Episode 11

Ryan's revelation left the gang leader Rio staggered with shock.

"You! How do you know about me and my dojo? Who are you really?" demanded Rio with an accusing tone, adopting an extremely guarded posture.

How could he not be guarded? His Black Skull Dojo was a hidden martial arts school, little known to the public. He cleverly disguised it behind the façade of a biker gang, yet here was this youngster knowing all his secrets.

He was now very serious about Ryan. Anyone privy to knowledge of the Black Skull Martial Arts must be more than ordinary. Without the aid of the System, Ryan himself would've remained clueless.

"Who I am doesn't matter to you! But before we fight, might we negotiate for a moment?" inquired Ryan, calm as ever.

"Negotiate? What do you want to negotiate, boy?" Rio responded, puzzled.

"Simple! If you lose this fight, I won't kill you! But you'll become my subordinate!" declared Ryan.

"Lose to you? Become your subordinate? Ha! Kid, are you joking? I won't lose to a greenhorn like you!" Rio laughed heartily.

Observing the gang leader or Great Master of the Black Skull Martial Arts, Ryan merely smiled.

"So, do we have a deal?" asked Ryan again, undisturbed by Rio's previous arrogant remarks.

"Ha! Boy, if you can defeat me and survive my katana, then I swear my dojo and I will become your most loyal subordinates!" Rio declared, without giving it much thought, confident in his abilities. The idea of losing to a novice like Ryan was preposterous.

Behind their boss or Great Master, members and disciples of the Black Skull Martial Arts, as well as the biker gang, were astonished by their leader's declaration.

"Did the boss really say that? Swear to become subordinates to that damn kid? Can this be real?" one of them questioned.

"Ha! It is real! But relax! The boss will never lose to that boy!" retorted his comrade to the right.

"Indeed! That kid will fall to our boss's sword! After all, no one in this city can match his swordsmanship!" another added.

"But..."

"Enough! Don't worry! Let's just watch our boss's fight against that callow youth! We might learn a priceless sword fighting lesson!"

"Ha! You're always thinking ahead, pal! Agreed! We are about to witness a fabulous swordplay lesson from the boss!"

"Um..." the person nodded.

The conversations among the Black Skull Martial Arts and biker gang members continued. Some harbored doubts about their boss, but most were convinced he would easily prevail.

"Alright... It's settled!" Ryan stated, then braced himself, grounding his stance.

"Go ahead, kid!" Rio taunted nonchalantly.

"With pleasure!" Ryan countered and charged with astonishing speed, swinging his baseball bat toward the left side of Rio's neck.

Rio's eyes bulged at Ryan's rapid movement. Matching in swift response, he stepped back twice while slashing with his sword.

Clash!

The sword met the baseball bat with a resonant clang. They locked eyes for a fraction of a second before moving simultaneously.

Clash! Clash! Clash!

The sound of clanging metal persisted as they exchanged blows and parried each other's attacks. The fierce duel of skills continued for nearly twenty tense minutes.

Clash! Clink! Clink!

Ryan feigned a kick with his left leg, channeling his main strength into his right hand holding the baseball bat.

Anticipating a kick to his abdomen, Rio aimed a sword slash, hoping to sever Ryan's leg. But an agonizing deception awaited him.

As his blade sliced only air, Rio's body tilted right, and suddenly, Ryan's firm baseball bat impacted his left shoulder with a harsh blow.

Thump!

Crash!

Rio was hurled back two meters by the force of the bat. Had Ryan's weapon been a sword like his, death would have been certain, as Rio's body might have been cleaved in two.

"Ugh!"

Rio grunted, enduring the pain in his left shoulder – his bone felt splintered, possibly even shattered. He stood, eyeing Ryan incredulously.

Onlookers, Rio's followers, shared his disbelief. How could their Master, renowned for swordsmanship, be so bested by a fledgling? This scene was beyond their comprehension, witnessed firsthand or not.

"What's with Boss Rio? Is he conceding to that kid as a joke?" one skeptically asked.

"No! Boss Rio isn't playing around! He simply misjudged that kid's move, receiving a punishing hit!" another replied, gaze locked on the still-dueling Rio and Ryan.

"So, Boss Rio could lose?" probed the first.

"Not necessarily! It's just the beginning! And if Boss Rio lands even a single blow on the kid, victory and possibly a fatal outcome for the kid will follow!" the comrade responded.

"Humph! I hope Boss Rio wins and slays him! I can't accept that my brother's nose was broken by him earlier in their fight!" declared the individual harboring a personal grudge against Ryan.

"Let's see! But if Boss Rio can't beat him, you will have to resign and let go of your vendetta!" advised the compatriot.

Upon standing, Rio continued to stare at Ryan with sheer incredulity.

"Kid, to which school do you belong? I've never seen kung fu techniques like yours," Rio questioned.

"Ha! I belong to no particular martial arts school! I'm a freelance kung fu expert! I acquired these techniques from... well, it's a secret!" Ryan replied with a chuckle.

"Oh, and how's the feeling of this baseball bat? Ha! Had it been a sword like yours, surely you'd be dead already!" Ryan taunted.

"Fairly powerful! And true! With a sword, I'd have died or at the very least lost this arm!" Rio admitted candidly.

"So, will you continue, or yield and become my subordinate?" Ryan coolly inquired.

"Yield? Ha! I know nothing of the kind! Come on, let's proceed! I want more insight into your mysterious style!" Rio's curiosity piqued, he couldn't fathom a kung fu master like Ryan without a backing school. He advanced, resuming his sturdy stance.

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