A large thud could be heard as his body hit the floor. And a distant voice could be heard shouting. He had already started to lose his hearing, but this was a nail in the coffin. The blow had far more force than he had anticipated.

The voice echoed once more, piercing through the ringing in his head, growing louder with each yell.

“Get up! GET UP!”

The voice flowed through one ear and out the other; he couldn’t stand. Despite the words, his body simply refused to respond.

*DING-DING-DING*

The final bell went, and a showgirl walked around with a sign above her head indicating that it was indeed the end.

“Damn it!” the voice screamed. She looked over from the unconscious fighter to the winner standing on the other side of the ring. He was a young man standing on his toes, still ready for action as he caught her sight. He blew her a kiss, followed by a wink.

“Tsk.” She clicked her tongue in frustration.

As the entrances to the ring began to open, she ran over to help her fighter.

“You’re still with me, right? We can make up for our losses. You can fight someone like JoJo the Hyena, yeah. Don’t worry about this.”

“That concludes tonight’s festivities,” The announcers went. The crowd roared for more. “Another win for the undefeated crown of the Underground goes to Bruno—The Punch-Hole Brawler. Is there no one who can stop him?”

The announcement confirmed the conclusion of tonight’s spotlight combat.

Bruno—The Punch-hole Brawler, had won his 22nd fight. His bouts had been nothing short of complete one-sided beatdowns. These weren’t commercial fights, as no one knows unless they are in the know. For that exact reason, it has garnered the name The Underground.

Everyone could participate, but there were strict rules, even though it was illegal. One such rule was requiring a substantial fee to enter the ring. This is why many preferred to stay on the sidelines and place bets on the winner. Anyone with enough money could join the fight, whether they were professional fighters, former criminals, or individuals involved in illicit activities seeking entertainment.

Any and all fighting style was also allowed. No holds barred matches. 

While killing wasn’t technically against the rules, it was discouraged. Many fighters enjoyed receiving praise even from the humiliated losers.

Go home. Get stronger. Come back and lose to me again.

That was their mentality, their drive. The more intense the fight, the more excitement it drew, and that would mean more money to rake in.

Fighters who won were glorified, while the losers, often called peasants, were shunned and looked down upon. One of the biggest winners was a young man who won five fights in a row on his debut night. Since then, he has earned 22 straight wins and the nickname “Bruno, The Punch-hole Brawler.”

After the match, Bruno picked up his earnings. He headed from the locker room where Mac, who orchestrated tonight’s fight, awaited him.

“Nice job out there.”

Bruno walked by, ignoring his words.

That seemed to rile Mac up, but not enough to spoil his mood.

How dull, Bruno thought. Due to his winning streak, he had grown this feeling of boredom. It was no longer exciting. He didn’t live to fight, but he never shied away when confronted by it, either. It was something he was good at. And if you’re good at something, why not cash in on it. But like anything, what’s the point if you are bored and your heart isn’t in it?

To Bruno, he pondered if this is how people felt when they have been at a job for so long. If you grow bored of it, doing the same thing, day in and day out, every day, of every week, for years, at what point does it become meaningless.

That match barely made Bruno break a sweat.

He pulled out his phone to tune in to a live stream of his favorite idol and streamer, Celesta VegaDunn, with two N’s.

“Hey, everyone! Thanks for joining in. I know, I know. You probably wondering who this fella is? Well, this is my new cat, Po-Po Dio. I know, right! So adorbs! I named him after the character from this anime I have been obsessed with lately. I mean, look at him—his fur doesn’t look just like his hair.

Anywho…hey—no spoilers in the chat, please. I know I’m late, ok. Let’s—hi Pestocapedonald41. Thanks for the donation. Oh my! Thanks, BigLU, for the subs! WOW! Let’s see… Yeah, that’s a good point. Oh, long time no see TroublepuddleBeau! Hmm… I see. Let me say something about that to you guys. I’m genuinely grateful to all of you. I couldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my fans. So I will say this. Follow your heart and take risks. You never know where it can lead you. Cheers!”

*SNIFFLE*

Bruno lifted his head, trying to stop the tears from rolling down his cheek, “Thank you, my dear Celesta. Your wisdom shall always guide me to the promised land.”

“Huh, what?” A confused Mac, standing in the corner, looked up at the ceiling, trying to find what Bruno was so passionately looking at.

“Mac,” Bruno called to him.

“H-huh?”

“My heart is no longer in this. I must go find my true calling.”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m sorry, Mac, but I can’t do this any longer. It’s not you, it’s me.” Bruno grabbed his duffel bag containing his earnings from tonight. He got up and proceeded to the exit without giving it a second thought. He had his sights on new beginnings.

“Who is he talking to—my name ain’t even Mac. Oi! Where are you going? You’re my money maker…”

The memory had faded, bringing a tear to his face. Bruno snapped back to his current reality—the present—with a burning passion in his heart. His eyes burst open with intensity. He felt revitalized and excited to a new level that couldn’t be contained.

This guy’s kick……NOT BAD!

Bruno suddenly stopped descending to the ground. His body froze, and his muscles coiled. With his legs firmly planted, his core held him suspended as if someone had pressed pause—as if he were being held up by invisible strings.

He recoiled his body to stand straight up and smile at the individual before him.

“Truly not bad at all.” He murmured to himself. “You! What is your name?”

“…” Elias stared at the bloke, who shrugged off his kick as if it was nearly nothing. Without waiting for a response, Bruno announced his own. He then gave his chest a prideful smack.

“String bean! Let us dance!” 

Suddenly, Bruno ripped off his shirt without anyone asking to reveal his truly mastered physique. With a smile plastered, he lowered his stance, his arms held wide. He was preparing to usher Elias into a dance, whether he wanted to or not.