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

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Some people mistakenly believe that breaking a pin is the most difficult thing. Yes, it certainly requires a lot of willpower, because the temptation to refuse to continue fighting because of pain and fatigue is always too great. But in fact, the most difficult thing begins after the pin is broken. The Golden Dragon that continued to lie on her side was living proof of this. She was in no hurry to get to her feet, not because she wanted to enjoy the enthusiastic shouts of the audience and the shock in her rival's voice. She remained lying on the mat because despite the fact that she broke the pin, her reserves of strength were still at a critically low level.

Nevertheless, the champion had a reason to rejoice. Most of her life she was a lone wolf and only after she came to Japan she found first friends, namely Charlotte and Nerissa. It was thanks to them that the Golden Dragon learned to rejoice not only in big victories, but also in small ones. Yes, she still hasn't won the match. However, she managed to overcome the pain that filled her body after the test of strength and the powerbomb. She managed to stay in the game. And it was a small, but still victory for her.

Ostberg, who got to her feet, said a few words that reminded the descendant of the great Vikings that there was a lot of work ahead of them both. Yes, the contender was absolutely right. She really has to try harder. The same went for Astrid. The fact that she broke the pin, avoiding defeat at the last moment, was no reason to think that after that Ostberg would give her the victory in the match. On the contrary, despite the fact that the other Astrid could hardly believe that she could not pin the champion, now she seemed even more motivated. This was best shown in the fact that she first got to her feet, and then grabbed the Golden Dragon by the shoulders.

"Gggrrr..." a strangled groan sounded through the blonde's teeth.

It wasn't hard to guess that Astrid would have been happy to take a little more time to catch her breath. Something told her that Ostberg would be happy to do the same. Instead, the contender decided to start a new round, once again proving that she deserves to be called a living legend. The Golden Dragon had been following her rival's reign with awe, and until today, she could only wonder if she would have the opportunity to become as great Ostberg. Today she got such an opportunity. Only the most difficult thing remained. To realize this opportunity.

Rising to one knee, the Golden Dragon raised her head in order to look into the eyes of her rival. Despite the sweat dripping down her skin and bruises all over her body, there was still confidence in her eyes. She had lost the test of strength and it was still fresh in her mind. But along with the start of a new round, she intended to start a new confrontation. A confrontation in which this time she intended to win.

Throwing both hands up, she wanted to move them between Ostberg's hands in order to then abruptly spread them apart and thereby push the other Astrid's hands away from her shoulders. She would have succeeded, then she would have straightened up to her full height like a phoenix rising from the ashes. An attentive spectator would surely have noticed that in this match, the descendant of the great Vikings has not yet shown the fiery rage that she hid deep inside. Well. As they say, everything has its time. The real Golden Dragon was close to awakening. But until that happened, Astrid was going to use her own powers to crush her rival.

Rising to her feet, the champion clenched her left fist and threw her hand forward. The clang of the metal chain momentarily drowned out the screams of the audience. Funny. The truth was that Astrid was so caught up in the match that she managed to forget that she and her opponent were connected by the chain. However, she wasn't going to use it so far. Instead, she intended to send a simple but hard forearm strike straight into Ostberg's chest. Yes, she had lost in test of the strength, but she wasn't going to lose in the exchange of blows!

[CaptainL]

Even if Ostberg was the aggressor, even if she was leading the match, and even if it had been well within her potential to win it all just a moment ago, she was under just as much pressure as Arvidsson was - that much was undeniable. Her body had been wracked and ravaged by the strain her opponent put her through; no matter how much Ostberg tried to match every little bit of offense she threw at her with greater and greater force, she seemed to shrug it all off like it meant nothing, and that only left the challenger struggling to surpass herself every time. Her own body could hardly withstand the demands she was putting on it just to keep up with Arvidsson. Even now, as she slumped over to lay on her side, her entire body felt laden with weights, and with every breath she took her chest heaved in and out, drawing hot and stale air back into her lungs. But even as she grit her teeth and felt a shudder run through her whole body, Ostberg knew one thing - she had to keep going. It wasn't over yet. But at the end of this all was the championship. And as long as she had the championship there to encourage her to move forward, to reach for success...she could still do it.
,,
Her joints creaked like they'd been rusted over, and her muscles trembled with fatigue. She had to clench her teeth tightly shut to stifle the groan that was ripped from her throat. But Ostberg still forced herself to rise to a teetering stance - and with just as much of a struggle, Arvidsson rose afterward. Ostberg panted and groaned, feeling every trickle of sweat that ran its way down along her brow. There was a worry, at the back of her mind, that she would soon run through her reserves - that she wouldn't be able to keep up with what her opponent was putting her through. But Ostberg couldn't dwell on that. She couldn't help but be awed by the determination Arvidsson was putting on display, a strength that proved she was worthy of the title of Openweight Champion. She wanted to honor that - and to do that, she would have to put forth just as much effort herself!

