I'm Here to End This Fight Chapter 2: Escape (Part 2)

Feel free to leave a comment letting me know your thoughts on my work and whether it deserves some improvements.

I’m Here to End This Fight - Novel Updates

[ If you liked the chapter and want to read more, feel free to join my PATREON page and find more chapters]

I'm Here to End This Fight

Chapter 2: Escape (Part 2)

The terrain resembling a dragon's head, known as the Krothan Peninsula, was abuzz with festive atmosphere, particularly in the Irons Territory situated at the mouth of the dragon's jaws.

What stirred the outskirts' territory was none other than a single piece of news.

"Gunter Gongja is scheduled to undergo the Trial of the Cradle, and it will be publicly accessible for everyone to witness!"

This announcement, officially released from the Lord's Castle a few days ago, swiftly spread throughout the territory, sparking discussions among the locals.

"If it's the Trial of the Cradle... the Black Sword Soldiers will also attend, won't they? The day I see the Black Sword Soldiers is a day I never thought would come."

"Who wouldn't be excited? It's all thanks to Master Gongja!"

"That's true, but... can Master Gongja really enter the Cradle? Even renowned geniuses have failed in the proving trials. What if our Master faces the same fate..."

"Nonsense! Our Master won't fail!"

Fifteen years ago, a boy was born into the Irons family, named Gunter.

The heir to the Irons Territory, he displayed extraordinary talent from a young age, establishing himself as a prodigy.

As time passed...

Gunter, the pride of the territory, declared his entry into the "Dragon's Cradle," a trial established by the world's geniuses. The residents and visitors rejoiced.

"Our lord protects our territory, indeed!"

"If the young lord also completes the Cradle, the glory of House Irons will shine even brighter!"

The current lord himself had undergone the Cradle's trial twenty years ago, transforming House Irons from a minor family in the outskirts to a prominent one in the Krothan administrative district within a single generation.

The anticipation grew as the rumor circulated that a renowned expert, referred to as a "Master," was staying at the lord's castle.

"The lord's guest is a master swordsman!"

"Maybe the master has come to accept our lord as a disciple!"

"If our lord becomes the master's disciple... it's like having a mastermind as a strategic asset!"

The atmosphere in the territory was filled with hope and excitement, contrasting sharply with the castle's solemn ambiance.

"Has he left?" a low voice broke the silence, the owner of which was none other than the lord of the territory, Ashraf Irons.

Confirmed reports indicated that the master had not returned for two days. Ashraf's expression hardened.

"If he has decided to leave, we cannot pursue him."

The steward cautiously spoke, and Ashraf nodded in acknowledgment. The lord believed in his son's success in the Cradle, publicly declaring the test's openness to showcase House Irons' glory to the residents.

In contrast to the commotion in the territory, the castle's atmosphere was chilly.

"Maybe he left..."

A regretful sigh echoed in the quiet hall. Ashraf Irons, the ruler of House Irons and a renowned swordsman known as the "Blue Falcon," appeared even more stoic upon receiving the steward's report.

"If he intended to leave, we cannot chase after him."

Ashraf nodded lightly, a tinge of disappointment evident on his face.

"He must have come to see our lord, right?"

"Perhaps he came to accept our lord as his disciple!"

"If our lord becomes the master's disciple... Krothan will be firmly within our grasp!"

The growing hope and excitement enveloped the territory, while the lord's castle remained cool and reserved.

However, Ashraf couldn't easily shake off his disappointment. The master's departure left an unspoken unease.

"He left..."

Ashraf didn't know that the presumed departure of the master, the one who had come to find a disciple, wasn't accurate. The twist of fate had him crossing paths with a new connection that day.

*****

The Irons Territory's early evening was painted in a deep sunset glow.

Clang!

"Yuri, if you bring in good items, come back again!"

"Will do."

A boy, with black hair and golden eyes, took a money pouch from the herb shop owner and stepped outside.

Wearing worn-out clothes, he had fair skin, distinctive features, and a small teardrop mark beneath his left eye, creating a peculiar charm.

Yuri, now fifteen, tucked the money pouch into his pocket and strolled into the alley of the marketplace.

