11 Chapter 10

I was never worried about my chances for winning the first fight, but the people who run the contest seemed to think I would be an easy win because I found myself faced with last year's third place winner. The reason I knew this older boy who stood a whole head taller than me was last year's third place winner was because he had obnoxiously been talking about his fights last year and chances this year from two benches behind where I sat. Honestly, I liked my odds.

He was a big and heavy set boy who probably came from a family of some wealth that could sustain his weight, making it look like I was facing a miniature giant. He was looking down on me, literally holding his chin up so that he stared down the end of his nose to meet my calm, almost casual, gaze. He felt certain he would win, or else he would have had his chin down and harder to hit.

"If you give up now, you won't get hurt," He tried to taunt me before the judge called the start of the fight.

"Clench your teeth, fat-ass," was all I said in reply, causing the boy's eyes to widen in brief surprise before his brow furrowed in anger at my words. From the way he had been standing with his arms and shoulders relaxed, it seemed like he had been content to let me initiate the fight, but now he suddenly rushed forward. He obviously had bad decision making skills.

Using my small size to my advantage, I simply dropped to the ground and rolled sideways into his legs, tripping him up so that he fell forward even as I ended the roll on my feet. I was already jumping up as he was pushing himself up onto his hands and feet, landing with my feet planted behind either of his shoulders to slam him face first back onto the stage. I could have gone for the choke then and there, but instead I jumped off of his and to the side to let him back up.

When he got to his feet, blood was running freely from his nose and from a busted lower lip at the corner of his mouth. There were actually tears in his eyes from the intense pain as he glared hatefully at me, almost making me feel bad for hurting him in sch a way. But, that was what he gets for looking down on me.

"Never underestimate your opponent," I advise him calmly, taking up a wide legged stance with one fist held up in front of and beside my chine while holding the other ahead of me and level with my chest. A man off to one side of the stage was shouting at the judge about what I did being against the rules, but there was nothing in the rules about attacking a downed opponent. If there was, the judge would have separated all the wrestling from the last two matches.

The older boy was a lot more cautious, now, staying back while listening to who I assumed was his father as if hoping that his intervention could help him. I simply held the older boy's gaze and called out, "Quit your whining, you useless old goat. He's twice my weight and might as well be twice my size because of it. Just sit there and wait to coddle your boy when I'm done with him."

This seemed to enrage both the father and the son, who started yelling at me like I was another adult while his son once again threw caution to the wind by charging me. I just did the same as last time, which was to drop into a roll at the other boy's legs. As if he was ready for this, the older boy simply jumped over me but instead of rolling onto my feet I ended the roll on my hands and knees to push off from the ground and kick the boy as hard as I could in the rear just as he was landing.

Needless to say, he once again kissed the hard wood of the stage.

The boy had a limb from his sore rear as he climbed to his feet this time, providing me with plenty of time to get up as well and close the distance. Just as he was turning around to face me once more, I was jumping up to where I was a whole head above him with one fist drawn back and at the ready. Fear shone in his eyes and drove him to dive to the ground, evading the fist that was inches away from connecting with his cheek.

The entire area had gone silent as they watched my fight, probably amazed by how this skinny little boy could completely dominate the match that had drawn the first blood of the day. I knew that everybody I would fight against after this would be aware of my strength, but that was something I wanted. The people who were afraid of getting hurt would forfeit rather than fight me and anybody who could give me real experience with this little body would be smart and cautious.

"Never show your back to the opponent," I advise the older boy once again, deftly hopping sideways as he climbed to his feet and spun in place to try and keep track of me. Taking my words to heart, the older boy stopped spinning and instead ran off to the side to try and distance himself from me before turning back around. It was a smart move, allowing him to get out of my encirclement because of my shorter legs, but he was already tired from the pain and turned back around too slowly.

The only thing he saw was a fist falling from above, smacking loud enough to echo lightly as it connected with his cheek and chin with all my my strength, speed, and weight behind it. I had expected to knock him out cold with such a blow, but his fat cheeks provided just enough padding that he simply staggered with an audible groan. "F-forfeit," he cried out quickly as I took my turn to charge at him, stopping as soon as he said the word even with one fist drawn back and at the ready.

Even though I kind of expected some foul play from somebody I had been tormenting, I was actually surprised when the older boy lunged forward as soon as I stopped and tried to grab me by my tunic and throat. However, he had lowered himself into a tackling posture which brought his face just low enough for my to hop and ram my knee up into his chin. Finally, he dropped like a rock, knocked out cold from the blow.

"Disqualify him!" The man at the side of the stage shouted angrily, making as if to climb up and come at me. "He attacked my son after he forfeited!"

The judge was faster than the man, though, cutting him off just as he climbed up and unceremoniously shoved him back down to the ground below. "You son attacked the boy even after forfeiting, and because of both your behaviors is now disqualified from participating next year. Leave. I won't tell you twice."

The judge's words were cool and harsh, brooking no argument even as the man scrambled up to his feet as if he was about to fight the judge himself. However, he quickly calmed himself and turned his gaze to me. The anger in his eyes held a clear message, he did not intend to let this go. I simply smiled and waved at him before turning and walking off the other side of the stage.

Before taking my seat next to the shocked and awed Johan, I gazed over the benches of younger kids participating in my tournament and announced, "Anyone who does not want to get hurt, forfeit when you face me. I need the experience and thus I will not hold back."

The other participants started talking quickly and quietly among themselves, trying to figure out the line of people who would end up facing me next as the boy I had knocked out was woken up and helped off of the stage for treatment. Confused, Johan waited until I took my seat before asking softly, "What do you need the experience for?"

"If you win, I might tell you," I reply with a childishly impish smile, meeting his inquisitive gaze evenly. "Do you know who they were? The father seemed to consider himself important and the son was pretty full of himself as well."

Nodding his head slowly, surprised by the question, Johan soon replies, They run one of the commerce chambers I was telling you about yesterday. They're actually one of the sponsors, which is why the son usually gets easy fights. Well, they were, but I doubt they'll sponsor next year when his son can't participate."

"Withdrawing sponsorship will only make them look bad to the public, especially when they remember why," I say with a shrug. "I probably won't participate next year, anyway, once my parents find out what we've been up to."