The real question about all of this was whether Max was truly worth it. Was he really someone so valuable?
In simple terms, he was. Max was like a key that could open countless doors for many people and earn them hundreds of millions of dollars.
That's why Robert first wanted to test him against the best fighter he had in the twenty-year-old category, to find out for himself if Max was worth it or not.
And within moments, when people discovered that the one-eyed fighter would be participating, the betting began to heat up.
Without a doubt, tonight would be legendary.
…
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In the locker room, Max's figure moved back and forth as he struck a punching bag, each impact resonating powerfully.
"Why are you fighting now?" Devon followed Max into the locker room, where he was already geared up for the fight.
"It'll end quickly."
"Are you not going to tell me?" Devon wanted Max to look at her, but when she grabbed his shoulder, he spun around, pinned her against a locker, and held her there.
Crack!
Devon flinched, but after realizing she wasn't hurt, she asked, "What's bothering you?"
"My blindness started when I was a kid. I wasn't more than five years old when the lights went out. It took a long time before a feasible operation was arranged in the UK. But the day before the surgery, my mother suggested we attend an opera recital. Hours later, my parents were murdered."
Max's voice grew hoarse, and he murmured, "That's where I got this scar, where I completely lost the sight in my left eye, and where I couldn't save my parents."
Devon remained silent. She couldn't begin to imagine the pain Max had endured all this time. The only thing she could do was hug him.
"Were they caught?"
"Yes, but without a death penalty in the UK, they were sentenced to life imprisonment." Max then recalled the message he'd received and added, "If I fight tonight, one of those bastards will be killed."
"Do you think it's credible?"
"I have nothing to lose. This is just another fight for me." Max released Devon, gave her a faint smile, and said, "Even though my uncle is a millionaire, his influence doesn't extend beyond this country, and money can't always buy everything you want."
That was the sad truth. His uncle's power lay in money—nothing more.
But now that the opportunity to erase those bastards had landed in his hands, he would seize it with such force that he wouldn't let go.
The hatred he had once suppressed was now entirely erased from his mind, replaced solely by a desire for vengeance.
And even though he wouldn't be the one to do it, the thought of those idiots who had murdered his parents being killed in prison brought him some solace.
Devon knew she couldn't stop Max from fighting tonight, and even if she could, she wouldn't—because if she were in his shoes, she would do the exact same thing without hesitation.
"Will you let your emotions control you?"
"What?" Max looked at Devon, intrigued.
"You'll fight, and I'll support you. But right now, you're so angry that you won't process the fights properly." Devon understood this better than anyone, something Max had completely overlooked.
At that moment, Max remembered Chozen's teachings—how, through many challenges, Chozen had taught him to master his mind and maintain control over his movements.
"Don't worry, I'll win the fights and show you the right way to kick some ass." The friend Devon was familiar with returned as quickly as he remembered all the hard work he'd put in to stay focused.
Devon nodded and said, "Don't even think about getting distracted."