The lights... the cameras... the cheers... this cocktail of stimulation seemed to be overwhelming as you looked around your surroundings.

???: Number 73 is tearing through the other contestants!

This somber sense of calm filled you as you gently moved through the other members of the tournament. The tournament seemingly had begun with a battle royale of sorts, as if there wasn't enough of those these day. You watched the others with interest, the fighting almost seemingly slowing around you as the adrenaline began filling your veins. You turned your (E/c) gaze just in time to spot a contestant bumping into you. You thought nothing of it really as you watched him howl in pain on the ground. It was truly his fault for bumping into you.

(Y/n): I don't like this place... but I can't stop myself I suppose.

The crowd was estatic, watching the fighters brutalise each other with weapons and whatnot. Amoung the crowd was your mother, father, and younger sister Mia. They all watched, looking for you in the shambling crowd of martial artists, thugs, and other miscriants.

Mia: There!

Your little sister's voice cried out, pointing in the direction as your family's eyes fell upon your form, shifting through the crowd, avoiding much of the fighting.

Mother: Oh thank gosh! Maybe he can just outlast everyone!

Father: But what if the judges base this on his fighting abilities rather than just lasting longer.

Mother: Do you think we made a bad choice flying here for this?

Mia: Big bro wanted to fight so we should at least let him try, right?

Father: It would be better if it was more organized. With all these weapons and stuff it seems like the guys with bats and swords are gonna win.

Your mother opened her mouth to speak when she spotted what was happening. Another contestant had bumped into you and turned his attention on you. She readied herself for the worst when she saw something horrible.

Another contestant decided to bump into you, his eyes turning to look at you before glancing down at your bracelet. He smirked slightly, seemingly finding something amusing as he pulled his right arm back and threw a punch your way. A simple sigh escaped your lips as your right elbow bent and flew upward, knocking the punch into your left palm, long enough for your right arm to raise and break the man's wrist. As the fighter howled in pain, you found your chance. You returned to a neutral fighting stance, once your right hand found it's original position, your right hand hooked towards the man's head, catching him in the ear with enough force to apparently cause damage as his eyes widened as he clung to the ear.

(Y/n): That quickly? That's rather... boring...

You spoke with a sigh, raising your right arm to quickly haymaker a punch into the man's nose, then for good measure, throwing another haymaker onto his face, knocking him to the ground. You looked down at the man and then at your hand. looking upon the red stained boxing tape you had applied with a bit of disgust.

(Y/n): I really don't like it here...

Mother: Did... did (Y/n) just do that...

Father: I um... a-at least he's winning.

Mother: Winning?! Do you see what he just did?!

Father: As if everybody else is fighting like perfect angels, our son is doing what he needs to. He's always fought to survive, you and I know this very well.

Your mother grew quiet as she thought over what your father said. Mia on the other hand was confused. She wasn't much younger than you but didn't truly know why your father said that.

Mia: Survive?

Your Mother glanced at your Father before he let out a sigh.

Father: I'll tell you when you're just a bit older. It's really your brother's choice in the matter though. So if you want to know you need his permission first.

That statement only further confused your sister, looking back out onto the stage just in time to see her brother violently uppercut his fistinto the jaw of another fighter.

Arriving in South Korea had been a major journey in itself, but now standing in front of the tournament arena had you nearly shaking with nervousness.You walked in with your parents until you were sectioned off by arena staff to an area for fighters. As you awkwardly shuffled against a wall you peeled off your jacket, the cool temp of the plane being replaced with the rather pleasant climate of South Korea. As the jacket slipped from your shoulder's you could feel a bit of nervous stressin your neck. You stretched accordingly, rubbing a hand on the back of your neck as you could feel your musleces still reeling from the long flight from your home country of-

???: Hmm aren't you quite a handsome young man~

You heard a sultry tone behind you. You froze up slightly, looking over your shoulder you spotted a woman. From her rather... revealing attire she appeared to be a fighter though she seemed to be a foreigner like you.

(Y/n): Oh um... thanks?

She chuckled softly at you, moving to stand in front of you as she gazed at your simple fighting sttire. You elected to wear some older clothing as to not damage it in the event the fighting got super serious. A black tank top clung to your torso, leading to a pair of old jeans you pulled from the back of your closet. As for shoes you weren't sure if it was a ring or an octagon or just a random field so you slipped on a pair of old dress shoes. Your attire and physique seemed to have attracted the woman's attention, her eyes eyes looking over your form while she circled you. The gum in her mouth popped as she blew a bubble.

???: You'd be a real fun addition too~ Too bad I'm here for the judges. But I certainly won't stop you from joining my harem~

(Y/n): A harem? Like... from an anime?

