The Alpha Mafia King
Chapter 79

“Oh dear, this is hardly a fair fight,” Piccolo said.

“Just move to the ring already,” Alonzo let out, pinching the bridge of his nose with both his thumb and index finger.

“Okay, I’m going but the moment I get paired with the wrong person I’m quitting the fight.”

“Sheesh, so much ego!” Bianco huffed.

Piccolo walked confidently to the ring. He was the last contestant to arrive. The other eight had already written down their names. He added his name to the list of the names which were folded and cast into the cup to be mixed up. The referee covered the cup with his palm, jerking it up and down to ensure the names are properly mixed. He drew out two papers, picking the first two contestants.

“Ha! Lucky me!” Piccolo said the moment he heard the referee announce his name first. He waited impatiently to hear his opponent’s name.

Armando was his opponent. The gentleman didn’t even look like he could take a punch, much less throw one. Piccolo began to laugh.

“Hold on hold on is this a joke or what?” he said to the referee, eyeing the much sturdy-looking betas. “You know what, I give up my spot, he wins.”

“Hey man, look I don’t know who you think you are, but don’t expect me to accept victory without making an effort!” huffed Armando.

Piccolo sighed and said, “Okay tough guy let us satisfy that manly pride of yours. I get it, really I do.”

“Better,” Armando muttered.

“I’m just going to take off my clothes so as not to ruin them but I promise you I won’t transform.”

The fight with Armando ended in a flawless victory for Piccolo when he distracted Armando with a bolo punch just when Armando thought it was over. Piccolo decked him with an uppercut that saw Armando going down like a pack of cards. Armando didn’t even try to resist as he was taken by surprise by the sucker punch. The spectators erupted in applause, going wild with cheer because they loved a good fight show. Piccolo made fighting look like easy show business and he proved it again now. He indeed managed to keep to his word about not transforming, because not even once did he do that or show the signs, he had reserved his energy and was eager for more.

“What a wuss Armando is,” thought Piccolo cockily.

In something less than an hour, the contestants were down to the last four. The referee was about to pair the contestants into two groups of two people each when the werewolf king signals him to come to his stand. The King was seated on an intricately carved wooden throne, a staff of equally intricate wooden design unto which heads of descendants of other werewolf kings were carved into it was seen by the side of the throne. When the referee reached the King’s stand, the king whispered instructions into the referee’s ears and charged him to do his bidding. The crowd was eagerly anticipating with a hushed breath because usually, they knew the drill already but it seems the king was about to change something and they were excited about finding out what it was.

The referee came back to announce that the last four of the betas were going to fight each other in the ring all at once. They weren’t going to be paired up again due to the King’s new orders.

The referee chanted, “Long live the King!”

The spectators chanted even higher in response, “Long live the King!”

Piccolo sized up his opponents and tried to recall their strengths and weaknesses as he had watched them display earlier. His opponents do the same, so everyone sized up themselves, bristling with the energy they couldn’t wait to let loose.

The person that stood out most for Piccolo is Fernando. Piccolo recalled how Fernando had dealt with his opponent, he hadn’t given the poor guy a chance. He kept coming at the opponent until he had gone down and wouldn’t get up, exhausted from all the attacks from Fernando and the counterattacks that he had tried to put up. Piccolo smiled, he had finally uncovered what Fernando’s weakness might be. He was going to let Fernando expend all his energy by allowing him to deal with the other opponents so by the time it’s just the two of them, they would be on equal footing as Fernando’s aggression would be somewhat lessened as well.

Piccolo continued his assessment of his opponents and placed Ricardo just after Fernando. Ricardo’s over-aggression would probably be his undoing because it clouded his speculative and calculating mind.

Piccolo smiled again. Damn, maybe he should think about teaching the younger werewolves the finer aspects of werewolf fighting. Yeah, maybe he should.

Then came Eduardo, the last of the opponents, the one Piccolo sees as the weakest link. Eduardo looked like he could tire easily, he hadn’t learned the fine art of conserving your energy till you need it. Piccolo remembered how he’d shown off by turning and then running up to climb the stump in the center of the fighting ground when he had conquered his partner. The energy he would have reserved for later if he comes out on top as the champion. He would start with Eduardo and let Fernando and Ricardo startup with each other.

That meant, he would have to make the first move by showing off his aggression to Eduardo so he can get into his bad books faster. This would leave Eduardo with no choice but to tackle him. This should be fun and for the third time, Piccolo smiled again.

“Get them all, Picco”, yelled Leonardo. “Hell, man, we are so rooting for you, show them what stuff you’re made off!”

Piccolo bounces lightly on his toes and stretches, putting one arm just across his head and putting out his legs on the other side just like a ballet dancer. He repeated the same for the other part of his body. He took deep breaths all the time he was doing the stretches.

“At the sound of the bell, please step into the ring,” intones the referee.

“Remember the rules, transformation is allowed!” continued the referee.

At the sound of the gong, they all stepped into the ring; Piccolo, Fernando, Eduardo, and Ricardo. Eduardo wastes no time in turning and Piccolo g****s.

“What a show-off,” thinks Piccolo.

Eduardo rushes forward and swipes his claws at Piccolo who takes time to dodge, so the claws land on his cheek and draw b***d. Piccolo was furious and he transformed ragingly. The cords in his neck strained as he reared up his wolf head and roared. Piccolo turning into a werewolf proper was always a sight to behold and the spectators were held in awe, even the King.

Eduardo suddenly stepped back when he felt the rage burning in Piccolo’s eyes. Piccolo first advanced in a regal and majestic manner, then suddenly charged at Eduardo who had underestimated his opponent’s energy, he rammed into him and took Eduardo down.

The crowds roared their approval!

Piccolo turned just in time to see Fernando take down Ricardo. They both size each other warily, both in their transformed forms, sniffing the air and inhaling each other’s scents as if the scents would give off their weaknesses and secrets. Fernando took no time in brushing up on Piccolo aggressively. He bared his teeth, the canines sharp and drooling, and took a swipe at Piccolo who dodged just in time. This causes Fernando to slightly lose his balance but Piccolo was watching and ready to take the opportunity. He packed a punch into his left limb and threw it into Fernando’s middle section, Fernando propelled forward and flung himself into the side of the ring. Everyone watched the final contestants with bated breath.

Fernando took a while to get up and Piccolo smiled, he had assessed him rightly. The man had used up a lot of his energy in the earlier attacks. Piccolo didn’t allow him to fully stand on his hind legs before he rammed into him again, holding up all his energy within his core and letting go only when he made an impact on Fernando’s body.

Fernando fell with a loud crash that shook the ring because he was a big fella.

Piccolo howls long and deep and the crowds go crazy over the spectacular victory.

“Piccolo! Piccolo! Piccolo!” The crowd chanted his name. Piccolo felt triumphant. However, he had expected nothing less than victory. Only an alpha like Alonzo could be on par with him.

Piccolo realized that he was standing in just his briefs. He quickly covered his massive bulge with both hands. Luckily, someone threw him an overall coat which he quickly donned.

“And now for the grand finale! The moment you’ve all been itching for! The fight between the alphas of each pack will begin now!” said the referee.

Alonzo sighed as he rose. Just then Piccolo arrived at their table. Piccolo tapped him on his shoulder.

“Go get them,” Piccolo said.

“Yea, that should not be a problem,” answered Alonzo, laughing wryly.