“The gods have granted humanity a terrible power. A power that allows them to develop an immense strength, beyond their limitations, akin to that of the gods themselves.

And that power… is called a miracle!”

The very significant moment in the life of the young boy of Osaka has passed, but it has left an imprint in his very being that will last for eternity. He’s had a regular life so far - healthy upbringing, regular school days, and a keen interest in sports.

And so it wasn’t long before Saionji Kido, now in his teens, found himself playing in the basketball team of the Prefectural Kitano High School, and it is there that he is now located. A packed arena, filled with family members and fellow students from the schools that make the opposing teams, cheering their players on; the gleaming wooden planks of the stadium floor just scrubbed, and both teams huddled in their respective benches after a final time-out.

“Alright everyone, gather up!”

It has been a very tight, contested game, and the score is close, but Kitano High School is down by one point. There are less than fifteen seconds left in the clock at the 4th quarter, the shot clock is dead, and the opposition has just scored. The players from Kitano are visibly exhausted, drenched in sweat and panting heavily. But one of them, a towel covering his head almost like a hood, shakes it off and looks up to coach Minoru Kurita as he explains the plan, defiance plastered in his face.

“Okay boys, this is it. They’re going to lock down the key, so we’ll have to go for a long-range shot. Honda, you’re up!”

The entire group yells a “YES COACH!”, and right after, the brave player blurts out the next sentence.

“Kurita-sensei, I got an idea!”

“What’s up, Kido?”

“I got enough left in the tank for one more move. Honda-senpai gets the shot, but they know he’s the best we have, so they’ll be looking to block him. However! Locked as they’re gonna be, they won’t be looking for a guy to get in a dunk!”

Saionji’s lips curl into a roguish, mischievous grin. The coach stares at him intently, and realizes what his bold player is proposing.

“Kido, you’re not telling me you want to go for the alley-oop?”

“We’re down by one point and they will try everything they can for the shot not to hit. Worst case of all, I miss the chance and the shot goes off anyway. But they will never see it coming!”

“That’s Kido-kun for you, always playing the brave warrior. Thinks Saint Seiya is real or something...”

Koji Honda, the designated shooter, nudges Saionji playfully. The timeout is about to end, so the coach shoots Saionji a smile, then throws his arms.

“Kido, you’re insane, but with ten seconds to go, you might as well go for it. Don’t mess up Honda’s shot!”

“I won’t, coach! You have my word!”

“Then let’s go!”

“HAI!”

The play starts, and the entire team, mustering all they have left, charge down to the opposing hoop. The players are locked tight in the key as Honda gets the ball. He shoots, but the ball seems to very slightly veer off…

“BURN, COSMOS! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH…!!!”

Letting out a deafening leonine roar, Saionji Kido leaps from amidst the scrum of players, like a rising tidal wave from the ocean, and outstretches his arm to bring the ball home, in a highlight-worthy alley-oop, right as the buzzer hits! The defending players grab at his legs and yank him down to the ground in a great crash - but not before the ball has already gone down the net…

*CRAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!*

But the shockwave of the fall is drowned out by the roar of the crowd as, just by one single point, Kitano High School has emerged victorious. Kido’s teammates rush to him to help him up as, not without a great deal of pain, he picks himself up from the ground, shaking off two opposing players. Cheering loudly, they hoist him over their shoulders and carry him in typical Japanese fashion, back to the bench, where the coach pats his back.

“Oi, Kido! You’re certifiably crazy, but that was an absolute miracle. You really got guts to even attempt a stunt like that, let alone pulling it off!”

“Someone stop him from reading manga all the time, next up he’ll be shooting special powers at the opposition! But seriously, thanks for that, Kido-kun. You really came through out there.”

In the midst of all the compliments, Kido scratches the back of his head; at this point, just a happy young man that has a reason to be.

“Aw, but there’s nothing special, sensei. Just trying not to give up, and something like this might happen. That’s all there is to it for me!”

And as the victorious team raise their arms to the cheering crowd, the brave teenage player looks at the sky, knowing that the stars of the constellation he was born under have given him the strength to succeed…


In the night of New York City, the palace-like building known as the Velvet Rabbit is fully lit as the show is going on inside. A horde of protesters holding signs are approaching outside, screaming out their contempt and hatred for the place. There already have been several scuffles between some of the patrons and this holier-than-thou rabble, but they have mostly been kept at bay. The lights of the police sirens flash red and blue against the vivid lighting of the Velvet Rabbit, indicating that the NYPD is currently doing its job of arresting any public disturbance culprits, but some of them still remain.

Unfortunately for them, they stand before Raion Kido, who waits for them firmly in place, arms crossed and a stone-faced expression.

“Who the hell are you and why are you barring our path?”

The Lion barely gives the sanctimonious protestors the courtesy of a disdainful look before making his answer.

