Crowning A Usurper - FUMIHIKO Promo 1

“I can imagine this has to be awkward for you, doesn’t it? I can’t believe we’re in the situation that we’re in right now. Arata Asakura. The name that has basically been synonymous with Wrestleworld. The fastest rising star to become a household name in the company. Let’s be fair, shall we? I knew nothing about the company until Joe Smith himself gave me a call. At first, I let it go to voicemail. Why wouldn’t I? What is Wrestleworld anyways? I saw it as a band of misfits who wrestle elsewhere and just so happen to be successful here. Easy pickings, right? Not exactly. Eventually I gave Mr. Smith a call back. He said that Wrestleworld was stuck in the past. It was time for a new regime to finally eradicate the old guard. It had been talked about long before Smith, I’m sure. You had more successful people come and go than any other company, and why is that? I’ll tell you why. They didn’t have me.

That’s a world of a difference, of course. By the time we had agreed to a deal, I was asked if I had a particular monster who could walk in and completely decimate the competition. A man so reckless in the ring that he was completely indifferent of who he would hurt. I could only think of one man. One monster. Someone that the world outside of Japan had never really heard of. Actually, the world inside of Japan was just as naive. They thought it would be impossible for somebody who wasn’t brought in to be a star, would actually become one without much effort. My monster. My ever-victorious beast that is FUMIHIKO.

I presented the monster to the Ghost Organization. It came as no surprise that they had looked at this man and knew that there was nobody like him in Wrestleworld’s past, much less current state. We needed a hook. We needed something right off the bat that would introduce the Wrestleworld audience to their future. He dominated the Carnival Carnage. So, Delilah Hill slipped by him, that’s fine. She can move on and become a star in her own right, but at the end of the day, it was FUMIHIKO’s night. It was the night that took a man who waited in the wings for opportunity, hoping somebody would learn to appreciate his talent. He did that. His first night, he did it without anyone knowing him. Can anybody else say the same?

Here is the course though, see everybody has been talking about this upcoming match at Destino. Can an unknown marauder become a King? We keep hearing about King Asakura, but what kind of king is he, exactly? I don’t see a throne. I barely see a crown that can fit his head. How would one fit anyways? Considering how much Arata has been handed in this company, I can’t imagine the size of this child’s ego. Then again, we’ve seen what happens when the two have faced off. Okay, FUMIHIKO smashes Asakura. Asakura somehow escapes from losing directly to losing indirectly. Then, he walks away. Maybe all of this time he’s been in Wrestleworld, the ‘King’ has been wasting the time of the people. Now, to be King in Wrestleworld required a tournament win in order to achieve such a thing. You won. You know what you didn’t do though? Anything since being handed a crown. Oh, I’m sorry. Anything since being handed a belt. A crown isn’t fashionable enough for a King in 2022? That’s fine, enjoy your belt. While you’re at it, hold it tight. Hang on with all you have, because Father Nicholas is going to take a monster and turn him into something that you cannot stop..

A Usurper.

Look it up, Arata. It flew away from you faster than the belt will. I have some work to do.

We send our regards.”

To him, the idea of royalty was beneath him. A guy like Nicholas Gabriel didn’t need royalty to make himself feel better. It was more than titles, ‘prestige’, or money. It was power. He considered himself to be above all of those things. Any idiot could make a dollar. Any moron could wear a belt. Any dummy could obtain a crown. There was always more fun to be had. Not so long ago, his monster had none of those things. The idea of obtaining any of them was lost in translation for young Gyo Shin Fumihiko. He was disgraced in Japan thanks to egotistical manchildren like Asakura. He struggled his way through wrestling school in Culver City, California. It was during his darkest hours, he met Gabriel. He met the man who would finance his path. The man who would take someone who didn’t have the gift of the Gods to be a star. It was a fun game for Gabriel. It would also be a very easy one.

All it took were the right words, ending with a promise that would turn FUMIHIKO’s life around. He would rule the wrestling business under the thumb of a very conniving man. The journey continued, now with more motivation.

“Crowning A Usurper”

It was an incredibly dark night inside of Kessingland. Completely humid without a star in the sky. While it wasn’t the stomping grounds of FUMIHIKO, much less Nicholas Gabriel, it was home to several of Gabriel’s well wishers. They knew the plan that Gabriel had. They knew there would be something up his sleeve and the men, of course with some money in their pockets, would waste no time in helping achieve such a goal.

Along the shore of the North Sea, dozens of torches lined the land as it would be a ceremony of sorts. A chance to take the young monster and create something so much more dangerous. Thanks to Gabriel’s resources and influence, it was a night to generate a new terror. The torches burned brightly, causing the Sea to illuminate in its glorious reflection. With nearly two dozen men holding torches, standing across from one another in a straight line, Nicholas Gabriel peered calmly across the path to the sea. His lips curled into a smirk while seeing the majesty of the ceremony. It was beautiful.

