1 Chapter 1: Normalcy [01/04]

Punches were thrown and thuds resounding were heard throughout the room. Heavy footfalls echoed through the empty space.

A grunt was all that was heard along with the heavy pats on flesh.

Each punch was delivered with great force. Punch after punch coming from both sides, and each blow landing with ease. With every strike sent, a loud guttural scream of pain left the man. Blood was spat from the corners of his mouth. Sweat dripped off of his forehead.

"AND IT SEEMS LIKE OUR CONSECUTIVE LOSER, GRAY STAR, HAS RECEIVED ANOTHER HEAVY BARRAGE!!"

The crowd cheered loudly at the sight of yet another brutal defeat. They all wanted nothing more than to watch this man fall into defeat over and over again. Every blow was delivered. Each hit sent shockwaves in and around his body.

"AND MEANWHILE, OUR WILD CHAMPION OF THE RING, ORC LORD, DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A SINGLE SCRATCH ON HIM!"

Another round of applause rang out for the vicious champion. Allowing himself a quick break, Gray Star leaned back on his heels. His eyes closed for just a moment, letting the pain wash over him.

All at once, a sharp pain cut through his abdomen. It spread slowly across his stomach.

His aggressor was a large buff green-skinned male. His body was similar to that of a human but his facial features were one that could only be associated with that of a rabid beast. He wore a black hooded robe that reached to his knees with long sleeves. Tight red shorts that clung to his muscly thighs.

His entire body was covered with thick scars. A large scar ran up his face, disappearing under the hood. His thick long tusks protruded from his lower jaw. His eyes were dark and piercing.

This was no doubt, an orc. A powerful one at that. One that could easily overpower any Brawler under the rank of C.

And the poor soul it was pummeling mercilessly... was a short pale young man who didn't even reach beyond the large orc's stomach.

This was the young man named Gray Alcinder. And he was currently being beat into a bloody pulp by his large monster assailant.

Bang! Punch! Clash!

"UHNG!!"

Blood flew out his open wounds like a torrent. Punch after punch, blow after blow. The Orc did not relent in its assault, hitting the young man in the face and stomach over and over again, roaring victoriously as it did.

"WHAT DOES OUR LOVELY AUDIENCE THINK OF SUCH A DISPLAY OF BRUTALITY AND POWER!?"

The flashy man, who sported navy blue suspenders, a tight plaid black and blue button-up shirt, and grey jeans yelled into the mic. He held it close to his mouth as he flashed his vibrant white teeth to the audience, shining under the bright fluorescent light of the large circular room.

"Sink his face in!"

"Drain him of his blood!"

"Crush his bones!"

"Twist his arms!"

"Make him cry out in agony!"

The psychotic and sadistic cries of the audience, consisting mostly of snobby rich-looking people, rang out across the ring as they clapped, whistled, and cackled at the suffering dealt to the young man. You know the kind. Those who overspend their money to appear as wealthy as possible instead of utilizing their riches to demonstrate... That kind.

"WEEEEELLLL! YOU HEARD THEM, ORC LORD! MAKE OUR YOUNG CONSECUTIVE LOSER WRITHE IN PAIN!"

The announcer yelled once more as the Orc grinned, flashing his yellowed and almost rotten dentures. His fists clenched once again as he got ready for the next barrage of attacks.

He landed another heavy blow on Gray's face, knocking him back some feet away. But without giving him a chance at recovery the Orc rushed forward, punching once more, only this time landing a direct hit on his stomach.

The young man felt as if all the air had been pushed out of his lungs. His legs began to buckle, unable to support him anymore as he fell down to the ground. Blood poured out from his mouth.

"GUH! Gruhhh...!"

The Orc roared triumphantly, stepping on Gray's chest and continuing to pound into the young man's stomach. He let out a groan, trying to push himself away but it was too late. A sharp pain erupted in his abdomen. He couldn't help but cry out as he collapsed onto the floor fully.

His opponent stood proudly over the young man, staring down at him with malicious intent.

"Grrr... GAHAHAHAHAH!!!"

"AND THERE IT IS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! ORC LORD'S WINNING STREAK CONTINUES!"

