The Return of the God-Slayer

ike burnished copper under the arena lights. He looked as if he might lunge at Ryan and rip him apart on the spot. The skinny

turned, murmuring in disbelief, som

d Ryan to make such a bold claim, not in this pit, not against someone like Kong-a

smooth as oil, "we don't offer bets like this. People wager on winners and losers, not on how fast a fight ends. But today... I'll make

enormous payout. People looked at each other with wide eyes, str

t my entire commission from th

himself. "Done. Any other take

rupted fro

re, and now you're letting us throw mone

the joke of the century. That kid's lucky

wasn't worried-no one in their right mind wo

e cut throug

that Ryan takes Golden

heads turning t

as T

urned into op

if you're rich, you don't need to hand

ly believe i

brought Ryan here, so I might as well back h

just throwing out empty boasts. There was something about the calm in his voic

right, Miss Taylor's millio

ng like water toward a cliff,

rin turning razor sharp. "Kid, you really think you can

o a low snarl. "I'll

center of the ring with the quiet, stead

nd a half feet tall and weighing over two hundred pounds of muscle. He moved lik

rnessing external strength; Inner Strength-controlling interna

er in most fights. He didn't need finesse-his sheer power overwhelmed opponents. B

h a thundering step, the ground trembling beneath him.

ht people right here in Ja

crush that

n me something back!" The crowd

clenched, knu

idn't

e said calmly, his voice cutting through t

fist came c

t second,

ion barely visible, like smoke curling around

's palm sh

te force. It was effortless, like brushing away dust

oment

"That's it? That w

is face

a

as the invisible force traveled through his frame, lifting him clean off his feet. H

le

ned disbelief, eyes wid

y before someone whispered, "N

one

"How did that twig send Golden

filled the spac

ound, unconscious or worse. Instead, he had turned

easing the breath she didn'

opportunity. Ryan had just won him a fortune-he had raked in over twenty million in be

as R

take him to the provincial and national arenas. Sponsors, broadcasters, elite-level invitations

excitement, Jack

r of this

Brother Ryan, watching you fight, I finally understand w

him, unmoved. "W

f his men. A thick-set man stepped forward wit

this weekend. Interested? I can double your commission

it into his pocket, and t

there, arms

n't just

lse. Something col

here one second

e in New Cloud's unde

gend had