Dao Tottena 

Kidnapping, extreme violence, murder.

I am Dao Tottena.
When I was still a child, I was kidnapped by an organization and raised under strict discipline within it along with my older brother.

The organization had gathered other orphans besides us.
In those appalling conditions, we were forced to endure excessive training and were beaten to death day after day.

For us, this place was hell itself…

But then, one day, a thread was lowered into that hell.

“Hurry up and climb! The last one up gets knocked off!”

A furious shout echoed through the air.
We were being forced to climb a cliff in the rain.

“Brother, are you okay?”
“Yeah. Watch your step, Dao. If you slip, you’re off to the afterlife in a heartbeat…”

Holding hands, we made our way up, careful not to slip off the cliff.
But a twist of fate severed our bond all too easily.

A sudden clap of thunder…
In an instant, my brother lost his footing and tumbled down the cliff.

“BROTHEEEEEEEEEER!!”

The weak die, and only the strong rule the ring…
That is the creed of the organization… Its name is Hyena Abyss.

At that moment, I swore to the heavens. I would destroy Hyena Abyss and ensure that a tragedy like ours would never be repeated.

I would train myself even harder and overturn this fate.
With that resolve in my heart, I broke away from the organization.

Consumed by a thirst for revenge, I spent my days crashing Hyena Abyss’s matches and defeating their wrestlers.
But one day, when I barged into a match as usual, I had the misfortune of challenging their strongest wrestler, Yellow Jackal, and was soundly defeated.
Suffering life-threatening injuries, I braced myself for death.
But at that moment, it was Lion Mask, Jackal’s opponent in that match, who saved me.

After winning that match, he took care of me until my injuries healed.
And then, since I had no family, he placed me in an orphanage, and held a special event.

“Go! Lion Mask! Right there!!”
“Lion Mask is toying with his opponent with aerial moves! His opponent can’t keep up~~!”

Amid the children’s cheers, his figure darting around the ring was like a ray of sunlight.

“Is that the Lion Suplex Hold!?! Here is Lion Mask’s finisheeeeeeeeeer!!!”

The gong rang out amid an especially loud cheer…
That radiance from back then still lives on in my heart.

I can no longer remember his voice, but that scene alone will never fade from my memory.

And that’s when I realized it.
His fighting style was the exact opposite of Hyena Abyss’s philosophy. He believed that pro wrestling is all about winning through a clean fight and captivating the audience.

Admiring him, I put myself through rigorous training.
Hoping that someday, I could defeat Hyena Abyss in the ring alongside him…

But that hope was cruelly shattered. When I went to see Lion Mask’s first show in a long time, I was met with a harrowing sight: Hyena Abyss’s wrestlers had ganged up on him and were beating him mercilessly.
And right there, in the middle of that match, he lost his life.

The anguished screams from the audience brought back memories of losing my brother.
I remembered the vow I’d almost forgotten.
I will definitely defeat the Hyena Abyss wrestlers and beat their leader. And I’ll completely destroy that organization!

Since that day, I’ve defeated countless Hyena Abyss wrestlers. Before long, my name spread, and children gradually began to recognize me as the reincarnation of Lion Mask.

Today, too, I’m taking on Hyena Abyss.
“Get ready! You Hyena Abyss scum! I’m going to crush you all with my own hands!!”

“Ooh, that’s a hit! A powerful elbow from The Shine!”

Geronica, the wrestler of justice, was locked in a match against The Shine, a wrestler from Abyss.
The match had already turned into a one-sided affair, and Geronica could do nothing but endure.

“Weak! Way too weak!”
“Geronica has become nothing more than a punching bag! The fans’ screams from the stands echo sadly around the ring!”
“D-damn it…”
“After a flurry of elbows, a rolling roundhouse kick! Geronica can’t take it anymore, he’s down!”

The referee rushes over and immediately begins the count.

“One! Two! Three… Gah!”
“Hahahaha! Don’t you dare stop it!”

The referee is shoved aside, and the count falls on deaf ears.

“The Shine is doing something by the ropes. Ooooh! What’s thisssssssssss!?”

“IT’S THE PIPE CHAAAAAIR!!!!!!”
“Die, Geronica!!”

