[Chapter 27: Sweeping Victory]
As the two men squared off in the ring, John wore a friendly, harmless smile. His face, which had gradually taken on more refined, almost delicate features naturally drew people in.
Actually, this was one of the side effects of practicing magic. As his mental powers grew stronger, they subtly influenced those around him, though at this point the effect was barely noticeable.
John didn't see this side effect as a downside.
Of course, he wasn't anywhere near the level of the legendary magic master Einstein from his memories, who could manipulate opponents' attacks and even control ordinary people -- an entirely different league.
For someone at John's level, such feats were only something to dream about, especially given the real-world physics of Earth.
...
"Bob, you go first. You take the offensive," John said.
Since John had no real combat experience, he decided to have Bob attack first so he could get a feel for the fight before countering.
"What?" Bob blurted out, caught off guard.
It made no sense -- most people would jump to attack immediately. But John just handed over the offensive. No wonder Bob and many of the spectators surrounding the ring wore surprised expressions.
Most were thinking, 'This rookie might have strength, but he's green when it comes to actual fighting.'
What they didn't know was that John himself wasn't sure how to initiate an attack. So for him, letting someone else make the first move, then adapting and countering, was the best strategy.
"All right, kid, I'm going to attack, be careful!" Bob said as he snapped out of his surprise, warning him.
With John's nod, the crowd's anticipation reached a fever pitch as the fight finally began.
...
No sooner had Bob spoken than his sweeping kick shot toward John's face, incredibly fast. Anyone with slower reflexes could've been knocked out cold in one hit.
John, wanting to test his arm strength, took a small step back and swung his right fist straight into Bob's incoming kick.
"Bang!"
The loud collision echoed, impressing everyone with how fierce the impact was.
...
Most watching thought John was crazy for responding to a leg sweep with a punch. Everyone knew a leg carried more power than an arm.
Many shut their eyes, silently praying that John wouldn't suffer a broken arm from Bob's kick.
Bob himself was a little shaken. Seeing John's reaction, he pulled back some of the power behind his kick -- not much, just about 20%. Still, 80% of his force connected. He broke out in a nervous sweat, hoping he wouldn't accidentally end the fight right then and there.
A sharp pain stabbed Bob's leg. He groaned, feeling like he'd kicked a steel hammer, fearing he might have broken his bone. Instinctively, he tried to pull his leg back and retreat.
...
John also felt a massive force impact his arm, tingling briefly before it quickly returned to normal.
Seeing Bob try to back off, John immediately closed the gap with shocking speed. In the blink of an eye, he covered nearly six feet and stood face-to-face with his stunned opponent.
Bob was caught off guard, still reeling from the pain, when John's left fist came swinging first, he block it! Then the right fist followed, he blocked it again!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Then Bob collapsed onto the mat, dazed and defeated.
Bob managed to barely block the first two punches, but John's strength was far beyond normal. By the time he defended the first couple of blows, his guard was shattered.
Left punch to the side of the head, right punch to the other side -- the last blow sent Bob crashing down hard.
With Bob down, John clinched a flawless victory in his first fight. Bob was knocked down so quickly, he didn't even get a chance to retaliate.
The crowd fell silent, shocked, many with their mouths agape in disbelief.
...
"Oh my god..." a scream broke the silence, followed by an uproar.
"No way, this can't be real!"
"Unbelievable!"
"Bob got knocked out? Am I seeing things?"
---
John walked over smiling and helped Bob up from the mat.
"Bob, you want another round?"
"Shit, what the hell? Did you pack iron in those fists? Those punches are damn hard!" Bob laughed and playfully slammed his fists against John's.
"Wow, Karate kid!"
"Karate kid!"
As the two joked, the crowd cheered excitedly.
Though no one knew John's name, his performance left everyone impressed. Since they believed he had trained in Karate, the nickname "Karate Kid" echoed around the ring.
...
After Bob left the ring, John glanced at Adam Howells and raised his fist with a grin, clearly signaling he wanted a match next.
The crowd's attention shifted to Adam, who shuddered under the weight of expectation.
No one underestimated John anymore. Joking aside, the only person present with a chance to beat Bob was Adam -- and even then, by only a slight margin. John, who had just obliterated Bob instantly, had everyone in awe.
Eventually, amid cheers and jeers, Adam stepped into the ring. With so many watching, backing down without a fight was out of the question -- pride came first.
*****
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