She stepped forward, trying to close in on Arvidsson, but the Golden Dragon was already on the move. She managed to push Astrid's arms off of her, and there the Norsewoman's shoulders began to sag under the combined weight of Arvidsson's offense and the aches in her muscles as her arms fell at her side. She tried to lift her arms to raise a guard, but it was too late - the load she'd been forced to bear had caused her body to lag a step behind what her brain was telling it to do. And before she could defend herself, Arvidsson lashed out with a forearm to her chest!

Ostberg took a few staggering steps back. She teetered on an unsteady footing, her balance threatening to give way, before the tension her weight put on the chain pulled it taut enough to right her on her feet. She hissed, still feeling the sore sensation of where Arvidsson had hit her. But she was still standing. She hadn't gone down. As long as she was still on her feet...she could still fight! And she was ready to take that offense right back toward Arvidsson!

Letting out a battle cry that ripped from her lungs like a roar, Ostberg threw herself back into action! Her arm, too, cut through the air as she threw a chop back at Arvidsson, looking to land it across her sternum! She wouldn't be satisfied unless she could muster just as much prowess behind her blows as Arvidsson could against her!

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Astrid's muscles seemed to be filled with lead and because of this, every movement was given to her with great difficulty. It would be fair to say that she was used to heavy loads on her body, because in every match the Golden Dragon gave her one hundred percent. And yet she always found reasons to be surprised. Once it seemed to her that there was no more intense sport than MMA. But after she ended up in LAW... here, every match was a real trial for her. And although it might have seemed strange to someone, it became a real happiness for Astrid, because the meaning of her life was the search and overcoming of these very trials.

Her courage and desire to fight the best of the best led her to the title. And she knew perfectly well that this was just the beginning. The golden belt that was entrusted to her today opened up new opportunities for her. And if even after the match with Diana, many still considered her an upstart with the head in the clouds, now she was closer than ever to making them shut up. Now she had the right to challenge the toughest rivals. But in order to exercise this right, she had to do one thing. To defeat Astrid Ostberg.

With a wave of her left hand, the Golden Dragon sent a forearm strike into the contender's chest. And although many were sure that she was too tired to make this blow really strong, the audience gasped loudly at that moment. The blow forced Ostberg to back away, she stopped only when the chain between them began to tighten. And it was easy to see from the contender's face that even though the descendant of the great Vikings was no longer as fresh as at the beginning of the match, her blows still carried wild power with them.

But although this blow shuddered Ostberg, she was not even close to falling. She not only stayed on her feet, but after just one moment rushed forward with a wild roar, clearly intending to respond to Astrid's attack. It was hard to say what she expected from the champion, the most logical thing to expect was that the Golden Dragon would somehow try to defend herself. However, the descendant of the great Vikings was not going to do this. The champion clenched her fists and tensed her muscles in order to strengthen her body instead of trying to prevent Ostberg from hitting her. As it was easy to guess that the chop hit her chest without any obstacles.

"UUGGMMMMHH!!!"

It seemed to her that hot oil was poured into her lungs. Even though she tensed her muscles, the other Astrid's blow was so hard that the Golden Dragon involuntarily opened her mouth. The power of the contender forced her to take a few steps back, and when she made herself to stop, she covered the place where Ostberg hit her. Because of this blow, Astrid's breathing became much heavier, it seemed to her that her airways were blocked. It was painful. It was damn painful.

And perhaps those who followed her career not very closely could ask a fair question, why didn't she even try to stop her rival? Well, surely some would consider it reckless, but Astrid considered the exchange of blows no less pure confrontation than a test of strength. A test of strength forces the fighter to show everything that is hidden deep inside. To win in a test of strength the fighter must show both body strength and spirit strength. The Golden Dragon was sure that it also applies to the exchange of blows. This is a tough but uncompromising confrontation. And this...

