"What just happened?"
"I can't believe it, a single kick from that guy, and he took down that huge fighter..."
"That's insane! You knocked him out with just one kick!" shouted a drunken man, celebrating wildly with the crowd around him.
Miguel, standing nearby, was jumping up and down, waving a ticket in the air that showed his $20 bet. "I'm rich! Damn it, I actually won in the first minute!"
"Stop making such a fuss," Devon said, though she was just as astonished, especially since Max had bet on his own fight.
"Max, you idiot, did you break his leg?" Ryan, who had been standing beside Devon, couldn't contain his shock after witnessing the match. He nearly dropped his calm demeanor. He had to admit, seeing his friend take down such a massive opponent was thrilling, but that wasn't the main issue here.
"Does he specialize in kicks?" Miguel asked Ryan, sensing the camaraderie between the two and hoping to learn more about Max's abilities.
"He specializes in everything you can think of," Ryan replied, glancing at Miguel. "Unlike me—I can't claim that since I've been beaten before." Ryan turned to watch as Max's opponent was carried off, unable to continue the fight.
"So, he lost, huh?" Many in the audience struggled to process what had happened. Most hadn't even seen the kick that had ended the match, and they couldn't believe a single strike had taken out a seasoned fighter.
"What are you doubting?" Devon shouted, glaring at the crowd, who were murmuring skeptically about Max's victory.
"Check his foot! He must be hiding something!" yelled a girl who turned out to be Billy's girlfriend, clearly shaken by the outcome.
"You want me to check your mouth instead, you loudmouth idiot?" Devon shot back, nearly ready to start another fight. Miguel and Baja Miller quickly stepped in to restrain her.
"Bring it on, Asian b****! You must feel pretty smug seeing your boyfriend win a match, but let me tell you, he won't win the tournament."
"I'll knock out your teeth if you keep yapping, you stupid cow!" Devon growled under her breath, directing her venom at the girl spreading nonsense.
"This is a mess..." Max thought to himself. He had aimed for a vulnerable nerve in the opponent's leg, but he hadn't expected it to be so effective, even against an experienced fighter.
Removing his mouthguard, Max walked back to his group, who quickly handed him a water bottle and a towel to wipe off the sweat.
"How did you do that?" Miguel asked, his eyes glowing with excitement after his unexpected windfall.
"That guy was huge, so I figured a normal hit wouldn't do much. I wanted to stop him before he landed any heavy blows. Max explained, scanning the crowd, many of whom were still debating what had happened.
After the victory was officially announced, the tournament continued, fight after fight.
Ryan cracked open a beer and handed it to Miguel, who wasn't drinking, and they both celebrated Max's crushing victory. Meanwhile, Max continued explaining pressure points and vulnerable areas that fighters should target.
"I've got a decent kick; I'm definitely learning a lot," Devon said, eager to start her karate training at Cobra Kai after watching these intense matches.
Miguel, sweating nervously, realized how dangerous it was to have two combat monsters like Max and Devon as friends. It was both thrilling and intimidating, and he began wondering if they might end up being a bad influence on him.
"One more fight, and you'll qualify for the quarterfinals. Don't take any hits—just end it with even harder strikes," Ryan said, clearly more excited than anyone, especially since he'd been raking in money from Max's victories.
The subsequent matches turned out to be far bloodier than Max's. Many fighters left the ring battered and bloodied, their injuries shocking the crowd.
"Max, you're up next."
As his name was called, Max bumped fists with Devon and Miguel before stepping toward the arena. From across the ring, he eyed his new opponent.
This time, Max felt a wave of intensity radiating from his rival—a sign that this fight would be far tougher. Excitement, which had been simmering within him, now surged to the surface.
"The next round of fights is about to begin!"
The crowd roared in anticipation, buzzing with energy as Max prepared for his second fight, this time against a seemingly formidable opponent.