Liam''s Perspective


    Blood leaked from the corner of my mouth as I staggered down Divine Dragon Street. The vigers gathered like vultures, their eyes gleaming with malice and opportunity.


    "There he goes! The so-called legend!"


    "Look at him now! Pathetic!"


    "He dared challenge the Ashworth Family. This is justice!"


    I wiped the blood with the back of my hand and kept walking. These people were nothing but spectators, finding courage only when they sensed weakness. Their words meant nothing.


    An elderly man stepped forward, his white beard quivering with righteous indignation. "Young man, renounce your powers and beg for forgiveness! It''s the only way to save yourself!"


    I stopped and looked at him, really looked at him. His robes were expensive, his fingers adorned with jade rings. Another hypocrite ying at morality.


    "And when did you be my judge?" I asked quietly.


    The old man puffed up. "I''ve lived eighty years with honor—"


    "Honor?" Iughed, triggering another coughing fit. Fresh blood spattered the ground. "Where was your honor when the Guild ransacked innocent homes? When they took Isabelle? You said nothing then."


    The crowd shifted ufortably. Some looked away.


    "How dare you!" A young man pushed through the crowd. "My grandfather deserves respect!"


    Two burly men nked him, each wearing the insignia of Grandmasters. Bodyguards, then. The rich always hid behind others'' strength.


    "Teach this fallen dog a lesson!" the young man ordered his protectors.


    The bodyguards moved with practiced coordination. One aimed a palm strike at my chest while the other circled behind me.


    Despite my condition, my body responded instinctively. I sidestepped the first attack and drove my elbow into the man''s sr plexus. As he doubled over, I swept his legs and sent him crashing into his partner.


    Both Grandmasters hit the ground hard. The crowd gasped.


    "Impossible!" someone whispered. "He''s supposed to be powerless!"


    A cool voice answered from the shadows. "His physical prowess remains. It''s his internal strength that''spromised."


    The speaker emerged—a tall, lean man with calcting eyes. He wore the distinctive robes of a martial arts instructor.


    "The famous Liam Knight," he continued, circling me like a predator. "Once the rising star of Veridia City. Now just a desperate man clinging to former glory."


    Two more figures joined him. A stocky man with a mace strapped to his back and a strikingly beautiful woman with a folding fan. She studied me with open curiosity.


    "The three great masters of Divine Dragon Street," Eamon whispered behind me. "We need to leave. Now."


    The woman stepped forward, her movements fluid and graceful. "I''m Sara. I''ve heard so much about you, Mr. Knight." She pouted yfully. "Such a shame to see you reduced to this state." Publication courtesy of *.</abbr>


    "If you''re done with the introductions," I replied, "state your business or move along."


    The stocky man growled. "Such arrogance! Even at death''s door, you dare speak this way?"


    "Zhang, calm yourself," the tall instructor said. "Mr. Knight deserves to know why we''ve taken an interest." He bowed slightly. "I am Master Lin. We maintain order here."


    "By ''order,'' you mean you''re the biggest fish in this small pond," I remarked.


    Lin''s smile tightened. "We protect the weak from predators."


    "How noble," I replied, my tone making it clear I thought it was anything but.


    Sara tapped her closed fan against her palm. "You''ve been causing quite a stir, attacking those poor bodyguards."


    "They attacked me," I corrected.


    "After you insulted an elder," Zhang countered. "Youe to our street, disturb our peace, bully those weaker than yourself—"


    I couldn''t help butugh, though it sent pain shooting through my chest. "Weaker? Those were Grandmaster-level bodyguards. And this street''s entire purpose is for the strong to dominate the weak. Don''t pretend you''re motivated by justice."


    Lin''s eyes narrowed. "You know nothing of our motivations."


    "I know opportunism when I see it," I shot back. "You''ve heard I''m weakened. You want to test that theory yourself."


    Zhang unstrapped his mace. "Enough talk. Let''s settle this properly."


    "Wait," Sara interjected, studying me intently. "Is it true what they say? That you killed three Guild Elders single-handedly?"


    "Does it matter?" I asked.


    "It matters if we''re about to make a mistake," she replied softly.


    Lin stepped forward. "We are the guardians of this street. If you wish to remain here, you must prove yourself worthy."


    I understood their game now. In their minds, I had two choices: submit to their authority or fight in my weakened state and lose. Either way, they maintained their position as the street''s rulers.


    I had a third option.


    "Fine," I said, taking a step toward them. "But let''s make this interesting. All three of you, at once."


    The crowd erupted in shocked murmurs.


    "You can''t be serious," Eamon hissed behind me.


    Lin raised an eyebrow. "You''re either very brave or very foolish."


    "Perhaps both," Sara said, her expression unreadable.


    Zhangughed harshly. "Agreed! I''ll crush this arrogance out of you!"


    He charged forward, mace raised high. The weapon glowed with power as he channeled his qi into it. A formidable attack, even against a healthy opponent.


    I didn''t move. Not yet.


    Lin''s hands formed aplex pattern. "Eight Trigrams Binding Technique!"


    Invisible force wrapped around my limbs, trying to immobilize me. A master-level restraining technique. Against someone with functioning meridians, it would be devastating.


    For me, it was merely ufortable.


    Sara snapped her folding fan open. With a delicate flick of her wrist, she sent a cutting gust of wind straight at my throat.


    Three attacks, three different angles, all converging on me at once.


    Time seemed to slow as I faced this moment of truth. My body was broken. My meridians damaged. My dantian a shattered mess.


    But something else burned within me. Something they couldn''t see or understand.


    The fire of absolute resolve.


    Iunched myself forward, directly into the heart of theirbined assault.