"Makes me... feel alive..." she thought.

She wanted to see if she could overcome Ostberg. She was eager to find out if she had enough strength to stay on her feet at the end of this exchange of blows. There was a flash of lightning in her lavender eyes, and then she took a step forward with a smile on her face. Crazy or not, she enjoyed this match even knowing that the most crushing defeat of her life could be ahead of her. Doesn't matter. If she loses after giving everything to the last drop of sweat and blood, then she will have nothing to be ashamed of.

Sharply placing the right foot slightly to the left of the left foot, the champion intended to turn around her axis and thereby get torque. The Golden Dragon wanted to use this to make her next strike many times more powerful than the previous one. It might not be enough to knock Ostberg down, but she was ready for it. Now her goal was to make it clear to the contender that from now on there would be no stops in the match. And she didn't know a better way to convey this than to swing her right hand and send a rolling elbow strike to the other Astrid's jaw!

[CaptainL]

If anyone was going to believe that Arvidsson was an upstart who just got lucky, and who had been handed the Openweight Championship without truly earning it, their doubts would be answered tonight. In order to hold onto that title, she was going to have to go through Astrid Ostberg, a worthy champion in her own right, and a woman who had earned her renowned status as one of LAW's strongest and toughest competitors. And already, the grueling gauntlet Ostberg had put her through would've shown she was every bit worthy of the honors bestowed on her! If she was going to take this sort of offense head-on, and fight through it even when it seemed she should well have been at her limit, then there was no question - Arvidsson was every bit a champion as her opponent had been!

In any other situation, Ostberg would have been honored to know that she had given her opponent such a fight, and forced her to prove herself so soundly. But right now, there were bigger matters at stake. Arvidsson was standing between Ostberg and the Openweight Championship, the former champion's opportunity to put her name up in lights once again and to attain the same glory she had missed so dearly. And no matter how hard a fight it would be, or how much of a toll the strain would take on her body, Ostberg was willing to power through anything as long as she still had the chance to get her hands on that belt!

The determination and the adrenaline were pushing Ostberg onward, fueling her body where her own reserves couldn't. Even as Arvidsson's arm smacked her upside the chest, the raw willpower that drove Ostberg was all she needed to throw herself back at Arvidsson. The stinging sensation in her chest was forgotten almost as soon as she'd felt it, and in its place was a single-minded desire for Ostberg to pay Arvidsson back - a desire she delivered on, as her own chop struck the champion squarely, forcing her to go doubling backward! Ostberg could feel the stinging sensation in her arm where she'd landed her blow, and she saw Arvidsson back away. Even if she panted for breath and her body coursed with sweat, that knowledge that she'd made things work satisfied her. But it wouldn't be enough. She wanted more.

But then, so did Arvidsson. She would be the next to act - and that would come in the form of a blow she traded back to Ostberg, her fist swinging outward and plowing right into her jaw!

Even if Arvidsson was slowed by fatigue, so too was Ostberg, and - whether it was that Arvidsson had a quickness in spite of the forces holding her back, or just that Ostberg herself was slowed down just as much - the former champion wasn't able to react in time. Letting out a cry of pain, her head snapped back with a crack, and a trail of spittle cut through the air from the corner of her mouth as she was turned aside from the brunt of the impact. Her back bent in an arc and her stance wavered, her face contorting in a mask of pain. For a moment, her whole body wobbled, once again threatening to give way. But she dug her heels into the mat to stabilize herself as she looked back up at Arvidsson with a growl under her breath. And she vowed that even if she was going to go down, Arvidsson would go down with her.

While the champion's arm was still outstretched, Ostberg grabbed for it. She hoped she could snare it before Arvidsson went in for another blow. But with her limb secured, Ostberg would swing both knees up, attempting to drive them against Arvidsson's bicep. In the process, her footing gave way, causing her to fall to her back with her knees held up in the air. And she would pull Arvidsson's arm right down along with her, so that arm would come crashing right onto Ostberg's knee for an armbreaker!

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The exchange of blows was always something that could touch the strings of Astrid's soul. She really liked such a pure confrontation. Yes, the opportunity to exchange blows did not fall to her in every match, but without a doubt it was something truly memorable every time. Alison, Karen, Katherine... the Golden Dragon had a chance to exchange blows with each of them and it remained forever in her memory. At such moments, she was seized with a real excitement, which she could not resist. At such moments, she wanted to find out if she could crush the woman standing in front of her. That's exactly what she was feeling right now. In addition, the audience was clearly impressed by the unique opportunity to see Astrid Arvidsson and Astrid Ostberg taking turns hitting each other.

