The pot-bellied man’s bravado collapsed the moment he realized how quickly his advantage had disappeared. His eyes darted from one fallen thug to another, panic rising like heat under his skin.
“What are you all standing there for?” he barked, though his voice cracked under the strain. “Take him down!”
The men hesitated.
They looked at each other first—not out of loyalty, but uncertainty. A moment ago, they had numbers on their side. Now, they had doubt.
I rolled my shoulders slowly, loosening the tension in my muscles, then tilted my neck until it gave a quiet crack.
“Come on then,” I muttered. “Let’s get it over with.”
The first one lunged forward, gripping a crude knife like it gave him courage. His swing was wild, driven more by fear than skill.
I stepped aside effortlessly, cau
