Cain stood next to William, his eyes glittering with a slight sarcasm before saying:
"Do you want money to prove it to you, or do you want something else?"
The captain of the blue bird looked at them coldly, then replied confidently:
"Your strength, of course. I have money, and I also have personal reasons why I want to eliminate the 'black eye' tattoo gang. But before I provide any information, I want to know if you deserve it."
Then he turned around and walked in front of them with confident steps, indicating them to follow him.
William and Cain moved behind him through the entangled alleys until they reached a huge building that looked old, but it was still tall in the city centre. They entered through dark corridors until they reached a back square, where a number of men gathered around a battlefield, speaking in a tone full of admiration and appreciation.
"No one has defeated him yet."
"He's so fast... he doesn't leave a chance for his opponent to catch his breath."
"His sword skills are unparallelled, I have not seen anyone confront him and survive without injuries."
The commander stood in the centre of the ring, then looked at William and Cain saying:
"Who will start with me?"
Cane turned to William and said, as if provoking him a little:
"Do you want to take care of it, or am I honoured to do so?"
William advanced to the ring without responding. He picked up the wooden sword, holding it firmly, while the commander stood in front of him, weighing his steps accurately.
"Let's see what you have."
As soon as the fight began, the commander moved at lightning speed, attacking with fine strikes, but William was not an easy opponent. He skilfully dodged, using a style that was not familiar to the attendees, which made whispers transcended around the ring.
"It's different..."
"How does he repel his blows so quickly?"
"I've never seen anyone confront the leader at this level!"
The pace of the fighting escalated, and signs of surprise began to appear even on the face of the commander himself. William's moves were thoughtful, elaborate, as if they were part of a long practice that was not familiar in this city. Over time, the leader's breath began to weigh a little, while William remained steadfast, ready for every movement to come.
Finally, after a quick exchange of blows, the commander stopped, then raised his hand saying:
"I surrender."
There was a moment of silence, and then some members of the blue bird began to whisper in astonishment.
"That's impossible... The leader has never been defeated in this way."
"Who is this man?"
Cain stood at the edge, following everything with bright eyes, then burst out laughing and said loudly:
"This monster is infeatable! Did you see?"
As for the leader, he kept looking at William carefully, as if he was trying to understand something, before muttering to himself:
"Is this art...?"
But he quickly interrupted his thoughts, then reintroduced himself, saying in a more serious voice:
"I'm Roy, the captain of the blue bird. Nice to meet you.