As Robin recovered from the intense pain in his stomach, Wesley tried to gather his strength, and Philip struggled to get up from the ground after the impact, Klaus looked down at them with great disdain. They were the rabble of society, and he was obviously uncomfortable getting his hands dirty with them.
The bullies were clearly shaken, but they didn't give up easily. Driven by a mixture of anger and wounded pride, they stood up again and again, trying to overpower Klaus with their brute strength.
But Klaus was one step ahead. He was more than just muscle and technique, his sharp mind, trained reflexes and adrenaline-fueled instincts allowed him to anticipate the thugs' moves and find loopholes easily, for they were runners, not fighters. So in less than a second, Klaus knocked Robin down again as he stood up, this time landing a sharp punch to the chin that knocked him unconscious. He then spun in the air, avoiding a punch from Wesley and responding with a knee to the stomach. Wesley fell to his knees, coughing and struggling to catch his breath.
Philip pushed forward with a final effort. He launched a series of punches and kicks at Klaus, but as Klaus dodged and blocked each attack with a perfect combination of defensive moves. In one swift move, Klaus grabbed Philip's arm and applied an armbar, immobilizing him and forcing him to surrender, his arm nearly broken.
With the three bullies defeated, Klaus finally let go of Philip and took a few steps back, breathing heavily. His shirt was drenched in sweat and torn in places, a testament to his hard and successive falls.
Klaus turned to the bullied boys, now free of their attackers, and offered them a comforting smile.
"Are you all right?" asked Klaus, his voice showing genuine concern.
The boys nodded, still stunned by the scene they had witnessed. They were incredibly grateful to Klaus for protecting them and standing up to the bullies on their behalf.
Seeing the boys' lack of reaction, Klaus reached out to help one of them get up from the floor, but at that moment he heard a strange groan, like someone writhing.
"Yaaahw!"
The groan is accompanied by a yawn, and Klaus looks back over his shoulder to see the man who had been lying in the hammock get up sleepily, stretching and rubbing his sleepy eyes. His face showed an expression of curiosity as he noticed his friends lying on the ground, defeated by Klaus.
The man, whose name was Eric, was known for his serious personality and rigidity with his department colleagues. However, he did not become angry or aggressive upon seeing the situation, but instead a mischievous smile formed on his lips.
"Look what we have here..." Eric said in a calm voice, but with a challenging tone. "Klaus, my friend, you got yourself into quite a mess, didn't you? It wasn't enough to publicly confront my colleagues in the coffee shop, and now you've come after us?"
Klaus looked at Eric and noticed the change in mood. He didn't know who this guy was, but he knew he was someone dangerous.
"I just helped these kids from their friends. They were being bullied and I couldn't just ignore it," Klaus explained, maintaining his confident posture.
Eric stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Klaus. His mischievous smile changed to a more serious expression that conveyed a quiet determination.
"I understand your intentions, Klaus. By the way, that's very heroic. And since you defeated all of them without being hit even once, I can't deny that you are a skilled fighter. You may not be as strong or as fast, but you certainly have the stamina of the best young people in this country. But they were taking care of these boys at my behest, after all, it is no fun to get just one golden ticket, I want as many as I can get. So let me teach you a lesson so that you understand that this was none of your business.
Klaus stared at Eric, understanding the challenge he was facing. He knew that this fight was not about physical superiority, but about respect. Still, there were already three men on the ground, he didn't want to leave one more.
"Eric, I understand your position, but I am not here to cause trouble or take what is yours. All I ask is that you leave these boys alone. If there is any other way to resolve this, I am open to dialogue," Klaus replied, keeping his composure and trying to find a peaceful solution.
Eric considered Klaus' words for a moment, assessing the sincerity in his gaze and tone. He realized that Klaus was no ordinary opponent, and after a short pause, Eric finally nodded and smiled.
"No, we're actually going to fight. You have become very well known on campus in the last few weeks, and I have yet to see the reason for so many comments. So I want to see what you are capable of with my own eyes," Eric said.
That being the case, Klaus took a deep breath, realizing that a fight was inevitable. He accepted Eric's challenge, knowing that there was no choice but to face him. Without further words, Klaus and Eric stood facing each other in the center of the small clearing, ready to begin the confrontation. Klaus now had a golden ticket in his pocket, having taken it from Wesley during the fight, and he was not about to lose it.
The atmosphere around them was immediately charged with pressure as the onlookers watched intently, eager to see how this impending battle would unfold.
"Is he really going to fight Eric?" Andrew inquired, watching the situation from a distance between some trees.
"Who is this guy?" asked Emily, confused and frightened by everything she was doing.
"I heard he's just someone physically scary. He came from an inner-city school in New York because he won a basketball scholarship, but he always showed a natural talent for any physical sport, like American football and wrestling. Since we have no department for these three sports, they put him in the athletic department and he still managed to become the leader, the captain of the department. Several colleges offered him scholarships this year, but he chose to participate in the special program first. Andrew explained.
"If he's that good, you have to go help Klaus." Chloe said.
"Me?"
"Yes, and who else could do it? You're from the Archery Department too!"
"I'm from the Archery Department because I'm physically not good with anything but a bow. If I went there, in the middle of those two monsters, I would probably die." Andrew said with a slight smile on his face.
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