章 7: Brawl
In the cramped alleyway, Lorenzo stood ready for battle, his gaze locked on Max. Max sneered with a hint of mockery, "Oh, look at you, trying to act all tough."
Patrick chimed in, addressing Max, "He did land a pretty solid hit on you, though."
Philip added with surprise, "It's quite something to see someone as unassuming as him put on such a brave front."
Max, with a grin, conceded, "I'll give him that; he did pack a good punch. But that doesn't mean he's going to win this." As he raised his fist, his stance and smug expression made it clear he was seriously underestimating Lorenzo.
Lorenzo, meanwhile, remained silent, fists raised, his eyes alert and fixed on Max. Flashbacks of past fights flickered through his mind—brutal confrontations with gangs armed with knives and metal bats. Back then, Lorenzo had his robust physique and weapons to depend on. But now, things were different...
The body Lorenzo now inhabited was far from the peak of health—it was frail, almost emaciated, lacking the physical prowess he once relied on. Moreover, Lorenzo found himself unarmed, a stark contrast to his previous life's encounters.
What he possessed, however, was a wealth of combat knowledge and skills from his past experiences. Despite this advantage, Lorenzo knew he had to approach the confrontation with Max cautiously...
In a swift movement, as Max charged at him, possibly aiming for a chokehold, Lorenzo's instincts kicked in. He dodged with ease, channeling his past life's expertise. Following the dodge, Lorenzo landed a solid punch on Max's face, causing him to stagger back.
Max's lip split, oozing blood that he hastily wiped away with his shirt before regaining his stance. This time, his demeanor shifted drastically; his eyes hardened, a serious glare replacing his previous underestimation. In a thick New York accent, he growled, "Now you've done it. You've really gone and made me mad." The tone he used were unmistakably indicative of his newfound seriousness and determination.
Patrick and Philip exchanged glances, their initial assessment of the slender young man before them as being too fragile now cast in doubt...
Max's gaze also settled on Lorenzo, yet what he and his friends saw was not the expected falter; instead, Lorenzo maintained a firm stance, eyes locked on his opponent. Max's expression turned grave as he noticed Lorenzo's feet, moving with the fluid grace and precision like a boxer, ready to dance around blows.
In the 1940s USA, boxing captivated the nation, with many men idolizing a handful of professional fighters of the era.
So, when Max and his buddies noticed Lorenzo adopting a boxer's stance, they weren't taken aback. Yet, the sight of Lorenzo channeling a pugilist spurred Max to shed his coat and mirror a boxer's posture as well.
"Max, this guy thinks he's Ray Robinson. Look at his footwork," Philip remarked to Max, who had just been struck forcefully by Lorenzo.
At the time, "Sugar" Ray Robinson was a professional boxer whose rising fame had caught the attention of many young men.
"I didn't expect this guy to actually know how to throw punches, and to land two on you, Max. If you need backup, we're right here," Patrick said to Max, barely suppressing a laugh.
"Cut it out, guys," Max retorted, fixing Lorenzo with a piercing gaze, sweat beading on his forehead. He declared to Lorenzo, "If you think you're 'Sugar' Ray Robinson, then consider me Joe Louis."
Joe Louis, a legendary figure in boxing known earlier than Sugar Ray Robinson, earned the nickname "Brown Bomber" for his devastating power punches and relentless fighting style.
Seeing Max attempt to emulate a boxer, Lorenzo couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Max and his friends might have thought Lorenzo was merely playing the part of a boxer, but little did they know, Lorenzo had honed his boxing skills in his previous life.
As Max advanced towards Lorenzo, throwing a jab, Lorenzo effortlessly dodged before striking Max on the head with swift agility, causing him to stagger.
As time wore on, the bout unfolded with Lorenzo maintaining an unexpected upper hand against Max. Max's friends, Patrick and Philip, watched with growing concern as their friend's face bore the toll of the fight—bruises, swelling, and traces of blood.
"Max, I'm not kidding around this time. You really could use our help!" Patrick said, his worry evident.
"Come on, Max! Drop the ego. He might not look it, but this guy's tough. We're here for you if you need us—"
Max, frustration seething through his words even as his vision blurred, snapped, "I... I don't need your guys'... help..."
Max's pride was palpable; even in the face of clear disadvantage, he refused his friends' offer of assistance. His arrogance, particularly after underestimating Lorenzo—who appeared frail but revealed considerable skill in combat—made it all the more difficult for him to concede that he might need help.
Even though Lorenzo was ahead in the fight, it didn't mean he was coming out unscathed. Despite dodging most of Max's jabs, a few landed—the result of either a momentary sluggishness in his movements or a tactical decision to trade blows with Max.
At this point, Max was clearly struggling. To Lorenzo, it seemed Max had become nothing more than a human punching bag.
Swish! Swish!
Lorenzo's jabs sliced through the air, targeting Max. Max, in a futile attempt to retaliate, found his punches too slow and unfocused due to his blurred vision and drained energy. Lorenzo easily sidestepped these weak attempts and relentlessly drove his fists into Max's face.
