Chapter 33: Three Gates
Rhodes threw a punch, but his opponent swiftly dodged and countered with a sideways kick.
Rhodes raised his arm to block the attack, but before he could react, his opponent vanished from sight.
Hearing the faintest sound behind him, Rhodes quickly shifted his stance. Though he managed to evade most of the strike, his shoulder still took a glancing hit. He staggered slightly but regained his balance almost instantly, spinning around and throwing a counterpunch.
Bang!
His fist made solid contact. However, his opponent had already braced for impact, crossing his arms in an X-shape to absorb the blow.
"That was a heavy punch—you're way stronger than they say!"
Jet, also known as Sarusuke, took a step back and rolled his shoulders before flipping backward twice to create more distance. He rubbed his forearm with a small wince.
Dressed in a deep purple shirt and a tall, wide-brimmed hat that sat nearly a foot high, Jet had the appearance of a rogue adventurer. His loose breeches allowed for agile movements, and his long, sturdy boots were built for running.
He was a core member of Levy's Shadow Gear Team, known for his incredible speed. Since their last mission, Jet and his teammates had been taking it easy at the guild, spending their days joking around and enjoying the lively atmosphere.
Perhaps Jet had been intrigued by the ongoing buzz that Rhodes was challenging everyone in the guild, or maybe he felt a twinge of jealousy that Levy had been spending so much time with Rhodes, helping him study foreign languages.
Whatever the reason, Jet had personally requested a fight with Rhodes, and his teammate Droy had followed suit.