Sol Mirek stood at the doorway, his voice cold and steady, his sharp gaze locked onto the man before him.
An invisible pressure washed over Dorian, forcing him to take a step back without realizing it.
"Kid… who are you?" Dorian narrowed his eyes, trying to suppress the unease creeping into his chest.
He did not understand why this monster had returned to the dojo, but instinct told him something terrifying. For the first time in years, death felt close.
Sol did not answer.
He casually rolled his wrist, the simple motion making every hair on Dorian's body stand on end.
Step by step, Sol walked forward. Each footfall felt like it landed directly on Dorian's heart.
"Wuwuwu…"
Without warning, Dorian dropped to his knees. Tears streamed down his face as he covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking violently.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
His tears splashed onto the wooden floor, the sight pitiful, like a broken man begging for mercy.
Sol's expression did not change.
He knew better.
Dorian was not weak, nor was he sincere. He was a death row inmate who thrived on deception. Hesitation here would mean disaster.
"I…"
Sol's fist came down before Dorian could finish his act.
The punch slammed into Dorian's face with brutal force.
His body flew backward like a discarded doll, smashing into the dojo floor with a heavy thud.
His nasal bone collapsed completely. Blood poured from his nose, soaking into his beard.
The pain was blinding, as if a hole had been punched straight through his skull.
"You… you little bastard…" Dorian staggered, forcing himself up as rage replaced the fear in his eyes.
He had underestimated him. Badly.
Sol gave him no time to recover.
In a blink, Sol vanished.
Dorian barely had time to react before Sol appeared in front of him, his right leg snapping forward like a whip.
Bang.
Dorian was launched backward, crashing through the wooden partition and embedding himself into the lounge wall. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"Cough… cough…" Dorian laughed hoarsely as he peeled himself from the wall, bones crunching as he moved. "Excellent… truly excellent. You're a fine fighter."
Madness gleamed in his eyes.
"You've made me angry."
He tore open his shirt, revealing a scarred, hardened body. His muscles bulged, veins standing out like cords.
With a sharp inhale, Dorian drew a dagger from his waist, the blade flashing coldly.
"Die!"
His movements became savage and feral. The dagger was his claw.
Dorian lunged, every ounce of strength poured into the strike. The blade shot toward Sol's throat, cutting through the air with a lethal hiss.
Sol stepped aside.
A flash of motion, a few strands of hair drifting down.
In the opening of the attack, Sol's hand turned into a blade and chopped down on Dorian's wrist.
Crack.
Bone snapped cleanly.
Dorian's wrist twisted at a horrifying angle as the dagger clattered to the floor.
"Aghhh!" Dorian howled.
Before he could react, Sol seized his other arm and pivoted, slamming him into the ground with a brutal shoulder throw.
Boom.
The dojo trembled violently. The wooden floor caved in, leaving a deep crater.
Dorian coughed violently as dark blood spilled from his mouth, fragments mixed within.
Sol stepped onto Dorian's chest, looking down at him coldly.
"With this level of skill," Sol said calmly, "you thought you could run wild in the Shinshinkai?"
His foot pressed down harder.
Dorian struggled, but it was like being pinned by a mountain.
Sweat poured down his face as true fear finally surfaced.
He had chased defeat all his life, believing he could face death without fear.
But now that death stood on his chest, his resolve shattered.
"Wait… we can talk…" Dorian gasped, blood spilling with each word.
Sol sneered.
His foot came down.
Crack.
Dorian's sternum shattered. His scream echoed briefly before his eyes rolled back and his body went limp.
Silence consumed the dojo.
The Shinshinkai members stared, frozen in shock at Sol's overwhelming strength.
Sol stepped off the unconscious man and walked toward Katsumi Orochi. He checked his injuries carefully.
No fatal wounds.
He straightened and looked around.
"Call an ambulance. Send them all to the hospital," Sol said evenly. "And notify the Tokyo Police Department."
Then, as if nothing significant had happened, he added, "I'm going to eat."
He left the dojo without looking back.
Outside, Sol adjusted his slightly rumpled clothes and headed toward Retsu Kaioh.
It was as though the battle had never occurred.
Retsu still sat cross-legged, calm and composed. Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes.
"Solved?" he asked.
"Yeah," Sol replied casually. "Just a small nuisance."
Retsu smiled and stood, brushing dust from his clothes. "Let's go. The restaurant nearby is worth the walk."
They strolled through the streets of Tokyo together.
After a moment, Retsu spoke again. "Sol, your strength is impressive. Your instincts are sharp."
"But your fighting style is straightforward. It works, but it leaves openings."
Sol glanced at him. "So I hit too hard and think too little?"
Retsu chuckled softly. "Something like that. Power is meaningless without control."
Sol nodded, thoughtful.
"Senior Retsu," he said lightly, a playful edge in his voice, "you wouldn't happen to be offering lessons, would you?"
Retsu laughed. "That depends on your patience."
Sol smiled faintly. He glanced at his system panel.
Fighting Genius progress had climbed to seventy nine percent.
Time was on his side.
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