The Bid of Blood

Inside a private room overlooking the arena, a young man stood silently behind a wall of glass.

Below him, the stadium was already packed. Wealthy patrons filled the seats, their voices blending into a restless roar as they waited for the match to begin.

This was not a basketball arena.

Nor was it meant for professional boxing.

This place existed for something far darker.

An illegal underground ring where fights did not end with knockouts or referee counts. Victory came only when one fighter could no longer stand or breathe.

Most of the audience consisted of powerful figures, businessmen, gang leaders, mafia representatives, and members of underground syndicates. Money flowed as freely as blood in this place.

The young man watched calmly from the safety of the lounge, a glass of wine resting loosely in his hand as guests continued to arrive below.

Then his gaze stopped.

A young woman entered the arena alongside a middle-aged man and another younger escort. Fear was unmistakable on her face. Her steps were hesitant, her eyes searching the unfamiliar surroundings as if looking for escape.

The man followed them with quiet interest.

He watched as the two escorts approached a businessman dressed in an expensive suit. The man inspected the girl openly, lifting her chin with his fingers before smiling in satisfaction.

The young man’s grip around his wine glass tightened slightly.

“What do we have for tonight’s match?” he asked without taking his eyes off the scene.

Another man in a suit stepped beside him respectfully.

“Mr. Valdez wants to recover from his previous loss,” the assistant replied.

“Does he still have money left to bet?” the young man asked calmly. “I heard he already lost all his properties.”

“Not money this time, boss.”

The assistant glanced toward the businessman below.

“He’s offering his daughter as collateral. And he requested the Boxing King to fight under his name.”

The young man’s expression barely changed, but his eyes sharpened.

Daughter?

He continued watching the trembling girl as she was guided toward a seat near the ring.

“He’s that desperate to win back what he lost?” he asked.

“He has nothing left to lose.”

The young man finally turned his head slightly.

“You said, daughter. Everyone knows Valdez doesn’t have one.”

“He recently registered a girl under his family name. The council approved it, so the Boxing King is allowed to represent him.”

Silence filled the room.

Below, the businessman placed an arm around the girl’s shoulders, guiding her possessively toward the front-row seats.

The young man slowly swirled the wine in his glass.

“Daughter, I see,” he murmured.

“Your decision, boss?” the assistant asked carefully.

After a brief pause, the young man smiled faintly, a smile that carried no warmth.

“Arrange for the Boxing King to fight under Mr. Valdez.”

The assistant hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“It’s fine,” the young man replied, eyes never leaving the frightened girl. “I know exactly what to do with him.”

 As ordered, the undefeated champion known as the Boxing King entered the ring that night as Mr. Valdez’s representative.

He was the undisputed ruler of underground boxing, a fighter no one had ever defeated. Wealthy patrons competed fiercely just for the chance to hire him, but only those with immense fortunes could afford his price.

Tonight, however, a single girl had convinced the council to grant Valdez that privilege.

The first two matches ended quickly.

Victory after victory pushed Valdez into visible excitement as enormous sums of money accumulated under his name. If he won the next fight, fifty million would be his.

The number flashed brightly across the massive screen above the arena.

The crowd buzzed with anticipation.

Then suddenly. A new bid appeared.

100 million.

Gasps spread across the arena like wildfire. No one had ever dared challenge the undefeated champion at such a price.

Whispers erupted everywhere as spectators searched for the identity of the person bold or reckless enough to oppose the Boxing King.

And somewhere above them, behind the glass wall, the young man finally smiled.

The entire arena fell silent the moment a young man in a simple polo shirt — sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows began walking toward the ring.

The laughter and conversations faded one by one, replaced by confusion and curiosity.

Mr. Valdez, who had been smiling triumphantly moments ago, suddenly froze. The smile vanished from his face as he abruptly stood up, eyes widening at the sight of the approaching figure.

The spectators followed his gaze, whispering among themselves in disbelief.

Who was this man?

Seated between Mr. Valdez and the two men accompanying her, the young woman looked up in shock.

