MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

"You want coffee?" Svetlana's voice called out from the kitchen as she moved around, her steps light and cheerful.

"Yeah," Damon replied from the bathroom, his voice slightly muddled as he washed his face.

The cold water jolted him awake, refreshing him after a late night.

After straightening up and looking in the mirror, he thought that everything was going well with his fights, his relationship, and even his job outside of the cage.

But there was always something else waiting for him, another challenge, and last night it showed up.

A system notification had popped up, catching him off guard.

[Quest Update: Road to the World Cup]

There weren't a lot of information available yet, but it looked like it had to do with something as big as the World Cup.

Damon couldn't help but draw comparisons to The Supreme Fighter show and how the system had set tasks back then.

It felt eerily similar, like the start of another long and grueling journey.

He rubbed his face with a towel, and his mind was already making up ideas.

The Supreme Fighter questline had been transformative, with having to win the match to full accomplish it.

If this new questline was anything like that, then the end quest would be him winning the whole thing.

The system displayed the new quest objectives, each one detailed with precision:

[Win The Global MMA Title]

[Win the Tournament Before Winning/Fighting for a Promotional Title]

[Remain Undefeated Throughout the Tournament]

[In All Five Fights, Win 3 by KO, 1 by Submission, and 1 by Stoppage]

Damon stared at the list, his mind racing as he absorbed the magnitude of the challenge. Your journey continues on empire

No reward was listed under any of the objectives, which struck him as odd.

The system usually dangled enticing incentives, something to keep him motivated beyond the thrill of competition.

But here? Nothing.

For a brief moment, he considered ignoring it.

After all, what was the point of taking on such a monumental task without a clear reward?

But that thought went away just as quickly as it came. He smiled and shook his head.

"Reward or not," he muttered to himself, "the challenge is the reward."

And, if he were honest, it sounded fun, like the kind of insanity that made him fall in love with MMA in the first place.

With a steady breath, Damon closed the system interface and made his way back to the kitchen.

When Damon walked into the kitchen, he was still thinking about the system's questline.

Svetlana was sitting on the counter with her coffee mug in her hands. She looked at him with a puzzled face, as if she knew something was on his mind.

"What's got you thinking so hard this morning?" she asked casually, taking a sip of her coffee.

Damon gave her a small smile and shook his head. "Nothing serious. Just… thinking about what's next."

Somewhat hesitantly, Svetlana raised an eyebrow, but she didn't go any further. "Okay, Mr. Mysterious."

She slid off the bar and put her mug down on a nearby surface. "So you're basically chilling out today? What are you going to do?"

Damon leaned against the fridge, his mind snapping back to the present. "Nothing much," he replied. "Probably head to the gym later, keep things light."

Svetlana clicked her tongue, a playful yet critical edge to her tone. "Keeping it easy by going to the gym? That's not exactly what I'd call relaxing."

Damon chuckled and crossed his arms. "Alright, wise one. You got better plans?"

She smirked, setting her coffee mug down. "Actually, I do. I was thinking we could visit Ashley and the baby. You know, something normal for a change."

Damon raised an eyebrow, amused by her suggestion. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you're obsessed with that baby."

Svetlana shrugged, her smirk turning into a soft smile. "What can I say? He's adorable. Plus, Ashley and Joey need all the support they can get right now."

Damon had seen a change in Svetlana ever since the baby was born.

Even though she seemed friendly and open around him, he knew that she was actually quiet and shy.

Especially when it came to new people or being in places they didn't know, even within their friend group.

Still, something about the new events made her act in a different way.

She had been going to see Ashley and Joey often, and sometimes her friendliness and excitement surprised even her.

He watched her for a moment, his smile softening. "You've really taken a liking to that little guy, huh?"

"Can you blame me?" she replied, her voice light but genuine. "Besides, I think Ashley's been enjoying the company."

Damon nodded. "Yeah, Joey told me she appreciates it. And you've been opening up a lot more, you know."

Svetlana paused for a moment, considering his words. "I guess I have. Maybe it's because of you."

She looked up at him, her tone playful but with a hint of sincerity. "You're a bad influence."

Damon laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

The baby wasn't the only thing that changed Svetlana.

Since their relationship began, she had started stepping out of her comfort zone more.

She was even working closely with her mom on the family business, while this had been happening for a while, it happened after they began.

"Alright," Damon said, grabbing his coffee. "Let's head over later. But don't get too attached, alright? You'll have me thinking you want one of your own."

Svetlana's cheeks turned a faint pink as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't push your luck, Cross."

Damon smirked, sipping his coffee. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Damon moved to the kitchen, gathering ingredients to prepare breakfast.

The sound of eggs cracking and the sizzle of a pan filled the apartment, grounding him in the simplicity of the moment.

As he worked, his mind wandered back to the joke he'd made about Svetlana wanting a baby.

It had been lighthearted, but he couldn't help thinking about it more deeply.

Not that he didn't wish to have a family someday.

The idea wasn't foreign to him, and with Svetlana, it was easier to picture than it had ever been before.

But… well.

He shook his head slightly, flipping the eggs in the pan.

They were still young. They had time to figure everything out, to grow, both as individuals and as a couple.

Besides, the pace of his career and the whirlwind of their lives didn't exactly leave much room for settling down in that way, yet.

Damon plated the food and placed it on the table, feeling Svetlana's presence as she wandered back into the kitchen, still cradling her coffee.

"Breakfast is ready," he said with a small smile, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind.

For now, this was enough.