Feeling the adrenaline and excitement running through her veins, the champion did not hold back. In most cases, she counted only on the strength of her body, but lately she has begun to adopt some tricks from her friends. Charlotte didn't have such outstanding physical strength as the Golden Dragon, so she tried to compensate for it in other ways. A spin is one of these ways, because it allows you to take an additional impulse. This is exactly what Astrid used at the moment when she rushed to her rival.

Turning around her axis, the blonde sent an elbow strike into Ostberg's jaw. And when this elbow crashed into the contender's skull, her head jerked to the side. It worked even better than the descendant of the great Vikings expected. Ostberg's head jerked to the side, and saliva flew out of her mouth. And while Astrid wasn't exactly disappointed, she was definitely surprised to some extent. Thanks to the experience gained in fights with her other rivals, she was sure that even such a powerful blow would not be enough to send Ostberg down. Her gut told her that the exchange of blows was far from over and that she should prepare for a retaliatory blow from the other Astrid.

However, events took a different turn. Ostberg's legs trembled and it was a sure sign that she was going to fall. This was the reason why the champion was surprised. Considering who her opponent was, winning the exchange of blows after only two strikes seemed completely unreal to the Golden Dragon. However, no matter how strange it was, it was rather good news for her, because if this exchange of blows lasted longer, it's not a fact that in the end she could stay on her feet. Therefore, seeing how Ostberg was going to fall on the mat, the Golden Dragon was completely satisfied. Right up until the moment when Ostberg's hands darted to her arm.

"What the..." sounded in her head.

However, everything happened so quickly that Astrid didn't even have time to finish this thought. Ostberg clung to her arm with a death grip, as a result of which the weight of her opponent pulled the champion down. But the biggest problem was that the contender did something else, namely pressed her knees to Astrid's bicep. The Golden Dragon's eyes widened as she realized exactly what would happen a second later. And there was nothing she could do about it.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!"

When Ostberg's knees slammed into her arm, she screamed so loudly that some of the audience probably had their ears blocked. Falling on the mat, Astrid involuntarily made one roll to the side. In a fit of painful sensations, she hit the mat hard with her left fist several times, after which she immediately grabbed her bicep.

"Faen! Faen!! Faaaaaen!!!" She repeated with pain and fury in her voice through clenched teeth.

The pain was so terrible that she rightly thought that Ostberg had broken her arm. The blonde was lying on her back and swaying slightly from side to side in a futile attempt to ease the pain. Her right fist was clenched and she couldn't bring herself to unclench it because even if her bones miraculously remained intact, the same couldn't be said for her muscles. The best proof of how much it hurt was the tears that started trickling down her cheeks. It wasn't the first time her arm had been damaged so badly. Shortly before her Apex match, the blonde in the fucking cat mask was close to irreversibly damaging the very arm that was now a source of agony for Astrid. And the saddest thing is that last time it was the end for the Golden Dragon.

[CaptainL]

Ordinarily, it was going to take a lot more to bring Ostberg down. But even the mightiest of redwoods could still be felled if enough rot had set in at their base - and when this match had whittled down at the Norsewoman's stamina as much as it had, she could feel her balance being tested. Not enough to make her fall, not just yet, but at least to make keeping her footing a little more tenuous of a task. She clenched her teeth, sucking in a breath as she squeezed a fist at her side and felt her muscles grow tense. In any other match, she knew, she would've already gone down by now, after all the punishment she had taken and all the devastating blows her foe had landed. She had no right to still be going for as long as she was. Even if she did lose a match to Arvidsson, under any other circumstances, she would've still considered this match to have been worthy of her time - the Golden Dragon had put her skills to the test, and proven herself to be a rival well worthy of Ostberg's greatest efforts, forcing her to think on her feet and keep pushing past her limits. She would've been proud to have been such a worthy foe to her. But this match was different. In this match, Arvidsson's title was on the line - and with it, the chance for the recognition and redemption that Ostberg craved. She'd be willing to put herself through whatever she needed to if it meant being within reach of those honors.

And that was what assured Ostberg that, even if she was going to go down...Arvidsson was going down with her.

