Rohan stood inside the underground fighting pit, the scent of sweat and blood thick in the air. He tightened his gloves, exhaling sharply as the crowd roared. Across from him stood his first opponent— Dhiraj ‘The Bone Breaker’, a Muay Thai specialist notorious for shattering bones with his brutal knee strikes.

The announcer’s voice boomed through the arena. “The rising fighter, Rohan, faces off against the legendary Bone Breaker! Can he survive? Or will his body crumble like the others before him?”

The bell rang. Round One began.

Clash of Styles

Dhiraj wasted no time, charging forward with a flying knee aimed straight at Rohan’s head. Rohan barely dodged, rolling to the side, feeling the air shift as the knee narrowly missed.

Dhiraj smirked. “Fast, huh? Let’s see how long you last.” He stepped forward, launching a brutal elbow strike. Rohan blocked with both arms, but the sheer force sent him stumbling back.

Rohan’s mind raced. Muay Thai fighters excelled in close-range combat. If he let himself get trapped in Dhiraj’s clinch, it would be over. He needed to keep moving, using his superior agility.

Dhiraj attacked again. He feinted a punch, but as Rohan moved to counter, he was already bringing up a devastating right kick to the ribs.

CRACK!

Pain exploded through Rohan’s side as he was sent skidding back. The crowd erupted in cheers. Dhiraj laughed. “First one’s free, kid.”

Adapting to the Fight

Rohan clenched his fists, forcing himself to ignore the pain. He needed to change tactics. Muay Thai was all about overwhelming force, but it also relied on rhythm. If he could disrupt that rhythm, he had a chance.

Dhiraj lunged forward, trying to trap him in a clinch. But this time, Rohan ducked under and pivoted, countering with a sharp jab to the ribs.

Dhiraj grunted but retaliated instantly, driving a knee toward Rohan’s stomach.

Instead of dodging, Rohan took a gamble. He stepped into the attack, grabbing Dhiraj’s knee mid-air and twisting his body. With a grunt, he lifted and slammed Dhiraj onto the ground.

The crowd gasped. A counter!

Dhiraj snarled, rolling back to his feet. “Not bad, but let’s see you handle this!”

He launched a furious series of kicks and elbows. Rohan defended as best as he could, but each impact was wearing him down. His arms throbbed, his ribs ached, and his vision blurred for a split second as an elbow grazed his temple.

But then, Rohan saw his chance.

Turning the Tide

Dhiraj had gotten cocky. In his eagerness to finish Rohan, he left his left side slightly open after a missed elbow.

Rohan exploded forward, faking a right hook before shifting his weight into a devastating spinning back kick to Dhiraj’s liver.

BAM!

Dhiraj staggered, his face contorting in pain. Rohan didn’t hesitate. He surged forward, delivering a rapid series of punches and low kicks, forcing Dhiraj into a defensive position for the first time in the fight.

Then, with perfect timing, Rohan feinted another punch—Dhiraj instinctively raised his arms to block.

That was his mistake.

Rohan launched a crushing uppercut to Dhiraj’s chin. His opponent’s head snapped back, eyes going blank for a moment. Taking no chances, Rohan followed up with a roundhouse kick to the side of the head.

Dhiraj collapsed. The crowd went wild.

Victory and the Road Ahead

The referee stepped in, beginning the countdown. Dhiraj struggled to rise, but his legs wobbled. He slumped back down before the count of ten.

“Winner: Ghost[Rohan]!”

The arena exploded into cheers and groans, with gamblers either celebrating or cursing their losses. Rohan breathed heavily, his body aching but his spirit soaring.

He looked toward Aryan, who was watching from the sidelines. They exchanged nods. One battle was done, but the tournament was far from over.

Little did they know, this underground arena was only the beginning of a much greater war.