Just as The Shine raised the chair high into the air and a scream was about to erupt… Another voice echoed through the ring!

“Waaaaaaait!”

Startled by the sudden voice, The Shine slowly looked around.
Then, a silhouette standing by the corner post came into view.

“Who in the blue hell are you!?”
“The Shine! I, Dao Tottena, will take you down!”

No sooner had he spoken than Dao charged at Shine and immediately unleashed a dropkick with all his might!

“Guuuuuuuuuh!”
“A single blow from the mysterious intruder sends The Shine flying!”

Against the backdrop of the commentator’s piercing call, The Shine was sent flying with great force.

Shine staggered but managed to get back to his feet.
(T-this guy is strong… but if I lose here, I’m doomed either way by Abyss’s rules! In that case!)

“I’m s-sorry! You see, I admit defeat…!”
“The Shine is crawling on the ring floor! What an anticlimactic ending!!”

“I see. You’re washing your hands of this brutal pro wrestling now, huh?”

The moment Dao turned his back on The Shine, The Shine struck Dao with a brick he’d been hiding!

“You fell for it! Now, let’s turn this ring into a sea of blood!!”

“A heartless wrestler from Hyena Abyss! Is Dao really going to be defeated like this, with no way to fight back!?”

He blocked the descending brick, even as he was covered in blood.

“E-eek!”
“You damn wreeeeeetch!!! Die! Ultra Jaguar Drop!!!”
“It’s the finisher!! The Shine is completely knocked out in one hit!!”

With The Shine lying unconscious in the corner, Dao declared loudly.

“My name is Dao Tottena! Hyena Abyss! I’ve come to send you all to hell!!”

“So~, what kind of battle will we see today!? I’m your commentator, Tachi Ichiro!”

Dao had been steadily defeating Hyena Abyss’s assassins. Word of his strength was gradually spreading among the audience, and he had even begun to gain the support of the children.

“He enters the ring with his shoulders bristling, ready to send them all to hell. And his name is Dao Tottena!”

Dao stepped into the ring and waited for his opponent.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a beast’s roar echoed through the arena.

“GROOOAAAAAR!”

As if in response to the roar, the lights went out, and after a brief moment, they came back on.
With that fleeting flicker, a black mass appeared in the ring. It was clad in armor and wore a jaguar mask.

“W-Who are you!?”
“My name is Armored Jaguar! I’m the man who will put you to rest! The ones you’ve defeated are nothing but lowly minions. You’re no match for me; I’m one of the Abyss Elite Four!”
“What!? I’m gonna rip that mask from your face!”

“Ooooh!! An unexpected Jaguar showdown! Just what’s going to happen in this match!?”

The two of them exchanged blows, sparks flying across the ring.
It was Dao who made the first move.

He charged straight toward Armored Jaguar.
Jaguar didn’t budge from his spot, standing tall and steadfast as he absorbed Dao’s attacks.

“Dao’s swift attack strikes Armored Jaguar! But he hasn’t even flinched!”

“W-what…? Is it not even affecting him!?”
“Your attacks are too weak. Do you really think you can destroy Hyena Abyss with something like that?!!”

Jaguar’s gleaming eyes fixed on Dao.
“I’ll let you taste the power of the Elite Four!!”

Thud! A loud sound echoed as the fist was intercepted.
Jaguar caught Dao’s blow with his right hand and, using only his grip strength, slowly began to squeeze.
“Guaaaaaaaaaah!!”

Dao’s agonized scream reverberated throughout the arena.
The cheers from just moments ago vanished like an ebbing tide.

“Behold this scene. If I had to describe it in a single word, nothing would be more fitting than speechless…”

“Hehe, hahaha!! You understand now the gap in our abilities, don’t you? You’ll never be able to beat me!”

“F-fuuuuuck…!”

“This is ridiculous! Fighting you right now is a waste of time!!”

Shouting that, Jaguar hurled Dao out of the ring with just his right hand and left the venue without looking back.

The audience, weighed down by the oppressive atmosphere, could do nothing but leave the venue in silence.

After the venue staff had cleared out, Dao lay alone on the ring, simply staring up at the ceiling.

(Honestly, I never imagined there was someone that strong in Hyena Abyss. This defeat was probably the result of my complacency.)

