With a continuous onslaught directed at Lao Hei, Natsuhi unleashed a combination of jabs, straights, and hooks, keeping the big guy in front of her suppressed and forcing him back!
After the initial barrage, Lao Hei hadn't been able to find an opportunity to counterattack, forced to keep his hands up in front of him, blocking constantly.
Having been tricked by feints twice in a row, he was now hesitant, not daring to look for an opening to counter.
His opponent's boxing technique was refined, and her legwork was even more fierce; the occasional low kick always landed solidly, and the worst part was that he couldn't do a thing about her.
His abdomen still throbbed with pain, his chest felt like it had been violently stabbed with a rod, and even his right thigh was struggling to support him, but all of that was manageable.
Compared to the monsters in the fighting arena, this young girl's attacks were still too gentle; the force hadn't reached a level that could destroy him in one blow.
However, being suppressed and beaten by a woman like this... as a fighter, his pride wouldn't allow him to keep cowering like this...
"Damn it, have you had enough!"
Lao Hei roared loudly. Just after blocking a right hook, he gritted his teeth and immediately retaliated with a powerful right hook of his own.
But as she ducked to dodge it, Natsuhi retaliated with a left hook that struck Lao Hei's exposed flank during his recovery frame.
Lao Hei felt as if his liver had shifted, followed by a jolt of pain like an electric current surging through his entire body. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to hold on.
While attacking, Natsuhi was also observing every move Lao Hei made. This body's reaction speed was a bit slow, so to dodge her opponent's attacks, she had to anticipate them slightly.
With such a disparity in strength between the two, it was meaningless for Natsuhi to use her hands to block; she could only ensure she wouldn't be killed in one hit.
[Huh? Is it my imagination? Her offensive seems to have slowed down, and her strength has diminished quite a bit...]
The suppressed Lao Hei suddenly felt his body lighten; the force of the left hook that could have ended the fight earlier didn't seem as potent as it was at the beginning.
On the other side, Natsuhi's expression darkened.
[Not good, I don't have much strength left.]
Yes, her stamina was nearly exhausted. The speed and power of her punches had dropped significantly, and they no longer posed the threat they did at the start.
Real combat is not like skills in a game where you can just unleash punches and kicks at will.
Every punch and every kick is accompanied by a massive consumption of stamina. While larger movements can increase attack power, they also consume stamina at an alarming rate.
Fighting is not a turn-based game where you hit me and I hit you; it is a competition of rapid circling, cutting in, movement, and counterattacking in a real scenario.
Even though a champion like Natsuhi was very careful about the efficiency of her stamina usage, she still hadn't been able to finish off her opponent before running out of energy.
In fact, it had been less than a minute since the fight started, and she was already panting, finding it difficult to lift her arms.
Yet the bald Lao Hei opposite her could maintain peak condition for three rounds in a five-minute round-based format!
[Damn, does she not exercise at all usually?!]
Natsuhi gritted her teeth in frustration; she had been suppressing him perfectly, and just a little more persistence would have brought success.
Without endurance, all technique, strength, and speed will drop significantly in a short amount of time.
The saying goes that "strength overcomes ten techniques," but in most fighting matches, it's actually "endurance overcomes ten techniques." Many people are defeated when their enemies seize the opportunity while they are exhausted.
This is also the significance of many defensive "turtle" fighting styles; as long as you can withstand the opponent's first wave of burst damage, you will be in an absolute advantage for the rest of the match, leading the fight!
As said from the beginning, the physical fitness of the two was worlds apart, with the gap in stamina being particularly prominent.
Natsuhi was exhausted, while Lao Hei's breathing was only slightly ragged, mostly due to his physical injuries and Natsuhi's initial blitz.
"Yo, little wildcat, looks like you don't have much stamina, hahahaha."
"I didn't expect your moves to be so fierce, yet in the end, you can't even maintain your offense for a minute?"
Glancing at Natsuhi out of the corner of his eye, Lao Hei immediately understood what was going on; he didn't know how many such stamina-deficient weaklings he had already worn out in the ring.
Playing defensively feels good for a moment, and playing defensively all the time feels good all the time.
It's all about draining your stamina, then humiliating you and beating you to a pulp!
Feeling the soft punches landing on his body, Lao Hei even felt like the opponent was acting coquettishly toward him, with the heart willing but the strength lacking.
Lao Hei suddenly thought Natsuhi seemed quite cute; this contrast would definitely feel great once he subdued her.
"Your way of acting coquettish is actually quite cute. Don't worry, brother will properly let you see what'stamina' means in a bit!"
After easily dodging Natsuhi's lead jab, Lao Hei didn't pause at all. He was already a slow-starter, and with visions of Natsuhi's defeat CG constantly playing in his mind, his blood was boiling.
A fierce, swift hook went straight for Natsuhi's abdomen. Seeing this, Natsuhi hurriedly used both hands to block the trajectory of the attack.
But it was useless. This heavy punch punched right through her guard, sending Natsuhi's body flying and slamming her backward!
With the massive difference in physique and Natsuhi's exhausted stamina, it seemed she no longer had any strength to resist.
Her defense was completely vulnerable in the face of such heaven-defying strength; brute force really does perform miracles!
Natsuhi immediately spat out saliva; this heavy punch made it difficult for her to even stand.
"Watch closely, this is… a real punch."
Looking at Natsuhi, who was staggering and barely able to stand, Lao Hei squeezed his fists, his tone cruel and mocking, knowing that the outcome of this fight had been decided.
Immediately after, he delivered another side kick, slamming it hard into Natsuhi's body.
Natsuhi flew backward, her head tilted back. When she hit the ground, she even slid several meters, only stopping when she hit the counter.
"And then… this is a real kick."
Lao Hei patted his leg, retracted it, and smiled. He walked over with a heavy, swaying gait, as if he couldn't hold back anymore.
[Damn it, I'm really pissed off!]
Natsuhi hadn't expected to be mocked by a third-rate fighter, and as a champion, her pride made her want to kill him.