The Arena resonated with relentless roars of excitement. Volka paced within the ring, fists raised while moving back and forth. A man lay on the ground, blood splattered around him. He wasn't dead, but he was undoubtedly broken.
"Volka! Volka!"
"Volka! Volka! Volka!"
"Volka! Volka!"
Matthew and the others felt their palms start to sweat. Witnessing the entire process of Volka, crushing his opponent's spirit left them feeling disheartened. They recognized the fierce and merciless strength of the man in the cage.
Selestine's complexion turned ashen as she pressed her hand to her racing heart. "I-I'm really scared. Do you think Jared can defeat him?"
Matthew shared her worries. He wanted to offer some encouraging words, but something dark lodged in his throat, preventing him from saying anything.
Whether Jared would win or not remained uncertain, yet most of them leaned toward the notion of defeat.
Cruel. Volka's power was beyond anything they had ever witnessed before this moment.
Amid the ongoing cheers, the host stood near the champion, Volka, who was basking in the relentless adulation and fame.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, you are witnessing yet another moment of glory for our champion! Volka---!"
"Yeeeaaahhh!"
"Volka! You're the man! Wooooh!"
"Volka! Volka!"
"Volka! Volka!"
The host raised the microphone to his lips. "Do you think this is the end? No! We have an unexpected announcement to make! Pay attention!" He bellowed passionately, and the crowd's clamor slowly started to fade away.
"We have one more contender!"
A buzz of curiosity and excitement circulated through the crowd.
"And for this final round! With the approval of our great King! Tonight's ultimate battle will be the most thrilling in our arena! Because tonight! The rules are about to be broken!"
Gasping echoed all around. Everyone was aware of the ring's regulations, and with the possibility of rules being broken, many thought someone might die.
"I know what you all are considering, but let me clarify. The only rules to be bent... are to fight for everything you have; of course, this excludes killing. All critical points are off-limits, as per the regulations, but!"
The audience fell silent, a stillness sweeping over the arena. The host animatedly moved his finger around with a beaming smile. "Use any technique you possess! The final battle! Any martial arts style is permitted! No exceptions!"
A loud gasp rippled through the crowd, quickly followed by a wave of frenzied cheers, louder and more vibrant than before.
"Does this mean it's a free-for-all?"
"Simple saying it's a dog-fight"
"This is so thrilling!"
"I wonder who this unfortunate soul is going against Volka."
"Well, isn't this delightful? Whoever it is, Volka will crush him."
Countless murmurs and chatter burst forth, adding to Matthew and the others' unease. While the guys attempted to stay composed, Selestine and Nessie appeared even paler and more anxious.
In contrast to their mounting anxiety, the rest of the crowd seemed invigorated, as if they had been pumped with adrenaline.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome tonight's challenger! J! Against our very own undefeated champion! Vooooolka!"
With the host's introduction, the crowd erupted into wild cheers, louder and more exuberant than before. The majority seemed to rally behind Volka, while a few shouted support for Jared, hoping for his victory.
From the start, it was evident who everyone was backing.
The crowd erupted in cheers, and the host's grin grew even broader. He nodded, gesturing towards the audience. "For the final match! Grab your betting gadgets, and let the game commence!"
Everyone retrieved their betting devices. The betting occurred through mechanical systems installed on their own phones. Rather than placing bets at the Arena's counter, the proliferation of apps and the internet's evolution made it more practical for them to wager and profit through legal and secure applications.
And thus, the betting began, with countless fingers tapping away on their screens. An overwhelming number of bets surged across the large display above the ring. J versus Volka. The significant imbalance in bets was displayed on the screen, showing a staggering 10-90 percent difference, with Volka leading at a dominating 90 percent. It was astonishing that Jared commanded that remaining 10 percent of betting power, considering his obscure background and strength.
Those 10 percent of bettors were either seen as foolish losers blind to the likely victor or simply sympathetic toward Jared, as the 90 percent believed.
"Oh!, ho!, ho! Observe our champion, poised to take another step toward victory! Can our remaining challenger withstand him?"
"Absolutely! Well, viewers, let's discover what grounds our new challenger has to stand against Volka!"
"Indeed, Mark, Simon, and fans alike. Let's hold judgment for now. We know Volka's fighting skills, but what do we truly know of J's abilities? Let's agree to sit back and watch what this newcomer has to offer."
The two commentators concurred with their colleague's words, while the rest of the spectators were split between indifference toward the outcome and a mix of curiosity and hope for the newcomer.
After much anticipation, the bell tolled, and the audience erupted in cheers once more!
J stood resolutely on the ground, his entire face concealed, leaving only his eyes, nose and mouth visible through his disguise, making it impossible for the audience to recognize him.
