I was called soon after, and so I put on my mask and entered the ring quickly.
The barrier was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed. His posture reminded me of a monk.
I couldn't tell if his pose was meant to be disrespectful but I simply didn't care.
'This man was special'.
The crowd was deafening, chants like "Show him how it's done" and "Destroy him, Batman" rung in my ears, and yet my opponent remained unfazed.
As the match started, The Barrier got up in one single motion and opened his eyes, and yet he took no stance, simply waiting.
And so I attacked him instead.
Three huge steps took me to my opponent, and I swung. A clean hook with my full weight behind it, aimed straight for the head, I trusted him not to disappoint me.
This was a tester, he would definitely dodge or maybe counter.
The crowd burst into cheers at the sight of violence.
Crack!... My fist connected.
But.... not with his head as planned.
A single palm blocked my attack, The earth turned still, the ring was silent for just a moment.
The world didn't move again until a blow hit me on the side of the head.
I was on the floor....., my vision was playing tricks on me. The figures standing in front of me switched from three to two before all combining into one person.
I was.... on the floor, the short man watched me, then another man entered my vision, he was at my eye level,... counting something.
Gasp!!, I took a deep breath and pushed myself standing, the other man tried to touch me but I pushed him away, and we both fell back down.
I stood back up immediately, even before the referee, he mumbled something and then the round was over.
'One hit'. I could hear the crowd murmuring, it seemed like I could hear every negative comment individually.
I looked at my opponent, he was shorter than me and yet he hit me square in the side of my head.
My fist hurt, even with the fist wraps I could feel the pain.
His body was like bar of concrete, both the block and punch, it didn't feel like I hit skin.
And yet he wore no fist wraps, gloves or even a shirt. That was bare skin and yet there was no indication that I hit him.
My head pulsed like a beating heart. And still my opponent stood there, waiting.
My energy bubbled within me, causing me more pain, I felt my skull splitting under the pressure.
"You are weak?" The barrier asked, his voice was a deep bass sound with an accent I couldn't place.
I didn't respond, my vision was slowly covered in shades of Red. The only sounds I could hear were the sounds of the crowd and then the ring of the bell signaling the next round.
I charged immediately, a single step took me to the front of my opponent.
He swung for my side and I pulled back, but still keeping him in the range of my longer arms.
A punch, this time to his ribs. His body tensed, I felt my fist land, but it felt wrong.
The crowd erupted in cheers, but for me the air was thick with tension.
"BATMAN! BATMAN!" The chants filled the room, drowning out my own thoughts.
The Barrier smirked, a small flicker of emotion in his eyes, He was taunting me, mocking me.
I barely had time to react before he closed in, his fist drove into my stomach, forcing the air from my lungs.
My body folded in on itself, and I fell to my knees, my vision was all red.
The Barrier chuckled, but he didn't move, letting me get back to my feet.
The crowd was now his, they cheered for him.
Even they could tell that one more hit like this and I was a goner.
I charged in again, but I tried to be cautious, I couldn't let him hit me again.
The Barrier threw a sharp punch the second I got into range.
I instantly pushed backwards opening up the distance between us.
We stared at each other for a quick few seconds, and then I charged in again.
'If my opponent was a wall, then I would break that wall.'
He didn't try to hit me, this time he only blocked, allowing me to attack freely and fiercely.
My heart pounded, my breath came in sharp bursts, but I kept my attacks coming.
The Ring seemed to hold in a collective breath.
"Break him Batman!!!" Someone screamed, instantly catching my attention, I kept it on my head letting it fuel me.
The Barrier instantly stopped blocking, going for a counter instead.
A punch landed on his side which he completely ignored, and then he crouched in and swung a straight jab to my gut.
I skid backwards even before the punch and yet it still hit me.
I stared at him from three steps away, i would win this battle, if I keep up this pace I just might get the upper hand.
And then he moved, slowly, seemingly the first time in the whole match.
No flaws, no holes. His movement blocked all possible hope.
There was no escape, this was the end.
The inevitable closing in of a wall...
I looked into my opponent, his energy blocks, they swirled around, in and out of his body, and then I saw a way out, hope.
A solid block of energy came out and hovered over his body, 'was that his protection?'.
I closed my eyes focusing only on energy, he still advanced at the same pace.
When I charged, it was different this time, I threw a feint and once his energy moved in to block I threw the actual punch.
A punch aimed were I saw no barriers, hard skin found my blow, but it was skin nonetheless.
The Barrier stumbled backwards, before he could steady himself I was there, in his disorientated state I no longer needed feints to land hits.
I would destroy The Barrier, the only thing stopping me was myself, the barrier blocked with only his own body now.
I was about to win this.
I landed an uppercut, almost making him fall to the ground.
He steadied himself but it was meaningless, I didn't need him on the floor to keep on hitting him.
I instantly closed the distance further, The crowd cheered me on, Their voices fueling my rage.
I threw a punch, the deciding hit for this match.
An energy block flew out of his body, but it was too far to block the attack.
My punch landed just as the block touched his skin, his fist to be exact.
It was too late for me by the time I realised.
It was an exchange of attacks, this time without his barriers.
A punch hit my head and the reds In my vision were instantly replaced by black.