Chapter Two – The Debut Card
Sleep didn't come. How could it?
The System hovered in my mind like a second heartbeat, its menus pulsing in deep crimson whenever I closed my eyes. I wasn't in my old apartment anymore—I was in a world where wrestling wasn't just entertainment. It was survival.
When I finally dragged myself into the locker room at dawn, the countdown pulsed above the mirror:
---
[System Notice]
Time Remaining Until Debut Show: 24 Hours
My reflection stared back at me, hair tangled, eyes wide. The thorned mask rested on the counter in front of me. I traced a finger across the crimson etching, breathing in and out until my pulse steadied.
"You've watched a lifetime of wrestling, Rose," I whispered to myself. "Now you're the one running it. Time to prove you can do more than dream."
The interface shifted again. This time it wasn't suggestions—it was demands:
[Debut Card Requirements]
Minimum: 4 Matches
1 Main Event
At least 6 Roster Members must compete
Bonus Rating if YOU wrestle
Penalty for Failure: Show Cancellation → Fan Support Loss → Possible Termination
Termination. My stomach tightened at the word. Xena's smile flashed across my memory—sweet and lethal. She wasn't joking.
"Alright," I muttered, smacking my cheeks to stay sharp. "Card time. Let's see what I've got."
Roster Chaos
Titan sat like a statue in full armor, gauntlets resting on his knees. Lilith leaned back in a chair, legs crossed, boredom written across her face as she polished her nails with a tiny blade.
Jingles the clown rolled around juggling pins he couldn't quite catch. Blob clung to a corner, quivering like jelly. La Espina—the tiny masked luchadora—was already doing backflips on the mat, silent and deadly. Mimeo mimed pushing an invisible wall while the crowdless room looked on.
This was my army?
"This is a circus," I muttered.
Lilith glanced up. "Darling, you're the ringmaster."
Constructing the Card
I dragged names into the glowing match slots like a desperate puzzle solver.
Match One – Opener: Jingles vs. Blob
A comedy mess to warm up the crowd.
Match Two – Showcase: La Espina vs. Mimeo
The speed and agility of Espina against the strange theatrics of the mime.
Match Three – Co-Main: Lilith vs. Titan
Power versus arrogance. If nothing else, sparks would fly.
Match Four – Main Event: Lady Rose (me) & Titan vs. Shadow Envoy (B-Rank Rival)
I froze. The System had filled that last part in for me.
[System Notice]
Main Event Opponent Assigned: Shadow Envoy
Origin: Eternal Wrestling
Purpose: Establish Credibility
My heart skipped. "I have to fight a rival promotion on my debut?!"
Lilith laughed like it was the best news she'd ever heard. Titan only stood, steel scraping against steel as he rose to his feet.
"We will prevail, Lady Rose," he said firmly.
I rubbed my temples. "Fantastic. No pressure at all."
Cutting the First Promo
The System wasn't done with me yet.
[Pre-Show Requirement]
Deliver a Promo to the Crowd
The arena was dark when I stepped into the ring, but I could feel every pair of eyes watching. A mic materialized in my hand.
For a moment, I froze. I'd watched a thousand promos, memorized every cadence and roar. But now the spotlight was on me.
I took a breath.
"My name is Alice James… but in this ring, you'll call me Lady Rose."
The crowd responded instantly, chanting my name in waves.
"I didn't choose this world. I didn't ask for this stage. But if you think I'm walking away—think again. Tonight, this Garden blooms for the first time. And we're not just here to survive—we're here to grow, to fight, and to prove that no rival promotion can bury us. Watch closely. We're only getting started."
I dropped the mic. The roar that followed rattled my bones.
[Promo Result: B+]
[Fan Support +50]
Backstage, Lilith clapped lazily, a wicked grin curling her lips. "Not terrible, darling. Almost convincing."
"Stuff it," I muttered.
Blob made a wet slapping sound that I decided to take as approval. Jingles honked his nose like a victory horn. Titan set his gauntlet on my shoulder and nodded once.
"Lead us," he said.
I swallowed. My first card was set. The words had been spoken.
And soon… the bell would ring.
The house lights dimmed. A ripple of noise ran through the crowd—eager, hungry, restless. The System flashed in my vision:
[Match One: Jingles vs. Blob]
Objective: Warm up the crowd.
I gripped the curtain. My debut card was real now.
The ring announcer's voice boomed:
"Introducing first… JINGLES!"
