"Faster, more direct."
Bam!
Max struck Ethan on the side of the face, but the hit wasn't strong enough to be counted as a point, and the fight resumed at full intensity.
Ethan took a few steps back, stopped at the edge of the ring, and looked at Max, who had halted his advance.
"Time!"
The referee stepped forward to pause the match, then signaled for the fighters to return to their respective corners.
Every fighter was entitled to two minutes to consult with their coach and receive instructions.
Max was on the verge of chasing victory when Ethan's coach called for a timeout.
For many, this caused frustration, but understanding there wasn't a strict time limit for each round, it was reasonable for fighters to get a moment to catch their breath.
Max returned to his corner, where Johnny was waiting with a water bottle and a towel to wipe away his sweat.
"Max, don't worry. If you can't win in five minutes, fight a little longer. Remember, you won't only have this match today, so fight smart and don't get hurt," Johnny advised, slightly worried that Max's earlier promise might stir up controversy in the fight.
"Sensei, don't worry. I said I'd settle this fight in five minutes. I'll do what I said. No matter how hard it gets, I'll do everything I can to achieve it," Max said, clenching his fists, his eyes resolute.
"Wow! So reckless!"
Ryan frowned and said to Hawk, who was in the group, "Remember this and don't forget it. Max said he'd knock Ethan out in five minutes. No matter how tough it gets, he has to do it. Such inspiring words—if they're remembered, they must be fulfilled."
Hawk nodded, pulled out his phone, and jotted it down.
Miguel, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh. Hawk had taken Ryan's instructions far too seriously.
From a distance, Max glanced at them, raised his fists, and walked toward the center of the ring.
Ethan also approached, biting the inside of his cheek hard as he glared at Max. His left eyebrow and cheek were slightly red.
"Keep defending, and you'll see if my strikes are fake or not," Max said, shaking his fist with a grin.
"You won't last long. You'll exhaust yourself if you keep up that pace," Ethan shot back, glaring at him.
"Just wait and see!"
The referee stepped in, warning them that talking was not allowed in the ring.
Max's muscles tensed, his gaze sharpened, and his stance became more aggressive than ever. His fighting posture reflected a true combat stance—a blended version of martial arts that seemed like pure Karate. But at this point, no one could tell the difference.
Ethan mocked Max's ridiculous stance, but as he stepped forward, he couldn't figure out how to attack—or how he'd be attacked.
"Ridiculous!"
At one point, Ethan stepped forward and attacked with a kick to the side, immediately blocked by Max's left leg, who swiftly struck a specific muscle in return.
Many in the audience, unfamiliar with Karate, believed Max's stance was incredible, like something out of an over-the-top martial arts movie.
Bam!
Max delivered a powerful blow to a precise spot, aiming to break down Ethan's defenses before targeting the real objective: causing damage.
After the first impact, Ethan braced himself to defend, but a second strike suddenly aimed at his right shoulder.
That hit would obviously score a point, but Ethan dodged it, taking the blow with the lower part of his shoulder instead.
To everyone's surprise, Max's stance was extremely effective. How had no one figured out the trajectory of his attacks until now? Even Ethan's confident demeanor shifted—he could slowly feel his muscles numbing, struggling to keep up with Max's pace.
Finally, fear appeared on Ethan's face.
"You're not unique. There are stronger men, and right now, you're facing someone at the peak of this tournament." Max stared at Ethan, who had stopped advancing and looked utterly confused, surprising everyone. As Max said those words, he launched forward with immense power, beginning an offensive so fast it left his opponent unable to react.
"Ahh..."
The sudden speed Max unleashed, never seen before, made the entire audience rise to their feet, eyes wide open to see if any of his strikes would land on Ethan.
"His strikes aren't aiming for points; he's completely dismantling Ethan's defenses..." murmured Daniel, a confused expression on his face from the crowd.
Daniel and many other experts didn't understand why Max was revealing this level of skill at this moment.
"Everyone, watch closely. This tournament is mine."
Max wasn't striking at random. Each punch was aimed at Ethan's defenses, which became harder to maintain with every hit.
"He's never had a rival in this preparation tournament!" murmured Devon, absolutely proud of Max's martial arts prowess.
Facing Ethan's desperate final counterattack, Max remained calm. When Ethan's punch suddenly dropped, Max countered with a violent punch straight ahead.
Bam!
The crowd watched as Max's punch landed squarely on Ethan's chest, sending him flying out of the ring and crashing to the ground, completely defeated.
An absolute silence filled the venue. No one could have imagined that Ethan, who didn't seem so overwhelmed moments ago, would be defeated so cleanly, unable to do anything.
"That's what you should've done from the start," Johnny said, clenching his fists as he watched the fruit of his teachings.
"Point! Winner!"
"Yes!"
"The first fighter advancing to the quarterfinals."