Ghost in the Underground

Chapter 13: Arena Showdown

The underground arena was packed.

It wasn't just a fight—it was an event. The kind that got the high rollers excited and had the bookies scrambling to adjust their odds.

Sammy Rodriguez vs. Axel Kane.

A brutal boxer vs. a seasoned MMA fighter.

The moment Sammy stepped into the cage, he felt the weight of every eye in the room. They weren't here to see a fight. They were here to see a beating.

And they expected Sammy to be on the receiving end.

Axel was already in the cage, rolling his shoulders, smirking like he had already won. He had the kind of presence that made people nervous. A predator who knew exactly what he was doing.

Sammy kept his expression neutral. His ribs were still sore from his last fight, but he couldn't show weakness now.

Rick was in his corner, whispering last-minute advice. "Don't let him take you down. You go to the ground, it's over."

Carlos just gave a single nod. "Stay sharp."

The announcer barely finished calling their names before the ref shouted:

"Fight!"

Axel didn't rush in. He was a professional, and professionals didn't make mistakes.

He circled, testing Sammy with feints, making him react.

Sammy stayed patient. His footwork light, his guard up.

Then Axel lunged.

Sammy barely dodged the first kick, but the second one slammed into his side. Pain exploded in his ribs.

He gritted his teeth and fired back—a quick jab that grazed Axel's jaw. Not enough to hurt, but enough to get his attention.

Axel smirked. "That all you got?"

Then he shot in low.

A takedown attempt.

Sammy sprawled, planting his feet and stuffing the attempt just in time. Axel was strong, but Sammy had been working on this. He wasn't going down that easy.

Still, Axel wasn't done. He wrapped an arm around Sammy's waist, trying to muscle him into the cage.

Sammy reacted fast—a hard uppercut to the body.

Axel grunted but pushed forward. Sammy threw another punch, then another, but Axel absorbed the shots and drove him into the fence.

Now Sammy was stuck.

Axel started throwing dirty elbows, knees to the thighs, grinding his weight against Sammy.

Sammy had no space to punch back. He had to think fast.

He shifted his hips, twisting just enough to break Axel's grip. Then he fired a vicious short right hook to the temple.

CRACK!

Axel stumbled.

Sammy followed up with a left hook to the liver.

Axel backpedaled for the first time.

The crowd gasped. Sammy wasn't supposed to be winning.

Axel shook his head, resetting. His smirk was gone. "Alright, kid."

Then he rushed forward.

Sammy barely had time to react. Axel faked high and went low—this time, his takedown landed.

Sammy hit the mat hard.

Axel moved fast, pinning him down, raining down brutal ground-and-pound. Sammy covered up, twisting, trying to escape, but Axel had control.

The punches felt like hammers.

The crowd roared. They wanted blood.

Sammy's vision blurred. He couldn't stay here.

He twisted, forcing Axel to shift his weight. For a split second, there was an opening.

Sammy exploded upward, using all his strength. A desperate scramble.

Somehow, he got back to his feet.

But Axel was right on him.

Sammy had no space, no time to breathe—so he swung.

A blind right cross, straight from instinct.

BAM!

It landed clean on Axel's chin.

Axel froze.

Then he dropped.

The entire arena went silent.

Axel was on his hands and knees, blinking in shock.

Sammy didn't wait.

He stepped in, fired a left hook.

Then another.

Axel collapsed.

The ref jumped in, waving it off.

It was over.

The crowd erupted. Some cheered, some cursed, but Sammy didn't care.

He had won. Again.

He staggered back, chest heaving. His ribs screamed in pain, his fists ached, but it didn't matter.

He had survived.

Carlos and Rick rushed into the cage. Carlos grabbed him by the shoulders. "That was insane."

Rick shook his head, grinning. "They're gonna hate this."

Sammy exhaled. He looked around the arena, at the faces in the crowd.

Then his eyes locked onto Vinnie.

The man was standing near the edge of the cage, smirking.

He raised his glass.

As if to say:

"You passed the test. But it's not over."

Sammy's jaw tightened. He wasn't just fighting for survival anymore.

He was fighting for something bigger.

And he wasn't done yet.

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