Chương 1: prologue
End of career.
*BAM* *BAM*
Two men engaged in a fierce fight in the heart of the cage, amidst the wild cheers of the crowd.
"WAAAAAHHH!"
However, Hugo could only hear the deafening noise of his opponent. He focused intensely, longing for victory. A radiant smile spread across his face from ear to ear.
*SLAM*
Hugo overturned his opponent, sending him crashing to the ground. Without wasting time, he quickly applied a rear chokehold to secure the victory and end the fight.
Shortly after, his opponent struck his body three times to signal his inability to continue the fight.
"WAAAAAHHH!"
The crowd erupted in resounding jubilation as Hugo Alcis, the winner of the fight, stood up, catching his breath while raising his gaze slightly towards the sky.
Massive, standing at 196 centimeters tall and weighing 102 kilograms of pure muscle, his wide smile still illuminated his face, accentuated by his brown eyes and short buzz cut, defining features that characterized him.
As he exited the cage, his coach warmly welcomed him.
"Congratulations, Hugo! Another victory! You've come a long way since that day," he added, letting out a slight chuckle.
"Yeah, I'm forever grateful to you for that, coach," Hugo replied, lost in his thoughts. Before becoming a professional fighter in the UFC, he once was a young thug wandering the streets, unsure of what to do with his life.
He gently touched the scar on his left cheek, reminiscing about the countless street fights he had been involved in. Back then, he fought purely on instinct. It was during that time that his coach discovered him.
Hugo Alcis lived for the fight; it was his reason for being and the only thing that brought him true happiness in life. Glory, wealth, love... all of it was secondary.
However, everything changed after his accident. During a fight, a bad landing from a fall left him paralyzed from the waist down, confined to a wheelchair. From that moment on, everything took a negative turn.
Hugo's professional career abruptly came to a stop, leaving him without any support from those around him.
His supposed loving wife ended their marriage, taking their child and a significant portion of his finances with her.
His coach, who had always been a source of support, ultimately abandoned him when he needed him the most.
These events left Hugo with a sense of emptiness and exhaustion.
He was completely hollow inside. At the age of 24, he no longer knew his purpose or what he was fighting for. This period of his life was a time of intense self-reflection.
"Why?" was the question that haunted him day and night. He couldn't bear to look at himself in the mirror, remembering that he had once reached the top and now found himself handicapped, filled him with suffering.
For two long years, Hugo lived isolated from the world. The little money he had left was used to buy food. It was also during this time that he discovered the world of anime and manga.
His first was Naruto. After finishing watching this anime, he was changed. The Hugo of the past had disappeared; he had new ambitions. He no longer wanted to continue wasting his life.
He started training again, spending each day in the gym, pushing his limits. Despite his disability, he could still train his upper body.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Slowly but surely, Hugo began to regain his strength and confidence. Although the feeling of emptiness was still present due to the absence of fighting, he decided he wouldn't be defeated.
He knew he could never participate in professional competitions again, but that didn't stop him from continuing to train and fight. Fighting was his passion, and nothing could take that away from him.
Over time, Hugo began to inspire others with his determination and resilience. He became a mentor to young fighters, sharing his knowledge and experience with them. He even created his own gym, where he trained aspiring fighters of all ages.
Years passed, and Hugo's legacy continued to grow. He became famous as a fighter who never gave up, who refused to be defeated by circumstances.
Looking back on his journey, Hugo knew he had come a long way. From a young street thug to a mentor and leader, he had transformed his life in unimaginable ways.
And even though he could no longer fight in the cage, he knew he would always be a fighter at heart, a warrior who never gave up.
Ten years after his injury, Hugo was no longer satisfied with his lifestyle. He had become an experienced coach with strong analytical skills.
His life was stable, but that feeling of emptiness he had forgotten after his injury resurfaced a few years later and only grew stronger. Coaching certainly pleased him, but it was nothing compared to the joy that fighting brought him.
However, as if to finish an unfinished task, destiny struck again. As he was returning from his gym, he could only think about what he would do when he got home.
Although it was crystal clear, he would start watching Naruto again. He stopped counting how many times he had watched that anime.
It was pouring rain. In order not to get too wet on his way home, Hugo decided to stop by a small grocery store to take shelter and buy a few odds and ends.
But it seemed he had chosen the wrong day. As he was paying for his items at the cashier, two tall, hooded, and armed men entered the store.
Terrified, Hugo's initial instinct was to raise his hands. However, the cashier hid under the counter to call the police. It didn't take long for the robbers to realize what was happening.
They immediately pulled the cashier out of hiding, but it was too late, the call had already gone through, and the police were on their way. "You! Don't play dumb with me! Do you think I'm an idiot?!" exclaimed one of the two robbers, gripping the cashier's neck.
"Damn, things are getting hot! We need to get out of here quickly!" expressed the second robber, sounding half scared.
"Let's not take any risks," the first robber exclaimed. After those words, he loaded his gun and immediately shot the cashier, ending his life. A slight gasp escaped Hugo's mouth; he had almost gone unnoticed before the second robber pointed his gun at him, ready to shoot.
"Please! Don't sho–!" Hugo pleaded, trying to appeal to the robber's mercy and the fact that he was in a wheelchair, hoping to spare his life.
*BANG*
One bullet was all it took to end the life of a legendary fighter. 'Life... is so fragile,' were Hugo's thoughts before losing consciousness.
However, he had a few regrets. The regrets of a paralyzed fighter. No longer being able to fight filled him with deep sadness. The absence of fighting had left a void that could never be filled.
As he was about to lose consciousness, a bright light descended upon him, and he was overwhelmed by intense pain throughout his body.
'What... What's happening?' was the only question that came to his mind. He couldn't understand what was happening until the light subsided.
From then on, he could see his surroundings more clearly. But before he could analyze anything, the intense pain forced him to let out a loud cry.
"WAAAAH!! WAAAAH!!" baby cries escaped Hugo's mouth, as he was utterly bewildered by the sounds. After looking at his hand, his bewilderment only increased, before it suddenly clicked.
'Argh... This pain is excruciating... And, why am I a baby?!'
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