Chapter 140: The end of an era (1/2)

Watching one of your friends get hurt in front of you was a horrible sight and that was exactly what the VSW team was looking at now. Dan wasn't faring well against Tony and with each hit the team cried inside wishing the fight would stop.

But more frustrated then anyone was Novis, he had been training this whole time to get stronger and better at the game. But after the incident with Scarlett and the Ruman family, Novis also wished that he wouldn't be put in another situation where he felt week again.

So he had trained harder not only for the game but to also protect his friends. A part of him felt bad that he had never checked In with Dan to see if everything was okay. Novis didn't even know why Dan was fighting at the moment and he felt like a terrible person for not finding out.

And this time not even Arthur or George could help him. There were too many people around and they had connections throughout, not just this town but other cities and places as well. To cross and anger these people would mean to be made a target for the rest of your life.

Maybe Novis could deal with that but not his friends and family.

”Dan, you have to win!” Novis said silently. He didn't care what he was fighting for but if he was to get this badly hurt and not quit, it had to be important.

****

Dan had just about made a recovery from the kick to the side of his face, his head was no longer spinning and he could see Tony clearly in front of him.

Not once while Tony was hitting Dan, had he hesitated and his facial expression had remained unchanged. It was like a beast had set its eyes on its prey and Dan was on the food list.

Tony then threw out another kick to the side but Dan jumped back once again staying light on his toes bouncing up and down.

The crowd booed once again thinking Dan avoiding a confrontation was a weakness.

”To be hit without getting it back,” George said watching. ”It's the sign of a perfect style don't you agree?”

Novis looked and George and could see a smile on his face and he could only hope it meant good things.

Dan waited again for another strike but this time he lent back avoiding the kick, then pivoting of his toes Dan dashed in with his knee forward. After a powerful kick, the opponent was always slightly off-balanced and had little time to recover.

The knee hit Tony in the stomach but over the years of training his stomach was well trained and he threw a punch back Towards Dan's face.

But his hand and glove had blocked the shot.

”Always keep your guard up,” Dan said. ”Isn't that what you taught me.”

Dan threw a punch out and it hit.

”No matter how hurt or how tired you are, always keep your hands up!” Dan shouted as he swung in for a huge uppercut but missed.

Tony was now the one who had stepped back a few steps.

”He just got faster.” Tony thought, ”He's improving even in the middle of the match, you truly are a genius who is wasted here.”

Then Dan charged in again throwing another uppercut, but this time Tony countered with a hook.

”Slip to the side and counter with a hook.” Said Tony.

Then Tony charged up his right hand and came out with a full-strength blow aiming to finish Dan off, and at the last moment, the blow was parried away.

”And finish with a right straight,” Dan answered. ”I know how you fight.”

Both of them stepped back and were now ready, they looked at each other and knew the next attack would end the match. Although Tony was still physically fit, Dan was not. He was worn out and beat.

Fighting took a different kind of energy compared to other sports such as running or swimming. A huge amount of mental energy wore you out quicker and with every punch, it had the energy to try to knock your opponent behind it.

At the same time, the two of them charged in off their toes and when Dan was within striking range, he threw out a roundhouse kick towards the head. Tony had seen the reaction of Dan's legs a few seconds before he acted, the muscle twitch had given it away. He leaned back and avoided the strike, then he pivoted forward on his foot.

However, when Dan's attack missed and his foot landed on the ground, he twisted his body and his other leg came over him.

”A spinning kick, I don't remember teaching him this?”

At the last second, before the kick had reached Tony's head, A smile appeared on his face.

The kick landed hitting Tony perfectly and sending him down to the ground. Although Tony was still conscious, his legs would no longer listen to him and he couldn't get off the ground.