Chapter 3 - Return of the Allfather

Back in the day, when James reigned supreme among the gangsters, everyone in the underworld began to call him the Allfather. This was a reference to the mythical Odin, the one-eyed king who led Valhalla and devised a cunning plan to win the great war of Ragnarok. 

“Move aside, Curly!” James said, addressing Freddie according to his curly hair. 

“Oh, so you're back, looking for trouble?” Freddie retorted in a defiant tone as he attempted to grab James' collar. But in a split second, his body was thrown to the floor. He was laid out, dazed and confused, his body reacting faster than his mind could process what had just transpired.

Everyone was taken aback by what they had seen; in a flash, James had managed to turn Freddie's huge body around. He was a giant, over two hundred centimeters tall, while James' height was barely a hundred and eighty centimeters. Yet, this did not stop James from taking his opponent down. 

James calmly walked up to Alfred Lennan, the bartender and the 13th master of La Olde Friar, who was polishing some glassware. 

"My apologies for the disturbance, old man," James said. 

"Normally I'm not one for allowing any kind of disruption, but this was an exception since I know how bad Freddie's character is," Alfred replied as he put down the glassware he had been polishing and added, "So, what can I do for you, young man? I doubt you're just here to say hello," he asked.

“I need two things.” James handed a small black book, about the size of a pocketbook, to the person inside. The cover of the book was embossed with a golden skull coin symbol and the words "If you are too greedy, Mammon will kidnap you" beneath it.

This book was proof of the customer's and member's identity, with a unique serial number for each holder. Anyone who presented the book to Master La Olde Friar indicated that they wanted to take something from that place.

"Please tell me," said Alfred.

James stated, "The first thing I want to do is take my two suitcases that I keep here. The second, I need some information."

Alfred nodded, gesturing for him to follow. "Let's start with the suitcases first. I'll go downstairs with you and have one of my employees keep watch on the table."

James followed Alfred past the bartender's counter into the kitchen and into a cold room. At the end of the room, they found a door which, when opened, revealed an elevator with three floors.

When the elevator door opened, they saw a warehouse full of large drawers. Without lingering, they went straight to the drawer with the number 004, which matched the membership number listed in James' book. After confirming it was the suitcase, James and Alfred immediately returned to the bartender's table.

"Now what information do you want, son? Remember, every piece of information here has a price," Alfred said.

James asked, “Can you tell me more about which gangs are controlling the Sidmouth Road area and the surrounding area? Or, which gang was responsible for the robbery and murder yesterday in that area?” 

Alfred replied, “I don't have any information about which gangs are involved in the recent robberies and murders in the area, but it's been a while since the area has had a true leader. Recently, Freddie and his gang of Red Axes have been fighting the White Wolves for control of the territory. It's also rumored that there was a nameless gang that was involved in the battle.”

James inquired curiously, "What is this nameless gang?"

“We have been hearing reports of a gang that has been causing trouble around town,” Alfred replied. “They are engaging in bullying, assault, robbery, and even murder. But, none of the perpetrators that have been caught have admitted to being part of any particular gang. However, we have noticed a common denominator among all of them—they all seem to be wearing a snake-shaped ring that has its tail in its mouth, a symbol known as the Ouroboros.”

“Ah, the Ouroboros,” James said knowingly.

"Indeed," Alfred confirmed, "the snake symbolizes disaster. I don't know who they are, but they've been causing a great deal of disruption in other criminal circles lately." 

At this, James opened one of his suitcases and revealed a stash of pure gold coins, each depicting a skull. He gave one of them to Alfred as payment for his information. If estimated correctly, it weighed around 50 grams. 

The sight of the pile of gold aroused the greed of those present, but they were all too aware of the man who had brought it - Odin Allfather, a notorious gangster who had formerly ruled the entire underworld of Great Britain.

Of the many fruits on the tree, it is likely that there is at least one or two that are spoiled. Similarly, from the throng of people that had amassed at La Olde friar that day, one individual, who was particularly foolish and insane, was bold enough to attempt to appropriate the gold.

