The crowd's energy shifted back to the arm wrestling tables. The metal platform with elbow pads and hand grips gleamed under the gym lights. Everyone knew this was where pride and brute strength clashed most violently—there was no place to hide, no strategies beyond grip, leverage, and sheer will.
The announcer's voice rang out:
"Next match! David Ahn versus Elias Cruz!"
Elias's Entrance
David smirked confidently as he walked up, his lackeys clapping him on the back. But then came his opponent.
Elias Cruz. Broad-shouldered, rough hands, his forearms scarred from years of heavy labor. He didn't wear flashy gear—just a worn-out school P.E. shirt and jeans that looked too small for his thick legs.
But his eyes… they burned with something more than just determination.
The whispers in the crowd grew louder:
"Who's that guy? Never seen him before."
"Wait, isn't that Elias from the outskirts? The one who works construction?"
"They say he lifts steel beams like it's nothing…"
Elias's Backstory
Elias had grown up in poverty. As a child, he begged for coins in the streets, bullied by the very kids who now sat in this audience. When his father's back gave out, Elias became the family's lifeline. Carrying crates, hauling sacks, dragging pallets—his life was arm wrestling, every day a fight against gravity and hunger.
And now, he wasn't here for pride. He wasn't here to prove he was strong. He was here for his younger sister, bedridden and in need of treatment that his family could never afford. Winning this event meant hope. Losing wasn't an option.
The Match Begins
David slammed his elbow onto the pad, flashing his cocky grin. "Try not to embarrass yourself. I trained with Mark Ben, the best in the country. This'll be quick."
Elias placed his elbow down silently. His hand engulfed David's, callused and rough. The ref locked their grip.
"Ready… Go!"
David struck first, exploding with side pressure, trying to force Elias's arm down immediately. But Elias didn't budge. His wrist held steady, his thick forearm unmoving, like a steel beam rooted to the earth.
The crowd gasped.
David's smug grin twitched. "Tch—!" He adjusted, applying more torque, veins bulging, his coach shouting from the sidelines.
But Elias didn't counterattack. He simply held. His face calm, his breathing steady, as if he had carried weights far heavier than David's pride.
Seconds turned into a minute. Sweat dripped from both their brows. David's lackeys shouted:
"Come on, David!"
"Crush him already!"
But murmurs rose in the crowd.
"This Elias guy's not normal…"
"He's just holding him there, letting David tire himself out…"
David's teeth clenched. His strength was draining faster than expected. Rage bubbled up. "You think you can outlast me?!"
Elias's voice rumbled low, almost like a growl:
"I've carried heavier things than you'll ever lift… I've endured worse than you can imagine. This? This is nothing."
David's wrist began to bend back slightly. His eyes widened. No… not in front of Reina. Not in front of everyone.
Summoning every ounce of his training, he let out a roar and shifted his leverage, driving with his legs, twisting his torso. In a surge of desperation, he slammed Elias's arm halfway down.
The table shook. The crowd exploded.
But Elias didn't go down. He roared back, his arm trembling, veins popping, holding himself at the brink of defeat. His sister's smile flashed in his mind. His father's broken body. His mother's tears.
"I… can't… lose!"
The two were locked at the brink, the referee hovering nervously, sweat pouring down their arms. Then David's eyes narrowed—pure fury.
With a final twist, using every bit of technique his coach drilled into him, David shifted his grip, dragged Elias's wrist inward, and slammed his hand to the pad.
"Winner—David Ahn!"
The crowd cheered, but it wasn't the same roaring approval David expected. Half the arena was clapping for Elias, even though he had lost.
David ripped his hand away, shaking from exhaustion, hiding the fact that Elias had pushed him further than he ever expected. He raised his arms in victory, smirking, but his pride was shaken.
Elias, meanwhile, slowly stood. His hand bruised, wrist trembling, but his back straight, his eyes unbroken. The crowd's whispers were no longer dismissive. They were respectful.
"Elias Cruz… remember that name."
"He nearly beat David."
"He fought like hell."
Jed watched from the back, his fists clenched. Yun whispered beside him, "That guy Elias… he's different. Strong, but something about him feels… real."
David looked to Reina in the stands, waiting for her approving smile. She clapped—but her eyes lingered a little longer on Elias as he walked away.
For the first time, David felt something burn in his chest—not just victory, but fear. Fear of rivals rising from the shadows.