The victory felt good, but Cole couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over him as he stepped out of the ring. The men in suits had disappeared, but their presence still lingered in his mind. He knew this wasn't over. They weren't done with him yet.
Lina, Ty, and Zack met him in the hallway outside the arena, their faces lit up with excitement.
"That was amazing!" Lina exclaimed, throwing her arms around Cole. "You were unstoppable out there!"
Ty grinned, his eyes shining with pride. "I knew you'd take him down."
Zack gave a small nod, his expression calm but pleased. "You've still got it, Cole."
Cole smiled, but the tension in his chest remained. "Thanks. But we're not done yet."
Lina frowned, noticing the worry in his voice. "What's wrong?"
Cole hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "There were some guys watching me during the fight. I think they're from the underground scene."
Ty's grin faded, his brow furrowing. "You sure?"
"Yeah," Cole said, his voice tense. "They were watching me the whole time."
Lina's eyes widened with concern. "What are they doing here?"
Cole shook his head, his jaw clenched. "I don't know. But I'm not letting them scare me off."
Zack crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. "They're probably just trying to intimidate you. They know you're a threat now."
Cole nodded, but the unease didn't go away. He knew the underground scene didn't let go of people easily. And now that he was climbing the ranks, they were watching his every move, waiting for a chance to pull him back in.
But Cole wasn't going to let that happen. He had come too far to turn back now.
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