The mercenary wiped the blood trickling from his lips, his eyes glowing with the thrill of battle. He wasn't just a brute relying on strength—he was a seasoned killer, a man who had fought in wars, taken lives, and survived the worst nightmares imaginable.
But Ochieng?
He was an enigma.
The mercenary had fought monsters, but tonight, for the first time, he felt like he was up against something he couldn't understand.
Ochieng stood still, eyes locked onto his opponent, his breathing calm. Cold. Calculated. Unshaken.
The mercenary smirked. "I see now… you're different."
Ochieng didn't respond.
The crowd grew restless, the tension thick. Then—
The mercenary attacked.
He lunged forward, aiming to crush Ochieng's skull with his elbow.
But Ochieng saw it coming.
He sidestepped, his movements fluid, almost too fast for the eye to catch.
And then—
BAM!
Ochieng countered with a devastating palm strike to the chest, sending the mercenary stumbling backward.
The audience gasped.
Shen Tao's smirk faltered for the first time.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
Ochieng was supposed to struggle. To be overpowered. To be humiliated.
Instead, he was toying with his opponent.
Shen Tao clenched his jaw. This wasn't over.
---
The mercenary spat blood on the floor.
Then, he laughed.
A deep, guttural, unhinged laugh.
Ochieng narrowed his eyes.
Something wasn't right.
The mercenary's veins began bulging, his muscles twitching unnaturally. His breathing grew heavier, his eyes bloodshot.
He wasn't normal anymore.
Shen Tao's voice echoed from above. "I should've told you… I gave him a little boost."
Doped.
The realization hit Ochieng immediately.
The mercenary had been injected with combat-enhancing drugs.
He wasn't just strong now—he was a beast.
And he had one goal.
Kill Ochieng.
---
The next attack came at inhuman speed.
A fist aimed directly at Ochieng's temple.
He barely dodged, but the air pressure alone cut his cheek.
This was bad.
The mercenary swung again.
This time, Ochieng had no choice but to block.
CRACK!
The sheer force sent him skidding backward, his arms trembling from the impact.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
The fight had just reached a new level.
Ochieng exhaled, shaking out his arms.
Fine.
If they wanted a monster, he would show them one.
He steadied his stance. His aura shifted.
And then—
He attacked.
His movements were a blur.
One moment, the mercenary was lunging.
The next—
Ochieng vanished.
The mercenary's eyes widened. "What—"
BAM!
A brutal kick to the ribs.
BAM!
A follow-up punch to the jaw.
BAM!
An elbow to the neck.
Ochieng wasn't holding back anymore.
He struck with precision, speed, and a terrifying coldness.
The mercenary staggered, blood dripping from his mouth, panic flashing in his eyes.
He had the advantage. He was supposed to win.
But Ochieng…
Ochieng was something else.
---
The mercenary roared, throwing one last, desperate punch.
Ochieng caught it.
Then—
He twisted.
SNAP!
The mercenary's arm broke at the joint.
A blood-curdling scream filled the arena.
But Ochieng wasn't done.
One final kick.
Straight to the head.
The mercenary's body crashed to the ground.
Unmoving.
The room fell silent.
The match was over.
Ochieng stood over his fallen opponent, his expression unreadable.
The crowd didn't cheer.
They didn't know whether to be excited… or terrified.
And above it all, Shen Tao's face was dark with rage.
This wasn't the outcome he had planned.
And he wasn't about to let it slide.
The real battle was just beginning.
---