The scene is simple: that of Geoffrey Slate walking along the sidewalk in his small hometown. However, ‘walk’ would be a questionable word in this case. He’s more hobbling, still not used to the cane which is temporarily needed to enable him to move with any sort of comfort. But, with any hope, a few weeks of being inactive will cure the problem.

“Gol presented me with the one. I overcame him only to have the aftereffects of his strategy be the next problem. I’ve been given time off in order to succeed in regaining the ability to walk, but the next obstacle is already lined up for when I get back.

“Harbinger, undoubtedly I was one of the intended targets of your last speech.

“To you, there are two groups of people currently in Mercury: those you have beaten, and those you have not. Into which do you classify me? You hold a victory over me, but a tainted one to say the least. When it happened, you were not a whore to either the media or the fans. You were a whore to David Beaumont. You used him in order to defeat me.

“You’ve claimed that your one win over Duel voids out the past wins he’s had over you. That being the case, after your win on me, I went on to defeat you twice. Once in a singles match, and once in a three-man match. So, using your line of reasoning considering voiding out wins, and the fact that the one win you do have was by interference, do you view me as a man you’ve beaten, or as one you’ve yet to beat?

“I suppose it doesn’t matter. No matter which classification you put me under, you’ll be coming for me anyway. You said that you wanted to win the title, and from the looks of it, I’m the man you’ll have to take it from when the time comes.

“I also suppose that you dislike me a great deal, Herb. You were angry at Duel for not showing much excitement for the match that you two were going to have. How furious must you be with me, a man who not only isn’t excited about, but actually hates the thought of wrestling? Someone who isn’t enthralled with the competition, isn’t compelled by it, but rather is hesitant and reluctant when wrestling at a ‘higher level’ is involved. How much more must you be enraged at the fact that I’m the champion of your company? Not someone such as you, who has wrestling at his very soul, but rather someone who is thoroughly disgusted with wrestling entirely holds the top honor.

“I’m your antithesis, Herb. You reach the point where you’ll do whatever you can to when, whereas I’ll only do what I have to, in order to reach the same end. Where wrestling is at the heart of your life, it is the bane of my existence. You love the though of having to nearly kill yourself and your opponent to win; I cringe at the same thought.

“And yet, despite the fact that I am most likely what you and many other consider to be at the pit of professional wrestling as far as mindset is concerned, I have what you do not. I have what you want. I have what you will strive for. And I am utterly unimpressed by it. I don’t want it. Yet, in the face of men such as yourself who hunger for it, for some reason that no one, except perhaps Sickness, will even claim to understand no one has been able to take it from me.

“How does that make you feel, Herb. What do you think about the fact that someone who fits none of the criteria you claim makes a good wrestler has held onto this title for so long? How do you react to the fact that someone who would rather be in the position of the spectator than the competitor has earned the title of ‘the best’?

“More importantly, Harbinger, what excuse will you make to explain it away?”

And, with that, Geoffrey Slate hobbles off into the sunset.