The senior trainer who'd been humiliated in the basement stepped forward, his face red with barely contained rage. This was the same coach Alexander had effortlessly controlled with a simple grip, the same one who'd been left sitting on the floor wondering how a "bottom-tier nobody" had moved with such precision.And that humiliation had been eating at him for hours."Founder," the senior trainer called out, his voice carrying across the mat. "With all due respect, I must formally object to Howard's participation."Viktor Konstantin turned, his expression neutral. "Object? On what grounds?""On the grounds that something is WRONG here," the trainer said, gesturing at Alexander. "Something that doesn't add up. Something DANGEROUS that we're all ignoring because we're too focused on tomorrow's challenge."The crowd quieted, sensing drama, sensing an attack on the person they all loved to hate."Explain," Viktor commanded.The senior trainer moved closer to the mat, his body language agg

Alexander's jaw clenched as the accusation hung in the air like poison. His fists tightened at his sides, knuckles white with suppressed fury. The crowd's murmurs grew louder, feeding off the coach's inflammatory words like vultures circling carrion."This is all bullshit," Alexander's voice cut through the noise, sharp and uncompromising. His eyes blazed with indignation as he stared down the senior trainer who had accused him. "Using performance-enhancing drugs is strictly against the rules. Everyone here knows it. There's no way I would disregard the rules and do something like that."The senior trainer's lips curled into a sneer, his arms crossed over his chest in smug satisfaction. "Oh, so now the janitor-turned-fighter has morals? How convenient." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Tell me, Alexander, how does a man who couldn't even win a single sparring match last week suddenly knock out Trevor Morrison and Brian Carver like they were children? Hmm?""Maybe you're just a terribl

Within minutes, a thin man in a white medical coat entered the hall, carrying a black testing kit. His movements were efficient, practiced, but Alexander noticed the brief glance he exchanged with the senior trainer—quick, almost imperceptible, but there nonetheless.Something felt wrong."Alright," the medic announced, his voice clinical and detached. "We'll need a blood sample for the comprehensive screening. This test specifically checks for performance-enhancing compounds, including the dangerous substance known as Betta—a military-grade enhancement drug that's been making its way into underground fighting circuits.""Betta?" someone whispered. "That stuff's insane. I heard it can make you ten times stronger but destroys your organs.""Perfect for a desperate nobody trying to cheat his way to the top," the senior trainer added, his voice dripping with contempt.Alexander extended his arm without hesitation. "Do what you need to do."The medic swabbed his arm with alcohol, then ins

"Enough of this circus!" the senior trainer bellowed, his face flushed with rage and triumph. "Bundle this fraud up and throw him out! Get him out of my sight!"Before Alexander could react, ten trainees lunged forward from different directions, their hands reaching for his arms, shoulders, and neck. They grabbed him with the enthusiasm of men who believed they were doing righteous work, their grips tight and unforgiving.Alexander's survival instincts kicked in instantly. If they dragged him out of this hall now, his chance would be gone forever. Viktor would never give him another opportunity. Katarina would remain trapped in Victor Chen's clutches. His memories would stay locked away behind the barrier of the rings he couldn't safely wear.With a sudden, explosive movement, Alexander twisted his body and broke free from their holds like they were made of paper. The trainees stumbled backward, shocked at how effortlessly he'd escaped their combined grip."I can prove my innocence!"

The realization that everything Alexander had accomplished was purely through his own merit hit the room like a thunderclap. The founder's eyes gleamed with renewed admiration as he studied Alexander with the intensity of a master craftsman appraising a rare gemstone."Extraordinary," Viktor murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "Absolutely extraordinary."The other senior fighters stood in uncomfortable silence, their earlier mockery now hanging around their necks like millstones. The man they'd ridiculed as nothing more than a cleaner, the bottom-tier fighter they'd dismissed as worthless—he'd just proven himself superior to every single one of them. Not through chemicals or shortcuts, but through raw, undeniable skill.No one dared meet Alexander's eyes now.Even the coaches who'd joined in the condemnation earlier were shuffling their feet, suddenly very interested in the floor tiles. The evidence was irrefutable. Alexander Howard was a force to be reckoned with, and they'd