“Raion Kido. The Lion of Osaka. Soon to wrestle in the XWF.”

Understandably, the small mob in front of Raion Kido pauses for thought, not knowing who he is. The Lion looks at them indifferently, waiting for them to stop their incessant bickering. The proverbial lightbulb seems to light over one of the protesters’ heads, and he turns back towards the Lion.

“Oh wait, I know! You’re the Japanese guy that talked about the stars. What are you even doing here? No one knows you, and you have nothing to do with this.”

“Oh, but I do. There’s someone in there that has taken an interest in me, and I’m here to return the courtesy. Perhaps you have heard of him - his name is Thaddeus Duke.”

“Thaddeus Duke is a heathen that goes from one hole to the other!”

“Whatever he does with his life is none of my concern. He’s had fine words for me and I want to do something for him in return. Besides…”

Raion’s lips peel back to reveal that ferocious grin.

“... there’s nothing more I hate than egotism hiding behind noble words. So I would advise you to go, unless you want to be the first to experience the strength of the Lion.”

“Big words, pal! We’re supposed to believe you’re some mystical warrior when you haven’t even had a single match?”

“Believe what you will, but this is as far as you go. You’re not getting past this point. You’re not getting past me.”

The Lion flings his jacket off and uncrosses his arms, square-shouldered and ready for trouble. Some of the crowd start murmuring among themselves, not quite knowing what to expect. But the zealous leader of this group is incensed by holy wrath after hearing Raion’s words.

“I’ve had ENOUGH! Let’s go, people! Christ is King!”

He charges against Raion, but the Japanese wrestler catches him, and shoves him towards the crowd, a forceful shove that sends the protester crashing towards his own flock, and finally on his rear end to the floor. Raion shrugs his shoulders, rolling his neck lazily.

“You wanna try that again?”

Now doubtful after the experience, the leader of the mob and the crowd look at each other, and it seems they have attracted the attention of the police. It is at this point they start leaving, trying to hurry it up. But not before the leader gives Kido a final look.

“Why do you care about protecting those degenerates?”

“Because the alternative is you.”

Coming closer, Raion lets out a roar that terrifies the already shaking protester.

“Now scram, or face the Lion’s fangs!”

Intimidated beyond thought, the protester hurries up before the police arrive. When they finally do, Raion is standing alone.

“Something wrong here, sir?”

Raion shakes his head, now at peace.

“They’re gone now, officer, and soon I will be leaving as well. Don’t worry about me.”

The two police officers in front of Raion see the protesters running scared, and then back at Raion.

“Okay, at least the situation didn’t escalate. You could have found yourself in trouble.”

Raion gives them a small smile.

“I would have worried more about them. It takes but the gentlest breeze for the waters to rise…”


On the island of Oahu, in the state of Hawaii, is Waikiki Beach, famous worldwide for its outdoor performances and surfing contests, and the quintessential image for the definition of the word: A wide, paradisiac beach front with white sand, which gives way to the crystalline waters of the Pacific Ocean.

But sometimes, the largest ocean in the world does not honor its name.

*CRAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!*

On this occasion, and despite the sun shining brightly, the great ocean is stirring, no doubt because of the fast winds blowing up on the beach. Waves upon waves crash upon the shore, some gentle, but most of great intensity, undoubtedly as a result of the fast winds blowing in the Hawaiian morning. Not many people would venture to the beach in this condition; but in the beach, there is the sound of the blowing wind, and there is the Lion.

“It takes but the gentlest of winds to cause the waters to rise. Sometimes they become smooth waves that barely rise an inch before breaking upon the shore. And sometimes… they become rising billows.”

Watching the waves from the beach is Raion Kido, clad in a black tank top, a pair of jeans and boots, standing ramrod straight against the blowing wind that makes his wild mane flutter.

“And it looks like so has it been for me, for after Fire and Ice, the eyes of the world are now turned upon me.”

The Lion stares at the camera, seriousness written upon his face, and exhales silently. He had already earned a spot in the XWF roster. But now it was time to hold onto it, and he’d been given a chance to exceed all expectations.

To burn his inner cosmos beyond the limits of his soul.

“Because after my performance, against a veteran of the business, and a former champion, I have been called to no less than the XWF’s flagship show, Wednesday Night Warfare. Thaddeus Duke, Grand Slam Champion, 50 wins, just having finally put off his Hall of Legends father for good, decided he wanted me.”

Raion Kido points towards himself, and another wave hits the shore, the sound of the crash breaking the silence.

“What can I say? I am most honored by the invitation. I am more than eager to prove myself on the greatest stage the XWF has to offer, against one of the biggest names it has. But while I’m most appreciative of this great opportunity, I can’t help but think there’s something more to this than mere acknowledgement. Maybe Thaddeus Duke hasn’t really moved on from trying to make everything about him.

