The bell echoes. Rajan slumps into his corner, sweat dripping, blood staining his gloves. The crowd is silent. His breathing is ragged. His thoughts spiral.
"That's not a jab… it already tore up my muscles. I'm suffering the pain… ahh… dammit…"
He winces, clutching his right arm. It trembles uncontrollably.
"How dare you? How can he tear my muscle fibers with that much precision? That's not instinct — that's mastery."
He glances across the ring. Karikalan stands tall, calm, not even breathing hard. His shredded back glistens under the arena lights.
"He's not even sweating. That's discipline. That's determination. He built this… brick by brick. I can see it in his eyes."
Rajan's gaze narrows. His pride flickers, then falters.
"Elara is dangerous… but Karikalan? He's something else. He doesn't fight for glory. He fights for a vow."
His gloves twitch. He tries to lift his arms — they barely respond.
"I can only defend now. My offense is gone. It's impossible to defeat him like this…"
The crowd murmurs. Some fans turn away. Others stare in disbelief.
"Think… think about it… what can I do? What's the counter? What is it? What is it…?"
His mind races. The bell is about to ring again. Round 5 looms.
Round 5: The Southpaw Shift
The bell rang. The crowd held its breath. Rajan and Karikalan raised their guards.
Karikalan's eyes narrowed. His stance was unchanged — calm, centered, precise.
Rajan's body trembled, his right arm barely lifting. Blood still trickled from his mouth.
Suddenly, Rajan shifted his feet. His right foot slid forward. His left hand dropped slightly. He had switched to southpaw stance.
Rajan's Inner Monologue
"Alright… that's it. I got an idea. It won't be efficient… but it'll make him think."
"His jabs — no, his striking flash punches — they're tearing me apart. I can't block them anymore. But if I change the angle… maybe I can bait him. Maybe I can force him to adjust."
"He's not sweating. He's not even blinking. That's discipline. That's the difference between us. But I still have one thing left — unpredictability."
Crowd Reaction
Rani (startled): "Wait… Rajan switched stance? He's going southpaw?"
Elara (eyes narrowing): "Interesting. He's trying to disrupt Karikalan's rhythm. Southpaw changes the angle of defense… but it's risky. Rajan's right arm is already damaged."
Crowd murmurs:
• "Can he still fight like that?"
• He changed stance!"
• "Is he trying something new?"
Visual Moment
The camera zooms in on Rajan's feet. His right foot forward. His left shoulder tilted back. Karikalan watches silently, his eyes scanning the shift. The arena lights flicker. The crowd leans in.
Karikalan (thinking): "Southpaw… he's trying to bait me. But I won't fall for it. My strikes don't care about stance — they care about precision."
Setup for Clash
The fighters circle. Karikalan steps in — fast, low, precise. Rajan braces, his new stance altering his guard. The crowd gasps. The tension is electric.
The crowd murmured as Rajan shifted into southpaw. The arena lights flickered, tension rising.
Richard (leaning forward, eyes sharp): "He switched his style to southpaw. It might give him an advantage… because he can't lift his guard against Karikalan anymore. He's suffering from those devastating blows."
Veera (confused, blinking): "Yeah, big bro, you're right… but I only saw the jab Karikalan threw. I didn't see any punches after that."
Richard (smirking, voice low): "Exactly, kid. That's the point. He hallucinated the entire arena."
Veera (eyes widening): "What are you saying? Is it just… a hallucination?"
Richard (nodding slowly): "Yes. Karikalan's striking flash punch isn't just physical. It's so precise, so sharp, that the brain interprets it as more than one blow. Rajan's body feels like it's being hit by a storm… but in reality, it was only a single jab."
The bell rang. Both men raised their guards. For a few seconds, silence ruled the arena — only the sound of their breathing echoed.
Karikalan (thinking): "I knew he was injured in the last fight. His muscles are turning dark purple-red… torn fibers. But why switch to southpaw now? Is he defending… or planning to counter? I must be careful."
In a blink, Karikalan surged forward. His shredded back flexed as he launched a series of jabs.
