Ace of Proving Ground.

18.12.21 The Golden Dawn Hideout

*While the match on the last Proving Ground was irrelevant for Arata, it still left him with a feeling of satisfaction. Mostly because he liked how quickly the confidence left Tara Fenix. Besides, he showed her where she belonged, and this is definitely not on the top of the card. Not to mention the fact that everyone could see how big the difference in skills is between them. Since all of this was cleared up, according to the announcement towards the last episode of the show before Christmas, the young Japanese man had to focus on a slightly more serious task. Although, it must also be noted that he was not especially terrified by the presence of Ozymandias. Despite everything that happened between them, Arata still felt that he was an upper-class competitor. That one match they had long ago did not change his opinion, especially since their last duel didn't end in fair circumstances. However, there was no time to worry about it. It was necessary to start preparing, both physically and mentally. The thing is, there was something else except that part. This was not directly related to Ozymandias, but could also be a great help during the Grand Championship match. So what was going to happen? As his mission for equality for Japanese wrestlers progressed, Arata had to evolve as well. You may wonder why. After all, Raijin at his side gave quite a lot of impact. Yet, both the man and the council of the Japanese gods knew that it was time to bet on the greatest possible offensive. Therefore, Raijin had to step away, and he was to be replaced by someone who was on a completely different level. Arata knew this, and that the exchange process would be extremely unpleasant for his mind and body. However, he was also aware that he had no other choice.*

*For a long time his body was pierced by such incredible pain that he finally passed out for a moment from exhaustion. As it turned out, it was also not accidental. Although his body lay limp in the underground, the first meeting with the new deity took place in his head.

"We've seen each other before, so my presence probably doesn't surprise you. But since we're going to share your body, we should probably talk."

*Arata could see the whole silhouette of his new companion perfectly well, while to the viewer it looked more like a dark purple mist.*

"I know. Raijin told me everything. You don't have to worry about my feelings towards this situation. It's not a big deal. After all, Raijin and I only had business together, and the same goes for you, Izanagi."

*Izanagi smiled widely and laughed heartily.*

"You're an intelligent man, Arata. This is one of the reasons why we've chosen you to lead a new and better future. You've done very well so far. You've made it to the top of OWA. You're getting closer to doing the same in Project Honor by winning the Grand Championship. Treat my appearance as a compliment for the work that you have done. Treat it in the way that me sharing with you my strength is a gift for your loyalty and professionalism. You are our future, Arata. Together we will take over this business. Together, let's change the world."

*The blonde man nodded, and then added something from himself with a rather emotional tone of voice.*

"We are getting closer and closer to this goal. Though many people are against us and try to hold us back, OWA is an example of how they cannot stop the revolution. When it comes to Project Honor...As long as their ignorant behavior shows that they do not understand what we are capable of, they will find out soon. With the fall of Ozymandias, what they believed in will be destroyed as well. They will be forced to become part of a new and better world."

*At the end of the statement, a small smile appeared on Arata's face. The conversation between him and Elder God was coming to an end, but Izanagi wanted to say something else.*

"In a short time you will be able to communicate with me normally. For now, you were too tired to do this. As you started to connect with me, your body suffered a bit in the process. However, you will heal quickly. I promise that."

"It's okay. I'll manage somehow. I know there's no other option. Anyway, pain is just a temporary thing."

*The vision he was just experiencing ended and Arata returned to the real world. At that moment, he also felt that someone was touching his shoulder. When he opened his eyes and looked up, he saw Yin standing over him. The girl seemed to be really worried.*

"Are you okay? You screamed so much. I know you didn't want us to walk in, but I was worried. And I was right. You don't look well."

*Yin wasn't wrong. Arata looked terrible. The pain he went through was so strong, that in the process he scratched himself all the way, trying to rub the sore spots. Not to mention that he was all dirty in the dark ground that was covering the bottom of the underground.*

"I'm fine."

*The girl grabbed his hand when something caught her eye. Namely, the two words written in kanji on the man's forearms.*

"What is this? What happened to the Raijin's symbols?"

"Raijin is gone. You know the exchange was about to take place. With the loss of those red signs of blessing and gaining the new one, he had to disappear. It must have been so."

