I climbed onto the stage, feeling the eyes of the crowd on me. The blonde guy stared me down, a smirk playing on his lips.
The referee in a striped shirt stepped between us, holding up his hands for silence.
"Alright, listen up," he began, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd. "The rules are simple. Kainen is allowed. Killing or injuring someone for life results in disqualification, so measure your strength and don't go overboard. Minor or recoverable major injuries will not be penalized. The person that is no longer able to fight or gets outside of the ring loses. Understood?"
"Get ready," the referee ordered.
We took our positions. My opponent's smirk widened.
"Hope you brought a pillow," he sneered. "You'll need a nap after I put you down."
I didn't respond, just focused on my breathing, readying myself for the fight.
