"I have a bad feeling about this..." I muttered, grimacing as I watched a large group of Nyoka's gangsters tread through the forest from my hiding spot, almost all armed with flintlocks and swords.
After agreeing to work together to take down more of Nyoka's men and choke his business, we had some of the weaker members of our group stationed in the town to keep an eye out.
They instantly noticed the large convoy of about thirty gangsters escorting not one but two carriages full of illegal goods, and we were quick to devise a plan to ambush it.
Naturally, we didn't come ill-prepared, as we had our own people to rely on, and after ambushing Nyoka's people for so long, we looted enough flintlocks to arm a couple of them.
I was and am still against giving the little brats pistols and having them participate in the fight since they were just regular kids, unlike Kid and the three other psychopaths, but I could do nothing to stop them.
Ultimately, they were their own people despite their young ages, forced to mature early on thanks to the appealing circumstances of the island. I could only grit my teeth and try to protect them if possible.
"The hell you talking about, Rick...?" Kid asked with a frown, giving me a displeased look. "We've done this a couple of times already... just because they have a bit more people doesn't mean this one will end any differently..." He added with a scowl.
"I don't know... something just feels off..." I replied, shaking my head. "I can't help but feel we're pushing our luck..." I added as I kept looking around, trying and failing to find whatever seemed to unsettle me.
"You've said it yourself. We've done this many times before...." I added, trailing off at the end of my sentence. "And we got away with it every single time..." I continued, my tone turning grave.
"This one might be a trap..." I concluded.
"We already scouted the area and found nothing..." Kid replied with a shrug. "Now stop being a pussy and get ready," He added, clenching his fist as he looked at the convoy.
"They're approaching the roadblock..."
...
Nyoka couldn't help but grin under the hood covering his face as the convoy stopped upon encountering a fallen log blocking their path. They were already halfway through their destination with no signs of ambushes or attackers until now.
As someone who had survived as a gang boss for so long, he instantly recognized the fallen log as a mere decoy and a distraction, having used it to ambush others multiple times in his younger days.
Naturally, Nyoka didn't come all the way here into the forest to ensure the safety of his products or men. He came to find and deal with whoever had the gall to interfere with his business, and it looked like he'll get to do just that.
He silently watched as his subordinate approached the log and tried to move it out of the way, only for them to fall on the ground, bleeding as several gunshots echoed in the distance.
Nyoka maintained his composure, even as his subordinates lost their cool and ran around like headless chickens seeking cover and randomly shooting into the forest's foliage, only to be gunned down one after the other by the assailants.
Eventually, the ambushers showed themselves. And Nyoka's grin couldn't be broader as he watched three kids jump out of the shrubbery and lunge at his subordinates, having recognized them instantly.
"Come out!" Nyoka bellowed as he removed the hood covering his face. And as if on cue, the dozens of men hiding within the two carriages came out from beneath the rags concealing them.
"Now you've done it, brats. Even that old fool won't be able to save you anymore," Nyoka said with a savage grin, instantly locking eyes with Cedric as he opened his mouth, showcasing two long fangs and a forked tongue.
Sensing the danger, Cedric grimaced as he threw himself to the side, dodging a green jet of green vomit in the nick of time. "Red Snake, huh...?" He muttered, watching as the florescent liquid melted a tree trunk behind him.
He picked up his spear, calmly watching as red scales sprouted on Nyoka's skin, his muscles growing larger and bursting out of his clothes as the gang boss raised his head to the sky and hissed.
"That little stick won't do you much good, brat..." Nyoka said as he stared at Cedric with his cold reptilian eyes. "Give up, and I'll make your death painless," He added with a hiss.
"Not gonna happen," Cedric blankly replied as he lowered his stance and raised his spear. "Now stop talking nonsense and let's get this over with," He added as he began inching toward Nyoka, unfazed by the battle around him.
Nyoka merely shrugged before slightly bending his knees and lunging at Cedric, akin to a cobra snapping at its prey. He shot into the air at an incredible speed, but his opponent saw the attack coming and quickly stepped aside.
Cedric's expression instantly sank as he watched Nyoka hit a tree and snap it in half with his jaws before turning around to face him. "The offer still stands, brat," The gang boss said as he spat the wood shrapnel stuck in his mouth.
He didn't receive a reply as Cedric suddenly reached into his pocket and retrieved a flintlock pistol, causing Nyoka to chuckle as he remained motionless, even as the young man fired.
"That stung..." The gang boss said, looking down at the bullet as it fell to the ground after hitting his scales. "This will sting even more," He added as he opened his mouth and shot a jet of green venom toward Cedric.
Frowning, the young man had no choice but to jump away, having seen how quickly the green liquid melted the unsuspecting tree earlier. Still, Cedric knew he couldn't keep dodging if he wanted to win the fight, causing him to firm his resolve as he approached the gang boss.
Cedric kept sprinting, dodging several jets of venom as he closed the distance until he was within swinging distance. He didn't hesitate as he brandished his spear and thrust it at Nyoka's chest.
Though surprised by Cedric's speed, Nyoka still looked unconcerned as he unnaturally twisted his body to dodge the spear's blade. The gang boss used the momentum from the unusual movement to spin around and swipe at the young man's feet with his thick scaley tail.
The young man had no option but to jump to dodge, thanks to his clumsy posture after the botched thrust. He managed to avoid the attack, but Nyoka spun his body again and sent his tail flying toward Cedric before the latter could even sigh in relief.
Unable to maneuver himself in the air, Cedric gritted his teeth and raised the spear in front of his chest to shield himself as Nyoka's tail hit and sent him flying back.
Cedric flew in the air for a good second before hitting the ground, rolling on the dirt before he gathered his bearings and stabbed the spear into the ground to halt his momentum.
He coughed, spitting out the dirt and blood that accumulated in his mouth as he got to his feet, only for his expression to sink as he noticed Nyoka charging at an incredible speed toward him.
Taking a deep breath, Cedric braced for impact and held to his spear as he realized he couldn't dodge in time, but suddenly a wave of flames appeared before him, forcing the gang boss to stop with an annoyed hiss.
"Thanks," Cedric said without bothering to look at Heat, and the latter didn't even have the leeway to reply, busy slaughtering Nyoka's men alongside the others as he was.
Then without hesitation, the young man dislodged his spear from the ground and charged toward the gang boss. He quickly closed the distance and swung his spear again, causing Nyoka to to twist his body with a mocking grin.
"Not this time..." Cedric said as he stopped the momentum of his spear an inch away from Nyoka's chest. He quickly let it go as he retrieved another pistol from his belt, aiming at the gang boss' left eye and firing.
Though Nyoka managed to shield his eye with his hand, it left him wide open, and Cedric took advantage of it. The young man quickly picked up his spear before it hit the ground, burying its sharp tip in his opponent's abdomen.
Despite putting all his strength into the thrust, the spear's tip didn't go too deep into Nyoka's stomach, barely drawing any blood, much to Cedric's chagrin. With no choice bot to commit to the attack, he grunted and stomped forward, putting his entire weight behind the spear in an attempt to push it deeper.
Nyoka hissed in pain as he gripped the spear's shaft, trying to pry it off his stomach, but Cedric persisted, his step turning into two steps, three steps, eventually turning into a sprint as Nyoka's legs left the ground.
...
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