Just as Vin Jin and Vasco interrupted the fight between Sang Baek and Zack, Jinrang moved.
His figure flickered and appeared in front of Zack in an instant.
"What—"
Before Zack could finish his sentence, Jinrang's elbow strike slammed into his temple.
Bang!
Zack collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Zack!" Vasco turned his head, but Jinrang was already in front of him.
"Shouldn't have interfered in someone else's fight."
Jinrang's voice was calm, but his elbow was already driving toward Vasco's jaw.
Crack!
Vasco's body flew through the air and crashed heavily to the ground, lying beside Zack.
"You—" Vin Jin was about to speak when he caught a shadow coming at him from the corner of his eye.
Jinrang's elbow strike shot straight toward Vin Jin's face.
Vin Jin raised his arms, crossing them in front of his chest.
Bang!
The moment the impact hit, Vin Jin felt his arms trembling. 'So heavy!' His muscles tensed, veins bulging, and his feet slid half a meter across the ground. 'This guy's power is different from anyone I've faced before.'
Jinrang stopped his movement and looked at Vin Jin.
His eyebrow arched. "Oh?"
Vin Jin lowered his arms and rotated his wrists. His arms were still numb, but he didn't show it.
"Seems like Seoul guys aren't all talk after all," Jinrang said, stepping back to stand protectively in front of Sang Baek.
Sang Baek was about to stand up when Jinrang glanced at him.
"Sang Baek."
"Yes, Hyung."
"Your shoelaces are untied. Take your time tying them."
Sang Baek looked down, then nodded. "Yes."
Jinrang turned to Daniel, hands in his pockets. "Daniel Park, was it? Your friends have no manners."
Daniel stepped forward, standing beside Vin Jin.
"You knocked out my friends," Daniel said. "Is that your idea of manners?"
Jinrang smiled. "They interfered in a fight they shouldn't have. That's the rule."
Vin Jin cracked his neck. "So that's how the King of Busan fights? Takes out people from behind?" His eyes narrowed. "Let's see how you do from the front."
Daniel also spoke. "I didn't come here to fight. Things got out of hand, I know." He paused. "But now, I want to fight."
Jinrang looked at him.
"Someone taught me," Daniel continued, "to repay one punch with ten."
At the edge of the crowd, Baki heard this and chuckled softly.
'Repay one punch with ten?' He frowned. 'I did say that. But I said it to little Daniel, not him.'
He looked at the Daniel in the arena, his expression growing complicated.
Jinrang rolled his neck. "Interesting. Then come."
---
All three moved simultaneously.
Jinrang struck first, his elbow shooting like a viper toward Daniel's throat.
Daniel ducked under it, his fist driving toward Jinrang's solar plexus.
Jinrang's elbow came down, deflecting the punch away.
Daniel spun, his other fist coming from the opposite angle.
Jinrang's second elbow met it, blocking cleanly. 'James Lee's dog... This guy... I can feel it. He has trained his body to perfection.'
Daniel didn't stop. His leg whipped up toward Jinrang's head.
Jinrang bent his arm and trapped the kick in his elbow. Daniel's leg wouldn't budge. "I get how you became a champion."
Daniel looked Jinrang in the eyes. "Jinrang, you're certainly different from the other kings as well."
Jinrang's body shifted, closing the distance. His free elbow drove straight toward Daniel's face. "Of course I should be." The elbow came fast. "Because I am the King of Busan."
With one leg trapped, Daniel couldn't dodge.
But Vin Jin stepped in, his forearm blocking the elbow strike.
Bang!
The impact was heavy, but Vin Jin's muscles flexed hard, absorbing the force. His arm didn't give.
Jinrang's eyes narrowed. "You blocked that?"
Vin Jin's expression didn't change. "Did you think that would be enough?"
Jinrang pulled back, releasing Daniel's leg.
Daniel landed and immediately created distance.
"Aikido? No—" Jinrang's body turned slightly, evading Vin Jin's grab. "It's Judo."
Vin Jin's hand seized Jinrang's collar. "Got you."
He pulled hard, trying to throw Jinrang down, but Jinrang's lower body was stable as a mountain.
"Not bad strength," Jinrang said, his elbow suddenly driving upward toward Vin Jin's chin.
Vin Jin released his grip and retreated.
Daniel attacked from the other side, a high kick sweeping toward Jinrang's head.
Jinrang blocked with his arm, but Daniel's leg immediately changed direction, his knee driving toward Jinrang's abdomen.
Bang!
Jinrang's palm pressed against Daniel's knee, dissipating most of the force.
"Your coordination is decent," Jinrang said. "But it's not enough."
His elbows struck in rapid succession, the speed astonishing. Both Daniel and Vin Jin were forced onto the defensive.
'This guy's elbow strikes,' Daniel thought as he blocked, 'the angles are too tricky. And they're fast.'
Vin Jin was also thinking. 'In close quarters, his elbows are weapons. Can't let him control the distance.'
The two exchanged glances and retreated simultaneously.
Jinrang didn't pursue, just stood in place watching them.
Daniel took a deep breath. 'I need to adapt to his rhythm.'
Vin Jin was also adjusting. 'If I can't grab him, I'll combine strikes with throws.'
Both attacked again.
This time, Daniel's movements changed. His punches were no longer straightforward but carried rotating force.
Jinrang blocked the first punch, but the angle of the second made him frown slightly.
"New tricks?" Jinrang said. "Somewhat interesting."
Vin Jin closed in from the side, but this time he didn't go for a direct grab, instead mixing punches and kicks.
Jinrang's elbows responded to Vin Jin's attacks, but Daniel's kick came from the other side.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
All three fighters' speeds were increasing.
Daniel switched to Capoeira, his body inverting as his feet whipped toward Jinrang like lashes.
Jinrang retreated, but Vin Jin had already circled behind him, arms locking around Jinrang's waist.
"I've got you!"
Vin Jin exerted force, trying to throw Jinrang down. His grip strength went full power, his arms like iron clamps.
Jinrang's body swayed but didn't fall.
"Strange," Jinrang said. "Did Sang Baek not tell you?"
His elbow struck backward, hitting Vin Jin square in the chest. "If you want to get me, you at least need to have someone like Jichang Kwak on your side."
Vin Jin released his hold, stumbling back several steps.
Daniel seized the opportunity, his hand blade slashing straight at Jinrang's neck.
Jinrang dodged sideways, but not fast enough.
A thin line of red appeared across his neck.
Jinrang's hand went to his throat, fingers coming away with blood. His eyes widened slightly.
"Jichang Kwak..."