She recognized him.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” the assistant asked quietly as the young man climbed the steps toward the ring.

The young man gave no reply. He simply stepped through the ropes.

The moment he entered, loud laughter erupted throughout the arena. Mockery echoed from every corner as the crowd compared his lean frame to the massive, undefeated champion waiting inside.

The young man ignored them completely.

His gaze rested briefly on the Boxing Champion before shifting toward Mr. Valdez and finally to the girl, whose expression was frozen in disbelief.

The champion smirked.

“Are you certain about this?” the boxer said, cracking his knuckles. “You know I’m undefeated. You saw what happened to my last two opponents. They could barely walk out alive.”

Mr. Valdez scoffed loudly.

“Are you really going to waste that much money?” he asked. “Don’t you have anything better to do with your fortune?”

The young man smiled faintly.

“I have plenty to spare,” he replied calmly. “The real question is… you. What else do you still have left to offer?”

Mr. Valdez burst into laughter.

“Didn’t you hear earlier?” he said arrogantly. “I’m willing to give the girl.”

He grabbed the young woman’s arm and forced her to stand.

“You can see it yourself. She’s young, beautiful, untouched. Any man would want her.” His grin widened. “I’m sure that includes you. That’s probably why you bid such a ridiculous amount.”

The young man’s expression did not change.

“I bet even the new Head of the De Luna Syndicate would fight for her,” Valdez continued mockingly. “They say he likes young girls, enjoys destroying their innocence until death becomes their only escape.”

A quiet hum escaped the young man.

“You speak as if this new head is an absolute lunatic.”

His eyes shifted to the girl. When their gazes met, she quickly looked away.

“He’s called the Young Tiger of the De Luna Syndicate,” Valdez went on. “Mysterious. Ruthless. Even crueler than his predecessor.”

“You seem to know quite a lot about him,” the young man said mildly. “Do you know him personally?”

“Of course not,” Valdez snorted. “No one has ever seen that elusive psycho.”

He waved dismissively.

“But this isn’t about him. I’ll ask you again whether you are really willing to throw away that much money. Look at you. Compared to my champion, you’ll be devoured whole.”

“I appreciate your concern,” the young man replied calmly. “But size has never been an accurate measure of strength.”

He stepped closer, voice lowering slightly.

“How about this… If you win, you keep the girl, the hundred million, and your life.”

A pause followed. “But if I win, I take everything.”

His eyes hardened. “Even your pathetic little life.”

Mr. Valdez’s jaw tightened. Irritation flickered across his face. He didn’t know this young man, and that ignorance unsettled him more than the challenge itself.

“What do you say?” the young man asked.

Silence.

Valdez hesitated, clearly calculating his losses. Another defeat would leave him with nothing.

The young man tilted his head slightly.

“What’s wrong? Are you afraid now? Your champion is undefeated. Compared to him, I should be easy to kill. You said it yourself, the size difference alone guarantees your victory.”

Valdez narrowed his eyes.

“Why are you doing this?”

The young man shrugged lightly.

“I was dying of boredom watching these fights,” he said. “A death match should be thrilling, don’t you think?”

His gaze drifted toward the girl again.

“And betting your daughter’s life, now that’s interesting. I want to see how far you’re willing to go.”

He smiled faintly.

“Besides, I have more money than I know what to do with. I’m starting to enjoy this game, assuming you still want to play. You’ve already won fifty million. You could walk away now. Your daughter would remain safe.”

“Oh, please,” Valdez sneered. “Spare me the drama. A boy like you simply needs a proper beating to learn his place.”

“You think so?” the young man replied softly. “Then educate me.”

“You will learn soon enough,” Valdez said coldly as he sat back down, pulling the girl harshly into her seat. “Just hope your parents won’t cry over the hundred million you’re about to waste.”

The young man chuckled.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I built my own fortune.”

He turned toward the girl once more.

She looked back at him hesitantly.

His eyes were cold, unbearably cold.

And beneath that coldness, she sensed anger.

An anger she did not understand.

An anger she did not know was meant for her or for the man beside her.