She grabbed her opponent by the arm, her muscles flexing tight as she coiled her fingers around her firm and rippling biceps. Her teeth grit against each other as she summoned forth the strength she needed to keep her grip in place. But then, she kicked off her footing, bringing her knees up, and nailing Arvidsson right in the arm! The air was filled by the sound of a crack, followed by the thump of two heavy bodies against the canvas as their footing gave way, and everyone in the stands didn't just hear it - they felt it. More than a few had to wince at the thought of what Arvidsson was enduring, and how hard Ostberg had to hit. Even the former heavyweight champion herself couldn't help but wince where she lay on the mat, panting for breath, her body heavy and stiff and refusing to respond to her desperate pleas to will some strength back into it. But soon, as she brought her hands and knees underneath her, she slowly and shakily lifted herself to all fours, then up to her knees. She wiped some sweat away from her face, gapsing for air.

She was still aching. She was still tired. But when she looked down to see Arvidsson limp against the canvas beside her, it made Ostberg's heart jump with anticipation, and she could feel a strength brought on by hope returning to her - she knew now she had a chance. She had done this, she knew. It was her strike, her knees, that had caused her seemingly invincible foe so much trouble, and forced her to show just a moment of weakness. It was all thanks to her. And if she could do that...then she knew she could do it again. Arvidsson was vulnerable, and she wasn't attacking. There was never a better chance; the time was right!

With another surge of energy taking hold, Ostberg shoved herself back up to her feet in a single lunge. Even she herself didn't know how she managed it. The mere sight of her standing tall was enough to bring on a cheer from the fans. But Ostberg still wasn't done. If she'd already proven the strength of her strikes, she was going to keep pursuing that - and she leaned in to scoop Arvidsson up, running her arms underneath her bulky frame. She grit her teeth and panted, the muscles in her back tensing and popping as she struggled to shoulder the weight. But she would hoist Arvidsson higher and higher into the air - and then, dropping to one knee, she would attempt to hurl the champion down onto that raised knee, her spine poised to make landing with a backbreaker!

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It was definitely the same pro wrestling magic that fans around the world loved so much. You can be sure of exactly what is going to happen in the next moment, but then your confidence turns to ashes. At the cost of incredible efforts, the Golden Dragon avoided defeat by breaking the pin a fraction of a second before the third count. Developing success, she even came close to winning in the exchange of blows. However, if it was a victory, it was only a Pyrrhic one. Because how can you call it a victory if you end up lying on the mat and writhing in agony?

When the shock of pain eased slightly, Astrid came to the conclusion that her arm was not broken. On the one hand, it was good, because otherwise one could say that her title defense came to an end. A fighter with a broken arm is exactly the same as a bird with a broken wing. However, on the other hand, it was such a weak consolation that Astrid simply could not bring herself to be happy about it. At that moment, her arm was absolutely useless, even a simple attempt to move her fingers caused her new attacks of pain. She definitely needed at least a little time for her muscles to return to normal after such a large amount of damage. But, of course, no one would have given her that time, especially her rival.

Hearing the excited hubbub of the audience, the descendant of the great Vikings realized that Ostberg had already risen to her feet. This caused her to turn her head to the side, just in time to see the other Astrid reach out to her. This time, the Golden Dragon had no questions about where her opponent got the strength to move so quickly and confidently. When you taste blood, you always want more. Ostberg had taken away her victory both in the strength test and in the exchange of blows, and now, being the clear leader of the match, she wanted to consolidate her success.

"Ggrrrhhhhh..." Astrid groaned through her teeth at the moment when Ostberg grabbed her body and began to lift her above the mat.

The contender had no reason to be delicate with the champion and her injured arm, which definitely required rest. In the blink of an eye, the Golden Dragon was on her opponent's shoulder. And although it was hard to guess what exactly Ostberg was up to, it definitely did not bode well for the champion. Panting and snuffling, she jerked with her legs several times in an attempt to force Ostberg to let her go. However, she understood that this was not enough. In order to make the contender to let her go, she has to hit her. But how could she hit her if the nearest arm to Ostberg's head was absolutely useless right now?

Having missed the opportunity to do something, Astrid's body rushed down. Just like the time Ostberg used a powerbomb. The only difference wat that it wasn't the mat waiting for the Golden Dragon at the bottom this time, but her opponent's knee. The Norwegian woman's spine crashed into Ostberg's knee, her mouth and eyes opened wide at the same time. But she didn't even make a sound. Because of the pain, a white flash appeared in front of her eyes, which was replaced by darkness a second later.

