On June 4th, the coaching team gathered for the upcoming match, which was to be held in Helsinki, the capital of Finland.
Finland, located in Northern Europe, shares borders with Sweden, Norway, and Russia. With a total population of just over five million, Helsinki is the country's only city with over one million residents. One-third of Finland's territory lies within the Arctic Circle, giving it long, frigid winters and short, mild summers.
Yet despite its harsh climate, Finland ranks among the world's wealthiest nations. Its per capita GDP far surpasses the European average. It's also regarded as one of the least corrupt countries and consistently ranks first in global happiness surveys...
Even from the airplane window, Jason Luo was captivated by the breathtaking scenery below. Finland, known as the "Land of a Thousand Lakes," has 179 rivers and 188,000 lakes. Nearly all of Helsinki's buildings are constructed from light-colored granite, earning it the title "White City of the North."
After landing and settling into their hotel, Rod told everyone they could move about freely. Finland was one of the safest countries in the world—he just reminded them to be mindful of local customs. The Finns disliked loud behavior and prying questions, and wasting food was considered extremely rude. Wherever you ate, it was best to finish everything on your plate...
Jason Luo wasn't interested in sightseeing. He simply accompanied Coach Brown for a casual walk through the city. Curiously, in such a wealthy country, luxury brand stores were rare, and few luxury cars appeared on the streets. Most people preferred cycling or walking.
Their clothing was simple and modest, but what struck him most were their smiles—pure, childlike smiles that Jason Luo knew he would never forget...
After a brief walk around the city, Jason Luo and Brown returned to the hotel. This place truly felt like humanity's dream paradise—a land that filled one with both yearning and envy, because such peaceful, contented lives were not meant for him.
Back in his room, Jason Luo spent a long while calming himself down. Everyone's life path was different. He was still in his fighting years—he had to keep striving and couldn't allow such comfort to dull his will to fight.
To keep that determination burning, Jason Luo began training in his hotel room...
...
Although Finland was a permanently neutral country, its men—hardened by the northern cold—carried a natural fighting spirit. The next day, the boxing arena was packed with spectators.
Durant clearly enjoyed considerable fame in Finland. When he entered, the crowd erupted, chanting in unison, "Quick Blade! Quick Blade!"
Jason Luo's entrance, however, was met with silence. There were very few people of his background in Finland, and this was an away game—naturally, the reception was cold.
The only ones paying close attention to him were the reporters ringside. Flashbulbs flickered continuously, as if they were waiting to capture the moment he fell.
Before the fight began, Brown reminded him, "Take the initiative—go hard!"
Jason Luo nodded, bumping fists firmly.
Once in the ring, the referee performed a quick check, signaled both fighters to touch gloves, and the match began!
As the referee's arm dropped, both Jason Luo and Durant lunged forward at once—Durant clearly wanted to control the rhythm!
But Jason Luo refused to yield. The instant they met, they launched into a fierce exchange!
Durant's punches were fast—especially his rear-hand power shots. His rapid combinations sliced through the air with sharp "whoosh" sounds. But the punches lacked the raw force to truly threaten Jason Luo.
After feeling the impact firsthand, Jason Luo quickly understood his opponent's strength. With a loud roar, he activated the Intermediate Offensive Title effect. His aura surged, his offensive power rising to a new level.
Durant looked startled but remained defiant. How dare a rookie act so arrogant?
He would soon regret that. Jason Luo, spurred by thoughts of Carl Frazier, had decided to develop a far more aggressive style—ruthless and unrelenting.
Barely two exchanges had passed when Jason Luo suddenly launched a flanking attack—executed in the spiral offensive style Brown had taught him.
He stepped wide to Durant's left, ducked low, and drove two heavy hooks into Durant's ribs. Drawing his opponent's guard, he suddenly spun 360 degrees, hopping to Durant's right side. Using the momentum of the spin, he swung a brutal hook toward Durant's head!
Durant's eyes widened in shock. Catching sight of the punch too late, he couldn't dodge—he raised one arm to guard his head and braced for impact.
The blow was devastating. The power transmitted through his glove to his skull, jerking his head violently to the right. At that very moment, Jason Luo's lead left hook—launched almost simultaneously—struck.
The terrifying effect of the double-hook combination exploded instantly. Durant's head, whipped to the right, collided directly with Jason Luo's incoming punch.
The combined force was monstrous. The Finnish fighter crumpled to the canvas like he'd been hit by a train.
Gasps filled the arena. The audience was stunned—some hadn't even sat down yet. Could the fight already be over?
Worse still, it was their hometown favorite who'd been floored. Disbelief rippled through the crowd.
Too fast!
The referee instinctively glanced at the timer—only 31 seconds had passed since the opening bell!
Jason Luo saw Durant collapse and instantly regretted it. Damn it, I dropped him too soon! I forgot the most important thing—I still need to collect Vitality!
He went down without spilling a drop of blood. If I win now, it's such a waste...
If the dazed Durant could hear his thoughts, he'd probably die of rage.
The punch had done serious damage, but in front of his home crowd, in the capital no less, Durant couldn't accept being dropped by a newcomer in the opening seconds.
Fueled by sheer pride, he gritted his teeth and pushed himself back up. The audience cheered in relief.
"Way to go, Quick Blade! Stay strong!"
"Come on! We believe in you!"
Believe in him? Yeah, right!
The referee stepped in to check on him. Durant's eyes were glazed and unfocused, but when asked if he wanted to continue, he stubbornly insisted he could fight.
The referee had no choice but to resume the match, though he now watched Durant carefully, ready to stop it at any moment.
Jason Luo, seeing his opponent rise again, broke into a delighted grin. What a good sport! These Finns really knew how to show respect. Fine then—out of courtesy, I won't let you fall again before you bleed!
But Durant was barely standing. Jason Luo had no choice but to press forward cautiously, throwing probing jabs and aiming for his opponent's nose—hoping to draw blood without knocking him out too soon...
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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