Unknown spectator #1: “Psst! Hey… How well do any of you suppose Harvey’s gonna do?

Unknown spectator #2: “I dunno man. If last time’s event is any sort of indicator, then pretty poorly, I guess. It’s a wonder how he’s still a ‘King’ with a double loss record back to back.”

Unknown spectator #3: “Heheh. Maybe I should take bets? We could probably rake in a whole lotta dough. Honestly speaking, Harvey’s days are numbered. He couldn’t withstand a single punch from that op girl dressed as a referee. They should hurry up and replace him with her!”

Unknown spectator #4: “Ummm, but I like Harvey! He’s so flipping domineering~ I feel safer when he’s around. I mean, How could you not? He knocked Huroznik out with one punch! ONE, single punch! THE Huroznik was one – shotted! One – hit K.Oed without being able to tank the hit! Harvey didn’t even charge up his power all that much – he is just so flipping awesome and so gosh darn OP, it’s hard to imagine how anyone can HATE the guy! A hero should make others feel safe while they’re out heroing!”

Unknown spectator #5: “Pffft! Yeah right. I don’t particularly hate the guy, but even I can see he isn’t as magnanimous as you make him out to be.”

Unknown spectator #3: “Yeah, that’s definitely NOT true! He makes people feel safe? HA! That guy is a crazy monster who picks on the weak! I grew up around him, he was aa bully then, and he obviously never changed. He’s still a bully now. I mean, just look at the damage he dealt to Huroznik while the guy was distracted! It was clear as day that the Muscle King lost to Huroznik with his OWN rules. THEN he got angry, and threw a temper tantrum. Afterwards, Huroznik was left lying on the floor, much to everybody’s surprise. That guy lost back then, and you know it!”

Unknown spectator #6: “But he’s strong! His strength deserves to be recognized among the leaders of our generation. He just has anger issues…”

Unknown spectator #7: “Humph! Our generation doesn’t NEED any leaders. That’s just the opinion of the pompous, oldies at the top echelon of Herotopia. We don’t need any Kings!”

Unknown spectator #4: “He’s… Harvey’s just a little… shy… And stubborn! He was worried that his name would be dragged through the mud, and EVERYONE that placed their hopes inside him would be disappointed! There’s - There’s more! Regarding that ‘sneak attack’ think, it’s completely UNtrue! He was fully prepared for it, but he just couldn’t defend against it! Don’t shame mah Harvey!”

Unknown spectator #3: “Ugh, toxic Harvey fan. You’re way too biased! How bout when he punched the referee chick, ALL because she announced his loss?? Or are you gonna pretend she was expecting to be punched as well?

Unknown spectator #4: “A-And you’re just a toxic Harvey bully! Harvey hater!! She clearly planned that whole event! Otherwise – how ELSE do you explain her registering as a non – combatant with – with that level of strength? Face it already! She plotted against him, she – she HAD to! If she didn’t do that, then, how would she get to show off?”

Unknown spectator #7: “...No, with her strength she could have straight up challenged him. There’s no need for her to plot. This was obviously something else. Right: maybe he got mad because of the Assembl-”

Unknown spectator #3: “How does that even make sense?? She needed to show off? Why? She’d get the same level of attention by beating him outright!”

Unknown spectator #4: “By becoming a non - combatant, she gained access to his match. Once she unjustly implicated him, and made him lose, she was in the right to return fire without risking detention! Following this way of thinking for a moment, after his anger got the better of him, his battle senses waned! The injustice she put forth was too much to bear!”

Unknown spectator #3: “Give me a fucking break, she’s a gosh damn referee! You don’t hit the referee. That much is a fact! He deserved to be sent flying! Just like how he deserves to be replaced by her! There’s no hidden conspiracy here, you’re just crazy!”

Unknown spectator #4: “I’m not crazy… I just like him…”

Unknown spectator #6: “You know, maybe he did throw a temper tantrum. But is that so wrong? Everybody gets angry sometimes. Besides; Harvey is genuinely talented! There’s no refuting his talents in battle and his strength surpassing others the same age as he is. Maybe we should give him another chance?”

Unknown spectator #3: “Maybe YOU should learn how to shut up! Haah. Look, there he is, down below. He’s entering the stage prepared for him – the battle arena has been placed and there are about 30 people lined up to fight against him. Are those the ones who didn’t get a chance before? Heh.”

