NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: [ Intro ] Chapter 8- A fight (2)
Akhil struck like a shadow, his knife plunging into the man's abdomen.
The thug let out a strangled gasp, his blade clattering to the floor.
Akhil twisted the Karambit free and stepped back, vanishing into the shadows.
"Damn it!" one thug above shouted.
"He's pickin' us off!"
The suited man didn't flinch.
"Go. Two at a time this time. Don't stop moving."
The remaining thugs exchanged nervous glances before descending together.
"Where are you, you little shit?" one growled, his machete raised as his flashlight scanned the basement.
Akhil crouched low behind a stack of crates, his breathing steady.
He waited until the beam passed before springing out.
"Over there!" one thug shouted, raising his weapon, but Akhil was already upon them.
THWACK!
His reinforced knuckles smashed into the first man's jaw, sending him sprawling.
The second thug lunged with a knife, but Akhil sidestepped, his Karambit slicing across the man's arm.
"He's too fast!" one of them yelled, blood dripping from his wound.
The chaos above spilled into the basement as more thugs flooded the room.
"Don't just stand there! Kill him!"
Bullets ricocheted off the walls as they opened fire, but Akhil ducked and weaved, using the narrow space to his advantage.
He grabbed a metal pipe from the floor and hurled it toward the lights.
CLANG!
The sudden noise startled them, their flashlights wavering.
Akhil used the moment to strike, his Karambit a blur.
One by one, they fell, their cries muffled as the blade tore through flesh.
The floor was slick with blood, the air heavy with the metallic tang.
"You useless bastards," the suited man muttered from above.
He removed his coat slowly, folding it neatly and placing it on the floor.
"Stay here if you want to die like dogs," he said, stepping down the stairs, his eyes locked on Akhil.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing lean, muscular arms.
"Finally. Let's see if you're as good as they say." The suited man descended the final step, his polished shoes now slicked with the blood of his fallen men.
He flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles with a calm deliberation that set the tone.
His smirk widened as he sized up Akhil, whose chest rose and fell in heavy breaths, the Karambit held steady in his hand.
"You're impressive, I'll give you that," the man said, his tone smooth and condescending. "But that ends now."
Akhil didn't reply, his gaze cold and unyielding. He shifted his stance slightly, angling his body for a fight.
The suited man moved first. His fist shot forward, a blur in the dim light. Akhil barely dodged, tilting his head as the strike grazed his jaw.
The man followed up with a sharp kick aimed at Akhil's ribs.
Akhil blocked it with his forearm, the force of the impact sending him sliding back a step.
"Hah... tch!" Akhil exhaled sharply, his muscles tensing.
"Not bad," the man taunted, his voice low.
Akhil lunged in response, slashing with the Karambit. "SWISH!" The man twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the blade, and countered with a powerful elbow strike aimed at Akhil's temple.
Akhil ducked, driving his knee toward the man's abdomen, but the suited fighter caught the move and twisted, forcing Akhil to stumble off balance.
"Hrk!" Akhil gasped, his balance faltering.
The man capitalized, delivering a bone-jarring punch to Akhil's side.
"THUD!"
Pain exploded through Akhil's ribs, but he didn't falter.
Instead, he used the momentum to spin, slashing upward. The Karambit grazed the man's forearm.
"Tch. You're a persistent one," the suited man hissed, clutching his arm briefly before stepping back. Blood dripped onto the floor. "Drip. Drip."
They circled each other now, each assessing the other's weaknesses. The air was thick with tension, the metallic tang of blood mingling with the scent of sweat and adrenaline.
The man darted forward again, his fists flying in a series of calculated strikes.
SWISH SWISB
Akhil deflected most of them, but one punch connected with his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain down his arm.
He retaliated with a swift jab to the man's jaw, followed by a low kick that swept the suited fighter's leg out from under him.
"ARGH!" The man hit the ground but rolled back up with the agility of a trained fighter. He grinned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Hah... Hah... Not bad."
"You're good," he said, his voice tinged with respect. "But I'm better."
He charged again, feinting left before pivoting and aiming a brutal punch at Akhil's midsection.
WHOOSH!
Akhil anticipated the move, catching the man's arm and twisting it sharply. The suited man grimaced but didn't yield. He drove his knee into Akhil's gut, forcing him to release his grip.
"Ugh!" Akhil staggered back, clutching his abdomen.
Both men paused, breathing hard. The room echoed with their sharp gasps. "Hah... hah... hah..."
Akhil wiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve, his Karambit glinting as he adjusted his grip.
The suited man unbuttoned his cuffs, rolling his sleeves higher. His body glistened with sweat, muscles tense and coiled like a spring.
"Round two?" he asked mockingly, though his breathing betrayed his exhaustion.
Akhil didn't reply.
He darted forward, feinting a strike with his knife before dropping low and sweeping the man's legs out from under him again.
"Tch! Damn you!" the suited man spat, hitting the ground with a THUD! This time, Akhil didn't give him a chance to recover.
The suited man lashed out with a kick, catching Akhil on the shin. Akhil winced but pressed on, throwing a wild punch that connected with the man's ribs.
CRACK!
The sound of bone breaking echoed in the basement.
The man grunted, his movements slowing as he clutched his side. Still, he surged forward, his fists swinging in a desperate flurry.
"ARGH!" one of his punches clipped Akhil's cheek, splitting the skin. Blood dripped to the floor. "Drip. Drip."
With a growl, Akhil surged forward, his knuckles connecting with the man's jaw in a brutal uppercut.
"Hrk—gah!" The suited man staggered, his footing faltering. Akhil followed up with a vicious right hook, sending the man sprawling to the blood-slick floor.
THUD! He didn't stop. Pinning the man down, Akhil raised his fist and delivered one final, bone-crushing blow to the man's temple.
"URGH!" The suited man's head lolled to the side, unconscious.
Akhil knelt there for a moment, chest heaving. "Hah... hah... hah..." Blood dripped from his face and hands, mixing with the mess below.
He stood slowly, his leg trembling as the pain of his earlier wounds began to set in. The room was silent now, save for the faint hum of the fluorescent light overhead.
Akhil glanced at the man's crumpled form, then stepped back, wiping his bloodied hands on his jacket.
"You should've stayed in your suit," he muttered under his breath before limping toward the basement exit.