Chapter 67 - Debt

The loud cracking of whips could be heard echoing outside of the arena. Thong's eyes focus closely as he avoids swing after swing of Silvia's whip. She eventually comes to a stop, putting the whip over her shoulder as she lets out a sigh.

Silvia: I think that's enough training. Your match is going to start soon.

Thong: Yeah, I know. Thanks for your help. Are you sure your employers aren't going to be mad at you for helping me?

Silvia: They may be my employers, but that doesn't mean they control all my actions. They simply hired me to be their guards for this tournament. I can't really say they meet me with the same friendship I see them with after losing in the preliminaries.

Thong: Yeah… The Kaisuto Group is not one I'm very fond of.

Silvia: Can you explain to me why you hate them so much? You lashed out at them a couple of days ago and Mike was too cryptic for me to understand.

Thong clenched his fist, Silvia noticing the pain filling his eyes.

Thong: My father is someone extremely devoted to his dojo. Ever since the previous owner died, its success was never the same. He decided to get a loan from a group to help fund the dojo and keep it open. That group being the Kaisuto Group. They've been shaking my family down for money so much that I barely got to enjoy my college years. I only met two people there I can truly call friends, one being the man I'm going to fight today.

Silvia: That's awful… But is that really enough to hurt someone over?

Thong turned away from Silvia, walking towards the building as he eyed the entrance.

Thong: I want to help my family, no matter what…

Silvia watched as Thong disappeared into the building, letting out another sigh as she lowered her whip to the ground.

Silvia: I just can't tell him that this match is rigged against him…

…

Mike sat inside of the locker room, taking off his shirt as he placed it inside of the locker. A few taps at the door caught his attention, Mike turning around to meet the smug gazes of Tristan and Violet.

Tristan: After seeing you knock him out, your victory is as good as guaranteed, right?

Violet: That's what your deal assured us.

Mike: Yeah, I know. I plan on ending the match quickly. So if the Imperium wins the match, you'll take back the debt that the Tran family owes you, got it?

Tristan walked up to Mike, waving his hand leisurely before placing a hand on Mike's back.

Tristan: Yeah yeah, that's the deal. But don't forget that if the Imperium does win this tournament, the Kaisuto Group will be entirely protected from the assassin business you guys have going on. And that we go up in power in this organization.

Mike bit his lip walking away from Tristan's hand. Violet stepped out of the way from the door, winking at Mike.

Violet: All this for the safety of your friend, you must really care about him.

Mike: It's my fault he's involved in this at all. So I'll dig him out of this mess.

Tristan: Or just leave it to us. We can surely just hire a good enough assassin and take him out.

Mike's eyes flared with anger, turning around and picking Tristan up by the collar of his shirt. Tristan met Mike's face with a nervous smile.

Mike: If you dare hurt him, I promise you that I'll make the Imperium your biggest concern, and I can guarantee that you don't want a national superpower to rain down on your measly loan sharks.

Tristan: Right, right… As long as you can assure the Imperium's victory, we'll keep our deal, alright?

Mike dropped Tristan, walking out of the room, Tristan breathing heavily and Violet putting a hand through her hair.

Violet: You're an idiot for telling him our plan.

Tristan: Hey hey, this is a win-win for us. If the Imperium wins, we're guaranteed safety from assassins. And if we take out that kid, we'll have no enemies left. We just have to make his death look like an accident.

Violet: Sparring the kid's family for his life and trying to gain immunity. You're really greedy.

Tristan: In an organization full of businesses, we need to do what we can to get the leg up. That kid is as good as done for.

…

Mike stood at the entrance of the ring, letting out a sigh.

Mike's thoughts: Thong… Your loss is for your own safety, so don't struggle. This is a tournament with opponents you have no chance of winning against… So just lose to me here and I'll save you.

Zachary raises the mic to his mouth, smiling menacingly as he raises a fist into the air.

Zachary: AFTER SEEING THAT AMAZING RIVALRY AND THE TRUE POWER OF THE RAIJIN STYLE IN THE LAST MATCH, LET'S CALM THINGS DOWN A NOTCH! BUT HOW CAN WE WHEN WE HAVE A NEWCOMER AND A RISING STAR ABOUT TO DUKE IT OUT IN THIS NEXT MATCH! THE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT THE RING IS OUR STAR! HIS KICKS ARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, WITH SOME EVEN ASSUMING HE HAS THE POWER TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP! HIS ONLY LOSSES ARE TO THOSE OF A HIGH CALIBER, BUT HIS TRUE STRENGTH WILL BE KNOWN! STANDING IN AT 179 CENTIMETERS AND WEIGHING 79 KILOGRAMS! COMING IN WITH 5 WINS AND 2 LOSSES, WELCOME "THE CROOKED CLAW" MICHAEL TAYLORRRR!!!!

Mike walked out into the ring, an eruption of cheers filling the stadium as he stood before Zachary. Zachary nodded to Mike, Mike entirely zoning him out. His eyes were entirely focused on the entrance that opposed him.

Zachary: C'mon, kid. The audience wants a bit of a show. Sure I said to turn it down a notch, but this is what the audience has been waiting for.

Mike: Shut up.

Zachary: Wow, I see you're entirely set on this match. So I'll make it quick, alright?

Zachary cleared his throat before raising the mic to his mouth once more.

Zachary: AND THE OPPONENT OF THIS MAN IS THE NEWCOMER! HAVING ONLY JOINED THE ORGANIZATION A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, HE SEEMS TO SLOWLY BE MAKING WAVES OF HIS OWN! STANDING IN AT 176 CENTIMETERS AND 77 KILOGRAMS, COMING IN WITH ONE WIN AND NO LOSSES, WELCOME "THE SILENT POINT" THONG TRAN!!

A small eruption of cheers filled the stadium, the difference in excitement clearly different between the two fighters. Zachary, Mike, and the audience stared at the opposing entrance, only to be met with silence. Hugo and Li stared at the monitor in the medical room, both having gotten out of bed to watch the match.

Mason: Hey… Don't hog the entire screen.

Hugo: I thought that guy was going to stay unconscious the rest of the day.

Li: I guess enough of the audience screaming can wake anyone up.

Zachary coughed in the mic before pointing at the entrance. Before he could get his words out, Mike grabbed the mic out of his hand, raising it to his mouth.

Mike: THONG! GET THE HELL OUT HERE! YOU BETTER NOT BE PLAYING CHICKEN NOW!

The audience and Zachary looked at Mike confusingly. Tristan and Violet laughed together as they stood at Mike's entrance. Slowly, a figure formed in the opposing entrance. Thong walked with heavy feet, his eyes entirely fixated on Mike. He eventually made his way into the center, standing opposite of Mike.

Mike: So you finally made it.

Thong's eyes looked at Mike wearily, Mike noticing Thong's mouth move under the mask.

Thong: I don't want to fight you… But I need to. I have something I need to do…

Mike: I do too. And I'll need to beat you to do it.

Thong: No avoiding this, huh?

Mike: Not in a million years.