The arena erupted with laughter as Jingles cartwheeled down the ramp, juggling flaming pins. He dropped them halfway, stumbled, then struck a heroic pose as if nothing had gone wrong. The crowd ate it up, booing and cheering all at once.
"Please don't trip," I muttered from backstage.
Then came the counterpoint.
"And his opponent… BLOOOB!"
The lights turned slime-green. A viscous mound of goo oozed out from the tunnel, bouncing and wobbling toward the ring. The crowd shrieked in disgust, then laughed as Blob splatted against the apron before rolling under the bottom rope.
The Match
From the opening bell, it was chaos. Jingles tried to Irish whip Blob, only for his arm to sink straight into the goo. He yanked free, face twisted in horror, before slipping and landing flat on his back. Blob bounced on top of him with a gelatinous splorch.
The audience howled.
"Get up, Jingles," I whispered, clutching my mask.
He kipped up surprisingly fast, honking his nose as if to reset momentum. He climbed the ropes and leapt with a wobbly elbow drop… and bounced harmlessly off Blob's gelatinous body, ricocheting across the ring like a ragdoll.
The fans chanted:
"BLOB! BLOB! BLOB!"
Finally, Jingles improvised. He pulled a cream pie from under the ring—don't ask me how—and slammed it straight into Blob's gooey "face." Blob trembled, quivered… then collapsed into a puddle.
The referee dropped to the mat.
One! Two! Three!
[Winner: Jingles | Fan Rating: B- | Crowd Heat +30]
The audience laughed and applauded as Jingles pranced around, slipping on Blob's goo and nearly falling again. It wasn't pretty, but it was memorable.
Backstage, I exhaled. "One down."
Match Two – La Espina vs. Mimeo
The crowd quieted as the announcer shouted:
"Next up—LA ESPINA!"
A single spotlight hit the ramp. Out came the five-foot firecracker in a red-and-black mask, cape fluttering behind her. She raised a fist, sharp eyes daring the audience to doubt her. The crowd rallied behind her instantly—chants of "ES-PI-NA! ES-PI-NA!" shook the rafters.
Then the lights flickered.
"Her opponent… MIMEO!"
The ring fell silent as Mimeo stepped through the curtain—white face paint blank, hands pressing against an invisible wall. Every step was exaggerated, silent, unsettling. He pretended to climb an unseen ladder, then pantomimed pulling the ropes open before slipping inside the ring.
The contrast was electric: Espina's fierce energy against Mimeo's eerie silence.
The Match
The bell rang, and Espina exploded like a bullet—dropkicks, arm drags, lightning-fast speed. The crowd gasped as she leapt to the top rope and hurled herself at Mimeo with a flying crossbody.
Mimeo didn't budge. He "caught" her on invisible wires, holding her in mid-air with pantomimed strength. For a second, the audience actually believed it—and then Espina wriggled free, planting him with a DDT that rattled the canvas.
The arena erupted.
Mimeo retaliated with equally bizarre offense. He pulled an invisible rope to "lasso" Espina, dragging her across the mat as if bound. He pretended to swing an invisible chair, only for Espina to duck and roll him up for a near fall.
The crowd was losing it. Some booed, some laughed, but everyone was hooked.
Finally, Espina hit her finish—a springboard tornado DDT that drove Mimeo's head into the mat. She hooked the leg.
One! Two! Three!
[Winner: La Espina | Fan Rating: B+]
[Fan Support +70 | Momentum Increased]
The fans stood, chanting her name. Espina raised her fist, breathing hard, every inch the underdog fighter.
Mimeo rolled out silently, "trapped" in an invisible box as he backed up the ramp.
Backstage, I leaned against the wall, grinning despite myself.
Two matches in, and the crowd was alive. My show was working.
Titan stood beside me, arms crossed. "The Garden blooms," he said simply.
Lilith smirked from her chair. "We'll see how long it lasts, darling."
I swallowed hard. Next up was the co-main: her versus him.
Lilith versus Titan.
The crowd didn't know it yet, but this was where the real test began.
Perfect — let's continue with a polished, professional, zero-plagiarism draft of Chapter Two – Part Three, the co-main event: Lilith vs. Titan. I'll blend the broadcast feel with Alice's first-person perspective, keeping it theatrical, tense, and character-driven.
The energy in the arena shifted. Laughter from the last two matches gave way to anticipation, a low hum like a storm building on the horizon. Even backstage I could feel it in my bones.
