The clashes between the two grew fiercer, like a bulldozer that stirred up dust with every move it made.
Some trees along the sides, unable to withstand the force of their struggle, cracked and snapped in half with a sharp "crack."
The onlookers, witnessing the intense battle, quickly moved aside, giving the fighters more space.
Though the battle was intense, it was short-lived. In less than three minutes, a loud shout rang out, followed by the sound of a violent crash. One of the fighters was sent flying, crashing into a large tree with a tremendous force.
The tree was violently impacted, its bark peeling off with a loud "crack." The fighter who was thrown slid to the ground, convulsing and rolling their eyes. With that, the contest reached its conclusion.
As the dust settled, the scene cleared, and it became apparent who had won: Hodar. He was the victor.
"The champion, you've lost."
"Cough, cough, I lost. I will keep my promise, I will never bother you again... ugh, pfft!"
The person who had been thrown was none other than the champion. His clothes were torn, as though they had been ripped apart by sheer force, looking no different from a beggar. He didn't want others to see his weakened state, using every ounce of his strength to stand, but despite his efforts, he spat out blood as he spoke.
After spitting out blood, a strange flush appeared on his face, and he looked frail, his spirit visibly depleted.
Those who had come with him no longer cared for his dignity. They rushed to his side to help him.
While Hodar appeared somewhat disheveled, his breath remained steady, showing no signs of weakness.
Despite Hodar's condition, his assistant, Baru, didn't slack off. As the outcome was decided, he quickly moved to Hodar's side, ready to assist him.
Hodar waved him off, signaling that he didn't need help. His clothes were tattered, and he looked a bit disheveled, but in reality, only he knew that his injuries were superficial, and he was mostly unharmed.
"That's good. As long as you don't cause trouble here, you're still welcome."
"Thank you."
With a brief thank you, Hodar, assisted by his aide, prepared to leave.
"If you wish to grow stronger, or if you want to earn money, this might help you."
Just as they were about to leave, Hodar paused and tossed a delicate card toward him.
The card was rather ordinary, one side displaying the words "Bounty Hunter Guild," and the other side, a website address.
"Hmm?"
Initially, he thought that Hodar was going back on his word, but to his surprise, he had handed him a card. He couldn't quite understand why he would do such a thing. Was he really that kind-hearted?
"You should try it. It will definitely bring you surprises."
Hodar didn't offer any explanation but smiled as he saw them pick up the card.
Once they were out of sight, Hodar and Baru left the area. At this point, Baru no longer needed to look after him. Hodar's injuries didn't seem serious at all.
With the matter concluded, Zhao Lun and the others were relieved, admiring Hodar's actions. Despite the victory, he had not forgotten to recruit for the Bounty Hunter Guild. He was truly dedicated to his job, deserving of an "Employee of the Month" award for his work ethic.
Zhao Lun thought of it, as did Nicole and the others. They now held him in even higher regard and were pleased to see his task complete. They quietly waited for his return.
Before long, Hodar returned.
"Hodar, how is it? Are you alright?"
Zhao Lun and the others greeted him at the door. Several ladies moved forward with a doctor to check on him.
"I'm fine, boss."
Hodar casually raised his swollen arm.
"It'll be fine in a few days. Still, ahh!"
The sharp pain made him wince.
"You're fine? Then why are you in pain?"
Monica and the others shot him a reproachful glance before letting the doctor tend to his injury.
"It's just a minor scratch. A little medication will fix it."
The healing power of the Holy Nation Spring Water wasn't for nothing. Its effect was clear at that moment.
The severity of the wounds from the battle had been greater, but on the way back, they had been rapidly healing. Hodar speculated that even without medication, he would fully recover by the next day.
Seeing that his injuries were truly just superficial, the doctor was dismissed.
"Leave it to me."
Aida said, heading to a nearby cabinet to retrieve a vial of potion prepared with Holy Nation Spring Water, crafted by Zhao Lun himself.
After undergoing rigorous training, she had become quite skilled in treating superficial wounds. Now, handling these injuries was no trouble at all.
The ladies, reassured that Hodar was truly fine, relaxed and let Aida handle the treatment.
"Hodar, you were reckless. Why did you clash head-on with him? What if something went wrong?"
"You didn't think about yourself, but what about Elina and Sandy? If something had happened to you, they..."
"Also, Baru, you were wrong too. Why didn't you try to stop him?"
While treating him, the ladies didn't spare him from their criticism. They began lecturing Hodar, practically turning him into a dog. Hodar seemed to realize his "mistake" and, without resisting, simply nodded and muttered a "yes" here and there. He accepted whatever they said, showing little to no resistance. This helped ease the situation.
