Right fist, right fist, left fist; Ivan swiftly incapacitated several of his assailants with precisely timed strikes to their temples. He used these precise attacks to neutralise six men. There were a total of twenty-one individuals, all male, in the instigated crowd. Some of the men, understanding the brutal effectiveness of Ivan's attacks, decided to approach him more cautiously.
Since none of them were armed, they concluded that engaging the young man in direct hand-to-hand combat was their best option. The Thief-class character did not seize the opportunity to escape. He chose instead to observe the confrontation, utterly confident that Ivan would eventually suffer a severe beating.
Ivan found himself encircled. Lacking extensive combat experience, he was uncertain whether to initiate an attack or await theirs.
'If only I were a bit more agile, I would have launched an attack instead of standing here feeling helplessly cornered,' Ivan mused, a flicker of frustration crossing his mind.
He adopted a classic boxing stance, his gaze intently tracking every potential assailant.
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Innate ability unlocked: Quick Feet.
Description: You possess the capacity to react with rapid, high bursts of acceleration. This ability stems from your enhanced agility.
'Speak of the devil.' A triumphant grin spread across Ivan's face.
He targeted one of his assailants. He lunged forward, feigning a right cross punch. The assailant fell for the deception and raised their left forearm to block the anticipated strike. Ivan faked the attack and instead delivered a powerful left-hand punch to the assailant's diaphragm. The forceful blow expelled the air from the attacker's lungs. The attacker crumpled to the ground, desperately gasping for breath.
The attack unfolded too swiftly for the other attackers to react. Before they could respond, Ivan had already taken down another assailant. The remaining attackers desperately charged Ivan, hoping to overwhelm him through sheer numbers.
Ivan systematically neutralised all of them. He did not solely focus on striking their temples. He delivered potent blows to either their temples, their diaphragms, or their groins. The men lay on the ground, some writhing in excruciating pain, some gasping for air and also in agony, and some rendered completely unconscious.
Ivan had managed to keep track of the Thief-Class character. The character had not moved from the spot where he stood, calmly observing the melee.
Ivan turned to face the character directly. He said to the thief, his voice firm, "Hand over the phone."
The thief was still in a state of profound shock. He surveyed the helpless bodies of the men he had instigated. He quickly regained his composure and regarded Ivan with a renewed focus. The thief smiled smugly.
"That is impressive. You are trained in combat," the Thief remarked, a hint of grudging admiration in his voice.
Ivan remained silent. His instincts warned him that the thief was attempting to initiate a conversation to gather information about him and potentially cause him to lower his guard. The smiling thief waited for Ivan to speak but was met with disappointing silence.
"You do not seem to like conversing much," the thief said, slowly pacing to his left. "I am certain you have surmised that there is something unusual about me. Yes, you are correct. You see, I was fortunate enough to obtain a class card earlier today during the flood. I accepted the class that came with the card and became a special character.
"My class is Thief. Although it is inferior to the criminal class, it is still something. For this reason, I feel smug. This is because, as a thief, I am innately proficient in the art of evasion, which is why you could not apprehend me.
"So do not feel discouraged after I inevitably escape this alley with your girl's phone. Wait, is she even your girl? You do not seem like the type who could attract such beauty."
Ivan had been mentally calculating how to capture the thief. He needed to close the distance and secure a hold on him. He recalled that the innate abilities of a martial arts class character included enhanced grappling.
An opportunity to get closer to the thief presented itself. The thief had successfully instigated him, making him genuinely angry. It required considerable effort for Ivan to restrain himself from mindlessly lunging at the thief. He removed his hoodie. He had worn a hoodie to the hangout because nighttime brought a significant drop in temperature, potentially as low as six degrees Celsius.
He held his hoodie in his left hand while genuinely adopting a scowling expression. The thief's smile widened.
The thief taunted, "I was right. You are indeed a virgin. A true man would not allow a lady to walk into a vulnerable situation."
Ivan appeared to mindlessly lunge at the thief, intending to ensnare him in a bear hug. The thief evaded Ivan's grasp with his innate contortionist ability, expertly rolling away. This reaction was precisely within Ivan's expectations, which was why he was meticulously prepared. He activated Quick Feet and slipped his shoulder away. His shoulder had been serving as a pivot point for the thief's contortion.
The thief lost his balance, providing Ivan with a crucial opening to attack. Ivan used the hoodie like a whip and struck the overconfident thief across the head. The hoodie wrapped across the thief's face with considerable force.
The thief shrieked. His left eye, nose, and mouth bore the brunt of the blunt attack. Before he could regain his footing, he felt a searing pain in his diaphragm and subsequently in his groin. He screamed like a madman, calling desperately for help. The pain felt utterly debilitating. It was so overwhelming that he momentarily forgot about his assailant, Ivan.
Ivan swiftly searched the thief and recovered Daiyu's phone. He then used her phone to contact the police. Soon, law enforcement arrived on the scene. Some officers questioned nearby residents while another group apprehended the helpless drug users who lay on the ground. Ivan and the thief were also taken into custody. Ivan's situation was merely a temporary detention for investigation. Daiyu would need to visit the police station to clear her friend's name and prevent him from being labelled a criminal.
Shortly thereafter, the street returned to its calm state. Meanwhile, Daiyu waited anxiously at Ivan's door for his return, but he did not appear. She eventually left and found a public phone booth. She used the booth to call Roger, and subsequently, she called Chioma. She informed them of the recent, alarming developments. They were all deeply concerned for Ivan. Chioma had to arrange for an Uber to pick up Daiyu from a predetermined location.
Daiyu spent the night at Chioma's place, filled with worry.