Street Thugs Can Fight (2)

Seeing Aragon's behavior, Zoe calmly remarked, "It seems you're eager to test your luck."

"Zoe, your reputation precedes you, of course, but I'm not too keen on visiting the disciplinary office. So, I guess I'll have to offend you this time," Aragon replied, his smile not reaching his eyes.

Zoe didn't respond, merely stepping back, his face remaining impassive while a fleeting cold glint flashed in his eyes. Hunter, on the other hand, found himself in a difficult position. One of Aragon's companions was a formidable opponent, definitely not weaker than himself. The brief exchange earlier had already told Hunter that he was up against a true expert. 

Card cultivators like them honed their senses, and the more skilled the cultivator, the keener their perception. This heightened sense gave them an extraordinary intuition about others of their kind. It was said that card cultivators from monasteries like Kuji Temple were even more remarkable in this aspect, needing only a glance to gauge an opponent's strength with surprising accuracy.

The number of students from Kuji Temple was the smallest among the six major academies, and they were rarely encountered, making it difficult to discern the truth of the rumors about their abilities. The card cultivator beside Aragon was giving Hunter an overwhelming sense of danger. Although their clash had been brief, it was enough for Hunter to make a judgment. But precisely because of this, he couldn't afford to focus on anyone else.

Hunter wasn't worried about Zoe; there probably wasn't anyone in the school daring enough to leave a mark on him. He believed that while Aragon might be bold, he was well aware of the consequences. Therefore, Hunter was certain that Aragon wouldn't dare lay a hand on Zoe.

What concerned Hunter more were the two students in the classroom and Marian. Although he had the strongest card cultivator occupied, Aragon's entourage was still large and formidable. The two unfamiliar students didn't seem particularly strong, judging by their physical stature, which made Hunter doubt their combat abilities.

Chris took a step forward, positioning himself between Marian and the others, one hand already gripping a bench. Ray, understanding the situation perfectly, subtly grabbed a chair.

The world of street orphans was harsh, and surviving this long without getting into fights was a fantasy. Whether it was one-on-one or a brawl, they had seen it all. Street thugs and petty criminals were old foes to them, and in this regard, they were well-seasoned.

As soon as the two of them grabbed their makeshift weapons, a fierce and menacing aura emanated from them. Ray bit his lip, his face twisting into a savage expression. Chris, while remaining more composed, had a cold, piercing look in his eyes that radiated danger.

Chris and Ray didn't need to exchange words; their coordination was flawless. In a street fight, striking first is key. Among street thugs, there was no room for formalities. Chris, with a sudden burst of energy, swung the chair in his hand. Bam! The strike was deadly accurate, smashing into someone's head with precision. The wooden chair shattered instantly, leaving Chris holding just a leg, while shards flew in all directions. The man who got hit had no time to react; he never expected his opponent to attack without any warning. Blood spurted from his head as he let out a shriek, his eyes rolling back as he collapsed backward.

Before anyone could react, Ray swung his chair with equal ferocity. Smack! Another dull thud was followed by a cry of pain as a slick, well-dressed rich kid's face turned into a canvas of color, his face smeared with blood as he writhed on the floor in agony. The sheer violence of it all took everyone by surprise, drawing gasps from the crowd. Even Zoe couldn't help but swallow hard. In their world, conflicts were settled through wealth, status, and power, and fighting was always left to their lackeys. They had never witnessed such raw, brutal force firsthand.

The group collectively took a step back, clearly intimidated. At that moment, a shrill scream from Marian behind Chris nearly pierced everyone's eardrums. She stared in horror at the chaos unfolding before her.

In contrast, Chris and Ray remained unfazed, casually tossing aside the broken chair legs and each grabbing a new one. Ray felt a twinge of disdain for the group—they looked intimidating with their numbers, but they were clearly inexperienced. Of course, had Ray known that one of them was a card cultivator who could wipe them out with a wave of his hand, he would have turned pale and fled, dragging Chris along with him.

The two of them were well-versed in the art of brawling, and their expressions grew increasingly calm, as if they had just done something entirely ordinary. This composure only served to heighten the fear in Aragon's crew. Their earlier display of violence had clearly left its mark.

"No one else wants to step up?" Ray raised an eyebrow, lifting the wooden chair and slamming it down hard on a table. Thud! The loud bang startled the group even more. These two were lunatics! That was the unanimous thought running through everyone's mind. The viciousness of their recent attacks, especially the one that left the rich kid's face in tatters, lingered in their memories. Some of them, feeling a phantom itch on their own faces, wiped away the sweat that had begun to form.

Chris didn't say a word; he merely took a step forward. Instantly, the group stepped back in unison, all except for the card cultivator, who remained still. His focus was solely on Hunter, ignoring Chris and Ray entirely. To him, these two were nothing more than street thugs with crude tactics. The real threat was Hunter—he was the one who truly demanded attention.

The card cultivator was starting to regret his earlier decision. Because he couldn't gauge Hunter's full capabilities, he hadn't gone all out, which had now put his side in a disadvantageous position. In his assessment, Hunter was the only real threat, and as long as he kept Hunter at bay, the numbers on their side should have given them the upper hand. However, he never expected that a large group like theirs would end up being dominated by two street thugs. It was embarrassing—an utter disgrace!

Now, he found himself at a loss. Just like Hunter, he was wary of making the first move. Their earlier exchange had made it clear that Hunter was at least as strong as he was. If they were to engage in a full-blown fight, controlling the spread of energy would be nearly impossible. The resulting shockwaves wouldn't harm him or Hunter, but his young master wouldn't be so fortunate. With his attention fully locked on Hunter, he had no bandwidth left to deal with anyone else.

Chris and Ray's ruthless strikes shocked the card cultivator. He had been protecting his young master for quite some time and knew East Guard Academy inside out, along with the habits of its students. Usually, when he saw students spar, they were overly cautious, afraid of injuring their classmates or getting hurt themselves. He had long sneered at this in his heart, knowing that such timid, decorative moves were utterly useless in real combat situations.

This was the first time he had seen students at East Guard Academy act with such ferocity. What struck him even more was the fierce aura emanating from both Chris and Ray, something that could only be honed through surviving numerous life-threatening situations.

Chris was already dismantling the wooden chair in his hands, having found it less effective during their earlier skirmish.

Chris stomped on the seat of the chair with his left foot and used both hands to wrench it apart. The backrest came off with a loud snap. Chris tested it briefly, nodding in satisfaction. It was clear that his strength had grown significantly compared to before. This action made the already nervous crowd even more anxious. Many of the wealthy young men among them began to tremble, their faces turning pale with fear...