CHAPTER 5 — "THE SOUND THAT SILENCED TWENTY THOUSAND PEOPLE"
The long, piercing tone echoed through the arena.
BEEEEEEEEEP...
No one moved.
No one even breathed.
Ryan's mother collapsed to her knees.
"No... no... Ryan!"
Several spectators covered their mouths in horror.
Others turned away, unable to watch.
The Iron Titan stood frozen, his enormous hands trembling for the first time in his life.
The lead doctor immediately began chest compressions.
"Clear the area!"
"Nurse, defibrillator!"
Within seconds, the portable defibrillator was brought into the ring.
The pads were pressed against Ryan's small chest.
"Charging..."
Everyone watched the monitor.
"Two hundred joules."
"Clear!"
Ryan's tiny body jerked.
The screen remained almost flat.
The doctor refused to give up.
"Again!"
Another shock.
Still nothing.
The silence became unbearable.
The commentators had stopped speaking.
Even the television producers refused to cut away from the heartbreaking scene.
Around the arena, people who had come expecting violence now stood hand in hand, praying for a little boy they had never met.
Then something incredible happened.
The Iron Titan slowly removed the championship belt from around his waist.
For ten years, he had never let anyone touch it.
Now he carefully placed it beside Ryan.
He leaned down and whispered,
"You came here to challenge a champion."
"But the truth is..."
"I'm the one who has been challenged."
"You fought pain every single day."
"You fought fear."
"You fought death."
"And you never quit."
His voice cracked.
"I've never been that brave."
A tear rolled down the giant's face.
The cameras captured it.
Millions watching at home couldn't believe what they were seeing.
The undefeated monster...
was crying.
At that very moment, the heart monitor gave a tiny sound.
Beep...
The doctor looked up.
"Wait!"
Another beep.
Then another.
The rhythm slowly returned.
The monitor began drawing steady green waves again.
The entire arena exploded.
People screamed, cried, hugged strangers, and applauded louder than they had for any championship match.
Ryan had a heartbeat.
The doctors quickly stabilized him and prepared him for emergency transport.
As they lifted the stretcher, Ryan's fingers twitched.
Slowly...
his eyes opened.
Everything around him looked blurry.
The first person he saw...
was the Iron Titan.
With weak lips, Ryan whispered,
"...Did I lose?"
The giant smiled through tears.
"No, kid."
"You just defeated every one of us."
The audience erupted once more.
But before the ambulance doors closed, Ryan quietly said,
"I still haven't finished what I came here to do."
Everyone looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?" asked the doctor.
Ryan smiled faintly.
May you like
"I promised someone..."
"...I'd have one real match tonight."