Zhao Lun, wisely avoiding getting involved in this squabble, discreetly left.
Once Aida finished applying the medication, Hodar emerged unscathed.
The ladies' anger now shifted to Baru, who, as Hodar's assistant, could only admit their faults, looking utterly miserable.
"Alright, Nicole, dinner is almost ready. Please take a break."
Zhao Lun, seeing the time, finally asked them to stop.
Perhaps tired from the lecture, they stopped criticizing Baru and let the matter go.
With a grateful glance, Baru nodded at Zhao Lun, who acknowledged him before hurriedly exiting.
Hodar's injuries weren't severe, and after receiving treatment, the swelling had disappeared. Once he changed into fresh clothes, he looked as if he hadn't been injured at all. After he finished tidying up, their delayed lunch began. Everyone was famished and, without a word, began eating.
The chef's cooking was impeccable, and the food was so delicious that no one could stop eating.
After the meal, they began their own celebration.
In the living room, by a window, Zhao Lun and Hodar sat together, watching the commotion outside and discussing the recent events.
"The champion is quite a talent. Recommending him to the Bounty Hunter Guild was a good choice. You did well this time!"
As they spoke, Zhao Lun praised Hodar for his decision.
There weren't many talented individuals in the Bounty Hunter Guild, and Hodar's effort on their behalf was commendable.
"...This time, after being defeated by me, he may leave here."
Hodar didn't share Zhao Lun's optimism. Instead, he slowly revealed the champion's backstory.
After the previous defeat, the champion realized that he was at a disadvantage and sought help. Unfortunately, he couldn't find the right people, leading to trouble and being pursued. In the end, he joined an organization—one that seemed to be an extremist group made up primarily of mutants.
"He joined an organization? Where is its headquarters?"
"On the other side, causing a commotion in America."
"Causing a commotion? That's nothing to worry about. I believe he will make the right choice."
Zhao Lun wasn't concerned, knowing that the organization in question was already causing trouble.
"Also, he mistakenly thinks I'm one of them."
"You? A mutant? That's quite funny."
Hodar knew for sure whether or not he was a mutant.
"Since he's mistaken, let's just call it a beautiful misunderstanding."
He neither explained nor denied it, merely taking advantage of the situation.
The champion's brute strength was somewhat awkward among normal people, and among mutants, it was somewhat useless. With his power not being particularly formidable, within their ability-focused organization, he was just another expendable figure.
However, the champion was a proud man, and he wouldn't allow himself to occupy such a humiliating position. There was no deep enmity between them, and there was no need for a life-or-death struggle. Unless something unexpected happened, he would likely join the guild.
With that, the matter of the champion was laid to rest.
"Hey! Elina, over here."
At this moment, they noticed Elina. She was anxiously searching for something.
Zhao Lun, knowing who she was looking for, waved and greeted her.
"Elina," Hodar also called out to her.
"Hodar."
Elina hurried over, pulling back Hodar's shirt to check on his injuries.
Clearly, she had already been informed about his condition.
Zhao Lun winked at Hodar, signaling him to take care of himself and not stay as a third wheel.
In the yard, a few of the young ladies sat in soft chairs, huddled together and discussing something.
"What are you talking about?"
Zhao Lun smiled and, from the Holy Nation, brought out a plate of fruit for everyone to enjoy.
"We're discussing where to go for fun."
Maria's large eyes sparkled as she looked at Zhao Lun expectantly.
"To the amusement park, Sandy wants to go to the amusement park!"
Sandy waved her little hand, drawing attention to herself.
"What about Maria?"
Everyone turned to her, asking her to share her choice.
"The amusement park! Maria hasn't been yet!"
"Maria wants to go to the amusement park with her brother!"
The little girl's eyes shone brightly, her smile radiant, like sparkling violet crystal gems.
"Alright! Let's go to the amusement park!"
"However, it's getting late today, let's go tomorrow instead."
Zhao Lun felt a little guilty. After all this time in this world, he hadn't thought to take her to the amusement park. It was a mistake, and as her brother, he felt he had failed her. Without saying much, he agreed.
If they were going to an amusement park, it should be the biggest one. Alton Towers in Staffordshire was among the largest amusement parks in Great Britain and even the world. Almost everyone in Britain knew it.
"Alton Towers! Yay!"
"Alton Towers! Alton Towers!"
As soon as the idea of going out was mentioned, both Maria and Sandy were overjoyed. They held hands, shouting the name of the country's most famous amusement park.
"Alright, Alton Towers it is!"
Seeing how happy they were, Zhao Lun couldn't bring himself to refuse and agreed to their choice.