Suzan nodded and began walking past the group, her steps initially hesitant but gaining confidence as she moved. The Big Deal members parted to let her through, most of them respectful of the unspoken rule about involving civilians.
But just as she passed by, one of the Big Deal members—a newer recruit with more ambition than sense—reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
"Who said you could leave?" the man asked, tongue curling into a smirk that revealed his true intentions.
Suzan froze, her entire body going rigid with fear. The man's grip was firm, possessive, and she could feel the predatory hunger in his touch.
He chuckled darkly, his eyes roaming over her with undisguised lust. She was beautiful—too beautiful. Long dark hair, delicate features, the kind of innocent beauty that made men like him lose their minds. And in his twisted logic, that made her fair game.
The other Big Deal members shifted uncomfortably, some realizing that their associate had just made a catastrophic error in judgment. Jake's expression darkened, but he wasn't fast enough to intervene.
Because Noah was already moving.
Big mistake.
Noah's smile vanished like it had never existed, replaced by something far more dangerous. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as his entire demeanor shifted from casual to lethal.
He was already moving before the guy finished blinking, crossing the distance between them in a heartbeat.
His hand gripped the man's wrist with surgical precision, fingers finding the exact pressure points that would cause maximum damage.
Crack.
The bones snapped loudly, the sound echoing off the surrounding buildings like a gunshot. The thug screamed and dropped to the ground, writhing in pain as his shattered wrist hung at an unnatural angle.
"She asked nicely," Noah said quietly, his voice like cold steel wrapped in velvet. "So I'll only break one part of you."
The other Big Deal members tensed, hands moving instinctively toward weapons or fighting stances, but Jake held up a hand to stop them. This wasn't their fight—not yet.
Noah turned back to Suzan, his face softening instantly as if nothing had happened, the transformation so complete it was almost jarring. "Go ahead."
She didn't speak this time—she just walked faster, head down, her steps quick and determined as she disappeared around the corner. She had learned not to ask questions when Noah's voice took on that particular tone.
Jake sighed and stepped forward, his expression a mixture of annoyance and grudging respect. "Wasn't part of the plan to touch her."
"You just did," Noah replied, cracking his neck slowly, each pop a small promise of violence to come.
The injured man continued to whimper on the ground, cradling his destroyed wrist. The other Big Deal members looked between their fallen comrade and Noah, unsure whether to help their friend or prepare for battle.
---
### **[System Alert]**
**Threat Level Cluster Detected: 10 Hostiles**
**Estimated Risk: Low**
**Suggested Action: Engage at will.**
**Note: Enemy morale compromised by display of overwhelming force**
---
Jake kept his hands in his pockets, a gesture that somehow made him seem more dangerous rather than less. "We're not here to fight. Not unless you want it. Gun sent us."
Noah raised an eyebrow, his interest genuinely piqued. "Gun? Thought he had enough last time."
Their previous encounter had been brief but memorable—Gun had walked away with a newfound respect for Noah's abilities and a healthy dose of caution about engaging him directly again.
Jake chuckled faintly, the sound carrying years of experience dealing with dangerous individuals. "That's why he sent us. Not to punish you. Just to... monitor. He wants to know what you are. A problem—or a weapon."
Noah's eyes slid to Jerry, who had remained perfectly still throughout the exchange, then back to Jake. Jerry's loyalty to his leader was absolute, written in every line of his body language. Whatever Jake decided, Jerry would follow without question.
"And what do you think I am?" Noah asked, genuinely curious about Jake's assessment.
Jake gave a small shrug, but his eyes never left Noah's face. "I think I won't know until I punch you."
That was enough.
The philosophical portion of their encounter was over. Now came the test that both men had been anticipating since the moment they'd laid eyes on each other.
---
Noah grinned, the expression sharp and predatory. "Then show me."
**Jerry moved first.** Fast. His legs snapped like whips, a spinning kick rushing straight for Noah's head with the precision of someone who had spent years perfecting his technique.