Maybe, Thaddeus, just maybe, this isn’t so much a matter of putting on a great show, but rather choosing your next stepping stone. To have the eyes of the XWF Universe set upon you once more.

After all, not everyone is graced with sharing a roster with you.”

On the face of the Japanese wrestler appears a certain astute smirk. He had truly been appreciative of the attention, and glad that he had made an impact in his very first match in the XWF. But the victory had come with expectations, and he had not gone through all the effort to fall short. Thaddeus Duke wanted the challenge, a showcase for all the XWF Universe, and Raion Kido would give nothing less - even if it meant going at him.

This was, after all, how the waves began to rise. And it was time for Thaddeus Duke to hear the Lion’s roar.


“Is that not what you said to the Latina Submission Machina, Thaddeus? Where you go, people follow. When you speak, people listen. You’re in the Main Event even if that’s not the match you’re booked on. Is that not what you gloated to her prior to Warfare?

I’m sure it makes for a nice, powerful speech, except it stops sounding awesome when there’s now someone in front of you that can actually compete with you on that score. For even though my match was but the first, the entire world paid heed to my two messages, and started speculating from long before on how this match was going to go - how Xavier Lux was going to fall prey to the Lion’s might.

You know who else was a part of that, Thaddeus? You. You were there. You saw it all. You saw the Main Event before your match against Sebastian, before the XWF Universal Title changed from Jim Caedus to Peter Vaughn. You saw it, and you wanted to be in it. Well, Mr. Duke, you’re a fortunate man, because now, you get to have it…

… until the Lion takes it away.”

A mighty wave splashes on the beach, and the upcoming tide reaches Raion Kido’s ankles - but he does not move one inch. The rolling billows of the ocean might rise and crash, but if he is to be worthy of the challenge before him, he shall not falter.

Thaddeus Duke may take things away - but the Lion will give away nothing.

“Is that not what you said about Corey Smith as well? Didn’t you hate that he celebrated when you won your title? Wasn’t your entire motivation for Bad Medicine to expose him, to show how Corey Smith was nothing without Thaddeus Duke? You wanted so badly to take him away from the XWF Universe, but In the end, Corey Smith retained the Supercontinental Title. And seeing as how he retained again on Fire and Ice, it’s safe to say that maybe, Thaddeus, just maybe, there are things that even you can’t take away, names that live beyond you. There are times when even the almighty Thaddeus Duke finds himself stumped - broken like the waves against an unyielding shore.

And just as I told Xavier Lux, Thaddeus, the name of Raion Kido comes entirely by itself and needs nothing else to stand on. I have but one victory to my name, but I don’t intend it to be the only one, nor the last. And once our match is over, the XWF Universe will have seen that the name of Thaddeus Duke was only the second to fall to the fangs of the Lion. A great name, a hallowed name - but a name that Raion Kido didn’t need to make one of his own. The shore that, in the end, stood firmly against the mighty wave.

Because that’s the certainty here, Thaddeus - though I am but a rookie, you want my name to add to your tally. The icon vs. the newcomer. The newly christened Lionheart, looking to begin his reign, again the roaring Lion that has only just surfaced. And come Wednesday Night Warfare, the newly-anointed king shall find this Lion can never be tamed.”

This time the water flows, gently, into the beach, and Raion clenches his fist as he utters the last sentence. He was perfectly aware of who and what he was going up against, and it was time to demonstrate that at the highest stage of the XWF.

Wasn’t that what Thaddeus had wanted from his earlier foes all along?

“And is that not, in the end, what led you to knocking your father off his pedestal? To end his reign, and to start your own?

Before I continue, don’t get me wrong, Thaddeus. Whatever personal feud you had with your father remains your own; and now it’s over, and beyond my concern. But among all the reasons you may have had to put Sebastian Duke down, there’s the one, the self-serving one, that stands out the most: you became the hero of your own story. Just as you mentioned to Machina and to Corey, it wasn’t about them, it never really was. Machina meant nothing to you and Corey Smith was always beneath you. With Sebastian, I have no doubt that it was personal, that he was the man to beat, but in the end, like everything else, it always comes down to the XWF Universe revolving around Thaddeus Duke.

I want you, Thaddeus, to understand. I’m not questioning your character, your ability, nor any of your skills. Even if I wanted to doubt your accomplishments listed in the XWF, I made sure I paid attention at Fire and Ice. There can be no question to your talent, or to your dedication to being the icon you claim to be.

But from what I have seen from you so far, and from what I’ve heard you say to your previous opponents before Fire and Ice, it turns out there’s always this same method to your madness. You have this compulsion, this deep-seated, systematic need, to make everything related to you. Everything exists because of you, and revolves around you. In that aspect, you’re not different from what you accuse Corey Smith of doing.

