Club Hysteria has a rather distinct reputation. A standard night club that hosts an underground boxing match where people of all species, human, elf, orc, beastmen, etc. are treated as equals. Well, to the criminal underworld at least. They came for one thing and one thing only, the fights themselves. The fighters were paid through various channels with money and favor being traded on both sides but the fight itself was free. Tonight was a regular occasion; two fighters duking it out in a ring in front of an audience. The announcer stood in the center of the ring as the two fighters entered the ring at different corners.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!! Welcome to Fight Night” The announcer began, his voice booming across the entire venue. "I give you our contestants for tonight! In the left corner, a new challenger from the Burrows, five foot seven, weighing in one hundred eighty pounds! ‘Lil Red’ Akari Shiratori!!" He continued. Akari raised her fist as the crowd cheered. Underneath her robe, She wore a white sports bra, red boxing gloves, and shorts.

"And in the right corner, a former champion of this establishment, 'The Big Bad Wolf'! Six foot four, weighing two hundred fifty pounds! Boris Storstrand!!" The announcer finished.

Boris also raised his fist, his tail wagged back and forth excitedly. He was a wolf beastman, wearing black boxing gloves and gold shorts with black highlights. His fur was black with lighter patches around his face and paws. He had a scar running down the right side of his muzzle.

Akari stepped forward to the center of the ring, looking up at Boris. The two exchanged stares as the referee listed down the rules. 

“Alright, here’s the play. Ten rounds, three minutes each, Win by KO, no TKO. No biting, no going below the belt, and no rabbit punches, understand?” The ref said. Both nodded.

As soon as the bell rang, they charged after each other like bulls. It didn't take long before Akari's punches started landing, knocking Boris off balance. Her speed was incredible; she could move faster than most humans without even trying. As she closed in on him, she threw a punch that would have been impossible for any normal person to block. But Boris did not fall. Instead, he brought his fist down to connect with Akari's jaw. It caused her to stumble backward onto her heels. Akari shook her head, recovering from the surprise, even though she knew it wasn't coming. As Boris rushed forwards, she leaped at him, causing him to collide with the ropes of the ring. With a quick jab, Akari knocked his mouthguard loose and then punched him in the nose.

Boris grunted as blood ran down his snout. Akari took advantage of the distraction, throwing another punch that caught Boris square in the stomach. He doubled over, gasping for air as she continued her assault. Two more punches connected with his ribs and side, sending him reeling toward the ropes. There, he managed to grab the top rope, using it as support as he tried to regain his breath.

Akari circled behind him, ready to throw a flurry of punches but Boris dodged at the last minute. He turned around and slammed his fist into her gut, doubling her over. Then he delivered a punch straight between her face, dropping her to the ground.

With a heavy thud, Akari hit the mat, her body limp. Boris looked down at her, a look of satisfaction crossing his features.

“Down!!! One, two, three…” The referee started his count.

But Akari refused to stay down. She pushed herself up, waiting for the fog to clear.

“Fighter?”

“Yeah, I’m good."

“Fight!” The ref yelled.

Both fighters charged at each other again. Boris was able to land a few blows on Akari's arms and body, but she retaliated with a jab that sent him staggering back. Akari followed up with a punch, connecting solidly against his cheek. Again, it was enough to send Boris staggering backward and making an audible grunt. Then he took charge, the anger boiling inside him couldn’t be held back anymore. He kept pushing forward, hitting harder and harder until a haymaker landed right against her cheek, sending her flying backward.

“Down!! One, two…" The referee continued counting.

Akari rolled over onto her back, her hands and legs shaking. Boris stood above her, panting heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow. She got up slowly, rubbing her cheek. Blood oozed out of the cut and ran down her chin. She spat some blood on the floor, glaring up at Boris.

"You think you can beat me?" He growled, his eyes narrowed. "Well, let's find out."

He lunged forwards, punching her in the gut, knocking the wind out of her. She coughed and gagged, barely managing to stand. Boris followed up with a series of jabs aimed directly at her midsection. Each time, Akari blocked or countered. After several seconds, she finally found her opening – a momentary lapse in concentration. That gave her just enough room to deliver a hard uppercut, catching Boris squarely in the chin. He stumbled sideways, falling flat on his rear end.

“Down!! One, two..." The referee counted as Akari walked towards her corner. The bell rang, ending Round 1. Both fighters returned to their corners. Akari was breathing heavily, her face red from exertion. Boris seemed unhurt despite taking several hits, although his nose was bleeding slightly from where Akari had punched him in the snout.