Her body went limp, causing her spine to arch and her arms to drop lifelessly down. If Ostberg had continued to hold her, she probably would have remained lying on the other Astrid's knee. But if the contender decided that there was no great need for this, then the Golden Dragon would surely slip from her opponent's knee to the mat like a slime. Someone would probably think that she had fainted. And even though it was really close enough to the truth, she was still there. It's just that at that moment she absorbed so much pain that only her willpower separated her from unconsciousness.

[CaptainL]

Ostberg had heard the crack that ripped through Arvidsson's arm as her armbreaker hit its mark. She could practically feel the splintering of bone beneath her knees, and the way her arm had given way. It had been enough, for just a scant few seconds, to make her clench her teeth as a shudder ran through her body, fearful of the sort of damage she'd inflicted on her foe and just what it was she was capable of. For a few fleeting seconds she pondered if it was worth stopping the match and seeing if Arvidsson could keep going. But no - that was out of the question, and both champion and challenger knew that. After all the endurance and all the determination she had put on display tonight, there was no way that even the most grievous of injuries was going to stop Arvidsson when she was faced with the prospect of losing her championship in the same match it was being defended for the very first time. Arvidsson was going to show her no mercy - and it was for that very fact that Ostberg needed to keep fighting, just to make sure that when her opponent went down, she'd stay down!

Gritting her teeth, roaring under the pressure, Ostberg hoisted Arvidsson higher, forcing her into the air. Her muscles burned, and her joints popped and shuddered under the sheer amount of force she was putting on them. She was tired - she needed to rest; she wasn't going to be able to keep this up forever. Her body was screaming at her to tell her as much. But Ostberg wasn't going to go down just yet. Not until she had wrung everything out of her body she possibly could. And if nothing else was going to stop Arvidsson for good...she just needed to keep trying harder.

She could hear another crack and a thud and a crunch as she brought the champion down, hurling her into the path of her raised knee. At that very same moment she struck, Ostberg threw back her own head, her teeth locked in a grimace. Her muscles pulled taut; steam was rising off of them under the heat of the lights from the exertion she was forcing out of her body. For a second more, she pushed down on Arvidsson's head and her legs at the same time to try and bend her in half around the fulcrum of her knee, stretching her back harder, just to get as much out of the backbreaker as she could. But soon enough, her grip broke, and she let Arvidsson fall limply to the mat below. For a few seconds, Ostberg panted and gasped, her chest heaving as she tried to move enough air through her lungs to sustain herself. But she couldn't stop now. She couldn't turn back. She had to keep going.

Sucking in a breath, Ostberg once again let herself drop down on top of Arvidsson's fallen form. With her muscles weighed down as much as they were from fatigue, the sheer impact of Ostberg dropping on top of the champion would've surely been enough to rattle her. But of course, that still wasn't good enough. Stretching her arm back behind her, Ostberg once again grabbed for Arvidsson's leg and pulled it forward, going for another pin attempt. Once again, the referee counted out each call - "One!!" - and Ostberg watched with rapt anticipation, her eye twitching and the veins in her forehead bulging. Now, she knew, it was a race against time. If Arvidsson kicked out of this... would she even be able to keep her down before her own body fell apart on her?

[skip-stop]

"Gg... hh... h..."

When the contender pressed on the Golden Dragon's head and leg, it was difficult to compare with anything. Ostberg literally tried to break her spine and hardly any sane person could have doubts about how much it hurt. So why, instead of a scream, the champion only slightly opened her mouth and let out a barely audible groan? Was she really practically unconscious? Yes, that's right, but only partially. She felt everything. She felt this terrible pain. But even though she wanted to scream, she just didn't have the strength to do it. Having lost two confrontations in a row, the descendant of the great Vikings simply could not offer her opponent any resistance.

Ostberg seems to have come to the same conclusion because after a while she decided to stop torturing the champion and let her fall to the mat. If last time the Norwegian woman greedily gulped air and her chest rose and fell heavily, this time her breathing was so weak that her short breaths were barely enough for her to retain the remnants of consciousness. And when the contender lay down on her, she didn't even strain. Ostberg hooked her leg and pulled it up as if it were a rag.

