Chapter 343: End of Round 2 (1/2)

”If both fighters are ready! I will count you in!” The announcer's voice echoed through everyone's ears, and they answered by even louder cheering as they looked at the two nodding fighters below that took up a fighting stance.

”Very well! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, START!”

Both fighters bolted from their place at incredible speed, yet when they reached each other, Shadow abruptly decided to stop while his opponent continued with his fists headed for the face.

”ONE PUNCH!!” The crowd screamed as it seemed like his fists were about to make contact and put an end to all of Shadow's hopes and dreams.

But, like a shadow itself, it was as though he disappeared the instant before anything made contact. He, unbeknownst to everyone, ducked down and lifted his hands up for a devastating uppercut to the chin. Yet, despite the sudden shift in tempo, Joker did not hesitate nor falter as he maintained his same brilliant, keen-eyed gaze.

As his opponent's fists approached his chin, he dislocated his neck and jaw, snapping them backwards to promptly evade the attack and allow him room to counter by grabbing his opponent's wrist and slamming them on the ground with as much strength as he could muster, creating small cracks in the metallic ground.

*AHHHHKK*

Joker went to do another slam from the other side, but by then Shadow managed to abnormally easily escape his iron grasp and take a few steps back to recover, heavily breathing and wiping the blood from his mouth.

”Wow, folks! That was quite the first exchange! This match is far from over yet! Who knew Shadow had it in him for all of that!”

”...”

”Hmmmm… That's weird… That Shadow guy shouldn't be half as strong as he is now…” Hikari mumbled to herself, deeply analyzing the fight below.

”Indeed, Alas, that fellow is unquestionably cheating in some way… Whether he knows it or not.”

”Huh?” Hikari was slightly taken aback by the sudden response she did not expect, one that oddly came from a rather familiar presence.

But, when she looked around, she found no one but the usual drunkards cheering all around her.

'What was that?'

*Pant* *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* Shadow held his ribs, looking up at his opponent's eyes.

”You're pretty good for a cereal cheater… I can't say the same for most of your kind… But… I'm gonna put you in your place… Mark my words…” Shadow's voice was faint, so the crowd could not hear it, but from Joker's reaction, he certainly did.

The second exchange began with Shadow taking the initiative, his speed somehow several times what it was from before.

He attacked from one side, and immediately switched his momentum mid-air to strike from a completely different angle that Joker barely managed to deflect in time before it delt any major injury.

To the trained eye, it was not that his movements were expert, but, compared to his opponent, it simply looked like that due to the difference in speed.

Joker was once again put on his back feet, simply deflecting all attacks coming his way as efficiently as possible while taking several steps back. It was honestly a miracle he was able to keep up with such a speed discrepancy.

”What the hell is this bullshit!! We saw this guy fight last time and he wasn't even half as strong! You telling me he got bullied in the first round against some random nobody and is even stronger than Joker!? I ain't buying it!”

”Maybe he was just pretending in the first rounds to make his opponent underestimate him?”

”Huh? If he did! Then that's some damn good commitment to get the shit beat out of him and barely win just to give a false impression!”