The Underestimated Tycoon

Chapter 8

Greg’s grin widened as he cracked his knuckles, stepping into the centre of the ring.

“Big mistake, man, but at least you’ll know your place after this.” He sneered.

Greg stood in the center of the arena, a smug grin plastered across his face. He glanced over at Ethan and asked in a mocking tone.

“Is this your first time fighting?”

“Yes.” Ethan replied curtly, not wanting to trade words unnecessarily with Greg.

“Then you really should’ve thought this through before stepping into my world.” Greg laughed, and the crowd heard his words crystal clear, which made them laugh as well.

“This is his first time fighting? He must have a death wish!” one of the people in audience muttered.

“A death wish is too mild! By the time Greg is done with him, he will fully regret his stupidity!” another one chimed in.

Ethan remained silent, his expression unreadable. He had no intention of explaining himself to Greg or the rowdy crowd egging him on from the stands.

“Tell you what, I’ll make this interesting.” ” Greg continued, a glint of cockiness in his eyes.

“You see that limited edition Lamborghini outside? I’ll bet it on this fight.” He paused for effect, flashing a charming grin toward Lily, who sat watching from the front row. “Maybe I’ll take Aria for a spin in it after I win.”

The limited edition Lamborghini was a very expensive one, and it was regarded as a family heirloom in the Holden family. However, Greg was so confident of his victory in this fight that he bet it without any hesitation. In his mind, there was no way that Ethan, a complete rookie fighter, was going to emerge victorious over him.

The crowd roared with laughter and excitement.

“You’re going to crush this guy, Greg!” someone yelled.

“Send him packing!” another voice echoed.

Aria smirked at Ethan from her seat, arms crossed, fully expecting to see him humiliated. Natalie, sitting beside her, leaned in and whispered, “This is going to be over in seconds. I almost feel bad for him.”

Ethan remained calm, even as the audience jeered and laughed. To them, he was a joke, a punching bag for Greg’s entertainment. But he knew better.

Suddenly, the crowd quieted as a stunning woman, dressed in sleek athletic gear, approached the arena. She had an air of authority, her toned frame and confident stride turning heads. Victoria, the club’s manager and the reigning record holder of the city’s fighting league, had arrived.

Hushed whispers instantly spread through the audience as she walked straight toward Ethan.

“Isn’t that Victoria, the record holder of this city’s fighting league? Why’s she heading to the new guy?” someone in the crowd muttered.

“It must be some mistake, there’s no way she’s interested in him.” another voice said.

Victoria stopped in front of Ethan, her gaze scrutinising him closely.

“I will be your personal trainer for this match,” she suddenly said, and her tone, which was usually curt and haughty when talking to others, was very polite and respectful to Ethan.

Greg’s smug grin faltered as a flicker of jealousy crossed his face, even though he would rather die than admit it.

“Why are you wasting your time with him?” He asked angrily.

Victoria didn’t even glance at Greg. She simply motioned for Ethan to follow her.

“Come with me,” she said, her voice polite and professional.

Ethan raised an eyebrow at her actions but didn’t argue with her. He followed her toward a room reserved for only the VIPs, leaving a stunned Greg and a bewildered crowd behind.

The moment they closed the door to the VIP room, Ethan immediately asked.

“Why are you doing this?”

Victoria was not surprised at Ethan’s reaction, and answered his question calmly.

“You’re a diamond member of this establishment now, which means you deserve the highest level of service.” Victoria replied immediately.

“I see.” Ethan said, and then remained silent.

Victoria, noticing his silence, handed Ethan a set of sleek combat gear. “This will help you in the arena,” she explained. “It’s designed to enhance your movements and increase your stamina.”

Ethan didn’t see the need to say anything. Instead, he donned the gear, its fit snug but flexible, allowing him full range of motion.

“I need one thing from you. Keep my identity secret. I don’t want unnecessary attention.” Ethan ordered as he adjusted the suit.

Victoria studied him for a moment, then nodded firmly.

“Understood.”

Meanwhile, in the arena, Greg was pacing, clearly agitated that Ethan hadn’t returned yet. He threw a glance toward the crowd, trying to maintain his composure, but it was clear that Victoria’s involvement had thrown him off balance.

Finally, Ethan emerged from the locker room, his new combat gear gleaming under the arena lights. The crowd’s murmurs grew louder as they saw him stride toward the centre.

“Are you ready to get this over with?” Greg regained his cocky demeanour, sneering at Ethan.

“Let’s get this started with.” Ethan said, his gaze steady as he faced Greg, completely unfazed by the taunts.

“I assume you remember the terms of the wager?” Greg sneered.

“Yes, but I want the terms of the wager to be increased tenfold,” Ethan said calmly, his words sending a ripple of shock through the crowd.

“Tenfold? Are you out of your mind?” Greg blinked, caught off guard by the bold demand.

The crowd erupted in gasps and whispers.

“He’s crazy!”

“Greg is going to destroy him!”

Still, Ethan didn’t flinch. He simply crossed his arms and waited.

Greg, clearly feeling the pressure of the audience’s eyes on him, laughed loudly, though the sound was more forced than before.

“Fine. You want to make this harder on yourself? Be my guest. But don’t cry when this ends in one punch.”

The holographic arena flickered to life around them, projecting a digital battlefield that would simulate the fight. The terms of the wager were displayed in the air:

<Winner takes all. Loser leaves>

Greg cracked his knuckles and stepped into position, the crowd roaring with anticipation.

Ethan, now in his combat gear, took his place across from him.

The crowd was fully on Greg’s side, booing Ethan, as they were fairly certain that he wouldn’t last more than a few seconds.

“End it with one punch, Greg!” someone shouted from the stands.

Right then, the system began the countdown.

“Three... Two... One... FIGHT!”

Greg charged forward, confident in his victory. His first punch was aimed squarely at Ethan’s head, intended to knock him out cold, but something unexpected happened.

Ethan dodged Greg’s punch effortlessly, his movements quick and precise. Greg’s punch hit nothing but air, and before he could react, Ethan delivered three lightning-fast punches in return—each one connecting with surgical precision.

The crowd fell silent as the system beeped, announcing the result.

<Winner: Ethan.>

The holographic display flashed the same result three times in a row, confirming the outcome.

The entire arena was in shock. Greg stood frozen, disbelief etched on his face.

Ethan had won.