He was weak...

Everyone was taken aback when the fight finished in less than a minute. The old man, Ayaan's coach, couldn't help but smile with pride as his fighter exited the ring without a single bead of sweat on his brow.

"You really trained a monster; I hope he can reach the Nationals fast." The man in the suit said.

"Don't worry, he will." The old man replied.

The man in the suit left after hearing that.

Ayaan walked towards his coach, but before fully turning his back to the ring, he took a quick glance to see if his opponent had regained consciousness.

To his relief, he noticed him slowly rising and walking toward his own father, who was extremely irritated.

"How do you feel now?" the old man asked.

His body language indicated his hesitancy as he nervously bit his bottom lip and avoided eye contact with the person asking him a question.

"Just speak freely, kid."

"AH... The thing is, I know you said we should never have overconfidence. But how do I say…

…It's just that I didn't feel like anything. The guy hardly did anything in the match. He didn't give me the thrill of fighting like I wanted."

"He is weak.." he said in hushed tones.

"Don't worry, matches in states will have more challenging opponents. Come, let's head back."

After the bout came to a close, Ayaan nodded to his opponent's father and left the arena with the old man by his side. They went towards their gym, leaving the noise and excitement of the throng behind them.

Ayaan and the old man arrived at the gym as the sun began to set. As they entered, they were greeted by fellow members who were anxious to hear about Ayaan's training session.

Within six months, Ayaan had become well acquainted with everyone at the gym. They were all aware of his dream to fight in the Octagon, and many of them first thought he was reaching for something beyond his reach.

Yet when they witnessed him put in the hard work every day without complaint, exercising relentlessly, and learning from the old guy, their perspectives shifted.

Some were even encouraged to start boxing or enhance their fitness levels in order to acquire a better body. Ayaan had become a live example of motivation for everyone at the gym, and they had all pledged to pitch in if needed.

Ayaan sat down in his coach's cabin and inquired, "What's our plan, Coach? Should we train more or watch some videos?"

"From next week starts the States competition; we have already done everything, you just have to practice daily and do some light sparring.

"For today, we are visiting a marriage."

"Whose?"

"You saw the man who came to visit me in the gym right? His son's marriage.

"We are both invited."

"But why me?"

"Because he is the one who holds the key to your ticket to MMA."

Ayaan's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the old man's comments. What he was hearing was unbelievable to him.

If he does well in the Nationals, the man he saw today will assist him in competing in the MMA tournament. That indicated he had previously noticed Ayaan's fighting abilities while watching him today.

A sinister grin spread across his face as he eagerly rubbed his hands together.

"Hey, put away that creepy smile; we are going for marriage, not for a fight." The old man reminded him.

"Go take a shower and get dressed."

As soon as Aayan agreed, he went straight to the showers to freshen up.

He dashed up the stairs to his room and took his clothes from the small wardrobe. He suited up in a dark purple formal shirt, black formal pants, and matching black shoes.

His fair skin was complemented by his slightly tousled, medium-length black hair.

Ayaan dashed downstairs, making his way to the cabin where the elderly guy was already waiting. They all left the gym, leaving it in the hands of the four or five workers who were in charge of the clients and other members.

The journey lasted an hour and brought them to the grand entrance of the Radisson Blu, a luxurious five-star hotel.

As he glanced at the gorgeous building, Ayaan's eyes widened with delight. He had only seen it from afar before, but now that he was up close, he could properly appreciate its majesty.

The structure was immense, towering over him and made completely of gleaming glass.

As they approached the hotel, the old guy breathed heavily as he noticed Ayaan's reaction. He had planned for this to happen every time they went to a nice restaurant, so he had a strategy ready.

"Kid, I have shown you the press conference video of the Octagon right; act like that for the whole event today."

His expression changed from one of excitement and happiness to a blank and emotionless one, almost as if a switch had been flipped.

"Good. Now follow me."

They entered and followed a walkway to a vast garden at the back of the hotel. As they approached, they could hear the faint sounds of a wedding event.

As they made their way towards the back garden of the hotel, the man who had come to visit noticed them from a distance. He was tending to some guests at a wedding reception, but quickly made his way toward Ayaan and the old man.

"Welcome Khan, and kid, what's your name?"

"Ayaan."

"You were really something, can't wait to see what surprises you hold in the state tournament."

Ayaan bowed a little in respect.