The most satisfied man in the entire arena was Tomio. His performance today was exceptional—every move connected just right. Jason Luo's adaptability in the ring was far too weak; from start to finish, he had been completely under Tomio's jab control, unable to mount an effective response.
Even so, Tomio dared not grow careless in the first round. Jason was a known heavy puncher—one moment of carelessness and the fight could flip on its head.
Sure enough, when Jason closed in with a feint-and-rush in the second round, Tomio treated him like a serious threat, throwing sharp counters. But as the exchanges dragged on, he realized Jason's heavy punches weren't all that dangerous. They lacked the knockout power he'd expected. On the other hand, every time Tomio landed a charged rear-hand strike, Jason visibly winced.
Ha! So that's all this kid's got?
Looks can be deceiving. You never really know until you've traded blows. Young fighters—always inconsistent. Maybe he's just gotten cocky after a few wins… or maybe he just finished showing off for his girlfriend.
After two rounds of testing the waters, Tomio's confidence soared. He was ready to go all-in in the next round and finish Jason once and for all.
Meanwhile, Coach Brown was whispering to Jason in the corner. "No good—it's not enough yet. Right now, not just Morell, even the audience still has hope in you. That's no good. We need them completely disappointed. Don't worry, we've got an excuse lined up. Just act boldly—really sell it."
In the third round, Tomio went all-out, launching a fierce assault. He closed the distance, abandoned his trademark jab, and unleashed a wild barrage of hooks—left and right swinging one after another, like a slow-motion replay after every hit.
Jason played his part to perfection. It was like a scene between a willing attacker and a willing victim—true dedication to the art of performance.
He fought back desperately, but looked sluggish and uncoordinated. Every exchange saw Tomio's punches land first, throwing Jason's rhythm completely off. Trapped and overwhelmed, he looked like he was falling apart.
The crowd couldn't take it anymore. Fans cried out in disbelief—Jason Luo was awful today. Many just sat there in stunned silence, their faces full of disappointment.
Defeat was normal—fans could accept that if the opponent was stronger. But Jason's performance tonight was abysmal, completely unlike him. It was hard to stomach.
He had been their pride—the fierce, relentless boxer who fought his way up against all odds, on the verge of reaching the world championship stage. And now, he looked like a shadow of himself.
Look at that! Jason couldn't even withstand Tomio's onslaught anymore. He resorted to clinching just to survive—a desperate tactic that fooled no one. Everyone could see it: he was finished tonight.
Boos erupted from the stands. Some even cursed outright.
"Come on, fight back! What the hell are you doing? Damn it, this guy looks like he just rolled out of bed after a long night—what a disgrace!"
"Exactly! Compete for the world title like this? Go home and change diapers instead!"
"Ugh… another promising talent wasted…"
The only thing Jason had going for him now was his toughness. Despite taking a beating and stumbling across the ring, he refused to fall. Perhaps driven by the fans' jeers, he suddenly summoned all his strength and launched a counterattack. Two quick hooks were blocked by Tomio, but then Jason slipped in a brutal body shot that landed squarely in Tomio's midsection. The impact was heavy—Tomio staggered backward several steps, clutching his abdomen in pain.
Opportunity!
The crowd that had just been booing now leapt to their feet in unison. This was it—his chance! If Jason pressed the attack, he might just turn the fight around!
Jason burst forward—
But after only two steps, his legs gave out, and he dropped to one knee in the middle of the ring.
What—?
He was already that exhausted in the third round?
How could he even enter a match in this condition? Was he trying to get himself killed?
The brief flicker of hope among the fans vanished completely. Their faith shattered. It was over. He was done.
Because Jason had fallen without being struck, the referee didn't start the count. Instead, he helped Jason up and signaled for the fight to continue.
Tomio, though still aching from that body shot, saw Jason barely able to stand. That was all the encouragement he needed. Ignoring his pain, he charged forward again!
Jason knew the timing was perfect—if he dragged the act on any longer, it would look fake. From the corner, Coach Brown subtly gestured. Jason understood immediately—it was time to strike back. This was the real test of his acting.
Tomio rushed in with another barrage, hammering Jason across the ring. But then, Jason let out a roar of defiance and swung a heavy backfist that smashed straight into Tomio's jaw. Tomio spun on his feet, his mouthguard flying through the air before he collapsed onto the canvas.
For a heartbeat, the entire arena was silent. Then, an explosion of cheers erupted from Jason's fans. That was the heavy puncher they knew!
But after throwing that punch, Jason looked completely drained. He staggered backward, nearly collapsing if not for the ropes catching him.
To everyone's surprise, Tomio somehow pushed himself up again before the referee's count finished. The crowd collectively held its breath. Could Jason still press the attack?
No one in the audience realized just how much effort Jason had put into this performance. That roar had actually triggered his Medium Attack title, flooding him with energy.
Even his stumbling retreat had been an intentional touch—to experience the penalty effect of having all attributes reduced by one.
The sensation was unpleasant. When the system notification hit, Jason felt as if his strength was leaking from every pore like air escaping a tire. It only lasted a moment, but it was an awful feeling.
Still, the impact wasn't serious. And as for Tomio—though he'd managed to stand, he probably didn't even know which way was up anymore.
Normally, in Tomio's condition, the referee could've stopped the fight and declared it over. But since Jason also looked in terrible shape, the referee let it continue.
Jason moved in, weaving unsteadily, and threw a punch. Tomio countered with one of his own. Both connected. Both staggered. The tension in the arena hit its peak.
Jason carefully watched Tomio's movement. When he saw him start to throw another punch, he let out a fierce shout and unleashed a massive uppercut that sent Tomio crashing to the canvas for good.
From the crowd's perspective, Jason had finally regained his footing and landed the decisive blow first. One way or another, he'd won the round.
Yet, after the brief eruption of cheers, silence followed.
What had really happened to Jason Luo?
If he continued fighting like this, his future looked bleak. Tonight's victory felt like sheer luck—and no one could believe luck like that would hold forever.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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