**Whap.**
Noah caught it with his left palm. Effortless. The impact that should have shattered bone or at least staggered him was absorbed completely, like he had just caught a thrown ball.
"Not bad," Noah said conversationally, as if discussing the weather. "Want it back?"
He flung Jerry sideways like a sack of laundry, the executive's considerable weight meaning nothing to Noah's enhanced strength. Jerry slammed into a parked car, denting the side panel with a metallic crash that made several windows light up in the surrounding apartment buildings.
Jake didn't wait. He stepped forward, fists up in a classic boxing stance, and swung with clean, tight form that spoke of countless hours of training. His punches were precise, economical, each one thrown with the intention of ending the fight quickly.
Noah leaned with each punch, ducked one, blocked another, but Jake's rhythm was tight, professional. His footwork was excellent, his combinations smooth and natural. For a moment, Jake looked like he could actually keep up, like he might be the one to finally give Noah a real challenge.
The watching Big Deal members began to hope that their leader might actually pull off the impossible.
Then Noah's smile returned.
"You're holding back."
Jake's eyes widened as he realized Noah had been analyzing his technique, learning his patterns, and was now ready to show him the difference between their levels.
Noah headbutted him.
**Boom.**
Jake staggered back, blood running from his nose in a steady stream. Stars exploded behind his eyes as his brain rattled inside his skull. Noah didn't give him time to recover or even fully process what had happened.
Three quick jabs, one straight, and an elbow across the temple dropped Jake to a knee. Each strike was perfectly placed, designed to inflict maximum damage while avoiding permanent injury. He coughed, spat blood onto the pavement, then chuckled despite the pain.
"Yeah... you're the real deal."
Jerry was struggling to his feet, using the damaged car for support. His taekwondo training had prepared him for many things, but not for being thrown around like a ragdoll by someone who made it look effortless.
The other Big Deal members stood frozen, uncertain whether to intervene or simply witness what was clearly a demonstration of power rather than a genuine fight.
Noah didn't reply immediately. He dusted off his shirt with careful precision, making sure every wrinkle was smoothed out before looking down at the two fallen figures.
"Tell Gun I'm not unstable," he said finally, his voice carrying clearly in the evening air. "I'm focused. That's what makes me dangerous."
Jake wiped blood from his mouth and managed a pained smile. "I'll make sure he gets the message."
Then Noah turned and walked away without looking back, his steps casual and unhurried, as if he hadn't just dismantled two of the most respected fighters in the underground scene.
The Big Deal members helped their injured comrades to their feet, casting wary glances at Noah's retreating figure. They had come here to assess a potential threat and had instead witnessed something that defied their understanding of what was possible.
Suzan was waiting at the corner, sipping on a boxed juice with a bendy straw, completely unbothered by the delay. She had found a small convenience store and taken the opportunity to buy her favorite drink, trusting that Noah would handle whatever business he needed to handle.
"Did your friends go home?" she asked sweetly, offering him a sip of her juice.
Noah smiled, accepting the drink and taking a small sip before handing it back. "Yeah. I walked them there myself."
As they continued down the street, Suzan chatted about her day at school, her art project, and her plans for the weekend. Noah listened with genuine interest, asking questions about her teachers and friends, the violence of moments before completely set aside.
Behind them, Jake Kim sat in the back of a Big Deal vehicle, holding ice to his swollen face while Jerry applied antiseptic to his various cuts and bruises.
"What do we tell Gun?" Jerry asked, his voice carefully neutral.
Jake stared out the window at the ordinary street where something extraordinary had just occurred. "We tell him the truth. Noah isn't just strong—he's in complete control. That makes him more dangerous than any berserker or rage-fueled fighter we've ever faced."
"And the recommendation?"
Jake was quiet for a long moment, considering the implications of what he'd witnessed. "We leave him alone. Unless Gun wants to start a war he can't win."
The car pulled away into the night, leaving behind only the dented vehicle and a few drops of blood on the pavement as evidence of what had transpired.
In the distance, Noah and Suzan's laughter could be heard as they shared some private joke, the sound a strange counterpoint to the lingering tension in the air.
---