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Devil Face started circling the cage, Red comfortably in the center. He went around and around, faking a jab every now and then, but to no avail. Red wouldn’t crack any time soon.
“You can do it!” I heard Julia cheer from somewhere behind me.
“Come on, Red!” Cash joined in. “You got this!”
Red made no throws and no kicks, braced on the balls of his feet for an attack that never came. Devil Face was playing mind games with him, circling like some sort of predator playing with its food. It continued like this, around and around and around until the five allotted minutes were up. The bell sounded and the round was over.
The audience booed, dissatisfied with the inaction.
“The fuck was that?” Cash snapped. “You’re a pussy, Jones!”
“What he said!” Julia chimed in.
I climbed up the steps and entered the cage. “He’s trying to frustrate you,” I told Red.
“It’s fucking working. All that talk and the asshole doesn’t even try to come at me.”
“Don’t let it bother you. Just keep calm. If he wants to tire himself out, let him. His form’s all over the place and he leaves his left side unguarded.”
Red nodded. “I noticed that too.”
“If you get him with a roundhouse, he won’t know what hit him. Be patient, and then make him regret every word out of his mouth.”
“You got it, coach.”
I smirked. “Give him hell.”
“Fighters to your sides!” the referee shouted. He brought his hand back down, slicing through the hair. “Fight!”
The second round started with much the same strategy from Devil Face. It was honestly such a joke. I knew it. Red knew it. Everybody watching knew it. Devil Face was a coward through and through.
With one minute on the clock remaining, Red had finally had enough. He switched his leading foot and slipped into an unorthodox stance, putting all his weight into a left-hand headshot. His fist connected cleanly with Devil Face’s nose. Red blood sprayed onto the mat, painting his monochrome tattoos with a much-needed swatch of color.
Devil Face stumbled back, blinking hard as he attempted to gather his bearings.
Red didn’t let him.
He followed with a right body hook, a left uppercut, a right roundhouse right to the ribs. Onlookers roared in support as Red pummeled Devil Face against the metal cage, every single one of his hits snapping out with impressive speed. It was a wonder Red didn’t knock the bastard out.
If anything, it would have been a mercy if he smacked Devil Face unconscious. He was never going to recover from this humiliation.
“Get him in a hold!” I shouted at Red from across the octagon. “Make him submit!”
Red did just that, trapping Devil Face beneath him in a headlock.
Three seconds later, he tapped out.
It was over. The crowd wentwild.
“Yes!” I cheered, rushing into the ring to hug the hell out of him. “You did it!”
Out of nowhere, Cash pounced on Red’s back. “Fuck yeah, man! You gave him hell!”
Red smiled, his relief mixing with his joy and excitement. “Holy shit, I did it.”
I looked around, searching for Julia. She was still in the front row, clapping and cheering with a big smile on her face. All it took was once glance to know there was more than just pride in her eyes.
There was also a deep, demanding hunger.
