Damon had returned. His eyes darkened completely upon seeing the blood on the corner of his son's mouth. The sleeping monster inside the former special operative had been truly awakened by a pack of foolish wolves.
👉 read part 23 to witness the father's fury.
Damon strode into the dojo, the sound of his heavy work boots tapping against the floor creating a rhythm of death. He didn't shout or utter any threats; his silence was the most terrifying thing of all.
The thugs, realizing someone was blocking their way, immediately turned their spearhead toward him. The three largest men swung their bats and charged, intending to finish off this seemingly unarmed middle-aged man.
But they were dead wrong. Damon glided past the crude attacks as effortlessly as a ghost. His calloused hands delivered precise, crippling strikes to lethal pressure points.
In the blink of an eye, the three thugs were lying scattered on the floor, clutching their broken joints in excruciating agony. The remaining henchmen began to panic, slowly backing away.
"Who dared touch my son?" Damon spoke, his pitch low but carrying an invisible authority that crushed the enemy's will. The leader, trembling in the corner of the room, didn't dare make a sound.
Damon stepped forward, grabbed the leader by the collar, and lifted him off the ground with just one hand. The terrifying strength of the former special operative forced everyone in the room to hold their breath.
"Tell your boss," Damon hissed, his razor-sharp gaze piercing straight into the enemy's mind. "If you ever dare step foot in here again, I will personally burn your entire organization to the ground."
He threw the thug out the door like tossing a piece of trash. The entire gang of henchmen scrambled away in sheer panic, leaving the dojo submerged in a reverent silence before this absolute protective power.
👉 read part 24 to see the boss of black dragon respond.
Chapter 24 - the challenge
The miserable defeat of the henchmen quickly reached the ears of Poisonous Snake. The Black Dragon boss sat in a dark room, his eyes streaked with brutal red veins upon hearing the report about the maintenance worker.
Poisonous Snake was no ordinary gangster. He was a former international mercenary expelled for his ruthless temper. He immediately recognized that Damon's combat skills did not belong to the civilian world.
"A washed-up ghost wants to stand in my way?" Poisonous Snake growled, crushing a wine glass in his hand. He decided to stop using cheap violence, and instead strike directly at a warrior's pride.
He sent a letter with an enclosed USB drive to the dojo. When Damon opened the video file, images of the surrounding neighborhood appeared, accompanied by dozens of explosive charges that had been secretly planted.
"You have skills, but you can't protect everyone at the same time, Damon," Poisonous Snake's booming voice echoed from the recording. "Hand over the dojo, or watch this neighborhood blow up."
However, Poisonous Snake offered another condition. He challenged Damon to a death match at Black Dragon's underground arena. If Damon won, he would withdraw forever and dismantle all the bombs.
If Damon lost, the dojo and his life would belong to them. Damon stared at the computer screen, his hands rolling into tight fists. He knew this was a deadly trap that had already been set.
But to protect Evan and the innocent children, he had no other choice. Damon stood up, his cold gaze directed toward the horizon. The former special operative was ready to return to the battlefield.
👉 read part 25 to see the preparation for the final battle.
Chapter 25 - the preparation
News of the death match quickly spread throughout the underworld. Damon did not tell anyone about the extreme danger of this battle, except for the old veteran, Miller.
"You are walking right into the tiger's den, Damon," Miller said anxiously as the two stood in the empty gym. "Poisonous Snake won't play by the rules. He definitely has assassins stationed there."
"I know," Damon replied calmly, wrapping white fabric bandages around his scarred hands. "But if I don't go, they will continue to hunt this neighborhood. I have to end this once and for all."
Evan stood quietly in the corner of the room, eavesdropping on the entire conversation. The eighteen-year-old felt an immensely overwhelming torment. He knew his father was gambling his life to protect everyone.
That night, before Damon set off, Evan walked into his father's room. He didn't cry, nor did he try to stop him. Evan unfastened the black belt he had trained so hard to earn, placing it in his father's hands with an unwavering gaze.
"You have to promise to come back," Evan said, his voice loud and mature. "I will stay behind to protect the dojo. No one will be allowed to step through that door as long as I am standing."
Damon looked at his son, the corners of his eyes stinging slightly. He pulled Evan into a tight embrace, feeling the remarkable growth of the boy who had once been bullied. Now, he was a true man.
"I promise," Damon whispered. He put on his old black coat, concealing several tactical self-defense tools on his person. It was time for the invisible ghost to step into the den of evil to cast judgment.
👉 read part 26 to witness the scene in the underground arena.
Chapter 26 - the fiery night
Black Dragon's underground arena was located deep beneath an abandoned warehouse near the docks. The air inside was thick with the stench of cigarette smoke, sweat, and the frenzy of hundreds of bloodthirsty, screaming criminals.