Chapter 19: Power Sharing
The first thug collapsed to the ground, clutching his fractured arm and writhing in agony like the worm he was. The remaining thugs, witnessing such brutality, froze hesitantly before turning to their leader for guidance.
"What are you looking at me for? Kill him!" the leader screamed.
With no other choice, the goons rushed Maximilian—some even drawing knives. Seeing the blades flash, Maximilian's eyes narrowed. He charged forward, timing his counter perfectly. As one thug stabbed at him, Maximilian raised his slash-resistant tire arm guard to deflect the blade. The knife clattered aside, throwing the attacker off-balance just as Maximilian drove a knee into his stomach, followed by a precisely calibrated punch to the ribs.
CRACK!
The ribs shattered. Before the thug could scream, Maximilian stomped on his leg, fracturing the bone. Then, hurling the second thug into the third, sending both crashing to the ground.
POW! CRACK! BOOM!
A series of brutal beating sounds echoed through the alley as Maximilian unleashed his wrath. Bones snapped under his relentless assault. Pleas for mercy mixed with agonized wails as, one by one, every thug except the leader was reduced to a broken, moaning heap on the pavement.
The leader, seeing his men dismantled so ruthlessly, frantically drew a concealed handgun from his suit. The weapon's weight brought a surge of false confidence.
"Stop right there, freak!" he barked, leveling the gun.
Maximilian didn't stop. Instead, he ducked and sidestepped, moving his head just outside the barrel's line—
FWIP! SLIKKK!