“Ahhh!!” A short but painful scream echoed through the gym. “What the hell are you doing?!”
Astrid turned her head to the side. Today Charlotte closed her martial arts school so that the Golden Trio could have a peaceful joint training session. And while the Norwegian woman was busy with an exercise machine, Nerissa and Charlotte decided to have a sparring session.
Astrid Arvidsson
Given how strong a fighter each of them was, there was nothing surprising about the noise made by the bodies falling and the painful groans from the blows. Because of this, Astrid didn’t attach much importance to what was happening in the ring, focusing instead on her own training. However, she was increasingly hearing Charlotte’s painful groans, which in itself was somewhat unusual. And now, when the Frenchwoman openly lost her temper, the blonde finally decided to find out what was going on.
Astrid’s left eyebrow rose instantly. There were several meters between Charlotte and Nerissa. The pink‑haired woman bent slightly and covered her stomach with her hands, although that didn’t prevent Astrid from seeing the numerous red spots on the martial arts master’s belly. Nerissa, meanwhile, stood in front of Charlotte, her hands on her hips, while a barely noticeable smirk played on her face.
“What's the matter?” Nerissa asked, a little haughtily. “Maybe it’s time to admit defeat and end the sparring?”
Nerissa Labong
“Brazen bitch!”
Charlotte Ravel'
Charlotte’s eyes flashed, and she rushed forward. She threw her right leg in the direction of Nerissa’s stomach, but the Native American woman made a deft step back. However, this was only the beginning, because then Charlotte spun around on her own axis, throwing her other leg at Nerissa’s stomach. This time, Nerissa was saved by luck and she took a step back at the last second. It might have seemed that the danger had passed, but in the blink of an eye Charlotte performed another spin.
Nerissa couldn’t dodge the third kick. The pink‑haired woman’s foot, like a tank, crashed into the center of her friend’s abdomen. The force of the kick was so great that the Native American woman was literally thrown back a meter. It seemed that Charlotte had put a lot of rage into that kick. The proof of this was that Nerissa’s knees trembled. Although she managed to stay on her feet, she was forced to cover her stomach with her hands.
“Fucking bitch!” She hissed, raising her eyes to Charlotte. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
“What's the matter?” Charlotte asked, her nostrils flaring with anger. “Maybe it’s time to admit defeat and end the sparring?”
“Pink cunt!” Nerissa growled. “I’m gonna fucking kill you!”
The women rushed at each other, but…
“That’s enough!”
Astrid, who had already realized that things were getting serious, managed to reach the ring without her friends noticing. And before Nerissa and Charlotte started really beating the shit out of each other, the Norwegian woman stepped between them. She shifted her gaze from Nerissa to Charlotte. Both were breathing heavily and clearly on edge. The blonde woman’s lavender eyes narrowed slightly.
“We’re not used to holding back during sparring,” she began by stating a fact. “But I thought we promised each other to avoid unnecessary injuries and to direct our real efforts at our rivals, didn’t we?” Astrid noticed that her friends’ breathing had become a little steadier. “So maybe you could explain what the hell is going on here?”
Charlotte and Nerissa looked each other in the eye, and then simultaneously looked away, which made Astrid click her tongue irritably, as if she were dealing with little children who had quarreled over a trifle. This prompted Nerissa to break the silence.
“She hit me too hard in the stomach, even though we agreed that in this sparring session we wouldn’t go all out…”
“Are you kidding me?” Charlotte asked, pursing her lips, and then pointed to her own stomach. “For the past ten minutes, all you’ve done is attack my stomach, do you really think you have the right to complain about my last kick?”
“It was an accident, I didn't attack your stomach purposefully!”
“Go tell these tales to someone else!” Charlotte started getting angry again. “Ten minutes and every other attack was aimed at my stomach, could you at least try to come up with a more plausible excuse?”
"Listen you fucking..." Nerissa started to get angry too.
“Okay, okay, don't start that again!" Astrid intervened, preventing her friends from starting to fight again. “I understand that the situation is ambiguous.” She looked first at Charlotte, then at Nerissa, and sighed heavily. “Here’s what we’ll do: first, Nerissa will apologize for attacking Charlotte during the sparring session, then Charlotte will apologize for the overly strong kick, then you’ll shake hands, and then I have a proposal for you both.” She raised her index finger, noticing the indignation on her friends’ faces. “And don’t even try to refuse! I have no desire to call Victoria and give her a reason to lecture you about how we should all treat each other like sisters.”
The Frenchwoman and the Native American woman looked each other in the eye again. It was hard not to notice that they were still angry with each other. Their staring contest lasted another five seconds, and then Nerissa lowered her gaze.
“I’m sorry, I really didn’t intend to hit your stomach on purpose, I don’t even know how it happened... maybe it was just instinct…”
Charlotte, upon hearing these words, also lowered her gaze and even bit her lower lip slightly.
“I’m sorry, I got angry and let myself put more force into the kick than I should have... I didn’t want to go beyond what was reasonable…”
Both women raised their eyes and smiled at each other, then shook hands. This made Astrid smile too, after which the Norwegian woman clapped her hands.
“Excellent!” She said, clearly in a better mood. “Now, as for my proposal…” a playful smile appeared on the blonde’s face. “It’s obvious that we’re all a bit on edge today, so it wouldn’t hurt for us all to let off some steam, don’t you think?” Nerissa and Charlotte both raised their eyebrows, unable to guess what Astrid was about to suggest. “And since we’ve already reached the point of hitting the belly, how about some abs game for friends?”
“What?” The Frenchwoman and the Native American woman asked at the same time.
“It's simple, really!” Astrid was obviously excited. “The ring is our arena, we stand in a triangle and then we will attack each other's bellies!" The smile on Astrid's face widened. “Let's say first you two hit my stomach, then Charlotte and I hit Nerissa's stomach, then Nerissa and I hit Charlotte's stomach!” It seemed to her that she saw a spark ignite in the eyes of Charlotte and Nerissa. “We start with punches, then we can add kicks, and if it comes to that, we can include pro‑wrestling moves!” It seemed that everyone liked the idea. “If after attacks to the stomach you fall to your knees and don’t get up within three seconds or you get up and fall again, you’re eliminated and must leave the ring!” She explained the rules of victory and defeat. “Well, and let the winner treat the losers to a drink after the training session, I think that would be fair!” She smiled broadly. “How does that sound?”
All three women exchanged glances. There was no doubt that each of them found the proposal quite interesting and even somewhat amusing. But there was something else as well... something subtle, yet at the same time something that each of them understood. Joint training sessions and sparring were an integral part of their lives, but they always tried to avoid anything that might lead to the issue that still remained unresolved between them.
“You do realize that this is a competition, right?” Charlotte finally asked, realizing that they had to talk it over.
“And that, in fact, are you suggesting to check who has the strongest abs...” Nerissa added.
“Well, the result doesn't prove that one of us is stronger than the other two,” Astrid shrugged. “Besides, let's be honest, my abs are stronger than yours in terms of muscles." She smiled again. “But who said this game is just about muscles?” She spread her arms out to the sides. “Sometimes willpower can be far more important than muscles, and besides… I won’t believe you if you say you don’t want to win in such a competition.”
For a few seconds, they just looked at each other, and then smiles appeared on Charlotte’s and Nerissa’s faces as well. All three of them simultaneously clenched their right hands into fists and thrust them forward, bumping their fists together.
“I’m in, and don’t even think I’ll lose to you two!” Nerissa said boldly.
“It will be an honor to defeat both of you…” Charlotte said in a calm voice, but behind that calmness one could sense the anticipation.
“Keep hoping for victory, girls, I’m the first openweight champion for a reason, and my abs are the strongest, huh!” Astrid said, smiling from ear to ear.
Remaining in the center of the ring, they formed a triangle. As the blonde had suggested, they decided to start in the same order she had described earlier. They did have an agreement among themselves that they shouldn’t try to find out which of them was truly stronger, but it would be a lie to say that they had never been interested in that. It was generally accepted that they were all just one step ahead and at the same time one step behind of each other. But now they were all caught up in the excitement, and none of them wanted to lose.
“So, girls, are you ready?” Astrid asked, placing her palms behind her head and tensing her abs.
“Ready to turn your abs into mush!” Nerissa replied in a flash.
The Native American woman took a sharp step forward, like a wild beast breaking into the game. Swinging her right arm, she delivered a hard right cross to Astrid’s stomach. Her knuckles slammed into the blonde’s abs, and although the punch was powerful, it felt like she was facing steel. Yes, Astrid’s abs were certainly more than impressive, it was no wonder she was so proud of the results of her abs training.
The lower eyelid of the descendant of the great Vikings twitched slightly from the punch, but Astrid herself remained calm. However, she didn’t even have time to comment on Nerissa’s punch in any way, since Charlotte didn’t waste any time. Immediately after her friend’s punch, she took a quick step forward, synchronizing the movement of her right arm with a twist of her torso, and delivered a swift right hook to the champion’s belly. Charlotte was an incredibly talented fighter and she knew how to use her body to enhance every punch and every kick.
Her knuckles crashed into Astrid’s abs, and this time the blonde winced in pain, while a painful breath escaped from her nostrils. However, these two punches didn’t make her move back or to the side and she stayed where she was. Tilting her head to the side and making her neck make a cracking sound, she smiled.
“Not bad, huh!” She said with a smile on her face. “Now let’s see how you both handle this!”
Nerissa snorted arrogantly, and then clasped her hands behind her head. Her abdominal muscles tensed. Even though she was a lightweight and perhaps her physique was the least impressive among them, she was a true wild beast, capable of enduring an incredible amount of pain.
Astrid smirked, seeing her friend’s determination, and then took a sharp step forward. Her clenched fist sliced through the air from below and when an uppercut slammed into Nerissa’s stomach she let out a quiet but distinct groan of pain. It was obvious that the Native American woman was in pain, but she remained standing in place, turning toward Charlotte. The pink‑haired woman gave a brief nod, then delivered a quick jab straight into the center of Nerissa’s abdomen. This made the Native American woman wince slightly, but Charlotte’s punch wasn’t as powerful as Astrid’s, so she had no trouble withstanding it. Nerissa gave her arms a slight shake.
“Well, let’s see what you’re capable of, Pinkie Pie!” She took a fighting stance.
“Do your worst!” Charlotte replied defiantly.
Nerissa swung her right arm and sent a right cross into Charlotte’s stomach. The Frenchwoman managed to keep her face expressionless, but her eyes told the truth... it hurt. Astrid didn’t waste any time and repeated the Native American woman’s punch, sending a cross into the center of Charlotte’s abdomen. This time, the pink‑haired woman exhaled painfully, but it didn’t stop her from staying in place.
All three of them successfully completed the first round. They exchanged glances, and each of them saw only one thing in the other’s eyes. Their game had only just begun, and each of them wanted more. They didn’t even need words to understand that this game would be long and exhausting. Without wasting any time, Astrid raised her arms and joined her palms behind her head, preparing for the next round.
Second round. Third round. Fourth round.
And ten minutes later, all three women were standing opposite each other, their breathing noticeably labored. Thin streams of sweat began to run down their bodies, and their bellies were covered in bright spots, some of which were red and some were blue‑violet. Of the three of them, Astrid and Charlotte were still standing firmly on their feet, while Nerissa’s legs trembled ever so slightly.
“Still hoping for a win, huh?” Astrid asked, adding fuel to the fire.
“Hoo, do you think I don’t see how you’re trying to hold back painful groans after every hit?” Nerissa snapped. “I see right through you!”
“Oh, really?” The blonde’s lavender eyes glinted. “So maybe we should take it to the next level and add some kicks to our punches?” She smirked openly, looking into Nerissa’s face. “What do you say, shorty?”
“I’m the best at kicks in this federation!” The Native American woman blurted out. “So it’s me who should be asking if you’re ready for me to kick your abs, cow!”
“The best at kicks?” Charlotte asked, a note of coldness in her voice. “Only in your dreams, Nerissa…”
“Do you want to refute that, pink cunt?” Nerissa asked.
The atmosphere had clearly become much heavier, and now the tension between them could be cut with a knife. Without saying anything else, all three agreed to make their game tougher. Charlotte raised her hands and joined her palms together behind her head.
Licking her lips, Nerissa abruptly turned sideways to the Frenchwoman, simultaneously lifting her right leg, bent at the knee, upward. Even before Charlotte could blink, the Native American woman straightened her leg and delivered a quick and powerful side kick to the martial arts master’s abdomen. When her foot crashed into the center of the pink‑haired woman’s belly, Charlotte’s eyes widened in pain. A painful groan escaped her lips, and she staggered back half a step.
The result made Nerissa smile, but only for a moment, because a moment later Charlotte pulled herself together. Straightening to her full height and taking a deep breath, she returned to her starting position. Without saying anything, she turned to Astrid, which earned an approving nod from the blonde.
Although she wasn’t as skilled at kicks as her friends, she more than made up for it with her wild power. Taking half a step forward, she raised her right leg, bent at the knee, upward. Charlotte quickly realized what was coming, so she tried to tense her abdominal muscles as much as possible. The blonde forcefully straightened her right leg and delivered a simple but extremely powerful front kick to the Frenchwoman’s stomach.
When the Norwegian woman’s foot crashed into Charlotte’s stomach, the Frenchwoman involuntarily opened her mouth, and a thin stream of saliva flew out. With a stifled groan of pain, she staggered back a step and then doubled over. Her legs trembled, but she remained standing. She had to grit her teeth and force herself to take a deep breath despite the pain, after which she straightened up.
“Amateurs…” she said, her eyes flashing.
Astrid and Nerissa bared their teeth at such audacity, after which the blonde raised her hands. The very second Astrid’s palms came into contact with the back of her head, Charlotte, without any warning, spun around 180 degrees in a flash. Gaining momentum, she raised her right leg, bent at the knee, upward. Turning over her right shoulder to maintain her aim, she abruptly straightened her leg, delivering a back kick to the Norwegian woman’s stomach.
Such swiftness caught Astrid off guard, and a moment later Charlotte’s foot crashed into her belly. Her lavender eyes widened in pain. A painful groan escaped through clenched teeth, and the blonde staggered back a step. She had to exert considerable effort to keep from doubling over. Now that it came to kicks, Charlotte’s attacks became much more powerful, and Astrid quickly realized that she would no longer have a significant advantage in their game.
After taking a short breath, she returned to her starting position, where Nerissa was already waiting for her. The Native American woman turned sideways again and raised her right leg, once again using a side kick. It might have seemed that there was nothing special about this kick, but in reality, the peculiarity of this kick was that she managed to aim for the same spot where Charlotte’s kick had landed a moment earlier.
Gasping in surprise, Astrid staggered back another step and even leaned forward slightly. An irritated and painful growl escaped her clenched teeth. It took her a few moments to recover and return to her original position.
“Cheap tactic…” she commented on Nerissa’s actions.
“Is it against the rules to aim at a specific spot?” The Native American woman asked. “No? So maybe we should keep going? I want to see both of you fall to your knees…”
“Oh, fuck, please…” Astrid shook her head.
Nerissa put her hands behind her head, and in the same second, the Norwegian woman rushed forward. Swinging her right hand, she channeled the emotions that Nerissa’s words had evoked into her right uppercut. When her fist slammed into Nerissa’s belly, she literally lifted off the mat by several centimeters. This caused her to stagger back, lean forward, and cough.
“Got anything to say now?” Astrid asked.
In response, Nerissa hissed angrily like a real snake. The anger helped her take a deep breath, after which she returned to her original position and turned to face Charlotte.
“Your side kick was certainly good,” the Frenchwoman acknowledged. “And in your pride, you probably think you’re better, but you know what?”
The Frenchwoman abruptly turned sideways to Nerissa and placed her left foot against her right foot. Thus, she received an additional impulse, which she directed at her right leg, bent at the knee and rising into the air. When she straightened that leg, her foot cut through the air with such speed that Astrid and Nerissa thought they heard a whistle.
When her foot slammed into the center of the Native American woman’s abdomen with a hop-step side kick, Nerissa literally cried out in pain. Bent in half, she staggered back three steps. Her legs trembled so violently that her right knee started to bend toward the mat. But despite the pain, she managed to force herself to stop. Her knee didn’t touch the mat, and a few moments later Nerissa straightened up to her full height.
“It seems the game is even more interesting than I thought, huh…” Astrid said.
Nerissa licked her lips and returned to her starting position. Now that they’d added kicks to their game, they’d literally taken it to a new level. This one round was enough to realize that they would now be losing strength much more quickly. But, what was even more important, it was obvious to all of them that someone would break down soon. The only question was who it would be.
Eleventh round. Twelfth round. Thirteenth round.
And after another ten minutes, the three women, who were undoubtedly the strongest in Victoria’s team, were standing opposite each other, out of breath. Each of them had wrapped her arms around her stomach. Their faces showed agony, and there wasn’t a dry spot on their bodies due to the copious sweat. Their stomachs now resembled one big bruise.
“I admit… although I didn’t expect anything less from you… but… you’ve managed to impress me…” Astrid said between breaths.
“Oh God... are you still trying to pretend that your abs are stronger than ours?" Nerissa asked, breathing very heavily.
Instead of answering, Astrid bared her teeth and took a step forward. Turning her body to the right, she swung her right arm in a wide arc and sent a hard right hook into Nerissa's stomach. When her knuckles cut into the Native American woman's flesh, she let out a painful cry. Nerissa staggered back a few steps, her legs trembling treacherously, and then her right knee touched the mat.
“One!” Astrid immediately began counting.
Nerissa clenched her teeth. Sweat streamed down her face, and her belly hurt so badly that she felt nauseous. The pain was monstrous. In a sense, it was as if she were bound by chains that weren’t going to let her get up. However, she wouldn’t be Nerissa Labong if she didn’t give it her all.
“Two!!” Astrid held up two fingers.
“Shut up, cow!” Nerissa growled angrily.
Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to take a deep breath and then straightened up to her full height. This made the blonde smile. This game may have been tough, but she genuinely respected Nerissa’s desire to win. Charlotte didn’t stand aside either and nodded respectfully to the Native American woman.
Nerissa took a few more deep breaths, then returned to her starting position, turning to face Charlotte. The Frenchwoman simply looked at Nerissa for a few seconds, clearly pondering something. Perhaps at that moment, they both understood what was about to happen. But Nerissa was too proud to say it out loud. And Charlotte respected her friend too much to suggest that she give up.
Suddenly, Charlotte’s eyes seemed to light up. The Frenchwoman took a step forward, placing her right foot slightly to the left of her left foot, and in that same second, she began to spin to the left. Her left leg shot into the air, simultaneously bending at the knee. At that moment, the air around them seemed to grow noticeably heavier. After completing a full rotation, the pink‑haired woman received an incredibly powerful impulse, which she directed into her left leg. Nerissa knew exactly what was coming next, and so she tensed her abs as much as possible.
When Charlotte straightened her left leg, it was like a cannon shot. Her foot sliced through the air with a whoosh and crashed into the center of Nerissa’s abdomen. This spinning side kick was so powerful that it took the Native American woman’s breath away, and she couldn’t even cry out. The kick literally threw Nerissa back five steps. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and fell to her knees. Tears welled up in her eyes because of the unimaginable pain.
“One!” Charlotte began to count.
Nerissa bit her lower lip. As someone who had been through many hardcore matches, she was used to pain. But what she was experiencing at that moment was something else entirely. The pain in her belly was so intense that she couldn’t bring herself to take a normal breath.
“Two!!”
The Native American woman hissed furiously. If there was one thing she truly hated, it was defeat. Not long ago she had lost perhaps the most important rivalry of her life because she had given in to her feelings for her rival. She still hadn’t figured out exactly what she had felt, but there was one thing she was sure of. Losing that match was a nightmare for her.
When Charlotte was already ready to finish counting, Nerissa forced herself to lift both knees off the mat. The Native American woman even almost straightened up to her full height, although her face showed pure agony. Astrid and Charlotte looked at Nerissa as if she had performed a miracle. This woman’s will was truly iron. But, unfortunately, sometimes willpower alone isn’t enough. Unable to cope with the amount of damage her abs had taken, Nerissa collapsed back onto her knees.
“Three!!!” Charlotte finished in a slightly trembling voice.
A silence fell over the martial arts school, broken only by Nerissa’s heavy breathing. Charlotte and Astrid were literally frozen, staring at Nerissa. Everyone knew that, due to her height and weight, the Native American woman had the least muscle mass of the three of them, so in fact she had the least chance of winning this competition. And yet… Nerissa not only performed well, she truly deserved to win. The bitter truth was that sometimes, even despite all your efforts, you simply can’t win.
“Nerissa…” Charlotte began.
“Don’t say anything!” the Native American woman interrupted. “Please…” she closed her eyes for a moment and took a few deep breaths, then got to her feet and straightened up to her full height. “I lost.” She admitted, which made Charlotte and Astrid raise their eyebrows slightly because it was completely out of character for their friend. “But!" Nerissa forced a cheeky smile through the pain. “Next time, both of you will be on your knees in front of me and I will make you kiss my abs, do you get that?!”
For a few seconds, Astrid and Charlotte just stood and stared at their friend as if they had just seen something completely extraterrestrial. And then each of them responded to the Native American woman with a smile.
“Yeah, dream about it, shorty, huh!” Astrid replied.
“When you’re ready, I’ll be ready too!” Charlotte said.
Nerissa nodded to her friends and headed for the ropes. Whatever the case, she had lost, and now she had to leave the ring. Although she said what she said, deep down she actually felt far greater pain than the one in her belly. After losing the rivalry to Clara, she seemed to have changed. She tried to deny it, but now… it was as if she had lost herself. And the worst part was that she had no idea what to do about it. The Native American woman lifted the top rope and slipped between the ropes onto the apron. She was already getting ready to leave the ring…
“Hey, shorty!” Astrid called out to her, which made Nerissa turn her head.
“You’re an amazing fighter.” Charlotte said.
“And maybe it’s not your time right now, but I know for sure that one day you’ll really be able to bring not only us, but the whole fucking federation to their knees, huh!” Astrid added.
Now it was Nerissa’s turn to freeze in time and space. She blinked several times, as if trying to process what her best friends had just said. Her mouth first parted slightly, and then she involuntarily closed her lips. Her breath caught again. Before arriving in Japan, before meeting Astrid and Charlotte, she had never had anyone who was ready to support her. She hadn’t had anyone she could call true friends. But now everything had changed.
“Thank you…” she almost said in a trembling voice, but she stopped herself in time. It took her a few seconds to get a grip on her emotions, but then she smiled sincerely and boldly. “As if I don’t know without you that one day every bitch in this federation will be praising me, lying at my feet!”
“Bitch…” Astrid and Charlotte said simultaneously, clearly appreciating their friend’s stoic temperament.
Nerissa got down from the ring and immediately picked up a bottle of water. After taking a few sips, she exhaled with relief, but then her face twisted in pain again. However, despite the pain in her belly, she turned to the ring and rested her elbows on the apron. It seemed she was curious to see how the game would end. Charlotte and Astrid… many had dreamed of seeing these two face each other in a match. And although this couldn’t be called a full‑fledged match… an incredibly tense atmosphere hung in the air right now.
“Well…” Astrid drawled, taking a step toward the center of the ring. “Now it’s just you and me.”
“That’s right,” the pink‑haired woman confirmed, taking a step toward the blonde. “Got anything to say about that?”
“Apart from the fact that I’m going to settle the matter of whether my abs are stronger than yours, huh?” Astrid’s lips stretched into a wide smile. “How about we take the game to the next level?” Her lavender eyes seemed to fill with fire. “Let’s add pro wrestling moves to the punches and kicks, with a small adjustment: if, for example, after my move you end up on the mat, I should only start counting when I’m on my feet myself.” It might have seemed like she was done, but… “And one more thing: let’s add the possibility of three punches. In other words, you can deliver not just one punch, but three, and in response, your opponent can do the same.” Astrid raised her head, which made her look as bold as possible. “What do you think, Sand Lizard?”
“I think you’ll blush pretty pink when I kick your ass!” Charlotte replied, throwing off her usual composure. “Bring it on, Golden Dragon!”
It seemed that Astrid liked Charlotte’s enthusiasm. There had always been an endless respect between these two, but at the same time each of them wanted to find out who was truly stronger. Perhaps today wasn’t the day they would find out who was the best fighter. But today they’ll definitely find out whose abs and willpower are stronger.
Without any warning, Astrid took a step forward and then delivered a left jab, then a right cross, and then another left jab into Charlotte’s stomach. Loud slaps echoed through the empty gym as the fists and abs made contact. Charlotte gritted her teeth, but despite that, she still let out three consecutive painful groans.
“Not bad…” Astrid began.
But she didn’t have a chance to finish. Charlotte rushed forward with fury in her eyes. With her left hand, she grabbed Astrid by the left shoulder, and then, using her right hand, delivered three consecutive uppercuts in a row to the blonde’s midsection. Each one was stronger than the previous one, and after the third uppercut Astrid dropped to her knee for the first time in this game.
“One!” Charlotte immediately started counting.
“Ghhh…” the Norwegian woman groaned, covering her stomach with her right hand.
“Two!!”
But before she could take a breath for the final count, Astrid straightened to her full height. She looked at Charlotte with genuine fury. It seemed the Frenchwoman had managed to awaken the dragon. With a wild roar, Astrid lunged forward, grabbing her friend by the elbow and knee. In the blink of an eye, she placed Charlotte on her shoulders in a fireman’s carry position.
Accompanied by Nerissa’s widened eyes, Astrid let out a roar and threw Charlotte in front of her. But, of course, she wasn’t just going to throw Charlotte onto the mat. As soon as the pink‑haired woman was in the air, Astrid immediately thrust her right knee forward, right under the Frenchwoman’s belly, using a fireman’s carry gutbuster.
“GUUUAAAAMMMMMHHH!!!!”
When Charlotte collapsed onto Astrid’s knee with her stomach, she made a very strange sound, it was filled with pain, yet at the same time muted due to her labored breathing. The pink‑haired woman rolled off the champion’s knee and clutched her stomach with both hands. Astrid, in turn, staggered and also covered her stomach with her hands. In a fit of rage she had forgotten about the pain for a moment, but now it was back. The blonde gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and then got to her feet and straightened up to her full height.
“One!” She began to count, gazing intently at Charlotte on the mat.
The Frenchwoman also clenched her teeth. It seemed their game had just reached a whole new level. The pain in her belly was simply unbearable. Yet the very idea of giving up now repelled her. She considered Astrid… Charlotte wasn’t even sure she was ready to admit that to herself. Despite the fact that many, including Victoria, believed that everyone in the Golden Trio was just one step ahead or behind each other, in reality, everything was a bit simpler.
Astrid is in first place.
Charlotte is in second place.
Nerissa is in third place.
Perhaps this was even true if we looked at everything solely from the perspective of how their careers were progressing. There was just one nuance. Perhaps Astrid was fine with this distribution of places among them, but Charlotte and Nerissa certainly weren’t. Nerissa never even tried to hide it, because her endless pride spoke volumes even without words, it was clear that only first place would suit her. Charlotte, in turn, was expected to be modest, as that was precisely the quality of a great fighter. But… deep down, despite the fact that she herself tried to deny it, Charlotte knew well that she didn’t need second or third place. The only place she sees herself is in first place. And so she placed her palms on either side of her head.
“Two!!” Astrid said loudly.
At that moment, Nerissa involuntarily clenched her fists. She wasn’t going to root for any of her friends in this competition. But at the same time, she sincerely wanted Charlotte to find the strength to get back on her feet. Perhaps even the Frenchwoman herself felt it, and that’s why she forced herself to overcome the pain in her belly. With a groan of pain, Charlotte tensed her arms and made herself first get up on all fours, then onto one knee.
“THR!!!...”
But no. Before the blonde could finish, the martial arts master straightened to her full height. This made Astrid stop counting, but her eyes remained focused on her friend. Once on her feet, Charlotte staggered but didn’t fall back onto the mat. She forced herself to take a deep breath, and then the pink‑haired woman focused her gaze on Astrid.
“What’s the matter? Why the glare?” The champion asked, narrowing her eyes.
“Lie down on the mat…” Charlotte muttered through gritted teeth.
“What?” Astrid didn't understand.
“I said lie down on the fucking mat!” Charlotte repeated, this time in a more cold voice. “We can use pro wrestling moves now, right? So for my move, you have to lie down on the mat!”
Astrid blinked a few times. Something had definitely changed. Charlotte didn’t look the same as usual. Usually, she saw something in her best friend’s eyes that said, “This is my duty, and therefore I must do it.” But now there was something different in Charlotte’s eyes. The blonde even slightly parted her lips as if she were about to say something.
Perhaps right now, Astrid truly considered herself the number one member of their Golden Trio. In a sense, at that moment, that was an axiom. Among the three of them, she had the most successful career. Among the three of them, she had the greatest number of victories. Among the three of them, she is the strongest physically. Among the three of them, she is the only champion. Do we really need more proof that she is the best of them?
But...
There was one thing that Astrid had realized quite a long time ago. A thing she had only said once, but she said it out loud. On the day she had a heart‑to‑heart talk with Clara Gaster. Even though she was half‑drunk, her words were an unwavering truth.
“Charlotte is stronger than both me and Nerissa together… she just doesn’t know it yet…”
That was Astrid’s sincere opinion about Charlotte. Perhaps she should even have told her best friend about it. But something told her she shouldn’t do that. Either someone else should tell Charlotte, or Charlotte should figure it out on her own.
The goal that the Sand Lizard wants to achieve is quite ambitious. To become a champion who will serve as an example for all future generations of fighters. And this goal is undoubtedly noble. However, Astrid believed that the reasons why Charlotte was striving for this goal were not entirely correct. That is why Charlotte could not fully unlock her potential.
And for the same reason, Astrid was very worried about the upcoming title match for the Frenchwoman. She was sure that if Charlotte did not have enough strength to take the title belt from Kyoko, it would literally break her friend.
Still, what she saw in Charlotte’s eyes right now… it sent a chill down her spine. Right now, she wasn’t seeing duty or any other crap like that in the Frenchwoman’s eyes. Right now, she was seeing in Charlotte’s eyes what she truly wanted to win. What she was sure she deserved to win. And that was what Astrid would have wanted to see in her friend’s eyes always.
“Well…” the blonde said, pulling herself together. “Now that you’re calm and cool… get going…”
Now it was Charlotte’s turn to raise her left eyebrow. What exactly did Astrid mean by that? Yes, she had certainly been angry a few moments ago, but that was only because she was in pain. And the fact that she had calmed down a bit before her move had nothing to do with it. Or did it?
Doesn't matter.
Under Charlotte’s intense gaze, Astrid lay down on the mat. Since they had agreed to use pro wrestling mvoes in their little game, she had no right to object. Besides… in fact, there weren’t that many moves in pro wrestling that were aimed at damaging the belly, unless it was a submission hold. So she was even somewhat curious about what the Frenchwoman had in mind.
“Wait… what the hell are you doing???…” Astrid asked as Charlotte headed toward the nearest corner.
Charlotte didn’t even reply, but Astrid understood everything without words when the Frenchwoman started climbing onto the top turntable. Charlotte was widely known for her fondness of kicks, and she was also quite good at punches. But because of that, many people, including Astrid herself, quite often forgot that the Sand Lizard was a real pro wrestler.
Having climbed onto the top turnbuckle and made sure she had good balance, Charlotte turned to face the ring. That’s right, kicks and punches were her bread and butter, but pro wrestling moves were her jam. Especially risky aerial moves, including her critical finisher. She was used to using such moves only in cases where she was sure her opponent wouldn’t be able to dodge in any way. But now she didn’t need to worry about that, since, according to the rules they had established, Astrid wasn’t supposed to dodge.
Taking a deep breath, Charlotte pushed off with both feet from the top turnbuckle and soared into the air. Pleasant streams of air washed over her face. Damn, she had never felt anything so pleasant during an aerial move before. Usually, she took it for granted. But this time… she perceived it as if she was really fighting against the openweight champion in a real match.
Charlotte abruptly threw both legs to the side in order to take a more horizontal position. And as soon as her body was directly above Astrid's, she threw her right elbow to the right. A cool stream of air blew over her face, which made the Frenchwoman smile faintly.
At the same time, to say that fear was reflected in the Norwegian woman’s eyes would be an understatement. Charlotte was undoubtedly the most versatile fighter among them, but she rarely used aerial moves. The champion knew perfectly well what awaited her, and so she tensed not only her abs but her entire body. She even held her breath and closed her eyes, but…
“GGGGAAAAUUUUMMMMPPPPHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!”
A stifled yet agonized groan from the Norwegian woman echoed through the empty gym. Charlotte’s diving elbow drop landed right in the center of the blonde’s abdomen, causing her body to fold in half before she rolled onto her side, clutching her stomach with both hands. Astrid lost the ability to breathe normally and now coughed constantly, each time shuddering from the pain in her abs.
Charlotte lay on the mat for a few more seconds, gasping for air and trying to ease the pain in her own belly, but then she first rolled onto her stomach, then got up onto all fours, and then stood on her feet. Still breathing heavily, she looked at Astrid, and her eyes narrowed.
“ONE!” She said loudly and clearly.
The descendant of the great Vikings forced herself to suppress a cough and clenched her teeth. Damn… the truth was that even though she knew how strong her best friends were, she was actually sure that winning this little game would be no trouble for her. It seemed she had made a very big mistake. And she had made an even bigger mistake regarding Charlotte, because she hadn’t expected the Frenchwoman to show such a strong desire to win.
“TWO!!” For emphasis, Charlotte held up two fingers, showing Astrid that she was one step away from losing.
Astrid turned her head to the side and looked at the pinkhaired woman. Charlotte’s face didn’t show triumph, not yet. The champion quickly understood what was going on. Even though she was in agony, Charlotte was sure she would get back on her feet. Funny. Even at such a moment, her friend remained quite cool‑headed and didn’t allow herself any arrogance. Well… how could Astrid fail to live up to her best friend’s expectations?
Taking the deepest possible breath and holding it, she pushed off the mat with a groan and rose to one knee. At that moment, Charlotte’s eyes narrowed even further. Although she had no doubt about the blonde’s strength, that didn’t mean she was ready to cut her any slack. She extended her third finger and parted her lips.
“THR!!!…”
No. Before Charlotte could finish, Astrid rose to her feet with a furious growl. The descendant of the great Vikings staggered but remained on her feet, which made Nerissa whistle loudly and Charlotte blink in satisfaction. The champion finally allowed herself to exhale, and then began to breathe heavily. She felt that she was at her limit and that their game would soon come to an end.
Charlotte felt the same way. Even though she possessed excellent combat skills, in terms of physical strength she was inferior to her friend. Therefore, it was more than fair to say that they had both almost reached their limits. But even so… they stood facing each other, and each of them passionately wanted to continue the game.
“Shall we continue?” Astrid asked, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
“Definitely…” Charlotte nodded briefly, then smiled too.
The smiles disappeared from their faces, and Astrid rushed forward, it was her turn to attack. Charlotte braced herself. None of them was going to back down. Even though they had both almost reached their limits, it was more than obvious that this game would only end when one of them had no strength left at all. And so, under Nerissa’s astonished gaze, they began their final rounds.
“Holy shit…” Nerissa muttered barely audibly ten minutes later.
Charlotte and Astrid were standing about four paces apart. Each of them wrapped their arms around their stomachs, but even that couldn’t hide the fact that their bellies looked like a black‑and‑purple unnatural mass. Sweat streamed down their bodies, their hair was disheveled and clumped together. Their faces turned pale from the pain and catastrophically labored breathing, Nerissa was ready to bet that each of them was now feeling nauseous.
But despite all that, they were both still on their feet. In those ten minutes, none of them fell onto the mat. However… now it was clear even without words that the next round would be the last. Charlotte and Astrid looked into each other’s eyes, and both of them had the same thought. It’s either me or her. And each of them made their choice.
Closing her eyes for a moment, Astrid took the deepest breath she could. It didn’t relieve the pain in her body, but it helped her feel the flame running through her veins. Throughout her life, she had striven both to discover where her limits lay and to push beyond them. Without difficult trials her life simply had no meaning. She was ready to do anything so that no one would have even a shred of doubt that she was the strongest fighter in the world. And that is why she now intends to win this game.
When she took her first step, it seemed as if tongues of flame began to dance around her. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, but it seemed to Charlotte and Nerissa that the Norwegian woman’s lavender eyes had turned red. Astrid took two more confident steps, trying to increase her speed as much as possible, and then she pulled her right arm back.
At that moment, the air around them seemed to turn to stone, and Charlotte felt as if she were trapped. The only thing she could do at that moment was to tense her abs. But there was one problem… the aura that surrounded Astrid seemed to carry with it a scorching death.
Using both her physical strength and the full power of her emotions, Astrid thrust her right arm forward. Perhaps someone would say it was just a powerful right cross. But no. This was the very punch that had brought her victory several times, both before and during her reign as the openweight title holder.
Muspelheim!
When the fist of the descendant of the great Vikings slammed into Charlotte’s abdomen, the Frenchwoman’s mouth opened wide. It was as if her lungs had collapsed, and she couldn’t make a sound, but instead a copious amount of saliva mixed with blood flew out of her mouth. The punch was so powerful that the pink‑haired woman was literally thrown back.
The martial arts master backed away. She stopped only when her back hit the ropes. In the same instant her legs gave way and she fell first onto her butt and then onto her right side. Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she squeezed her eyes shut and at the same time let out a long groan full of agony. Tears spilled from her eyes involuntarily, as the pain was impossible to describe, it felt as if her stomach had simply been torn out.
“What was that about we should holding back while sparring with each other...” Nerissa muttered as if she couldn't believe what was happening.
The Native American woman looked at Astrid. Her legs were shaking so much that her knees involuntarily bent slightly. She was breathing so hard that she had to put her hands on her kneecaps. There was no trace of the aura that had surrounded her a moment ago. It seemed the champion had put everything she had left into that punch. It was an astonishing sight. Nerissa didn’t know whether she should be rooting for one of her friends, but she knew for sure that this was the end.
No one had ever been able to survive that uniquely powerful punch from Astrid.
And although Charlotte was very close to victory, this was definitely the end.
“ONE!” Astrid started counting, finally pushing off her kneecaps with her palms and thereby straightening to her full height.
Hearing this, the pink-haired woman just gritted her teeth. After Astrid's punch even the slightest movement caused her pain. At that moment, she just couldn't think of anything else. It wasn't like the pain during a match when the pain is usually distributed throughout the body. Right now, it seemed to her that all the pain of this world was concentrated in her belly. She had never felt anything like this before. Could this really be the end?
“TWO!!” Astrid held up two fingers.
Nerissa, watching the situation unfold, nervously clenched both fists. She rarely had the opportunity to visit the LAW arena in person and watch pro wrestling, usually she only watched match recordings. But now she remembered the emotions that spectators in the arena experience during an exciting match. Now, with only a few moments left until the end, she felt how fast her heart was beating. Astrid extended her third finger, and Nerissa involuntarily began to nod her head slightly, as if confirming that this game couldn’t end any other way.
But...
Suddenly, Charlotte’s left hand shot upward. The Frenchwoman grabbed the middle rope. Nerissa’s mouth opened involuntarily, and even Astrid seemed to be stunned by this. The pink‑haired woman bared her teeth and let out a long groan, then pulled herself upward, getting up to one knee. Astrid, as if unable to believe her eyes, blinked several times. No, this is impossible. A shiver ran down her spine, reminding her that she had to keep counting.
“THR!!!...”
However, before she could finish, the Frenchwoman tensed her trembling legs and straightened to her full height. Astrid pursed her lips, seeing that her friend was still holding on to the middle rope. Charlotte noticed this. Yes, Astrid was right. If they’d come to this, then everything had to be fair. Therefore, the pink‑haired woman let go of the rope. She staggered violently, and her right knee started to move toward the mat. If it touched the surface, it would mean her loss.
“No…” she croaked out loud.
Charlotte clenched both fists and closed her eyes. Her knee stopped a few inches from the mat. Closing her mouth tightly, she took several deep breaths through her nose. Her face clearly showed that at that moment she was fighting against the pain. Looking at this, the descendant of the great Vikings involuntarily clenched her fists too.
No one had ever been able to survive that uniquely powerful punch from Astrid.
Until today.
Charlotte straightened her palms, spread her arms slightly to the sides, and then raised her hands higher. When they were at the level of her chest, she closed her eyes and joined her fingertips, forming a triangle. The Frenchwoman took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, at the same time lowering her palms downward. After that, she straightened up to her full height.
She didn’t lose.
“I’m Charlotte Ravel'…” she said in a slightly tremulous voice, which then grew firmer. “I intend to become the strongest fighter in the world!” In her beautiful brown eyes it seemed as if pink lightning bolts were trying to break free. “And that’s why I won’t lose!” She blinked slowly, and when she opened her eyes, a pink aura surrounded her entire body. “Even to you, Astrid!!!”
Astrid and Nerissa’s eyes widened, it was as if they could feel the powerful aura piercing them like lightning. Nerissa’s body began to tremble involuntarily, while the blonde almost took a step back. The descendant of the great Vikings had to swallow her saliva, after which she tensed her abs. She had no doubt that, like her, Charlotte would put everything she had into her final attack. And the champion intended to withstand it at all costs.
And so Charlotte rushed forward. Thanks to Astrid’s last attack, a considerable distance had opened up between them. And that was exactly what she needed. Resisting the pain in her belly, the pink‑haired woman gained astonishing speed from the very first step. And by the third step, she herself had become like a pink bolt of lightning approaching Astrid.
Knowing exactly what she needed to do, Charlotte sharply placed her right foot slightly to the left of her left foot. Turning her body to the left, she slightly relaxed her arms, thereby completing a full rotation around her axis. At that moment, Nerissa could barely hold back a cry of excitement. Now she understood what her friend had intended to use.
The full rotation gave the Frenchwoman an additional boost, which she used to push off the mat with her right foot and soar into the air. Her body continued to rotate, and at the moment when she turned her back to Astrid, it felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over the champion’s head. Now she, too, understood what was coming next..
Using all the speed she was capable of, Charlotte threw her left leg forward with all her might. It was the most difficult and at the same time the most powerful kick in her arsenal. She had used it only once during official matches because this kick required truly colossal skill. But now she had no doubts in her heart.
720 tornado kick!
The martial arts master’s foot slammed into Astrid’s midsection, and for a moment, Nerissa felt such a powerful shockwave that she was surprised it didn’t shatter all the windows in the gym. Yet, although the windows remained intact, the same couldn’t be said about Astrid.
The blonde woman’s eyes widened, as did her mouth, from which saliva and blood flew. The power of that kick was unmatched. The best way to describe it was as if she had been struck by lightning and it had stayed inside, continuing to cause her unbearable pain. Despite the fact that she was a heavyweight, the kick literally sent her flying. Astrid collapsed onto the mat and rolled head over heels toward the ropes, while Charlotte completed her second rotation and gracefully landed on her feet, facing the Norwegian woman.
Only by a miracle did Astrid avoid rolling under the bottom rope and manage to stay inside the ring. Lying on her right side near the ropes, the champion hugged her belly with one hand and covered her mouth with the other, simultaneously restraining both the urge to vomit and the terrible cough.
“Fuck me through three German suplexes…” Nerissa muttered, barely moving her lips, unable to believe what she had just seen.
The aura around Charlotte dissipated, and the Frenchwoman involuntarily leaned forward, now it was her turn to place her palms on her knees. She really had put everything into that kick, and now she had to face the consequences. Breathing heavily, she tried to somehow cope with the pain, but even so, she didn’t forget about the most important thing.
“ONE!” She said loudly, sticking out one finger.
Astrid gritted her teeth once again. She definitely hadn’t expected such zeal from her friend. Yes, she sincerely believed that Charlotte was stronger than she and Nerissa together, but she couldn’t even imagine that the Frenchwoman would be able to show that side of herself today. At the same time, Astrid couldn’t say that she was careless. She really was counting on winning, and those expectations were more than justified. But now she was lying on the mat and feeling such terrible pain in her belly that she didn’t even want to risk moving.
“TWO!!” Charlotte said, sticking out her second finger.
Nerissa’s skin broke out in goosebumps. She didn’t have a favorite in this game, but she certainly hadn’t expected Charlotte to go that far against Astrid. In this her opinion fully aligned with the blonde’s. Astrid glanced at Charlotte, who was already preparing to stick out her third finger. Yes, the pink‑haired woman had definitely given her everything. Could the descendant of the great Vikings have responded in kind? Just one more time.
Groaning in pain, the champion took her right hand away from her mouth and grabbed the middle rope. Nerissa gasped loudly when she saw this, she was honest with herself and knew full well that she would never have been able to get up after such a punch from Astrid or such a kick from Charlotte. But Astrid, with wild agony on her face, pulled herself up and got to one knee.
“THR!!!...”
Charlotte almost managed to finish counting. But she didn’t. Astrid forcefully pulled herself to her feet. Like Charlotte after the punch, she kept holding on to the middle rope. And she knew it was wrong. Charlotte stopped counting, but narrowed her eyes slightly, which made Astrid first take a deep breath and then let go of the rope.
For a few seconds, the two exhausted women simply looked into each other’s eyes. Today both of them had gone beyond their limits. Today, they gave everything to each other and neither of them regretted it. A little game to let off steam turned into an amazing battle of titans. Perhaps there had never been such strong emotions between these three women before today.
And then...
Astrid’s legs trembled.
Her face twisted in pain.
She placed both hands on her belly.
She fell to her knees.
She leaned forward so far that her forehead touched the mat.
She lost.
“THREE!!!”
Charlotte won.
“Fuck me…” Nerissa repeated, this time without mentioning the German suplexes.
Charlotte continued to stare at the blonde woman kneeling in front of her for a few more seconds, and then slowly sank to her knees as well. However, instead of pressing her forehead against the mat, she threw her head back. For several long seconds, she stared at the ceiling, breathing heavily, and then…
“HUUUUUURAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!” She roared so deafeningly that Nerissa had to cover her ears with her hands.
As soon as she ran out of air, Charlotte leaned back and lay on her back. She placed her left forearm on her forehead, and with her right hand she covered her black‑and‑purple belly. It was all over. She had won. Closing her eyes, the Frenchwoman allowed herself to smile. She still couldn’t believe what she had just done.
“You’re both just crazy…” Nerissa commented as she climbed onto the ring and walked over to her friends.
She tossed Charlotte and Astrid each an ice pack. The pink-haired woman immediately pressed the pack against her stomach and let out a groan of relief. Astrid didn't budge, which slightly worried Nerissa, who sat down next to the blonde.
“Hey, cow, are you okay?” She asked cautiously.
“Yeah... damn it...” Astrid replied faintly.
The blonde lay down on her right side with a groan of pain. Picking up her ice pack, she pressed it to her stomach. There was absolute silence in the gym, broken only by the heavy breathing of Charlotte and Astrid.
“Abs alone don't determine a fighter's strength...” Astrid finally said.
“Right...” Nerissa confirmed.
“I'm aware of that…" Charlotte nodded.
“But today you won,” the blonde looked at the Frenchwoman. “Finally I’ve seen you the way you should always be…”
“Oh, stop it…” Charlotte smirked, but her face immediately twisted in pain.
“Well, no matter how pompous that cow’s words sound,” Nerissa said as arrogantly as ever, and then she also smiled broadly. “But she’s right, you’re number one today, so…” Nerissa thrust her right fist forward. “Congratulations!”
“Congratulations!” Astrid joined in, echoing the Native American woman’s words and also thrusting her fist forward.
“You two…” Charlotte’s lower lip trembled slightly.
Today she truly felt different. Usually she strove for victory because she saw a clear goal before her. And she knew she has to achieve that goal, because otherwise, the past would inevitably catch up with her. She couldn’t let that happen. But today… today she wanted to win not out of fear of the past… today she won because she simply wanted to be the best… simply because she wanted to win more than anything in the world.
“Thank you…” she said, barely holding back tears.
The Frenchwoman thrust her own fist forward, and all three women bumped their fists together, expressing mutual respect. Today they had become even closer to each other. It may seem strange to some, but in fact, all close friends should have strange stories like this. Without such stories true friendship cannot exist.
“And don't forget that you owe us a drink, huh!" Astrid said, shifting her position from lying to sitting with a pained grimace.
“Right-right!” Nerissa said enthusiastically.
“I remember… I remember…” Charlotte brushed it off with a slight smile on her face.
Today they grew closer to each other.
Today Charlotte became even stronger than she had been before.
Today they believed that if they had gone through such a harsh ordeal, they had nothing to fear in the future.
Unfortunately, at that moment, none of them knew that soon all of the Golden Trio would face the most difficult period in their careers. Charlotte and Nerissa would both find themselves on the brink of despair and self‑destruction due to a series of devastating defeats. And even Astrid…
However, sometimes it’s better not to think about the future. Sometimes you have to live for today. And today they all felt more alive than ever. Even despite their bellies covered in black‑and‑purple bruises.
The End.
