Both fighters returned to their corners.
Coach Brown looked pleased with the situation. "Excellent work, Jason. You fought really well! Just hold on for one more round—your opponent will start feeling the effects on his Stamina soon. But be careful, I think he's about to go all in. Watch out for his heavy punch combinations."
Jason Luo nodded. "I know. I've been on guard for that. I'm just worried he might have some other dirty trick up his sleeve..."
"Yeah, that guy's got plenty of unorthodox moves. We'll just counter as they come. Don't overthink it—right now, you've got a real shot at this. Keep it up!"
Raul quickly added, "Yeah, Jason, keep going! You can take him down!"
...
Across the ring, Zack studied Jason Luo, his mind racing. Jason's strength had completely exceeded his expectations. Even if he went all out, there was no guarantee he could finish this quickly—and that wouldn't do.
If this dragged into the later rounds, even a victory would lose its meaning for him. He needed to end it fast.
After making up his mind, Zack drew on his vast experience and devised a new plan. Kid, let's see how you handle this.
The second round began.
Right from the bell, Zack came out swinging hard. This time he was vicious—using lead hooks to open the way before launching a barrage of heavy rear punches. Jason blocked and dodged as best he could, forced backward step by step.
During the exchange, Jason inevitably took a few minor hits. Fortunately, his high Toughness allowed him to absorb them as long as they didn't strike vital spots. He could still hold out for now.
But Zack's assault was relentless, as if determined to finish the fight in this round. Each strike came with a guttural exhale, his grunts blending with the thud of his fists as he hammered at Jason with furious combinations.
Jason realized he couldn't keep defending forever—his opponent was treating him like a heavy bag. If he kept taking this kind of punishment, he'd burn out soon.
As he retreated, Jason suddenly changed his movement line, creating distance before launching a sharp counter. Seeing Jason strike back, Zack didn't slow down—instead, he began swaying his upper body, disrupting Jason's aim while continuing his fierce attack.
This was going to be a slugfest.
Jason gritted his teeth. Fine, if it's a brawl you want, then let's brawl.
Even as they traded blows, Jason kept a retreating rhythm, avoiding direct exchanges whenever possible. Both fighters attacked fiercely from mid to long range—giving each room to maneuver. Their long arcs made for powerful swings, but most of the heavy punches were blocked or slipped past. Though the ring was full of motion, the actual number of effective hits remained low.
The crowd erupted in excitement.
"They're really throwing down! Zack's going wild—Mexican boxing always brings that fire!"
"The kid's holding his own too! At his age, to fight at this level—he's got real potential!"
Gradually, Jason grew accustomed to Zack's grunts during exchanges. Every time he heard that sound, he knew a heavy punch was coming. Once he picked up on this rhythm, predicting Zack's next move became much easier, giving him more confidence in the exchanges.
This guy's been a pro for years and still makes such a rookie mistake? Jason thought, a faint grin crossing his face.
But he didn't realize—this was exactly what Zack wanted.
Just as Jason began relying on those audio cues, Zack suddenly threw a heavy punch in silence—an outside straight. Jason, misled by the lack of sound, assumed it was just a jab. It wasn't until the punch was almost on him that he realized something was wrong—it was fast and brutal.
Damn it! That's a power shot!
There was no time to dodge. Jason lowered his head and braced, taking the blow square on the forehead. But Zack had planned this strike carefully—it carried his full Strength!
Jason's mind rang like a struck bell as he stumbled back seven or eight steps. His vision blurred. Damn, I fell for it!
Through the haze, he saw Zack already charging in. Panic set in—he quickly activated Absolute Evasion. Getting knocked down now would be a disaster.
Riding high on momentum, Zack charged forward with a triumphant grin, pouring everything into a storm of heavy punches.
But...
A miracle unfolded.
Jason, arms raised to guard his head, slipped, ducked, weaved, leaned, twisted—his movements chaotic yet fluid. Zack unleashed more than a dozen heavy punches without landing a single clean hit.
On the ring, one blow sent Jason reeling backward, drawing gasps from the crowd. It's over! He's going down!
As Zack surged forward for another furious combo, everyone held their breath. But when the dust settled, Jason was still standing—completely unharmed.
"What the hell?! How's that possible? Is this skill or luck?"
"Unreal—those dodges are insane!"
"No way! That can't be all instinct—he's too precise!"
Zack's flurry had hit nothing but air. The frustration was unbearable. What kind of freakish luck is this? Just flailing around and he gets away unscathed?!
Unwilling to accept it, Zack ramped up his punch rate. But Jason suddenly slipped through the barrage using a strange, fluid motion. Seeing Jason trying to escape, Zack lunged after him, throwing another storm of punches.
This time, Jason's movement was something else entirely—his steps light, his head and hips moving in a rhythm that looked more like dance than defense. Yet, with every twist, he slipped past Zack's punches as if guided by instinct. The scene was mesmerizing.
Zack was losing his mind.
The professional boxing world hadn't seen moves like this in years. Not since Britain's "Prince" Naseem Hamed had been humbled by the "Baby-Faced Assassin" Barrera had such flamboyant footwork appeared in the ring.
Anyone else who'd dared to show off like that had been brutally punished for it. As the saying goes, showing off might feel good for a moment—but it ends badly.
And now, this unknown fighter was humiliating Zack with this exaggerated, unpredictable movement—it was a blatant slap in the face.
He couldn't stand it.
Usually calm and composed, Zack's eyes now blazed with fury. Jason had completely enraged him—his hatred burned deep.
But no matter how hard Zack attacked, Jason moved like a drifting petal on the wind. If Zack didn't attack, Jason floated idly before him. When he did, his punches always passed by harmlessly.
The audience was going wild.
"Unbelievable! This is insane! Someone tell me how he's even doing that!"
"Oh my God, that's just... damn awesome! Hahaha! Didn't think this fighter had that kind of technique—absolute genius!"
"Wow! What kind of boxing style is that? Jason Luo's moves are unreal!"
"Nonsense! He's probably trained by some reclusive master since childhood. Look at him—slipping through a storm of punches without a scratch! That's real skill right there! Come on, brothers, cheer him on!"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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