By Zephyria 
Leaving a trace of unease, Station Chief returned to his office. As his figure completely disappeared from view, the remaining men simultaneously turned their gazes toward Grayson. They stood there, looking up at him with expressions as hardened as if they were confronting a vicious criminal.
Their expressions, as they stared at him with arms crossed or one hand on their hips, were filled with blatant dissatisfaction. The self-loathing for having been momentarily captivated by his unfamiliar beauty only amplified their animosity, pushing it to its peak.
In the chilling silence, the air in the room grew increasingly taut. Amidst this, a man finally stepped forward, as if to seize the initiative, and looked up at Grayson, uttering a low voice.
“You’re a firefighter from today? You?”
Another man, as if helping, asked in a rough tone, openly scanning him from head to toe as if he couldn’t believe it.
“How did you get in here? We all went through tests, shouldn’t you have to as well?”
“That’s right, a physical fitness test. That’s the most basic of basics.”
Following the man who quickly picked up the words, they began to chime in from here and there, not missing any opportunity.
“When a fire breaks out, you have to rush into the scene carrying incredibly heavy equipment. Can you do that?”
“Suddenly coming in and calling yourself a colleague? No way, we can’t have that.”
“We’re a team. If a punk like you comes in and ruins the team, everyone’s lives are in danger. Hey, are you listening?”
“Answer me, you son of a bitch. Are you deaf?”
The men burst into an uproar, venting their frustration, but Grayson showed no reaction. With a nonchalant expression, he looked past the men and suddenly moved. Seeing him try to ignore them and leave, they flared up and blocked his path again.
“This fucking bastard, is he ignoring us right now?”
“Where the hell are you going without permission?”
“Get lost right now, this isn’t a place for a guy like you to hang around!”
The men swung their fists under Grayson’s chin, screaming. Grayson, his path obstructed, contorted his face and then let out a deep sigh. Until then, the men had been high and mighty. This bastard is finally getting his spirit broken. Of course, we’re the firefighters who protect this area! How could a bum like you stand up to us? In front of the men who puffed out their chests with satisfaction, Grayson, his shoulders drooping as if disheartened, muttered in a voice completely devoid of energy.
“Ah… I really hate ugly people…”
He muttered as if to himself, but it was clearly meant for everyone in the room to hear. A chilling silence descended in an instant. The men, who had been shouting and clamoring until then, were stunned as if they had been hit in the back of the head. Only a very short time had passed, but Grayson seemed to have had all his energy drained. The sight of him covering his mouth with one hand as if he were about to vomit and even taking deep breaths set the men’s hearts ablaze.
“What? Hey, you son of a bitch!”
“You wanna die, you bastard? Fine, let’s go right now!”
“I’m going to kill you, you fucking bastard! Where do you think you’re talking to?”
“Come on, you coward! Come on right now! I’ll grind you into dust!”
With curses, someone threw a punch, and as if it were a signal, they all pounced on Grayson. Seeing them, Grayson frowned and stopped. Surprisingly, at the sight of his face, which had become tearful with a sigh, the men paused for a moment, and he muttered almost in complaint.
“Ah… I really hate touching ugly people…”
In an instant, the men’s anger exploded.
“What? This son of a bitch!”
“Kill him, let’s kill him right now!”
“I won’t let you get away with this, you rotten bastard!”
The man who had heard his words from the front threw a punch, his forehead bulging with veins. Now, the pride of being a firefighter was no longer the issue. Only the anger of thoroughly beating this arrogant bastard and correcting his behavior filled their hearts.
Unfortunately, Grayson lightly dodged the desperate blow simply by turning his body slightly. The man, who staggered as his wasted swing cut through the air, gritted his teeth and readjusted his stance, and soon another man rushed in. This time it was a kick. The foot, raised to the height of his thigh, flew in at once, but Grayson easily avoided it by simply taking a step back.
The same situation continued to repeat itself, but the men did not give up. Rather, they burned their eyes even more fiercely, throwing their entire bodies as if they were determined to knock him down somehow. This was not a situation that would end easily. Grayson was slowly getting tired of it. He was annoyed at wasting time on such useless things, and he was impatient that he was dealing with such idiots at a time when he had to find his destined woman as soon as possible.
It was then. In Grayson’s eyes, who had dodged the flying fist this time by slightly turning his body, ‘that’ came into view. A Crowbar, a tool used by firefighters mainly to open locked doors, but for him, it brought to mind a different use.
The moment the man’s fist slammed into Grayson’s stomach with a dull thud, Grayson grabbed the Crowbar almost simultaneously.
“Uh.”
The man was momentarily stunned, not even realizing that he had hit Grayson, who had been dodging so well. A shadow loomed over him. Grayson opened his mouth above the man, who unconsciously raised his head. With a smile on his face.
“Now it’s self-defense.”
Soon after, without even having time to think, the Crowbar cut through the air. The man fell to the floor without even screaming. The other men who saw the scene were momentarily flustered, but there was no room to hesitate. By the time they belatedly realized that Grayson Miller had deliberately taken a hit, the Crowbar had already flown into their bodies.
What followed was a one-sided beating. The men hurriedly straightened their postures and rushed at Grayson, but they couldn’t even graze him. Their arms, waists, and backs were indiscriminately beaten. Fortunately, he didn’t hit their heads, but the impact on their bodies was still considerable. Behind the man who screamed and fell, another man threw himself, and when he was knocked away, the man who had fallen staggered and rushed in again.
Now, there was no longer any absurd thought of teaching Grayson Miller manners. All that remained for them was their petty pride and stubbornness. A final will not to collapse pathetically like this.
Even though they were so desperate, Grayson wasn’t even panting. His movements, skillfully wielding the Crowbar, were just right, appropriate, and even seemed concise. This monster, the man who had rushed in first cursed, grinding his teeth. That bastard might kill us. Along with fear, he felt an eerie premonition. No, he certainly would. If not at this moment, then someday, perhaps soon.
That bastard will kill us all.
The moment he thought that, the Crowbar flew into his body.
I can’t hold on this time. Is this the end? The man thought and closed his eyes.
Thwack, a loud noise echoed. The sound seemed to be coming from farther away than he thought. The man’s body stiffened at the sound, as if it had echoed from somewhere other than his own body.
When he slowly opened his eyes, an unexpected sight came into the man’s view. Someone had hit Grayson Miller in the back with a chair. And the moment he confirmed the red-haired man holding the broken chair leg, he unknowingly let out a sigh of relief.
“Dane…!”
In the eyes of the man who called out his name as if he had met a savior, Grayson Miller was frowning and slowly turning around. Soon after, the two’s gazes met in the air. Deep purple eyes full of displeasure and deeply furrowed blue eyes.
Dane, who threw away the broken chair, frowned deeply.
“What? Who are you?”
Pop, Dane blew a bubble with the gum he was chewing and burst it in his mouth, glaring at the strange man who had been rampaging until just now.