You take. More than that, you take whether you’re given or not, which makes you even worse.”

Another thunderous wave crashes upon the shore, but Raion still will not move. Thaddeus Duke might have styled himself Lionheart, but the Lion would show him that there was a reason for his own choice - and just what exactly it meant.

“At the end of the day, Thaddeus, you’re still suffering from your own ego being bigger than yourself. You have this desire to show your mastery of everything around you. You desperately crave the glory that others want to have, even when you’ve attained your own, and will go to all lengths to take it all for yourself.

That, Mr. Duke, is what can be questioned, and it can also be the entire reason that proves to be your downfall at Wednesday Night Warfare.

Because I don’t have that limitation. I care about one thing, and one thing only - to make the souls of everyone in the XWF Universe burn as I try to do my own. For me, this is not a matter of pride, nor glory, nor any such trappings. I only do what I must, and what I must do here is to answer to the call you’ve made for me - and the only proper way of doing that is by getting my hand raised against a XWF icon.

But hey, living only for glory-seeking has paid off for you now, has it not? God’s gift to wrestling, get whatever woman you want but now you’re happily married to a girl you hated less than a month ago, and the kingdom of your father is now yours.

You have it made, Thaddeus! You’re riding the crest of the wave!”

As yet another wave impacts on the beach, Raion Kido clenches his fist once more. The mightiest wave, no matter its size or power, was in the end nothing more than a wave. The only thing one had to do was weather the storm.

But the Lion would bring a storm of his own.

“Unfortunately, Thaddeus Duke, there’s an inescapable truth that will never change. The ultimate destiny of any wave, from the gentlest flows to the highest rising billows, is to break upon the shore. The only possibility of change is on how a wave hits. They can do so with a bang, or they can do so with a whimper.

For my part, I’m going to make sure it crashes with the force of a tsunami, in that flagship show on which you’re so proud to compete. Come February 16th, I intend to give Thaddeus Duke, the rest of the roster watching, and the XWF Universe in attendance and at home, the exact same thing for which they laid eyes on me.

And I promise to you all that you’ll be witnessing a miracle!”

Brave the Lion may be, but a fool he is not. He may have been the favorite in his previous match, but he was perfectly aware that the odds might very well be against him now. It isn’t every day, after all, for a newly-debuted wrestler to be facing one of the company’s stars right away. But, like in all things, there’s an example to set.

And Raion will attempt it, at the cost of his life. Such is the Lion’s charge.

“Because, even after all I have described, you’re still Thaddeus Duke, former holder of 6 titles in more than one occasion, 2021 Male Wrestler of the Year, and I am still but a wrestler having only his second match in the company. So when the final bell has finally rung and the XWF Universe sees you having fallen, they will look at my victory as none other than that - just as much as they looked at me the moment I arrived at the company.

This match may only be the second in the card, but just like at Fire and Ice, it will be the one people want to see - the one that every other competitor in Warfare will want to surpass. The people are going to listen, the fans are going to follow, but just like with Xavier Lux, it will be because of me. And their very souls, just like my own, will burn in the Hawaiian night like the Tiki torches this state is so proud of. And you, the so-called icon of the XWF, will get the showcase you wanted - only not the result you desired after all.

Don’t worry though, Thaddeus. You’ll still be the icon, you’ll have your legacy, you’ll be in control of your new life. You’ll have your loving wife waiting back home -or at the Velvet Rabbit, whichever is closer-, or you’ll have another round of whiskey shots off Atara Themis’ backside, but that’s none of my business. The only thing you’re not going to have is the satisfaction of adding the name of Raion Kido in a victory for a match that you asked for - a match in which you could prove that mastery that you, deep down, so deeply crave.

And I’m sure that, through the comfort of all you have, you’re going to have that little thing in the back of your head, that little feeling that goes “but I lost to Raion Kido, who had only one match in the XWF”. And that’s gonna be a sting that you won’t be able to easily shake off.

Just like that nagging feeling that ultimately led to your marriage.”

The Lion grins, showing his canines, for a brief moment before pointing his finger at the camera. The sound of the blowing wind increases in intensity as a very large wave begins to rise over the sea.

“But then again, Thaddeus, you said it yourself - the winds of change are blowing. And like I said at the beginning, it takes but the gentlest wind to cause the waters to rise.

You must have enjoyed giving that speech before, Thaddeus. I’m certain you felt mighty when you uttered those words. Now, however, the hurricane is coming your way, and just like you said, it isn’t going to knock. On February 16th, at the Aloha Stadium, and in the XWF’s own flagship show, the XWF Universe will see the ocean’s rising billows…”

And as Raion finishes his speech, the last wave crashes upon the beach with a devastating impact, washing the beach almost whole.

*CRAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!*

“... coming down upon your head.”

Fade to black.