Chapter 215 You Have to Stay Safe

“Let me make the rules clear. This is just a sparring match, not an official competition, and definitely not some life-or-death fight. If things get out of hand, I’ll stop the match right away. Remember, sportsmanship always comes first—winning is second.”

Draco was genuinely worried things might spiral out of control, especially with Tilda involved. If Howard went all out and actually landed a solid hit on her… With fists that size and no control over his strength, he could seriously hurt Tilda—or even kill her.

But…

Draco couldn’t shake the impression that there was something mysterious and unfathomable about Tilda. Even when faced with a wrestling world champ like Howard, Tilda stayed perfectly calm. She looked so calm that it actually felt scary.

It felt like Tilda already knew she’d win. Most people were convinced she was walking into a certain defeat and was just asking for trouble.

“One last check—are you both absolutely sure you’re ready for this match?”

“Hold on.” Tilda finally spoke up.

Howard frowned slightly. “Tilda, don’t tell me you’re backing out at the last second.”

At this point, there is no backing out. Even if Tilda wanted to, I’m not letting her walk away now. This match is going to happen, no matter what. Nothing could stop it now!

“Since it’s a boxing match, there’s always a risk. Punches and kicks aren’t always precise. In the heat of the moment, someone could get seriously hurt. Of course, going in with the goal of injuring or killing is not allowed. But as long as you’re not out to cripple or kill, anything goes in the pursuit of victory. You good with that, Howard?”

Tilda made sure to say it loud enough for everyone to hear. Several people had been filming the whole thing on their phones. Every word of her whole speech was captured on camera.

“Of course! Tilda, I don’t need you to go easy on me. If I beat you because you held back, it wouldn’t count as a real win! I’m going to give it everything I’ve got!”

Howard had taken plenty of hits chasing his dream and that championship belt in the World Wrestling Championship. There was no way he would accept being beaten by a girl without putting up a fight.

With Tilda’s words recorded, it was almost like signing a waiver. Now Howard could go all out to beat Tilda without worrying about the consequences.

“OK, I’m ready.”

Tilda shot Draco a look.

Draco took a deep breath. “All right, take your positions … go!”

Draco stepped back, his nerves on edge as he watched the two face off. As both the referee and club owner, Draco was feeling immense pressure on his shoulders. Nothing could go wrong. Please…

Wade stood just offstage. Knowing he couldn’t stop what was happening, he kept his eyes locked on Tilda. His gaze was full of worry and anxiety. Tilda… you have to stay safe. If Howard hurts you, I… I really wouldn’t know what to do…

Tilda didn’t attack immediately. She just took up a textbook mixed martial arts stance. She was as steady as a rock. Even standing still, she exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Howard had fought countless opponents as a wrestling world champ, and he had basically seen every kind of boxing style. He knew mixed martial arts was the toughest, most dangerous, and hardest to master. People who practiced it were practical fighters deep down. Unlike other styles that looked fancy, mixed martial arts was all about real self-defense and ending a fight fast. Just looking at Tilda’s stance, Howard couldn’t see a single weak spot for attack.

Tilda, just as I expected, you’re not an ordinary person. If things were different, we could have been great rivals.

This was just a spar, not an official match, but Howard would fight with everything he had. He owed that to himself and to his opponent. He knew Tilda’s strength was beyond what most people thought. If he didn’t go all in, he’d lose for sure. He’d already lost twice to Tilda because he’d let his guard down. He couldn’t let that happen again.

This was the most important match of Howard’s life. There would never be a more important match in his life. Howard wanted to reclaim his dignity, and this was his way of redeeming himself, still the one on top. Besides, he wanted to prove that as Tilda’s older brother, he was still the… No matter if Tilda had cut ties with the Jensons, they were still family. As her older brother, Howard refused to lose to Tilda in the one thing he did best.

With that in mind, Howard stared Tilda down, his eyes blazing with determination.