CHAPTER: THE FINAL WEEK
The semi-finals were over—but for Alex, it felt like nothing had changed. There was no cheering in his ears, no warmth in his chest. Just silence.
Coach Ray was gone.
For the first time in this long journey, Alex was truly alone.
He didn't return to school that week. The halls, the noise, the distractions—they were meaningless now. This was his last week before the final match. It wasn't just a final. It was his final. If he didn't win, everything ended here.
He woke at 3:00 a.m. on Sunday. Like always. He jogged in the dark, his breath clouding under the streetlights, his feet echoing down empty roads. But something was different.
No fire in his legs. No ache. No adrenaline.
Just numbness.
At the gym, the routine began again: jump rope, shadowboxing, push-ups, weights, footwork, bag work. Over and over. Coach Ray used to correct his form, shout in his ear, push him further. Now, it was just the sound of fists hitting leather and the hollow thud of his heartbeat.
Each punch felt mechanical. Each movement empty.
He wasn't tired—he was just gone.
CHAPTER: WALMART SUNDAY NIGHT
Saturday evening. 8 p.m.
Alex walked past the local Walmart, still wearing his hoodie soaked with sweat. That's when he saw him—Mark. Laughing near the entrance with two girls beside him. Alex squinted.
"Yo, brother," he called out.
Mark turned, grinning lazily. "Alex! Damn, long time no see. Where've you been, man? Why ain't you at school?"
"You drunk?" Alex asked, noticing his glassy eyes.
"Drunk? Pfft, no… maybe," Mark chuckled.
Alex glanced at the girls—his heart skipped a beat. "Wait… Liana? Hannah?"
Liana smiled awkwardly. "Hey, Alex. We were just hanging out."
Mark's face changed. The laughter faded. He leaned close and whispered, his voice trembling, "Alex… I didn't want to do this. Ben and his gang—he made me bring them here. He wants to do something bad."
Alex's eyes darkened. "What?"
Before Mark could answer, a crash rang out. Plastic chairs flew. Tables shattered. Ben arrived with ten men, all armed with pipes and bats. Ben grinned like a wolf.
"Well, well. Look who it is. Missed you, Alex. You miss me?"
"What do you want, Ben?" Alex asked coldly.
"I want your girls. Liana. Hannah. Bring them to me."
Liana gasped. "What?! Why?!"
Ben stepped forward, but Alex blocked him.
Ben's grin faded. "You think you're someone now?"
"I think I'm someone who's going to end this."
Ben whistled. His gang charged.
CHAPTER: STREET FIGHT
They swung first—bats crashing down. Alex ducked, weaved, moved like water.
He was faster than ever. His training, his pain, his past—it all exploded in that moment.
He ducked one swing, landed a rib-cracking hook. Elbowed another attacker, dodged the third, uppercut. One by one, they dropped. Bodies hit the ground, groaning.
Ben lunged for the girls—but Mark blocked him. The bat struck Mark's head.
Blood.
Alex roared, launching himself at Ben with a roundhouse kick. Ben flew back, hitting the pavement hard. He scrambled and ran.
Alex knelt beside Mark, trembling. "You're gonna be okay."
Liana cried out. "He's bleeding—a lot!"
Without thinking, Alex scooped Mark in his arms and ran—full sprint—to the nearest hospital.
"Help!" he shouted as he crashed through the ER doors. "My friend! Head injury!"
The nurses rushed in. Alex watched helplessly as they wheeled Mark away.
CHAPTER: THE BROTHERHOOD RETURNS
Sunday morning. 4 a.m. The gym.
Alex entered like a ghost, but the gym was far from empty.
Zairo. Joe Black. Wellburgh. Abdullah. Jack.
All waiting.
"Yo, Alex!" Jack called out. "You ready?"
Alex blinked. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We're here to finish what Coach Ray started," Zairo said. "You beat all of us once. That's why we trust you. That's why we're gonna make sure you win."
Jack added, "Your opponent in the final... it's Liloyd."
The name stopped Alex cold. "Liloyd? My old bully?"
"Fate's funny that way," Joe said with a smirk.
They trained him like warriors. Zairo drilled footwork—float like wind. Joe Black taught raw power—strike like thunder. Wellburgh sharpened speed—jab like lightning. Abdullah molded his mind—strategy, focus, rhythm.
And when it was over, they all stepped back, watching the boy Coach Ray built become something more.
CHAPTER: THE FINAL MATCH
The stadium was electric.
"On my right, Alex from Xander Gym!"
"On my left, Liloyd from Cobra Gym!"
No handshake. No smiles.
Just fire.
Ding.
Liloyd came in swinging—fast, angry jabs. But Alex saw everything. Time slowed. Like Coach Ray once said—slow mind, fast fists.
He slipped under the first punch. Side-stepped the second. Then, using everything Joe and Zairo taught him, he launched a body-powered uppercut.
CRACK.
Liloyd's ribs shattered. He dropped instantly.
"KO! It's OVER!" the ref shouted.
The crowd roared. The reporters went wild.
And Alex stood there, fists down, breathing deep.
Champion.
CHAPTER: BLOOD IN THE DARK
The celebration roared backstage. Everyone hugged him.
Except Jack.
Alex searched—until he found him outside.
But Jack wasn't alone. A shadow moved—then a knife flashed. Jack staggered.
Alex screamed, tackled the attacker. The man ran.
"Jack! Stay with me!"
"I'm okay. Just call an ambulance…"
Alex did. But that night changed something in him. He realized—fists weren't enough. Not in the streets.
CHAPTER: THE EVOLUTION
Summer came. School ended.
Everyone partied.
Except Alex.
He had $1,000 in the bank from his winnings, but it wasn't enough. Not for his mom. Not for their future.
So he took every job he could—delivery boy, warehouse lifter, dishwasher.
And he trained. Muay Thai. Taekwondo. Boxing. Non-stop.
He didn't party. He became.
By the time he turned 17, Alex wasn't just a boxer anymore. He was a hybrid fighter. A strategist. A protector.
He didn't join any local fights. He waited—for the world stage.
And when the selection letters arrived, when the global tournament called his name—
Alex looked at his reflection in the mirror and whispered:
"This is it. Time to show the world who I really am."