“I… can’t just sit here and watch this happen. I have to train hard to defeat him.”

Although the match had been a crushing defeat, the fighting spirit smoldering within Dao had not yet burned out.

How can I beat him…?
I was pondering a countermeasure while standing in the ring.

“To defeat him, strength and technique alone won’t be enough. I’ll need a move powerful enough to go through that tough armor and body…”

“Looks like you’re in trouble.”
“W-Who’s there!?”

Dao turned toward the voice and saw a man standing right behind him.

I hadn’t even noticed him getting that close…
Who is this man?

“My name is Prince Dubai. If you want to get stronger, follow me.”

I accepted Dubai’s offer and began intensive training under the guidance of this former wrestler.

I silently went through the special training Dubai had laid out for me. But was it really possible to defeat him with just this much?

“Hey, Dubai-san. Will this really be enough to defeat Jaguar?”
“What are you talking about? What we’ve done so far is just the basics. The real training starts now.”

It was unimaginably grueling.
It reminded me of my time at Hyena Abyss.
My whole body already felt as heavy as lead; I could barely stand.

“Right now, you’re just fighting with brute force. If you face someone stronger than you, you’ll lose without a chance.”

Dubai was definitely right.

“What you’re lacking right now is speed!”
“Speed… even more than now!?”
“Jaguar will be unable to see you!”

A month of seclusion in the mountains followed, and finally, the final phase of intensive training arrived.

“I’m going to teach you a technique.”
“A technique? Why are you going to such lengths for me?”

“Long ago, I had a rivalry with a certain wrestler. We fought day after day, with our wins and losses evenly split. Settling the score someday had become an unspoken rule between us.”
“That man was a hero to the children. He died during a match, at the hands of Hyena Abyss!”

“W-Wait, you mean that wrestler was…!”

“Yes, he was Lion Mask. And the one who took his life was the current leader of Hyena Abyss. Vincent, the Hyena King.”
“Hyena King…!”
“I challenged him countless times to defeat him, but I never succeeded.”

“When I saw you in the ring, I realized this was a sign from above.”

Tears streamed down Dubai’s face.

“I entrust the destruction of Hyena Abyss to you!”
“I accept your wish!”

We exchanged a firm handshake, vowing to defeat Abyss.

And after rigorous training, I mastered the Space Flying Jaguar Attack!

“Finally, Dao Tottena has come back… to the ring! Listen to his roar!”

The resounding cheers tell me they’re still waiting for me. I’ve returned to the ring…!

“You have such nerve to come back to the ring again… I’ll give you credit for that, at least.”

Armored Jaguar stands tall and imposing in the center of the ring. Just then, Dao Tottena swoops in with a flourish.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I’ve trained like crazy until my blood ran dry just to take you down! I’ll show you what I’ve got!”

“Just bring it! A festival of blood and muscles is about to begin right now!!”

As the two face off, the battle begins!

“Hmph!”
“Wooooooah!!”

“The two clash fiercely in the center of the ring. It’s a battle of equals!”

“Huh, I didn’t expect you to have trained yourself to my level!”
“I told you I’d beat you, didn’t I?!”

Dao shifts the balance of power by changing his timing.
Seizing the split second Jaguar pulls back his leg, he races up from the knee to the shoulder and lands a somersault kick.

“Whoa, his signature somersault kick right off the bat! Followed by a rolling roundhouse kick! That hits too, he’s on a roll!”

Dao’s highly trained body darted all over the ring, toying with Armored Jaguar.
However, even so, he was unable to land a decisive blow on Jaguar, who was clad in iron armor.

“Hahaha! What’s the matter? Looks like you’re all talk!”
“Ugh… He really is a tough opponent…”

“The balance of power was even until now, and now it’s gradually shifting! Are you going to go down the same path again, Dao Tottena?!”

He’s being slowly cornered against the corner post.

“It’s about time to finish this! I’ll send you crashing to the bottom of the ring!”

Jaguar charges forward with his arms spread wide. Pushed to his limits, Dao sharpens his senses.

Just as Jaguar’s attack closes in, Dao leaps to the top rope, soars even higher, and dodges the blow.

“What!?”

Using the momentum from his landing, he immediately spins around.
Dao charges toward Jaguar and unleashes a flying cross attack!

