"What did you just say, fucker?" a tall thug with a mohawk spat out.
Saliva flew in all directions, and Asher instinctively stepped back—not out of fear, but sheer disgust at his lack of hygiene.
The enemy mistook his flinch as a sign of intimidation, their faces twisted in confidence, unaware of the truth.
"Look at him ! He's really scared !" one of them jeered while crossing his arms like he owned the place.
"What's the matter, All talk and no bite ? " Another one chimed in.
Not wanting to respond, Asher brushed them off, completely uninterested in their nonsense or power trip
"Alright, you seem to be the leader here, so I'll just make an example out of you," the thug with mohawk stepped forward with a cocky grin plastered on his face.
While his friends watched with anticipation, a sudden whoosh sliced through the air, and the arrogant thug crumpled to the pavement .
"What's going on?" they all asked, confusion etched on their faces as they struggled to understand how their friend got beaten so easily.
"I'm busy, so let's make this quick," Asher declared, interrupting their thoughts and signaling for them to come at him together.
They exchanged glances, and were ticked off by Asher's bold words, but none of them wanted to be the first to act.
The guy that got taken out was supposed to be their frontline attacker, the one they thought could take on five opponents at once.
But what happened?
Well, Before he could even flex his muscles or show off, he found himself flat on the pavement, unconscious and helpless.
Meanwhile, James Lackey prepared for the fight .They felt braver after seeing their team leader take down one of their enemies without breaking a sweat.
It was like watching a superhero in action, and they felt a rush of courage flowing through them.
However, Asher's next words left them even more stunned.
"You guys stay put, they're mine," he declared with a nonchalant tone.
There was no hint of arrogance whatsoever; it was as if he was just stating a preference, like choosing a soda in a grocery store.
"Knock him out!" shouted a thug with a bandana.
Two attackers closed in from opposite sides, aiming to trap him in their pincer movement.
With a sharp twist, Asher ducked under a wide hook, letting the fist cut through the air above him.
Before the thug could recover from the wild swing, Asher slammed his elbow into the attacker's ribs.
Simultaneously, he stepped inside the second assailant's range, cutting off the opponent's momentum.
Asher's fist shot up in a brutal uppercut, connecting solidly with the underside of the chin, sending the thug crashing into his partner.
Both collapsed at the same time.
Asher's movements were smooth, like art in motion, appearing as if he executed both actions simultaneously, blending seamlessly before everyone's eyes.
Little did anyone know that he was just following his fighting instincts, minimizing his movements to conserve energy while effectively neutralizing his opponents.
But it was more than sufficient to demonstrate that he was not someone to be trifled with.
"What are you doing? Go and attack him! All of you!" Another order echoed, and this time, five people sprinted forward.
The closest thug lunged to tackle him, but Asher allowed the attacker to graze him slightly before smoothly tilting his body. The thug lost his balance and stumbled to the ground.
The second assailant, too close to stop, threw a punch.
Asher tilted his neck just enough to dodge the incoming blow before delivering a powerful counter that sent the enemy crashing to the ground.
With three more thugs advancing, he assessed the distance and their movements.
He strategically stepped into their range, inviting them to attack while calculating his next moves
As the next opponent lunged, he unleashed a lightning-fast jab to keep the enemy at bay.
The strike landed solidly on the thug's chin, momentarily staggering him and disrupting his momentum.
Seizing the opportunity, Asher followed up with a powerful straight punch into the midsection of the second attacker, knocking the wind out of him.
Meanwhile, the third thug attempted a wild swing from Asher's right side.
Pivoting on his legs, he evaded the blow with a sidestep, then released a sharp hook that caught the attacker perfectly in the jaw.
Now, with two opponents momentarily dazed, Asher refocused on the first attacker, who was recovering from the initial jab.
A quick shuffle brought him into position, allowing him to execute a quick hook to the side of the thug's temple that knocked the lights out.
But he wasn't done yet. Seizing the momentum, he launched an attack, denying them any time to think.
He unleashed a barrage of jabs and straight punches, driving them back with each precise strike until they, too, succumbed, crumbling under his fist.
The thugs who had been acting arrogantly moments ago were now lying across the ground, their ego and body shattered.
They were so easy to dispose of that he didn't even have time to remember their faces.
'That's 12,000 credits,' he mentally calculated the earnings from dealing with a dozen thug wannabes.