The Monster Awakens

A year.

It had been a full year since Clayton Reed had walked up to Cade Mercer outside that dingy gym, flashing his wolfish grin and spinning promises of glory. Three hundred sixty-five days of relentless training. Of breaking and rebuilding. Of becoming something more.

Cade stood in front of that same gym now, though it hardly felt the same.

Maybe it was because the walls seemed smaller now. Maybe it was because he had become something larger—something that barely fit inside the cage they’d built for him.

He didn’t just look different. He felt different.

Before, he had been a dominant athlete—a powerhouse among wrestlers, a kid with freakish size and natural ability. Now? Now, he was refined steel, hammered into something sharper, something deadlier.

The echoes of punching bags and distant grunts filled the air as he wrapped his knuckles, his hands moving with the practiced ease of a man who had done this a thousand times before. His body—bigger, stronger, more defined—was a reflection of the war he’d put himself through.

And Clayton Reed had been there every step of the way.

Across the room, Clayton leaned against the wall, his suit pristine despite the sweat-stained air. As always, he was smiling—the smile of a man who had placed a winning bet and was watching the payout unfold.

Ethan Carter sat nearby, scrolling through his phone with his usual smug detachment, while Brent Norris stood with his arms crossed, watching Cade with the quiet scrutiny of a craftsman inspecting his best work.

Clayton finally spoke, voice laced with satisfaction.

“Feels like yesterday, doesn’t it? You walking out of this gym, trying to figure out what you wanted. Now look at you—Cade Mercer, the Juggernaut.”

Cade finished taping his wrists before glancing up. “I remember. You told me I was wasting my time.”

Clayton’s grin widened. “And was I wrong?”

Cade didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. The last year had been proof enough.

Ethan smirked, leaning forward. “Media’s already calling you the next big thing. Guys are pulling out of fights just to avoid being the first name on your highlight reel.”

Brent nodded. “It’s not just hype. They know what’s coming.”

Cade rolled his shoulders, feeling the weight of the past year settle into his bones.

Clayton stepped forward, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a folded envelope. He handed it to Cade, watching as he opened it.

The first thing Cade saw were the words at the top:

Strike Force Legends: One-Night Tournament.

His eyes scanned the names beneath it. Glenn Sterling. Colton Hayes. Titan. And now—Cade Mercer.

Clayton’s voice was smooth, confident. “You’re in. One night. One tournament. MMA versus pro wrestling. Winner takes half a million.”

Silence stretched between them.

Cade read the names again, jaw tightening. Sterling. Hayes. Titan. These were men with legacies. Men with names that meant something.

And he was supposed to walk in and take everything from them.

Cade released a steady breath, his nostrils flaring slightly, folding the paper carefully before stuffing it into his bag.

“So this is it.”

Clayton placed a hand on his shoulder, his voice dropping slightly, taking on a more fatherly tone. “Not just a debut, Cade. This is your coronation. You’ve spent a year becoming the Juggernaut. Now? Now, it’s time to show the world.”

Ethan leaned back, his smirk never fading. “And let’s be honest, kid. These other guys?

They’re yesterday’s news. Titan, Glenn Sterling, Colton Hayes—they’ve been around, sure. But you? You’re the future. All you gotta do is walk in, crush whoever’s in your way, and walk out a legend.”

Brent gave Cade a slow, measured nod. “They’re not ready for you.”

Cade held their gazes, his heartbeat steady. He had changed. He had sharpened himself into something ruthless, something inevitable.

But there was still one question.

“And what happens if I lose?”

For the first time, Clayton stopped smiling.

He stepped closer, his voice softer now, but more dangerous.

“You won’t.”

Cade didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Didn’t flinch.

Because the truth was, Clayton wasn’t lying.

Cade Mercer had never been afraid of a fight. But now? Now, he was something else entirely.

He wasn’t walking into that tournament hoping to win.

He was walking in knowing he would.

Because monsters don’t wait. They take.