John's energy crackled around him in a vibrant display of red, his aura blazing as he dodged and weaved with newfound momentum. With each calculated move, he gained the upper hand, his strikes sharper, more focused. Collin, for the first time in the fight, seemed genuinely taken aback.Alex's voice rang out from the stands, brimming with excitement. "He's got him! John's got him!"Anne leaned forward, eyes wide as she watched John land another blow. "Come on, John—just a little more!"The crowd's energy mirrored John's; his strikes grew more forceful, each one pushing Collin further back, closer to the edge of the ring. Collin's face shifted, his usual smirk fading as he struggled to keep his balance. A visible unease settled over him, and John could see his opponent's hesitation—a rare crack in Collin's composed exterior.Collin attempted a counter, but John was quicker, deflecting his blow and following up with a punch that left the golden-brown aura around Collin flickering. For the first time, John saw uncertainty in Collin's eyes. Victory was within reach."Just one more hit..." John muttered, determination flooding his mind. He gathered his energy, his aura pulsing with intensity as he aimed for the final blow to knock Collin out of the ring.In the audience, Benji leaned forward, tense and focused, while Chris watched with a smirk. "Looks like your guy might actually pull it off," Chris commented, his tone half-joking.Benji didn't respond, eyes fixed on the fight. But before John could make contact, a calm voice interrupted their rising anticipation."Collin's finally gotten serious," Myra murmured from where she stood, her gaze sharp as she watched her student.Benji caught her words and stiffened, suddenly wary.As if responding to her, Collin's golden-brown aura suddenly flared, no longer merely reactive but with a precision and force that John hadn't yet seen. The flicker of doubt vanished from Collin's eyes, replaced by something darker, more resolute. The shift was immediate, almost chilling.John's fist stopped just short of Collin's shoulder as his opponent's aura expanded, brimming with raw power. Collin caught John's wrist in a vice-like grip, his grip unexpectedly powerful."Nice try," Collin whispered, a sinister glint in his eyes. "But we're just getting started."Before John could react, Collin pulled him forward and twisted, using John's own momentum to throw him off balance. John stumbled, disoriented by the sudden shift in control, as Collin's laughter echoed around him.The spectators' excitement dimmed, replaced by a growing tension. Collin's demeanor had changed—no longer toying or taunting, but focused, every move calculated, his golden aura now like a force of nature, steady and unstoppable.From the sidelines, Alex's smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. "Uh... does anyone else feel like something's off?"Anne's eyes narrowed. "It's like he's a completely different person."John gritted his teeth, struggling to recover as Collin bore down on him with a series of swift, punishing strikes. Each blow landed with uncanny precision, forcing John onto the defensive, and the overwhelming force of Collin's attacks drove him back toward the center of the ring.Collin's smirk returned, but this time, it wasn't playful. It was cold, merciless. "You actually thought you had a chance? That's adorable," he sneered, his grip tightening as he drove his fist toward John's side, making him double over from the impact.John staggered, his red aura dimming as he struggled to keep up with Collin's assault. He tried to counter, to find some opening, but Collin anticipated every move, deflecting and retaliating with ruthless efficiency.Myra's gaze remained unflinching as she watched the scene unfold. "I warned you," she murmured to herself.John gritted his teeth, struggling to regain his footing as Collin's unrelenting attacks pressed him further back. His red aura, once blazing with determination, now flickered, dimmed under the weight of Collin's newfound intensity. Every strike felt sharper, more precise, each movement calculated to push John to his limits."Come on, John!" Alex shouted from the sidelines, fists clenched in a tight, anxious grip. "Don't give in!"Collin smirked, glancing momentarily in Alex's direction before refocusing on John. "Your friends have faith in you," he murmured, his voice low, dripping with a mockery that cut deep. "Let's see if you can live up to their expectations."With a swift sidestep, Collin circled John, his golden-brown aura expanding, almost as if it were alive, bending to his every whim. He moved with an eerie confidence, as though he knew every counter John would attempt before he made it.In the stands, Benji watched with a stern, focused gaze, his hands tightly gripping the railing. Chris stood beside him, arms crossed, a flicker of concern crossing his usually unreadable face."This isn't good," Chris muttered, his voice low. "Collin's holding nothing back."Benji nodded, eyes never leaving his student. "John has grit, but Collin is fighting like he has something to prove. He's fighting... to break."Anne leaned forward, tension etching her face. "Come on, John... you can do this."In the ring, John dodged a vicious strike aimed at his jaw, barely managing to stay upright. He retaliated with a quick jab, but Collin deflected it effortlessly, retaliating with a brutal kick to John's chest, sending him skidding back, gasping for breath. The impact sent waves of pain through him, each one chipping away at his resolve."Come on, Will," Collin sneered, the ferocity in his gaze darkening as he advanced. "Is this really all you've got? All that fire, all that pride... wasted."With a growl of defiance, John summoned the remnants of his energy, red aura blazing around him as he launched himself forward, swinging a powerful right hook. But Collin sidestepped gracefully, and as John stumbled from the overreach, Collin struck back, landing a knee to John's side that sent him crashing to the ground.The crowd erupted, excitement and tension weaving through the stands. John struggled to push himself up, pain throbbing through every muscle. His vision blurred, his strength waning, yet a fierce determination still burned within him.Collin tilted his head, watching John with an unsettling calm. "Stay down, John. You don't have to keep this up. Save yourself the embarrassment."John clenched his fists, teeth bared. "Not... happening."The two locked eyes, a battle of wills playing out as Collin raised an eyebrow, slightly amused but clearly annoyed by John's resilience. He took a slow, measured step forward, his aura crackling with a dark energy as he prepared to finish what he'd started.Suddenly, a faint shift flickered in the atmosphere, a chill that washed over the crowd, subtle yet potent enough to draw the attention of those attuned to it. In the far back of the stands, Callista sat, her gaze fixed intently on the match below. She leaned forward slightly, lips curving into a small, calculating smile as her piercing eyes locked onto John. "So... that's him," she murmured, her tone laced with intrigue.At the city's edge, cloaked in shadows, Rage slipped past Mira's outer defenses, his face twisted into a dark, determined scowl. The city lights cast an eerie glow on his features, accentuating the intensity in his gaze as he surveyed his surroundings.He knew he was close—close to a moment that would alter everything.Back in the arena, Collin lunged at John, fist blazing as he aimed a final, decisive blow. The impact seemed inevitable, the force behind it overwhelming.John's eyes widened, every muscle in his body bracing for the hit as Collin's fist descended.In that split second, a haunting sensation gripped John—a fleeting image of piercing red eyes, deep and powerful, flashing before his mind's eye.And then, everything went dark.