Chapter 53 - Alone In The Darkness...

''Argh!'' a groan of pain came from the man who seemed to be heavily injured, his whole body was filled with bruises, wounds, and bones popping out of his flesh.

He was currently laying on the ground, under a bridge, he was attacked by a young-looking man, but he couldn't recognize him because the darkness covered his face...

''Ugh...'' The man on the ground painfully tried to lift himself up from the ground.

With more groans of pain, he managed to put himself into a sitting position.

''...How long was I knocked out?!'' The man thought with disbelief.

He was about to return to the hotel, reserved for the referees of the tournament.

They aren't allowed in the same hotel as the fighters, because there have been rumors of players paying the referees in secret.

That's why Ramu's Higher-ups decided to be discreet and not let them stay in the same hotel.

This man left the stadium and kept walking for half an hour until he met a shadowy figure in front of him.

He didn't think that it was strange at first, and he thought that; If he was going to get attacked, then no problem, because he is Peak Martial Leader.

Some random thug is usually not any stronger than Martial Soldier.

...But this shadowy figure in front of him...

Attacked him without any warnings.

But he didn't panic, he calmly attacked back.

...But then despair filled his face shortly afterward because he noticed that the shadowy figure was way stronger than him!

He noticed that his attacker isn't Martial Captain.

But instead Peak Martial Leader, but the shadowy figure was way stronger than him, even though they are in the same rank!

The fight lasted for another few minutes, and his body was filled with bruises and blood started flowing from his body.

He was planning to run away first, then get some help.

But before he could do that... The shadowy figure disappeared from his spot.

Appeared behind him.

And punched his back, which made him fly straight to the ground, which caused a cracking noise.

Some cracking noise came from the ground getting broken, but some were from his bones.

He fell down to the ground heavily and started wailing in agony.

He noticed that the shadowy figure crouched and started talking.

''You shouldn't have rigged the matches... This is Karma.'' The shadowy figure said, and left the area, leaving the injured man alone, with his body in a broken state.

'How does he know!' He thought with shock.

It wasn't possible for anyone to know... Do more people know?

This is bad!

That's what he thought.

He planned to drag his body back to the stadium, to warn the others.

But when he tried to push his body to its limits, he noticed everything turning blurry...

And suddenly darkness covered his vision.

He passed out with his body broken.

Blood still flowing from his body.

He stayed unconscious for another day, and he woke up when the sky started darkening.

The man thought with disbelief.

''How long was I knocked out?!''

He passed out when the sky was fully dark, but now the sun was only about to disappear from the sky.

He was currently in a sitting position, he looked at his wounds, and it didn't look good.

He looked around him and saw that he was under the bridge somewhere.

''Why didn't nobody help me?!'' The man thought with anger, an injured man passed out on the ground, but no one helped him.

He was feeling angry.

''Ah, right my phone!'' The man anxiously thought, he remembered the words that the shadowy figure said yesterday.

He needs to inform them that their secret is out.

...But when he started going through his pocket.

He didn't find his wallet... Phone... Hotel keys...

''I was robbed!'' He roared in anger.

He started hitting the ground below him in frustration.

No one helped him, even though he was injured and possibly could have died, without his Martial Leader physique.

Now he was even robbed!

This man's name is Ledorman...

He was the one who tried to get Ichiro disqualified.

And now he isn't having a good day.

Ledorman looked around him and saw a few passersby walking not far away from him.

''HELP!'' He roared, hoping that they would help him.

The passerby's turned their heads around, and they saw the man who yelled.

Their faces turned into shock first, then into disgust.

They kept walking even faster than before, without any intention of helping.

''W-What!'' Ledorman yelled with widened eyes,

He couldn't believe it.

Why didn't they help him?

That's what he kept thinking.

It wasn't hard to call an ambulance.

But they didn't even do that, instead, they ignored him.

Ledorman didn't know the real reason, why they didn't help.

It was because the News has already spread everywhere in Ramu...

And everyone knows Ledorman's face now.

