"Come on, stop crying!" Miguel shouted as he paced back and forth, clearly furious about losing a point in such an embarrassing way in front of his Cobra Kai teammates, who were watching him.
In normal circumstances, it's acceptable to lose against someone better than you. But in this situation, that wasn't an option—losing could cost him the victory. And Miguel wasn't about to lose until he faced Robby, the person who had damaged his relationship with Sam.
Now that he had lost a point, it meant that if he made another mistake like that, he'd be out of the quarterfinals. He couldn't let that happen, especially not when people he cared about were watching.
Evan didn't take long to get back on his feet, but it was obvious the blow Miguel had dealt him caused significant pain. If Evan hadn't been wearing bandages under his uniform, he might not have been able to continue the fight.
"Come on, I'll crush you without mercy!" Miguel glared at Evan, who had been watching him with a smug smile moments earlier, now frowning in anger. There was nothing Miguel hated more than seeing someone cheat to win unfairly, especially against someone who had trained as hard as he had for this tournament.
Right now, numerous eyes were focused on their match, as it would determine the winner and finalize the first quarterfinalist.
Knowing he couldn't hold back, Miguel resolved to show no mercy. He needed to crush his opponent so thoroughly that Evan wouldn't be able to get back up.
Miguel wasn't inherently cruel like Max and the others. He could be aggressive, but only in combat. In real life, he was a calm guy who enjoyed discussing movies and TV shows with his friends.
But when the stakes were high, he had to set his kindness aside. He couldn't afford to let anyone steal the glory he had worked so hard to achieve since stepping into this world.
After watching Miguel's movements, fear flickered across Evan's face. He raised his guard as the referee prepared to resume the fight.
"Ready? Fight!"
As soon as the referee signaled the start, Miguel advanced quickly. Sliding across the ground, he dodged Evan's initial kick. By the time Evan turned to counter, Miguel had already swept him off his feet with a low kick, causing him to lose his balance.
But Miguel didn't stop there. Determined to make a statement, he leaped into the air, intending to land on Evan, who had fallen to the ground.
Seeing the incoming blow, Evan quickly rolled across the floor, slipping out of the combat platform.
"First warning! If you leave the combat platform again, you'll lose a point and be disqualified!" the referee shouted at Evan, who scrambled to his feet.
Miguel was already prepared, standing ready. The referee extended his arms and shouted, "Fight!"
Despite having the advantage, Miguel didn't let up. He charged toward Evan, who didn't have time to throw a kick. Forced into close combat, Evan's fate was sealed.
Miguel, an expert in close-quarters combat, deflected Evan's attacks. After striking three pressure points on Evan's body, he finished the match with a powerful blow to his opponent's stomach, leaving him breathless.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Evan crumpled to the ground, struggling to keep his guard up. Miguel stood over him, catching his breath a few times before lowering his own guard.
"Point! Winner!"
From the sidelines, Johnny frowned as he noticed Miguel's stiff right shoulder. He didn't celebrate the victory. His gaze shifted to Miguel's right foot, also rigid, revealing that he had been injured.
"I'll need some ice…" Terry murmured before disappearing into the crowd.
Hearing that he was declared the winner, Miguel bowed and stepped off the platform amidst the applause of the crowd. Sam watched him with a serious expression, clearly displeased with his aggressive fighting style.
Although many were surprised by the intensity of the match, there was no doubt that the better fighter had won. With the first quarterfinalist determined, everyone cheered.
Miguel paid no attention to anyone as he descended. His mind was still racing after losing a point so carelessly. He needed to calm down.
When he reached the ground, Terry approached him with a bag of ice and said, "Put this on your shoulder."
Miguel lowered his uniform and placed the ice bag on his shoulder. Johnny, seeing the injuries on that area, realized they were just minor bruises, not as serious as he had initially thought.
While watching the next two matches, Miguel let out a deep sigh, having finally caught his breath.