The strongest.

The fastest.

The fighter everyone wanted to become.

But now that image had a crack.

And everyone saw it.

The old man he had laughed at was not weak.

The janitor he had mocked was not inexperienced.

The person he believed was beneath him had achieved everything Adrian was still chasing.

For the rest of the day, Adrian couldn't focus.

Every time he entered the gym, he saw Samuel.

Not the janitor anymore.

The champion.

The man whose name appeared in old boxing magazines.

The fighter whose techniques were still studied by coaches.

And that bothered Adrian.

Not because Samuel had defeated him.

Because Samuel had never tried to defeat him.

That evening, Adrian found Samuel cleaning the boxing ring.

"You knew."

Samuel continued wiping the ropes.

"Knew what?"

"That everyone would find out."

Samuel paused.

"No."

Adrian frowned.

"You weren't surprised."

Samuel looked at him.

"I wasn't surprised that people eventually cared."

That answer frustrated Adrian.

"Why didn't you tell anyone who you were?"

Samuel smiled.

"Would it have changed how they treated me?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Because deep down, he knew.

It would have.

Everyone respected champions.

But not everyone respected people.

CHAPTER 7 — THE REAL FIGHT BEGINS

The next morning, Adrian arrived earlier than usual.

The gym was almost empty.

Only Samuel was there.

Cleaning.

Preparing equipment.