No one would want to help a man, who was willing to cripple a young man, who has his whole life ahead of him.

Ledorman's career is over.

...But also Hiena's team members.

They had a bright future ahead of them.

They could have joined a strong High School and gotten closer to their professional career.

...But now... They will never be able to fight in tournaments ever again.

They will also probably be banned by Martial Arts Association.

The Martial Arts Association is the one that holds the tournaments and the ranking tests.

They are also the ones who created the Ranking system.

There is 1 Martial Arts Association in every city in the world.

But there are only 6 Main Martial Arts Associations in the world.

Every continent has one.

In Arya - Main Martial Arts Association base is currently located in Country of Nightlight.

In Gensa, there is only a Minor Martial Arts Association, which controls every tournament and ranking test in Gensa.

And the Martial Arts Association holds even more power than the Government! That says a lot about their influence.

Ledorman is currently aware, what would happen to him, if the news came out.

He would definitely get fired.

...But he doesn't care, because now his life is on the line.

Ledorman isn't aware that Ichiro recorded his meeting with Hiena.

Otherwise, he would be trying to crawl his way out of Ramu with his broken limbs.

Because his death warrant has been signed.

But he thinks that his life is in danger because he thinks that if Ramu's higher-ups find out... Then they might get rid of him, to get rid of loose ends.

At first, he thought that by telling them, they might not get angry at him, but instead grateful for warning them.

But that was just wishful thinking, Ledorman knows it.

He tried to stand up from his sitting position.

But it was difficult with his broken limbs, and he has lost a lot of blood.

But with help of the wall next to him, he managed to push himself up.

''Argh!'' He groaned in pain, he feels that his left leg is broken.

His right leg is alright, but it is filled with bruises, and that makes walking extremely painful.

He started dragging his broken leg behind him while hopping with his only remaining leg.

He is planning to leave Ramu right now.

He won't risk going to the hospital.

Ledorman has been hopping for five meters until he heard a bone-chilling voice behind him.

''Where do you think you are going?'' Ledorman turned his head to the voice.

He saw three figures, cloaked in black hoods.

Ledorman's face went pale.

He recognized them.

How could he not?

He planned to hire them to cripple Ichiro because it would be madness trying to cripple him by himself, he might get caught, and there isn't even a guarantee that he will win against Ichiro.

That's why he planned to hire them...

Those three... are part of the League of Assassins.

They are usually professional killers hired by the Underworld to do their dirty deeds.

Ledorman went pale and started stuttering. ''W-W-W-Why a-are y-y-you here?''

The cloaked figure in the middle scoffed and said. ''Are you stupid? Because of you, everything we have done so far went into a cloud of smoke!''

''I-I-I don't understand!'' Ledorman cried out.

''Hmph.'' The cloaked figure snorted and threw a phone towards Ledorman.

He caught it clumsily and looked at the news.

He went even paler, face filled with despair.

He knew... That death came knocking on his door.

The three cloaked figures surrounded Ledorman.

''P-Please forgive me!'' Ledorman cried out, he kowtowed to the ground while his face was stained with tears.

The cloaked figures looked coldly at him, they took their knives and pointed at Ledorman.

''Your idiocy has ruined us all.'' The cloaked figure in the middle said with disdain.

''''''Die!'''''' All three figures yelled at the same time and slashed their knives towards Ledorman.

''ARGHHHH!'' Ledorman cried out and jumped towards the cloaked figure.

The cloaked figure widened his eyes for a moment in surprise, but then he easily dodged Ledorman's desperate action.

Ledorman fell down to the ground heavily, he holds his broken leg in agony, his face filled with despair while looking at the three cloaked figures.

The three cloaked figures pointed their knives at Ledorman.

Then with the sound of *Whish*

Ledorman's head was chopped off.

Sun went down...

The darkness filled the underground bridge...

And the members of the League of Assassins disappeared without leaving any trace...

Only leaving the dead body of the former referee... Alone in the darkness....