And right at that moment,

"Hey!"

A familiar voice from behind halted Yuri's steps.

"Sigh."

He turned around, exhaling a sigh.

Yuri's gaze landed on a burly boy with unkempt hair standing there.

His impression of Yuri crumpled upon seeing him.

"...Again, you?"

The boy's name was Dutz. He was an orphan who had arrived in Irons Territory before Yuri. While Yuri moved alone without causing trouble, Dutz gathered orphans, acting like their leader.

Furthermore, strangely, Dutz seemed to pick fights with Yuri more than anyone else, creating an odd dynamic between them, albeit mostly one-sided dislike from Dutz.

"Haven't seen you for a while, and here we go again."

Dutz, proving Yuri's expectations, revealed a broken front tooth and grinned menacingly.

"You little... caught you nicely today."

The boy's low voice carried a hint of threat.

However, Yuri merely sighed.

"Sigh... What's it today?"

"Today? Again? Again?! You're the one who messed up my teeth like this!"

"Who asked you to attack?"

"Shut up! Today, I'll pull out all your teeth! I'll let you survive on soup for the rest of your life!"

Terrifyingly, ten more boys appeared behind Dutz.

That wasn't all.

Thunk!

On the opposite alley, several boys holding clubs also showed up.

Yuri found himself completely surrounded.

Dutz seemed to enjoy the situation, smirking even more at Yuri's predicament.

"I knew you were coming to sell herbs today. I've been waiting here since morning!"

"Oh? You seem to have put some effort into styling your hair. It's not just for balancing your shoulders anymore, huh?"

"...We'll see if you can talk that nonsense in a bit."

Dutz's eyes narrowed, and as he chuckled, the boys closed in on Yuri.

With an average age of seventeen, these twenty boys, armed with clubs, formed a violent group capable of intimidating even some adults.

To anyone observing, it seemed impossible for Yuri, with his petite stature, to stand a chance in this situation.

However, despite the danger, annoyance, not fear, flashed across Yuri's face.

"But seriously, did you guys have learning ability placed in your mothers' wombs?"

Well, if they had any learning ability in the first place, they wouldn't repeatedly attack Yuri, knowing they would get beaten up every time.

Muttering quietly, Yuri quickly surveyed his surroundings.

Soon, a low clicking sound came from his mouth.

"Tsk."

He had made preparations, and it was decent.

'There really doesn't seem to be a way to escape.'

Normally, he would employ guerrilla tactics and escape, but given the narrow alley, that wasn't an option.

'Gotta use my head properly, unlike a piglet.'

Getting beaten up here would be a big problem. His only possession was his body.

If he collapsed, there would be no one to take responsibility, no one to take care of him. He would simply starve to death.

'No other choice. Let's slightly... slightly bait them in and then withdraw.'

Though the situation wasn't ideal, 'that method' was the only option now.

"Hoo..."

Having made his decision, Yuri closed his eyes slightly and took a long exhale. In that brief moment, his shadow seemed to ripple oddly, but it was an extremely short-lived phenomenon. Among those surrounding Yuri, no one noticed the change. Then, in a flash, Yuri's golden eyes shimmered between his half-closed eyelids.

"Let's finish this quickly; I'm busy."

Otherwise, the 'curse' would intensify, and who knows when 'it' might emerge. With a swift decision, Yuri propelled his body into action. The boys who had surrounded him also began their attack.

"Hit him!"

"Kill him!"

"Ugh!"

Boys swinging their clubs like swords, creating a formidable challenge to dodge in the narrow alley. However, Yuri was different now.

He skillfully evaded a club coming down from the front, twisted his body lightly, and then struck the jawline of the guy on the opposite side.

Dodging attacks coming from behind, he smoothly kicked the midsection of another guy.

"Oops?!"

Inserting a back kick into the abdomen of the attacker.

"Wow!"

"Oof!"

"Ugh!"

He easily evaded the swinging attacks and countered with well-placed punches and kicks.

Each time, a member of Dutz's gang staggered back. From a distance, Dutz, who had been observing the situation, was visibly shaken.

'That monstrous kid!'

