One hundred thousand spectators stared down at the dirt. They had just watched a
scrawny unarmored grunt wrestle a piece of heavy industrial machinery and literally crush its steel neck with his bare hands.
It was biologically impossible. It was mechanically insane.
Then, the announcer finally found his voice.
"HE... HE BROKE HIM! THE GRUNT BROKE THE JUGGERNAUT!"
The crowd erupted. It was not a cheer of joy. It was a roar of awe. They screamed his fake name, chanting it over and over as they threw credits and betting slips into the air.
Sebastian stood in the center of the arena. He looked up at the VIP box. He gave
Commander Sterling a slow lazy two finger salute.
"Easiest money I ever made," Sebastian muttered. He turned his back on the
roaring crowd.
He had won the tournament. He had his VIP pass. It was time to go steal a
server.
————
The noise of the Vanguard Arena faded into a dull echo as the heavy iron blast
doors slid shut behind Sebastian.
