Friendship Comes First, Competition Comes Second

Boom! Boom! Boom!

On the black mats, in the seventh minute, Andrew landed a punch on Max's forehead. The crowd erupted in exclamations, wondering if this time Max had truly met a formidable opponent.

But almost immediately, Max countered with a blow just as powerful as the one he'd received.

Boom!

Andrew caught a flash of light at the edge of his vision. Before he could react, Max's punch connected with a resounding thud, hitting Andrew's face like a speeding car.

Andrew's neck twisted sharply to the left as saliva, mucus, and sweat flew from him. Dazed, the world spinning around him, Andrew stumbled back two steps before gravity pulled him heavily to the ground.

Crash!

"Point!"

The audience immediately burst into excitement. Although the fight had been brilliant in its earlier moments, what they truly wanted was to witness Max knocking his opponent out with a spectacular punch. They had waited a long time and were finally rewarded. The emotions they'd bottled up erupted like floods and volcanic lava.

"Max!"

"The All Valley Champion!"

"This year's championship is in the bag for Cobra Kai!"

"Max!!"

The crowd roared at the top of their lungs. Fans jumped, some ripped off their shirts, and others spilled beer, releasing the dopamine and adrenaline coursing through their bodies.

Andrew picked himself up from the ground, twisting his neck. The referee asked if he could continue, and Andrew nodded.

"Fight!"

Andrew shot a calculating glance at Max, slowly closing the distance.

"You've got this, Max! Finish him!" Devon clenched her fists in excitement, shouting small words of encouragement.

The two fighters continued their clash for several more minutes. Max executed a skillful combination—a left kick followed by a right straight—that sent Andrew crashing down again.

"Point!"

Andrew rose once more.

The cheers grew louder, celebrating both Max's stunning knockdowns and Andrew's resilience. The sound was like a fierce wind blowing from the mountains.

"Fake, all of it's fake. With Max's power, could he really knock Andrew down with just three hits?"

Joey observed the tens of thousands in the arena cheering for Max and scoffed at their enthusiasm. Watching Georges smiling from afar, Joey felt surrounded by fools.

"Stop this!"

Robby couldn't stand how Max seemed to toy with Andrew. His imagination ran wild, accusing Max of playing with his opponent.

"The match is over..." murmured Daniel as he watched Max land a spinning kick to Andrew's ribs—a strike that would likely prevent him from getting up again. Even if Andrew managed to stand, he had already lost on points.

The referee immediately stepped in to stop the fight.

"The winner of this match is..." The referee stood in the center of the combat arena, grabbing Max's arm, ready to raise it. Before he could, Andrew stepped forward, took Max's hand, and raised it himself.

"Max Jones!" he shouted.

"Wow!"

"That's the spirit of a fighter!" the crowd yelled with excitement.

To the audience, the fight wasn't just thrilling but a well-matched contest of skill and sportsmanship.

"Max, congratulations on defeating Andrew and becoming the first captain to qualify for the quarterfinals. What would you like to say?" The host handed Max the microphone.

"There's only one thing I want to say," Max said, panting as he held the microphone. "Friendship comes first, competition second. As for Andrew, he's an exceptional fighter. He fought well, and I'm sure he'll have many more opportunities to showcase his incredible martial arts in future tournaments."

As he spoke, Max also lifted Andrew's arm.

"Wow!"

"Max is a true gentleman."

"Max, the champion! Max, the champion! Max, the champion!"

The audience and fans waved their arms, shouting with enthusiasm.

"Max is amazing. Not only is he skilled, but he's also a great sportsman. We should all learn from him—humility is the first step to success," one spectator said, wiping away tears.

Meanwhile, Joey, standing beside his sensei, turned his gaze away in anger. "Obviously, this is a fake karate match, probably rigged with money. Why are all these fools praising Max and calling him humble?"

"I'll expose that fake mask of his with my fists," Joey muttered, vowing to defeat Max in front of Georges and prove that replacing him was a mistake.

"I'm not sure it was a fake match," Daniel said, unsure about the accusations against Max, who had shown undeniable skill.

"If it was fake, then Max and Andrew are truly incredible. They fought so well that even a fake match seemed real. No, it felt more real than most ordinary matches because it captivated such a massive audience."

When Max returned to his group, he looked at Devon and asked, "Are you ready to qualify?"

"Of course. Just watch."

Ryan, standing nearby and also preparing for his matches, muttered, "Yeah, sure. You two are just friends."

"What are you talking about?" Miguel asked, jogging over with only one goal in mind—defeating Robby.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Ryan replied.