Main Event: Astrid Arvidsson (c) vs Astrid Ostberg for the LAW World Openweight Championship

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If the screams and applause were loud after Ostberg broke the pin, then after she took Arvidsson's hand, the screams and applause became really deafening. In the LAW ring every day you can see a variety of fighters under a variety of circumstances. But not every day you can see fighters who sincerely strive for victory while maintaining true respect for each other. Today, in the main event of WE ARE LAW 6, the audience saw exactly that.

When her opponent got to her feet, the Golden Dragon nodded and squeezed the contender's hand tightly before taking two steps back. This match is not over yet. The champion took a deep breath, and then raised her fists, preparing to start a new round. The last one or not was not important to her. The only important thing was that she and her rival were ready to give each other absolutely everything they had. Discarding all unnecessary thoughts, the Golden Dragon intended to make a step towards the contender.

But in the next second, both of her eyebrows lifted slightly. The other Astrid, as expected, took a fighting stance. However, this was not the stance that the champion expected. Ostberg leaned forward slightly and raised her hands, fingers spread wide. It was an invitation. An invitation that the Golden Dragon had met in almost every of her matches. A test of strength. Her heart began to beat faster, and the corners of her lips rapidly crept up. Unclenching her fists, she repeated the actions of her opponent and spread her fingers.

Was there a chance that she would refuse it? Not a single one. Not because she had never lost in a strength test, but because the mere thought of such a pure competition with Astrid Ostberg made the adrenaline flow through her veins. Therefore, without any doubts, she took a step forward at the same time as the contender. In the blink of an eye, their fingers intertwined, and then their front sides crashed into each other with such force that it seemed to some that a shock wave spread across the arena in all directions.

"GGGRRRRHHHHH!!!!" The champion growled through clenched teeth.

Without exaggeration, it seemed to her that she was holding back a whole train. Ostberg were pushing her with such force that the descendant of the great Vikings had to strain her muscles as much as possible instead of doing it gradually as she was used to. Under the loud cheers of the audience, their powerful bodies pressed into each other and none of the women was going to take even one step back. But even despite all the tension that was in the air, Ostberg found time to first nod respectfully to the champion, and then remind of what they had agreed at the very beginning.

"Wouldn't... say... better..." Astrid panted.

The Golden Dragon's legs trembled under the pressure of her opponent, and the veins on her arms bulged. She deservedly had a reputation as one of the strongest women of the federation in terms of pure physical strength. But the fact was that the contender had the same reputation. And although just a minute ago Ostberg looked completely broken, now she seemed to exude determination, which fueled her.

Astrid felt that if she showed even a moment of weakness, she would lose in this test of strength. And although she saw nothing shameful in losing to such a great woman as Ostberg, this does not mean that she was ready to come to terms with it. Quite the contrary, the very idea of defeating Ostberg in a competition of pure strength inflamed her. This flame was her engine and fuel at the same time. And she intended to use this flame to increase the pressure on her opponent and force her to kneel down!

[CaptainL]

Once, Arvidsson and Ostberg had been going head-to-head in a contest of sheer will and determination. Neither of them could bear to fall behind the other - to do so would be an insult to all they accomplished and all they held themselves to be. With that fire lit beneath them, and the unbearable thought of failure staring them right in the face, both women were willing to fight tooth and nail for the chance to keep that potential alive, and to reach out and take the victory and the glory that hung in the balance. Now, though, they were once again facing one another in a standoff just as pitched, but things were different. There was no such desperation in the two Astrids any more. This time, both of them were willing to pit their strength against one another in a fair and evenly matched contest, with both on level footing. It was truly down to letting the better Astrid win. And to both of them...to do such a thing, and to motivate one another to be their best, was an honor.