Patrick and Philip, witnessing their friend's defeat, shared a look of concern and silently agreed to step in, despite Max's objections.
But just as they were about to intervene, Lorenzo unleashed a decisive uppercut without a moment's hesitation.
Max let out a pained groan, the force of the uppercut sending him reeling backward, eyes rolling white as he seemed to nearly faint, blood trickling from his mouth...
"Max!" "Max!" Patrick and Philip shouted in unison, rushing to their friend's side. "Come on, Max! Wake up! Max!"
Max was in bad shape, having taken a severe beating from Lorenzo.
The sight of Max in this state brought back painful memories for Patrick and Philip, reminding them of their friend Dominick, who they had lost two years earlier.
Patrick, fury in his eyes, turned to Lorenzo and accused, "You monster! Look what you've done to our friend!"
Philip, his gaze heavy with sorrow, warned Lorenzo, "You better hope nothing serious happens to our friend, or... we'll make sure you regret it."
Lorenzo responded to their threats with a chuckle, unfazed. "I didn't pick this fight. And... I did warn your friend to stay away of my way, but he wouldn't listen. Now, see the consequences."
Just as Philip was about to escalate the situation by drawing a knife, Max's weak voice cut through the tension. "I... I can't lose... What... What would Noodles and Dominick say if they found out... That I lost... It's too shameful..."
Hearing Max speak, Patrick and Philip breathed a sigh of relief, yet they couldn't help feeling sorry for him. Even in his battered state, Max was concerned about what their late friends, Noodles and Dominick, would think of him.
Two years ago, they faced the loss of two dear friends. Dominick, a vibrant young Italian, had his life cut tragically short, while their other friend, Noodles, found himself behind bars.
"Max..." Patrick murmured before turning to Philip, "Let's help him up. He needs medical attention."
"Right, let's take him to Peggy!" Philip agreed, nodding emphatically.
With that, the two friends reached a consensus, supporting Max to his feet. As they steadied him, Patrick glared at Lorenzo, pointing a finger, "As for you..." But Philip cut him off.
"Hold on, what's your name?" Philip asked, cutting through the tension to inquire about Lorenzo's identity.
Lorenzo, despite being roughed up from the scrap with Max, managed to spit out a mixture of saliva and blood before answering, "My name's Lorenzo."
Philip nodded gravely, his tone serious. "Lorenzo, we're not finished here. We'll be back to make sure you understand exactly where you fit into this neighborhood."
Patrick chimed in with a stern warning, "You'd better be ready, Lorenzo."
Despite their stern warnings, there was an underlying sense of respect; both were silently taken aback by Lorenzo's ability to best Max, especially given Lorenzo's slender frame and youthful appearance.
Lorenzo, unfazed, responded with a confident chuckle, "Yeah... I'll be waiting. Let's see what you've got." Slipping his hands into his pockets, he added, "I'm looking forward to the day I'll take you two down, even harder than your friend there."
Philip, clearly irked, spat near Lorenzo's feet, muttering, "Arrogant punk. Just you wait."
With that, Patrick and Philip turned to leave, supporting the bruised and battered Max between them as they walked away.
Lorenzo watched as they retreated, then casually wiped the trace of blood from his lips with his hand, smearing it on his shirt. As he stood there, lost in his thoughts, he was unaware of the eyes observing him from a distance.
Deborah peered out from the doorway of the deli that led into the alley, having just witnessed Lorenzo's confrontation with Max.
She had been about to step outside through the deli's back door that opened into the alleyway when a disturbance caught her ear. Curiosity piqued, she peeked out to see what was happening and found Lorenzo embroiled in a confrontation with the friends of her childhood friend, Noodles.
Initially, Deborah's concern for Lorenzo spiked; after all, he was outnumbered. But as the fight unfolded with Max taking on Lorenzo solo, she braced for what she thought would be a quick defeat for Lorenzo. To her utter amazement, however, Lorenzo not only held his ground but also managed to overpower Max.
The sight of Lorenzo fighting with such finesse left her astonished. It was completely unexpected, not something she would have ever anticipated from him...
Meanwhile, Lorenzo, oblivious to Deborah's watchful eyes, was preoccupied with a bewildering sight of his own. Before him floated a transparent interface, with text that read, [Congratulations! You have awakened the "Godfather System"!!!]
Intrigued and somewhat perplexed, Lorenzo pondered internally, "Godfather System?"
Faced with the bizarre sight of a floating transparent interface in front of him, Lorenzo decided to leave the alley behind. He was determined to head back to his apartment and figure out what this interface was all about.
As he merged with the crowd on the bustling streets, Lorenzo half-expected passersby to notice the odd, hovering screen before him. However, to his surprise, everyone seemed oblivious to its presence. This led Lorenzo to the conclusion that he must be the only one capable of seeing the interface.
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