DC: Crystalizing

The bell rang, and the crowd's roar hit like a tidal wave, shaking the underground arena. The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers.

"And here we go! The masked challenger takes on the champ, Danny Brickwell! Let's see if this mystery man has what it takes—or if he's just another fool with a death wish!"

Adrian stepped forward, rolling his shoulders as he bounced lightly on the balls of his feet. His mask betrayed no emotion, but beneath it, a sly smirk curled his lips. He could feel Danny's eyes on him, studying, analyzing, like a predator sizing up prey.

Danny didn't rush. He strode forward with slow, deliberate steps, his massive frame casting a shadow over Adrian. The crowd was already chanting his name—"Danny! Danny! Danny!"—and he soaked it in, his confidence unshakable.

"First swing's yours, kid," Danny said, his gravelly voice carrying just enough to reach Adrian over the noise. "Let's see what you've got."

Adrian didn't hesitate. He launched forward, his fists flying in a rapid barrage aimed at Danny's chest and head. His punches landed clean, the sound of his gloves meeting flesh echoing through the ring. But Danny didn't budge.

The champ stood there, his arms relaxed at his sides, his stony skin absorbing the blows like they were nothing more than a summer breeze.

"C'mon," Danny said, his tone dripping with disappointment. "That's all you've got? I've seen street rats hit harder than this."

Adrian didn't answer. He pivoted, throwing a sharp kick to Danny's ribs, then another to his knee, but still, the champ barely moved.

"Pathetic," Danny muttered, shaking his head. "I had higher expectations for the Mad Dog of the ring."

Adrian froze mid-step, his smirk widening beneath the mask. "Mad Dog, huh?" he said, his voice low, almost teasing. "Didn't think you'd remembered my nickname, old man."

"Hard to forget someone who used to leave their opponents foaming at the mouth," Danny replied. He raised a hand, motioning for Adrian to come at him again. "But this? This is weak. You're weak. What happened to the guy who fought like he had nothing to lose?"

Adrian's eyes narrowed. Alright. Let's give him something to remember.

He dashed forward again, this time feinting left before slipping behind Danny. The champ reached out to grab him, but Adrian moved like water, twisting under his arm and using Danny's momentum against him. With a sharp pivot, Adrian caught Danny's arm, throwing the massive man over his shoulder in a perfectly executed judo flip.

The crowd gasped as Danny hit the ground with a loud thud, the ring shaking from the impact.

"Whoa! Did you see that?!" the announcer yelled. "The masked challenger just flipped the champ! This guy might actually have some tricks up his sleeve!"

Adrian didn't waste a second. He dropped down, locking Danny's arm into an arm bar and cranking it with as much force as he could muster.

Danny let out a low growl, his stony skin straining against the pressure, but his voice remained calm. "You think this is gonna stop me, kid?"

With a grunt, Danny pushed himself up, his inhuman strength on full display as he lifted Adrian into the air while still locked in the arm bar. The crowd erupted into cheers, the arena shaking from their excitement.

"Unbelievable! Danny's lifting him like he weighs nothing!" the announcer boomed. "This is why he's the champ, folks!"

Danny didn't hesitate. He slammed Adrian down hard into the mat, the force rattling the ring. Adrian's body bounced once before going still, the masked fighter lying motionless as the crowd roared.

Danny stood over him, brushing imaginary dust off his green suit. "That's it?" he asked, his voice heavy with disappointment. "Guess I overestimated you."

He took a step closer, towering over Adrian's seemingly unconscious form. But as he leaned down to inspect his opponent, Adrian's hand shot up, flinging a handful of sand and chili powder directly into Danny's eyes.

Danny roared in pain, staggering backward as he clawed at his face. "You little shit!"

The crowd exploded in chaos, boos and cheers mixing in a cacophony of noise.

"Oh my God! He just threw sand—and is that chili powder?!" the announcer yelled, his voice laced with disbelief. "This guy fights dirty! And the crowd doesn't know how to feel about it!"

Adrian rolled to his feet, his body still aching from the slam, but his smirk never faltered. "What's the matter, champ?" he taunted, circling Danny as the massive man stumbled blindly. "Can't handle a little seasoning?"

Danny let out another guttural growl, wiping at his burning eyes as he swung wildly. Adrian dodged each punch, slipping just out of reach like a shadow.

"You're gonna pay for that," Danny snarled, his voice dripping with fury.

"Sure I will," Adrian shot back, ducking under another swing. "But first, I'm gonna give these people a show."

Adrian darted forward, landing a sharp elbow strike to Danny's ribs, followed by a quick jab to his jaw. The hits barely phased the champ, but the crowd erupted again, the underdog's audacity winning them over.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" Danny said, his voice steadying as his vision cleared. He locked eyes with Adrian, a dangerous grin spreading across his face. "But clever doesn't win fights. Power does."

Danny charged, moving faster than his massive frame should've allowed. Adrian barely had time to react before Danny's shoulder slammed into him like a freight train, sending him crashing into the cage.

"Did you see that?!" the announcer screamed. "Danny just leveled the challenger! That's the kind of power that makes him the champ!"

Adrian groaned, pulling himself up using the ropes. His body screamed in protest, but his smirk remained intact. "You hit like a truck, I'll give you that," he said, shaking off the impact. "But you're predictable."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Enlighten me."