Ostberg made no hesitation in throwing herself into the heat of battle. She sucked in a long, deep breath, and the muscles and veins all up and down her arms bulged under the exertion she put herself through; her teeth clenched and her knuckles went white as her fingers coiled tightly around Arvidsson's own. And with all the force she could muster, she pushed. She felt like she was pushing through a wall of force too strong to move, but she still had to try - and she delivered a shove to Arvidsson. A well-placed shove from Astrid Ostberg could have brought even some of the most well-conditioned women in the wrestling world to their knees. Indeed, it was no easy task for Arvidsson to hold herself steady. But she did. Every muscle in her body firmed up in turn, and with just as much force as Ostberg had called upon to move her foe, so too did the champion anchor herself right where she stood!

It was a true display of all the strength and endurance both women had to offer; both were pushed to their absolute limits, achieving incredible things through sheer force of might! The crowd erupted into cheers at the sight of it, and both competitors knew there was still more in store, if they had anything to say about it. Muscling their way in closer, they brought body against body, shoulders and chests rubbing together as they pushed and dueled at one another's stances with every ounce of pressure they could exert. Yet for as hard as they were fighting, both of them stayed firmly in place, refusing to bow. Neither wanted to so much as step back; to do so would be a concession that they weren't good enough, and neither wanted that. This was the ultimate challenge for the two heavyweights, and neither wanted to be second best!

Ostberg could feel Arvidsson's balance waver the more she forced her way inward. It made her suck in a breath through her clenched teeth, a shiver of excitement running down her spine. She was closer than ever to claiming dominance, she thought - she just had to press her luck just a little bit more. But then, Arvidsson struck back with just as much fervor! Ostberg's teeth clenched in a hiss as she felt the Golden Dragon push back at her, summoning a burst of force that almost took her off her feet. She winced and reeled back, buffeted by the blow. But she was able to dig her heels into the mat at the last moment. She wouldn't let herself be moved; not so easily! If Arvidsson was fighting with such force, Ostberg needed to draw on just as much power and potential to hold herself still! Her whole body quivered and ached under the pressure; every muscle trembled and threatened to give way. She was, after all, sore and weakened from the Herculean efforts she'd put herself through just trying to kick out of the pin, and she didn't know how much more she could take. But Ostberg wouldn't let her stance waver, and she wouldn't go down, no matter how much it hurt. This meant too much to her! And this time, it was entirely on her own merits that she resisted her opponent's efforts to overpower her, not the aid of the chain. Propelled by her force of will alone, working herself past all the aches and pains, she hurled her body back against Arvidsson's own, slamming her chest and shoulders against the champion's for a full-body blow! Perhaps it was all she had in her, but that was how she was willing to fight, if the stakes were this high!

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Large drops of sweat rolled down Astrid's body. Because of the force she had to use her body tensed so much that her usually slightly pale skin turned red. Every second of this confrontation created new waves of painful sensations. Ostberg seemed like a hell of a mountain to her, and moving an entire mountain with her bare hands is not the easiest task. However, the champion simply would not be able to respect herself if she did not show in this confrontation what she is truly capable of.

Puffing and snuffling, the Golden Dragon gathered her strength and rushed forward. And although it didn't turn out exactly as she expected, the force of her push forced her opponent to take a step back. The audience gasped loudly, because a moment ago it justly seemed to them that this confrontation could go on forever. Nevertheless, with this one step the contented's retreat ended. Ostberg rigidly put one foot back and thereby forced herself to stop.

"Pffffrrrr!!!" Astrid's heavy sighs were more like a growl.

By continuing to move on her opponent, she intended to break the resistance. To retreat now would be a real crime. If they decided to find out which of them was the best Astrid, then the descendant of the great Vikings had literally nowhere to retreat. She was able to force Ostberg to take one step back and she will be able to win this test of strength. Her opponent's endurance was unimaginable, but the Golden Dragon was sure that if she continued to push the contender with the same diligence, then Ostberg would not be able to stand it.

However, then something happened that caused the audience to make a short but extremely loud exclamation. As if out of nowhere, Ostberg seemed to have acquired a second wind. A second ago it seemed that none of the fighters could gain a significant advantage, but suddenly the contender pushed Astrid with such force that the champion took first one step back, and then the second.

