TWENTY-TWO
"KEEP UP," sabi ni Azie nang mapalapit siya kay Drystan habang sila ay nakikipaglaban. Nagkumpulan talaga sa kinaroroonan ni Drystan ang karamihan sa mga tao ni Henry.
"I'm sorry? I didn't get proper training from professionals since I was a child," sarkastikong sabi ni Drystan habang nakikipagpalitan ng putok ng baril at nakikipagbatuhan ng suntok. He has a gun but Azie still knocked down more men than him.
"It's not about the training but skills, Mr. Perseus," sabi ni Azie sabay sipa sa mukha ng kalaban na agad namang natumba at nawalan ng malay. "See?"
Kumunot ang noo ni Drystan. Now it makes sense. "It's widely known that supernatural beings exist and are living among us. Are you one of them?"
Mabilis na inagaw ni Azie ang baril na hawak ni Drystan at binato ito sa lalaking nakatutok ang baril kay Drystan. "Talk but don't get distracted."
Umawang ang labi ni Drystan. "Why did you throw it? You could've just fired it."
"I avoid spilling blood as much as possible, so yeah, I had to throw it," sabi ni Azie. "And we're not allowed to kill. We are not assassins."
Huminga ng malalim si Drystan senyales na napapagod na siya sa pakikipaglaban. A man threw a punch towards him but he avoided it. Hinawakan niya ang braso nito saka sinipa sa tiyan ng ilang beses bago sinuntok sa mukha dahilan para matumba ito.
Nakangising tumingin si Drystan kay Azie pero nawala rin 'yon agad nang makitang may tatlong nakahilatang lalaki sa paanan ni Azie. She raised an eyebrow at him before smirking. "Venna– I mean Thanara kills people though."
"She's part of the second division of MAKEN, they are assassins," tuloy tuloy na sabi ni Azie, walang bahid ng kahit anong pagod.
"Aren't you tired?"
"No," mabilis na sagot ni Azie. "These people are too easy, there's nothing tiring here." Kumunot ang noo niya. "Are MAKEN's members this weak?" bulong niya.
"Those are not really trained by MAKEN, Azie," bigla na lang sumulpot si Aciel sa tabi ni Azie.
"Pa'no mo nasabi?"
"I compelled that guy over there," tinuro ni Aciel ang lalaking nakasandal sa shipping container na kinaroroonan niya kanina. "Nakapasok sila dahil kay Harry, he needed men who were really loyal to him so he won't be exposed so he lets them in easily. Zasranets."
Hinihingal na napailing na lang si Drystan. Nag-uusap na sila gamit ang mga lenggwaheng 'di niya alam. He exhaled roughly and looked towards Thanara who's walking towards Harry. He attempted to walk towards them but Azie stopped him. "Let her handle him," she said.
"But—"
"She'll be fine," Aciel said, confidently.
HABANG PALAPIT nang palapit si Thanara kay Harry ay mas lalo siyang nagiging desperadong mapigilan ito. "Stop her!" may bahid ng takot niyang sigaw sa mga tauhan niya. But how can they obey him when they're busy fighting the kids he called immature and spoiled.
"Go, I got your back," sabi ni Aace at malakas na sinuntok ang isang tauhan ni Harry kaya ito malakas na tumilapon papunta sa iba pa nitong mga kasama.
Thanara was changing her ammo as she walked towards Harry at a normal pace. Her calm eyes staring deep into his, which are slowly being filled with fear. "I'm going to strip everything off from you. I will ruin your life and you will watch me rule from below my feet," she said, anger visible in her eyes.
Harry looked around and noticed that the vel-Pablo and Cansadov cousins were just going to watch. That made his lips form a smirk. He noticed earlier that there's a big difference with how Thanara and the cousins fight. Whatever those cousins are, Thanara is not like them.
Habang papalapit si Thanara ay nagtanggal naman ng coat si Harry. He also unbuttoned the upper buttons of his dress shirt. "Let's see how good you really are," sabi niya at nagstretching ng kaunti.
Thanara placed the gun she's holding behind her, tucking it in her pants. Huminga siya ng malalim, matiim na nakatitig kay Harry na ngayon ay sinasalubong na rin siya ng matalim na tingin.
Ilang segundo rin nilang iniikutan ang ilang mga drums bago unang umatake si Thanara. She kicked one of the drums to distract Harry before jumping over another one and kicking him on the chest. Napaatras naman si Harry dahil do'n.
Sumugod ulit si Thanara at nagbato ng ilang suntok, the last one landing on Harry's face. When she tried to throw a punch again, Harry caught her arm and tried to punch her face but she blocked it. Pinakawalan ni Harry ang kamay niya at sinubukang sipain siya sa mukha pero na harangan niya ulit 'yon. The kick was strong making her lose balance and roll backwards on the ground.
Si Harry naman ngayon ang sumugod kay Thanara, pero bago pa niya mahawakan si Thanara ay sinuntok siya nito sa hita kaya siya napadaing. Thanara then grabbed his hair and punched his stomach a couple of times.
Left and right, Thanara threw her punches all aimed at Harry's face. Most of it was blocked but some also landed. She then kicked him hard on the chest, throwing him backwards, on the ground.
Thanara waited for Harry to stand up and they faced each other, both in a fighting stance. Harry threw a left punch but Thanara avoided it. He then threw another right punch but she blocked it, and then she held his left arm and elbowed his face.
Umikot si Thanara at siniko ang dibdib ni Harry, sinuntok ang tiyan nito, sinipa ang likod ng kanang tuhod at sinuntok ulit ang mukha nito. And then she landed an elbow on his face again making him stammer backwards.
Harry tried to throw a punch, but he was obviously starting to lose his balance. Thanara avoided that and kicked him on the thigh and the side of his ribs. She tried to punch his face but he blocked it so does her knee that was trying to attack his stomach.
Harry threw a right punch and Thanara failed to block it. He threw a left one and it landed on her face again. Napaatras si Thanara, she shook her head and wiped the blood on her cheek.
Thanara tried throwing a punch but Harry got a hold of her arm, he then tried hitting her head using his elbow but she avoided it. Mabilis na nilagay ni Harry ang braso ni Thanara sa likod ng leeg niya at binuhat ito sa ere. But she used her weight and maneuvered herself mid-air that's why Harry hit the ground hard instead of her.
Breathing heavily, Thanara stepped backwards. Her cheek is bruised but Harry has more wounds on the face and received more damage. Pareho na sila ngayong hinihingal.
"Aren't you going to help her?" nakakunot ang noong tanong ni Drystan dahil pinapanood lang talaga ng magpipinsan ang dalawang naglalaban. Even Harry and Henry's men are just watching.
"She'll get angry at us if we do," sagot ni Aciel.
"Are you afraid of her?"
Mabilis na napalingon si Aciel kay Drystan at tinignan ito na para bang may sinabi itong nakakatawa. "There's no fear among us, Perseus. What we have is respect for each other. This is her fight, so it is hers to finish."
Drsytan attempted to walk towards Thanara but a strong grip held his left wrist. Nalukot ang mukha niya nang makaramdam ng kirot mula doon. "What the hell?"
"Your fight is right there," sabi ni Azie at may sinenyas na direksyon.
Sinundan ni Drystan ng tingin ang sinenyas ni Azie at nakitang ang tatay niya 'yon. Henry is aiming his gun towards the fighting people. Mabilis niyang hinugot ang isang baril niya at tinutok ito sa tatay niya nang pakawalan ni Azie ang palapulsuhan niya. He was about to pull the trigger when Azie spoke.
"Killing is not allowed," and a loud bang echoed.
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