sidestepped, and his dagger struck Kazuma's side. The wound was deeper than before, causing Kazuma to stagger.
Kazuma fell to his knees, panting. Blood dripped from the wounds on his body, and although he still had the will to fight, his body no longer allowed it.
The man in black sunglasses stepped closer, ready to end the confrontation, when suddenly a voice was heard from behind.
"Stop!"
Kazuma's henchmen—the two men who had previously only watched—finally decided to take action. One of them stepped forward with a tense expression, shouting, "That's enough! Release our boss!"
The man in black sunglasses glanced briefly, seeing Kazuma's henchmen now standing between him and the severely injured Kazuma. With a calm nod, he sheathed his daggers.
"Good. Then, take him away." The man stepped back, clearing the path.
Kazuma's henchmen quickly approached their nearly unconscious boss. They lifted Kazuma, who could barely stand on his own, and carried him away.
"You're lucky, Kazuma," the man in black sunglasses said without emotion. "I've forgiven you this time. Next time, don't expect the same."
Kazuma heard him, but he didn't really care, as right now he just wanted to stop the bleeding with the help of his henchmen as they slowly departed.