It, alongside the audience, laughed maniacally. Tears formed in the corner of Gray's bloodshot eyes as he tried to sit up, only to feel blood once again rush out of his mouth. His vision began to blur.

Yet as he felt his mind and body drift into unconsciousness, the young man could see his assailant clearly still.

A burning determination was still present as Gray pushed himself off the poor wooden floor and attempted to stand once more. The young man stumbled towards his enemy but the Orc blocked the young man's path with his massive muscular arms.

Gray coughed up a bit more blood as he continued to stare into the angry red eyes that had never seemed to change since they had first seen them.

"OHOHO? WHAT'S THIS!? GRAY STAR SEEMS TO THINK HE CAN STILL FIGHT!"

The announcer shouted gleefully. The Orc turned his head to the audience briefly before returning his attention to the injured teenager. He grabbed hold of Gray's shoulder, squeezing until he cried out in pain.

"You..."

Gray slowly spat as he rose his fist for a punch.

The muscles in his hand tensed as he threw his arm forward, connecting it with his adversary's face. The impact made an audible smack and caused a few onlookers to wince.

"Geheheh..."

But the Orc did not budge. The large Orc looked down at his rival, smiling cruelly as he did so.

"OOOOOHHH! AND IT SEEMS IT WAS ALL FUTILE MY DEAR AUDIENCE! GRAY STAR APPEARS TO BE SO WEAK HE CAN'T EVEN DAMAGE OUR CHAMPION EVEN IF HE DOES LAND A HIT! HAHAHHAHA!!"

The crowd laughed heartily at the spectacle. Even the usually stoic Gray Star chuckled weakly as he watched the Orc continue to laugh at him.

"As usual I guess..."

"Geheheheh!!"

This was something that was becoming rather common these days, or perhaps ever since the dawn of the age of Brawlers.

The ridicule and abuse of those Brawlers who are considered F-Rank. It was as if the whole world were against them.

There weren't many who would give them a second glance or treat them kindly. Many would simply take pleasure in watching how pathetic and useless they were in battles.

This is what they were...

PUNCH!

Nothing but entertainment for the masses...

A grunt escaped through Gray's lips as the blow landed hard against his face again. His face throbbed, his nose stinging with the slight pain of it. The young Brawler's blood trickled down the side of his mouth. He was already starting to lose consciousness.

A cold sneer crossed the Orc's face. Before anyone could say anything, the Orc took another swing at Gray's face. This time, he landed a perfect strike on his jaw, sending Gray flying backward.

Before Gray knew what had happened he found himself lying helplessly on the ground. His vision began to go blurry. As he stared up towards the ceiling he saw the large muscular form of his aggressor come charging down upon him.

The Orc raised his enormous hands high overhead.

"GRAHAHAHAHAH!!"

Then he swung them down toward Gray in a tremendous hammering blow.

Gray squeezed his eyes tightly shut, awaiting the blow.

"HERE IT COMES, MY DEAR AUDIENCE!! OUR CHAMPION'S FINISHER MOVE!!"

"Nngh..!!"

Gray gritted his teeth as he prepared to meet whatever fate his opponent was going to deal him...

THUNK! BANG! CLASH! CRUNCH! WHAM!!!

Suddenly two loud thuds resonated throughout the ring, echoing throughout the building. The crowd gasped in surprise, their eyes widening at the sudden attack.

After a momentary pause, they began laughing uproariously. The crowd was thoroughly entertained. Once again, the misery of Gray Alcinder was met with thunderous cheers.

Gray felt a strange warmth spread throughout his body. He opened his eyes, seeing that he lay flat on the ground, completely drenched in sweat. He raised his hand, wiping the fresh trail of blood flowing from his mouth. Then he gazed up towards the huge figure looming above him.

Standing at just slightly over 7 feet tall, the Orc looked extremely intimidating, even bigger than most other orcs.

His body was built powerfully; long powerful legs and thick muscular arms, which seemed capable of ripping apart everything in their way.

Yet even if the opponent in front of him appeared strong, no matter how mighty he might be, he remained calm, and confident. Defiant.

The Orc looked down at Gray disdainfully.