It was hard to compare with anything. Ostberg was like a stormy flow. And although it seemed that the dam in the person of Arvidsson was able to hold this flow, suddenly the dam was breached. The thought that she had no more than two steps left to take before she would be pressed against the ropes, led the Golden Dragon into a real rage. Not wanting to give in to her rival, the descendant of the great Vikings threw her right leg back and stomped loudly on the mat.

Accompanied by the screams of the audience, she managed to stop. Her right leg, which in this case was her support beam, was shaking like an aspen leaf in the wind because of the power that this leg had to restrain. And although it seemed that the Golden Dragon managed to stop the onslaught of Ostberg, in fact, everything was not so good, it became especially noticeable after a few seconds.

Ostberg continued to put pressure on the champion with really wild force. The pain in Astrid's arms reached such a level that it even seemed to her that a little more and her bones would break. She tried to fight back, but Ostberg's determination was simply unbreakable. Under the pressure of her opponent, the Golden Dragon's legs began to bend. She tried to force herself to find at least something more in herself, but with every second she sank lower and lower. And finally something happened that had never happened before. Her right knee touched the mat and now Ostberg towered over her.

The roar of the crowd at that moment could surely be heard even outside the arena. Not because the champion has lost all support, but because the contender has done something that no one has been able to do until today. They were really shocked by the diligence that Ostberg put in to prove that she was still worthy of being on top of LAW. And although the Golden Dragon was still trying to overcome the onslaught of her opponent, there was a taste of bitterness in her mouth, because being honest with herself, she realized that she had just lost for the first time in a test of strength. Perhaps not because she had less physical strength, but because at that moment Ostberg's willpower was much harder than her own.

[CaptainL]

For every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction. That had long been held as one of the fundamental laws of physics - and, it seemed, it was just as much a law of this match. Ostberg and Arvidsson were neck and neck with each other, and both were leveraging every ounce of strength equally into pushing the advantage while keeping their opponent from doing the same. Every time one woman made the slightest bit of headway on the other, she was met with a shove just as hard to bring her back to square one. Ostberg was definitely feeling the demand such efforts had on her body - sweat was running down her skin from head to toe, and her muscles were taut, her back rippling with the strain she put herself through. Her teeth were locked in a grimace, and her breaths could only come in the form of short, hoarse pants that trickled through the cracks in those teeth. But Ostberg had vowed to do her best, and to live up to the challenge her opponent had set in front of her. She needed to demonstrate that she was every bit committed to making her bid for World Openweight Champion, and that she wouldn't let anything get in the way, no matter the challenges that lay ahead of her.

Everything was aching. Ostberg's arms trembled with fatigue, and a shudder went all the way down to her feet, threatening her balance. But she wouldn't let it stop her. Her fingers only dug in deeper around Arvidsson's, and she shoved her full weight forward; any consequences were far from her concerns right now! In fact, it seemed to work well in Ostberg's favor. For as spent as the former champion was, there was something in the way she threw herself back into the action that tested Arvidsson, making her take a few steps back as she stumbled against the ropes, and there her stance wavered tenuously. Ostberg could feel her heart pounding with excitement in her chest as she saw it. Her plans were actually working! And if they were...then she just might have a chance!

As Arvidsson's legs bent, and as she slowly sank lower and lower against the canvas, Ostberg's heart would only pump faster and faster. Her breaths, too, grew frantic with the rising excitement. But she had to remind herself that she couldn't lose sight of her goals now - she was just within reach of success; she couldn't let it all break! Gritting her teeth, Ostberg broke the test of strength just then, allowing her to lunge closer and to get into range with her foe. There, her arms swung out to snap into place around her sides. And as she grit her teeth to try to summon all the strength she had in her, even when her body felt like it could snap at any moment, Ostberg tried to push her feet against the mat stand straighter and pull her opponent along with her, as she prepared to hurl her overhead for a German suplex! She could only hope that her strength could carry her through it all!

