NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 102: Chapter 102- TAX
Bonus Chapter
Las Vegas – The Next MorningThe golden sun beamed down from a clear blue sky, casting its warmth over the lively city of Las Vegas. Despite being known for its casinos and nightlife, today, Alex and Ippo had chosen to spend their morning in a different way—relaxing on the beach.
While Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura were at the casino, trying their luck at the tables, Coach Kamogawa, Coach Shinoda, and Assistant Coach Yagi were out exploring the city, buying gloves as souvenirs, and taking photos at tourist spots.
But Alex and Ippo?
They were here—enjoying the sand, the waves, and the sun.
It was around 11 AM, and the beach was already lively with vacationers, families, and groups of friends.
Alex had just arrived, stepping onto the warm sand with a relaxed expression. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of black beach shorts, his athletic physique immediately drawing some attention. His tanned skin glistened slightly from the sunscreen he had applied earlier.
Ippo, on the other hand, was dressed more casually—wearing a floral beach shirt and blue shorts, along with a pair of sunglasses. Unlike Alex, he wasn't comfortable showing off his physique in public.
They set up their umbrella near the shoreline, finding a good spot with a nice view of the ocean.
Alex, already feeling the childish excitement of being at the beach, sat down and began building a sandcastle.
He grinned. "Man, this is fun." His hands worked quickly, shaping the wet sand into small towers and walls.
Ippo, lying under the umbrella with his shades on, glanced at Alex's childish enthusiasm and chuckled. "I didn't take you for a sandcastle guy, Alex."
Before Alex could reply, Ippo suddenly noticed something.
A small group of people had gathered nearby, staring in their direction.
Ippo frowned slightly, lowering his shades. "Uh… I think they're looking at us."
Alex barely reacted, casually glancing toward the group. A few of them were murmuring and pointing at him, clearly recognizing him from the fight Yesterday.
Still, he simply shrugged and went back to building his sandcastle. "Never mind them."
Ippo, however, continued to scan the beach, his curiosity piqued.
Then, something—or rather, someone—caught his attention.
A short distance away, a beautiful brunette girlwas watching them intently. She looked to be around sixteen, her youthful features strikingly elegant.
Ippo's gaze then drifted further to another woman.
She was older, probably in her early twenties,with black hair, tanned skin, and wearing a sleek black bikini. Unlike the younger girl, she wasn't just staring—she was studying Alex, her eyes flickering with curiosity and something else.
Ippo sat up, glancing at Alex, who was still busy with his sandcastle. He leaned in and whispered,
"Hey, Alex… there are two girls looking at you. Like, really looking at you."
Alex blinked, his hands pausing in the sand. "Huh?"
Curious, he followed Ippo's gaze, glancing at the first girl—the younger one.
The moment he laid eyes on her, his breath caught in his throat.
"Wait a minute…"
His eyes widened slightly as he studied her features—her high cheekbones, her piercing eyes, the unmistakable natural beauty.
"...Isn't that Angelina Jolie? When she was young?"
His mind reeled at the realization. If this world followed the same timeline as his previous life, then this had to be Angelina Jolie in her teenage years.
Still stunned, he then shifted his gaze toward the second woman.
And that's when his jaw almost dropped.
His mind instantly screamed: "Wait—hold on! Isn't that Aunt May?! From the Spider-Man movie?!"
Or, more specifically—Marisa Tomei.
Alex stared for a moment, taking in her younger appearance. His mind flashed back to his past life, where she had played Aunt May in the MCU.
But here?
She wasn't an older woman. She was young, gorgeous, and incredibly attractive.
His eyes unconsciously traveled up and down her figure. Marisa Tomei, in her prime, standing on the beach in a black bikini?
For a second, his mind almost blanked.
"Damn… she looks amazing when she was young."
Then, as if realizing what he was doing, he quickly snapped his gaze away and muttered under his breath,
"What am I doing? I already have a girlfriend…"
Ippo, still watching him, raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What are you mumbling about?"
Alex didn't answer—he simply kept building his sandcastle, forcing himself to focus.
Few Hours Later
The sun had begun to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden hue over the Las Vegas skyline. Inside the luxurious penthouse suite, Alex and Ippo were busy packing their
belongings. Tonight, their time in Las Vegas would come to an end—they were finally heading home to Japan.
