Madeline Christiansen vs. Ishigami Yuto - Thorns into Roses

[Lightman]

The referee’s voice rang out, each number slicing through the thick air of tension. “Seven! Eight...! Nine…!” Madeline didn’t need to turn around. She already knew—Yuto wasn’t getting back up. The energy had shifted. What had once been taut with suspense now unravelled into certainty. She stood composed in the centre of the ring, her breathing even, her body still humming from the effort. Her eyes remained on Yuto, crumpled on the mat, conscious but far from capable. He’d lasted longer than most, but the outcome had never truly been in question.

At the count of ten, the bell rang, crisp and absolute. The referee declared Madeline the winner. There was no grand reaction from her, no fist-pumping or loud celebration. It wasn’t necessary. Her performance had said everything. The crowd erupted around her, but she hardly acknowledged it. She allowed the referee to raise her hand, her expression unreadable, gaze momentarily resting on the boy still trying to find his bearings on the canvas.

As she passed Yuto’s side, Madeline paused for only a second. He was stirring—barely. Not quite defeated, not quite present. She looked down at him with a restrained kind of respect, no condescension in her tone when she said, “Learn from this, Yuto.” A brief nod followed—cool, impersonal, yet not entirely unkind. Then she moved on. Whatever came next for him would be his own to figure out.

She exited the ring with the same control she’d carried throughout the match. No need for spectacle. Let the crowd cheer, let the analysts talk. The match was over, and she had no intention of lingering in the spotlight. Yuto had shown spirit, but spirit alone didn’t win fights. Maybe he’d learn that. Maybe he’d come back stronger. That was up to him.

WINNER: MADELINE CHRISTIANSEN