"And there he is... our Welterweight Muay Thai Champion—Ek Pathapee!"
The announcer's voice thundered through the arena, met by roaring cheers and a sea of flashing cameras.
Ek stood tall in the center of the ring, eyes sharp as a blade, scanning the crowd of thousands.
He was just a country boy once, fighting in temple fairs with torn gloves and borrowed shorts.
But today, he stood victorious in an international stadium, a name known across continents.
His fists never hesitated, elbows cut like razors, and his knees struck like steel hammers.
Fans still talked about his lightning KO against Japan's champion in Tokyo,
his punishing win over a Russian fighter in the international circuit,
and just last week, the unforgettable moment he defeated a UFC legend with a perfect third-round finish.
As the referee lifted his arm, the crowd roared louder than ever.
Ek offered a modest smile—he never basked in glory.
He knew fighters never stayed at the top for long.
---
After the press conference and final photo ops, Ek left the stadium with a gym bag slung over his shoulder.
"You're amazing, P'Ek!"
"Can I get your autograph?"
"Muay Thai all the way to world champion!"
He greeted fans with a humble Thai wai and soft thanks.
Fame, money, magazine covers... life was finally going his way.
But fate had other plans.
---
A quiet road outside the city.
Soft rain, dim headlights.
Ek rode his old motorcycle—same one he'd used since his small-league days.
"I should buy a new one already," he muttered with a grin.
His heart was full—thinking about home, family, maybe finally resting...
Then—
HONK!
Blinding lights.
A black pickup truck barreled toward him.
"Shit!"
He couldn't brake in time.
Metal collided with a violent crash.
His body flew through the air.
The world spun, blurred, and faded into blackness.
---
...Somewhere in the void.
A whisper echoed in the darkness.
> "Analyzing biological data..."
"Identity confirmed: Ek Pathapee."
"Establishing link to system... Communist Combat Protocol initiated."
Ek frowned—he couldn't move, couldn't speak.
It felt like falling into a dense, syrupy void.
---
When he came to, he lay on rough dirt.
The scent of dry earth filled his nose.
Wind brushed his face.
Above him stretched a grayish-blue sky, sunless and somber.
"...Where the hell am I?"
His voice was hoarse.
The clothes he wore were gone—replaced by rough, tattered garments that looked centuries old.
A soft ding rang in his head.
A bright screen flashed before his eyes.
> Welcome, Comrade No. 001
New Name: Joseph Leifvogger
Status: Pioneer of the Communist Combat System
Initial Missions:
Cultivate 100 bundles of rice
Establish a village food center
Initiate resource exchange program
Rewards: Rapid-Growth Seeds ×10 + Basic Muay Thai Combat Skill
"..."
Ek—now 'Joseph' by system decree—stood still.
"...What the f—?"
He chuckled dryly.
Even after dying, now he was stuck with some weird system?
---
Moments later, footsteps approached.
An elderly man and a few teens pushed a wooden cart piled with rice husks—dry and barely usable.
"You there! Stranger! Where do you come from?" the old man barked.
Ek raised both hands, smiling gently.
"I got lost. Just looking for a place to rest."
The man eyed him from head to toe, then gave a reluctant nod.
"Come. As long as you don't cause trouble, this village welcomes you."
---
The village was crumbling—people were thin, homes barely stood upright, and the well water was muddy.
But the children still had a spark in their eyes.
Ek looked down at his hands—hands that once floored champions...
Maybe... just maybe…
They could shape a new world again.
He clenched his fists, jaw tight.
"If fate dropped me here..."
Ding.
> [System Fully Activated]
Skill Unlocked: Beast-Stopping Fist
Technique Unlocked: Basic Muay Thai Forms
Ek Pathapee—now Joseph Leifvogger—stood alone in a dying village.
With nothing but his fists...
and a system that demanded he rebuild the world.