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She knew that this moment would come someday. Despite the fact that Astrid was a damn proud woman, she never allowed this pride to be what dazzles her. She was well aware that there were no invincibles and that defeat could await her every time she entered the ring. That is why the blonde was not a fan of loud words that have become so familiar to LAW in recent years. And although losing in a test of strength is not the same as losing in a match, it was too heavy a blow for the Golden Dragon.

On one knee, she was still trying to get back into the game. But at the same time, it seemed to her that the more she tried to push Ostberg back, the more her opponent pressed her back. At that moment, the descendant of the great Vikings was shocked by the resilience that the other Astrid demonstrated. The contender's eyes did not hide the pain she felt because of such an intense confrontation, but at the same time, she was ready to overcome this pain. For the sake of victory. For the sake of proving that she's the best of two of them. It was the purest desire that stirred the soul of the champion, even though it did not bode well for her.

When even ten seconds later Astrid could not get up from her knee, Ostberg's advantage became undeniable. Exerting pressure on the blonde from top to bottom, she rapidly exhausted the strength of the champion. And at the very moment when the Golden Dragon caught herself thinking that she simply could no longer restrain this onslaught, the contender made her move. The audience didn't even have time to blink when her arms wrapped around Astrid's waist. It might even seem to someone that Ostberg decided to close the Golden Dragon in a bearhug hold. However, the champion herself was in no hurry to draw a parallel with her match against Karen. No, she was sure that Ostberg was up to something completely different.

And although she didn't want to find out exactly what it was, she couldn't do anything at the moment when her opponent abruptly leaned back. A few drops of sweat flew off Astrid's face as her golden hair rustled in the gusts of air. In a second the thunder of the collision of her body with the mat rolled through the arena.

"GGHHAAAAA!!!!" She shouted.

Because of the impulse, her body bounced off, and when the Norwegian woman landed on the mat for the second time, she was left lying on her back with her arms spread wide. Her eyes were closed and she was gasping for air, but even so, anyone could see that she was in agony. This fall was a great completion of what the contender had dragged her through. Because of their fierce confrontation in the test of strength, Astrid's muscles froze like glass, and this fall shattered them to pieces.

"Move... move... don't stop..." she said to herself mentally.

With a groan of pain, the Golden Dragon rolled over onto her stomach. And although she was able to first place her palms near her head and then slowly start pushing off from the mat, she moved so slowly that some might think that slow motion was turned on. Astrid was not happy about this, but at that moment her muscles seemed to refuse to work properly. And if her spirit was still eager to fight, then her body just physically could not do it, because at that moment Astrid felt only two things. Pain and fatigue.

[CaptainL]

One could indeed be forgiven for thinking Ostberg was prepared to set up a bear hug when her arms were slung into place around Arvidsson's sides, and when she threw back her head, her teeth gnashing and the furrows of her brow deepening as she drew on every ounce of energy she could to lift her opponent higher - to lift her feet into the air. A shudder ran through her back; her spine creaked and her muscles trembled from the strain she was putting on herself. But still, Ostberg pulled Arvidsson higher - bending over backward as she did, her body lurching and sinking lower against the weight of her opponent's - until the two of them were practically parallel with the mat beneath them. Certainly the bear hug was one of Ostberg's most fearsome and most renowned moves, and one that had won her many a match before. Certainly the circumstances she was in now called for that sort of offense. But Ostberg had bigger things in mind - instead, she hurled Arvidsson straight down, head-first into the canvas, to connect with the loud crack of a German suplex!

