Karikalan lay sprawled on the ground outside the ring, his
body trembling from the devastating uppercut. The crowd erupted in chaos.
Fans (cheering wildly):"Elara!
That's one hell of a shot!""Good, Elara! He won't wake up —
kick his butt if he dares to enter again!""Elara!
Elara!"
The celebrities joined in, their voices sharp and cruel.
Celebrity (mocking):"Hey,
scumbag! Wake up or else you'll pee yourself. Accept defeat and crawl home, you
moron!"
Pooja (loudly, disdainful):"I
hate seeing guys like this in the ring, fighting against the prodigy."
The commentators' voices carried the tension:
Commentator (excited):"Elara
knocked Karikalan out of the ring with a devastating uppercut! Will Karikalan
rise again, or will he accept defeat?"
Inside the ring, the referee began the count.
Referee (counting):"One…
Two…"
Karikalan remained on the ground, motionless.
Veera (worried):"What's
happening? Why is he still lying there?"
Richard (calm but tense):"I
don't know… but wait. Let's see."
Elara raised his voice, taunting with arrogance.
Elara (shouting):"This
is my ring, you stupid punk!"
The words pierced Karikalan's mind like fire. His eyes
snapped open, rage and determination flooding his veins.
Karikalan (inner voice, fierce):"He thinks this is his ring? No… this is where I prove
myself."
With a sudden burst of energy, Karikalan leapt to his feet,
his body battered but his spirit unbroken. The crowd gasped, stunned by his
defiance.
Commentators (excited):"The
challenger is finally back on his feet, responding to the champion!"
Karikalan's eyes burned with fury. He turned his head
slowly, locking onto the celebrities who had mocked him. His gaze froze on
Pooja, a death stare so sharp it made her shiver.
Pooja (terrified, whispering):"Why… why is he staring at me like that?"
Karikalan walked slowly back to the ring, each step heavy
with defiance.
Inside, Elara's father leaned forward, shocked.
Elara's Father (serious):"I
thought the match was over… but he rose again from my son's deadly attack. This
is unexpected."
Elara smirked, his thoughts sharp.
Elara (inner voice):"Just
as I expected. You'd walk back into the ring. Kudos for surviving… but now I'll
show you my martial arts techniques."
Karikalan's aura shifted. His eyes glowed like a tiger
ready to pounce.
Karikalan (inner voice, fierce):"Elara… I never expected this kind of behavior from you.
You threw me out of the ring, and those people mocked me like I was nothing.
But today will be my day. I will win."
Both fighters raised their hands into fighting positions.
The crowd held its breath.
Karikalan launched a series of jabs. They weren't powerful,
but each one landed with precision, forcing Elara to defend.
Elara (shocked):"His
jabs… they're not strong, but why do they feel more intense than I
expected?"
He tried to lean away, predicting the rhythm. But
Karikalan's flexible shoulders adjusted mid‑movement, and the jab connected
cleanly.
The impact sent Elara crashing to the floor.
Elara (stunned, inner voice):"What's happening? I thought it was a normal jab… but when
I tried to evade, he struck me easily. My jaw… I can't speak… what's going
on?"
The referee began the count.
Referee (counting):"One…
Two…"
The entire arena fell silent. Even the celebrities who had
mocked Karikalan were frozen in shock.
Karikalan stood tall, his eyes locked on Elara like a grim
reaper awaiting his prey. Without a word, he turned and walked to his corner,
his aura suffocating the stadium.
Commentators (shouting):"The
challenger has knocked the champion to the floor! The dark horse is regaining
his form in the fight!"
Elara rose slowly, his jaw bruised, his pride shaken. The
crowd gasped — never before had the champion's face been marked by a
challenger's strike.
Karikalan advanced, step by step, his aura radiating awe
and dread. The entire arena fell silent, stunned by the sight of Elara's
bruise.
For the first time, the champion looked vulnerable.
Episode — The Champion Shaken
The arena was still buzzing from Karikalan's death‑stare
aura when Elara suddenly felt something he had never known before — fear.
Elara (inner voice, unsettled):"What is this? Why am I feeling something strange? He's
moving closer… like a real grim reaper trying to take my life away. Does he
think he's the main character? No… I'll knock him down!"
With a burst of speed, Elara ambushed Karikalan, unleashing
a barrage of kicks. His body twisted in a 180‑degree spin, launching a flying
strike meant to crush the challenger.
But Karikalan leaned down, his reflexes razor sharp. In a
flash, he countered — his fist shot upward, connecting with Elara's chin.
The impact froze the champion. His body staggered backward,
clutching the ropes, his face faint and jaw trembling. The crowd gasped — the
undefeated prodigy looked broken for the first time.
Commentators (shouting):"Karikalan's
counterpunch lands clean! The champion is frozen against the ropes!"
The referee rushed in, raising his arms.
Referee (firmly):"Stop!
Fighters, return to your corners!"
Elara's eyes were wide, his body trembling, his jaw bruised
and his pride shattered. Karikalan stood tall, his aura suffocating, his stare
unyielding — the grim reaper of the ring.
Richard leaned in, his voice urgent but encouraging: Richard
(firmly):"You're doing great! Elara is confused — he doesn't know
how to tackle you. Keep going!"
Karikalan's reply was quiet, heavy:
Karikalan
(grimly):"Yeah… I'll try my best. But I can't keep this up for
long."
Richard's eyes widened in shock.
Richard (worried):"What?
Why are you saying that? You're fighting in good condition, right?"
Karikalan shook his head.
Karikalan (serious):"No.
I'm not in good condition. Before the fight even began… Elara shattered my ribs
with his martial art strike. I can fight till the end… but I don't know how
long I can hold out."
Richard's voice trembled.
Richard
(concerned):"When did this happen?"
Karikalan's eyes narrowed, recalling the moment.
Karikalan (resolute):"It
happened when he broke the handshake… when he tapped and suddenly launched that
punch into my ribs."
Elara's father leaned forward, his voice sharp with
frustration:
Father (sternly):"What
happened to you? You fought brilliantly at the start, knocking him out of the
ring. But now… why have you fallen to the mat?"
Elara's voice was faint, trembling:
Elara (weakly):"I
still can't recover from that moment… when I fell. The punch looked like a
normal jab, but it devastated me. I've never faced anything like it. It nearly
broke my jaw… if I hadn't fallen, it might have shattered me completely."
He clenched his fists, his body shaking uncontrollably.
Elara (confessing):"I
thought I won. I shattered his ribs before the fight even began. When he came
back into the ring, I thought I'd play games and finish him. But he's still
conscious… still fighting. And when he moved toward me… I feared him, Dad. For
the first time in my life, I felt fear. Look at me — my body trembles, my hands
shake on their own. Why is he so persistent?"
Elara's father froze, his pride wounded.
Father (furious, inner voice):"I never imagined anyone could give my son such a hard
time. He's been champion for five years. I thought I could bring him to the
world without hardship, untouchable. I believed no one could beat him. But
suddenly this strange fighter appeared… dominating my son like nothing. I won't
allow my legacy to fall to a brat like him. Not in this era… not in any
era."