MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

The flight felt longer than it probably was, the hum of the engines providing a steady backdrop to Damon's thoughts.

Though those thoughts were in the back of his mind, he didn't spend the whole time thinking about business ideas or money plans.

He fell asleep instead, and the quiet of the plane helped him get a much-needed rest.

He rested his head against the small window.

There was no longer any sign of Bangkok in the sky; the city had long since faded into the distance.

Even though dreams didn't come, the rest was enough. It was a rare moment of peace in the middle of all the planning and training.

The world outside the window looked different when he woke up.

He checked his watch. Still a couple of hours left.

Damon stretched slightly in his seat, careful not to disturb the passengers around him.

He could still feel the impact of bamboo trees on his shins.

But those aches weren't complaints, they were badges of progress.

Okay, Maybe he was overdoing it, shifting in his seat.

The pain still hurt, even now.

But he knew why. He hadn't used the recovery elixir.

Sure, the elixir could have sped up the healing process, strengthening his bones in record time. It was tempting, but Damon had his reasons.

The pain, though exhausting, and of course painful, was valuable. It increased his pain tolerance, and no shortcut, no elixir, could replace that growth.

Pain was the best teacher, that was something he learned, no one would be 100% immune to pain, but you can get used to it, where you feel it, but it doesn't ruin your flow in a fight.

He moved around and took a deep breath in and out as he lean back in his seat.

The flight still had hours to go. He chose to let sleep take over again and closed his eyes.

The plane continued its smooth flight through the sky while Damon fell back asleep.

He didn't wake up until the soft chime of the intercom and the pilot's cool, professional voice woke him up.

The message was short and clear: they were going to be in California soon, especially in Santa Monica.

Private planes had their own way of handling arrivals, often with a touch of luxury and exclusivity.

There were no busy terminals or lines that were too long. Everything was calm, quick, and made to be comfortable.

Damon blinked and groaned a little as he stretched in his seat. "Fifteen hours?" he asked himself as he looked at the time.

It seemed strange to him that he had been asleep for so long.

But his body felt good, well-rested, not sleepy or too energized, just... normal.

He looked out the window as the plane went down.

Views of familiar Californian landmarks appeared, with the long shoreline bathed in the soft colors of dusk.

Santa Monica's iconic palm trees swayed gently in the breeze as the plane made its final approach.

With a gentle bump, the private jet landed smoothly on the tarmac of Santa Monica Airport.

Damon gathered his bag, ready to step back into his world.

As soon as Damon got off the plane, he felt the warm California breeze.

Compared to commercial flights, traveling by private jet was streamlined and almost easy.

A small set of stairs extended from the aircraft to the tarmac.

A uniformed staff member stood nearby, ready to assist.

Damon made sure he had everything, his bag, his Mongkol neatly tucked away, and the suitcases he'd packed back in Thailand.

He was ushered toward where his transportation was by an airport liaison, skipping the usual chaos of baggage claims and crowded terminals.

The staff loaded his luggage with precision, and within minutes, the process was done.

"Efficient," Damon muttered, appreciating how smooth the process was.

He turned to look around Santa Monica's private airstrip.

It felt good to be back.

Victor's familiar presence by his car immediately caught Damon's attention.

As always, the man was standing next to his sleek BMW, leaning slightly against it while engrossed in a phone call.

Damon approached quietly, the warm California breeze brushing past him. Stay connected with empire

Victor didn't seem to notice at first, too focused on whoever was on the other end of the line.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Damon waited patiently, shifting his duffle bag.

Finally, Victor hung up, his face lighting up as he noticed Damon.

Without hesitation, he pulled Damon into a firm hug.

"Ahh, kid! Good to see you back in one piece," Victor said warmly, his hands clapping Damon's shoulders as he pulled back.

Damon chuckled. "Good to be back, Victor."

Victor looked at Damon's face and his expression changed to one of confusion.

He raised an eyebrow as he focused on Damon's top lip."What is that?"

Damon grinned, almost proudly. "Mustache."

Victor let out a groan, rubbing his temples with exaggerated frustration. "No... You're still too young to rock one of those. With that, you'll be chasing away the ladies–"

He paused mid-sentence, reconsidering, then nodded, coming to a decision. "Actually, it looks good. Will look good on you. Just... keep it neat."

Damon smirked as Victor shot him a quick grin before opening the car door. "Alright, let's get outta here. You must be starving."

Damon's hand instinctively went to his mustache, rubbing it thoughtfully as he pondered Victor's sudden change of heart.

He muttered to himself, "Maybe it is just that good."

Victor glanced sideways at Damon and sighed. "Okay, stop," he said, his tone was exasperated and amused.

Damon raised an eyebrow, his hand still hovering over his upper lip. "Is it that bad?" he asked, a tinge of uncertainty in his voice.

While he liked the mustache, he didn't want to walk around looking foolish if it really didn't suit him.

Victor shook his head, his expression softening. "Like I said, you're still too young. Your face hasn't fully matured yet, so the mustache kinda... stands out. It's not bad, just weird. A full, well-groomed beard would look better, or you could just cut it off entirely. But hey, if you like it that much, keep it. Confidence can make anything work."

Damon smirked, lowering his hand. "Alright, noted." He paused for a moment, then added with a grin, "But I think I'll keep it for now. Feels like a good luck charm."

Victor chuckled, shaking his head as he climbed into the car. "Your call, kid. Just don't blame me if people keep doing double takes."