There were plenty of fans in the crowd who winced and shied away from the thunderous impact, only able to imagine how much it must've hurt. As Arvidsson dropped, the chain that bound the arms of the two women pulled a little bit tighter, jerking Ostberg's arm with it, but the former champion yanked her arm back with a hiss, refusing to let herself be steered around so easily. Her intent had been to use the suplex to soften Arvidsson up - to leave her dazed and stunned and more vulnerable for whatever it was she was going to do to her next. Certainly the sort of endurance Arvidsson had shown her up to this point was enough to make her consider how much she was going to need to put her away for good - and nothing she could think of seemed like it would be enough on its own. After Arvidsson had taken the brunt of the blow, though, that seemed like it left the ball in Ostberg's court - surely she wouldn't be able to bounce back so quickly from that! When she lay flat and limp, everyone watched with a stunned silence, astounded by the lengths these two women were willing to push themselves to in the name of victory and glory. But it now, it seemed like Astrid Ostberg had her chance - that she would, once again, be champion.

Panting and groaning, her chest and shoulders heaving with every breath, Ostberg tried to get her feet underneath her to push herself back up straight. She was closer to victory than ever, she thought - she just had to go the extra mile! She too was sore, and her energy spent; every motion made her muscles creak and pop under the pressure. But none of that would matter when she was this close to recapturing the glory she had long lusted for.

Ostberg began to get up. She rose to her knees and then to her feet, no matter how much her body trembled and buckled and flared up with pain in the process. Even as she shook and wavered from side to side she closed in on where Arvidsson lay at her feet. She'd already landed one strong blow...but Arvidsson was showing her that even what she thought was her best efforts just might not be enough. One strong blow wouldn't do it. She had to do more!

Gritting her teeth, the Norsewoman bent down to grab Arvidsson by the head. As she shoved herself back to her full height, so too did she pull her opponent's head forward to trap it between her legs. Then she would bend down to grab her by the waist, and from there to hoist her higher, up onto her shoulders. If all went well, she'd hurl her straight down from there. Now it was Ostberg's turn to go for the powerbomb!

[skip-stop]

It was terrible. Both physically and emotionally. It was like being in a very long queue, where you can take one small step forward only once every five minutes. No matter how much you want to speed up this process, there's nothing you can do about it. That's exactly what Astrid felt at that moment. Even though she rolled over on her stomach after her opponent's suplex, she couldn't bring herself to get up quickly. Her classic gym workout could have impressed anyone, and push-ups for her were something like toast with butter for breakfast. But after the strain her body went through... the Golden Dragon couldn't put enough strength into her arms even to get up on all fours.

Of course, she was well aware of what it was like to be tired. The most recent memory of this concerned her match with Diana, at some point it seemed to her that this match would never end. However, it's one thing to lose strength gradually and quite another thing when this strength is literally squeezed out of you. This is exactly what happened to the Golden Dragon during the strength test. The willpower that her rival showed was amazing even to a bold imagination. Astrid would not risk to say that she was inferior to Ostberg in pure physical strength, but even to take them for granted that they have equal physical strength, at that moment the determination of her rival became the decisive factor.

And now the Golden Dragon had to face the consequences. Her body was heavy, and her muscles felt like they were on fire. No matter how much she wanted to jump to her feet and charge, she just couldn't do it. She desperately needed to catch her breath. However, during such an intense match, this was out of the question. They both knew that. And so they both continued to move even despite the fatigue in which they brought each other. The only difference was the speed. And this difference led to the fact that by the time Ostberg had already risen to her feet, the descendant of the great Vikings had risen only on all fours.

"Grrr..." Astrid growled through her teeth as Ostberg grabbed her by the head.

The contender pulled her towards herself and up, as a result of which the blonde was on her feet, but still in a bent position. Supported by the audience, Ostberg rigidly placed the Golden Dragon's head between her sweaty thighs. And that was more than enough for Astrid to guess what her rival was planning to do. Of course, the contender had several options from this position, but experience told the descendant of the great Vikings that Ostberg intended to use the same thing that the champion used outside the ring.

Raising her shaking hands, Astrid placed her palms on the contender's thighs. Her mind was clear enough and she understood that to disrupt Ostberg's plans, she just had to push her away. And there was no doubt that she could do it. If it was the very beginning of the match. But it wasn't. The Golden Dragon had not yet recovered from losing the test of strength and it seemed to her that her arms weighed several tons. And no matter how much the champion tried to put strength into her arms, at that moment she simply could not prevent her opponent.

