Multiverse Fighting Championship: I'm the President

14 – A Drinker

"I didn't expect that this show would be this exciting." A male spectator in the upper stands commented. "I regret not buying the front-row ticket."

"We'll see if this continues." Another man next to him replied. "Maybe that match just happened to be good. We don't know what their fighters will be like after this."

While they continued chatting, a slightly pale-skinned woman stood behind them, keeping her eyes on the arena, which was being cleaned of blood. Even though her long silver hair should stand out because it was so shiny and her face looked like the finest artist had sculpted it, people seemed oblivious to her presence.

A single tear slipped from her eye.

***

Lognar burped after taking a large gulp of water.

"Just the first game, and my throat is dry." he chuckled.

"I hope you can endure to the end." Matt also drank water from a bottle. "The next battle will also be interesting."

Matt signaled to Vivianne, who then made the announcement. "Second match!"

As the stadium's light dimmed, the soulful resonance of an accordion began to play. Its wheezy notes are intertwined with heavy guitar riffs and the rhythmic heartbeat of the drums.

And then, a copper color filled the large screen, accompanied by the text [Norug Bonebuckle].

The dwarf came out through the curtains drinking from a clay flask.

"Aah, it's been a long time since I've seen a Dwarf drink before a fight," Lognar muttered as Norug started walking to the arena. "This is nostalgia for me. There are so many heavy drinkers in my city that drunken fights often occur. So the government campaigns against alcohol."

"That's a unique story, Lognar." Matt wasn't sure what his colleague was saying was true. That man is a liar, after all. "Well, Norug said it was the alcohol that gave him the strength to fight. We'll see if that's true."

Norug stopped at the cage door, then smashed the bottle into the head until it broke. Sylvair, who was the referee this time and was holding the door open, flinched at that.

"Introducing first! From Dargnuk, universe 13269! Noooruuug Bonebuckleee!!!"

"Yeah, come on!!!" The dwarf's powerful shout raised the spirits of the spectators. "You guys enjoyed your night, right!?"

He then ran to one corner of the cage and pounded on a metal pillar with his oversized hammer, causing a series of clank sounds that made the audience around that thing cover their ears. He then laughed at that.

***

{A few days before the show}

Norug yawned and lay down on a flat rock. An empty clay bottle lay beside him. The tip of that thing was still dripping some wine.

"Finally, the big boss came to me." The dwarf shifted into a sitting position and looked around. "You're not with your pretty assistant?"

"She's busy." The president shrugged. "It's impossible for her to accompany me all the time."

Norug sighed. "What do you want, Mr. President? Do you want me to train like the others? Many staff have talked to me about that, but honestly, I don't really care what they say."

"You think I'll force you to train? And if you refuse, we'll punish you? That's why you asked where Megumi was?"

The dwarf's brow furrowed. "You're not going to talk about that?"

"I've read your records, Mr. Bonebuckle," Matt smirked. "You quite have a name as a mercenary, huh? Despite rarely training. Lots of people still want to use your services."

"I don't care about fame." That dwarf yawned again. "All that matters to me is lots of money to have fun, drink, eat, and be surrounded by women. Anything else doesn't matter to me."

In life, individuals like Norug do exist. They put in minimal effort but can reach the top. It made Matt imagine what would have happened if Norug had been more serious and not just chasing money.

Maybe he'd become a real hero like Rory.

"I hope you can provide interesting things for my audience. I don't care if you want to train or not." Matt resumed. "Well, there's no point in you winning all the time, but you look boring. If you are like that, I will do anything to strip you of your title and privileges."

"Alright, alright." The dwarf wore a wry smile. "I'll try hard, I guess."

Matt could detect the sarcasm in Norug's last words. "I expect a lot from you."

"Humph!" The dwarf laughed. "How many fighters have you said that to?"

***

"He looks really excited, Matt," Lognar commented on Norug, who kept screaming at the audience, hyping them up. "As a fellow Dwarf, I'm even more curious about what he will show us."

Matt didn't care if what Norug was doing was just an act. The dwarf might have wanted this to be over quickly to laze around again.

For the president, the important thing is that the audience is satisfied.

"Get out, whoever you are!!! I will beat you!!!" Norug pointed towards the entrance using his battle hammer. "I will crush your bones!!!"

Primal percussion beats begin to pulse through the stadium, accompanied by thunderous tribe chants.

"His opponent! From Xenova, universe 8! Shoooriii!!!"

As her name appeared on the screen, Shori came out from the entrance. Her gaze was fixed on her opponent, and her face—decorated with black war paint on both cheeks—looked tense, like a beast stalking its prey.

"She defended her tribe against those who invaded their land, Lognar. Like Rory, Shori is a hero." Matt told his fellow commentator. "But her fighting style is not the same as Rory's. She is from a completely different world from that man."

"I've seen her practice a few times." Lognar chimed in. "Ah, I wanted to explain her fighting style, but I guess it would be better for the audience to see for themselves."

Norug stood where he was, no longer hyping the audience because they were now more interested in Shori. The dwarf scanned the tall brown woman's body up and down.

"Sh*t, I still want to drink." He mumbled.