"WHAT IS THIS? GRAY STAR IS STILL STANDING!?"

Gray smiled slightly. He spat on the ring floor beneath him and wiped the blood from his face.

"I'll admit... I didn't expect to get up so soon."

The young man said sarcastically, attempting to sound as arrogant as possible. The Orc glared angrily down at Gray before looking away, turning his head away from him in annoyance, gritting his teeth as he seemed to bellow a low, harsh growl.

"But I'm not done yet, Orc Lord!!"

The spectators gasped, their laughter fading away, as they stared in confusion at the scene before them.

No one understood what was happening. He still stood even after getting so badly beaten!? Preposterous! They looked at Gray incredulously for a while longer, until realization finally struck them, followed by an indignant gasp coming from one particular person in the crowd.

A man with short dark hair and an ugly scar on his right cheek stood up quickly, pushing himself up from his seat that was situated at a higher point in the bleachers where he could see every single action of the battle better than anyone else could. He clutched his right fist, pointing it directly at Gray, his wrinkle-filled face contorted in fury.

"That little twat! Does he really think he can keep fighting? That's just plain nonsense! He'll never survive this! NEVER!"

The man then sat back down with an angry huff. He folded his arms as he leaned back in the seat. After glaring daggers in the direction of Gray, he scrunched up his nose in disgust.

"How disappointing... If you'd fallen easily you would have gotten off easy."

"Sir Massimo... I recommend you keep your eyes on the ring... It appears that our dear champion is about to put our dull star in his place"

One of Massimo's advisors said. Massimo veered his large head down at the ring again, his entire weight shifting massively as he did so.

Massimo looked upon the fight in silence, his large eyes narrowed into slits.

Gray stood there, his entire body shivering. He struggled to remain standing. Every part of his body hurt. It burned inside his chest like fire.

Massimo's gaze moved across the ring, examining the battered teen and then the untouched Orc, a sinister smile appearing on his face.

He then spoke after giving a short sigh.

"Fine... I'll wait for that F-Rank to be put in his place... I swear... that brat is gonna make my heart jump out of my chest one day..."

Massimo relaxed back into his large chair and then began staring down at the match without any sort of concern. However, his advisors and servants remained very attentive. Their eyes shifted around the arena. Analyzing the fight as Gray still barely stood defiantly.

"Mot... Bring me a drink, would you?"

The overweight boss ordered a tall older man that stood to the left of him. The man seemed to have one of his sleeves completely loose as it blew in the soft draft of the room. A vacant space where his right arm should be.

"..."

The elderly man stood silently, gazing down at the defeated teen with a frown as if disappointed that his employer had called him to fetch him some alcohol. Massimo glanced down at his aide impatiently.

"Have you gone deaf old timer!? I said fetch me a drink!"

The elderly man shook his head slightly but still remained silent as he continued to look down at the small, beaten teen. Massimo sighed heavily, rolling his eyes at the lack of obedience, and replied curtly.

"Well?! What do you want?! Don't you know how to do a simple task?!"

"It's nothing boss... just intrigued by the battle is all..."

The man spoke with a raspy voice, glancing down briefly at Gray. The Orc was still glaring fiercely at the young man as he stood with a faux smile. Mot sighed with exasperation.

"Well!?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going, boss... Don't let me find you shitfaced like the last time..."

"Oi! Show some respect to yer' boss!!"

The obese man snapped angrily, glaring at the elder male who had spoken rudely. Mot ignored the enraged fat man, continuing to walk towards the bar as he held a cup of alcohol.

Meanwhile back at the ring...

Gray was slowly approaching the limits of his stamina. He clenched his fists tightly as he fought to stay conscious. Blood flowed continuously from his nose and ears, soaking his clothes.

He coughed lightly, trying to gather his strength together as much as possible, but it seemed futile. Even though he was exhausted, the Orc was too much stronger than him.

"I'm not... done... just yet..."

"Guh?"

The two had their exchange of words as the Orc once again rushed to the teen, its massive fist swinging down once again. The teenager managed to block it with all his might, yet a deep cut started to split across his forearm. More blood oozed freely from the wound, causing him to wince slightly.