Unknown spectator #4: “Harveyyy~! BEAT THEM ALL!”

Unknown spectator #3: “Ha! Even if he does, he’s still only second best since he lost to that referee chick, I wanna see how much of a tantrum he’s going to throw now that he’s fighting in official matches.”

Unknown spectator #6: “You shouldn’t underestimate him, just because he’s a douche. Harvey is strong, y’know?”

Unknown spectator #3: “I know that, but... Hehe. If he plans on redeeming himself in front of us and wants to hog all the spotlight once again, THEY aren’t the real targets he should be going up against. I would much rather witness a fight between him and that referee girl. Haaah, that was a funny sight. I’m sure all of Harvey’s past bully victims are worshiping her right now, wherever she is. It felt like, a punch for all of us, in a way.”

…

Harvey: “…So many different opinions. So many different jeers and people sporting all kinds of gazes filled with pity…. I can’t stand it! Come on! Let’s go – Let’s start the next match! One down, twenty – nine more to go!”

Yes, from the time it took to let both participants on stage, to the time both contestants concluded their match, only 40 seconds had passed. within those 40 seconds, 38 of them were spent allowing both contestants to walk up, prepare themselves, and finally, to announce the fight’s beginning.

The last two seconds were, of course, spent by Harvey completely blitzing his opponent after catching him off guard. The moment the word ‘begin’ echoed, Harvey rushed. The other’s panicked guard wasn’t enough to completely block the punch, and he was sent flying off the stage, to the out of bounds side. Although the Arena was massive, the center of it had a large square drawn to surround the fighters. Everything outside of this square was considered ‘out of bounds’ for the gauntlet matches today.

And each official ‘King’ was going to complete a gauntlet of 30 straight matches without rest and without stopping. Harvey is up first.

The next participant was announced to be Darlo – a super strength engineer from a smaller foreign Hero school in Spes Nova. He is currently participating as a transfer student and wants to feel the strength of a ‘Hero High School Freshman King’ first hand apparently, wishes to compare his school’s top twenty with Harvey and see where the powerhouse would stand.

On top of which, he learned from Harvey’s first opponent’s mistake, and immediately took off running at the start of the match. Harvey half expected this, since a surprise attack rarely works twice, but it still shocked him somewhat to see the man nearly his own width move so quickly. he attempted to keep his front always facing his adversary Darlo, never exposing his back to the man – unfortunately, something shot at him from behind!

*BZZZZZSSSS!**

The moment he turned around, he saw something metallic and shaped like an orb, collapse to the ground in a loud thunk! This was the same orb-like drone the engineer club made for Hero High School, except it was not only learned, but improved to utilize a one-shot energy blast that would completely drain its core. Making this was how he was granted acceptance into Hero High School as an exchange student – by proving he could not only build the drone based on the schematics they provided him with, but proving that he had an EQUAL capacity to improve on it. Of course, what they provided was a flawed design of a simple drone, and NOT their prized ones. That would be somewhat foolhardy.

Taking advantage of Harvey’s newfound confusion, Darlo struck forward with heavy force, shattering the air around them both through rippling shockwaves. Harvey was, as Darlo predicted, surprised by the orb’s attack. He thought it was a camera drone! Although it did indeed appear slightly different…

Yet, Before he could think about it any further; he immediately felt a punch strike directly into his cheekbone.

*BOOM!*

Harvey came prepared today though, and at the very moment of contact, his hand struck out like a vice.

Harvey: “Hahaha, you’re mine now, bitch! Nice sneak attack though, I’ll definitely give you props for that.”

As he talked, his muscles pulsated and expanded.

Once.

Twice.

Three times they pulsed, and consequently, they also grew three times as large.

One of the overpowering arms increased its gripping force over Darlo’s arm, causing him to scream in pain as a *crunch!* sound echoed aloud and traveled to the nearest spectators’ ears. The other overpowering, fleshy arm, however, swung back with devastating fury, and devastating might.

This fight scene, reminded him of that shame Huroznik brought onto his head. The similar sneak attacks and the nearly identical explosive force he was forced to receive.

And that is exactly why, he wanted to use this guy to send a message. To ‘wash’ away his previous sin.

The sin of ‘losing’ as a Titled ‘Generational King’.

.

.

.

*BOOM!*

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