(Tuesday, May 21, 2024 – 10:29 AM)
The air in the ring grew heavier.
Zack, wiping the blood from his nose, took a slow breath before rolling his shoulders. The usual confidence in his expression was still there, but this time, it wasn't cockiness but determination.
Lil Daniel stood across from him, calm and composed with his stance unchanged and breathing steady.
Zack's fists tightened.
'He's stronger than I thought.'
He had fought plenty of people before, but this was different. Lil Daniel was the strongest one he has fought untill now. The moment Zack tried to gain momentum, Daniel cut it off instantly. The moment Zack attacked, Daniel read it.
But Zack wasn't done yet.
His feet shifted, and he exploded forward.
This time, he wasn't just throwing punches, he was picking his shots carefully, adjusting his rhythm.
He flicked out a rapid left jab, testing Daniel's guard before immediately slipping to the side, twisting his torso as he threw a blazing-fast right hook to the body.
Daniel didn't move.
Instead, his left arm dropped, absorbing the blow effortlessly against his ribs before immediately countering with a brutal straight punch to Zack's temple.
Zack barely managed to pull his head back, but Daniel was already pressing forward.
A low sweep feint, forcing Zack to react...
...Followed by a sharp liver shot to the opposite side of his body.
Zack grunted as he felt that.
Daniel begun attacking every single weak point in Zack's style.
Zack specialized in out-boxing, staying mobile, picking apart opponents from range, slipping in and out.
Daniel was shutting it down completely.
Each time Zack tried to angle away, Daniel stepped in closer.
Each time Zack threw a punch, Daniel interrupted with a sharper, faster counter.
The more Zack moved, the more he felt like he was being pushed back into a corner.
For the first time in a long while, he was being overpowered.
Daniel's voice finally broke the silence.
"What is strength to you, Zack?"
Zack, still focused on finding a way to break through, answered without hesitation.
"Strength is about-"
Bam!
His sentence was cut off by a vicious uppercut.
Daniel's fist drove straight into Zack's chin, sending his head snapping backward.
Blood splattered from his mouth with his eyes rolling white for a moment as his entire body staggered.
A heavy silence fell over the crowd.
Daniel lowered his arm as his eyes locked onto Zack's trembling form.
"Strength comes in different forms." Daniel said calmly. "And to achieve it, you need to know what your path is."
Zack's breath was ragged, his mind spinning from the impact.
Daniel took a step forward.
"Your beliefs."
He struck.
A brutal right hook buried into Zack's abdomen, forcing him to double over.
"Your convictions."
Another punch to the ribs, sending shockwaves of pain through Zack's body.
"But most importantly…"
Daniel's fists became a blur.
Four. Five. Six consecutive blows.
Each one dug into Zack's core with his muscles spasming from the force. The relentless assault left small indentations in his skin as his entire midsection burned with agony.
Zack's body shook violently, but Daniel's words rang louder than the pain.
"You have to believe in yourself. Not in an arrogant way, not with false confidence, but deep in your soul."
Bam!
"That's what gives you an unbreakable will."
Zack's vision blurred as he took a shaky step back.
Daniel's expression remained focused as he spoke.
"You're talented, Zack." Daniel continued. "But you got complacent. Winning against weaker opponents made you believe you were strong."
Zack gritted his teeth with his body barely able to hold itself up.
"You lost your way."
Zack's knees buckled, collapsing.
A sharp cough left his lips with blood speckling the floor beneath him as he gasped for breath, his arms trembled from exhaustion and pain.
The crowd exploded.
"What the hell?!"
"He knocked Zack down?!"
"Who IS this guy?!"
Whispers of awe and shock spread, but one voice wasn't cheering.
Mira's.
Her eyes widened in concern with her body already moving forward, but a firm hand grabbed her shoulder.
She turned sharply as her gaze moved onto Big Daniel, his mask was off, revealing his calm and serious expression.
"Let him be."
Mira hesitated while clenching her fists. "He's hurt-"
"This is necessary." Daniel said. "If Zack wants to be the greatest boxer of all time… he has to overcome many battles, and this is the first of many."
Mira's eyes lowered, conflicted, she turned her gaze back to Zack, who was trembling.
His body was wrecked with pain with ragged breaths, yet his fists inside the gloves were still clenched.
Above him, Lil Daniel stood tall, looking down at him.
Zack's body trembled, his muscles barely holding together as sharp pain coursed through his ribs. He clenched his teeth, refusing to let out another pained groan. Every inch of him ached, sweat dripping down his forehead, mixing with the streaks of blood at the corner of his mouth.
Lil Daniel watched him for a moment before asking again "What is strength?"
Zack's fingers twitched with his fists weakly tightening. His breath came out ragged, but no words left his lips. His body simply wouldn't move, the pain is far greater than anything he had experienced before.
Daniel's eyes narrowed slightly before he exhaled through his nose, turning around without another word. His footsteps were quiet as he walked away.
The moment Zack saw his back, something inside him ignited..
Zack's vision blurred for a moment before clearing, and in that instant, he felt something stir deep within him. A faint flicker, a spark of something unknown, small, but powerful, before it faded.
His fingers pressed into the gloves on them, knuckles going white as he forced his body to move. His arms trembled violently, but his elbows locked, pushing his upper body up with sheer determination. His knees followed, wobbling as he fought against his own weight.
A sharp, broken breath escaped his lips as he stood.
The crowd gasped with whispers spreading like wildfire.
Mira took a step forward with wide and worried eyes. "Zack…"
He didn't hear her.
His feet found their place with his stance shaky yet firm, fists lifting once more. His breaths came heavy, but his voice, his voice rang loud and clear for everyone to hear.
"Strength…" Zack inhaled sharply, forcing his body to stand taller. "…is what I'll use to become the best boxer in the world."
The air shifted.
Mira's breath caught in her throat as his words struck something deep within her. Her face burned, color rushing to her cheeks as she stared at him.
Zack, his eyes fierce as his body still trembled, but he continued.
"And to have a happy life with Mira!"
A heavy silence followed.
Then-
"WHOOOOOAAAAHHHHHH"
The crowd erupted.
Cheers, shouts, whistles, some students burst out laughing, others were shaking Zack's name like he had just won a championship.
Now everyone thought it was just a show, but only the main characters knew..
Mira, completely caught off guard, felt her face heat up even more with her lips parting slightly in shock.
Lil Daniel, who had stopped mid-step, slowly turned his head, with gaze locking onto Zack.
"So show me how strong your conviction is."
"Zack."
---
Name: Zack Lee
Height: 180 cm
Strength: |-{B}
Speed: |-{B}
Potential: |-{A+} (Up!)
Intelligence: |-{B}
Endurance: |-{B}
---
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It might not seem like he didn't get stronger, but he did, but not enough to enter the next rank, while his potential has begun to awaken.
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