Thud!
Renato clamped the five fingers of his left hand around the back of Ferreira's head, quickly lifted it, then slammed that blood-soaked face into the bar counter again!
Thud! Thud!
Each blow landed harder than the last. The wooden counter gave a series of dull, thunderous bangs under the impacts. Even the glasses on top bounced into the air before falling to the floor and shattering.
THUD!!-
The instant the fourth blow landed, the fragile wooden bar finally gave way beneath the Swordsman's strength. The entire countertop snapped through the middle, a huge split opening in the wood as splinters and chips burst to either side as though struck by a sledgehammer.
A barrel lying on its side behind the bar was knocked to the floor as well. Its opening burst apart, spilling ale that formed a murky stream amid the debris and pools of blood.
Renato released his grip. Ferreira's body slid through the gap in the counter and crumpled among the broken boards, his upper body hanging crookedly over the remaining edge while his lower body slipped into a concealed compartment behind the bar. His limbs sprawled at unnatural angles, and it was unclear whether he was alive or dead.
To make sure his target was dead, the Swordsman grabbed him by the back of his collar with one hand and lifted him, giving him a shake like a sack of goods and exposing his unrecognizable face to the dim yellow light of the oil lamps.
Ferreira's nose had been completely caved in. With the cartilage broken, the entire bridge had collapsed into an unnatural groove.
His prominent cheekbones had also been crushed, the flesh curling back to expose shards of bone jutting out beneath.
The Pirate's forehead was an even bloodier mess. Repeated impacts had stripped