"You rely on your strength," Adrian said, stepping back into the center of the ring. "You think just because you're bigger and tougher, you've already won. But me? I'm smarter. And I'm faster."

Danny chuckled darkly, cracking his knuckles as he advanced. "Smarter doesn't mean shit when you're six feet under."

"Maybe," Adrian replied, slipping into his unorthodox stance again. "But I've got one thing you don't."

"And what's that?" Danny asked, narrowing his eyes.

Adrian's smirk widened beneath the mask. "A plan."

Danny's smirk widened as Adrian circled him. "A plan? What are you going to do, little man? Throw your sand again? Maybe some more chili powder? Real creative."

Adrian paused, tilting his head as if considering the idea. Then, with a casual flick of his hand, he mimicked the motion of throwing sand. Danny instinctively raised his massive arms to shield his face, his grin fading as he realized the ruse too late.

Adrian darted in low, his body a blur as he swept Danny's legs out from under him. The champ's massive frame toppled backward with a loud crash, but before he could react, Adrian was on him, slamming his boots down onto Danny's elbows to pin his arms to the mat.

"You bastard!" Danny roared, his voice echoing through the arena as the crowd gasped in shock.

"Shut the fuck up," Adrian growled, pulling a small sack from his belt. Without hesitation, he dumped the contents—sand and chili powder—straight into Danny's open mouth.

Danny's reaction was immediate and violent. He gagged and choked, his body convulsing as the coarse sand scraped his throat and the chili powder burned like fire. His eyes bulged, watering uncontrollably as he thrashed beneath Adrian, his invulnerable skin offering no protection from the assault inside his body.

Danny's growl turned into a guttural cough, his powerful frame spasming as he struggled to breathe. Adrian leaned down, gripping one of Danny's thick white dreadlocks, and slammed the champ's head into the mat with a sickening thud.

"You know what your problem is?" Adrian hissed, his voice low but carrying in the stunned silence of the crowd. "You're too confident. You think your powers make you untouchable. Invincible on the outside, but you've never been tested on the inside."

Danny tried to roar in defiance, but it came out as a choking sputter. Adrian didn't stop. He yanked Danny's head up again and slammed it back down, the mat denting under the force.

Adrian wasn't just slamming Danny's head for show. He knew exactly what he was doing. Every fighter worth their salt understood the principle of a knockout: it wasn't the force of the hit itself, but what it did inside. Every time Danny's head hit the mat, his brain rattled against his skull, the shock disrupting his equilibrium. No matter how strong you were, no matter how invulnerable your skin might be, the brain was still soft tissue.

Invulnerable skin won't protect you from physics, Adrian thought grimly, his grip tightening on Danny's dreadlocks.

Danny had spent his entire career towering over opponents, soaking up blows without ever worrying about the consequences. His strength and invulnerability had made him complacent, overconfident. Adrian doubted Danny had ever been in a situation where he felt truly knocked down. And that was the thing about fighters like Danny: they never learned how to get back up.

Adrian, on the other hand, had spent his life clawing his way out of the dirt. He'd been beaten, broken, and left for dead more times than he could count, both in the ring and out. And each time, he'd learned how to stand back up, how to keep fighting.

Danny? Danny didn't know how to lose.

Adrian slammed Danny's head into the mat again, harder this time, and felt the champ's body spasm beneath him. The crowd was in chaos, screaming and cheering as the impossible unfolded before them.

Danny's hands flailed, his massive fingers managing to latch onto Adrian's thigh. The champ's invulnerable skin and monstrous strength made his grip feel like iron spikes digging into flesh. Adrian felt his skin tear, blood dripping onto the mat, but his expression didn't change.

"Cadmus was worse," Adrian muttered to himself, ignoring the searing pain as he drove Danny's head into the floor again.

The champ's grip loosened as his thrashing grew weaker. Adrian felt the tension in his opponent's body fade, the once-unshakeable behemoth reduced to a coughing, gasping heap. Adrian slammed his head one last time, harder than before, the impact sending shockwaves through the arena.

Danny's body went limp, his chest heaving as he lay unconscious on the mat, the remnants of sand and chili powder clinging to his lips.

Adrian pushed himself up slowly, his breathing heavy as he stood over the fallen champ. Blood dripped from his torn thigh, but his stance was steady. He motioned for a microphone, catching it in one hand as the arena fell into an eerie silence.

"No powers," Adrian said, his voice cutting through the quiet like a blade. "Only human."

For a split second, the crowd seemed frozen. Then, like a dam breaking, the silence shattered into an explosion of sound. The audience roared, the cheers and chants deafening as Adrian stood tall in the center of the ring.

"He's done it! Ladies and gentlemen, the impossible has happened! The champ is down! The masked challenger has taken out Danny Brickwell!" the announcer screamed, his voice barely audible over the thunderous applause.

Adrian's chest heaved as he turned his gaze to the crowd. He didn't bask in the moment, didn't soak in the glory. His mind was already racing ahead, calculating.

With Danny down, Lou will come to me. And when he does…

Adrian's lips curled into a small, dangerous smile beneath his mask. That's when this really begins

[ Danny brickwell " The Brick" ]

Author Note: More chapters on [email protected]/LordCampione.