“I told you this once. You’re being handed everything you could possibly imagine. With my backing and the affiliation with the Ghost Organization, Wrestleworld will be your infinite playground. There will be nothing you can’t do. Don’t make me look bad.”

Proudly standing beside his benefactor, FUMIHIKO’s glare into the darkened sea would have rivaled any opponent. Any foe. They would stand no chance. Not against the Darkness. Surrounding FUMIHIKO and Gabriel were his allies in the Darkness. The likes of the Yu Brothers, Isaiah Andrews, Kristjan Halvorsen, Bronze Eagle, and Kraken. The demon of the deep himself, the frightening leviathan himself, Kraken was the personal guard of Gabriel. He dwarfed FUMIHIKO, but it didn’t bother the Japanese Soldier.

The long torches held by the men in line were beginning to pound briefly into the sand in a strange rhythm. It was growing faster with the intensity burning brighter than any flame. At it’s highest point, the torches were firmly planted into the sand, bringing all of the holders to face the future Gold Crown Champion. Nicholas Gabriel slowly approached the sea, looking at the reflection of the flames coming from the water. His smile grew larger, turning it into a sneer as he turned to the men.

“Gentlemen. My brothers. I have yet to settle for anything in life. London may be my home, but my heart will always be with you. What you’re about to experience is nothing short of the greatest rite of passage that you will see. I searched the ends of the Earth to find the one. The one that will step into any endeavor that we face, demolishing all that stand in the way. The path will never be clear, but it will be paved with their blood. I can think of nobody better equipped to carry that mantle than the gentleman that we are going to endorse tonight. Come down, son.”

The lumbering steps of the young man began to dig through the sand. FUMIHIKO, with intensity in his eyes and a cold expression across his face, began to pass the torch bearers. His head was lowered, bringing his glare upwards towards the sea. With each torch bearer he passed, he noticed them following him as he approached Gabriel. By the time he reached the sick individual, FUMIHIKO had a line of men behind him.

“I believe this will give us the needed edge that will complete the plan. You will no longer be just a man. Clearly not a God, they don’t exist in my world. Nothing is above me, but you.. You will be the unstoppable force. By the time you face Arata Asakura, any semblance of fear or discomfort of violence will be long forgotten. No longer will you be a second year wrestler.. No.. You’re going to be what we want you to be. Successful, dangerous, and violent beyond all means. It is time.”

With the words coming to an end, FUMIHIKO began to approach the sea. It wasn’t a fear of water that shaped his mind around the situation, it was the plan coming to fruition. As the men followed him to the edge of the sand, they removed his suit jacket. Throwing the article of clothing down into the sand, they saw the anger on his face. Gabriel, laughing from the exchange, handed over his suit jacket to one of the men, who folded it up with respect.

“FUMIHIKO. It’s time to get in there. No more waiting. By the time it’s over, you’re going to be reborn in the whole way you deserve to be. You will be unstoppable. Go on, get in there.”

Despite being fully clothed, FUMIHIKO took his approach into the water. Two of the men followed him in, allowing enough distance to not anger the Japanese fighter. By the time he was waist deep in the sea, FUMIHIKO reached over to one of the men. As his hand was grabbed, the man noticed the heart rate of the young man. Despite the intense initiation that was about to take place, FUMIHIKO’s pulse was very low. He was calm. Eerily calm.

With a smile on his face, Gabriel glanced at FUMIHIKO in a stage of content. He wanted to see the young man go through what some of his strongest men have. It was exhilarating. The #1 Contender to the Gold Crown Championship kneeled down into the water, slowly submerging his head underneath the perfect mix of salt and fresh water. All Nicholas Gabriel did was look on with pride. Moments were passing without a single bubble surfacing. It was a sight to behold.

“Little does he know what he’s about to achieve. The Gold Crown Championship is a stepping stone. This man is about to win the title in his third match in Wrestleworld. That has to really make you think, doesn’t it? Arata Asakura, the so-called face of the company before the Ghost Organization took over, is about to find himself in the murkiest of waters. I don’t know what he could possibly be thinking right now. FUMIHIKO is about to unleash.. Watch. Watch this.”

Still no bubbles emerging. The young man had a point to prove, obviously. Maybe he fell asleep under water. It was the delay that turned the smile of Gabriel into a look of frustration. He knew that the normal FUMIHIKO would be able to go toe to toe with Asakura and have a fantastic match. He didn’t want that, Gabriel was more focused on decimating the Self Made Man. He wanted to prove that the longevity of Asakura’s tenure in Wrestleworld was nothing more than a laughing stock of other companies. No more hand holding, he felt. It was time for somebody to put Asakura in place, or better yet.. In the ground.

“Why is he resisting? Just breathe. He’ll be fine. This is taking way too long.”

