[3rd POV]

'Why are you smiling?'

An eerie feeling crept into Xiaolong's heart as he stood in front of his enemy. It was a feeling he had never felt from his enemies before.

Not even when he stood against his master.

But no matter, be it a God or the Devil himself, as long as he was breathing he would slay any being that threatened his lady's life.

He blasted his killing intent, a warning that should stop Yuito from getting closer. Although he had deemed him to be a threat, he did not forget everything he had done for the lady.

At least, he will give him a chance to flee.

'Or maybe not.' He thought to himself, as he saw Yuito twitch in response to his killing intent but that only made him smile wider.

It was like trying to shoo away a moth with a torch. Instead of flying away, it flew straight to the fire.

'I see.' He recognized that smile. It was oddly similar to Taegon Wi's smile whenever he found an enemy equally strong.

A person who enjoyed fighting. A maniac.

His master had warned him about these kinds of people before. People who fought just for the sake of it, who spend their whole lives searching for strong opponents. They were unfit of being a tool, he was told.

A blade that always aimed for the strong. 

That was a useless blade, a proper blade should aim at the enemies of its master. 

He looked back towards his lady and saw the tears in the corner of her eyes. It ripped his heart to shreds seeing her cry.

Why did he allow her to cry?

He turned back to his opponent and twirled his weapon, pointing it at him. He should've done as he was trained and tell Yuito to leave.

But he felt another word came off his lips.

"Come."

How selfish. Instead of prioritizing her safety, he wanted to hurt the one who made her cry first. So he asked the enemy to come.

And come he did.

At a speed that was too fast for the mind to comprehend. But Xiaolong was a tool, he never really thought most of the time.

He just acts. His trained body did not need to think, just kill.

His body moved as one with his weapon and twirled it as he stabbed forward. His reach was so much longer, he had to make use of that.

No matter how strong Yuito was, he was not armed like him. While Yuito can hurt him, he can kill Yuito with one swift swing of his weapon.

His weapon shot out and pierced the air itself, creating a mini tornado at its length due to the speed and rotation of the thrust.

With all his killing intent and the weapon, it was certain death. His opponent should stay frozen as they felt a phantom stab even before it happened.

But Yuito was not scared.

He not only ran straight at his attack but he actually sped up. When others would jump back or dodge the attack, the crazy guy became a blur and charged at an increased speed.

It was human instinct to move away from danger. Yuito had trained enough that he could force his body to charge at danger, ignoring the natural instinct.

Xiaolong's eyes widen. Yuito's sudden increase in strength made it so that his weapon flew pass him. Never would he have thought a simple fighter would be capable of something like that.

Xiaolong pulled back his weapon as quickly as possible and blocked the incoming punch.

Yuito's fist clashed with the shaft of his weapon.

*BOOOM!!!*

Xiaolong felt himself sinking into the ground as it cracked under the weight of the clash. His hands felt numb just blocking that attack.

Strong. Too strong.

"HAAAAAA!!!" He let out a scream and swiped his Gunadao at the enemy. Yuito pulled back and dodged by the skin of his teeth.

In a blurry of attacks, his weapon and arms blurred as they slashed at Yuito from different, impossible angles. 

But each of those, Yuito dodged but barely. He was dancing with death, testing the limits of his life.

Xiaolong had never fought someone like him.

A weapon user had the advantage because their opponent would dodge their attacks by a wide margin, no one wants to be close to death. This caused them unnecessary movements and gave openings that a weapon user could exploit.

But such an advantage does not apply to Yuito as he dodges the attacks without unnecessary movement. He only moved enough, seemingly not aware that a single touch would sever his veins and cause him to bleed to his death.

Xiaolong swiped upwards, causing Yuito to lean back to dodge his blade. He took that chance and planted the butt of his weapon on the ground and he spun around, delivering a kick right at Yuito's chest.

Yuito was sent flying.

!!!!

Xiaolong put down his feet but a sharp pain caused him to look down. There was a bump on his foot, it seemed Yuito had done damage even while he was being kicked.

He looked at Yuito as he slowly got up and dusted himself. 

He was strong. 

Xiaolong realized then that he had to use his marital art.

Cheon Hohuigong.

A martial art that was about sacrificing yourself to defeat your enemy. A fitting martial art for a tool like him.

He would be willing to give up everything to protect Vivi.

But this martial art was dangerous for both the user and the opponent due to its violent and destructive nature.

