Under the myriad of echoing voices around and warm lighting of lamps, a punch from a burly man was aimed at Kai's face, packed with enough power and speed to frighten an ordinary young man from Earth and potentially knock him down if it connected. However, to Kaiser, the punch seemed slow and sluggish.

While his movements are swift.

Kaiser turned his head aside with ease and delivered a punch of his own to the hunter's jaw. It wasn’t the kind of punch one would expect from a teenager; it was packed with the power of a beast. The hunter stumbled back, then... fell asleep. To Kai's surprise, he was already knocked out.

'...One, down?'

He blinked, and a confused smile appeared on his face. Putting the Hunters to sleep was easier than he expected.

Varying shouts and laughter sounded from the side viewers. As he stood amidst the chaos, his adrenaline surged, heightening his senses. The crowd's shouts and jeers seemed distant as he focused solely on the opponents before him. The taste of his first small victory lingered in his mouth, a taste he hadn't savored in too long. One hunter was already down, and now there were eleven left. His beast-like senses had kicked in, sharpening his reflexes and making the world around him slow just enough for him to read the next attack.

Another hunter, a large man with a wild beard and fists the size of hammers, lunged at him from the front, while a second tried to catch him from the side, arms spread wide for a grapple. Their faces were twisted in determination, though their movements were sloppy, distorted by their drunken state. Kai ducked low, feeling the whoosh of air as the bearded man’s punch sailed above his head. Exploiting the opportunity, Kai drove his fist upward into the man’s stomach, feeling the impact ripple through his arm as the hunter doubled over, gasping for air.

But just as quickly, the second hunter grabbed onto Kaiser's shirt, trying to trap him in a clumsy bear hug. His grip was surprisingly strong despite his inebriation, and for a split second, Kai's movement was stifled. The man’s breath reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were glazed with intoxicated rage.

If he was locked by this Hunter, then things won't look good for him.

Kai cursed under his breath, realizing that if he didn’t act quickly, he’d be caught and pinned down.

Unexpectedly, without warning, the hunter’s face twisted, and he suddenly lurched forward, vomiting violently. Kai's eyes widened in horror as the man’s drunken bile splattered dangerously close to him.

"Sh*t!" he cursed more, his voice tinged with panic.

With a desperate jolt, Kai drove his elbow into the man's face, a move that was more instinctive panicked. Luckily, it was the right move. The force of the strike was enough to send the hunter reeling back, clutching his nose in pain. Kai took a quick step back, his breath heavy, as he narrowly avoided the revolting mess.

'That was close,' he sighed in relief, taking a moment to steady himself. His heart was still racing, but there was no time to rest. The brawl was just heating up.

The room had erupted into a cacophony of cheers and shouts, the crowd of onlookers now fully invested in the spectacle. Some cheered for Kai;

"Go for it Kid, I had my bets on you!"

"Not too shabby!"

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"The brat got some punches!"

Impressed by his tenacity, while others roared their support for the hunters, urging them to teach the "rookie" a lesson. Tables had been pushed to the side, and a circle of spectators had formed around the fight, creating a makeshift arena in the center of the dining hall.

Before long, three more hunters rushed to Kai, their faces flushed red in drunken determination. One threw a wild punch at his head, but to Kai, it seemed almost laughably slow. He sidestepped it with ease and retaliated with a quick jab to the man’s jaw, sending him sprawling onto the floor. Another hunter swung at him from behind, but Kai ducked under the blow and delivered a crushing hook to the man's ribs. The hunter gasped, stumbling backward as he clutched his side.

The third hunter—a burly man with a shaved head—came at him with a bellowing roar, his fist aiming straight for Kai's head. Kai raised his arms in a defensive stance, letting the blow glance off his forearm.

Fortunately, his forearm guard took most of the impact. Still, the feral fist isn't weak. He gritted his teeth against the impact, feeling the sting of the strike, but he didn't let it faze him. He retaliated with a powerful uppercut to the man's chin, sending him reeling back into a table, which collapsed under his weight.

