Chapter 54
"Sky and the Guard"
Birds flap their wings in the sky, fish swim in the water, and animals hide in the forest — the Darkness Forest in the east of the city is no exception. But that is in the past. Ever since humans have been coming to inquire about their health, the forest has been transformed into a massive landfill.
The government is determined to restore the environment, clean up the pollution, and ban the vandals who enjoy expressing danger. Every Sunday, a sign reading "Do not enter without obligation" is hung, allowing the forest to breathe fresh air.
All efforts to call the animals back to the forest fail. The "animals" are so afraid of "humans" that none return to the place where they were driven away. The creatures no longer move day or night. There is no birdsong. The fog casts the forest into cold desolation. Gradually, the primitive herds sneer at the place they once destroyed.
The forest enjoys peace for many years — and now, its tranquil sleep is disturbed again. The ancient forest jolts awake — rumbling, quaking with fury. Treetops shudder under the storm's spiraling winds. In the "eye of the storm," a gentle voice rises.
- Bro, if you attack me, you're losing confidence in your future sister-in-law. Don't let your instincts overwhelm your reason. My sister isn't the type to let a strange boy hug her!
The guard smirks:
- Sister, sister — open your mouth and it's sister. My sister-in-law gets touched on the cheek and body, she's so angry her eyebrows turn red. Can't smash your face yet, but you tightly hug a good family daughter. Her weak legs, soft hands can't resist a guy who throws a stupid "cow" flying.
The guard swoops forward, kicking him in the ribs, punching sideways into his face. Each blow lands like a sledgehammer. The "opportunist" calmly explains, each measured word paired with a graceful movement to block the attack.
The opportunist keeps getting pushed back again and again. One side moves forward, the other retreats. One side of the defense slides across the ground, while the offense charges forward with a thunderous rush.
Fists and feet slice through the wind, driving the boiling air forward, venting rage with unwavering resolve to crush the opponent. The "opportunist" sweeps his hands to block a fist spinning toward vital points, raises his legs to block a blow aimed at his hips. Thousands of pounds of pressure slam into his body, but each impact is neutralized by strange techniques.
From past to present, no more than three people have been able to stand against the guard. This bastard easily blocks it. Every time a move is about to hit the target, the "opportunist" shrinks slightly, and the body part being struck automatically sinks into the flesh, dispersing the attack force into deep dents.
The guard stares in amazement — every layer of the enemy's skin is soft as water, every fiber relaxed and without strength, making each destructive blow feel like hitting a vacuum.
- Vacuum trick?!
The Vacuum Trick has originated in the Sun Kingdom, and this secret technique has been the essence of Sun-style ju jitsu. Ju jitsu remains popular, but the trick has disappeared for centuries, leading the martial arts community to believe it has been lost.
The guard has heard rumors that it is not only for self-defense — ju jitsu has an offensive variation even more terrifying than a killer attack.
For a long time, the guard has wanted to face this strange martial art. Now, the martial arts madman hasn't felt excited — he has been angry at the sensation of striking empty space. His opponent has been the strongest he has ever faced, yet has yielded to gain trust. The guard has gone mad over the hypocrisy. He has leapt into the air, gathered his strength, and punched the enemy in the face.
- Damn your mother! Do you think I'll believe you if you don't hit me?!
The "opportunist" cannot use the vacuum trick at the weakest spot and is forced to cross his arms in an X-shape to block.
- I can't hit my sister's relatives! I don't want to be entertainment for kites to cling to and crows to peck at!
The guard doesn't bother to look at the cheering, encouraging spectators. They have discovered that the guard has chased the strange guy from the construction site all the way to the forest.
The two men have moved several times faster than normal people and have entered the Darkness Forest in just a few minutes.
The crowd has instantly become ecstatic with excitement. They have come in groups to watch the fight for free.
With every passing minute and second, more and more people have arrived, pressing buttons to take pictures, recording clips, broadcasting live on social media, and continuing to scream and incite violence. The guard has sneered as the "opportunist" makes an excuse:
- Dad hates people who dare to act but don't dare to take responsibility!
The guard turns his fists into claws and scratches from the top of his head down to his chest. The opponent defends firmly but keeps retreating.
- Hot temper will hurt my sister!
Touching, groping — but the bastard keeps chattering, his annoying words escalating into fury. The guard rushes forward faster than a missile, channeling the power of nature to spin his body and stab-spin toward his opponent. He rolls with the wind at lightning speed, blasting upward from bottom to top as the space roars with him.
- Damn your mother! Open your filthy mouth and mention my sister-in-law again — I'll slit your throat and cut off your tongue to feed the dogs!
All along, the guy has been active on the set day and night, his heart always turned toward the Prehistoric Kingdom. That country has held the hope of his sister. The waves and wind have swallowed that hope, and the storm has surrounded the "little swallow" of "sky". In the past, the "swallow" went to a strange place alone. Facing the waves, the "swallow" would grow up, so "sky" has had to let the "swallow's wings" fly into the center of the storm — because that turbulent place has had a stopping point in the "little swallow's" life.