"Dammit...!"

Gray grits his teeth, using his free hand to grab the Orc's wrist.

"GAH!"

But it was futile as his wrist was grabbed by the Orc's other hand, being pulled forward to receive another powerful blow to the face, leaving behind several shallow cuts along the side of his neck. At this point, Gray realized his only chance at survival lay in a miracle.

Without wasting any more time, the Orc raised the bloodied boy off the ground, holding him up by one of his arms like a punching bag.

And he was certainly treated like one.

The Orc slammed his fist against Gray's side, sending pain radiating through his body. Pain radiated out from his shoulder, forcing him to grunt loudly as it pushed back against him. The teen attempted to push back against the larger beast as hard as possible, but found that the Orc was too strong for him. And the damage the punches were doing to his already injured and exhausted body was growing ever stronger.

His skin tore and bruised everywhere. Gray cried out loudly in pain as every punch landed harder and harder, tearing even deeper gashes into his body.

"GAH! AHG! S-STOP! AAHHGGG!"

His screams echoed throughout the audience. As he fought desperately to escape from his tormentor, the audience couldn't help but clap excitedly, cheering and shouting wildly at Gray's misfortune. Even the Orc's supporters seemed pleased.

Gray desperately shouted, unable to defend himself anymore. The Orc laughed wildly at his pathetic attempts to break free of his grip.

Finally realizing his advantage, Gray stopped struggling against him, his muscles trembling violently. He lowered his head and began panting hard, tears pouring rapidly from his eyes.

The barrage of punches stopped as he was still held up by his arm.

"Is that..."

The crowd gasped in disbelief. Gray lowered his head, wiping tears off his cheeks with his free arm before looking up to see the Orc's eyes filled with shock.

"All you can do!?"

A shocked expression crossed the Orc's face. His face became red and distorted. He roared loudly as he released his grip on Gray.

As the youth fell to the ground, his world began to become blurry, his vision blurring around the edges. He tried desperately to focus his attention once more, but it was no use. Gray was unable to move.

As his body limply fell to the ground, his eyes focused one final time, looking outside the ring and to the crowded bleachers.

He noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He focused his eyes upon a hooded figure in black sitting atop one of the many seats placed above the railing of the stands. He had a blank and emotionless expression on his face, which was hidden under the shadow cast by his cloak. But he could feel that his eyes were locked onto him.

Under the shadow cast by the hood, he saw his mouth move soundlessly.

A faint voice rang out in his hazed mind.

"...I've been watching."

"Wha-?"

PUNCH!

Before Gray could even comprehend the voice, he was punched in mid-air by the Orc. His stomach receives one final punch to send him flying back to the edge of the arena. As he flew backward, Gray crashed against cage bars that encased the inner ring.

As Gray slid down to the ground, the announcer spoke once again.

"UH OH! GRAY STAR SEEMS TO HAVE HITTEN THE CAGE! YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!!"

"Shock! Shock! Shock!"

The crowd screamed as they rhythmically hit the floor, cheering and yelling their joy.

"SHOOOOOOOOOCK!!!"

The announcer cried once again, holding his mic up high in the air as Gray lay limp on the wooden floor, unmoving.

Out of the blue, a high voltage shock suddenly surged through the arena cage and caused Gray to flinch with pain, causing him to scream harshly. He rolled over and yelled again, trying to get rid of the burning feeling in his throat. He tried to force his limbs into action, but they refused to obey, each limb remaining motionless.

The incredibly powerful shock coursed through his body, leaving him gasping sharply and wheezing for breath. In spite of his efforts, the shocks kept coming and coming. The intense heat caused sweat to start beading down Gray's forehead, his lips forming a thin line of pain as he continued to roll about in agony.

"AAHH!!"

The shock ceased, steam rising off his body as it fell down with a loud thump.

He fell to the ground, his head landing on one of the metal bars that supported the cage. He winced at the impact, his eyes closed, his entire body numb, and everything suddenly went dark.

"AAAAND WE HAVE A WINNEEEEERRR!! AND 99 CONSECUTIVE LOSSES BY OUR DULL STAR!!!"