Arthur walked in front as Ryan followed behind his trails, they both went towards their locker room next to the exit door.
As they both picked their stuff, Arthur slung his bag on top of his left shoulder and Ryan did so too.
When Arthur and Ryan stepped outside the boxing club room, they saw the other club students coming out too, the corridor had now turned into a big chaos.
Ryan tried to stay behind Arthur—didn’t want to lose the sight of him in this big crowd.
Arthur murmured. "Stay close or else you might get lost."
Ryan gave a small nod as he followed Arthur to the school ground which completely looks different from the usual.
Rows of white chairs lined the edge of the massive field lines. Flags from different clubs fluttered in the wind, their colors bright against the blue sky. A huge platform stood at the center, marked with the rings and mats — each designated for a different sport.
The hum of the crowd filled the air—students, teachers, club in-charges, even parents, all gathered together to watch the inter-school.
Ryan’s eyes darted everywhere as he scanned everything, jaw dropped as his eyes got filled with awe.
"Whoa...." he whispered under his breath.
There were so many clubs. The Muay Thai club stood to one side, half of their members were barefoot, their arms were wrapped in thick bands.
The Kickboxing Club stretched nearby—and among them, Ryan spotted Maya as she was chatting with a few of her club mates, her hair tied high as her gloves were hanging from her shoulder.
His heart skipped.
A few meters away from the Muay Thai and Kickboxing club, stood the Judo Club and its members were warming up, slamming the practicing dummies into the ground with a brutal precision. The Bodybuilding Club looked like they’d accidentally wandered out of a supplement commercial, their shirts stretched to their limits and then standing alone, was the Taekwondo Club — a single member, calm, tall and silent.
It felt like walking into the arena of the predators and no one knew what was coming for them.
Arthur’s voice cut through the noise. "Keep your head straight, Ryan. Don’t let the pressure from the crowd get to you. Sanity and composure—that’s what separates the fighters from the fools."
Ryan nodded quickly. "Got it, Arthur."
Arthur’s tone softened just a bit. "And don’t look at them like they’re some kind of monsters. They’re just people. Bleed like people, fall like people."
He took a break and continued. "There are some good fighters among those clubs, but no need to stress over it."
Ryan looked at Arthur. "You’re talking a lot today, hehe."
Arthur looked down at him as he raised one of his eyebrows. "Don’t get used to it."
Before Ryan could even reply back, a booming voice echoed from the loudspeakers.
"Welcome, everyone, to this year’s Inter-School Combat Tournament."
Cheers started to erupt as the crowd roared with sheer excitement.
The chancellor walked onto the main stage — an old man in a crisp suit, his voice loud and commanding.
"Every year, our students test not only their strength but their spirit too. Remember well—this isn’t about hurting each —if one falls you stop. It’s about proving your growth and discipline! To all those who are competing today... fight fair, fight smart and make your clubs proud."
The crowd clapped again, but they were louder than before. Ryan felt the shiver run down his spine as his hands tightened at his sides.
A drop of sweat started to drip down from his temple, nervous.
[Don’t overthink about it, Host! I know you will do well, you have worked hard for this.]
Ryan just did a small nod as he wiped his forehead with his left arm’s sleeve.
After the speech of chancellor, voice of the announcer boomed in the air again.
"And now, the first match of the day—Bodybuilding Club Versus Kickboxing Club!"
Ryan’s eyes immediately darted toward Maya’s group. ’Will she... step up first for the first match or...?
As the fighters slowly began to gather on the stage, the sunlight gleamed against the boxing gloves and the crowd’s murmur turned into a rumble of excitement.
Ryan swallowed hard, adrenaline started to rush through his veins, muscles tensed up, heat started to form inside of his body.
’It’s finally starting... the real thing and I will not lose.’
Ryan let out an excited smile as his eyes lit brightly, clearly pumped.