The energy in the locker room was a stark contrast to the chaotic arena. Ethan sat slumped on the bench, his body screaming in pain but his mind alight with the thrill of victory. Sophia knelt beside him, gently applying an ice pack to his swollen ribs.
"You pulled it off," she said softly, a rare smile tugging at her lips. "I didn't think you had it in you."
Ethan winced, letting out a strained chuckle. "Neither did I."
But beneath their relief was an unspoken tension. Ethan had taken down Gabriel, a fighter who was practically an intermediate ranked fighter in the underground circuit. It was a monumental victory, but it came with a price—a spotlight Ethan wasn't sure he was ready for.
"What now?" Ethan asked, breaking the silence.
Sophia stood, tossing the ice pack into the trash. "Now? We wait. And while we wait, we train. This win wasn't just about beating Gabriel. You've made waves, Ethan. The kind you can't take back."
Ethan frowned. "Waves?"
Sophia leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Gabriel wasn't just a fighter. He was a gatekeeper. Taking him down means you're not just a contender anymore—you're a threat. And trust me, the circuit doesn't like threats."
Before Ethan could respond, the door creaked open. Marco stepped in, his polished shoes clicking against the floor.
"Impressive show," he said, his voice as smooth as ever. "You've proven you're not just another name on the roster."
Ethan met Marco's gaze, trying to mask his unease. "What do you want?"
Marco smirked. "Relax. I'm here to offer you an opportunity."
Marco pulled a sleek envelope from his pocket, tossing it onto the bench beside Ethan.
"What's this?" Ethan asked, eyeing it suspiciously.
"An invitation," Marco said. "You've been selected for the Vanguard Series."
Sophia stiffened. "The Vanguard Series? You can't be serious."
"Dead serious," Marco replied. "Ethan's earned his spot. The question is, can he survive it?"
Ethan picked up the envelope, tearing it open. Inside was a single card with a location and time scrawled in elegant gold lettering.
"What's the Vanguard Series?" Ethan asked.
Sophia's jaw tightened. "It's not just a tournament. It's one of the highest level of the underground circuit, even legend ranked fighters participate there. No rules, no mercy. The fights aren't about skill—they're about survival."
Marco nodded. "She's not wrong. The Vanguard Series is where legends are made... or broken. But if you win? The rewards are unimaginable."
Ethan's mind raced. Part of him wanted to refuse, to walk away from the insanity of it all. But another part—an undeniable, burning part—wanted to see how far he could go.
"I'll do it," he said finally.
Sophia's eyes widened. "Ethan, you don't understand what you're agreeing to. These fighter don't play fair. They don't just want to beat you—they want to crush you."
"Let them try," Ethan said, his voice steady.
Training for War
The weeks leading up to the Vanguard Series were grueling. Sophia pushed Ethan harder than ever before, refining every aspect of his technique.
"You're fast, but not fast enough," she said, making him dodge weighted ropes swinging from the ceiling. "Your punches are strong, but they lack precision."
Ethan trains until his body felt like it would break. He sparred with seasoned fighters Sophia brought in, each one designed to mimic the styles he might face. One was a towering Muay Thai expert, his knees and elbows like hammers. Another was a wiry grappler, relentless in his attempts to drag Ethan to the ground.
But it wasn't just physical. Sophia drilled strategy into him, forcing him to watch tapes of previous Vanguard fights.
"See that?" she said, pointing to a fighter getting overwhelmed. "He lost because he couldn't adapt. You need to be three steps ahead at all times."
Ethan absorbed everything like a sponge, his confidence growing with each passing day.
The Vanguard Arena
The night of the Vanguard Series arrived, and Ethan found himself in a place unlike anything he'd seen before. The arena was massive, a stark contrast to the dingy underground rings he was used to.
The crowd was different too—wealthy, elegant, and utterly bloodthirsty. They watched from private booths, sipping champagne as they placed bets on who would emerge victorious.
Ethan stood in the fighter's lounge, waiting for his name to be called. Around him were his competitors, each one exuding an aura of danger.
There was a hulking Russian with a stare like ice, his knuckles wrapped in bloodstained tape. A short woman with scars crisscrossing her arms sat sharpening a knife, her expression unreadable. And in the corner, a man who radiated quiet menace sat meditating, his eyes closed but his presence palpable.
Sophia stood beside Ethan, her face unreadable.
"You ready for this?" she asked.
Ethan nodded. "I've got no choice."
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena. "Next fight: Ethan Cruz versus Viktor Karazuke!"
Sophia grabbed his arm. "Stay alive. That's the only advice I have."
Ethan stepped into the arena, the roar of the crowd washing over him like a wave. Across the ring, Viktor stood like a mountain, his eyes cold and calculating.
The bell rang, and Viktor came at Ethan like a freight train, his fists swinging with terrifying power. Ethan ducked and weaved, trying to find an opening, but Viktor's sheer strength was overwhelming.
Ethan barely dodged a haymaker that would have ended the fight, countering with a quick jab to Viktor's ribs. It was like hitting a steel beam.
The crowd cheered, their voices a blur as Ethan fought to stay in the fight.
The fight raged on, each exchange more brutal than the last. Ethan's body screamed in protest, but his mind was laser-focused. He saw the cracks in Viktor's armor, the tiny openings he could exploit.
But then, just as Ethan began to gain the upper hand, Viktor did something unexpected. He stepped back, his lips curling into a sinister smile.
"You think you're tough?" Viktor growled, his accent thick. "Let's see how tough you are without rules."
Before Ethan could react, Viktor lunged forward, his massive hands wrapping around Ethan's neck. The crowd gasped as Viktor slammed Ethan into the ground, his grip tightening.
Sophia's scream cut through the noise. "Ethan!"
Ethan's vision blurred, his lungs burning as he struggled to break free. But even as darkness crept in, a single thought burned in his mind:
I'm not done yet.