Ostberg leaned down, her lush breasts pressed against Astrid's back, and in a moment the Golden Dragon's waist was wrapped in her opponent's powerful arms. And then the contender began to straighten up to her full height. Gradually. Not because she wanted the Golden Dragon to feel this moment, but because she was also tired due to their match. The other Astrid was puffing and snuffling, and her body was shaking because of the weight of the champion. And yet, accompanied by wild screams from the audience, she straightened up and placed the descendant of the great Vikings on her shoulders.

And then Astrid's golden hair began to rustle. Her body went to the mat so fast that the air flow literally blocked her ears. At that moment, Ostberg demonstrated that perhaps she should be called not a former, but a future champion. When the Golden Dragon's body crashed into the mat, the entire ring shook. Astrid's eyes opened so wide that any could see in them all the pain that filled her body. However, she didn't even cry out. The white flash before her eyes shifted to darkness. And when she closed her eyes, she remained lying on the mat with her arms and legs spread wide. Being in a semi-conscious state, she did not move, only her chest rose and fell heavily.

[CaptainL]

Ostberg, too, was tired. This was a match that was drawing on every bit of energy she had in her, forcing her to burn through her reserves not only to keep pushing the offensive, but also to merely fuel her own stamina when her whole body felt like it was ready to give out at any moment. Every muscle in her body was aching, and with every step she took the world around her seemed to teeter to and fro, threatening to upend her footing. But her gaze remained fixed unwaveringly on Arvidsson when every step brought her just a little bit closer to having her in her grasp. Her chest heaved with shallow, labored breaths, but when her heart beat faster in her chest it came from the excitement of being this close to her goals, not from the anxieties that came with wondering if she could measure up. In just a moment, she would have Arvidsson in her clutches. In just a moment, she'd be mere inches away from holding a championship once again. That was what hung in the balance - that was the motivation that gave both women what they needed to keep themselves going when anything less couldn't.

But now, the pendulum had swung in Ostberg's favor - and that gave her just the slightest bit of a push. Arvidsson's strength was beginning to flag, and she was struggling to keep herself going. But when Ostberg saw that, she was filled with a renewed sense of vigor, and the overpowering weight of fatigue that threatened to drag her down just a moment ago barely even fazed her now. She was this close - she could do this!

Her legs were slick with sweat, and her muscles sore and weary, but still her thighs clamped down firmly around Arvidsson's head, anchoring her in place. Then she bent lower, her arms swinging around the champion's waist. The vertebrae all up and down her back popped and groaned as she forced herself to stand straight, dragging Arvidsson up to her shoulders. But it was the promise of a new reign, at the end of it all, that fueled Ostberg's path forward. And once she had her opponent held aloft, she let loose a battle cry, hurling Arvidsson straight down to the mat!

The whole ring shook as the two of them landed, with Ostberg dropping down into a seated position. She took a few slow gasps for breath, teetering back and forth. Even now, her head was spinning, she sagged to the side, and a few sweat-slick strands of hair had fallen across her face. But she couldn't stop - not when victory was within her grasp! When she looked up to settle a glare on Arvidsson, seeing her laid out flat, limp and helpless, Ostberg knew what she had to do. Arvidsson had never seemed more vulnerable. And it was that knowledge that gave her the strength she needed to make that dream a reality!

Diving down on top of Arvidsson, Ostberg threw herself against her with such force that the weight of her body would have been enough to hold her down. But just to be on the safe side, she grabbed her leg at the same time, yanking it straight up to go for the pin - and when the referee fell at her side for the count, it was echoed through the whole arena with the cheers of the fans!

"ONE!!"

