Not A Small-Town Girl

bones.

But Danielle caught his punch with her right hand effortlessly. Her left hand darted forward in a feint aimed at his head, forcing Maximus to shift his defense upward and shield his head. In that split second, Danielle swept low with her leg, striking his knee.

The crowd’s eyes widened in shock. Not only had Danielle intercepted Maximus’s punch, but she had counterattacked swiftly. Despite her slender build, the force behind her strike nearly brought Maximus to his knees. Clearly, they had underestimated her; she turned out to be surprisingly formidable.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Maximus quickly adjusted his stance. He gathered all his strength into his fists and launched a powerful strike.

Yet, Danielle sidestepped his attack with the speed of a flicker of light. Before anyone could react, she closed the distance and delivered a spinning kick to his chest.

The force of her kick sent Maximus staggering backward, clutching his chest with a grimace as he struggled to stay upright. Though he managed to steady himself, the strain on his face was evident.

The power of the kick was undeniable, but Danielle had only used 60% of her strength. He would have been thrown across the field if she had gone all out.

Determined not to give up, Maximus lunged forward, feinting high before aiming a sweeping kick at her legs. But Danielle read his movements effortlessly. Matching his speed, she raised her leg to meet his, and the jarring clash sent them both reeling backward.

Before Maximus could react, Danielle dashed forward like a bolt of lightning, grabbing him and executing a flawless shoulder throw.

Caught off guard, Maximus could only watch as Danielle threw him over her shoulder before hitting the ground with a resounding thud. Danielle stood firm, her breathing steady and controlled, her movements seamless from start to finish.

The crowd remained frozen in silence, their disbelief growing with every second as Danielle, with a build that looked almost delicate, easily hoisted Maximus over her shoulder in a demonstration of strength that was both stunning and inexplicable.

Elliot was momentarily at a loss for words. This was beyond anything he had imagined. He didn’t expect Danielle to have such powerful combat skills. Even he doubted his chances against her, especially when it looked like she hadn’t even gone all out.

"Are you okay, Maximus?" Danielle asked, extending a hand to help him up.

Maximus took her hand, his face lighting up with admiration. "Danielle, you’re incredible! I didn’t expect you to be this good. I concede-completely."

For the first time, Maximus felt genuine awe for someone else. Danielle’s skill was no fluke-she had earned his respect fair and square.

"You were amazing out there, Danielle." Elliot found himself increasingly impressed by his sister.