Jason Luo had finally become Reches' physical training partner. The training itself lasted only two hours, but even so, Jason felt the pressure.
He had taken several jabs to the head. In the ring, they hadn't seemed too bad, but once he stepped down and rubbed the area, it grew numb, swollen, and sore.
Raul handed him an ice pack. "Put this on, otherwise it'll swell. Don't worry—after a night's sleep, it'll go down. Nothing serious."
Jason nodded silently. The pain wasn't the real issue. His pressure came from his physical condition. After just two hours, he was completely drained. Yet when he looked at Reches still on the stage, full of energy as if he had just begun warming up, Jason couldn't help but wonder: was the difference in their bodies really that great?
Noticing that Jason had passed the test but still looked gloomy, Raul asked curiously, "Jason, what's on your mind? Don't tell me you're already thinking of quitting?"
Jason shook his head slowly. "No, Mr. Raul. I think I've started to develop an interest in boxing. It's just… only after getting closer to it did I realize how far away I still am…"
Raul glanced at Reches and immediately understood—it wasn't Jason's body that was tired. His confidence had taken the hit.
Instead of mocking him, Raul spoke gently. "Don't be discouraged. You've already done very well. Do you remember what you told me when we first met? You said you were eager to become a boxer. I really liked your determination back then."
Jason lowered his head. "I must have looked foolish, Mr. Raul. Back then I didn't know anything, so I dared to say that. Now I can't even be a proper sparring partner. How could I dare think about…"
"No!" Raul suddenly stood up, startling Jason.
His expression was stern, almost angry. "Jason, don't give up on your dreams so easily. You're only eighteen. You've got the height, the reach, the potential—you need to believe in yourself."
Jason was grateful for the encouragement, but still hesitant. "But I don't have a foundation. No coach… Can I really do it?"
Raul patted his shoulder. "Don't rush. Focus first on being a sparring partner, and you'll understand as you go. Here's a piece of advice: if you want to reach the third floor, you have to step on the second floor first. Don't just stand on the ground floor staring up. Understand?"
Jason seemed to grasp his meaning...
His bleak, monotonous life finally began to show a faint trace of light and color.
The daily routine of sparring from 9:30 to 12:00 gave Jason rhythm and purpose.
During those sessions, he discovered many shortcomings—weak stamina, slow reactions, poor resistance to blows. He learned all of it through pain. Raul was busy and couldn't give him long-term attention.
What to do? Train!
Raul was right—stop worrying about lofty goals. First, get to the second floor. Get stronger, even if just a little. That was still better than standing still.
No one gave him a training plan. He forced himself to wake at 6:30, run, do frog jumps, push-ups, pull-ups… until eight o'clock. Then he would make breakfast for his father, Henry Luo, tidy the house, and help him wash up.
At nine, he would run to the gym, train, then run back home to cook lunch. His schedule was packed tight.
Afternoons were his rare free time. Jason spent them watching boxing programs on TV, learning the rules and gaining knowledge of professional matches.
His father, Henry Luo, went out drinking every day after noon. It had been that way for six years. When Jason was little, he couldn't stop him. By the time he was eleven, his father often didn't even come home at night. Starving, Jason had no choice but to cook for himself, and once he burned his arm on the stove—a scar that remained to this day.
As he grew older, he still couldn't stop his father's drinking. He didn't know how to talk to him about it. Sometimes his father would stagger in late at night and collapse straight into bed. On those nights Jason felt lucky, because at least he avoided a beating. For six years, father and son had hardly spoken properly. Their only "conversations" were fists and tears.
Jason had long since stopped hoping his father would change. As a child, he used to dream his father might wake up one day and smile kindly at him. But now he had abandoned that fantasy. As long as his father didn't cause trouble, that was good enough. As for the beatings—honestly, as long as he had the strength, he treated them as resistance training.
From televised professional boxing matches, Jason learned a lot. He realized how difficult boxing truly was.
He wrote down terms like stamina, explosive power, toughness, dodging, anticipation, footwork, punch speed, rhythm… planning to ask Raul about them later.
But when he showed Raul his notebook, Raul simply closed it. "Forget all that, Jason. Don't overthink. Those are things for analysts and referees. You're a boxer. Your job is simple: make yourself stronger."
Jason frowned. Weren't those the key stats for boxers? How could they not matter?
Seeing his doubt, Raul explained, "Boxing is combat—people fighting under rules. In that kind of contest, everything becomes a factor. Sure, strength matters. But what about willpower? What about intelligence? What about luck? Which one doesn't matter?"
Jason felt a spark of understanding, though still faint.