[skip-stop]

The Golden Dragon felt like she was run over by a fucking truck. Lying on the mat, she had to fight the urge to fall asleep. Pain and exhaustion clung to her and dragged her to the bottom. Almost literally. It really felt like she was drowning. The water column was pressing down on her so hard that she didn't even feel able to move. Her mind was focused only on the pain and the Norwegian woman could not bring herself to even open her eyes, let alone start moving. And, of course, it did not go unnoticed. The audience and her opponent quickly realized that this time everything was different,this time the correct question was not whether she could break the pin after the first count, but whether she could break the pin at all.

When Ostberg's body collapsed on Astrid's already exhausted body, the blonde's face was distorted with pain, and a barely audible but very distinct groan of agony came out of her mouth. Yes, now the metaphor about the pressure of the water column has become a reality. For reliability, Ostberg evenly distributed her weight over the Golden Dragon's body. The final touch was that the contender hooked the leg of the descendant of the great Vikings, at that moment Astrid even lost the ability to breathe because of such pressure. The referee did not hesitate and in a second lay down next to the fighters. She didn't even have to make sure that the Golden Dragon's shoulder blades were pressed against the mat, instead she raised her hand and then brought it down sharply.

"ONE!"

Did she give everything she had? Her senses told her that yes. Being pinned to the mat by her opponent, the Golden Dragon didn't feel any way to even lift her shoulder, let alone to throw Ostberg aside. She didn't know how much time had passed since the start of the match. It may not have been the longest match of her career, but it was definitely one of the most intense. And perhaps the assumption that she gave her rival everything could be considered true. Yeah, so be it.

Perhaps the answer to this question was enough to admit defeat. Astrid has never considered herself invincible, although many have confused her courage with self-confidence. Yes, Astrid has never been afraid to challenge the best of the best, but at the same time she has never been afraid to lose to the best of the best. Was this the moment? She has already been defeated three times by truly legendary women. And to add a fourth defeat to this list would not be a shame. Before accepting defeat, she had only one question to answer. What will be the legacy after that?

"TWO!!"

The audience roared so loudly that surely the whole of Tokyo could hear it. However, for Astrid, it was no louder than just a whisper. The words in her head sounded much louder to her. The words that she once already helped her in a difficult moment. Kanata Yamamoto, she wasn't a top star of LAW, but she was certainly a veteran of pro wrestling. And this woman was the first one who made Astrid doubt her own abilities. Fighting Kanata, the Golden Dragon didn't just have to give her everything she had. Fighting Kanata, she had to go beyond her limits. And it was thanks to this that she deserved to hear the words that later became a mantra for her.

"Next time we meet in this very ring... you better rock a belt..."

Whether it was passing the baton between generations or not, Kanata became the first rival who sincerely believed that Astrid had a great future. Her words were partly prophetic. The Golden Dragon really deserved a belt. But now, when the referee raised her hand over the head for the third time, it seemed that Kanata's words were destined to remain just words, because only one slap on the mat separated the descendant of the great Vikings from defeat. What will be her legacy after that? Did she really get this belt only to be called the One-Day champion?

Clenching her teeth with such force that some could hear the grinding, the Golden Dragon opened her eyes slightly. Through the mist in her eyes, she saw the referee's raised hand. Like a gavel. And when that gavel comes down, it's all over. When that gavel comes down, she will leave absolutely nothing behind, no legacy. It will transfer responsibility for the title and its prestige into the hands of Ostberg. It would relieve her of the burden of responsibility that fell on her shoulders at the moment when Dan proclaimed her the Inaugural Openweight Champion. The simplest option possible. But Astrid never looked for easy ways. And she didn't want to give up that responsibility.

"THR..."

The referee's hand rushed to the mat and at that moment the audience seemed to go crazy. This moment was so fast that the third count seemed inevitable. But when the tension reached its peak, there was a real explosion and Astrid was the cause of it. She brought together everything she aspired to in this ring. To lose now would mean that the management made a mistake, that Astrid was not ready to take responsibility. At the moment when she was so close to losing, she felt more than ever the thoughts of those who were disappointed to find out that it was she who was chosen as the Inaugural Openweight Champion. To hell with them. To hell with them all. If she was going to prove that she was worthy of this title, it wasn't to them, or even to her rival. Today she was going to prove it only to herself.