"So that means Izanagi-Sama has already connected with you? I didn't know it was going to be such a terrible process."

*For the first time in his life, Arata made a kind gesture to Yin, patting her head and giving her a gentle smile. It wasn't that he didn't like her. He was just annoyed by her intrusiveness.*

"Don't worry. As shitty as it feels, it'll help us. So don't think about it. Better start getting ready for training in the next few days. We are leaving Proving Ground with the Grand Championship. No matter what."

*With difficulty, Arata got up from the ground and, leaning against the wall, went to the exit. All this time, Yin followed him with her eyes until he disappeared behind the door.*

19.12.21 Tokyo, Japan

*As the man said, in the next few days Arata has focused only on preparing for the match, alongside his faction members. Nobody knew where their hiding place was, so the media had an issue with contacting him. Although they really wanted to know what was in the mind of the Japanese competitor before the upcoming match against Ozymandias, they had no possibility to talk to Arata. At least most of them thought so. However, one of the reporters had a solution. As long as she did not know where Arata was, she found another reliable source. Therefore, a curious woman went to the vicinity of one of Tokyo's gyms and waited for a moment for her guest. Finally, the woman noticed the person that she was looking for and quickly ran towards her with her cameraman.*

"Hello, Hana-San! Would you mind if we talked for a while?"

*Hana, who was wearing sports clothes and a long black jacket, took a look at the name of the company they worked for. Although it was not the first time reporters accosted her, she did not expect it that day. Nevertheless, she nodded, and the reporter took the floor again.*

"Sorry if I sound rude, but we'd like to hear from you a few words about your trainer, Arata Asakura. Is he here with you? Have you seen him recently?"

*The girl with crimson hair sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.*

"So that's about him, huh? I see. So listen. He's not with me and I don't know exactly where he is. While Arata-San and I know each other well, I don't have information about the hideout. Only The Golden Dawn members have access there. I also don't know if I will be able to answer any further questions. I can try, but I don't promise."

*The woman nodded understandingly, but continued the interview anyway.*

"At least can you tell us what he feels about his upcoming match for the Project Honor Grand Championship?"

*Hana laughed sincerely after hearing such a stupid question. Before the girl answered, she brushed back the strands of hair that fell over her face.*

"What can he feel? It seemed to me that everything was obvious. Especially since he has been talking about it for a long time. Arata-San has a plan that he is striving for. Besides, he is the type of person who is incredibly ambitious and wants to constantly develop. The Grand Championship is just another step towards that. All he sees at this point is that he has to win. He doesn't really care if his opponent is Ozymandias or anyone else as long as he leaves the Proving Ground with the belt."

"One more question. What kind of person is Arata Asakura? He's usually not very keen on interviewing, so it's hard to say."

*Hana was about to say something, but paused for a moment. After she thought twice about it, she spoke again.*

"It depends for whom. When it comes to people who are close to him, he is a good and caring man. Even if he doesn't show it, I would never say that he treated me badly. He was always supportive in his own way."

"What about the rest?"

"What kind of person he is to the rest of the world can be summed up in a simple statement. How much strangers mean to him can be put into that one sentence. However, I am sure you won't be happy with what I will say. But what kind of person is Arata Asakura? Well, he can kill people, turn around and act like nothing happened."

*The reporter seemed surprised by this answer. Hana, on the other hand, not wanting to provoke any more questions, quickly said goodbye and returned to the building.*

24.12.21 New York City, New York

*Having many different things in mind, Arata was still diligently preparing for the match that he was waiting for so long. Especially, since he finally managed to get a chance to face Ozymandias for the title in a singles match. That's why he had to prove his point. What point? He had to show the world that the current champion may seem to be strong and untouchable, but Arata was on a much higher level. Besides, in a while he was getting irritated by being away from the title. As far as he knew, that he was relevant whether or not he had the championship in his hands, he was the type of man who could be called a belt collector. In less than three years he spent in the industry, he didn't have that shiny belt around his waist for only a short period of time. Now, although he couldn't complain about it, the more he had, the more his desire for success grew. So it can be said that Arata was not able to set a limit in this case. He always assumed that he could divide his attention into different places and different titles. He always believed that despite some minor mishaps from time to time, he was still one of the brightest stars in the industry. Therefore, winning the Grand Championship would be just another proof that his arrogance and high self-esteem are not just empty words.*

*On the day that the special episode of Proving Ground was scheduled to take place, Arata arrived at the arena much earlier. The man decided to take a closer look at the surroundings, but most importantly, he wanted to take advantage of the moment of solitude to share his final thoughts with everyone. Therefore, he asked one of the members of his faction to set the camera in front of the ring in which he will face Ozymandias tonight.