The referee, who, like the audience, watched at it with bated breath, quickly lay down next to the women. After making sure that Astrid's shoulder blades were firmly pressed against the mat, she raised her hand above her head. She hardly hoped for a miracle, but she waited for one second, as if checking if the Golden Dragon was going to break out right now. This didn't happen, of course. And so the hand of the striped shirt swiftly rushed to the mat.

"ONE!" Thundered through the arena.

And nothing. Not a muscle moved on the champion's face. She heard the first count as if it had been shouted right into her ear. But she was exhausted. Both physically and mentally. She could not win in two confrontations, which until today were considered her signature cards. Seeing how much effort her opponent was putting into winning, Astrid did everything in her power to respond in kind. But all this was not enough. And now she was just lying on the mat. And many would say that she looked peaceful. Many would say that she accepted her fate. However, in her soul she was very far from peace.

Standing in the middle of the endless void, she looked at the mighty beast. She had already been to this place several times. At times when it seemed to her that her strength was not enough, she always turned to the dragon that lived inside her. And now she was here for the same reason. She didn't even need to say anything. When the dragon opened his eyes and looked at her, the blonde steadfastly withstood the piercing gaze of the vertical pupils. She needed a flame that could sweep away everything in her path, the dragon knew that.

"And here we are again..." a low deep voice sounded. "You are again looking for power..." the dragon closed his eyes and a chill ran down Astrid's back. "You don't need my flame, you just need to wake up your own, you only need to do one thing..." darkness began to envelop the dragon, dissolving his silhouette. "Get up!"

Yes, this has happened once before. And that time Astrid was really able to do it. But this time it was different. This time she didn't feel strong enough to avoid defeat. Some would even find it funny. In pro wrestling, it often happens that the important thing is not the goal, but the path to it. Astrid's path to the top of LAW was really inspiring. But apparently she stumbled on the last step.

"TWO!!"

And nothing. The descendant of the great Vikings felt a taste of bitterness in her mouth as if someone had poured poison into her. She wasn't used to feeling disappointed. In each match, she showed the maximum of her capabilities and therefore she saw no point in regretting failures. However, no one, not even she, can remain indifferent to defeat in such a match. The title was in her hands. But now it seemed like a dream. It was as if she was looking at it from the outside. Although... it wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare. Astrid's eyes were closed, but even so she felt the referee raise her hand for the third time. At that moment, Astrid had perhaps the most terrible realization. She let herself down.

"Get up, blonde cunt..." hissed Nerissa, clutching the back of the seat in front of her.

"Get up, Astrid, get up..." Charlotte said quietly, clenching her fists with such force that her knuckles turned white.

She couldn't hear them. Her friends, with whom she started climbing to the top together, were sitting as close to the ring as possible, but there was no chance that she would hear them. No matter how sad it is to admit it, but not always the energy that your friends send reaches you. Not when you're exhausted lying in the ring. At such moments, no whisper can be heard. However... who said that a whisper is the only way to reach someone?

"GET UP!!!!!!!!!"

The heart-rending scream drowned out absolutely all other sounds. An invisible hand squeezed Astrid's heart so hard that she opened her eyes. These words. That voice. That reminded her of something. If she loses, she will let down not only herself. If she loses, she will let down all those who believed in her. All those who supported her at every step she took on the way to this day. This thought caused her to experience a pain that could never be compared to the pain in her body after all her opponent's attacks. This pain was stronger than anything. Astrid has said more than once that she is not afraid of anything. But at that moment she was afraid of the thought that she would have to live with the pain of knowing that she had let down those who helped her to be here today. Those who helped her become a champion.

"THR!!!..."

Gritting her teeth, she jerked to the side. And for the second time, the striped shirt had to literally fall on the mat in order not to let her palm touch the ring. 3? No. 2.99999. But not 3. That's what the referee told everyone at the moment when she got up on one knee and stuck out two fingers. And while the audience, clutching their heads, began to plunge into madness because of what they saw, Astrid was looking at only one person. Breathing heavily, she stared at the woman who owned the voice that sounded a moment before her possible defeat. Her manager, Victoria.

