Chapter 234 Points Knockout System

The overwhelming odds in favor of Buhara showed that the audiences ultimately judged based on physical size.

In the battle footage that had just played, both Law and Buhara eliminated their opponents in an instant, giving the audience a similar impression of their strength. As a result, they favored the larger, more robust Buhara.

"It looks like everyone has more confidence in Mr. Buhara, who has an absolute advantage in size. Now, before the match begins, let me introduce the rules."

The female commentator held the microphone attached to the headset between her thumb and index finger, with a spring-like smile on her face.

"The match will follow a knockout scoring system. The first contestant to reach ten points or achieve a KO will be declared the winner."

"There are three ways to score points. The first is a clean hit. If you hit the opponent cleanly, you will get one point. The second is a critical hit. If you hit the opponent and knock him down, you will get two points. The third is down. By knocking the opponent down, you will get one point."

The clear voice of the commentator girl spread throughout the venue.

All matches in Heavens Arena followed this Knockout Scoring System, including the biennial Battle Olympia, which used the same rules.

In most matches, fighters aimed for the first and second scoring methods. However, some fighters specialized in the third method, utilizing techniques similar to judo or wrestling to score by throwing opponents down rather than landing clean strikes.

Every fighter had their specialty. Those who mastered the third method had their own strengths, and while it lacked the raw impact of powerful strikes, it could still be executed in an aesthetically pleasing way, something the audience could appreciate.

However, this method was considered by other contestants to be a sneaky way to 'steal points'!

On the ring, the life and death of the contestants are not protected by the organizers. It is common for one of the contestants to be seriously injured or die. Therefore, the role of the referee is to prevent this phenomenon as much as possible.

A referee with higher skills would adjust the scoring pace based on the strength gap between the fighters, so that the match can end faster, thus ensuring that a weaker contestant wouldn't be brutally beaten over an extended period.

At the center of the arena, the referee stood between Law and Buhara, extending his hands outward as he faced them.

On the giant screen, a high-definition feed displayed the scene in the ring. Both Law and Buhara looked relaxed, while the referee maintained his usual stern expression.

The referee's gaze shifted between them before asking, "Are you both ready?"

Law and Buhara both nodded and then looked at each other.

Seeing this, the referee took a few steps back, then raised his fist.

In the commentary booth, the commentator, noticing the referee's cue, raised her voice excitedly: "The contestants are ready... FIGHT!"

The moment her voice rang out, the audience in the auditorium suddenly burst into waves of noise with their fists raised, and all kinds of shouting followed one after another.

"Boss, here I come!"

On the ring, Buhara was the first to move. He charged towards Law like a chariot. There was no trace of Aura around him, showing he was fighting in Zetsu state.

It is Law's idea. They had agreed not to use Nen and to rely solely on physical strength and combat skills. Buhara obeyed Law's words and of course had no objections.

However, Buhara's combat skills were not particularly strong, whereas under Biscuit's tutelage, Law had mastered the Shingen-ryu martial arts.

Seeing Buhara charge forward, Law slightly shifted his body to the side, bent his knees slightly, extended his left fist outward, and kept his right fist clenched near his chest.

His right hand was significantly stronger than his left, yet it was positioned closer to his chest as the secondary strike, while his weaker left hand was extended as the lead. This stance suggested that Shingen-ryu emphasized counterattacks, where the latter strike surpassed the first.

The commentator, unfamiliar with Shingen-ryu techniques, narrated, "Mr. Buhara takes the initiative with an aggressive charge toward Mr. Law, but Mr. Law remains calm and assumes a stance!"

Buhara reached Law, swinging his long, ape-like arm fiercely toward Law's side, generating a sharp whistling sound as it cut through the air.

This was his signature slap technique, and he didn't hold back in the slightest, because this was Law's request. Though he was reluctant, Buhara still followed the orders when Law insisted on a no-holds-barred fight.

Without the aid of Aura, Law's dynamic vision had weakened considerably, but through his sparring with Biscuit, he had long adapted to relentless attacks.

'It was indeed fast and fierce, but compared to that brute of a woman, Biscuit, it still fell far short!'

Law abruptly ducked, evading Buhara's strike. He bent his knees, planted his foot firmly on the ground, and was about to lunge into Buhara's range for a counterattack when Buhara swiftly retracted his missed strike and swung the back of his hand toward Law's temple.

There were two ways to win: either accumulating enough points steadily or securing a KO. Striking the temple or the back of the neck was one of the most effective ways to achieve a KO.

Law quickly redirected his momentum, halting his advance. Instead, he raised his left hand to intercept Buhara's powerful strike, firmly gripping Buhara's wrist.

Despite his seemingly weaker physique, he stood as steady as a mountain.

Seeing this scene, the audience erupted in astonishment. This was akin to watching a massive bear swinging a mighty paw at a boy, only for the boy to catch it effortlessly.

"Huh?" Buhara's eyes flashed with surprise. He knew what his strengths were, which were his appetite and raw power. However, from the steady force transmitted through his arm, he realized Law was far from weak.

While Law was holding Buhara's wrist, his face was calm and focused. His right hand, which had been pressed against his chest, suddenly shot forward as it opened to a claw, seizing Buhara's elbow before yanking it forcefully backward.

Buhara's fat body staggered forward uncontrollably, his movements clumsy, making it look as if he were about to topple over.

"Oh! Mr. Law has locked onto Mr. Buhara's arm and… wait, he's executing a shoulder throw!" The commentator's voice carried a tinge of shock.

With a swift motion, Law flipped Buhara into the air and sent him crashing down.

Although Buhara's massive size gave him an advantage, it also had its drawbacks, that is, he was too cumbersome. This flaw became even more apparent when Nen was not in play.

After seeing Law throwing Buhara out, the referee on the side watched intently and refrained from calling the points immediately. He sensed that Law was not finished attacking.

Sure enough, Law took a few steps forward, twisted his body, and drove his elbow backward into Buhara's abdomen before he even landed.

Bang!

The sound of impact on flesh momentarily drowned out the noise of the venue.

Buhara let out a muffled grunt. He was initially about to land steadily, but was hit by the elbow and was knocked him sideways, sending him crashing to the ground with a pained expression.

Seeing this, the referee raised his hand and formed a scissor gesture, announcing, "Critical hit!"

"Mr. Law, with a brilliant counter, has scored the first two points against the aggressive Mr. Buhara!" The commentator shouted excitedly.

In the audience, the people who had bet on Law erupted into cheers!

The referee quickly approached Buhara to assess his condition, but before he could say a word, Buhara had already stood up, casually wiping the small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. He looked as though he was completely unfazed.

"Buhara, I told you not to hold back." Law once again assumed the same stance.

Buhara chuckled and said, "I wasn't holding back. If anything, boss, you weren't using your full strength just now!"

Law smiled when he heard that. He did restrain his strength in that elbow strike, but Buhara had noticed it. This is not a battle with Nen, so without Aura to measure power, detecting Law was holding back was extremely difficult.

This proved that Buhara possessed extraordinary sensitivity to strength. From the moment Law had caught his arm, he had likely already gauged Law's maximum power.