''Wow!'' Minna exclaimed with eyes sparkling, ''He is so strong!''
''Yes... He is...'' Sini felt disbelief and was shocked to remember that she was the one that showed him the way to the Martial Arts building.
Her friends weren't cheering because no one else was, but they were much more cheerful than compared to others.
''But, Sami seems injured— why aren't you worried?'' Minna asked; she and almost everyone else was confident that they were dating, but Sini doesn't seem to have a shred of worry in her.
Sini tilted her head, ''Why would I?''
''Uhh...'' Minna became speechless and had no idea how her best friend's mind was working.
Sini wasn't worried, instead happy how the match was going, and if there weren't only Damio's citizens spectating, she would be cheering.
In the arena.
Lauri used his sleeve and wiped the bloodstains around his mouth. His face had still a footprint caused by Ichiro's kick, and he kept wondering where a monster like Ichiro appeared!
They were told that there would be only Martial Leaders, whom they could defeat with eyes closed, but he, as Low Martial Commander, was sure that the muscular youth was nearing Martial General!
It was unbelievable because not many can reach that at such young age!
Lauri was 18 years old and could be considered a genius, but in front of Ichiro, he wasn't nothing!
He also thought that Ichiro was at least 18 years old, but if he knew he was 16...
The blood in front of him was dried up, which allowed him to pick up his broken teeth. After at least ten teeth were in his palm, he stored them inside his pocket before standing up, but that alone made him enter a world of pain.
With the corner of his eyes, he saw Sami standing up to stand only with one leg.
His other leg was surprisingly broken!
Petter was still screaming with a red face, without knowing that his status in society had become all-time low, and it is a miracle if he could get any job in the future.
Onni appeared next to Lauri, without caring about the three young men, who barely could stand after getting a beating from him.
Hessu, Antti, and Antero limped towards Ichiro and did weak smiles.
Ichiro nodded and said, ''Leave rest to me— you have done well.''
Hessu, Antti, and Antero looked reluctant, but they had a hunch that they would be in a way, so they listened and left the arena.
''Attack him together!'' Petter screamed together, ''Onni, use your body to block the strikes, while Sami and Lauri will kick him out of the arena!''
Onni paled after hearing the plan, 'You want me to be meatshield?! Did you not see him breaking Sami's leg with a single kick? Do you want me to die?!'
Lauri spat out the rest of the blood and nodded, ''Okay.''
Sami grabbed his broken leg with a pained face, but also gave a weak nod, even though he would be almost useless in the upcoming battle.
The audience became concentrated after the battle, which will decide the victor was beginning.
Even though they hoped that their team would triumph, after seeing the show of power, they are expecting an easy victory for Ichiro.
Onni was the first one to approach Ichiro with slow movements, while Lauri and Sami limped behind him.
Ichiro stretched his right hand and showed his palm at Onni, who looked confused.
''I once fought a guy who loved palm attacks.'' Ichiro said calmly and smiled, ''His favorite motto was, One Palm, One Defeat.''
''Eh?'' Onni frowned and had no idea what Ichiro was talking about.
''His palm attacks were powerful, and he once said to me that palm attacks are very refined and elegant.'' He turned his palm and looked straight at it, ''He taught me his most powerful attack— I didn't know why at first, but then I heard about his death a few years later.''
Onni was still closing in, completely ignoring Ichiro's ramblings.
''It seemed that he wanted me to be a successor of his Palm Style, but I already had Iron Style, that's why I fused it with my Style, and now Palm Style lives with me.''
''Enough!'' Onni screamed and took another step forwards, which caused him to enter Ichiro's fighting range, ''Fight me!''
''Alright...'' Ichiro reeled in his arm, and his fist turned into palm hand, ''True Iron Style, First Direction of Attack, Iron Palm!''
First Direction of Attack has another move alongside Iron Lance and Iron War.
It's Iron Palm!
*SMACK!*
Onni only blinked once and instantly felt something hitting him in the face. His head was pushed back with blood gushing out of his nose, and his vision getting darker.
Ichiro was calmly smiling with his hand stretched and a trail of smoke leaving his hand's palm.
Under shocked gazes of everyone in the building, Onni fell down on the hard ground with a large red mark on his face and blood streaming down his nose.
His pupils were white, signaling that he had been knocked out.
Sami fell down on his butt after the wind pressure of the sudden attack reached his body.
Lauri also had difficulties to keep standing but managed to do that, unlike Sami.
Petter's mouth was wide open with sweatdrops pouring down his face.
Lauri looked down and saw Onni's face still had a sign of rage, which was directed at Ichiro. He didn't even have time to react or have any different emotions before being defeated.
While he was watching, he noticed a shadow overlapping his figure.
His face became pale, and he turned his head to see the person to who the shadow belonged to.
He saw Ichiro looking down on him; in his vision, it looked like he was a giant of over 100 meters!
''T-This is so unfair...'' Lauri bit his lip and felt like crying, ''Why... Did they send someone like you? Y-You cheaters!''
Ichiro grabbed his collar and leaned closer, ''Winner and loser isn't determined by the match result... It is determined how you act after your victory or loss. With the way you act, you are definitely a loser.'' He touched Lauri's leg with his foot.
''Maybe this will be a lesson for you.'' With one final words, Ichiro slammed his foot into Lauri's kneecap.
*CRACK!*
''AAAAAAGH!'' Lauri screamed in pain as his leg was broken effortlessly. His lower half of the leg was pointing west, while the upper half was pointing at the north!
He fell down on the ground next to Sami, who also had a broken leg.
The winner of the match has been decided.