The System flared before my eyes:
2025-10-01
[Match Three: Lilith vs. Titan]
Objective: Establish rivalry and tension.
Bonus: Fan Reaction Multiplier x2
I glanced at both of them.
Titan stood tall, armor gleaming under the fluorescents, every breath steady, focused. A soldier. A wall of iron.
Lilith, by contrast, lounged like she owned the room. Her velvet jacket draped off one shoulder, crimson eyes catching the light. She smirked as if she'd already won.
"Don't hold back," she purred, brushing past Titan on her way to the curtain. "I want to see if steel bends."
Titan didn't respond. He simply followed, footsteps echoing like hammers.
Entrances
The lights dropped. A single spotlight carved through the darkness.
"Introducing first… LILITH!"
A low, haunting melody filled the arena. Red petals drifted from the rafters as she stepped onto the ramp, arms outstretched. Her velvet jacket shimmered, her smirk daring the crowd to worship or hate her.
Half the fans booed, the other half cheered louder than ever. She reveled in it, blowing a kiss to the camera before sliding gracefully into the ring.
Then the music cut.
"Her opponent… TITAN!"
The arena thundered. Heavy drums shook the floor as Titan marched out, every step pounding in sync with the rhythm. His armor reflected the crimson lights, his glowing eyes locked straight ahead.
The crowd roared his name like a war chant:
"TI-TAN! TI-TAN! TI-TAN!"
He climbed the steps, ducked under the ropes, and stood across from Lilith.
The contrast was electric—dark elegance versus unyielding power.
The Match
The bell rang.
Lilith circled, smirk never leaving her face. Titan remained motionless, arms crossed, like a statue daring her to strike first.
She obliged. A sudden kick snapped against his thigh, then another, faster, sharper. Titan didn't flinch.
"Not impressed?" she teased. She swung with a forearm. Titan caught her wrist mid-air. The crowd gasped.
With one hand, he shoved her backward. She hit the mat, rolling to her feet, grin widening.
"Good," she whispered. "Make me bleed."
The next exchange came faster. Lilith used her speed—dropkicks, counters, slipping between Titan's strikes like smoke. The fans rallied behind her sheer audacity. But every time she landed a hit, Titan answered with a thunderous slam or crushing blow that rattled the canvas.
The arena was split. Half chanting her name, half chanting his.
"LI-LITH!"
"TI-TAN!"
"LI-LITH!"
"TI-TAN!"
I stood backstage, fists clenched. This is it. This is the kind of match that builds legends.
Lilith scaled the ropes, crimson eyes flashing. She dove, twisting mid-air—only to be caught in Titan's arms. He spun and slammed her down with bone-shaking force.
The referee dove.
One! Two—
Kick out! The arena exploded.
Lilith laughed through the pain, clutching her ribs. "You'll have to kill me."
Titan lifted her again for another slam, but she slipped behind, locking her arms around his neck. With a vicious twist, she dropped him throat-first across the ropes. Titan staggered. The crowd screamed.
Seizing the moment, Lilith hooked his head and drove him face-first into the mat with a sharp cutter. She rolled him over, pressing down with all her weight.
One! Two! Thr—
Titan threw her off with raw strength, the kick-out sending her tumbling halfway across the ring.
Both wrestlers rose slowly, the crowd on their feet, screaming.
The Finish
Lilith charged again, fury and thrill burning in her eyes. She leapt—only for Titan to catch her mid-air once more. This time there was no escape.
With devastating force, he slammed her down in the center of the ring and collapsed over her, pinning both shoulders.
One! Two! Three!
The bell rang. The arena erupted.
[Winner: Titan | Match Rating: A-]
[Fan Reaction: +120 | Rivalry Unlocked: Lilith vs. Titan]
Titan stood, raising a gauntlet. The fans roared his name.
Lilith lay on the mat, laughing breathlessly. She rolled to her side, crimson hair tangled, and whispered into the camera, "This isn't over."
The crowd loved it.
Backstage, my heart raced. I couldn't have scripted it better if I tried.
And yet, the System whispered ominously in my ear:
[Warning: Main Event Approaches]
Opponent: Shadow Envoy]
I pulled my mask tight. My debut match was next.
Main Event: Lady Rose & Titan vs. Shadow Envoy
The locker room curtain was cold against my back. My mask felt heavier than it had all night.