"That's how you do it, missy," Boris muttered, wiping his bloody lips on the sleeve of his glove.

Round 2 began with Boris pressing the attack while Akari kept herself protected by dodging and weaving, striking lightly whenever he got too close. After about two minutes of fighting, she started to tire and her punches were slower and less precise. Boris was relentless, never slowing down, even as his nose began to swell from Akari's blows. She was almost at her limit when suddenly Boris slipped and stumbled back. Akari charged forward, ready to finish him.

POW!

Akari was caught off guard by a left cross that connected hard against her cheek, throwing her off-balance. Boris grinned at the surprised look on her face, knowing she couldn't counter it now. She fell to her knees, spitting a bit of blood onto the mat.

"Not bad," Boris said as he approached, his fists clenched.

Akari didn't reply but simply picked herself up. The audience was silent, holding their breaths for the impending moment. Both fighters circled each other before Boris lunged forward. Akari dodged him easily, then she threw a punch of her own. He tried to deflect it, but Akari's hand struck a little harder than she expected. She threw a combination but Boris evaded them all with ease.

"This is getting old!" He grunted, punching her face hard enough for her to stagger backward. "Come on, try some tricks or something! Something I haven't seen yet." He continued.

Akari shrugged, her expression was unchanging. Then, in a swift motion, she threw a punch that would have been impossible for anyone else to dodge. But Boris managed to block it with his arm and then delivered a punch to Akari's jaw, stunning her and throwing her off balance. Before she could recover, he delivered a right hook to her gut that sent her crashing to the ground, groaning softly.

“Down!! One…two…three..." The referee continued counting.

Boris looked down at his opponent and chuckled, his eyes glinting in amusement. "Looks like I win, eh? Now you'll owe me one." He said mockingly.

Akari glared at him but he only laughed harder. As he moved away, she got up slowly, trying to catch her breath. She wiped away more blood from her face with her free hand. The crowd remained quiet as they watched as Round 2 ended. They saw the fight between these two was far from over...

***

Both fighters took their stance, waiting for the bell for Round 3 to sound off. It rang out sharply, echoing throughout the room. Both combatants lunged forward, swinging wildly at each other's faces before they could find their range. Akari danced away from Boris' attacks, keeping her distance between them. As she dodged his punches, she waited for her moment. When Boris went wide, she ducked under a wild swipe and delivered a powerful uppercut, knocking Boris back. She followed up immediately, unleashing a barrage of punches against his ribs and stomach. They weren't doing much damage but he was feeling the pain. As she came forward once more, Boris swung at her shoulder, missing as she slipped past him. Then he landed a punch against her jawline that sent her stumbling backward again. She shook it off quickly and charged at him, throwing a flurry of punches but Boris dodged every one of them. He was fast – faster than she imagined he was. Akari kept pushing, But Boris followed her. He kept moving forwards until he forced her back into a corner.

It was then that Boris decided to unleash hell.

Akari's eyes widened as Boris delivered a flurry of punches that she barely managed to defend herself from. It felt like he was trying to break her neck with each swing. It took all her strength to keep her body upright as each blow landed on her torso and head. Then he stepped into his final move. A haymaker aimed at her head. It connected solidly as she tried desperately to duck beneath it.

Then suddenly there was a thump as the bell rang and the match ended – Round 3 was declared a draw. Both fighters returned to their corners and sat down on their chairs. They had fought for three rounds and neither had been able to knock the other down, much less score any real wins. But both were covered in bruises and cuts from constant blows. And now the question everyone wanted to ask: Who will win?

Akari looked at Boris, a grimace crossing her face before she shook it off. The arena was dead silent. Even the announcers stopped talking to listen to what they might say next. The bell rang, starting Round 4.

Boris looked down at Akari, his eyes darkening with hatred for this woman who dared to stand in his way. His lips curled upwards slightly as he thought about how she'd pay for all of her previous insults. Then his grin faltered as he noticed that she hadn't recovered fully. He could see blood trickling from her nostrils and down her chin. If she lost too soon, she would be unable to perform well in the final rounds.

But Boris couldn't care less about that if it meant having her go home in an ambulance. That's when inspiration struck him once more, his mind racing through possibilities...

"What a pathetic fighter you are!" Boris sneered as Akari charged at him, throwing punch after punch.

She was angry now – angry at losing and angry at herself for letting that happen. Her punches missed their mark completely and instead, they connected with her own body, sending a jolt of pain shooting through her entire body. But that was what she needed, she knew it instinctively. She had no time to slow down, not here. She had to use her fury against her opponent.

Boris didn't take kindly to being threatened and lashed out viciously, delivering a punch straight into Akari's gut that sent her stumbling backward. A loud thud rang out when she hit the side of the ring.

Akari gasped loudly, feeling the wound against her stomach throbbing more intensely than ever before. With all her might, she got up but Boris knocked her back with another hard strike to her face. She stumbled backward, falling onto her rear end as she spat a glob of blood onto the mat.

"...Two, three…" The referee continued counting as Akari stood up gingerly.

Boris stared at her angrily; his face full of rage and hate. "Well, look who's back up on her feet." He said with a growl, his fists clenching tightly.

Akari looked at him with cold eyes. "I'll show you who's back up." She answered. 

“Round four is now underway…!” The announcer yelled over the crowd noise. 

Boris took advantage of her distraction by launching a flurry of punches which Akari blocked with an awkward move – the left arm was broken now and her right arm was already beginning to shake from its earlier abuse. The fight continued without interruption, both fighters throwing a series of wild punches at each other until they found their range. Boris started landing some solid blows against Akari's body and she responded by punching him in the face several times. Each exchange was painful – each punch landed on her stomach with enough force to send a wave of searing pain through her nerves. It felt like someone had poured acid inside of her – burning from within. Yet even as she was reeling from the pain of those last few blows, she refused to give in. Boris was relentless and his strikes were unrelenting, refusing to let up as his frustration grew with each blow. Finally, he landed a hard punch on Akari's face, knocking her back into the ropes.

The audience held its breath as it watched Akari struggle to regain control over her limbs. She was dizzy but otherwise unharmed, however, this gave Boris the perfect opportunity to end it all. But Akari wasn't going down without a fight. As she pushed herself upright with her good arm, she used her remaining energy to throw a punch directly into Boris' stomach as hard as she could. 

He doubled over from the blow but tried to shake it off as he came back at Akari. They battled in the middle of the ring, each inching forward and throwing punch after punch. Akari used her strength to fight back and managed to evade the majority of his attacks, but there were still times when her body was outmatched. She couldn't dodge his punches in time to stop them, and they still landed on her with enough force to bring tears to her eyes. 

Akari was losing, and fast. She couldn't handle the pain any longer and her energy was rapidly fading. Boris took advantage of her weakness and unleashed a ferocious combination of punches which made Akari feel her limbs go limp. She attempted to block the next couple of blows but her arms were weakening and the blows only seemed to get harder. She barely managed to block the final blow.

At that moment, she was finally able to muster the will to stand back up and gather her strength to push back against Boris. Akari focused all her energy on her legs and threw a strong overhead which nearly knocked Boris out. The audience cheered loudly at the heroic move, but the cheer was short-lived as Boris quickly retaliated.

He unleashed another barrage of strikes, forcing Akari to retreat once more. She was exhausted and her body was shaking uncontrollably. Boris continued his assault, pounding away at her with his fists. He delivered a punch straight to her liver and then another to her stomach. The blows were so hard that they sent sparks flying from her skin.

Akari's vision began to blur, leaving her sight blurry and unfocused. Boris continued his attack, raining down a flurry of punches on top of her. She tried to block them, but her arms were failing her. 

As the blows landed against her face, Akari's head began to spin. She stumbled backward, tripping over one of the ropes and falling onto her rear end. Then she heard the bell ring. Round 4 had come to an end. 

The audience erupted in cheers as they realized that Akari had survived yet another round. Boris looked down at her and smiled. "You're not done yet," he said mockingly.

Akari glared up at him, her eyes narrowed. "No." That was all she said before she got up.

Boris snorted. "Good luck." He said sarcastically. 

***

Round 5 began. 

Akari took a deep breath as the bell rang. 

Boris grinned as he lunged forward, swinging wildly at Akari's face. She dodged most of his strikes, but he was hitting her with such force that it was difficult for her to avoid all of them. But she did manage to block the majority of his attacks, though it was clear that she was tiring more and more with each passing second. As the fight progressed, she became slower and weaker. Her movements were becoming sluggish, and her muscles ached with fatigue. But she wouldn't give up. Not now. She would continue fighting until her body gave out.

A series of punches landed on her face and chest. She staggered backward, staggering under the weight of his blows. She could feel the blood running from her nose and mouth as she tried to catch her breath. Boris followed up with a brutal uppercut aimed at her chin, sending her stumbling back.

Akari was beaten. She couldn't hold back anymore. There was nothing left in her. All she could do was try to survive. She fell to one knee, leaning heavily against the ropes as she struggled to breathe. She could hear the crowd cheering and jeering, but she couldn't focus on anything else.

Akari remained on her knee until the count of eight. 

“Fighter?”

“Ready.”

“Fight!”

Akari was still weak when she got back up. She was barely able to stand on her own two feet. Boris was waiting for her, standing tall with his arms crossed over his muscular torso. He smirked at her, knowing that he had won this match. He was ready to claim victory over this pathetic fighter. 

Akari's eyes widened when Boris launched himself at her, throwing a flurry of punches that she barely managed to block. One blow caught her in the ribs and sent a jolt of pain through her entire torso. Another struck her in the stomach, making it impossible for her to breathe properly. She coughed and spat out a glob of blood, spitting it across the mat. 

"You've lost!" Boris shouted as he landed a hard punch against Akari's face.

Akari grunted as the blow sent her spinning around. She stumbled backward, falling onto her rear end as she gasped for air. She felt dizzy and lightheaded as she tried to regain her composure.

"You should have quit while you were ahead!" Boris sneered.

Akari ignored him as she slowly stood up again. 

Boris laughed loudly as he watched Akari struggle to stand up. 

Akari glared at him with cold eyes. "I'm not done yet." She said simply as she took a southpaw pose. 

Boris shook his head as he saw how badly she was bleeding from her nose and mouth. "It's over. I can tell by your eyes." He said, his voice filled with scorn.

Akari glared at him defiantly. "I am not finished."

Boris scoffed at the stubborn fighter. "We'll see about that." He said with a laugh. 

Akari looked at Boris with contempt. "Do you think that you're going to win?" She asked, cocking her head slightly.

Boris scowled at her. "I don't need to win." He replied. "All I want is to make sure you lose."

Akari didn't answer, instead choosing to watch him closely as he attacked her. She dodged his first few blows easily, but she was forced to duck under his next strike because of her weakened state. The impact sent her stumbling backward as she landed on her rear end. She tried to get back up but was too slow. Boris took advantage of her weakness, landing several more blows against her body. His punches were hard, and they landed with enough force to send waves of pain coursing through her veins.

But she didn't give up. She refused to give up. She was getting tired but she refused to let it affect her.

Boris continued his assault as he watched her struggle to defend herself. The blows were coming faster and harder. He was determined to break her spirit and make her submit to his dominance. But despite the ferocity of his attacks, Akari didn't back down. She fought back with everything she had – every ounce of strength she possessed.

Boris knew that he was beating her, but he wasn't satisfied with the outcome. He wanted to hurt her as much as possible before he ended the match. He continued to pound away at her, trying to wear her down with each blow. But even with the repeated punishment, Akari never gave in. 

After what felt like an eternity, Boris finally stopped attacking. He stepped back from her and stared at her with disdain. "Well, well. Looks like you are willing to keep going." He said, looking down at her. "You're pretty tough." He added with a chuckle. 

Akari looked up at him with cold eyes. "You haven't seen anything yet." She said with a low growl. 

"Oh yeah? Well, you might be tougher than me, but I'm the better fighter." He boasted arrogantly.

Akari chuckled darkly. "Really?"

Boris shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe."

Akari grinned wickedly. "Let's find out." 

They circled each other. Both fighters were breathing hard, but neither showed any sign of weakness or exhaustion. Their eyes met and they both smiled. They were evenly matched. Neither was able to land a single punch on the other.

Akari took a step forward and swung her right fist at Boris' head, aiming for his face.

He ducked under the blow and threw a jab toward her face. It missed its mark.

The two fighters continued their dance. Each one attempted to gain the upper hand in the battle. A series of blows flew between them, striking flesh and bone. Blood dripped from open wounds. The audience held their breath as the fight intensified. The tension in the air grew thicker and heavier as the fight progressed.

Akari's face was covered in blood from her cuts, but she didn't care. She continued to swing away at Boris as he tried desperately to fend off her attacks. The audience cheered wildly as they witnessed the epic duel. The two fighters were locked together in a deadly embrace as they traded blows.

Akari's body was beginning to tremble from the strain of the fight. She was losing stamina fast, but she refused to give up. She continued to swing away at Boris. She threw a series of punches, but none of them connected. Boris was quick and agile, dodging all of her attacks. 

Akari's strength was fading, and she was starting to feel dizzy. She was losing consciousness and she could feel her arms and legs growing heavy. She was barely able to stand up straight.

Boris was grinning at her. "Not bad for a girl. You've got guts." He said.

Akari was panting heavily. "Don't underestimate me." She said, glaring at him.

Boris laughed. "What makes you think that I'm underestimating you?" He said.

Akari's eyes widened as she realized that he was baiting her into attacking him. But she didn't fall for it. Instead, she chose to ignore his taunt and kept swinging away. 

Boris continued to smile at her. "Come on, Red. Give me something to work with." He taunted.

Akari shook her head. "I'm not going to let you beat me." She said defiantly.

"Fine," Boris smirked as he lunged forward, throwing a series of punches. Akari ducked under his first attack and then blocked his next. She tried to counterattack, but Boris was too quick for her.

"You're not so tough after all." Boris mocked her.

Akari glared at him. "I’m not done yet." She said firmly.

Boris snorted. "You're not nearly as strong as you think you are." He said.

Akari gritted her teeth. "Shut up. You're just scared of me." She said.

Boris smiled. "I'm not afraid of anything." He said.

Akari was furious. She was tired, injured, and had been fighting for hours, but she wouldn't back down. She was still determined to win.

"How long do you plan on continuing this?" Boris asked.

Akari glared at him. "Until you stop hitting me." She answered coolly.

Boris nodded. "Okay. Then we'll just have to see about that." He said smugly. 

Akari's eyes narrowed as she watched him closely. She knew that he was trying to bait her into attacking him. But she wouldn't give in. No matter how much he teased her.

As the two fighters circled each other, Akari waited patiently for the right opportunity to strike. But she didn't realize that Boris was watching her carefully. He saw the moment when she was about to launch herself at him. He moved quickly, blocking her punch and knocking her off balance. She stumbled backward, tripping over her own feet and falling onto the mat.

Boris jumped forward, landing a hard punch against her cheek. 

Akari cried out in pain as the blow sent her reeling backward. Her head throbbed as she struggled to stay conscious. Boris followed up with a series of punches aimed at her face and chest, sending her reeling backward once more.

Akari's vision blurred as she struggled to regain her senses. She was dizzy and disoriented. She could barely move or breathe. And now she was on the ground.

Akari grunted as she rolled over onto her side.

Boris laughed. "You should have quit while you were ahead." He said.

Akari spat out a glob of blood. "I’m not done yet." Akari groaned as she slowly pushed herself up on shaky hands. She staggered to her feet and wiped the blood from her lips.

Boris laughed at her. Akari ignored him and continued to glare at him. "Not yet." She said firmly.

Boris shook his head. "I am going to win this match." He insisted.

Akari's eyes widened as she realized what he was doing. He was baiting her. Trying to get her angry enough to attack him. She refused to let him win. She refused to let him take control.

"I know you are." She replied calmly. "And I don't care if you beat me. So you'd better prepare yourself for what's coming." She said with a smirk.

Boris scowled at her. "What?" He demanded.

Akari smiled wickedly as she stared at him. "Prepare yourself for the beating of your life." She promised.

Boris scoffed at her. "I don't need to be prepared for anything." He said. "Because I'll beat you."

Akari smirked as she watched him. She couldn't help but think that he sounded rather arrogant like he thought he had everything under control. That nothing could hurt him. But even with his impressive strength, he had underestimated himself.

She knew that whatever she was planning would hurt. It was going to leave him in excruciating agony. As soon as she figured out what that was, she would get in position to strike.

She took another step towards him. Her body felt sore all over. Bruised and battered by the fight. It was time to finish the match.

Boris growled. He lunged forward, intending to land a blow to her face. But Akari was ready. She managed to deflect the blow and knock him back. As Boris struggled to recover, he watched as Akari stood poised and ready for him. Her entire body was in one long line. Her back was straight and her muscles were firm. She seemed to be waiting for him.

Boris stared at her in disbelief. He didn't see what she was planning. She was waiting for him. He was completely vulnerable.

Akari smiled at him as she rushed forward, pummeling him with a barrage of punches. The entire floor shook with the force of her attack. The crowd cheered her on as she continued her barrage.

Boris struggled to block the blows as he fought back. His head spun as he fought desperately to keep her off of him. He couldn't stop the barrage of blows coming from her fists.

Akari smiled as she watched him struggle to defend himself. Her face was drenched in sweat. Her cheeks were bright red. She was having a great deal of difficulty keeping her rage in check. She wanted to hurt Boris. Badly. And soon.

But she didn't let him slip through her grasp. One minute passed. Then another. And then another. Neither of them got anywhere close to ending the match. And neither of them showed any signs of slowing down.

Boris could feel himself getting exhausted. His arms and legs ached. He was sweating profusely. Even his chest and stomach felt flushed. And now it felt like he was overheating. All he wanted to do was end this brutal match.

The bell finally rang, ending Round 5. Both fighters returned to their corners.

Boris stared at her. For the first time since the match began, he was stunned. He couldn't believe that Akari had been able to fend off his attacks so easily. No one could come remotely close to defending against his onslaught. Yet this human girl might have some talent.

As Boris looked back at her, he saw Akari gazing intently back at him. Despite her anger, he detected something else about her. A determination. Something very...indefinable. Maybe he shouldn't have insulted her abilities earlier.

The bell rang for Round 6. The two charged each other again. Boris went directly for Akari's weak spot. He drove straight for her gut, intent on knocking her right off balance. She blocked the punch and deftly turned and countered the blow with one of her own. The sound of their clash echoed loudly across the arena as they collided with their shoulder bones.

They kept fighting though, attacking each other relentlessly. Since Akari refused to let him overwhelm her, she went after him instead. She lashed out viciously at his midsection, with both fists. They clashed heavily, as Boris was forced to weave and dodge her strikes. His strategy now was to confuse and distract her.

Unfortunately, Akari quickly caught on to his game plan. Instead of focusing solely on avoiding him, she also began countering his best moves. She knocked him away with little effort, followed up by punishing his damaged ribs.

He responded in kind. He targeted her chest, hoping to drive her back with his powerful fists. However, she would occasionally spin or duck out of the way, moving just enough to take him by surprise.

Round 6 ended soon afterward. Now it was her turn to go into her defensive corner, whereas Boris' job was to move back to his offensive space. But if he expected to win quickly, it wouldn't work. Their strategy was to try to exhaust each other, not rush in with overwhelming force. Akari didn't want him to have an advantage. And Boris certainly wasn't doing anything to give himself an edge. So the bout would play out according to their wills. Until the match was over.

He stalked towards her. He closed the distance between them. Soon, they'd be standing less than six inches apart. They glared at each other. Akari focused intently on him. Any sign of fear from her appeared to fade immediately as he neared her.

Then Boris struck. Like a lightning bolt. Before anyone had time to react, he launched into a series of thunderous blows. However, instead of retaliating, Akari stepped backward.

Confused, Boris realized what had happened. She had spotted an opening and used it to escape. He wasted no time in pursuing her. Once again, she backed up slowly until she was pressed tightly against the ropes.

When he reached her side, she leaned back slightly, almost falling backward but preventing herself from tumbling down. She dodged his next assault, barely putting up a token resistance.

Round 7 ended without further incident. Boris sat in his corner, panting

Akari exhaled deeply and collapsed in on herself. She looked exhausted. Though her exhaustion didn't seem to have much effect on her physical or mental capabilities. She was still focused and completely alert. If anything, the bout seemed to have improved her condition.

Boris gazed at Akari, sitting at the far edge of the ring, a shadow in the dim light. She was very still, and quiet. Just staring out into the space with vacant eyes. It seemed she could stare forever into space, at nothing. He almost couldn't tell where she ended and the mat began.

His entire body was quivering as the match wound down. He hadn't moved from his corner, feeling useless as he stared down at Akari's blank face. He had spent half the day trying to decide which one was scarier: Akari or the arena audience. Because it didn't seem like either of those things affected him one bit. 

Finally, the bell rang for Round 8, bringing him to life. He wasn't surprised when he saw her calmly getting back on her feet. Her whole body was aching all over. And despite her exhaustion, she somehow looked more energized than ever. She stood there waiting for him as she had done before.

Akari slowly straightened herself. And as the bell sounded, she waited. She knew what was coming. She expected it. 

Her movements were calculated as she took one deliberate step toward him and punches him straight in the gut. His body buckled forward but then bounced back, taking his full momentum and energy with it. He fell on his side with a dull thud. And while he lay there stunned, she had already lunged for him. She swarmed his weakened form. With both fists, she pounded him with all of her weight and force. It was her way of punishing him for forcing her to end the match early. 

She let nothing stop her, until the end. But all her attacks hurt him badly. All of her strikes landed. And even if he managed to dodge most of them, he was forced to put all his energy and focus into simply defending himself from the relentless onslaught. As the minutes passed by, his defenses gradually weakened. And despite his best efforts, he found himself losing ground as she relentlessly pummeled him.

Still, she advanced relentlessly. He tried to defend himself with everything that he had but his limited power was rapidly depleted. And the further she approached, the stronger she got.

Akari stared down at him. Watching him as his struggles grew more feeble. "You think this is bad." She mocked him. "It's not even over yet." She said firmly. She advanced another few inches closer to him.

He struggled harder and more desperately against her merciless barrage of fists. He had nearly run out of steam, but that didn't deter Akari. Her strength and aggression continued to surge as she steadily closed the distance between them. Each of her hits rocked him in a violent wave of agony and suffering. He felt every pain burn against his skin. Then there was just the threat of more pain. Because it never actually came.

 

In an instant, Akari went from aggressive mode into fury mode. A whirlwind of punches battered against his defenses. Her rhythm was erratic, building in intensity as he became unable to fend off her seemingly random pattern of violent blows. Eventually, she unleashed the violence of her entire being onto him. 

Desperate, Boris threw a jab at her face with enough force to stagger her. Boris glared at her angrily. With red-faced rage, he charged to retaliate. His fists flew, battering her. And as they slammed into her face and body, he sensed she was starting to waver. For the briefest moment, the air around her shimmered with a translucent force.

Akari snapped awake as he dug in for the kill. With every punch that connected, his anger burned brighter and his willpower poured into each one of his blows. But still, her ability resisted and tried to protect itself from further harm. His fists thumped at her chest and head with little regard for anything other than getting what he wanted. He was intent on making this hurt. And it hurt her. Hard.

Boris scowled down at his trembling foe, suddenly daunted by the brutal beatdown he just administered to her. But Akari remained perfectly still, unmoving as her chest heaved and her breath returned to normal. The pain was still there, throbbing under her skin as well as within her mind. But after what he'd put her through, she was amazed she could still move.

She looked into his eyes. Not once did he glance away, despite his pounding blows. Instead, his gaze was steady, glaring into hers with an anger of its own.

"How?" He growled in her direction.

Akari tried to regain control. To break the overwhelming numbness that she experienced in his presence. And finally, she found it. She managed to stare back into her opponent's eyes for just an instant longer than when he had attacked her. She pushed his assault away as it overwhelmed her again. 

Boris pounded back, trying to crush her will against him. As he drove towards his prey, he unleashed a relentless flurry of punches at Akari, pushing her further back with every blow. It was becoming more apparent that her self-destructive fury was quickly returning. She was strong, much more so than he would have given her credit for. However, even his blistering rage hadn't been enough to knock her unconscious.

His blows eventually weakened and started to weaken. She stood, panting. Finally, the constant barrage of blows wore him down, and Akari made her move. She knew he was no longer willing to take anymore, which left only one way to end the fight: Her only way out was a beating so brutal, that he was no match. Both fighters prepared for one last blow.  

He drove in one more powerful strike. However, his attacks seemed more sluggish and uncoordinated than before. And with that final push, Akari drove her entire being against him like a powerful ocean wave, battering him to a pulp. Boris was nothing but a ragdoll before it. With one final strike, Akari threw a powerful uppercut, sending Boris’ head upwards violently with his mouthpiece flying out into the air as he collapsed to the canvas. 

A stunned silence spread throughout the arena as the ref rushed to check on him. Boris was out cold as the ref had no choice but to wave the fight over. The stunned silence gave way to booming cheers and applause as people were quick to recognize that something extraordinary had just happened. Akari walked triumphantly up to the middle ring ropes, hands raised. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” the announcer cried out. “Your new champion, Akari Shiratori!” 

The crowd erupted as Akari confidently took the spotlight away from her defeated opponent. Even if they weren't familiar with Akari, everyone loved a good underdog story.