Extra's Rise: I Stole All The Women In The Hero's Party-Chapter 25: Dealing With Trash

The man who had been undoing his belt scowled. "Who the hell are you?"

Zayn ignored the question, his cold gaze flickering between them.

If there was one thing he disliked the most in this world... Rape was at the top of the ladder.

It wasn't because he was some kind of enforcer of women rights but rather, in his past life, a close friend of his got raped.

"You all had your fun drinking earlier, yeah? Should've gone home after that."

One of the other adventurers, a broad-shouldered man, sneered. "Mind your own damn business, kid."

Zayn raised an eyebrow.

Kid? He would've laughed if the situation wasn't so disgusting.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly.

"See, that's the problem. I was minding my own business — until I had to witness a bunch of cowards trying to force themselves on someone."

His voice turned sharp, and his hand rested on the hilt of his sword. "So now, I have to make this my business."

The woman's eyes widened slightly as she clutched her arms tighter around herself, her expression shifting from fear to something else — hope.

The bearded man scoffed, stepping forward with an unsteady gait. "Look here, brat. You might've gotten lucky in that boar fight earlier with your crew, but this ain't your fight. Walk away before you get hurt."

Zayn smirked. "You think I'm scared of you?"

That was all it took.

Drunk, overconfident, and humiliated by the interruption, the man lunged.

His fist swung wildly — sloppy and uncoordinated. Zayn barely needed to move.

He sidestepped, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly by him.

Before the man could regain his balance, Zayn struck.

His fist connected with the side of the man's head, sending him stumbling backward.

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"Argh!" the man groaned, clutching his temple. "You little — "

Zayn didn't let him finish.

He grabbed the front of the man's shirt and slammed his knee into his gut, knocking the air from his lungs.

The man doubled over, coughing violently.

The other two hesitated for a moment, but their drunken pride wouldn't let them back down.

"That's it," the broad-shouldered one growled, pulling out a short dagger. "You're dead."

Zayn sighed. "You really wanna do this?"

But of course, they weren't thinking clearly.

The man with the dagger lunged forward, aiming for Zayn's stomach.

Predictable.

Zayn stepped into the attack instead of away, grabbing the man's wrist before he could fully extend his arm.

With a twist, he forced the dagger from the man's grasp, sending it clattering to the ground.

Before the man could react, Zayn drove his elbow into his jaw.

A sickening crack echoed in the alley as the man crumpled, unconscious before he even hit the floor.

The last remaining adventurer — the one who had sneered at him earlier — looked between his fallen companions and Zayn.

His confidence was quickly fading.

Zayn gave him a pointed look. "Still wanna try?"

The man hesitated, then cursed under his breath before turning on his heel and running.

Zayn let him go.

It wasn't worth chasing down a coward.

He turned back to the bearded man, who was still wheezing on the ground.

Zayn knelt beside him, gripping his collar and pulling him up just enough so their faces were close.

"I could kill you right now," Zayn said in a low voice. "And no one would care."

The man trembled.

Zayn shoved him back down. "But I won't waste my energy on trash."

He stood up, looking toward the woman. "You okay?"

She nodded quickly, though she was still visibly shaken. "T-Thank you."

The alley was quiet now.

The drunkards lay sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain or completely unconscious, while the woman they had tried to corner stood frozen in place.

Her hands clutched at the fabric of her dress, her breathing shaky, and her shoulders trembled as if the weight of the world had finally come crashing down on her.

Zayn exhaled, rolling his shoulders.

His gaze shifted to the woman — she hadn't moved an inch since when he entered.

That's when he noticed it.

Tears.

They welled up in her eyes before streaming down her dust-streaked cheeks, making thin, glistening trails down her face.

Zayn frowned.

He hadn't expected her to break down now, not after how strong she had been while those bastards surrounded her.

Without thinking, he knelt beside her.

His fingers moved on their own as he reached out and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with his palm.

Her skin was warm and soft, despite the dust smudging it.

For a brief moment, she flinched, but then she melted into his touch.

That was all it took.

A sob wracked her body, and before he could react, she leaned into him, pressing her face against his chest.

Zayn stiffened.

This was... new.