This person was none other than Freddie Antonio, whose eyes had lit up upon seeing the mound of gold delivered by James, driving him into a frenzy. He hastily exited the bar and rallied a few of his men in an effort to seize the coins and enact revenge.

James had just exited La Olde Friar when he was abruptly stopped by Freddie and a few of his cohorts. Everyone in the bar had noticed the gold James had brought out when he opened his trunk to pay for the information the bar owner had provided.

"Hey buddy, can we chat for a sec? It seems like we have some unfinished business," Freddie said, extending his arm towards James while gripping a knife and pointing it at James' abdomen.

James was taken aback when he saw that twenty-five members of the Red Ax Gang were waiting for him at the abandoned building. He hadn't expected such an opportunity to present itself, and so he hadn't had to search for his nemesis. 

Freddie stepped forward and said, "Why don't you just give me the case and let me beat you up as much as I want, James?"

James grinned as he set down his two suitcases and grabbed Freddie's left hand. In a single swift move, he threw Freddie's huge body to the ground with a loud thud. Before Freddie could even stand up to retaliate, James quickly grabbed his arm and snapped it, causing Freddie to cry out in agony.

"Shut Up!" James commanded before striking the nape of Freddie's neck and rendering him unconscious.

Upon seeing the incident, Freddie's men did not remain silent. Simultaneously, they attacked James from several directions and with a variety of weapons, such as knives, baseball bats, and even pieces of wood. 

James quickly opened a suitcase that was filled with various sharp weapons, including a pistol. He grabbed two weapons that his martial arts teacher had given him in the past.

James brandished a weapon that resembled a short sword with a winding shape. His teacher had previously told him that the name of the weapon was a dagger, an ancient war weapon originating from a country called Indonesia in Southeast Asia. 

"Go forth, you scoundrels!" James yelled to the Red Ax Gang in front of him.

Five people instantly leaped from the front while the others swiftly encircled and hemmed in James. Realizing that he would not have a favorable outcome, James swiftly plucked one of the daggers he was holding and threw it at the person standing beside him. The weapon was successfully lodged into the target's calf, and James quickly ran to the person and pulled out the dagger before delivering a blow to the back of the neck, rendering them unconscious.

James was running swiftly, throwing the Red Ax Gang into disarray. Taking advantage of the limited space in an abandoned building, he disrupted their focus, making it difficult for them to find the optimal spot from which to launch their assault and avoid hitting their own comrades. 

Spotting a ladder in one corner, he had an idea. He could lead them to the corner, so he could face them one at a time. 

James then used his two twin daggers to cut down the remaining twenty-four of Freddie's gang. Thanks to his ingenious plan, none of their strikes penetrated his body.

Every movement he made was precise and effective, never wasted. He would target vital points, cutting certain nerves and muscles which would render his opponents' hands and feet temporarily unusable.

A few minutes later, all members of the Red Ax Gang who were present were lying on the steps, soaked in water. Fortunately, none of them had been killed. Instead, they were left with immovable hands and feet. Freddie realized that, since half of his group had been slaughtered by James, the human being in front of him was terribly powerful. His abilities had not decreased or diminished in any way since five years ago when he had resigned from the gangster world.

Freddie awoke with a start, startled to find James standing in front of him with a dagger in his hand. His fear was palpable, his skin turning ashen as wet cream of soup. 

"It's no use running away," James said firmly. 

"I-I surrender. I chose the wrong person to mess with. Please, spare my life," Freddie pleaded.

James glared at the trembling Freddie and said in a menacing tone, "Your cowardice and boastful nature have not changed since long ago. You are truly a disgraceful gangster! I will let you off if you answer all my questions. But if I sense any lies in your face, your head will immediately part ways with that large body of yours."

Freddie comprehended the gravity of the situation and knew he had to be honest. He declared, "I will answer whatever question you have for me. I would never dare to lie to you in circumstances such as this." His voice trembled as he spoke.