The underground arena buzzed with anticipation as the crowd erupted in cheers. Aryan, now known by his alias ‘Spade,’ stepped into the dimly lit ring. His opponent, Iron Jaw, was already there, standing still like an immovable mountain. The man was built like a war machine—his muscles bulged beneath his scarred skin, and his expression was cold and unyielding.

The host’s voice boomed across the arena.

“Ladies and gentlemen! We have the first match of Round 3! In the red corner, the rising underdog, Spade! And in the blue corner, the human wrecking ball, the man who feels no pain—Iron Jaw!”

Aryan exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders. He had seen Iron Jaw’s last fight. The man absorbed blows like they were nothing. If Aryan wanted to win, he needed a strategy.

Round 1 – Testing the Waters

The bell rang, and Aryan darted forward. He relied on his speed, weaving side to side to keep Iron Jaw guessing. With a quick dash, he aimed a sharp jab at Iron Jaw’s ribs.

THUD!

It was like punching a steel wall. Iron Jaw didn’t even flinch. Instead, he grinned.

“You’re gonna have to do better than that.”

Before Aryan could retreat, Iron Jaw launched a devastating right hook. Aryan barely managed to tilt his head away, but the sheer force of the air pressure sent chills down his spine.

Not wasting time, Aryan leaped back and switched his stance. He went for precise kicks, targeting Iron Jaw’s legs to slow him down. He landed two, three, four clean strikes. Iron Jaw remained unfazed.

Then, he countered.

With terrifying speed for his size, Iron Jaw lunged forward and swung his fist like a battering ram. Aryan raised his arms to block, but the impact sent shockwaves through his bones. His feet skidded backward, barely keeping him on balance.

He’s too strong. One clean hit, and I’m done.

Round 2 – The Breakdown

Iron Jaw wasn’t done. He charged like a beast, throwing a heavy combination of punches. Aryan dodged, barely, but his breathing grew heavier.

Seeing an opening, he feinted a left jab and spun for a high kick aimed at Iron Jaw’s temple.

SMASH!

His foot connected. The crowd gasped.

Iron Jaw… didn’t move. He slowly turned his head back to Aryan, his grin widening.

“My turn.”

A single uppercut came crashing against Aryan’s stomach.

BOOM!

Aryan’s body lifted off the ground. The pain was instant, raw, and suffocating. His breath was stolen from his lungs as he slammed onto the arena floor, coughing violently.

The crowd roared.

“Get up, Spade!” someone shouted.

Iron Jaw stomped forward, looming over Aryan like an executioner.

“You had spirit, kid. But you don’t belong in my ring.”

Aryan gritted his teeth. His body screamed in pain, but he pushed himself up. Shaking, barely standing, he raised his fists again.

Iron Jaw frowned. “You don’t know when to quit.”

Aryan smirked. “Yeah. It’s a bad habit.”

Round 3 – The End

Aryan charged, feinting another high kick but shifting into a sweeping low kick instead. It was a desperate gamble—Iron Jaw finally stumbled, just a bit.

But it wasn’t enough.

Iron Jaw recovered instantly and swung a brutal right straight punch. Aryan moved to dodge—

Too slow.

CRACK!

The punch connected with his jaw. Aryan’s world spun. His body collapsed onto the cold floor. His mind faded into darkness.

The referee stepped in.

“Winner: Iron Jaw!”

The crowd exploded into cheers. Iron Jaw stepped back, glancing at Aryan’s unconscious form before turning to leave.

“Not bad, kid,” he muttered. “But this world doesn’t reward effort. It rewards power.”

As Aryan lay on the ground, defeated, the next match loomed ahead. The tournament was far from over.