Chapter 326: A champion emerges
Having improved to a dominant position, Ben began attacking Nick with submission attempts. Elbow, neck, shoulder, Ben threw every kind of attack. Yet, although Nick was flustered, disadvantaged, and debuffed in personal talent, he was still strong and a top level purple belt. It wouldn't be so easy to defeat him.
Nick defended every attack with a mix of technique and power, frustrating Ben's efforts but making for an exciting showdown for the audience. However, Ben didn't care about the audience. Except for Fariq and Valentina's assets, they could all die for all he cared...
As such, his main focus was on how to defeat this giant he was facing, and although Nick had been defending himself well, not all attacks could be defended against.
"Hey, Nick..." Ben looked at the big man who frowned.
"What?"
"What's it like being a deleted character from Grand Theft Auto?"
...
Nick's frown turned into a scowl. However, the line didn't affect him that much, which is when Ben remembered that he seemed to have resistance to soul attacks for some reason. Yet, that wouldn't stop Ben. In any case, like a Starbucks warehouse, he possessed no shortage of roasts...
"What do you do for fun after Jiu-Jitsu? You seem like the type of dude whose hobby is making Intervention audition tapes."
...
Nick's scowl grew deeper...but he still defended himself well enough when Ben attacked.
"Does it pay well being a bouncer at a glory hole?"
...
At this point, even the referee nearby was cringing...
As for Nick, although he had mental resistance due to years of training in martial arts, his eyebrows couldn't help from twitching. It was starting to bother him. 'Why would that pay well?'
...
Noticing the chink in his armor, Ben continued the assault!
"You seem like a man of many skills. Is it difficult making moonshine in your bladder?!?"
...
Nick gritted his teeth. 'Where would there be a market for that?' He'd be surprised...
"How did you get into selling horse meat on the dark web?"
...
Nick felt wronged. 'Although I look like this, I work in insurance...'
"Hey man, congrats. I can see you're transitioning. Not genders though, monke..."
"F*CK!"
'It's now!' Noticing Nick finally lost his cool, Ben launched an attack! Posting up, he grabbed ahold of the giant's arm, wrapping his arms around it, spinning his leg on top of Nick's head, and laying back, attempting to extend Nick's arm into a submission! It was an armbar!
Nick clasped his hands together and held tight. He snorted. No one had ever been able to force him into being submitted like this once he was able to defend with both hands. He was much too strong for that, and when Ben failed at this submission, having taken his weight off Nick, he'd take advantage and reverse their positions so that he was on top, where he'd be able to use his significant weight advantage to kill this little bastard!
Yet, Nick's eyebrows furrowed because unlike all those times before, he wasn't able to break out of this! 'What's with this kid's strength?!?'
The two engaged in a two-handed arm-wrestling contest, one trying to protect his elbow, and the other trying to extend and crank it, finishing the match. Yet, even after dozens of seconds, they remained in this position, neither gaining an advantage. Their strengths were equal!
The crowd watched on holding their breaths. They'd all expected the powerhouse Nick to break out of this move by now, but somehow, the two were still engaging; each second causing the audience to become more and more anxious to know the outcome.
Although Nick wasn't able to break out, he wasn't too stressed. He believed that Ben couldn't keep pulling his arm forever and would become tired, which would be the moment for the reversal.
Ben also knew things couldn't continue like this. Although he'd taken two endurance potions, the time would come when he'd exhaust himself here, and when Nick reversed him and took top position, despite Ben's previous advantages, the match would become much more difficult. So, Ben needed to increase the pressure! Lucky for him, he already opened another avenue of attack. "You seem like the type of dude to go from a funeral to a strip club...where you'd make it rain with your grandmother's ashes."
...
Nick's eyes widened as he envisioned his poor grandmother... 'Nana?'
'He's distracted!' After many attempts in succession, the soul attack was finally working! Ben saw his opportunity and pulled Nick's arms with all his might!
In the middle of remembering the smell of his grandmother's chocolate chip cookies...Nick only came back to reality when he felt the interlocked fingers of his hands separating. Yet, by the time he realized it. "NO!"
His arm had already been extended! Pain shot from his elbow to his brain, as he felt Ben cranking on it, extending his forearm past 180 degrees!
Nick gritted his teeth. He wasn't willing to lose! Yet, struggle as he might, Ben's powerful legs held Nick's upper body flat against the ground, as his arm continued to bend further and further! Any more and...his elbow could break!
Ben wasn't foolish enough to go soft on Nick. He knew this bastard would try to injure him if he let him go. As such, he knew what he had to do. The one to be more ruthless would win!
As the pain in his elbow became searing, Nick knew he had no time left. He looked into Ben's eyes and could tell this little guy wasn't f*cking around. it was like looking at a honey badger...
As such, Nick only had two choices: tap...or snap.
And as someone who'd just gotten out of a serious trip to the hospital, he wasn't interested in returning so soon. As such, although he was grinding his teeth so hard that it hurt, he made the sensible decision.
*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*
Three taps, and the room fell into a shocking silence. Did Nick just...really lose?