With a groan of agony, the Inaugural Openweight Champion jerked to the side, simultaneously straightening her hooked leg. She would not have had the strength to really throw Ostberg aside, but her strength was enough to simply throw the contender off and turn on her side, thereby raising her shoulder above the mat. The referee was forced to change the trajectory of her hand so abruptly that she even fell on the mat and some could even swear that they heard a slap. Because of this, a dead silence reigned in the arena. And in this dead silence, the referee got up on one knee and raised her right hand above her head.

"ONLY TWO!!!!!!" She said, sticking out her index and middle fingers.

The silence was broken by a heartbreaking roar. And although Astrid remained lying on her side, her lips curved in a smile. The same smile that could be seen on her rival's face not so long ago. No, she wouldn't give up her title like that. There was much more at stake than just a golden belt. At stake was the opportunity to leave a mark in history. Astrid wanted her ancestors to be proud of her. The Golden Dragon wanted to make sure that the day she was replaced by a new champion, she would not regret anything. And she was ready to fight for it.

[CaptainL]

Arvidsson wasn't the only one who was getting tired. This had been a long and brutal match, and one where both contenders had strived with all their might to a reach for a goal that meant as much to them as life itself. That determination could only temper their resolves and fuel their strength, pushing them to greater and greater lengths - and by now, both of them had easily taken punishment that could have crippled even women as strong as they were, had they not been driven forward by the hope of victory. That was forcing the two of them to bring forth even greater efforts, just to stand a chance at putting the other down. But adrenaline could only propel Ostberg so far, and when she collapsed on top of Arvidsson, the weight of fatigue was holding the champion down just as much as any conscious effort. Even as she lay atop her opponent, her whole body lurched with a heavy, husky pant as she tried to draw air back into her lungs. But that didn't matter. At least, Ostberg thought, her opponent would be in just as rough shape - perhaps even enough to take her out for good this time!

With every count that landed, Ostberg could feel her heart racing faster, and her breaths quickened. A tingle ran down along her spine to think that she was this close to victory - that such a monumental success, a success that would put her name back on the map, was just within her reach. Her body went tense, and it could only grow tenser still as her eyes turned up to watch the referee's hand raise that last time, prepared to deliver its final judgment on the mat below.

In just seconds, it would be over. In just seconds, she'd be a champion again. Any doubts, any questions, any insinuation that she had left her glory days behind - they'd all be set to rest. She would prove that not only could she be a champion again,but an Openweight Champion! Just hours ago, Ostberg would've believed the thought to be too good to be true. But now, it was happening. And as that hand began to descend, her eyes were already welling up wth tears of joy. It all seemed to play out in slow motion, letting Ostberg bear witness to every second.

And then...Arvidsson kicked out.

She wasn't strong enough to throw Ostberg off of her. But if her body didn't have the power in it to bring the challenger to move, Ostberg's shock certainly did. One moment, her eyes had been narrowed and her teeth clenched in determination. The next, she stared back at her opponent aghast - her jaw wide open in a gasp, her face pale. She slipped over to the side, and she lay there on the mat, not even bothering to right herself. All she did was stare, dumbfounded. After everything Arvidsson had endured, after Ostberg had come so close to finishing her off once and for all...how was this even possible?

"...How..!?" Ostberg blurted out in disbelief. After it all...the match still wasn't over! But, she quickly reminded herself, that meant she couldn't give up the fight, either! Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself back up onto her knees, shoving her hand against the canvas to try and brace herself as she steadily rose higher. As her body lifted from the mat, her knees trembled beneath her, and she shuddered as the aches and pains ran through her from head to toe. But if Arvidsson wanted this match to continue...then continue it would.

"Nngh...alright. I'll just...have to try harder..!" With a flex of her muscles, Ostberg dropped down into a stance, taking one step closer to move into range - and grabbing for Arvidsson's shoulders to try to pull her to her feet, and into her grasp!