As the fight continued, Kai’s confidence grew. He wasn’t just surviving—he was dominating. The beastly strength Zara had bestowed upon him flowed through his limbs, guiding his punches and lending his strikes a power he never thought possible. He moved with a grace that belied his lack of formal training, relying on the raw instinct that had been sharpened by his Sacred Bond with Zara.

Two more hunters came at him simultaneously. Kai ducked under a haymaker from one and landed a swift kick to the other's knee, forcing the man to stagger. He then delivered a spinning punch to the first hunter, his fist connecting solidly with the side of the man's head, knocking him to the floor in a daze.

By now, sweat dripped down Kai's face, his breath coming in heavy bursts. He had taken down nine of the eleven hunters, each fall punctuated by the crowd's roaring approval. The atmosphere in the room was electric, a mix of excitement and disbelief at the sight of this young newcomer holding his ground against seasoned fighters.

The tenth hunter was the toughest yet. He was larger, and even in his drunken state, he moved with a level of aggression that suggested some training.

He charged at Kai, swinging his fists in rapid succession, forcing Kai on the defensive. Kai deflected one punch, ducked another, but the third grazed his shoulder with enough force to make him stumble. Pain shot through his arm, but he shook it off, digging deep into the reserves of his strength.

Kai stepped in close, too close for the bigger man to use his wide swings effectively. He drove a series of quick, powerful jabs into the hunter’s midsection, each punch landing with a satisfying thud. The big man grunted in pain, his guard dropping for a moment—just long enough for Kai to wind up a final blow. With a roar, Kai delivered a crushing punch to the man's jaw, sending him crashing down into a table, unconscious.

There was silence, then an explosion of cheerful hails echoing in the dining room.

Kaiser stood there, panting, his fists still clenched, his body vibrating with adrenaline. The dining hall was in an uproar, the crowd cheering wildly, their previous doubts about him seemingly washed away by the sheer force of his performance.

Had he really grown this strong?

'Not really...'

Kaiser knew what was behind his previous triumphs. It was too much advantages, one was thanks to Zara's strength infused within him by their unbroken Sacred Bond. Blessing him her beastial strength she once used to eradicate numerous bandits alone, including their boss. Of course, he can't do the same feat due to his severe lack of skills and experience, let alone, an elusive battle art of his own differ to her refined style in combat. However, the fact remains that his body's might are equal to her.

Zara's beastial senses, reflexes and brute strength, he has it all.

Since forming the Sacred Bond with her, his perception has changed without warning. His became more sensitive, sharper and strong. Making him struggle for a while, but eventually adjusted to his new perceptions. Bringing him to this day when he could wield his new found strength a bit efficiently.

His superior to the hunters in terms of physics, all the while their usual sharpness was dulled by too much alcohol they drank to grief for their fallen comrade. Their usual focus was stained by alcohol so did their performance and coordination. Granting him an easy victory against each.

Though, considering their numbers. His advantageous aspects are justified. However, the battle isn't over yet.

Not until he makes a certain someone's irritating smugness bleed.

His cold eyes scanned around, stopping on a spiky, orange haired hunter.

And there he was—Brick.

The young man had been watching the entire time, a sneer plastered on his face as he observed the downfall of his comrades, while drinking what's left on his large cup without care about tomorrow.

Now, with the others defeated, it was just the two of them. Slumming the empty cup, Brick stood up slowly, his movements deliberate, his eyes locked onto Kai's with a newfound seriousness. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles, the smirk on his face growing into a full-blown grin.

"Not bad, rookie," Brick said, his voice dripping with condescension. "But let’s see how you handle someone who’s not half asleep on their feet."

Although, he say that, his visibly unstable, too. Still, his look more sober compared to the previous hunters that sleep the moment they lay.

Kai's lips curled into a grin, his eyes blazing with excitement. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

"I finally have an excuse to punch that smug face of yours."

The real fight was about to begin.

Meanwhile, within the bathing room. Cia hummed a soothing melody as she rubbed Ariella's smooth back, who's relaxing in the tub.

She paused, and turned her head slightly. Hearing muffled, yet vigorous noises outside, implying excitement and joy.

"...It seems they're having fun out there, I wonder how Kai is doing."

Ariella can't help but giggled.