“An unexpected strike following that massive leap! Even Jaguar couldn’t withstand it and was sent flying out of the ring!!!”

“GOOOOOO! DAOOOOO!!”

As if spurred on by the children’s voices, I took off at full speed toward where Jaguar was.

“Look at this! It looks like a big move is about to happen! Show us what you’ve got!!!”

“Take thiiiiiiiiis!!! Armored Jaguar!!! Space Flying Jaguar Attack!!!”

Leaping from the ring, he unleashed a devastating finisher that harnessed his body weight and speed, striking Jaguar directly while sweeping through the commentary booth.

Trapped between the two, Jaguar fell silent, and Dao secured a magnificent victory!

Since his battle with Armored Jaguar, Dao had continued his winning streak, defeating yet another of the Elite Four.

Moreover, his clean fighting style and remarkable performances had captured the hearts of children, solidifying his status as a true hero of the pro-wrestling world.

One day, an invitation arrived at Dao’s doorstep.

“We, the Hyena Abyss, can no longer overlook your outrageous behavior. Therefore, we, the Hell Gate Brothers of the Elite Four, challenge you to a tag team match! Surely you won’t refuse, will you? Better wash your neck and wait for the day of your execution!”

“A tag team match!? As if I have a partner…”
“Long time no see, Dao Tottena.”

To his surprise, Armored Jaguar, who had once fought Dao in a fierce battle only to be defeated, had appeared.

“That voice… Armored Jaguar!?”
“Hey, hey, don’t strike that fighting pose. Now that I’ve left Abyss in accordance with the rules, I have no reason to fight anymore.”

Spreading his arms out to shoulder height, Jaguar emphasized that he had no intention of fighting.
He had come here simply to inform Dao about his invitation from the Hell Gate Brothers.

“It seems they want to take us all out at once.”
“They even went so far as to assign us a tag team partner. I guess they’re really cornered now.”

“That’s right. Either way, we don’t have a say in the matter.”

With that, Jaguar held out his right hand to Dao.

“From today, we’re Team Aztec Jaguars.”

They exchanged a firm handshake and began practicing to improve their teamwork, even if just a little.

One week later…
The two of them headed toward the ring, where the Hell Gate Brothers awaited them.

Dao and Armored Jaguar made their way to the venue where they had been invited.

“Well done for coming! I’ll at least give you credit for not being afraid.”
“It seems you’ve taken out another of the Elite Four, but he was the weakest of us! We, the Hell Gate Brothers, are the strongest!!”
“Now then, let’s begin the Electric Explosion Match!”

“Let me explain! An Electric Explosion Match is an extremely dangerous battle where fighters are forced into a life-or-death match on ropes laced with explosives and electrified!! This is nothing less than Hell incarnate!”

“And today is Dao’s first tag team match! His partner is none other than his former adversary, Armored Jaguar!! Just how will this battle turn ouuut?!!”

“Let’s go, Jaguar! We’re going to turn the tables on those guys!”
“Yeah!!”

The attacks from the newly formed Aztec Jaguars were no match for the Hell Gate Brothers, who excel at teamwork.
The Hell Gate Brothers unleashed attacks without a moment’s pause and would suddenly zero in on a single opponent to unleash a brutal beating.
Faced with those hellish combinations, the Aztec Jaguars couldn’t even land a single clean hit.

“So, we really can’t stand a chance against the Hell Gate Brothers, who’ve been a tag team for years!? And to make matters worse, we’re surrounded by electrified barbed wire. With our wings clipped, are we doomed to just thrash about like cicadas!?! And the harsh audience is showering us with jeers…!”

Losing his temper, Dao charged at the brothers.

“Hahaha! You’re no good if you lose your cool this easily!”

His attack was easily dodged, and Dao found himself in a bear hug held by the older Hell Gate Brother.

“Grrr…”
“Gotchaaa! Are you ready to go to hell!?”
“Electric Explosion Bomb!! Dieeeee!!”

“The Electric Explosion Rope closes in on Dao, who’s been hoisted into the air!”

“Daoooo!”

Jaguar lands a dropkick on the Hell Brother and succeeds in freeing Dao.
However, enraged by Jaguar’s actions, the brother lift his leg and hurl him straight into the electric blast rope.

“Guaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
“Armored Jaguar! He’s gone to hell in Dao’s placeeeee!!”
“Hahahaha!! Did he cook nicely!?”

The shock of the explosion caused cracks to appear in Jaguar’s armor and mask.

“Jaguar… why did you shield me!?”

Black smoke filled the ring. As his vision was obscured, the area around him gradually cleared. There, lying on the ground, was a man with the same face as Dao.

“No way! Brother, is that you!? You’re still alive?”
“I’ll explain later… Now, take down these guys!”

Snapping back to my senses, I glared at the Hell Gate Brothers.

“So you two are brothers, too. But this situation won’t change!”
“No miracles, no comebacks! Die, you Jaguars!”

The Hell Gate Brothers charged at me in a lariat stance.

“BAH GAWD! Dao gracefully dodges the brothers’ lariat! He slips right through the gap, then turns around for a diving body attack! It hits them squarely!!!”

The two, hit head-on, sank deep into the ring.

“Dao! Throw one of them this way!!”
“Armored Jaguar is getting back up with incredible resilienceeeee!!!!”

He hurls one of the staggering brothers toward Jaguar.
Jaguar mustered all his strength to catch him, then slammed him into the electrified ropes without a moment’s hesitation!

“He got hiiiiim!!! There’s no chance of survival here!! The older Hell Gate Brotheeeer has gone to the afterlifeeeee!!”

As soon as Dao circled around behind the remaining Hell Gate Brother, he wrapped his arms around his waist and locked him in a tight hold.

“Time for the finisheeer!”

“A beautiful Jaguar Suplex Hold!! No need to count! His opponent is completely knocked out!!”

We pulled off a spectacular comeback and won!

Having defeated all of the Hyena Abyss Elite Four, Dao had become a figure feared by Abyss’s wrestlers.
The only one left is the leader himself, Vincent the Hyena King.
　
He had been keeping a low profile, causing them quite a headache, but thanks to information obtained by Dao’s brother, they discovered which match the Hyena King would be headlining. It was reported that he would be making an appearance there as the MC.
Determined not to waste this golden opportunity, Dao and Jaguar devise a plan to drag the leader onto the ring.

“Well then, it’s that time of day again. The venue is already buzzing with excitement, and the audience is overflowing with people who can’t wait for the fighters to make their entrance!”

…However, no matter how long they waited, there was no sign of the fighters coming out to the ring.
Just as the audience’s anticipation was about to turn to frustration, the monitor suddenly began showing a different video.

A man was shown in what appeared to be a parking lot. And behind him was a black, high-end-looking car.

“What is going on!? Is that Dao Tottena on the screen?”

As soon as the footage began, Leader Vincent’s expression rapidly changed.

“Leader of Hyena Abyss! Today is the day you meet your end! I’ll defeat you and bring peace to the pro-wrestling world!”
“I have no reason to fight you!”
“I knew you’d say that. You recognize this car, don’t you?”
“That’s my car… Hey! What are you trying to do?!”
“This is what I’m going to do!!”

The man tore off his clothes and slammed his fist into the Leader’s car!! His rock-hard punches steadily transformed the car into a mass of twisted metal.

“Y-You bastard! Get over here right now! I’ll take care of you myself!”
Immediately afterward, a voice rang out from behind Leader Vincent.

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that. I’m going to send you to your grave!”

Vince turned around, compared the man in front of him with the image on the screen, and finally seemed to understand.

“So you two set me up, did you?”
“I said I’d take you down, but there’s no guarantee you wouldn’t run away. By the way, I’ve already taken out all the Abyss wrestlers you brought with you today. You’re the only one left, Leader Vincent!”
“Grrrrr! I’m gonna beat the shit out of you right here!”

“What a surprising turn of events! We’ve changed today’s schedule and will now present the match between Dao Tottena and Hyena King!!”

The arena erupted in a frenzy of excitement.

The final showdown between Dao Tottena and Hyena Abyss was about to begin…

“An unexpected dream matchup has come true. Dao Tottena VS Hyena King!!”
The moment Vincent stood side by side with Dao in the ring, before the bell even rang, he went for an eye gouge and lunged at him!

