"WELCOOOOOOME!!!"
The announcer's voice tore through the sky just as the violet haze above Miragna Tower split apart.
Lightning followed.
Not thunder — lightning first.
A jagged spear of white ripped through the clouds and slammed down into the antenna crowning the tower at the center of the stadium.
The world held its breath.
Then the roar came.
"YEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The oval arena erupted as two beams of light descended from the tower's crown, striking opposite ends of the platform below.
Two figures landed.
One was immovable.
The other was already moving.
"RIKISHIIIIIIII!!!"
The chant thundered through steel and stone alike.
"RIKISHI! RIKISHI! RIKISHI!"
The reigning champion stood with arms relaxed at his sides, massive frame unmoved by the storm of noise around him. His skin bore scars that had long since stopped meaning anything to the world.
Because he always won.
"Oh forget the introductions!" the announcer laughed breathlessly. "Ladies and gentlemen, stomp harder! Scream louder! Because standing before you is the undefeated champion of the Apex Tournament!"
"The god who has never fallen!"
"The Immovable Mountain!!"
"THE OGRE GOD!!"
"RIKISHIIII!!!!!!!"
The stadium shook.
Then went silent as the partner announcer's voice sliced through,
"Well let's not forget about the Underdog here."
"Three year old, a new comer, 28 straight victories!!!"
"Is he just lucky ? No!! Because he is MADMAN!!!!!"
"AWWOOOOOOOOO!!!"
The werewolf was already in the air, fist loaded, lungs roading.
He spun midair, body twisting unnaturally fast. Even the cameras struggled to follow him.
"AND THERE HE GOES!"
"THE MADMAN MAKES FIRST CONTACT!"
His fist struck Rikishi's jaw.
The impact echoed like metal against stone.
And Rikishi didn't move.
Not an inch.
Robert leaned forward without realizing it.
That's fine, he thought. That's expected.
His brother knew this.
Sunya had always known.
That was why he trained.
Why he bled.
Why he smiled through broken bones.
Because years ago, they'd both seen this same monster stand here.
"I'll get bigger," Sunya had said back then, eyes burning.
"I'll get stronger. And then I'll fight him."
It had sounded childish.
Childish enough to become a dream, their dream.
Now, Sunya was living it.
The fight escalated.
Blades of wind tore across the arena. Rikishi countered with crushing blows that cratered the stone beneath his feet. Sunya was faster — faster than anyone had ever been at this stage.
And even after being injured.
"HE'S PUSHING HIM BACK!"
"UNBELIEVABLE! SUNYA'S GOT THE CHAMPION ON THE ROPES!"
Robert's hands clenched.
Sunya staggered.
His wrist twisted wrong — badly.
And Robert knew.
"No," he whispered. "Don't."
"If the Madman attempts that move—"
"The Masiya Twist!"
"It's suicide if he misses!"
The Madman charged anyway.
He leapt.
Then twisted.
Spun.
Claws outstretched, body rotating into a living blade.
Robert felt it — even through the screen, even from thousand of miles away.
The certainty.
The moment where the world narrowed to a single outcome.
"He's got it."
But Rikishi moved.
Not fast.
Perfect.
He stepped aside midair and caught Sunya's tail into a spin.
Then he threw him.
The screen couldn't keep up.
Sunya's body vanished past the edge of the arena — past the beams — past the lights.
Past the frame of the screen.
The crowd went silent.
Cameras scrambled.
Gasps rippled outward like shockwaves.
"L-Ladies and gentlemen…" the announcer stammered. "Something... unfortunate has occurred."
The video froze.
Robert didn't breathe.
⸻
The screen flickered.
Paused.
Paused again.
Robert sat in the dark, eyes narrowed on the frozen frame.
Sunya's body — mid-flight.
Arms outstretched.
Still alive in that fraction of a second.
"Are you watching it again?"
Kameki's voice was soft. Careful.
Robert didn't answer, her steps followed.
"They said it was an accident," she continued. "There was no chance anyone could've survived a fall like that."
The word hit him wrong.
"Accident?!!"
The word came out louder, as always.
His chair scraped back violently as he stood.
"Why do you believe that?"
Kameki blinked. Leaned back "Because… that's what the news said. The tower's height, the angle, the counter—"
The chuckle almost burst through his teeth.
Short. Sharp.
"Excuses."
He turned, pacing, breath coming heavier.
"He had control," Robert said. "He always has control."
Kameki frowned. "Robert—"
"He caught him," Robert snapped. "He felt him. You don't throw someone like that unless you want them gone."
The words tumbled faster now.
"Everyone saw a champion defending his title. I saw fear. I saw a man who realized my brother would surpass him."
Kameki reached out. "That's not—"
"I WAS THERE."
Silence.
Robert stopped pacing infront the poster.
Sunya looking back.
Smiling at his shaking hands.
⸻
The memory came unbidden. It always did.
Rain.
Black umbrellas.
The scent of incense and wet stone.
Ogre God standing before Sunya's grave, head bowed, mask of grief flawless.
"I'm sorry," the champion had said.
Robert had stepped forward.
Fists clenched. Jaw tightened.
Pure rage.
"Murderer!!!," Robert screamed.
"You killed him..!! You killed him because you were afraid!"
Gasps. Soon did his mother's hand.
Security rushed in.
He looked at Robert then.
Not angry.
Not surprised.
Amused.
Robert pointed at him, voice cracking, hands breaking through the resistance.
"I will get stronger," he vowed.
"Then I will kill you."
The world frowned then laughed.
Rikishi smiled.
⸻
Back in the present, Robert exhaled slowly.
His hands finally stilled.
"I am certain," he said quietly.
Kameki watched him, uneasy.
Robert paced back to the frozen image on the screen.
The Madman frozen in time.
Robert continued, "that some people wouldn't agree with me. But I am also certain,"
He turned towards the glass wall.
The undying light of Iriana City, the never ending glow of Miragna Tower glaring back.
"O..Of what..?" Kameki hesitated.
He didn't replied. Not to her.
A sharp breath slipped in,
"Of my revenge"
His eyes narrowed, fist clenched inside pocket.
"I will kill you, Ogre God."