Chapter 49 Another Mission!

"Hey, Achara. Do you want to go out for a bit?" asked Xavier on the phone.

From Achara's voice and slurred speech, he could tell he woke her up from her sleep, as she responded, "Go out?! Where do you possibly want to go at this time?"

"Just a fight club, one that you've been to. The Unstoppable..."

"How do you know about that?" she interrupted.

"Was it that little...?"

"Maybe, but either way, you're gonna have to take me to one now. I need the money, and it'll be good for me to get some more training in."

"You're insane. Any normal human, after all the training you completed, would be fatigued for a few days, and yet you want to fight tonight. And also, it's dangerous."

"Well, it's too late now. I've made up my mind, and I'm outside the dojo."

"Ugh. You crazy asshole. Give me a moment, and I'll be out," she said, knowing that Xavier wouldn't leave until he got what he wanted.

"Thanks, and hurry it up."

Waiting outside the dojo for a few minutes, Xavier was overjoyed when he received a notification from the system.

[Mission Issued: Fight and win three illegal fight club matches in one night. The reward for successful completion is Martial Arts Talent. There is no consequence for failure to complete the mission.]

Hearing that resound within his mind, Xavier couldn't help but smile to himself.

[The Greatest Gangster must make a name for himself one way or another, and what better way than in an illegal fight club? Here you will be able to earn money, hone your skills and become renowned for your combat prowess.]

[And the Martial Arts Talent that will be issued as a reward by the system is not temporary like the Rapid Recovery.]

'And just what is it capable of?' he asked, planning on aiming to complete the mission even without the reward.

[If you think of your journey to becoming the greatest gangster as a video game, the Rapid Recovery would be a temporary recovery boost and the Martial Arts Talent would be a passive skill. Meaning, that in the short term you might not notice its effects, but over time your combat skills and physique will greatly improve at a much faster rate than they would have without it.]

'Faster than they already are? Would I even still be human?'

[Don't be so full of yourself. There are plenty that can crush you with ease, including the so-called 'one-eyed demon' and your talent is merely slightly above average. If you look at someone like Connor, if he trained half as much as you did, do you think you could win against him?

Falling silent, the system was right, and he shouldn't restrict himself to anything.

"The sky's the limit, I guess. And there's always going to be someone stronger than me, but I'll just have to find a way to take them down," he mumbled to himself after his exchange with the system, and conveniently Achara came out of the dojo moments after.

Locking the dojo, she was also dressed in similar clothes to him, with her hood up and a mask on.

"I don't want to be seen in any fight club again. Once I got enough money to start my own dojo, I stopped and there was a reason for that," she said, seeing that Xavier was surprised by what she was wearing.

"They are dangerous and ruin people's lives. Even if you win, who's to say that you're safe once you leave the fight club?"

"The money's good and the fame is fun, but the risk is too great. There aren't any rules like in an official fight, and until the opponent is no longer moving, you must keep fighting, otherwise, you would be putting yourself in danger. It's a horrible experience, and you feel like a caged animal as people watch and cheer while placing their bets."

"I fought at a rough point in my life. My English wasn't great, and I was easily manipulated into it, but I'd rather not do it again. I was a monster back then."

"I was desperate and with the money I earned there, I was able to help my family back home and build the dojo, which is something I am very passionate about, so I was driven to do such things. But I have no reason to resort to returning to a fight club again."

"I want to teach martial arts to others and build my reputation as a martial artist, so I was willing to do almost anything to earn money for it. However, looking back on it, was it really worth it?"

It was clear that she had gone through her fair share of touch experiences and Xavier could definitely understand where she was coming from, but he was willing to take the risk and endure whatever he had to.

"It's your choice to fight or not, but I certainly will fight in illegal fight clubs. At least for now. I need the money, and it sounds like a lot of dangerous people congregate there. So what better place to make connections?"

"If you think this gang stuff is too much for you, then you can still turn back, Achara," Xavier offered.

Zack was a great help and could be a part of the gang while keeping a safe distance, so he didn't have much of a reason to feel worried.

Karim had nothing to lose and was very ambitious, so he certainly had no doubts about his decision to join Xavier.

Connor wanted to change his and his sisters' lives for the better and live a fulfilling life, that, although came with risks, was one that he would much prefer over the one he was leaving.

Which left Achara, who appeared to have things in her past that were holding her back.

"No, I want to be a part of this gang. And I won't disappoint you. But, you must know that one day you will probably have to take someone's life. Are you ready for that?"

Her question stumped Xavier, who had obviously considered that, but wasn't sure.

However, now that he was being asked directly, he didn't hesitate when he answered and was sure about his answer.