"Haah... Haah...!"
Harry spat blood onto the cracked pavement, dragging the back of his hand across his busted lip. His crooked smile lingered, like he enjoyed the taste of iron.
"Tsk! Bold of you to assume I'll be that easy to kill!" Harry sneered, flashing his gold tooth like a badge of honor.
"Just die already, you fucker!" Alex barked — a man in a crisp white suit. His tie hung loose, and sweat dripped down his brow — rage bubbling beneath those black shades barely hiding his glare. "You've had your fun, no?"
Behind Alex, a mountain of muscle — built like a steroid-fueled tank — clenched his fists, knuckles cracking like gunshots.
"Boss! What now?" the big guy rumbled, voice like gravel under boots.
"Suck his ass, dumbass!" Alex snapped.
SMACK!
Alex slapped the back of his oversized thug's head, the sound sharp enough to make the air twitch.
"Ugh! Sorry, boss!" The big guy winced, gripping his skull. His suit strained across his bulk like it was stitched together with desperation.
Harry chuckled low — a sound like glass scraping concrete.
"How's it feel babysitting clowns, Alex?" Harry's grin widened.
"You bastard!" Alex spat.
His oversized thug — still nursing his head — let out a growl and charged, swinging a fist the size of a cinderblock.
'Too slow...' Harry thought, his grin barely fading.
He sidestepped, the punch breezing past his shoulder like a stiff breeze that didn't even ruffle his shirt.
"Heh... you clowns couldn't make me sweat if you tried."
"Ugh! How can you idiots be so useless?!" Alex barked, snapping his fingers at the remaining goons. "Get him!"
The two oversized goons rushed forward.
"Now that's more like it," Harry sneered, rolling his shoulders. "If you're gonna try to kill me, at least put some effort in."
"Forget the orders!" Alex barked. "Beat the shit out of him and drag him here!"
"Your confidence is laughable, bug!" Harry laughed mockingly.
The first thug lunged, fists swinging.
BAM! Harry ducked low and swept his leg beneath the goon's ankles. The oversized brute hit the pavement hard enough to rattle the ground.
"Cheap bastards," Harry muttered, half out of breath.
A flash of wood streaked through the air — a fat stick swinging down like a guillotine.
THWACK! Harry caught it mid-swing, gripping it with both hands.
"NOW! GET HIM!" Alex barked.
Another thug shot in low, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist like a python.
'Cheap bastards...' Harry growled under his breath.
"Wow... I commend your cheap tricks, but..." Harry shifted his weight, sliding his left foot back.
CRACK! He drove his knee into the bastard's liver.
"Ough!" The thug's face twisted, his body twitching like he'd been electrocuted. He dropped to his knees, face twisted in agony.
"Heh... Told ya." Harry spat on the pavement. "If you're gonna use cheap tricks, be my guest... but just remember — I'm a thug too. Not some pussy who's never been on the streets."
The last thug, panic clear on his face, gripped the stick tighter and ripped it sideways.
"Gotcha now, bastard!" the thug barked.
The stick shot free. The thug spun and swung it hard — aiming to crack Harry's skull.
"Too much movement, bro." Harry stepped inside his swing, grabbed his waist, and bent back hard — slamming the thug's head into the pavement.
CRUNCH. The big guy crumpled like a folding chair.
Alex stumbled back, fear flashing across his face.
"Now, now, Alex..." Harry sneered, wiping dirt from his clothes. "Weren't you all confident a second ago?"
But just as Alex's gaze flickered to something behind him, Harry knew — too late.
He spun — and the cold bite of steel pierced his lungs.
"W-what?" His voice hitched, blood bubbling on his lips. His gaze flickered downward... and locked onto the grinning face of a familiar coward.
"Sorry~" the traitor cooed, twisting the blade before kicking him to the ground.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Alex's laugh rang out, wild and unhinged. He staggered forward, grinning like a maniac. "Overconfidence bleeds out fast, doesn't it?"
Harry coughed blood, the world around him fading. His breath came shallow, fingers twitching in the dirt.
"Cow...cowards, cough!" Harry coughed out blood as he layed on the ground, the mocking voices dimming in the background as his vision started to become blurry.
'Ah... guess I'll never finish that trash-tier novel after all...'
Then… the world went completely black.