Rajan (thinking): "These jabs… they're not like before. They're slower, weaker. Is he baiting me? Or is he testing me? If he's trying to learn my defense… then I'll show him something he won't forget."
The Secret Combination
Karikalan's rhythm shifted. His jabs flowed like a drumbeat — steady, relentless. Then suddenly, he snapped forward with a devastating punch, faster and heavier than before.
The impact sent Rajan stumbling back, his body jolting from the force.
Crowd (exploding in shock):
• "What a punch!"
• "It's even stronger than the last one!"
• "If I were in Rajan's place, I'd be dead!"
Fans argued among themselves:
• "What's going on? Is this another hallucination?"
Karikalan : "Did it connect? It looked real, but I didn't feel the impact…"
The Counter
Rajan twisted his neck at the last instant, absorbing the punch without collapsing. His eyes sharpened.
Rajan (thinking): "Now… this is my chance."
He launched a sudden counter — his fist arcing upward, smashing into Karikalan's face.
The arena gasped. Karikalan's head snapped back, his body jolting. He staggered two steps away, forced to retreat for the first time.
Karikalan surged forward, his shredded back flexing as he drove a punch into Rajan's stomach. Rajan gritted his teeth, twisted his neck, and retaliated with a sharp hook to Karikalan's face.
The ring shook with their exchange. Punch for punch. Blow for blow. Neither man yielded.
The Arena Awakens
The silence that had gripped the crowd shattered.
• Fans leapt to their feet, shouting their heroes' names.
• Hands clapped in rhythm, echoing like war drums.
• Feet stomped against the floor, shaking the arena like thunder.
The atmosphere transformed from tense quiet to a storm of voices, each person desperate to push their fighter forward.
Rani (eyes wide, clutching her chest): "Looks like the crowd regained their stamina, Elara. I never expected Rajan to give a comeback… and I didn't believe the sparring would be this intense. I can't take my eyes off them!"
Elara (calm, analytical, voice low): "These two are giving everything. Both fight for vows — Rajan for pride, Karikalan for vengeance. That's why this clash feels heavier than any ordinary match. It's not just fists… it's destiny colliding."
The ring shook with every blow. Muscles trembled, sweat sprayed, and yet neither man yielded.
Rajan (panting, voice cracking): "How long are we going to spar like this? Karikala… you think winning me will bring you any sense? Just give up! My body trembles, but I will win. I won't allow you to take the king's throne!"
Karikalan (grim, eyes burning): "Why are you so obsessed, Rajan? You're already injured. Defeating me won't change anything. Just give me one chance… and I will fulfill my vow."
In a flash, Rajan surged forward, his massive frame pressing Karikalan back. The ropes rattled. Karikalan was cornered.
The arena froze. Every spectator leaned forward, breath caught in their throats. "Is this the end?" whispered through the crowd.
Rajan's Smash
Rajan raised his fist high, muscles bulging, veins straining. His voice thundered: "That's it! I found a way! This will be the end for you. You can't dodge anymore. I won't allow you to fulfill your vow!"
The smash descended like a hammer, aimed to crush Karikalan against the corner.
• Rani (clutching her chest): "Karikalan is trapped… Rajan's smash could end it here!"
• Elara (eyes narrowing): "No… Karikalan isn't the type to fall in a corner.
Rajan (roaring): "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA…!" His fist swung wide in a southpaw smash, the crowd gasping at the sheer force.
Karikalan (thinking, eyes narrowing): "Why is he throwing a smash so open? He knows I'll dodge… I must be careful."
Karikalan bent forward, dodging the blow with lightning reflexes. But Rajan's eyes gleamed — he had anticipated this.
The Trap
By kneeling down before the smash connected, Rajan reverted his stance back to orthodox. In an instant, his body coiled like a spring. Then — the uppercut.
Karikalan (shocked): "What?! He changed his southpaw to deceive me… I underestimated it. There's no way to dodge this powerful uppercut. I must bend my body up now or else… it's over!"
The Arena
The crowd erupted in chaos:
• "He tricked him!"
• "That uppercut came out of nowhere!"
• "Rajan set the trap with southpaw — genius!"
Fans stomped, clapped, and screamed, the arena shaking like thunder.