Raul continued, "The beauty of boxing is that it's not just numbers. Just like soccer—you can't predict the outcome before the match. There might be a thousand reasons you lose, but only one reason you win: effort. More effort. Outwork everyone else in the world."
These words struck Jason deeply. He clenched his fists, the veins in his neck bulging.
Raul smiled wryly and quickly added, "But Jason, for now, set a small goal. Work hard to achieve it. For example—become a real sparring partner."
"A real sparring partner?" Jason snapped out of his excitement.
"Yes. A sparring partner isn't just physical training. You put on protective gear and fight with the boxer. You can counter, you can dodge. Many professionals started this way."
Jason's eyes lit up. That meant real practice—something he badly needed.
"Mr. Raul, how can I become a sparring partner?"
Raul smiled. "Simple. Challenge one. If you can win in a four-round bout—by points or knockout—it counts."
Jason's eyes widened. "That easy?"
"Easy? No, Jason. Much harder than you think. Sparring partners make a living off their skill, and you're still far behind. Don't let your physique fool you. By boxing rules, you might not even beat me…" Raul shook his head.
Impossible!
Jason stiffened. Raul wasn't small, but compared to him, his build was clearly weaker. Jason wanted to argue, but out of respect, he held back.
Seeing his doubt, Raul laughed, took off his jacket. "Alright, I'll give you a quick lesson. I don't have much time, so I'll let you attack for two rounds. Come on, let me see your talent."
Jason looked down at his fists, hesitating. What if Raul couldn't handle his punches? What if he couldn't pull back in time? That would be embarrassing...
Raul's expression hardened. "What? You don't trust me? Then don't come to me again."
Jason hurriedly said, "No, no—I'll really throw a punch!"
Raul nodded, raised his guard, elbows tucked in. Jason gritted his teeth, launched a jab with his lead hand—but Raul brushed it aside with ease. Jason immediately followed with a wide hook, but Raul had already anticipated it. He ducked and landed a diagonal hook to Jason's ribs. Fortunately, Raul wasn't that strong, and Jason could take it.
Jason threw five or six more punches, but Raul slipped each one and countered sharply. Even without gloves, his punches left Jason's body tingling and sore.
"Stop. That's enough!" Raul called, smiling. "Well? Do you see how strong I am?"
Jason was too frustrated to continue. "Yes, Mr. Raul, were you a retired champion? You're way too fast!"
"Champion? Hahaha…" Raul laughed heartily. "Jason, it's not that I'm great—it's that you're too green. Every time you punch, your shoulders give it away. Anyone with fighting experience can read you. That's why I'm telling you—take it slow. Boxing isn't that simple."
...
That brief sparring session with Raul showed Jason how deep boxing truly was. After Raul left, he stayed in the gym the entire day.
Watching others train, he noticed the differences—barely any shoulder movement when they punched, their strikes quick and straight, their timing sharp. These were details he had never seen before.
That night, back at his apartment, Jason felt discouraged. Could he really not even qualify as a proper sparring partner? Physical sparring was too low-level—low pay, unstable work. Anyone fit could do it.
No—he had to train harder. He had to become a real sparring partner. The more he learned about boxing, the more he loved it. And with sparring partners earning $50 an hour—plus the option to work part-time—it was a solid job.
But he had no foundation. No coach. Not even a training venue. No direction, no resources—what could he do?
Standing on his balcony, staring at the night sky, Jason sighed deeply. Then—suddenly, it seemed as though a star shot a beam of light straight into him.
An ethereal voice sounded in his ears:
"Suitable binding target detected. Greedy Wolf Boxing King System—binding complete. Congratulations. First activation reward: 3 free attribute points. Please check."
Jason jumped in shock. "A… Boxing King System?"
He searched himself from head to toe—nothing unusual. Was he hallucinating?
Then, when he silently repeated the word system in his mind, a semi-transparent panel appeared before his eyes.
(Special note: The system exists only to give readers a more intuitive way to track the protagonist's growth and stats. This is not a brainless power fantasy novel.)
System Binder: Jason Luo
Age: 18
Height: 183 cm
Reach: 185 cm
Weight: 75.7 kg
Occupation: Boxing Sparring Partner
Reputation: Unknown
System Talent: (Greedy Wolf Power – Beginner)
Defeat an opponent to permanently extract 15% of their superior attributes.
Strength: 6
stamina: 6
Boxing Technique: 2
Footwork: 3
Reaction: 3
Punch Speed: 4
Coordination: 6
Explosiveness: 5
Recovery: 6
Dodge & Anticipation: 4
Toughness: 8
Jab Power: 4
Cross Power: 6
Free Attribute Points: 3
Overall Evaluation: A novice boxer with decent physical conditioning. His only advantage is his ability to take a beating. Recommended to continue working as a sparring partner.