CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
๐ May 27th, 2005
The energy backstage was tense.
Most rookies were shaking in their boots.
Malik "MK Jr." Smith?
He was staring at the BWF Championship belt through the monitor.
That night, he wasn't just fighting a match.
He was fighting for history.
FLASHBACK โ EARLIER THAT DAY
BWF cameras were rolling. Brick Bronson, the undefeated and cocky BWF Champion, paced in the ring with a mic in hand.
"Let's make this interesting," Bronson said. "Put the title on the line. I want this rookie to learn respect the hard way."
The crowd exploded.
The GM nodded from ringside.
๐ข "Officially sanctioned! Tonight's main event is for the BWF Heavyweight Championship!"
MAIN EVENT: BWF CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Brick Bronson (c) vs Malik "The Tribal Chief" Smith Jr.
The bell rang.
DING DING DING
Bronson charged like a tank.
Malik side-stepped, ducked under a punch, and fired off a lightning-quick forearm. The crowd popped.
Bronson responded with a shoulder tackle that knocked Malik to the mat.
They clashed in a fast-paced exchangeโpower vs technique.
ย
Out of nowhere, Bronson hooked Malik's head and spiked him into the mat with his finisher: The Brick Drop โ a brutal running DDT.
He covered him.
1โฆ 2โฆ
Malik kicked out!
The crowd gasped.
Bronson growled.
ย
Less than a minute later, Bronson hit it again.
Malik's head slammed the mat hard.
1โฆ 2โฆ
KICKOUT AGAIN.
Commentators were losing their minds.
๐ค "That's two Brick Drops and this kid's still moving!"
Bronson screamed, pulled Malik up, and hit his finisher a third time.
1โฆ 2โฆ
KICKOUT!
The crowd was on its feet.
Malik wasn't even fighting with strength anymoreโhe was running on heart and instincts.
Bronson shouted, "STAY DOWN!"
Malik, bloody-lipped and grinning, whispered, "You first."
One more time.
Bronson lifted Malik and delivered his hardest Brick Drop of the night.
BOOM.
The whole ring shook.
1โฆ 2โฆ
โฆKICKOUT!
The crowd ERUPTED. People were screaming. Some were crying.
๐ค "FOUR finishers! FOUR! This isn't human!"
Bronson staggered to his feet in disbelief.
Malik lay thereโฆ breathing. Alive.
๐ฒ SYSTEM ALERT โ PASSIVE TRIGGERED
๐งฌ "Defiant Spirit" activated
Survive 4 finishers in a single match without being pinned
โ Boost: Move-read increased. Enemy patterns unlocked.
Bronson backed into a corner, sweating, chest heaving.
Malik began to rise.
Slow.
Unshakable.
Like a king who refused to kneel.
TO BE CONTINUED...
[End of Chapter 18 โ "The Four-Finisher War"]