Having studied Yuri's route for the past few days and armed himself unlike before, Dutz thought it would be enough to show Yuri his place.

'What... What the heck is that!'

In Dutz's eyes, Yuri's movements seemed unconventional and alien. Moreover, it was drastically different from what Dutz knew about Yuri's skills.

'Does he have eyes on the back of his head?!'

Otherwise, how could he move like that? Is that the best a fifteen-year-old kid can do?

While Dutz silently exclaimed, twenty boys had already fallen to the ground, groaning and writhing in pain.

"Ugh."

"Guh..."

Amid the fallen boys, Yuri gave a disdainful look to Dutz.

Seeing Yuri's gaze, Dutz shivered involuntarily. He bit his lip tightly.

"Uwaaaah! Get lost!"

As if throwing a tantrum, Dutz swung his club and rushed toward Yuri.

Thud!

Nevertheless, the club seemed to have some effect, as it created a more powerful shockwave than the fallen boys before. Yuri, however, skillfully dodged it once again, driving his fist into Dutz's side.

"Cough?!"

Starting from the side, Yuri's fist struck Dutz's ribs, causing him to crumple to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Ugh...!"

Amidst Dutz's painful groans, Yuri, squatting in front of him, lightly tapped Dutz's cheek.

"Hey, hey! Breathe, breathe!"

"Pr... Pfft!"

After receiving a series of cheek slaps, Dutz, with a bruised and swollen face, struggled to catch his breath.

"Cough, cough."

Looking down at the pitiful Dutz, Yuri spoke.

"Hey, let me ask you something."

“…..”

"Why does he hate me so much?"

Yuri had long wondered about that. He hadn't harmed Dutz's gang in any way, yet Dutz always picked fights with him. Despite Yuri's occasional retaliation, Dutz never gave up on provoking him. Yuri couldn't fathom the reason behind Dutz's animosity.

"Grr..."

Clutching his aching abdomen, Dutz glared at Yuri with a contorted face. Suddenly, a low vibration echoed through the air.

"Just..."

"Just?"

"Just that I dislike you! A fellow orphan like us, acting all high and mighty! Swaggering around like you're better than the rest of us!"

Yuri first encountered Dutz about six months ago when Dutz gathered kids in similar situations to build his influence. Dutz had invited Yuri to join him, but Yuri's response was simple: "Get lost." A concise but definitive rejection. Since then, Yuri had chosen to live independently, showing an attitude of indifference towards everyone else.

"Since then!"

If someone asked Dutz when he started disliking Yuri, he could pinpoint the exact moment. It was the day Yuri gave him a dismissive look, rejecting his attempt to recruit him.

"Your eyes..."

"What about my eyes?"

"That arrogant gaze! What makes you think you're so special? What sets you apart?"

Dutz's resentment-filled outburst caused the golden glow in Yuri's eyes to disappear. Uncharacteristic for a fifteen-year-old, Yuri's eyes seemed extraordinary, more profound than ever.

With a sinister tone, Dutz continued, "What is it that makes you so full of yourself?"

In response, the light in Yuri's eyes dimmed as he spoke, "I simply... thought it was beneath me."

Surveying Dutz and the fallen boys, Yuri's golden eyes lost their radiance. "Misunderstandings, perhaps. I've never pretended to be anything more than what I am."

Yuri stood up without taking further action. As he looked down at Dutz, he stated, "I just found it trivial."

With these words, Yuri calmly retrieved his hand from his pocket, leaving the alley without causing any more trouble. Left behind, Dutz, still on the ground, watched Yuri's retreating figure in silence.

After a moment, Dutz and his followers painfully got back on their feet. "Ugh, leader... maybe we should stop bothering Yuri."

"Quit your whining! How long are you going to cower? Get up right now!"

"Ugh!"

Dutz and his gang, supporting each other like a wounded battalion, left the alley.

As the silence enveloped the once chaotic alley, a small shadow cautiously emerged from a corner. The figure silently watched the direction Yuri had gone, muttering to itself.

"In the dragon's den... a monster wearing a human disguise was living. Fuhuhu."

The low, thick voice was filled with excitement and joy, capturing the fantasy-filled atmosphere of the scene.