The crowd roared like thunder.

I stood in the center of the ring, blood dripping from my split lip, my opponent unconscious at my feet. The referee grabbed my arm and raised it high.

“Winner! SERA

The noise crashed over me. Cheering, Screaming. Money changing hands. But I felt nothing.

Just the burn in my lungs. The ache in my ribs. The metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

Good. Pain was good. Pain meant I wasn’t thinking.

“Jesus Christ, Sera.” Rico appeared beside me, pressing a towel against my bleeding eyebrow. “You trying to kill yourself out there?”

“I won, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but barely.” He guided me toward my corner, his grip tight on my arm. “You took way too many hits. What the hell were you

thinking?”

I wasn’t. That was the point.

The medic appeared with his kit, dabbing at the cut above my eye. I flinched but didn’t pull away.

“This needs stitches,” the medic said.

“Later.” I grabbed the towel from Rico, wiping blood from my face. “When’s my next fight?”


Rico stared at me. “Your next–Sera, you just finished a fight. A brutal one. You need rest.”

“I don’t need rest. I need another match.”

“Tomorrow night. But seriously, you should–”

“Good. Sign me up.”

He opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. His eyes scanned my face, seeing too much.

“You’re going to burn out at this rate,” he said quietly.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You’ve fought six times in two weeks. That’s insane even for you.” