Following the impactful blow delivered by Don, which had surprisingly failed to inflict even the slightest reaction from Dave, the latter swiftly seized the initiative and launched a counterattack of his own.
With a fierce determination burning in his eyes, Dave charged forward, his fists clenched into tight, formidable punch. As he drew closer to Don, he raised one of his fists, swinging it in a wide, sweeping arc that seemed destined to connect with Don's face.
However, in a clever display of tactical prowess, Dave's initial attack proved to be merely a feint, designed to deceive and misdirect his opponent.
The true attack came in the form of a lightning-fast kick, which Dave unleashed with deadly precision as he twisted his body to the side. Utilizing the momentum generated by his swinging fists, Dave delivered a powerful back-foot kick that connected with Don's face, the impact of which had sent shockwaves through the entire arena.
The crowd gasped in unison, their collective breath caught in their throats as they struggled to comprehend the sheer speed and agility that Dave had just displayed.
The devastating impact of Dave's kick had sent Don's face swinging violently to the side, his body crumpling to the ground with a resounding thud. It was painfully evident that Don was out cold, utterly incapacitated by the sheer force of the blow.
As the crowd collectively witnessed the aftermath of Dave's impressive kick, a stunned silence fell over the entire arena, the only sound being the heavy breathing of the fighters and the murmurs of the awestruck onlookers.
Many in attendance had been anticipating Don's resilience, expecting him to valiantly rise to his feet and perhaps even launch a counterattack against Dave. However, it soon became apparent that this was not to be, as Don lay motionless on the ground, his limbs splayed out at awkward angles.
The referee, in a futile attempt to revive Don, tried to lift him up, but it was clear to everyone present that Don had succumbed to the knockout blow, his body temporarily shut down by the trauma.
As the reality of the situation sank in, Peter's voice boomed through the arena's loudspeakers, his words electrifying the crowd: "And that's a knockout!!"
The hall had erupted into a deafening cacophony of cheers and applause, as Dave's supporters reveled in their champion's triumphant victory. With the first fight now under his belt, Dave had taken a significant step towards his ultimate goal, with only nine more opponents remaining for him to vanquish.
As Dave stood frozen in place, his gaze drifted downwards, fixated intently on his hands as he drew slow, deliberate breaths. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, struggling to process the events that had just transpired.
Despite his concerted efforts to deliberately restrain his strength and attack power, the outcome had still been overwhelming to his opponent.
Furthermore, he had also made a conscious decision to switch from using his fists to using his legs, hoping to mitigate the impact of his blows. Yet, even with these precautions in place, the result had been a devastating knockout that had left Don lying unconscious on the ground.
Dave's thoughts were consumed by a growing sense of concern and frustration. What more could he do to reduce his strength to a level that would allow him to engage in a fair and competitive fight?
It seemed that even his most restrained and cautious attacks were still capable of inflicting catastrophic damage on his opponents. The fact that Don had escaped without sustaining any serious injuries was a fortunate circumstance, but it did little to alleviate Dave's deepening anxiety about his own abilities.
As Dave stood in the arena, basking in the adoration of the crowd, he couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. The thunderous chants of his name, the deafening applause, and the sea of expectant faces all seemed eerily familiar.
It was as if he had been transported back to his days as a competitive swimmer, when his classmates and fans would gather to cheer him on, sending him gifts and motivational letters to fuel his passion and drive.
However, not everyone had been a fan of Dave's during his swimming days. There were those who had harbored a deep-seated resentment towards him, particularly Tyler and his gang, who had often gone out of their way to make Dave's life miserable.
Even now, as Dave basked in the adoration of the crowd, he knew that there were still those who harbored ill will towards him.
And one person in particular had stood out in Dave's mind - Tasha, the mastermind behind this entire competition. Her sole intention had been to humiliate and embarrass Dave, to bring him down a peg and prove her own superiority.
As Dave's gaze swept the crowd, his eyes inadvertently locked onto Tasha's, who was at that moment, glancing in his direction, a mixture of anger and determination etched on her face. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as their eyes met, the unspoken animosity between them palpable.
Tasha navigated her way through the crowded arena, her eyes fixed intently on the next participant who was slated to face off against Dave. As she approached the young woman, Tasha's gaze swept over her, taking in her striking features.
The woman's blonde hair was tied up in twin pigtails, giving her a youthful and energetic appearance that belied the fierce determination burning in her eyes.
Tasha's voice was low and urgent as she leaned in close to the woman, her words barely audible over the din of the crowd. "Do everything you can, I mean everything, to bring him down," she hissed, her eyes blazing with intensity, and the lady had nodded curtly in response.
"You can trust me, I'm definitely bringing him down," the lady declared, her voice dripping with confidence. Her words were laced with a subtle undercurrent of aggression, and Tasha's eyes gleamed with approval as she nodded her head in encouragement.
At that precise moment, the bell rang out, its loud, metallic clang signaling the commencement of the next round. The crowd's anticipation was palpable as the announcer's voice boomed through the arena's speakers, his words dripping with excitement.
"And for our second participant, welcome as we invite this awesome lady to the ring,… Sonya!" The audience erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause as the girl with the pigtail hairstyle made her grand entrance into the ring.
With a confident swagger, Sonya strode into the ring, her face illuminated by a radiant, curve-lipped smirk that seemed to dare her opponent to bring their best game.
As she reached the center of the ring, Sonya raised one arm triumphantly into the air, her fist clenched in a gesture of defiance, while simultaneously punching her chest with her other hand, as if to emphasize her own strength and resilience. The crowd's cheers grew even louder, their enthusiasm fueled by Sonya's infectious energy and bravado.
Following her dramatic entrance, Sonya pivoted on her heel, her gaze locking onto Dave with an unnerving intensity. The devilish smirk still lingered on her lips, which were painted a deep, black colour, courtesy of the lip gloss she favored.
Her eyes sparkled with a fierce competitiveness as she took a deliberate step forward, her voice dripping with malice. "You... are... going... to die!" she declared, her words dripping with dramatic flair.
To emphasize her point, Sonya moved her hand across her neck in a deliberate, slashing motion, as if to graphically illustrate the killing sign. The gesture was undoubtedly meant to intimidate, but Dave remained utterly unfazed, his expression a mask of calm, amused detachment.
He stood tall, his eyes never leaving Sonya's face as he watched her dramatic performance with a mixture of curiosity and mild annoyance.
Dave's response was characteristically low-key, his voice laced with a hint of dry humor. "Okay, I'll make sure to remember that in my old age," he drawled, his words accompanied by a deep, exaggerated sigh.
The crowd erupted into laughter at Dave's witty riposte, and even Sonya's fierce expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty dancing in her eyes.
As Dave stood facing Sonya, he couldn't help but think to himself that if he couldn't find a way to reduce his overwhelming strength, then his best course of action would be to bring the fight to a swift and decisive conclusion.
However, before he proceeded to end the match, he was curious to see what Sonya was capable of, to gauge her skills and determine whether she posed any kind of credible threat. With this in mind, Dave decided to engage Sonya in conversation, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.
"What's your belt level?" Dave asked, his eyes locked onto Sonya's, his expression neutral.
Sonya's response was immediate, her voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and defensiveness. "What? I'm a red belt, why are you asking? You scared you won't be able to fight me or what?" she shot back, her eyes flashing with a fierce competitiveness.
Dave's reply was characteristically calm and collected, his words dripping with a quiet confidence that bordered on arrogance. "Nope, I'm scared I'll have to take you out so soon because you clearly have no chance against me," he stated, his voice devoid of emotion, which hadn't left Sonya's face a bit.
The crowd's reaction was immediate, a mixture of gasps and murmurs rippling through the arena as they digested Dave's bold claim.
In that precise instant, the bell rang out, its loud, metallic clang signaling the commencement of the match. Unlike the previous bout, where Dave had adopted a more cautious approach, he had now decided to take the initiative and charge in first.
However, Sonya was not one to back down from a challenge, and she too had charged forward simultaneously, her eyes blazing with determination.
As the two opponents clashed, Dave's mind flashed back to his past encounters with Tyler, his long-time rival in swimming and in school lessons. A realisation dawned on him, one that had been forged in the fires of his previous experiences.
"I just realised this after remembering everything I had gone through with Tyler," Dave thought to himself, "sometimes you have to show your enemies that you're clearly stronger and better than them, so they could realise how stupid they are. In the pool and in fighting, I'm the master, and I won't hesitate to take out anyone that stands in my way!!"
With this newfound resolve, Dave's eyes had locked onto Sonya's, his gaze burning with an unyielding intensity. His words, though unspoken, seemed to echo through the air, a declaration of his unshakeable confidence and unwavering determination to emerge victorious.
The crowd, sensing the electric tension between the two opponents, held their collective breaths, eagerly anticipating the explosive clash that was about to unfold.