The influencer was on the verge of tears.
"I see a great father and husband. I see an incredible fighter. And most of all, I see a true son of Thyania!"
The Thyanian crowd roared, spirits high and voices even higher.
They cheered and shouted Punikon''s name, their excitement filling the gym like the smell of popcorn at a Friday night football game.
But not everyone was swept up in the fever. Some visiting fighters from the East rolled their eyes. One of them, arms crossed, spoke up with a smirk,
"Hey, this is supposed to be a friendly match. No need for all the patriotic stuff. Let''s keep it about the fighters, not the countries. No point messing up the good vibes between our people."
Punikon''s father frowned, tension building like a storm cloud.
A few hotheaded Thyanian fighters immediately turned on the Eastern guy, some cursing, a couple flipping the bird, and one even poking him in the chest.
The young Eastern fighter wasn''t having it.
"Back off, man! Touch me again and see what happens!"
"Oh, I''ll touch you all right. What are you gonna do about it? Don''t forget, you''re in our gym now!"
The Thyanian fighter shoved him hard, eyes glinting with challenge.
The Eastern fighter didn''t back down; he swung andnded a punch.
"Just so you know, this is still Zhinora territory, not your Thyanian kingdom!" Shouts turned to scuffles, and in a sh, the whole ce erupted into a brawl.
The Thyanian side had the numbers, so it wasn''t long before the Easterners were on the losing end, bruised and battered.
As fists flew, the Thyanian fighters jeered,
"Back in the day, even your so-called King of Fighters wouldn''t dare challenge us
in Thyania. Know why? Because he was scared!"
"If he was scared, who do you nobodies think you are, running your mouths here? You''re out of your league!"
The "King of Fighters" they meant was Bernard.
Evan, watching the chaos, fumed. “Uncle, they''re mocking Bernard! You''re just gonna let them?"
Before he could finish, the old<fn72ee> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find{n}ovel</fn72ee>
master grabbed a tin of peppermint candies
m the table and started
chucking them at the fighting crowd. s
The mints flew with the precision and speed of BB gun pellets, smacking into the Thyanian troublemakers.
Cries of pain rang out. "Who the hell-?!"
The candies seemed toe from nowhere, flying in from all directions. No one suspected Evan or the old man.
Finally, Punikon''s father stepped in, trying to calm the Thyanian fighters.
He deliberately spoke in English-ostensibly so the Zhinora fighters wouldn''t understand him.
"Don''t bother with them. Save it for the ring. I''ll make sure they regret it tonight."
The crowd stormed off, yelling,
"Smash him! Knock him out! Show them what Thyanian fists can do!"
The Eastern fighters nursed their
bruises, but none left the gym. They
were a
determined to stay and
watch the 8 o''clock showdown,
hoping for a little redemption. s
At 7:50 PM, Tarquin finally arrived, fashionablyte.
He wore the suit Elysia had picked out for him, a mask covering his face, and slipped in through the back door.
Word spread fast, and Punikon''s father immediately headed backstage to confront him.
"Last chance to back out, kid. Forfeit now, or it''ll be toote once you''re in the ring."
Tarquin ignored him, pulling out his
own boxing gear. He let the
J
Thyanian staff check it over, then headed to the locker room to change. s
When he came out, Punikon''s father handed him a contract.
The "friendly match" had just turned into a fight for survival.
Tarquin narrowed his eyes, nced at him, then picked up the pen.
Punikon''s father leaned in, voice low.
"You know what you''re signing, right? In a fight like this, even if I kill you, I walk free. That''s the rule."
Tarquin finished signing, checked the time, and headed straight for the ring- without so much as a second nce.