The System's whisper still burned behind my eyes:
[Main Event Activated]
Match Type: Tag Team Exhibition
Your Role: Competitor]
My knees trembled, though I told myself it was adrenaline. Titan's hand settled on my shoulder—solid, grounding.
"You're ready," he said simply.
I wanted to believe him.
The ring announcer's voice thundered through the arena:
"Ladies and gentlemen, your MAIN EVENT!"
The crowd's roar shook the floor beneath my boots.
Entrances – My Turn to Walk
"Introducing first… LADY ROSE!"
The lights turned crimson. A storm of petals rained from the rafters as my music hit—slow at first, then pounding like a heartbeat. The fans screamed, some chanting my name, others jeering.
Every eye was on me.
I stepped onto the ramp, blood-red mask gleaming under the lights. My sheer skirt caught the air as I walked, every stride daring the crowd to watch or turn away. I raised my hand, and the arena lights pulsed in sync.
My pulse thundered. For the first time, I felt it—this was my stage.
"Her partner… TITAN!"
The chants returned, louder, heavier. Titan marched out beside me, armor clashing under the spotlights. He lifted his gauntleted hand, and the noise doubled.
Together, we climbed into the ring. The crowd shook the rafters with dueling chants:
"ROSE! ROSE! ROSE!"
"TI-TAN! TI-TAN! TI-TAN!"
Then the lights died.
The Opponents – Shadow Envoy
The titantron flickered static. A hollow voice echoed:
"We are the shadow… we are eternal…"
Twin figures emerged from the darkness—hooded, faceless masks gleaming like bone. Their long black coats dragged across the floor, and the air chilled as if the arena itself had lost heat.
"Representing Eternal Wrestling… the SHADOW ENVOY!"
The crowd's reaction was instant—boos, jeers, even a few terrified screams. The two moved in perfect sync, sliding under the ropes like phantoms.
Across the ring, Titan's fists clenched. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand tall.
The Match
The bell rang.
Titan started. He collided with the larger Envoy like two mountains crashing. Each blow thundered through the canvas. The crowd roared with every slam, every strike.
"Come on, Titan," I muttered at the apron, heart racing.
He knocked one Envoy down with a crushing clothesline, but the second slid in, striking low with a spinning kick that buckled Titan's knee. The crowd gasped. Titan staggered, groaning.
The referee shouted, but the damage was done. Both Envoys swarmed him.
"Tag me!" I screamed, arm outstretched.
Titan fought through their strikes, shoved one away, and collapsed into my corner. His palm slapped mine.
The crowd erupted as I vaulted over the ropes.
My Moment
I hit the ring running, every nerve alight. One Envoy lunged—I ducked, spinning, catching him with a sharp kick that dropped him. The second swung wide; I countered with a snap DDT that spiked him into the mat.
The fans went wild. My chest burned with adrenaline, but I felt alive—more alive than I'd ever been.
"Rose! Rose! Rose!"
I climbed the ropes. The world seemed to pause as I leapt, sheer skirt fluttering, boots finding their mark. Both Envoys collapsed beneath me.
One! Two!—broken up!
The larger Envoy yanked me off, throwing me across the mat. My back screamed. The crowd groaned.
He loomed over me, hands tightening on my throat—until Titan barreled in, spearing him to the ground. The ring shook.
The Finish
Chaos exploded—Titan and one Envoy brawling outside, the other dragging me to my feet inside. My lungs burned, my legs wobbled, but I refused to fall.
The Envoy swung wild. I ducked.
Now or never.
I caught his face in my hands, pressing my mask against his—crimson lips on pale bone. The crowd shrieked.
"Kiss of Thorns!"
I twisted, rolling, slamming him into the canvas with all my weight.
One! Two! Three!
The bell rang. The arena erupted.
[Winners: Lady Rose & Titan | Fan Rating: A | Crowd Heat +200]
[New Ability: Finisher "Kiss of Thorns" Unlocked]
Titan slid back into the ring, raising my arm. I could barely breathe, chest heaving, but the roar of the fans filled me with fire.
Across the ramp, the Shadow Envoys vanished into smoke, their voices echoing:
"This is only the beginning…"
Backstage, the System chimed:
[Warning: Rival Brand Hostility Escalating]
[Main Storyline Arc: The Brand War]
I pulled my mask off, sweat dripping, lips trembling into a grin.
"Let them come," I whispered. "The thorns will bloom."