Volka loomed like a giant, his eyes glinting with intensity. He emanated an aura akin to an immovable boulder – powerful and unyielding. Jared could sense the fierce presence of the man in front of him. He resembled the king of the jungle, head held high, possessing the aura of a beast honed through relentless competition and confrontation with countless rivals, rendering himself a formidable force.
"Let's see what strength you possess," Volka declared, raising his arms into a fierce stance, ready to charge at any moment. "Don't blame me for being merciless!"
Volka clenched his fists and toes, launching himself forward with full force. The audience roared, and the commentators were in a frenzy.
"Charging in with all his might! This display is far too brutal for a beginning!"
As Volka charged, Jared could only evade the relentless onslaught of punches and kicks with his agile movements. Despite his dodges, Volka continuously pressed his attack. Jared could perceive the lethal intent behind every kick and punch, feeling the weight of danger in the thick air and the swish as he narrowly avoided the deadly strikes.
However, when he evaded by shoving Volka's arm aside, he quickly and distinctly grasped the deadly potential of the punches. It was just a fleeting moment, but the force was undeniably lethal and overwhelming.
True to his professional training, each maneuver was desperate for a hit. They exchanged blows, but neither was willing to back down, ignoring the frenzied shouting all around them. Jared sensed the intense atmosphere, and Volka felt it too. Initially, he thought the newcomer was nothing extraordinary, but with his stance and fluid, agile movements, he realized there was more to his opponent than met the eye.
He recognized it, yet it didn't matter to him. His gaze sharpened, filled with intensity and menace directed at Jared.
For both of them, it was a matter of victory or defeat.
"Oh my goodness! Did everyone catch that? Neither is ready to concede!"
"It's a give-and-take situation, my friend! I'll deliver just as much as I receive! Wow! This is too intense!"
"I told you all! I warned you! This newcomer is a revelation! Neither fighter is willing to back down! They refuse to let the other gain the upper hand! It's either triumph or failure, and neither wishes to halt!"
"But hey, did you notice? This newcomer, J, his body moves with such agility to evade attacks, his stance adapts seamlessly with each maneuver he executes, and let's agree, his kicks and punches pack a punch. You can tell when someone feigns their moves to look skilled in fighting, but this guy is the real deal. I can sense it, everyone; I recognize genuine fighting prowess when I see it. This J, I don't know, but there's something about him that suggests he's not to be underestimated."
"I know, Simon. J possesses that quality. His stance and movements are exceptionally coordinated. I can't say if he has prior fighting experience, but he certainly has the potential to be a legitimate competitor in the fighting arena."
While the two continued their intense debut bout, various martial arts styles became evident through their simple actions. Volka unleashed his well-trained skills and momentum from past fights to attack Jared, while Jared adapted his technique to counter his rival. To accurately gauge the strength of his opponent, Jared executed punches and dodged strikes in succession. The timing, angle, and power were nearly flawless, but he was still in the process of understanding his opponent's capabilities.
"I can see this kid has some real power. Did you see his movements? Fluid and almost flawless?"
The commentators and some of the audience began to recognize and comprehend Jared's techniques.
"Wow! I knew it! His movements are impeccable—what about the timing, angle, and strength? And that style he's using, is it a taunt? Or merely an experiment against his opponent?"
"Ah, ha! You know that larger opponents generally have more strength. His physique is markedly different from Volka's, and I can read his intentions. It's apparent to me. He's dodging and then striking; it's a common strategy. Traditional martial arts styles vary depending on the opponent your facing. In J's case, he's employing it to wear down Volka by skillfully maneuvering to evade the kicks and punches. Given Volka's different build and greater prowess, as we can observe, our newcomer, J, will need to explore various styles to adapt to the disparity between himself and Volka."
"Right, right, right. You are entirely correct, my friend. However, I sincerely hope there's more to it than just dodging and striking—ooooohhhh! What was that!"
The commentators' eyes widen. They were excitedly discussing strategies and tactics when something unforeseen occurred.
As the commentator spoke, Jared was in the process of figuring out which martial style to employ when Volka unleashed a whip kick from the side. Instead of blocking to gauge his opponent's strength at the beginning, the force of the side kick caused him to step back. His arms were raised to protect his body from the impact, but the relentless strike pushed him backward.
It was powerful, ruthless, and hit like a machine gun—an unending barrage that was unlike anything he had theorized. But what stunned the audience was not just Volka's display of skill...
It was Jared's resolve as he stood his ground, even while being assaulted by the powerful whipping kicks hitting him on both sides.
For the first time, Volka began to doubt his own strength.
Impossible!
Someone could actually withstand his powerful strikes.
Utterly unbelievable.