The battlefield refused to calm down, even after the earlier clashes had already pushed everyone to their limits. Steel continued to clash, bodies kept falling, and the echoes of impact filled Borex Stadium like thunder that refused to fade. Yet despite all that chaos, the center of the stadium had become something else entirely—a space where no one dared to interfere.
Because Dominic Vance was still standing.
Rylan and Sean faced him, breathing heavily but refusing to step back. Sweat mixed with blood on their faces, but their eyes remained locked on Dominic, who looked almost untouched compared to them. He rolled his shoulders slowly, cracking his neck as if he was preparing for something far more serious.
"Done already?" Dominic said, his voice calm but mocking, as if the entire fight so far had only entertained him.
Sean tightened his fists, clearly irritated, but Rylan remained silent. His focus had sharpened, his instincts screaming that something wasn't right—not just about Dominic, but about the battlefield itself.
And then something shifted.
It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but enough to make the air feel heavier. I instinctively looked upward, my eyes scanning the top rows of the stadium. That's when I saw him.
A figure stood there.
Still. Silent. Watching.
His face wasn't visible, but his presence felt different—detached from the chaos below, like someone observing rather than participating. He didn't move, didn't react, and yet it felt like he was studying everything.
Before I could process it further, another movement caught my attention.
Someone else had already acted.
An hooded stranger jumped.
He descended from the top rows with perfect control, landing in the center of the battlefield with a heavy impact that sent dust rising around him. The sound alone forced nearby fighters to pause, and even Dominic turned toward him with curiosity.
The stranger stood up slowly, calm and balanced, showing no sign of urgency or fear.
"…Another one?" Dominic said with a smirk.
The stranger tilted his head slightly and replied without hesitation, his voice cutting through the noise.
"Hey Gorilla! Come fight with a lion!!"
For a brief moment, silence spread across the battlefield.
Then Dominic smiled wider.
"You've got a mouth kid."
The stranger stepped forward, and his stance immediately caught attention. His feet were light and constantly adjusting angles like a Taekwondo fighter, his hands stayed tight and efficient like a boxer, and his shoulders remained loose, ready to close distance for Muay Thai strikes.
Rylan narrowed his eyes. "He's mixing styles…"
Sean nodded. "And he's not guessing. He knows exactly what he's doing."
The fight started instantly.
The stranger opened with a sharp jab-cross combination, snapping Dominic's head slightly. Without wasting a second, he pivoted and delivered a roundhouse kick that slammed into Dominic's ribs with a heavy impact.
Dominic stepped back.
That alone shocked everyone watching.
Dominic countered with a powerful straight punch, but the stranger slipped to the side and moved inside, locking him into a Muay Thai clinch. He pulled Dominic's head down and drove a knee strike into his midsection, followed by another knee that landed higher, forcing Dominic to shift his stance.
Dominic pushed him away with raw strength, attempting to regain control, but the stranger didn't allow distance to settle.
He stepped in again with a left hook to the body, then a right uppercut, each strike clean and efficient. Before Dominic could stabilize, the stranger followed with a low kick targeting the thigh, subtly disrupting his balance.
Rylan noticed it immediately. "He's breaking his base."
Sean responded, "Yeah… he's setting him up for something bigger."
Dominic roared and attacked with full force, throwing a heavy combination meant to overwhelm. The stranger blocked the first hit, slipped the second, and countered with a brutal elbow strike that cracked across Dominic's jaw.
The impact echoed through the stadium.
The stranger transitioned smoothly, pivoting into a spinning back kick that drove into Dominic's side. This time, Dominic staggered more noticeably, his footing no longer as stable as before.
For the first time, the Beast of VK looked pressured.
The stranger pressed forward, chaining movements together with precision. A quick jab forced Dominic's guard up, followed by another low kick to the thigh and then a sudden step-in elbow that clipped the side of his face.
Every strike had purpose.
Every move was calculated.
Dominic swung again, faster and heavier, but the stranger stepped inside the attack, locked another clinch, and delivered a brutal double knee combination. The force of the strikes caused Dominic to drop to one knee.
Silence spread.
No one moved.
Dominic tried to stand, forcing his body upward, but his balance betrayed him. The damage had already accumulated—his base weakened, his reactions slowed.
The stranger stepped forward for the final sequence.
He started with a jab, followed by a right cross, then a tight left hook, breaking through Dominic's guard.
Then—
He spun.
A spinning elbow connected directly with Dominic's temple.
Dominic collapsed.
The Beast of VK had fallen.
No one celebrated.
No one spoke.
Because no one could believe it.
Rylan stared. "Who is he…?"
Sean exhaled slowly. "Someone we didn't expect."
But the fight wasn't over.
Because in the shadows—
The killer moved again.
This time, his target was clear.
Not the stranger.
Dominic.
He reached Dominic's fallen body without being noticed, his movements calm and precise. As he knelt, the blade appeared again, catching a faint reflection of the stadium lights.
Then he struck.
The knife plunged into Dominic's chest.
A sharp, final act.
Rylan stepped forward instantly. "HEY!"
But it was already done.
The attacker leaned close to Dominic and whispered, just loud enough for those nearby to hear.
"You outlived your purpose."
That single line changed everything.
Because it meant one thing.
He wasn't just a fighter.
He wasn't just VK.
He worked for someone.
Someone above all of this.
As the attacker stood, his eyes shifted briefly toward Rylan. For just a second, their gazes met—and a faint, cold smile appeared on his face.
Then he disappeared into the chaos again.
I looked up once more.
The man at the top seats—
Was still there.
Watching.
Unmoving.
And for the first time—
It felt like everything happening below…
Was part of something planned.
Rylan clenched his fists, his breathing steady but his eyes sharper than ever.
Because now—
It wasn't just a gang war anymore.
It was a hunt.
And deep down—
We all felt it.
Rylan could be next.
[TO BE CONTINUED]