Chapter 6 Face-Off
Kaia moved like liquid, smooth and fierce, her body weaving like a dragon in flight.
With a slick side-flip and a punch blending soft and hard, she snapped a tree branch clean off—without ruffling a single leaf.
Snap! The scene struck like lightning, frying everyone’s brains.
“Whoa—what the hell?!”Martin’s mouth gaped, his old eyes wide with shock.
The crowd stared at Kaia like she’d just walked out of a comic book.
“Catch that?” Kaia asked, stepping back and eyeing Collin.
Collin’s face lit up like a fanboy. “Oh god, little guru, that was nuts! Those moves—soft yet killer, tough but smooth. Pure perfection. You’re a beast!”
“Ahem!” Martin coughed, cheeks red as he shuffled over.”Hey, uh, kid—er, little guru. I was kinda a jerk before. No hard feelings, right?”
Kaia smirked, shrugging. “Guru? Nah, just a girl who punches to stay fit.”
“Those moves—teach me!” Collin begged.
“Yeah, me too!” another man jumped in. “That punch? I’m botching it. Show me how!”
Soon, Kaia was swarmed by old-timers, their wrinkled faces glowing like kids at a toy store.
But a sharp voice cut through the buzz. “What kinda ‘guru’ is this? Just a poser flexing a few tricks!”
Kaia turned. A girl, maybe eighteen, stood there—cute, short, with a giant of a guy looming behind her, built like a brick wall.
“Samantha, don’t trash-talk the little guru!” Collin snapped, annoyed.
“Grandpa, wake up! She’s a scam artist!” Samantha shot back, stepping between Kaia and Collin, glaring like she’d caught a thief. “It’s a con to raid your wallets!”
“You didn’t see her, Samantha,” Collin said, dead serious. “Her punches? Flawless. I’ve boxed for decades and can’t touch that!”
“Grandpa, come on! You’re so gullible!” Samantha groaned, rolling her eyes. “She’s got two moves she’s drilled forever to fool you old-timers into coughing up cash!”
“No way.” Collin’s brow furrowed, doubt creeping in.
Martin slapped his thigh, fuming. “I knew it! A kid that young with moves like that? It’s a hustle!”
The crowd started whispering, shooting Kaia suspicious looks
“Hey, scammer, beat it before I call the cops!” Samantha barked, hands on hips, practically shoving Kaia with her vibe.
Kaia wasn’t one for drama, but being called a fraud—and told to bounce? That was too much.
“Got proof I’m a scammer? Seen me take a single cent?” Kaia fired back, cool as ice.
“Well, no, but if I’d shown up later, you’d be counting their money!” Samantha sneered.
Kaia raised an eyebrow. “So, I didn’t take a dime. No crime, no evidence. Gonna call the cops with nothing? Good luck.”
“I—uh—” Samantha froze, thrown by Kaia’s quick clapback.
“And one more thing,” Kaia said, voice firm. “You’re throwing shade with zero proof. I could sue you for slander.”
“Sue me?!” Samantha’s eyes nearly popped.
She’d never seen a scammer with this much guts.
“So, you’re claiming you’re not a con artist, huh?” Samantha said, crossing her arms. “Fine, prove it. Go three rounds with my bodyguard. If you can hang, I’ll admit you’re no crook.”
“Deal,” Kaia fired back. “But if I win, you’re eating crow with a big, fat apology.”
Kaia didn’t pick fights, but she wasn’t about to be pushed around.
“You’re on!” Samantha snapped. “But if you can’t last three rounds, you’re apologizing to me and every people here.
“Oh, and I’m livestreaming it—your scammin’ butt’s going viral so you’re done conning for good!”
Samantha was dead certain Kaia was just another sleaze targeting old folks.
Collin stepped in, raising a hand. “C’mon, let’s drop this. Just let her go, Sam.”
“Grandpa!” Samantha whined. “You can’t just let her skate! She probably did her homework, found out you’re a big-shot landscape painter, and came here to rip you off!”
‘Landscape painter? Mr. Crawford?’ Kaia’s brain lit up.
It clicked—this was Collin Crawford, the artist her grandma raved about. Her grandpa was practically his number-one fan.
“Enough, Samantha,” Collin said, his voice firm. “You’re not listening. Let it go.”
Samantha counld’t let go.”Grandpa, she—”
“I’m running late for school,” Kaia interrupted, her tone sharp with impatience. “We doing this or what?”
Samantha gaped. ‘This scammer isn’t even trying to run—she is still playing tough!’
“Alright, Dustin, take her out. No holding back,” she ordered.
She’d planned to go easy since Kaia was a girl.
‘But now? She’s begging for a beatdown,’ she thought with a smirk.
“Yes, Miss,” Dustin Porter rumbled.
He cracked his neck with a loud snap, then popped his knuckles one by one, each crack echoing like a warning shot.
With his massive build and mean-mug stare, he was the kind of guy who’d make anyone’s knees shake.
Kaia, unfazed, arched a brow, her gaze ice-cold and her voice dripping with irritation. “I told you, I’m in a rush. Bring it.”
“No warm-up?” Dustin growled, sizing her up.
“Don’t need one,” Kaia said coolly. “Not for you.”
It wasn’t a dig—just the facts.
“You cocky little—” Dustin’s temper flared. He swung a fist the size of a melon straight at Kaia’s face.
