Wolf’s picture appeared on the monitor, bold and unmistakable, and right next to him was the image of his opponent, a dark-skinned man with a harsh, unblinking stare and no eyebrows at all. The lack of eyebrows somehow made his expression even more threatening, like his face was carved into a permanent glare meant to intimidate anyone who looked at him for too long.
Then there was Wolf, standing with his usual wild orange hair and that calm, almost bored expression he always wore. He looked young, sure, but he didn’t look fragile the way Joe had looked earlier. And on top of that, a few of the fighters scattered around the rooftop immediately recognized him.
"That’s Wolf, right? The leader of the Pit Gang," one whispered. "What’s he doing all the way here in Notting Hill?"
"Oh, you know him?" another asked, clearly surprised.
"The Pit has a bit of a reputation as a street gang in Mancur City, right next to us. So this fight might not be as easy as people think. But I doubt most of the spectators will know that."
The second fighter nodded slowly, trying to process the information. Because it was true, most of the spectators in the rooftop venue were going off nothing but appearances and gut feeling. A few were willing to take risks and gamble on the lesser-known fighter for a large payout, but most were still betting with their eyes, not their logic.
There weren’t nearly as many people heavily favoring the other side as when Joe fought, but the odds still leaned noticeably toward Wolf’s opponent. And once again, one person in particular placed a very large bet.
"Ten million on Wolf," Chad said confidently as he hit the confirm button. "This one is in the bag! And when they get to the later rounds, where the odds stack up and the pay gets bigger, I’ll bet most of my money then."
Across from him, Vivian glanced down at the tablet in her hands. All the information regarding the bets was displayed there in real time, and she noticed immediately that Chad had finally placed another wager.
"Is this a coincidence?" she murmured, tapping her finger on the edge of the screen. "He’s only bet on those two people so far. Why?"
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Both Joe and Wolf were from the same gang, the Pit Gang. But there was no way Chad could know that unless he had some sort of connection... right?
"Alright, the bets are in!" the host shouted enthusiastically. "We now have The Rock going against The Wolf!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as both contestants dropped down into the ring. The energy on the rooftop lit up again, fueled by alcohol, adrenaline, and the promise of violence.
Rock cracked his knuckles loudly, rolling his shoulders in an exaggerated display meant to intimidate. Meanwhile, Wolf stood casually with both hands still in his pockets, wearing a calm demeanor that immediately caught the interest of everyone watching.
"I’m telling you, the silent ones are the ones you need to watch," one spectator said confidently. "That Wolf kid is going to end this with ease!"
"Right, right," his friend mocked, rolling his eyes. "You said that about the last two fights and you lost horribly. That’s why I bet on Rock."
Wolf, unlike Joe, wasn’t nervous at all. He radiated confidence, and he expected that the first person he faced wouldn’t be particularly strong. From what he’d observed of the earlier matches, the event organizers had a pattern going. Those of similar rank were thrown into the earlier rounds, and then some of the highest-ranked fighters were placed against the lowest to create those flashy, instant knockouts the crowd loved.
This structure built anticipation for the later rounds, slowly tightening the tension as viewers waited for the remaining fighters to clash.
Right now, just from looking, Wolf could tell that Rock was a C-rank fighter.
’I don’t know if it’s just a placebo effect or not,’ Wolf thought, his eyes narrowing slightly, ’but my ability to judge a person’s strength feels like it’s gotten better since I made that vow.’
He didn’t get time to dwell on the thought. The fight had already begun.
Rock charged forward with startling speed, both hands pulled back at his sides like a sprinter at full throttle. The sound of his feet pounding against the pit floor echoed across the rooftop, and for a moment, it really did look like he might crash into Wolf with a devastating blow.
At the very last second, Wolf stepped smoothly out of the way. Rock skidded across the floor, stumbling as he tried to stop himself. But he didn’t hesitate long, he launched forward again, leaping into another sprinting charge.
Wolf slipped aside once more, but this time he observed everything more clearly. The movements weren’t just visible, they were predictable. He could feel which fist Rock planned to swing. He could sense which direction he intended to rush.
’I’m not like Joe,’ Wolf reminded himself. ’I didn’t train the same way he did. I always relied on my instincts. But now... it’s almost like I can feel it. Like I know he’s going to strike with his left arm. Like I know he’s going to rush straight ahead. Like I know he’s going for a kick. Everything I think he’s going to do, he actually does, and I can’t fully explain it.’
Wolf knew why, though. They’d had time, days, to learn more about what their vow had awakened within them.
And at that moment, even more information clicked into place as he watched Rock launch forward again.
Wolf lifted his foot and stabbed it forward, sharp and precise, striking Rock directly in the lower right corner of his stomach.
Rock’s eyes bulged so far that it looked like they were about to pop out.
’What the heck, why there?! Why did he hit there of all places?!’ Rock thought frantically. ’That’s where I was stabbed! It hasn’t even fully healed!’
Wolf followed up immediately. He stepped in and drove his fist upward in a brutal uppercut. His knuckles slammed into Rock’s chin, lifting the man’s entire face and body upward before he came crashing down onto the ground.
The fight was over.
Just like that.
And once again, Chad had made money.