AN: NO CHAPTER NEXT WEEK DUE TO EXAMS. THREE CHAPTERS A WEEK FROM SECOND WEEK OF MAY
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Another theme hit the arena.
The crowd sprang to life.
Victor Cross, back after weeks.
No one had seen him since the Battle Royale where he was eliminated.
He strolled out with a lot less flair than Savage.
Dressed in black. All business.
His face remained unchanged as he made his way down the ramp, microphone already in hand.
Tony smirked. "Here we go."
Justin leaned in closer. "This is gonna be good."
Victor took his time.
He moved deliberately into the ring, stepping through the ropes and positioning himself a few feet from Savage.
Savage lowered his mic a bit, keeping his eyes on him.
Victor raised his.
"…You're funny," he said, his tone calm.
A few chuckles rippled through the crowd.
Savage's grin tightened just a bit.
Victor continued, "Really. I didn't know IRW started hiring comedians."
The crowd reacted with more enthusiasm this time.
Savage tilted his head, intrigued.
Victor took a step closer.
"You're standing here," he said, "talking about being the 'real competition'…"
He paused for effect.
Then let out a soft laugh.
"And you expect people to believe that?"
Savage's expression turned serious.
Victor gestured toward the backstage area.
"The real competition?" he said. "The real threat?"
He lightly tapped his own chest.
"Was told to stay backstage."
The crowd responded strongly to that.
Victor's voice lowered a notch.
"Do you know why?"
Savage stayed silent.
Victor smirked.
"Because they know what happens when I'm in that ring."
The tension in the air thickened.
Savage stepped forward, his voice sharp.
"You done?" he snapped.
Victor stood his ground.
Savage's voice escalated.
"I ain't listening to that from a guy who got taken out by a high-flying monkey!"
The words landed hard.
The crowd reacted instantly—some gasped, some laughed, others shifted uncomfortably.
Tony blinked. "Okay—"
Justin frowned. "That was… unnecessary."
Luke shook his head. "That's not gonna end well."
Victor didn't flinch right away.
He just stood there.
He smiled.
Lowering his mic, he let it drop.
The thud echoed softly in the air.
The message was unmistakable.
Savage locked eyes with him for a moment.
Then he let his own mic fall.
Both men stepped forward simultaneously.
And collided.
Savage threw the first punch—quick, fierce, aimed right at Victor's face.
Victor took it head-on.
Then he retaliated instantly.
A heavier hit.
Savage staggered back a half-step but quickly came back with another blow.
They began trading punches in the center of the ring.
The crowd went wild.
Tony jumped up. "Here we go!"
Justin leaned in, eyes wide with excitement. "This is the real deal!"
Luke nodded, now fully focused. "This is what we wanted."
Savage swung wide—Victor ducked and drove his shoulder into Savage's midsection, pushing him back a step.
Savage grabbed Victor's arm, yanking him forward, trying to land a knee—
Victor blocked it and shoved Savage away.
Savage hit the ropes, came back and attempted a clothesline.
Victor ducked again and spun around, grabbing Savage from behind.
Savage elbowed out, breaking free.
Both men paused for just a heartbeat.
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When the broadcast came back from the commercial break, the match had settled into a rhythm, but the energy from their earlier brawl still hung in the air, palpable in every move they made.
Randal Savage and Victor Cross stood close together in the ring, circling each other warily, neither wanting to make the first mistake.
They locked up again in a collar-and-elbow tie-up, both men testing each other's strength. Savage leaned in with surprising force, managing to push Victor back a step, his boots scraping against the canvas.
Victor quickly adjusted, lowering his stance and driving forward to reclaim his ground.
For a few tense seconds, they remained locked in that struggle, shifting their weight, trying to outmuscle each other without overcommitting.
The crowd was on the edge of their seats, sensing that whoever took control here would set the pace for the rest of the match.
Victor was the first to break the stalemate.
He delivered a sharp jab to Savage's midsection, forcing the air out of him, then immediately shoved him back into the ropes. As Savage rebounded slightly, Victor stepped in, forcing his upper body over the top rope and pressing down, arching his back uncomfortably across it.
Savage grunted, his body bent awkwardly as Victor leaned his weight into the hold.
The referee quickly intervened, warning Victor and demanding a break.
Victor complied after a moment, stepping back with a calm expression, but he didn't give Savage a moment to catch his breath. He moved in again, unleashing a series of quick, direct strikes to Savage's upper body, each one pushing him further back.
Savage staggered into the corner.
Victor followed him inside and kept up the assault, landing blow after blow until the referee had to step in once more.
This time, the official physically positioned himself between them, forcing Victor to pull back. He raised his hands for a moment in acknowledgment, but as soon as the referee moved aside, he charged right back in.
Victor's shoulder slammed into Savage's chest, pushing him deeper into the corner.
Savage buckled slightly, his body absorbing the hit, and Victor wasted no time following up with kicks, each one thudding against Savage's torso. Savage tried to protect himself, but the blows still found their mark.
Tony shook his head from ringside. "He's just dismantling him now."
Luke nodded in agreement. "Savage has to find a way to turn this around, or it's game over."
Victor seized Savage and yanked him up, only to deliver a powerful kick to the waist that sent him crumpling again.
Savage dropped to one knee, clearly feeling the toll, while Victor stepped back just enough to plan his next move.
But as Victor moved in again, Savage was ready.
He thrust his shoulder into Victor's midsection, catching him off guard.
The sudden shift in momentum sent Victor stumbling backward, and Savage didn't let up. He kept pushing forward, step by step, driving Victor across the ring with sheer determination until Victor's back slammed hard against the turnbuckle.
Victor grunted as the impact hit, his body jolting against the corner. He staggered a few steps forward, one hand clutching his stomach while the other reached for the ropes to steady himself.
Savage, still panting heavily, pulled himself up using the ropes, refusing to stay down.
Victor glanced up, saw him rising, and immediately charged again, intent on regaining control of the match.
This time, Savage was ready for it.
At the last second, he sidestepped.
Victor, unable to halt his momentum, barreled right through the ropes and crashed onto the floor outside the ring.
The crowd erupted, sensing the change in the action.
Meanwhile, Savage remained close to the ropes, catching his breath. He gripped the top strand tightly, peering down at Victor sprawled out on the floor.