History
[The lights in the Asylum Wrestling Society arena flicker. A low industrial siren rolls through the building. Vinzenz “The Virus” Krüger steps through the curtain in black-and-red gear, staring directly into the camera. He slowly raises a microphone.]
VINZENZ “THE VIRUS” KRÜGER:
[adjusts his gloves]
“Orphius Marius… you mysterious little Schattenmann. You have chosen very bad night to stand across from Der Virus.”
“Monday Night Ward #367. AWS Shortcut to the Top Tournament. And dis time, it is not simply about winning match. No, no, no. We are fighting for something much more important—the AWS UltraViolence Heavyweight Championship!”
[Krüger paces slowly, never taking his eyes off the camera.]
“Let us make stipulations very clear, ja? This is an Ultimate Submission Match. There are no pinfalls. No count-outs. No disqualification. You do not win by running away, by getting lucky, or by putting my shoulders to mat. You win only when you make your opponent submit.”
“And dat is where you have made your fatal mistake, Marius.”
[He smiles coldly.]
“Because in my entire career… I have never tapped out.”
“Not once.”
“Not to pain. Not to pressure. Not to somebody twisting my arm until it nearly breaks. Not to somebody choking me until I cannot breathe. You can put every submission hold in your mysterious little arsenal upon me, and I will still be crawling toward you, still fighting, still biting, still scratching, still looking for the way to make you say the words.”
“I have never tapped out…”
[Krüger leans toward the camera.]
“…and I am not planning to start on Monday.”
“Especially not for you.”
[A brief pause. The crowd begins to boo and cheer in equal measure.]
“And then we have the prize.”
“The AWS UltraViolence Heavyweight Championship.”
[Krüger's expression becomes noticeably more serious.]
“This championship is not some shiny toy created yesterday. It has history. It has blood upon it. It has been carried by warriors, lunatics, survivors, men who were willing to walk through hell because they wanted their name permanently carved into AWS history.”
“And do you know who stood at the very beginning of that history?”
“Charlie Feigel.”
[He points toward the hard camera.]
“Yes. The AWS CEO himself. Charlie Feigel was the very first UltraViolence Heavyweight Champion. From the moment that title was born, its lineage became part of the identity of this company. Through every champion, every reign, every brutal defense, every man who believed he was strong enough to carry that championship…”
“…the title became bigger.”
“And eventually, we arrive at the last reigning champion.”
[Krüger slowly raises his index finger.]
“But history is not finished.”
“The championship has been without its rightful new king, and now AWS has created Shortcut to the Top to determine who will claim it. Everybody wants to say they will be the next chapter.”
“Orphius Marius…”
[He chuckles under his breath.]
“You may be mysterious. You may be dangerous. Perhaps you even believe you are some nightmare that cannot be understood.”
“But I understand one thing.”
“To become champion, you must make Vinzenz Krüger tap out.”
[He shakes his head emphatically.]
“Nein.”
“You must make The Virus quit.”
“Nein.”
“You must make the man who has never surrendered his body, his career, or his pride to another wrestler say those two little words…”
[Krüger brings the microphone almost against his lips.]
“I quit.”
[He lowers the microphone, then suddenly grins.]
“Orphius…”
“Bring every submission you have.”
“Bring your mystery.”
“Bring your darkness.”
“Bring your entire damn nightmare.”
“Because when that bell rings, there is only one question.”
[He pounds his fist against his chest.]
“Who is going to break first?”
“Me?”
[A sinister smile.]
“Never.”
“You?”
[Krüger spreads his arms.]
“Very, very likely.”
“Monday Night Ward #367…”
“Shortcut to the Top…”
“Ultimate Submission…”
“And the birth of a new chapter in the UltraViolence Heavyweight Championship history.”
[He points directly into the camera.]
“Orphius Marius…”
“Welcome to the operating table.”
[Krüger drops the microphone. The arena erupts as the camera cuts to black.]