The sound of fists hitting flesh sounded through the alley. Harris stumbled backward as Jaden’s punch connected with his jaw. One of his friends tried to rush in from behind, but Jaden ducked and swept his legs out from under him in a single, clean move. The man hit the ground hard, groaning in pain. The third guy swung a broken bottle, shouting angrily. Jaden stepped aside just in time, grabbed his wrist, and twisted until the bottle dropped with a clink. Then he landed a quick punch to the gut, followed by another to the face. The man fell, gasping. Harris was now the only one standing. His hands trembled, and his eyes darted around like he was searching for a way to escape. But when he saw his friends lying helplessly on the ground, something in him snapped. He grabbed a metal bat lying near a trash bin. “Don’t come closer!” he yelled, pointing it at Jaden. Jaden didn’t even flinch. He wiped the blood off his knuckles with the back of his hand, his eyes locked on Harris. “

The echo of that punch still lingered in the air. The crowd was on its feet, half of them screaming in shock, the rest too stunned to even move. Frank—the Southpaw, the man no one had ever hit clean—was standing there with disbelief written all over his face. He blinked, his fingers brushing his cheek, his jaw tight. Then his eyes went back to Jaden. And what he saw made his blood boil. Jaden was standing just like him—same stance, same angle, same calm look. Left shoulder turned, right hand low, left leg forward. It was like watching his own reflection, only younger, fiercer, and hungrier. For a second, Frank thought it was a trick. But then Jaden shifted his weight, and even that movement mirrored his own. “What the hell are you doing?” Frank hissed. Jaden didn’t answer. He only tilted his head slightly, that faint smile still on his lips. Then he moved. The crowd gasped as Jaden slipped to the left, threw a short jab, then a quick side kick—the exact same combo Frank had us

After the defeat of Boulder and Southpaw, the world of MMA exploded with Jaden’s name. It was like everyone suddenly woke up to realize a new monster had been born in the ring. The moment the fight ended, videos of his knockout flooded the internet. Sports blogs, fan pages, even news channels were replaying that same moment when Jaden landed that final punch on Frank Bernard. Everywhere you turned, someone was talking about Jaden Cole — the youngest champion in UUFC history. And it didn’t stop there. Within just two days, Punisher’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Every time he looked down, there was a new email, a new message, or another call from a top fight organization. Big names like UFC Gold, Prime Combat League, and Global MMA were all trying to reach him. Some wanted to offer training deals, others wanted interviews, and a few wanted Jaden to fight for them exclusively. It was overwhelming. Punisher didn’t even know how to handle it anymore. His small gym, which had been hal

had only been a few days since Jaden’s fight with Southpaw, but already, people were beginning to notice something different about him. Something they couldn’t quite explain. Most of his classmates and gym mates couldn’t stop talking about him. It was like everyone suddenly became obsessed with the “new” Jaden. Some said he must have found a secret trick to fighting better. Others said he was just lucky. But no one could deny the truth — Jaden was changing, and fast. He wasn’t like the others anymore. While most of them came to training tired, lazy, and sometimes complaining, Jaden was always early. He trained harder, longer, and with more focus than anyone else. He didn’t joke around much. He didn’t laugh at their jokes or talk about the things they usually talked about. He only spoke when he needed to, and even then, his tone was cold. A few of them noticed that the warmth Jaden used to have — that friendly smile and the spark in his eyes — was gone. Now, his eyes looked distant,

The airport was crowded that morning. People moved in every direction, dragging bags, talking loudly, rushing to catch their flights. Jaden walked quietly beside Punisher and Damon, his hood up and his bag slung over one shoulder. He didn’t say much — just followed their lead through the security checks and into the waiting area. The moment their flight was called, they boarded quickly. Jaden sat by the window while Damon took the seat beside him. Punisher sat across the aisle, busy scrolling through his phone. But something about the takeoff didn’t feel right. As the plane started to rise into the air, Jaden’s hands gripped the armrest tightly. His breathing changed. The roar of the engine grew louder in his head, and suddenly it wasn’t just a flight anymore — it was something else. His mind flashed back to the darkness, the screaming, the endless falling he had seen in his dreams since the day he disappeared for seven days. His vision blurred. His chest tightened. Then his