CH 32 - The Unquenched Ember (2)
Ray and Philip walked briskly toward the hotel entrance.
"I left some members stationed around instead of pulling everyone out. Our move to the hotel must have reached Zephyr and Lawson's ears by now," Ray said calmly, contrasting Philip’s visible excitement.
"Yeah, I saw them earlier today. Kids hiding in scrap metal piles," Philip replied.
"Then why didn’t you catch them...?"
"On purpose. We’ll clash with those two gangs eventually. Better to let them come to us—saves time."
Carrying the money bag conspicuously over his shoulder during their hotel move had also been intentional bait.
"Ray, you’re not wrong... But facing them after proper preparations would’ve been better..."
Philip’s concern was logical. Zephyr and Lawson were undoubtedly furious after the duel arena incident—nearly dying in the fire and losing all their money. They’d likely declare the duel invalid and demand refunds. No, they would. Given their usual behavior, violence was inevitable. A full-scale war might erupt.
...Cedric’s subordinates still don’t fully accept Ray as leader.
The timing was terrible. Could they unite properly if war broke out? Some might defect to Zephyr and Lawson immediately.
Ray must be exhausted too.
Yet Philip trusted Ray had a plan...
"Philip."
"Huh? Yeah?"
"That term earlier. What was it? About investment returns..."
"Uh... dividends?"
"Right. We’ll receive dividends today."
Passing through the hotel’s wide-open entrance, they found Zephyr and Lawson’s gangs waiting outside.
"Took you long enough to crawl out," Zephyr spat, his burly frame looming as he ground saliva into the pavement.
"Guess the rumors about you surviving were true. Thought you’d be charcoal by now," added Lawson, towering over his peers.
Behind the leaders stood 80-90 boys brandishing pipes and clubs—their combined forces. Cedric’s 40-50 members lingered nervously farther back.
Zephyr cracked his neck with a sneer. "Still can’t wrap my head around this. Our hotelier bets everything on a hunter. Cedric torches his own base. Yet here you all stand, unharmed."
Thud!
He straightened abruptly, locking eyes with Ray. "Hunter. Your thoughts?"
"What’s there to think? You see it as it is."
Ray’s composure despite the numerical disadvantage made Zephyr’s lip twitch.
"Here’s what I think—we were scammed. The duel was rigged from the start. That ankle injury rumor? Bullshit. Philip’s fine too."
Lawson nodded. "Bet they burned drugs to mess with our heads during the duel."
Philip stifled a laugh. Uncanny how they’re following the script.
"Philip. Disappointing. Thought we weren’t backstabbing types. Damn it, right?"
But the hostile glares forced Philip to retreat several steps involuntarily.
"Enough chatter. Hand over our money first. Don’t even try the ‘it burned’ excuse—we saw the bag."
"The money’s here. Philip, fetch the bag. Put back what we took out earlier."
"Wait—I’ll hurry!"
As Philip sprinted inside, Zephyr chuckled. "Smooth talker, ain’t he?"
"Saved us some trouble," Lawson agreed, smug at having mobilized their full forces.
"Numbers don’t lie. Pathetic how Cedric’s crew keeps eyeing us."
"Look at those cowards. Cedric was the only real threat anyway."
Cedric’s gang stayed silent under the taunts. Zephyr and Lawson smirked—even the unflappable hunter must feel the pressure.
"Bag’s here!"
Gasps erupted when Ray opened it.
"Whoa! How much is that?!"
"Told you we bet big..."
Zephyr raised a hand, silencing the crowd. "Our total bet was 1.63 million shillings."
"Allegedly," Lawson added, licking parched lips as golden greed warped their judgment.
"Changed our minds. We need extra compensation for injuries from the fire."
"Right. About twenty injured, five million shillings each."
A blatant lie—no one had been gravely hurt after evacuating early.
Ray wordlessly transferred coins into a leather pouch.
"Why bother repackaging? Just hand over the whole—"
Whoosh!
The pouch sailed into Zephyr’s hand. His face twisted upon checking the contents.
"This—this is peanuts!"
"That’s your full dividend."
"What?!"
"Use your head. I won. Few bet on me—small pot."
"You—!!"
Zephyr and Lawson’s faces flushed crimson. Ray zipped the bag shut.
"Take it by force if you want. That’s the street’s way."
"You little SHIIIIIT—!!"
Enemies charged as Ray tossed the bag to Philip.
Thud!
"Got it!"
Philip dashed inside. The waiting kids slammed the hotel doors shut the moment he cleared the threshold.
SCREEEECH—BANG!!
The reinforced doors held. Ray turned forward.
"Kill them ALL! Smash the hotel too!"
Zephyr and Lawson swung pipes and clubs—
CRACK!
—as time dilated for Ray.
Exhaustion weighed his limbs. Countless spells cast since the duel. He should’ve collapsed already.
Yet no fear. No doubt.
Cedric’s ring pulsed in his pocket.
Huummm...
Responding to his will, the ring flooded his vessel with crimson mana. It surged through veins, accelerating as fury took hold—
Dilated pupils.
Roaring blood.
Twitching muscles.
This mana—superior to any he’d known. Enhancement magic tripled, quadrupled his power.
He let the pipes strike his shoulders.
CLANG!
THUD!
"Wha—?!"
"Fuck! How?!"
Bent pipes. Shattered clubs. The leaders gaped at their ruined weapons.
Ray’s counterattacks came too fast.
CRUNCH!
"Guhk!"
"Kgh—!"
Fists buried in their solar plexuses, Zephyr and Lawson crumpled, eyes rolling as foam bubbled from their mouths.
"Ca...n’t...breathe..."
Zephyr blacked out, disbelief his last thought. His pride—size and iron muscles—meant nothing against this force.
"KILL HIM! HE’S TIRED! SWARM HIM!"
87 against 1. An unwinnable fight—
CLANG!
THUD!
—yet every attack broke against Ray’s metal-like skin.
"GRAB HIM! JUST—"
"HE’S ONE GUY! DO SOMETHING!"
Ray rampaged through panicked ranks, ignoring defense. Enemy numbers plummeted.
Memories flashed—Niles’ death, bloodied rain, golem-fueled rage.
I’ll slaughter you all.
The crimson mana resonated with his wrath, streaking through air like threads to replenish him. His movements grew sharper, brutality intensifying.
CRACK!
THUD!
Bodies fell.
"BREACH THE DOORS!"
Ray turned. Some enemies were prying at the hotel entrance.
He inhaled deeply—
"STOOOOOP!!!"
The mana-charged roar shook the battlefield. Boys covered their ears, collapsing.
Cedric’s gang, previously hesitant, finally charged into the fray.
"RUSH THEM!!!"
It was the moment their senses snapped back—and they fully recognized their new leader.
