A few minutes later, Corbin slowly opened his eyes. His head throbbed, and his vision was blurry. When his sight finally focused, he realized something was wrong. His hands were tied behind a thick wooden pole.
"What…? Where am I?" Corbin thought, confused.
A moment later, the memories came rushing back.The bar.The bartender.The sudden attack.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
Corbin froze. He turned his head and saw miles sitting next to him—also tied to a pole.
"You're here too?!" Corbin said in shock.
miles sighed. "Yeah… the bartender from the bar attacked me from behind."
Before Corbin could say anything else—
The door suddenly opened.
A tall man walked inside. It was Lorenzo. His expression was furious.
"So," Lorenzo said angrily, walking closer, "you two came here for my money, huh?"
He grabbed Corbin by the hair and pulled his head upward. Corbin clenched his teeth but stayed quiet.
Just then another man entered the room. It was Cosmo, holding a sheet of paper.
"Boss," Cosmo said, "come take a look at this."
Lorenzo released Corbin's hair and walked toward him. He read the paper.
For a moment he looked annoyed… almost disappointed.
Then he turned back toward Corbin and miles.
"You two are lucky," he said.
Corbin frowned. "Lucky?"
Lorenzo crossed his arms. "I happen to need two fighters."
He tossed two papers toward them.
"I'll give you the money… under one condition."
miles looked at him suspiciously. "What condition?"
"There's a tournament starting in thirty minutes," Lorenzo said calmly. "You'll participate in it. If you win… you get the money."
Corbin and miles exchanged a glance.
They didn't really have a choice. They were still tied up.
Lorenzo leaned closer.
"You'd better not try anything I won't like," he said quietly. "Or something will happen that you'll regret."
Corbin replied calmly. "We won't try anything."
Lorenzo still didn't trust them, but he finally untied them and handed each of them a paper.
"These are your room numbers," he said. "Go prepare."
The Preparation Rooms
The two of them walked down a long hallway filled with numbered doors.
Soon they found their rooms.
Luckily, their rooms were not far apart—only two rooms separated them.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the loudspeakers.
"The first match has begun."
Corbin and miles realized they needed to hurry.
Inside the room there was:
• A chair• A locker• Two sheets of paper on the floor
One paper showed the fighters and match order.The second paper showed the rules.
Corbin read them carefully.
Rule 1: The fight ends when one fighter falls to the ground and cannot stand up within five seconds.Rule 2: No hitting below the belt.Rule 3: Only hands and legs may be used. No weapons and no headbutts.Rule 4: Fighters must wear the clothes inside the locker.
Just then the loudspeaker announced:
"The first match has ended."
Corbin blinked in surprise. That was fast.
He checked the fighter list.
His opponent was Leandro. No last names were written for any of the fighters.
miles's opponent was Tiziamo.
Miles would fight in the third match, while Corbin would fight in the fourth.
Corbin turned to Miles.
"Come watch the fighters with me until it's our turn."
Miles shook his head.
"My match is next. I should stay here."
Corbin nodded and went to the arena seats alone.
Match Two
The loudspeaker echoed through the arena.
"Match Two is starting!"
Two fighters entered the arena.
Sofia and Alvise
Sofia had brown hair tied in a high ponytail. She was about 165 cm tall, and one of her teeth was gold.
Alvise had a purple afro and stood about 178 cm tall.
They stepped into the ring.
At that moment the announcer shouted:
"Match Two begins… now!"
Corbin nodded and went to the arena seats alone.
⸻
Match Two
The loudspeaker echoed through the arena.
"Match Two is starting!"
Two fighters entered the arena.
SofiaandAlvise
Sofia had brown hair tied in a high ponytail. She was about 165 cm tall, and one of her teeth was gold.
Alvise had a purple afro and stood about 178 cm tall.
They stepped into the ring.
At that moment the announcer shouted:
"Match Two begins… now!"
⸻
The Fight
Wind moved across the arena floor.
Dust rose from the ground as the two fighters faced each other.
Sofia clenched her fists tightly.
Across from her stood Alvise, calm but focused.
"It's been a long time," he said.
Sofia didn't smile.
"Too long."
For a moment neither of them moved.
Then Alvise attacked.
He rushed forward and threw a fast punch toward Sofia's face.
Sofia tilted her head just in time.
The punch missed her by centimeters.
She spun and drove her elbow into his ribs.
Alvise stumbled back a step.
"You're still fast," he said, breathing heavily.
"And you still talk too much," Sofia replied before launching a high kick.
Alvise blocked it with his arm, but the force still pushed him backward.
The ground scraped beneath his feet.
For a moment—
They both remembered something.
⸻
Years Ago — The Dojo
Sunlight shined through the windows of the dojo owned by Sofia's father.
Children were training on the mats.
Young Alvise rushed forward with a punch.
Sofia dodged easily, grabbed his arm, and flipped him onto the mat.
THUD.
"You lost again," she laughed.
Alvise stared at the ceiling.
"One day… I'll beat you."
Sofia reached down and helped him up.
They smiled at each other.
Back then, they were best friends.
⸻
Back to the Arena
Alvise threw a low kick.
Sofia jumped over it and spun in midair, kicking him in the cheek.
CRACK!
He slid back several steps.
A small line of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"You haven't changed at all," he said.
Sofia looked at him coldly.
"But you have."
Another memory appeared.
⸻
The Dojo Tournament
The dojo was full of people.
It was the final match.
Sofia versus Alvise.
The fight was intense.
Punches.
Kicks.
Dodges.
Finally, Alvise found an opening and knocked Sofia to the floor.
The referee raised his hand.
"The winner… Alvise!"
The crowd cheered.
But Sofia stood up slowly, her eyes burning with anger.
"You cheated."
Alvise froze.
"What?"
"That move was illegal!"
"I didn't cheat!"
But she had already turned and walked away.
From that day on—
They never spoke again.
⸻
Back to the Arena
Alvise attacked again, faster than before.
Punch after punch.
Sofia blocked the first.
The second struck her shoulder.
The third nearly hit her face—but she ducked and slammed her knee into his stomach.
The crowd roared.
The air left his lungs.
He dropped to one knee.
Sofia stood in front of him, breathing heavily.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
Alvise looked up.
"To finish our fight."
He stood again.
Then he charged.
His fist shot forward with all his strength.
Sofia stepped aside, grabbed his arm, twisted her body—
and slammed him to the ground.
BOOM.
The arena floor shook slightly.
Alvise lay on the ground.
The count began.
"One…"
Alvise started laughing weakly.
"I knew… you'd win."
"Two…"
Sofia frowned.
"Then why fight?"
"Three…"
"So you would know… I never cheated."
"The referee told me after the match… but you had already left."
"Four…"
Silence filled the arena.
Sofia slowly reached out her hand.
Alvise grabbed it.
She pulled him up.
For a moment they stood there like they used to.
The crowd shouted for them to keep fighting.
Suddenly—
Alvise smiled slyly and attacked.
But Sofia dodged.
Then—
CRACK!
Her punch smashed into his nose.
He collapsed to the ground.
"One…"
"Falling this low…" Sofia said quietly.
"Two…"
"You should be ashamed."
"Three…"
"You're not my friend anymore."
"Four…"
"And you're not a fighter."
"Five!"
The announcer shouted.
"Sofia wins!"
The crowd erupted with cheers.
But deep inside—
Sofia felt like she had lost something.
She had lost her trust in a friend.
She quietly walked out of the arena.
Two men wearing white suits and white masks carried Alvise's unconscious body away.
The loudspeaker echoed again.
"Match Three will begin shortly… Mills vs Tiziamo."