With no regard for the safety of FUMIHIKO, Gabriel began to grit his teeth in impatience. His nerves were getting the better of him, ready to begin shouting at FUMIHIKO to release. It wasn’t happening though. Maybe this version of FUMIHIKO would destroy Asakura anyways. Had Asakura even won lately aside from a tournament? Was he even worth facing for the Championship? All those thoughts were digging through the brain of Gabriel. He was tapping his foot impatiently while waiting for some kind of response. Luckily for him, it came.

Bubbles began to emerge in the water. Both men began to hold FUMIHIKO underwater, drawing laughter from Gabriel. Loud splashing of the water were coming from the arms of the monster. With the men struggling as much as they were, he saw the potential of what FUMIHIKO was rather than what he would become. Should he survive, that was.

“This is going to be the greatest moment of his life. Imagine sitting in the audience with their hero wearing the belt before the match. All those false hopes, wanting to see him triumph over the conquering beast. Imagine that bell ringing and their hero suddenly becoming nothing more than a victim. Completely decimated by an increasingly violent FUMIHIKO. From great to simply unstoppable.”

By the time Gabriel had finished speaking, FUMIHIKO had grown motionless in the water. The men immediately pulled the monster out of the North Sea, dragging him out of the water onto the sand. Of course, they couldn’t have been any more rough with the man, throwing him down without any regard for his safety. As if FUMIHIKO himself would have been any more gentle. Gabriel glanced down at him with a smile on his face. His eyes lit up like Christmas, seeing the monster motionless in the sand.

“For the idiots at home who don’t understand why I would drown my monster? My God! Nicholas Gabriel just murdered his own guy! What a sick bastard he must be! Come on, do you really think that’s going to actually happen. My father is a Senator, no jail time for me. Just a little slap on the wrist and push another person into the fold to destroy Arata Asakura. It wouldn’t be that hard to be honest with you. Look at Kraken. He’s seven foot and four hundred pounds. Do you really think I’d sick him on Asakura? They need Pay Per View Buys, not a funeral ceremony during the next Chapter event.

It’s actually very simple. My associates here have been doing a fantastic job in ensuring that my men are ready and able to not just win matches, but end careers..Possibly lives? Now, little Arata, he’s a killer in his own right. After all, his little lightning strikes and time traveling nonsense has gotten him far elsewhere, but he’s never met a real threat. This is the threat. This is the man who is about to become so much more.”

FUMIHIKO hadn’t moved yet. The associates were beginning to surround the monster, thinking the project may have been a bust. Maybe FUMIHIKO wasn’t ready. So many thoughts, but no result yet. Gabriel brushed past his associates, looking down at FUMIHIKO to see if he was finally able to recover. Still nothing.

“I think we might need to go to pla..”

FUMIHIKO’s head shot up, spitting water out. His loud coughs were echoing through the beach, leading to more laughter from Gabriel. The associates were trying to help him up, immediately dissuaded by Gabriel. The gutwrenching coughs turned to water being vomited from FUMIHIKO as he rolled over onto his side. Gabriel backed himself up to keep the monster’s vomit from going onto his shoes.

Seeing that the monster had finished vomiting, Gabriel watched the man kneel up to catch his breath.

“Get up.”

Still unable to fully push himself up, FUMIHIKO’s eyes were locked on the ground. He valiantly took the opportunity to heed Gabriel’s direction to get into the water to begin with. Now, the look of fear was gone from the monster. He pressed his hands firmly into the sand, dragging himself to his feet. It took nearly two minutes for him to be able to stand up straight, but there he was.

“In the Darkness, we don’t rely on trick photography, Asakura. The only thing we rely on is reality, not fairy tales. You’re about to embark on the most harrowing journey of your entire career. The great Arata Asakura will fail to defend his crown in his first defense. That has to hurt. Rest assured, though.. You want this. After FUMIHIKO takes you down to reality, the ground will seem so much sweeter once you’re under it. You should be thanking me for this opportunity. I want Arata Asakura to thank me right now for what I’m about to give him. The most glorious and heroic death in history, or just a spine shattering finale to his career. I don’t personally care which one it is.”

With FUMIHIKO finally recovering, Gabriel allowed the monster to be within the same shot as him. His eyes were much darker than before. His intentions were simple, evil even. He wanted the taste of the blood of the Self Made Man.

“This is where it ends, Asakura. Surely, you’ve heard that Champions need a challenge in order to grow. If they don’t, they remain stagnant and hindered like Christopher Sabertooth. Nowhere to go but down unless you have a real opponent. A real challenge. This.. This is that challenge, Arata. This is the end. So to you, soon to be former Champion, I say this. Say hello to the Shogun Destroyer. He will be your end. Your Gold Crown Championship will be in a better place, all because of my monster. You’re welcome, child.”

Massive laughter erupted from Gabriel as he looked over at FUMIHIKO. Now deemed the Shogun Destroyer, this monster of a man was reborn into something much greater than a Black or Golden Sun, but the man who took the stars from the sky and forged a new world for all to enjoy.