As the recording begins, Arata jumps on the apron and sits down comfortably. He is in such a position that his legs are a few centimeters above the ground, and he rests his hands on the canvas on both sides. The man is wearing a navy blue hoodie with a small sun symbol in a heart area, black jeans and black sports shoes. Contrary to his habit, the sleeves of his clothing are not pulled to the elbows. Either way, Arata starts talking almost immediately, not wanting to waste a moment of peace. Surprisingly, something that had been missing for a long time finally appeared in the man's voice. Namely, a kind of excitement.*

Everyone should know where their place is. Everyone should understand their limits. If they are not able to do so, when they are meeting someone who is far ahead of them, they are left with nothing else, but a painful disappointment. The perfect example of this is Tara Fenix ​​who barked all this time that she could easily beat me. A woman who considered herself good enough to be main eventer status. Someone who was so convinced of her greatness that she did not care what reality really looks like. But what happened in the end? This person was brutally convinced how far the road she has ahead of her to even get close to someone on my level. I don't know if she understood it, because it's hard to fight such a huge ego, but she definitely experienced declassification. I have no doubts about that. Nevertheless, even after the match, she tried to save her face, holding back her grief. However, what betrayed her was complaining on social media how unfair the world is. Whereas this girl has no idea what real injustice is. However, she uses such an important problem that my people and I face daily to justify their incompetence. And this is just another proof that Tara has not matured enough to fight for the spot of the face of this division. That's why, I hope she learned a lesson from our fight that her little cup is not proof of any progress. Moreover, if you decide to use it for a Grand Championship, it will become a waste of good opportunity. That's why, better stay away, self-proclaimed queen, because you are not on the level of the current champion. Above all, you are even further to reach mine.

*Arata smiles slightly in a malicious manner. When his face turns serious again, he moves on to what is really important to him at the moment.*

You hear properly. I don't think I and Ozymandias are equal. I not only believe, but I know that I am much better than him, and some worthless Proving Ground episode that took place a few weeks ago will not change that. Especially since, the result was like that because of Mark Hunter selfishness. If it wasn't for his unexpected appearance, the match would be pretty much over, because I had been seconds away from dethroning your 'mighty' champion. Though I must admit that Ozymandias has improved since the last time I saw him with the championship. Because you know, a long time ago, in a place whose name I don't need to say, Ozymandias was created to be a brutal monster. However, this devil in human skin was so fucking weak, that he barely won the title after he was nearly destroyed by Havoc, only to drop this belt to Colt Montoya on the first defense. What I could have imagined at the time was probably obvious. There was only one thought in my head. That Ozymandias is overrated. In Project Honor it was similar at the beginning. From what I've heard, this gaijin wasn't especially successful. So the fact that he managed to become the longest-reigning champion in the history of the company proves that he has grown as a competitor. Which I definitely appreciate and sincerely congratulate you, but it doesn't mean that you are able to handle me in a title match. Certainly not one on one. Honestly, I don't even want to mention that bullshit that happened at the Clash for the Cup. I am not going to take seriously a failure that I can't even blame myself for. That was the fault of stupid conceot od a Scramble match. That one situation is an example of why multiman matches always irritated me. A moment of distraction is enough for some moron to fuck you over. But it doesn't matter now. That night, all I had was bitterness and rage. After all, I was able to lift the Grand Championship high in the air a long time ago. However, it did happen, but that doesn't mean I gave up. Especially since I am constantly tormented by the feeling that we have an unfinished business, Ozy. I guess you can say the same thing, because I doubt you are satisfied with winning with such a cheap shot. Listen. As much as I think you're gross and a little stupid, I know you have a little bit of worrior's honor. Therefore, you may feel appreciated, because I am not talking about many people in this way. The thing is, my compliment can't be equal with respect. Don't get me wrong, but I would never be able to respect someone as pathetic and overrated as you. I would never show admiration for someone who clearly no longer knows what to do with himself. Perhaps others missed it, but I can see it in the way you move. I can see it in your eyes. You're just tired of being a champion, but most of the Proving Ground is too weak to relieve you of that responsibility. However, don't worry. This time, I will do you a favor and I will take what should have been mine a long time ago. Because you see, with or without the title, I'm still Ace of Proving Ground. By becoming a new champion and dethroning the current one, I will only confirm that for those, who are too stupid to understand that.

