Chapter 496 - Draw

"Not so fast." Without further ado, Ivan made a chopping move and the first blow landed on Angelo's shoulder. Everything happened within one minute frame that everyone was rendered speechless by their speed.

"Ughh!" Angelo let out a cry as he instantly felt the pain in his shoulder. Ivan, on the other hand, hopped a few steps back with a smirk plastered across his lips. 

"Easy." Ivan whistled, chuckling as he didn't break a sweat to land the first blow. He watched Angelo grind his teeth, holding onto the shoulder he assaulted as he straightened his posture. "What? Mad that this narrow-minded person is better than you?" He provoked, raising his brows briefly as he chuckled.

"Indeed," Angelo's eyes glinted. Without a second delay, he dashed forwards, jabbing at Ivan with his uninjured hand. However, Ivan easily dodged every attack he was launching as if he was just dancing and turned one with the air.

The blow on his left shoulder was severe. Angelo could feel pain in his limbs with his every move. Surely, Ivan didn't hesitate and didn't even hold back a tiny bit. If only Angelo didn't lower his guard thinking that Ivan would at least hold back, he wouldn't have to endure such pain in this fight.

"Haha! Are you even trying?" While he dodged every attack from Angelo, Ivan had the leisure to laugh at this half-hearted attack. "Man… how can you survive if you can't keep up after a slight injury?" He mocked, catching Angelo's fist with his one hand which stopped the latter's attacks.

"Dead," Ivan uttered, doing a hand gesture with his other free hand and pointed it right in his forehead. If Ivan was holding a weapon and Angelo was his real enemy, he would be dead the second he stopped. Or rather, he would be dead even before that.

After a beat, Ivan let Angelo's fist go and skipped another step back. "Man, this is boring." He sighed, disheartened that Angelo wouldn't even give him the thrill as close combat wasn't really his forte.

Just then, a crazy idea struck across Ivan's head. "Ahh…" His eyes lit up, raising his hand as if gesturing his opponent to wait for a second. "Let me help you." He said, a smug grin plastered across his face.

"You, over there." Ivan then turned his head to Carter who was watching from the sidelines along with his men. "Hand that over to me." He said, his gaze traveled to the pistol clipped in his waist.

"Huh?" Puzzled, Carter knitted his brows as he looked down. "No." Upon realizing that Ivan wanted the pistol, Carter immediately refused as he raised his head.

"Now." Yet, Ivan wasn't the one who would take 'no' as an answer. Thus, with a commanding tone, his voice thundered. "Don't worry, it's not for me to use." He reassured, smirking at Carter as he cocked his head to the side.

Meanwhile, as Matthew, Paul, and Zoey watched this unfold, Paul glanced at Matthew's shoulder. "Master…" He mumbled, worried that this situation would get out of hand as Ivan was asking for a weapon now.

"Let them." But, before Matthew could answer, Zoey spoke as her eyes were fixed on Ivan and then shifted to Angelo from time to time. "He wouldn't kill him." She affirmed, leaving Paul in distress. 

Well, not that he should care since they were not working under Matthew. Still, he didn't want a problem resurfacing because of this. After all, they were still their responsibilities as they were inside Matthew's territory.

Carter, who was in a tight situation, glanced in Matthew's direction. Since Matthew wasn't saying anything and just watching everything unfold before him, Carter decided to follow Ivan's demands. 

Yet, before tossing the pistol in the air, he unloaded the magazine and made sure it was empty. "Just to make sure." He said before tossing the pistol in Ivan's direction.

"Sweet." Ivan nodded in satisfaction. He already planned to empty the magazine if Carter just surrendered it to him. But, since he already did, that lessened the hassle of doing so. 

With that being said, Ivan then tossed the pistol towards Angelo's direction. "There." He said, casting the latter with a knowing look. "Don't disappoint me with your lame close combat skills." In a matter-of-fact tone, Ivan remarked. He only needed to yawn just to say how boring sparring with Angelo was.

Angelo gazed down at the pistol he caught in the air. At this point, he was utterly insulted. However, being offended by Ivan was justified. Not that he had moral principles to follow as his perspective in life changed over the years.

Be it under means and foul, if the situation called it, he would do even the most underhanded means to execute and acquire success in his mission. Thus, even if it means fighting someone unarmed despite having one, he couldn't care less.

"You're really a fool." Angelo chuckled, smirking as his confidence returned to him. He pressured his right heel before sprinting towards Ivan. Although his shoulder was injured, he wouldn't need it anymore. 

In his mind, he would take down Ivan with just one hand. Yet, just like what happened earlier, Ivan managed to dodge every attack swiftly.

After some time, Angelo suddenly switched the pistol to his hand, the one connected to his injured shoulder. Using his fist, he attempted to land a blow on Ivan's shoulder. However, before he could do so, Ivan tripped him from behind his heel and pounced on him.

Ivan who was at the top of him smirked. "Dead." He muttered, pressing pressure on his other shoulder that was yet to get injured.

"Haha," Despite the pressure Ivan was causing him, Angelo chuckled through his gritted teeth. "Same with you." He smirked, his other hand where he switched the pistol pressed on Ivan's side abdomen.

*click* 

Without further ado, Angelo pulled the trigger which let out a click of an empty pistol. If it was loaded, Ivan would have to share the same fate as him. Indeed, it was suicide for Angelo if Ivan was holding a weapon.

Therefore, since he knew that Ivan was better at close combat and was considered one of the Silva Family's elite men, Angelo would rather take him down with himself instead of just dying alone.

"Hah," Ivan chuckled, slowly getting up away from Angelo as he raised his hands to his shoulder level. "Well, it's a draw then." He muttered, his tone suddenly changed into a playful one as he chuckled.

Angelo and everyone else including Matthew furrowed their brows in confusion. The only exception was Zoey who figured Ivan's intention.

"He was testing him and showing everyone what could happen in a real life battle." After a beat, Zoey spoke and explained to Matthew who was puzzled. "By pushing Angelo's buttons, he showed that having the upperhand doesn't mean you were bound to win. Sometimes, it'll always be a draw because their opponents would take them down with them even at the cost of their lives." In a matter-of-fact tone, Zoey nodded her head in satisfaction as a smile resurfaced on her lips.

'So, no one can blame me why I wonder how he died just like that before…' Zoey muttered internally, staring at Ivan's figure as he lent his hand towards Angelo who was still laid on the ground.. A second later, she watched how Angelo scoffed before accepting Ivan's hand to support him to stand.