The Englishwoman stood between Charlotte and Nerissa and looked directly at Astrid. There were no tears on her face. She always knew how to hide emotions behind her dark eyes. Many considered this woman as cold as ice. But for Astrid, this woman was as close as her own mother. Shortly before her Apex match, Victoria told the blonde about her dream. Victoria told her that she just wanted to be there for her moment of triumph. That day, she promised that she would do everything in her power to ensure that Astrid reached the top. And Astrid, despite her open dislike of promises, promised in return that someday she would hand Victoria a title belt. That was her promise. And she intended to keep that promise even if it was the last thing she would do in her life.

[CaptainL]

Ostberg knew she wouldn't have much time. For all the hurt she was inflicting on Arvidsson, she had no choice but to take some of that on herself. For as deep as her reserves might have been, her stamina wasn't infinite. In fact, already it was starting to dwindle. Ostberg couldn't think of the last opponent she'd had to face who had even a sliver of the endurance Astrid Arvidsson had shown her now, in this match. She had put the Golden Dragon through moves that could have easily flattened her, that would've taken out anyone less with ease - and yet, Arvidsson held through, all the while. With each time Arvidsson escaped the former heavyweight champion's clutches, a little bit more of Ostberg's strength drained away. Not just from the effort she'd expended in achieving her goals, but from the knowledge that whatever she would need to throw at her opponent next was going to have to be even stronger in order to make sure that this time she'd stay down. Already, Ostberg had thrown everything short of the Stavanger Buster at Arvidsson, and she'd kicked out of every attempt to date. But surely, this would be the one. It had to be.

Ostberg's muscles felt like they were going to pop; her whole body had grown numb, and her throat burned from all the water she'd lost in her sweat. Her head was throbbing, and her body felt like it was laden with heavy weights. It was a small miracle she had even been able to lift Arvidsson this time, but her burning passion and her determination had pushed her through. The question was...if this wasn't enough, what would Ostberg do next? It would have to be something she had the strength in her to accomplish - and the list of those moves was growing shorter and shorter. The question wasn't if Ostberg could beat Arvidsson any more, but of whether she'd even last that long!

This was promising, though. This looked like it just might be it. Ostberg lay atop her fellow Norwegian, still feeling the lingering soreness in her fingers from how hard she'd cranked down on her opponent's head and legs to bend her back over her knee. She could barely move, but that didn't matter; she didn't need to move. She had Arvidsson down for the pin - and the champion lay still and motionless. She just had to keep this up for a little bit longer, she thought, and victory would be hers!

She heard the one. She heard the two. With every number the referee called out, Ostberg could feel her heart thump faster and faster in her chest. It almost didn't seem real - it seemed too good to be true. That after the setbacks she'd faced in losing her title, she'd be able to so quickly make a rebound, and not just that, but a rebound that would let her soar even higher - to claim the title of Openweight Champion! Her breaths quickened into pants as her heart raced more and more, and she tingled from head to toe. She could hardly believe it - but she knew, deep in her heart, it had to be true. There was no way Arvidsson would ever be able to make it out of this in her state! It just wasn't possible - it would defy any explanation for her to have that strength in her! And if that was true...then that meant Ostberg was just seconds away from being crowned champion! When she heard the two, followed by the insatiable cheers that accompanied it, followed then by the first gasps of a three, Ostberg began to lift her head higher, a grin spreading across her face. This was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for! This was hers!

And then, all of a sudden...it was cut short!

Ostberg heard the mystery woman call out to her client. Her head swung around to face the source of the noise. She didn't recognize Arvidsson's manager, but there was no doubt that she was here - and Arvidsson had noticed. She'd noticed just enough to find that strength in her, to heed her words...and to get her shoulder up!

The referee's signal was official. Only two. It was by a fraction of a fraction of a second, but the match was still on! Arvidsson had barely moved, and yet the short distance she had moved was still a sign of enough life to show that she still had some fight in her; that she still had the will to win! Cheers and hollers broke through the air at the thought that Arvidsson was capable of such a thing in the first place! But as for Ostberg...she was still lost in abject disbelief. When she looked up at the woman who had been Arvidsson's savior, that confident grin on her face slowly sagged, giving way, her jaw dropping into a wide-open gape. It couldn't be. It wasn't possible. It shouldn't have been possible.

Ostberg stayed right where she was, lying on top of Arvidsson, even after she'd released her leg. She could hardly find the willpower in her to move, and she was still lost in the whirlwind of what had just happened, so much so that she could only concentrate on Victoria. Even the words that did leave her mouth were barely coherent; little more than a few questions she gasped out with the dying embers of her breath. "Huuuh...who..? What..? How..?"