Liam barely had a moment to breathe before two of the men lunged at him, their small axes gleaming under the dim light of the room. The remaining three didnât stay idleâthey moved strategically, flanking him from all sides, closing in to ensure he had no escape.
They had learned their lesson from the last time they fought him.
This time, they werenât underestimating him.
This time, they wouldnât give him the chance to breathe, to think, to counter.
Liamâs muscles tensed as he assessed the situation. This wasnât like before. If they were unarmed, he could afford to be reckless, but against axesâagainst five men wielding axesâhe had to be careful.
There was no doubt in his mind now.
Miss Amanda had been right.
These were people that nobody should offend.
They were thugsâkillers. They wouldnât hesitate to end his life the moment they got the chance. And right now, they wanted that chance.
But who was Liam?
Well, he was nobody.
But that didnât mean he would let himself be murdered here.
One of the men let out a growl before hacking down with his axe. Liam twisted his body backward, barely dodging it, before raising his leg and delivering a sharp kick to the manâs hand. The force sent the weapon slightly off course, burying itself deep into the wooden floor instead of his flesh.
Before he could regain his footing, another thug swung his axe in a wide arc, aiming to separate Liamâs head from his shoulders.
Liam dropped instantly, bending his body into a crouch and crawling away on all fours like an animal. The axe missed his skull by mere inches, slicing through the air where his head had been moments ago.
A sharp exhale left Liamâs lips as he rubbed his neck.
"These motherfuckers really wonât hesitate to kill me."
He had known that already, but feeling death so closeâfeeling the sharp wind of the blade almost touch his skinâit sent a strange, chilling realization through him.
They would kill him.
No hesitation. No second thoughts.
Liamâs mind worked rapidly, searching for something, anything he could use. His eyes darted around until they landed on a mop leaning against the wall.
In one swift motion, he grabbed it.
And then he snapped it in half.
The wooden pieces were rough, jagged, and unevenâbut they were better than nothing.
He twirled the broken sticks in his hands, stepping back into a defensive stance as he stared at the men before him. A small grin tugged at his lips, despite the situation.
"Letâs dance," he said.
The thugs stared at him like he had lost his mind.
One of them let out a scoff, another chuckled darkly.
Did this kid really think a stickâa broken mopâwas going to save him?
They werenât going to argue with him about it.
Reasonable or not, they only had one goalâkill him.
The first one moved, swinging his axe with precision.
Liam dodged, sidestepping the attack effortlessly.
He moved fastâtoo fast for them to keep up.
Before the man could recover, Liam struck.
With a sharp, precise movement, he swung the first stick hard against the thugâs leg.
The impact made a sickening crack, and the man immediately buckled. His body instinctively bent forward from the painâexactly what Liam wanted.
Without hesitation, Liam raised the second broken stickâ
And pierced it straight through the manâs throat.
The sharpened end slid through flesh, muscle, and veins, bursting out from behind his neck.
A gurgled gasp escaped the manâs lips.
His hands flew up, gripping the wooden piece in shock, blood spilling between his fingers as his eyes widened in horror. He trembled violently, his legs shaking beneath him, his breath coming out in ragged, wet gasps.
Thenâ
He collapsed.
His body hit the ground with a dull thud, his limbs twitching as blood pooled beneath him.
And thenâhe stopped moving.
Dead.
Liam stood frozen, his breathing uneven, his fingers still clenched tightly around the remaining piece of the mop.
His heart pounded wildly inside his chest.
His veins felt cold.
Ice cold.
This was the first time he had ever taken a manâs life.
The weight of it settled into his bones, deep into his very soul.
Even though he knew it was either him or them, even though he knew this was a fight for survivalâ
The reality of what he had just done sent a violent shiver down his spine.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
Because the others were still standing.
And they had just watched their friend die.
Liamâs eyes flickered toward the window behind one of the men. If he was fast enoughâif he timed it perfectlyâhe could take down the man blocking his path, leap through the window, and escape.
It was risky.
But it was also his best chance.
He subtly shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet, muscles coiling like a spring, ready to explode into motion. Every second counted. If he hesitated, he would lose the advantage.
But just as he was about to moveâ
A knock echoed through the house.
Liam froze instantly.
His blood turned cold.
Who the hell could that be?
Of all the times for someone to show up, they had chosen nowâright when his life was hanging by a thread.
His mind raced. If it was some random visitor, he had to warn them to run. If it was a neighbor, maybe they could call the copsâno, that wouldnât work. The moment he opened his mouth to shout, the thugs would turn their attention toward the door, and whoever was standing outside would be dragged into this mess.
Liam clenched his jaw, his fingers twitching.
Before he could react, one of the thugs nearest to the door moved.
In one swift motion, the man yanked the door open.
Liamâs stomach dropped.
A startled gasp rang out as the thug grabbed the person standing outside, wrapping a muscular arm around their waist and pulling them inside in one rough motion.
Liamâs heart pounded violently in his chest.
Then his eyes landed on the person.
And for the first time since this fight startedâsince his life had been hanging in the balanceâtrue horror twisted through him.
It was Ann.
Liamâs breath hitched.
His mind went blank.
What the hell was she doing here?!
Why now?!
She shouldnât be here. She shouldnât be here.
The thug holding her hostage pressed his axe against her neck, the sharp edge grazing her skin ever so slightly.
"If you make even the smallest noise," the man whispered into her ear, his voice dripping with malice, "Iâll tear this axe right through you."
Annâs entire body trembled.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her breaths short and shallow. Fear flickered in her wide eyes, her hands clenched into tight fists. She knew. She knew what kind of situation she had just walked into.
Liamâs hands curled into fists.
His nails dug into his palms.
He wanted to rip that bastard apart.
And thenâ
Ding!
A sound echoed in Liamâs head, clear and distinct, cutting through the tension in the air.
A blue notification screen appeared in his vision.
[Your woman is in danger. Save her.]
[All stats Ă2 for 2 minutes.]
[Reward: All stats +2.]
---
[Liam Carter â Stats]
Strength: 16/1000
Agility: 14/1000
Endurance: 10/1000
Charm: 8/1000
Intelligence: 10/1000
Liam barely had time to process the words before he felt itâ
A surge of raw, unfiltered power.
It was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
It wasnât just strengthâit was everything. His vision sharpened, his hearing amplified, his reflexes quickened. Every nerve in his body buzzed with heightened awareness, every muscle coiled with energy that felt almost inhuman.
It was as if his entire being had been cranked up to its absolute limit.
Liam took a slow breath, his heartbeat steadying.
For the first time since the fight began, he felt truly calm.
He analyzed the situation, his mind processing every detail at lightning speed. Four men left. One was holding Ann hostage, using her as leverage. The other three were tense, their grips tightening around their weapons, their stances cautious.
They had seen him kill one of their own.
They werenât going to take any chances.
The leaderâthe one holding Annâtightened his hold on her. His eyes locked onto Liamâs with a smug grin.
"If you move even a single step," the man sneered, pressing the axe slightly deeper into Annâs skin, "Iâll slice her neck open."
A tense silence followed his words.
Liam looked at Ann.
She was terrified, but she wasnât screaming.
She wasnât begging for help.
She was trusting him.
And that trust fueled something deep inside him.
Liamâs lips curled into a smirk.
And thenâ
He took a step forward.
The room fell silent.
Everyone froze.
The thugs stared in disbelief.
Had he not heard the threat?
Had he lost his damn mind?!
Annâs breath hitched. The leaderâs grip on the axe tightened.
Liam just kept walking.
Unfazed.
Unbothered.
He was calm. Too calm.
And thatâs what scared them the most.
****
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