You questioned her softly. You were slightly weirded out but she was the first person to try and talk with you.

(Y/n): Well uh... I'm (Y/n) (L/n). Who are you?

Ma Mi-Sun: I'm Ma Mi-Sun. You don't sound like you're from South Korea.

(Y/n): Ah sorry I'm still really shakey on my Korean but I'm trying, but I did fly here from the United States.

Ma Mi-Sun: Oh so you're American?

(Y/n): Well my mother is American, my father is (Country of Origin). They moved to the United States and I've lived there a good chunk of my life.

It was rather strange talking to a complete stranger about your life story but you felt more comfortable at least having someone willing to talk to you. As you gazed at the other fighters, you could see some tough people among them and when you received your bracelet, you thought of checking the power levels of those standing around youbut your mind drifted to other thoughts...

You continued to drift through the fighters watching as the top contenders breezed through the weaklings who could no longer find enough people to form small groups. Surprisngly you had managed to find yourself as one of these contenders, others avoiding you as they had seen your brutal systematic destruction of your previous opponents. One however didn't run and instead wanted to see what you could do himself.

???: Hey you.

Your gaze lifted to focus on a male before you. He seemed different from the generic fighters that had approached you before. Something... was off. Not in the sense of the stranger who invited you, moreso that he seemed far more talented than the rest. He seemed rather average mostly, his althetic build nothing new to the GOH tournament but his eyes held this yellow shine among his black irises.

???: Why don't you fight me for now?

You didn't respond to his question, your eyes analyzing his figure before propping yourself into a fighting stance, your fists clenching as your arms lifted to guard your head.

(Y/n): Don't disappoint me now.

You responded and before you knew it the fighter and pounced, his left leg lifting into a high kick. With a quick flourish, you shifted to the right, letting your left elbow take the brute of the brutal high kick while your right hand hooked to attack the male's knee.

CRACK

You... didn't see it. Your fist had been mere inches from the left side of his knee when you felt a force impact your right temple. The firm sound of contact filled your ears with the sound of a crack. Your eyes widened as you felt a surge of pain through your head.

(Y/n): This... this is...

A new dose of adrenaline filled you, your muscles growing revitalized as your arm moved with inhuman speed you had never even had before.

(Y/n): It's been so long since I've felt actually pain!

You happily declared as your left hand attempted to fly in for a haymaker. The male seemed to enjoy the new challenge, using his agile body to jump and try to spin out of your grip, aiming his right leg for another kick to your head. However, you had predicted this and managed to steel your grip, landing an actual punch to the male's thigh.

(Y/n): (Y/n) (L/n).

You spoke, telling the male that managed to force him out of your grip your name. His gaze lifted and met yours.

Jin Mori: Jin Mori!

He responded to you, charging in to once more to take aim at your right temple. One more good strike and you would more than likely drop right then and there. So in the few moments you had left, you used a rushed mix of deduction and the pain from your right temple to contemplate a move.

Jin Mori had originally planned to fight the (H/c) haired fighter because of his brutal attack, leaving many contestants with a broken wrist or arm. However, as he spared the male he didn't sense malicious intent. It seemed this was simply how the fighter did his fighting, not with a professional style but a learned style of pinpoint destruction. Mori's leg lifted, ready to hammer a knock out kick into the figther's skull only to be surprised as the male tucked in and spun counter clockwise. With a leap of faith, the fighter managed to pull off an awkward spinning roundhouse. He had not planned to attack Mori, moreso he planned ahead and wanted to block his attack with one of equal force. The fighter's intuition and deduction had pulled off as his leg and Mori's locked, neither having enough force to actually push through. The two fighters were locked by their legs, meeting each other at the shin as the (H/c) haired male managed to land one leg to keep himself somewhat stable.

Jin Mori: That was a good move.

(Y/n): Thank you, I'm pretty sure I just pulled every muscle in my body.

You admitted to the male who began to laugh. It seemed like it would either be you or Mori coming out on top only to find that the battle royal had finished. A massive sense of relief washed over you as the battle ended, the adrenaline seeping out of your tired and hurt muscles. You let out a sigh and let your leg unhook from Mori's. Mori Jin smiled at you and offered you his hand in a handshake. You chuckled softly in turn and took his hand.

(Y/n): I wish we could have fought longer Jin Mori .

Jin Mori: We may get a match together in the next phase of this tournament. But if we don't we'll just have to fight and see who comes out on top!

(Y/n): Sounds like a deal!

With (Y/n) as a fighter in the next phase of the tournament, will the inclusion of a new dangerous fighter throw a wrench into his plans or will he simply have to adapt? And with the introduction of Jin Mori, will (Y/n) find a new ally in this strange tournmanet or simply another enemy? Find out in the next chapter!