Intruder

Steve was currently in front of the punching bag again.

"As soon as my fist reaches full extension, I must quickly pull it back to its original position."

Steve knew that the keyword was the word, Quickly.

"I can either bring my back foot forward, encroaching on my opponent's or the punching bag space."

He said.

"I could step back, putting the weight again on your back foot."

He continued.

Steve tried to remind himself as he always did this in the past, yet he had difficulty mastering it.

"I shouldn't step back as I throw the jab, or it won't have any power."

He said.

"I need to tighten up my fist only upon impact or when it reaches the target or the punching bag."

Steve continued.

He knows that he would lose speed and power if he did it beforehand. 

It also wastes energy that he might not be able to perform punches soon after being tired.

Steve nodded.

"Again!"

After that, he drove his punch with his shoulders again.

Swoof!

Another whip-like punch resounded.

Ding!

[ Shadow boxing: Almost perfect jab, 100 punch. ]

The system said.

And right after impact, Steve relaxed his body again. 

Seeing the system, he did not lose his temper anymore.

After a few more seconds, he resumed his boxing stance and prepared for his next move.

With his shoulder, he drove another punch!

This time, it's right!

Swoof!

Ding!

[ Shadow boxing: Almost perfect jab, 100 punch. ]

Steve did not look at it this time.

His eyes were lit on fire!

He kept driving his left and right punches and only straight jabs.

Swoof! Swoof! Swoof!

With this, Steve was confident he could reach twenty-six thousand punches quickly before reaching fifteen days.

When suddenly, he stopped punching.

He breathed heavily and decided to think it through.

Cough! Cough!

Steve glanced at where it came from. He saw the boy was already trying to stand up, looking at him.

"I-"

Steve could sense that the boy wanted to say something, but he cut him off.

"Don't say anything. Tell me later."

He said.

After that, he continued making a series of jabs.

Swoof! Swoof! Swoof!

The whistling sounds created from his punches with his shoulder were so loud that the boy who tried to speak again could not be heard anymore.

Swoof! Swoof! Swoof!

Earlier, Steve heard a banging knock on the door of his gym.

It was this severely injured boy, gasping for air while unconscious. 

When he opened the door, the boy already lost consciousness, yet he knew it was business.

Steve took him and used the medicines he had under the shelf.

Steve was always prepared, especially with his medicine kit, whenever he saved a victim from the creatures like the werewolf he killed.

After that, he will charge them with more payment for the medical bill in ridiculous amounts.

With this kid's costume, he is sure that he is filthy rich or fights monsters like him too.

Swoof! Swoof! Swoof!

Steve made another series of punches when he finally stopped.

He gazed at the little kid and noticed that the kid had lost consciousness again.

He took a deep breath seeing that his jabs weren't reaching their ultimate perfection.

Steve felt like his pride took a hit because of it.

He eyed his feet, tried to jump or bounce a little, and added punches with no power.

The system didn't count it as shadowboxing since there was no power behind it, and Steve was fine.

It's no scruples. 

"I see."

He said.

Like Steve finally found the answer he is looking for.

"I am not punching through enough."

He said.

"If I am remaining relaxed until the point of impact and rotating my arm, palms down, shoulder toward my chin, I should have a natural sense of power."

Steve continued.

After calming himself down, Steve relaxed his body again and closed his eyes.

"I need to use that natural sense of power to punch through whatever I am up against."

He said.

"Not at, not on, through."

He continued with conviction in his voice.

When Steve opened his eyes, he opened his mouth again.

"My energy and force should not stop once I hit my punching bag – I need to feel that energy to whip my arm back into place for the next point."

Without wasting more time, Steve drove another punch to the punching bag.

Bang!

He felt that Jab was right on the spot with enough power too.

It was not too loud and sounded okay, but he knew it was like a bullet when he punched it into the punching bag.

Ding!

[ Shadowboxing: Perfect jab, 250 punch! ]

Seeing this, Steve wanted to jump in the air.

He would often forget and achieve this, yet when he does. He would celebrate in his head.

Steve didn't want to ruin his momentum, so he drove another series of punches again.

Swoof! Swoof! Swoof!

With those punches, system notifications rang, too, saying perfect jab.

Suddenly, out of nowhere. 

Kabang!

Something hit the wall of his boxing gym, breaking into pieces and creating a large hole in the wall.

A man appeared at the pile of dust.

When he stepped his foot forward, Steve was greeted by a man that he noticed that is so disgusting.

A man of at least 5'9 feet in height.

Wearing a smile and a lined-up teeth hat became dark violet because of the combination of diseases inside.

A phlegm coming out from its nose and ears, and a red eye with flies flying around.

"Where are you now, my baby !?"

The man loudly said as he scratched himself with passion.

Scratch! Scratch!

"Mommy came looking for …."

He continued.

Suddenly, he stopped. 

A towering shadow was standing in front of him.

The intruder felt like he could not move.

Looking up, he saw a muscular man with a boxing glove.

His height was nine feet tall, and his slightly long blonde hair ent to his back.

His shoulder was so wide, and his white undershirt became fit, and one could see that it only needed one move to be ripped into shreds.

"Who are you?"

The towering blonde man said.

Steve already wore his boxing glove. He learned this by meeting the woman earlier.

He didn't want to experience what the Endless Witch did to him. It occupied his head, and he became more prepared for upcoming events.

He is also wary of the little kid. His costume is giving him superhero vibes.

"Why are you here?"

Steve continued to ask with a threatening tone.

His voice was loud and booming.

It's like the calm roar of a lion and a tiger. 

The disgusting-looking man felt like he would be smacked by this man and sent him flying into the distance.

He likes it.

So the disgusting man pretended that he was rooted in his spot.

"Aaaheeee…"

The disgusting man said.

He quivered.

Steve found it odd.

The man acted timid like he didn't know what to reply to. He didn't know what was happening and his goal of coming here.

With this, he became even more on his guard.

However, the disgusting man's expression changed as he realised Steve was still on guard. 

He pretended to calm himself down and bowed.

"I apologise for disturbing you."

He said.

He put his hands on his back, trying to get something.

After that, he showed his fist, turning it into a middle finger at Steve.

"Asshole!"

He said while laughing hysterically.

Steve, on the other hand, was looking at his system screen.

Ding!

[ 23,739 punches the host needed to perform before fifteen days. ]

[ Days: 10/15 days to perish. ]

The intruder is asking to die; his goal is probably the kid.

However, Steve also didn't want to add more punches to perform within fifteen days if it was not necessary.

The disgusting man had the back of his palm facing Steve, asking him to come over.

"Here."

He said.

"Attack me anytime you like."

He continued.

The way the disgusting man invites him to attack Steve's veins on his forehead bulges.

He hated this disgusting fellow's audacity even after destroying the wall of his beloved boxing gym.

"Alright."

He said.

Surprising the disgusting fellow.

Steve puts his dominant hand and foot slightly angled back from the disgusting fellow. 

This position gives him more space to build momentum and force when striking this weird fellow.

Somehow, no matter how tiny this disgusting fellow is, Steve is more cautious.

So next, he raised his dominant hand near his chin with his non-dominant hand covering his face. 

Steve ensured his non-dominant foot was shoulder-width apart from his dominant foot.

His boxing stance.

"Since you're asking for it."

Steve said.

The light in his eyes was lit up. 

If one stared into his eyes to see his soul, one would see nothing but the desire to obliterate the man before him.

"Let me end your suffering."