"Damn it, take him down!"
Watching his subordinate hit the ground from a steel pipe, Tom's face burned with anger.
Especially since he recognized the person in front of him—the kid who had taken down Johnny a few days ago.
He had to finish the job now.
"Go!"
Four or five of his men rushed forward. Leon felt cornered but didn't hesitate. He had survived battlefields—what were a few gang thugs?
The first man lunged with a knife, aiming for Leon's head.
A fierce glint flashed in Leon's eyes. His movements were too fast to track, and with a sharp clang, the knife was knocked aside.
"Ahh!" the thug yelled, clutching his injured arm.
"He's skilled!" another muttered.
Seeing one man after another go down, Tom's expression hardened. He had clearly met someone extraordinary—but backing down wasn't an option. He had earned his position through countless fights.
After four subordinates fell in quick succession, Leon finally faced Tom himself.
A knife slashed from the side. Anyone else would have lost an arm, but Leon dodged with explosive speed, even tearing his shirt slightly in the process.
Tom was fast, but Leon was faster and stronger.
"Clang!"
The steel pipe struck the knife, numbing Tom's arm, and before he could recover, Leon struck again.
"Ahh!"
Tom's scream rang out, silencing everything around. Both gangs turned, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Is that Tom?""How did he get beaten like that?""Get him out of there!"
Tom lay on the ground, both arms broken, blood streaming from his head. Around him, five other Fraser Union thugs groaned in pain. The only person standing was Leon.
It was clear: he had done it all alone. Many witnesses had seen it.
The Fraser Union members tried to pull Tom to safety, while Red Maple Gang members pressed their advantage.
Tom had been one of Johnny's top enforcers in the East Vancouver Docks, making his defeat a major blow to Fraser Union's morale.
The rival gang faltered, and Red Maple Gang's confidence soared. The battle ended with Red Maple Gang victorious.
"Hahaha! Those Fraser Union kids ran! The East Vancouver Docks are ours!"
A bald, middle-aged man laughed heartily. This was Henry Wallace, the leader on Red Maple Gang's side. His face was round and jovial, giving him a friendly yet commanding presence.
He turned to the person who contributed the most. His eyes landed on Leon, but he didn't recognize him.
"Who are you? Who is your team leader?" Henry asked, stepping forward with a smile.
Leon had never expected to attract the boss's attention. He had planned only to collect his pay and leave, but taking down Tom and several Fraser Union thugs had made him a hero in the gang's eyes.
The thugs around him stared at him with admiration.
Shaking his head slightly, Leon said, "My name is Leon. I'm not part of Red Maple Gang (Branch V) or any other gang."
Henry paused, realizing Leon was a hired fighter—a mercenary.
It made sense. Gangs often hired outsiders to bolster numbers; it was expensive to maintain too many permanent members, and liability was high if someone got hurt or arrested.
This was exactly the type of fighter they valued: brave, skilled, and willing to take risks.
Seeing Leon's abilities firsthand, Henry was impressed.
"As they say, anyone who stands with the Red Maple Gang is family. You did me a big favor today. From now on, consider yourself one of us," he said warmly.
"With your skills, joining Red Maple Gang will make sure your talent doesn't go to waste. What do you say, Leon? Come work for me!"