For three years, "sky" has been anxious and afraid of losing spring. His fear has come true in a foreign country, and the humiliation has tortured the "little swallow" physically and mentally — but it has not crushed her unyielding will.
There is trust and hope in a foreign land.
The guard is the belief that protects the "little swallow" on her journey toward the destination of hope.
The guy saw the news on the Internet that the guard was protecting the "little swallow".
Now, the guy witnesses hot-tempered people showing emotion to their relatives. "Sky" doesn't take the insults to heart — he's happy for his sister.
The "little swallow" is no longer lonely.
The strange place has become familiar, and now there is another "sky".
"Sky" defends, then suddenly switches to counterattack. The guard blocks a direct punch and laughs at the nature of the "opportunist":
- Hey, the true face is exposed!
The blow is about to hit the target — "sky" shifts from defense and stabs directly at the face. The guard tilts his head to avoid it, and "sky's" five fingers shrink into claws, grabbing his shoulders. The guard leans back and kicks upward with the tip of his foot. "sky" steps back and dodges two hook kicks in a row.
Before the guard lands, "sky" punches him in the chest. The guard smiles cunningly, spins his body, and rolls along the enemy's arm. This strange shift in movement turns "sky's" long-arm advantage into a weakness.
The guy stares at the hot-tempered fighter rolling over his shoulder. The guard's legs spin and tightly wrap around "sky's" neck. His iron fists strike the enemy one after another like the sky crashing down on a head. "Sky" grows dizzy after a few hits and immediately grabs the guard's hands tightly:
- I don't want to watch the moon and stars just yet, bro!
"Sky" ducks and charges toward the trunk of an old tree, forcing the guard to release him to avoid a scratch. Legs loosen, arms yank, and he leaps off his opponent. The guard kicks "sky" in the back and charges at a bamboo clump, uprooting and swinging it like a whip.
"Sky" bounces into the air, narrowly avoiding the attack. The guard misses — the stick slams into the ground, crushing gravel and rocks instantly.
- The moon and stars aren't for you. The place you belong... is hell!
The guard attacks frantically. "Sky" is forced to defend himself — but he still laughs, because he can't remember the last time he felt this happy.
The guard's strength is known throughout the world — strength powerful enough to protect the "little swallow" from all dangers. The guard is also devoting all his thoughts to the "little swallow".
From now on, "sky" is no longer staying far from spring. Although waves are shrouding the dark future, family affection and relatives are crossing the storm with the "little swallow".
This double joy is making "sky" excited — the battle is no longer meaningless. The guy is wanting to see how high the guard's true ability reaches, and at the same time, he is strengthening his muscles and bones.
It has been a long time since he has had a real fight — this is a good opportunity to exercise and examine his ability.
The guard stares with a frown, unable to see the other person's face. But detecting the bright joy in his eyes, he immediately recognizes that the damn bastard is smiling.
- What are you laughing at, dog? Lunatic!
The guard swings the bamboo weapon horizontally. "Sky" throws all his strength into his arm, breaking the weapon in half, grabbing it, and swinging it sideways. The guard parries and counterattacks, and the impact sends him flying. He grinds his foot into the ground, resisting the push.
The ground plows into long, deep grooves, and large pebbles and small stones crush into bran-like crumbs. "Sky" suddenly bursts out of the sand and dust swirling in the air and strikes the guard on the head.
- Brother, show me everything you've got — prove that the guards aren't just all talk!
The guard raises his bamboo weapon to block — the two weapons bend, and his legs buckle under the immense pressure. "Sky's" punch vortexes into the guard's chest, sending him flying. "Sky" keeps striking diagonally, horizontally, and vertically.
The guard has competed in hundreds of sports contests, fought against countless powerful opponents. But he has never been pressed to the point of suffocation. Blood madness surges — he fights back against the relentless assault with a storm of strikes. He swings in reverse like a whip, the shadow of the bamboo weapon flashing blue like lightning. The sound of footsteps trampling and cracking echoes through the mountains and forests. The bamboo weapon shatters.
Both sides use everything around them as weapons. The guard picks up boulders and hurls them. "Sky" spins and kicks the boulders into the cliffs — the sound of the landslide rumbles.
"Sky" uproots a tree and smashes it into the second rock mid-air. The audience flees in panic as the stone bullet shatters a large section of the forest. The guard picks up a third stone and throws it with all his strength, but the projectile is struck back by the opponent and flies toward him. He curses at the move — a blow that turns his own weapon against him — and pushes the boulder with both hands toward the enemy.
"Sky" bursts out laughing at the rough style — like buffalo and bull charging into the grave. The guy spins his body to dodge, then smashes the weapon into the opponent's head in a kendo posture.
The guard releases the stone, leans back halfway off the ground, then bounces up and keeps spinning his kicks, forcing the opponent to retreat. The shadows of his feet crisscross and slice downward, smashing the weapon to pieces and striking the enemy's chest.
"Sky" is pushed back, stretches his legs to regain balance, and punches straight into the guard's kick. The whirlwind attack forces the "opportunist" into a defensive stance. "Sky" takes the initiative to defend — but the mask still tears. The moment his face is exposed, a loud shout echoes through the space:
- Sam, he is my elder brother!