*A young Japanese man runs a hand through a strand of blonde hair and stops it there for a moment, as if he was thinking about something. However, it doesn't take long, until he begins to speak again.*

This may not be the smartest thing to say before a Lumberjack match. In the end, my arrogance gives more reasons for others to try to screw me over. But guess what? I don't give a fuck. I know from my own experience that no matter how good I was to others, I didn't get such behavior in return. It always seemed to everyone that they deserved constant respect, even if they did not. At the same time they had their fucking mouths closed, when it was needed to do the same towards me. That's why, fuck this stupid roster and those goddamn losers who signed the Proving Ground contract. I don't need their respect. I don't want to have anything to do with them. All of them can even stand against me. I am familiar with the fight with the whole world, because I am waging this war all the time. Therefore, if you want to do it so badly, you can try to stop me. However, it will not change the fact that I will leave this arena as the new Grand Champion.

Anyway, in allowing myself to show how superior I am, I don't think I am making such a big mistake. After all, from the beginning, I expected to be attacked by outsiders anyway. Eventually, Ozy decided to join Big Drip Production. Which was a big shock to me, because this big, dirty guy in a stupid Halloween costume doesn't look like someone who would hang out with a bunch of clowns. Well, I was wrong. So if I think about it now, maybe I was also mistaken with the fact that Ozymandias has at least some honor. After all, no self-respecting person would join this joke of the team. No matter if they have set their sights on fighting True Society or not. Both sides are toxic to this industry as a whole, but that's not my business. As long as they do not interfere in my affairs, I do not care about their existence. The thing is, I'm sure Big Drip Production will try to help their man keep the title. Therefore, I would like to say something important to a certain person. Remember, that you just came back to me MYOJIN. You just decided to side with The Golden Dawn again. You know, that there won't be another chance. So be aware that if you betray me again, I will kill you. No fucking joke. I will not tolerate traitors in my faction.

*Arata sighs heavily in irritation, but he quickly moves to the last part of his speech.*

Contrary to what Ozymadias shows on social media, this duel is not a match between God and God. This is a duel of a man who made himself a god with the use of marketing, while I am the actual holder of the god' blessing. That's why, presenting it this way shows how ignorant Ozy is that he thinks he can be compared to someone like Raijin or Izanagi. This is just another proof of how these gaijins don't understand what reality is like. This is another example of how they consider themselves more than just ordinary people, but actually they are only worms that are easy to crush. This is what Ozymandias will find out himself at the next Proving Ground. Both he and everyone who decides to get involved in our match. Each such person must be prepared for the fact that sticking their nose in my business, may be the reason why they will lose their head. Especially since I'm not the kind of person who would hesitate to do something like that. I have abandoned morality for the sake of the well being of the majority a long ago. I have sacrificed myself to create a new and better world for my people. That is why, my dedication can't be wasted and I must keep moving forward. And the most important step on my way is gaining power in Project Honor. No matter how terrifying a vision it is for a large part of the industry, it is only a matter of hours until I am announced as the new Grand Champion. Therefore, do not be fooled that Ozymandias will be able to stop me. The last time we faced in a fair match in SSW, he couldn't handle me to such an extent that he signed the resignation papers right away. Who knows, maybe this time it will be the same. Perhaps, it will be even worse this time. I don't know if tonight will be the day when Ozymandias will end his career. But what I know for sure is that this is the night, when Arata Asakura will climb the top of the mountain in Project Honor.

*Moments after these words, the recording ends. Arata, seeing that the employees are starting to appear in larger groups in the arena, goes to his private locker room.*