“Hyena King is trying to gain the upper hand with a surprise attack right off the bat! As expected, there’s no such thing as a clean fight with this guy!”

“Hahaha! What’cha gonna do when the Leader runs wild on you?”

That’s right. There’s no way this guy would fight fair and square!

I refocused my energy and barely dodged the Leader’s attack as he approached from behind. I seized an opening to launch a Jaguar Spin, but he slipped right out of my headlock.
Damn, he really lives up to his name…!

“Hyena King! You may have retired from active duty, but it seems your fighting power and spirit haven’t waned at all!”

In that case, it’s time for aerial attacks! I’ll toy with him at lightning speed!

“Dao’s aerial attacks are flying everywhere! From the ropes to the ring, from the ring to the turnbuckle! This ring has turned into a jungle!!”

“Not bad! But I can do that much too!”

Vincent countered the dropkick with a dropkick of his own…!

“Whaaaaaat!? Vincent can even counter Dao’s aerial attacks?!”

“A devastating blow hits Dao head-oooon!! He’s blown right out of the riiiing!!”

Defeated in his signature aerial battle, Dao goes down outside the ring.
Mercilessly, the count continues.

“Damn it, move, body! I have to take down Hyena King here and now!”

But his legs, as he tries to stand, won’t hold his weight.

Am I really going to lose here…?
A faint voice echoes in Dao’s ears as he lies sprawled on the ground.

“Dao! Don’t lose!”
“Get uuuup!!”

“Listen to this crowd! Everything is cheering Dao onnnn!”

Yes, I’m not alone anymore…!
Strength surges through me. I can fight!
The moment I thought that, my body became as light as a feather, and in an instant, I was able to soar back into the ring.

“W-why can you still stand?!”
“I’m not fighting alone anymore. I’m standing here while carrying everyone’s hopes!”

“Bullshit!”

With that shout, Vincent charged at me like a bullet.
I dodged his fierce attack, grabbed his waist with both hands from behind, and executed a bridge in an arc.

“A Jaguar Suplex through that split-second opening!!”

The perfect suplex connected…
But instead of going for the pin, I rolled sideways with Vincent’s body and unleashed another suplex.

“OH MY GOD! It’s an unbelievable consecutive Jaguar Suplex!! Three times! Four times!! Five times!! And there’s still no sign of it stopping!!!”

“This is for my brother! For Lion Mask! For Dubai! For the dead! And for the children!!”

After a total of ten suplexes, Vincent had completely lost consciousness.
His figure, slowly collapsing to the ground, looked just like a crucifix.
Without even waiting for the referee’s signal, Dao thrust his right arm high into the sky…!

“IT’S MY VICTORYYYYYYYYY!

Having defeated their Leader, Hyena Abyss was finally destroyed. However, their remnants are still hiding somewhere.
Besides, there’s no telling when a second or third Hyena Abyss might emerge. That’s why I’ll keep fighting.

Until the day evil wrestlers disappear from this world…

“Waaa~!! Daoooo!!”
The children’s cries calling out to Dao echo all around.

Today’s show is at the orphanage where I grew up.
My brother Jaguar has recovered from his injuries, and we’ve been able to reform the Aztec Jaguars.

“Dao. I’m a former Hyena Abyss wrestler. Do I even have the right to stand before these kids?”
“Brother, you weren’t in a position to leave the Abyss. Besides, what matters isn’t the past. It’s the future.”
“The future…”
“We’ll protect the children’s smiles and carry them into the future. Our real battle starts right here!”

The men clasped fists and made a passionate vow to one another…

Until evil is eradicated from this world,
Fight! Aztec Jaguars!!
Fight! Dao Tottena!!

•  The whole story takes elements from the Tiger Mask manga. For instance, Dao Tottena’s name is an anagram of Naoto Date, the protagonist

•  Shitennou (四天王, four heavenly kings) are mainly “four Buddhist gods or devas, each of whom is believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world”. This concept is widely used in Japanese media to refer to a quartet of powerful adversaries, such as the Elite Four from Pokémon (hence my translation choice). Ironically, Japanese wrestling does have its own “Four Heavenly Kings of Pro Wrestling.”

•  Because this is a wrestling story, I decided to include some American wrestling-related memes and catchphrases. You are welcome.