Alex neatly folded his clothes into his suitcase while Ippo carefully double-checked his bag, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything.
As they worked, the atmosphere was filled with an unusual mix of energy and tension.
Alex glanced over and saw Aoki and Kimura grinning from ear to ear, their eyes practically sparkling with excitement. In contrast, Takamura sat in the corner, looking utterly dejected.
Curious, Alex asked, "What's wrong with you three?"
Before Takamura could answer, Aoki eagerly pulled out his signature frog wallet, stuffing it full of crisp dollar bills. He waved it around like a trophy.
"We won!" Kimura cheered, raising his hand in triumph.
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Won? Don't tell me…"
Kimura nodded enthusiastically. "That's right! We cleaned up at the casino!"
Meanwhile, Takamura grumbled under his breath.
"You guys are too damn loud…" he muttered before casually placing a huge hand on Kimura's face, shoving him aside.
"Oi, what the hell?!" Kimura protested, pushing Takamura's hand away.
Aoki, laughing like a man who had just hit the jackpot, pointed at Takamura and mocked him.
"Look at this loser!" Aoki cackled, nudging Ippo. "You should've seen his ugly face when he lost all his money!"
Takamura twitched. "Say that again, you damn frog-faced idiot—!"
Before another brawl could break out, Coach Kamogawa let out a sharp sigh and crossed his arms.
"Enough of your nonsense," he scolded. "Make sure you've packed everything. Don't come crying to me if you leave something behind at the airport!"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Then, in perfect synchronization, Aoki, Kimura, and Takamura immediately shut their mouths and checked their bags.
While the others scrambled to get ready, Ippo noticed Alex sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought. His usual smirk was gone, replaced with a blank, distant expression.
Ippo frowned. "Hey, Alex… you look kind of out of it. Something wrong?"
Alex let out a deep sigh, rubbing his forehead. "I have tons of payments to deal with."
Ippo blinked, confused. "Payments?"
Alex turned toward him and leaned back on his hands. "It's like this…"
He took a breath before explaining:
"I earned $1.5 million yesterday, right?"
Ippo nodded.
Alex began calculating aloud:
Total Purse: $1,500,000 = ¥195,000,000
Nevada Athletic Commission Tax (10%):
10% of $1,500,000 = ¥19,500,000
Coach's Cut (15%):
15% of $1,500,000 = ¥29,250,000
Promoter's Cut (5%):
5% of $1,500,000 = ¥9,750,000
After Nevada Athletic Commission Tax:
¥195,000,000 - ¥19,500,000 = ¥175,500,000
After Coach's Cut:
¥175,500,000 - ¥29,250,000 = ¥146,250,000
After Promoter's Cut:
¥146,250,000 - ¥9,750,000 = ¥136,500,000
Ippo's eyes widened at the numbers.
"That's a lot of money being taken out…"he muttered.
Alex shrugged. "Yeah, but that's just how it works. It's still a good payday, but I have bigger plans."
Ippo tilted his head. "Bigger plans?"
Alex glanced at his fingers, absentmindedly playing with them before sighing dramatically.
"I want to save up for a private jet…" he muttered pitifully.
Ippo stared at him in disbelief. "Huh?!"
Alex let out another exaggerated sigh. "I still have a long way to go."
For a moment, Ippo just looked at him, speechless.
Finally, he muttered under his breath, "You're on a different level, man…"
Alex simply grinned. "You'll understand someday."
With everyone's bags packed, they all made their way down to the hotel lobby.
The hotel staff, ever professional, greeted them warmly before helping them load their luggage into two separate SUVs—a Nissan and a Ford.
With all their luggage and equipment, it was impossible to fit everyone into a single car.
After a short drive, they arrived at the Las Vegas airport.
The bustling terminal was filled with travelers rushing to their flights, but the group made their way smoothly through check-in, thanks to their business-class reservations.
Finally, they boarded the plane and settled into their luxurious business-class seats.
Alex leaned back in his chair, gazing out the window as the plane prepared for takeoff.
In just a few hours, they would be back in Japan.
"Home sweet home," he muttered to himself, a small smirk returning to his lips.