He never used it because Xiaolong did not want to die. Deep down, he wanted to stay beside Vivi for as long as he could.

But the situation asked for it.

He took out his traditional hair band and wore it like a crown.

Then he twirled and spun around his Guandao before getting into a the stance of Cheon Hohuigong.

Yuito ran at him, the smile on his face couldn't have been wider.

Xiaolong was also ready, to slay the enemy that had betrayed his lady's trust and brutalized her friends. The one who attacked them after she invited him to their home.

Xiaolong sucked in a breath. His body was going to initiate motion but he stopped

Because Yuito stopped a few feet away from him.

His eyes twitched.

Yuito stayed like that for a long time, seemingly weighing down on what to do. He seemed to be at war with himself.

This goes on until he lets out a sigh and relaxes his posture.

 

"Haa...The things I don't do for love." He said and raised his hand in surrender.

Xiaolong could only watch in confusion at him. That was until Vivi ran between them.

"STOP IT!!!! STOP FIGHTING YOU TWO!!" His lady said.

Xiaolong immediately followed the order and stood down. 

Although he wanted to kill the person who made her cry, he would have to do that another day it seemed.

.

.

---__----__---__---__---__---__---

[Yuito's POV]

His whole vibe changed the moment he put on the weird crown on his head. His stance changed and his aura changed.

It was like looking at an injured animal that would do anything to harm me in return for it's life.

I realized then that I might actually die at this point. But that only worked to excite me further

I ran towards my oppoent, to death itself.

But then I stopped midway.

Obviously it was not because I was scareed. I was crowed with titles such as [Lionheart] and [The Fearless].

I was not scared.

The reason I stopped was because a certain voice rang inside my head.

...

'I promise I wouldn't put myself in danger.'

'Well, that's a promise.' Marin said with her signature smile. So beautiful and precious I would do anything to protect it.

...

'I made a promise.'

And of course, I tried to ignore it. This chance for a real fight was too exciting for me, it would also prove to be a great way to improve my skills which I was literally thirsting for since I barely improved through training.

I wanted to improve like I did back then. It was addictive.

But I stopped when an image popped in my head.

...

'Liar.' Marin said, her smile flipped into a frown which was a heartbreaking sight for me since she smiled all the time. The tears polling at the corner of her eyes made me regret things I hadn't even done.

[Image of Marin crying]

....

It was only an imagination but still.

HERESY!!!!

I stopped right then and there.

I put up my hand up in surrender. There was no reason why I was even putting myself in danger. I shouldn't break my promise like that.

I might not fear my death but the girls did. As I said before, this life was not only mine but theirs now. They would break if I died.

"Haa...The things I don't do for love."

Luckily, before Xiaolong attacked Vivi came in clutch. 

"STOP IT!!!! STOP FIGHTING YOU TWO!!" She said and stood between us.

"Xiaolong, don't fight with Yuito!!" She said and turned to me, "And Yuito, I already said I am sorry. I wouldn't do it again, so stop." She started crying.

It must've hurt her to see the only two people she cares about fighting each other. I walked towards her and hugged her.

We stayed like that for a while as Xiaolong looked at us with complicated eyes.

She separated and immediately went to Xiaolong. She started asking her if he was hurt and checked his body for injury.

"But my lady, he attacked your friends. And he harmed Taegon."

Vivi shook her head, "They are not my friends. And Taegon almost killed me and it was Yuito who saved me." 

His eyes widened at that and he turned towards me. I nodded to confirm what he said and he bowed to show his gratitude.

They talked between themselves for a bit and Vivi said she would be able to explain what happened to her father and take my side.

The kids I beat up were only relatives of billionaires but I was an actual billionaire. So in the end, whose favor they should have was obvious.

That was another thing that happened, with all the business I did in Korea and the hype of my fight, my net worth was at an all-time high so I am officially a billionaire now.

Although it was not official yet, the world is going to go nuts when they find out. I will officially be the youngest billionaire.

In the end, everything was settled peacefully and I returned to my room.

I immediately went to my laptop and video call my home. Then I told them how I kept my promise and demanded praise.

"Awwh, that's so cute. You are such a good boy." 

Yes I am.

Yes I am.

*Ting!!*

I heard a system prompt.

...

[New Title Gained : Whipped]

.....

"..."

{Pft..Pahahahhahahaha.}

"You are doing this on purpose."

{Who's a good boy?}

"Fuck you."

{Like you have done this past week?}

"I hate you."

{I love you too.}

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