The murderous aura emanating from Ryan shook Vernon to his core. Though only a few minutes had passed since the fight began, Vernon already sensed that the man before him was a trained fighter—despite his frequent cheating. His brutal attacks hadn't managed to shake Ryan, not even a little.
'You can't give up, idiot! You have to focus!'
'Fight or die.'
Those words echoed in Vernon's mind, striking every nerve in his body. This was no longer about winning or losing—it was about life and death. His breath came in heavy gasps as his gaze locked onto Ryan, who stood firm like an immovable monster.
In this ring, there was no mercy. Only blood and power spoke. Every second that ticked by felt like a gamble with life, and Vernon knew retreat wasn't an option. Blood still dripped from the wound on his face, but he forced his battered body to stand again, even though every bone felt shattered.
"This isn't over!" he whispered with resolve, though his voice was barely audible amidst the roaring of his ragged breaths.
He stared at Ryan with eyes full of determination. In the face of death, the only choice was to fight. If he stopped now, both he and Ellen would die in vain.
"Five minutes?" Vernon sneered, planting his feet firmly as if preparing to strike. "Interesting... but before you do, I'll knock you down first. Three minutes is all I need!"
Skeptical laughter filled the arena, even Ricardo and Roy's eyes widened at the bold claim.
"Three minutes?! What nonsense did he just spout?!" Ricardo hissed. Despite Ryan's injuries, he was in far better shape than Vernon, who was almost out of energy. How could he possibly defeat Ryan with one arm?
Ryan smirked as he watched Vernon's confidence, unaffected by the looming threat of death.
'Who is he, really?' he wondered silently.
"There's no escape for you, idiot! You'll feel the full force of my lethal fists!" Ryan charged forward with terrifying speed, his fist clenched to end it all with a single strike to Vernon's chin.
But something strange happened. Vernon didn't move. No attempt to dodge.
Ryan grinned, assuming Vernon had surrendered. But just as their distance closed, Vernon swiftly ducked, landing a solid punch directly to Ryan's eye.
"ARGH!" Ryan's scream echoed through the room as blood sprayed from his eye like a fountain. He staggered, clutching his shattered face.
Vernon wasted no time. He stepped forward and kicked Ryan in the chest with full force. Ryan's body flew into the ropes of the ring, crashing hard, causing him to cough up blood.
"Damn!" Ryan wheezed, struggling to keep track of Vernon's movements due to the damage to his eye. His vision blurred as the world around him spun.
With the last of his strength, Vernon clenched his fist once more, this time delivering a powerful uppercut to Ryan's chin. The hulking figure was sent flying across the ring, crashing to the floor face down, completely motionless.
Silence fell over the room. The crowd, once roaring with cheers, was now frozen in disbelief. Their undefeated champion—Ryan—had been defeated by Vernon, the man they had deemed too weak to survive.
Vernon walked over to Ryan's motionless body. "You know, there's something more important in boxing than just physical strength and skill."
Ryan lay there, his breathing ragged. He no longer cared. For him, it was all over.
"Technique and experience," Vernon said calmly.
"Stop your nonsense... just kill me," Ryan spat, blood dripping from his mouth as his voice trembled with bitterness.
Vernon chuckled softly. "You're still arrogant, even with your life hanging by a thread. But no, I'm not interested in killing you. I'm only here to save the woman I care about."
Ryan's eyes widened in shock at Vernon's words. He could only watch in disbelief as Vernon stepped out of the ring without another word.
"What are you doing?! You should've killed him!" Ricardo exploded in rage.
"I'm not here to kill," Vernon responded coldly. "I just want Ellen to be safe. Now, let her go."
"No way! Because of you, I lost 5 million dollars! That bastard refused to pay because you broke the rules!" Ricardo shouted back.
Vernon narrowed his eyes, his face darkening. "Do I need to beat you down too, just to make you give up?!"
Ricardo sneered. "My bodyguards won't let you get away with that, fool! There's no way you can take them all on."
But before Vernon could respond, Ricardo's phone rang. The bald man quickly answered, and his arrogant demeanor instantly shifted into one of compliance as he spoke to whoever was on the other end.
"Alright... I'll do it," he finally said, signaling to one of his guards.
Ellen, unconscious, was released.
"Ellen!" Vernon rushed over, kneeling by her side. Her face was pale, her body soaked in sweat.
"Get her to a hospital!" Vernon demanded, his voice thick with worry.
Ricardo, with a begrudging sigh, ordered his men to comply.
***
Vernon sat anxiously in the hospital waiting area, his emotions swirling between fear, anger, frustration, and guilt.
Suddenly, a transparent screen appeared in front of him.
[Congratulations! You have earned a system card!]
Vernon furrowed his brow at the sight of the **bronze** card that materialized on the screen. 'A card?'
[Would you like to open it?]
[Yes/No]
Vernon tried to touch the "Yes" button, but his hand passed through the virtual screen.
"How do I choose it?"
[You just have to think about it, Host, since we are mentally connected.]
A mechanical female voice suddenly echoed in his ear.
"I never expected a system like you to exist in this world," he whispered. "So, what is a system card?"
[You can open it, Host.]
Hesitantly, he murmured, "Open the card."
The card spun, emitting a blinding light. Text appeared on the bronze card.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the skill *Deadly Punch*]
[Warning: Can only be used once]
"Deadly Punch? What's that?"
Below the text, there was a description.
[Description: Your punch will feel incredibly powerful when it hits your opponent.]
Vernon still didn't fully understand.
"Are you Ellen's friend?" A doctor suddenly approached him.
"Yes." Vernon jumped to his feet, ignoring the card. "Is she alright? Is she badly hurt?"
"She's suffering from oxygen deprivation and her lungs are filling with water. She needs surgery immediately to drain the fluid. Please settle the cost so we can proceed."
"How much will it cost?" Vernon asked, a little nervously. He could already guess the total.
"Five hundred thousand dollars."
'Oh, shit! Where am I supposed to get that much money in a day?'
"She needs the surgery now. If we delay, she'll die."
"Can you operate on her while I try to gather the money?" Vernon pleaded.
"Sorry. I don't make the rules, Mister. If I break them, I'll lose my job, and my family needs to eat."
Vernon let out a frustrated sigh, anxiety flooding his heart. He was at a loss for where to borrow the money. He had no close friends, no family, no one to turn to.
"I'll pay for it."
Vernon was startled and turned toward the voice. He frowned in confusion when he saw a muscular man in a white shirt, covered in tattoos, approaching him.
"Who are you?" Vernon asked coldly. He didn't trust anyone anymore since Roy had betrayed him.
"I'm Robinson."
"Robinson?" Vernon was shocked. That was the name on the business card. Back at Club Sundown, everyone had trembled at the mention of the name, like it belonged to a god.
'Who is he, really?'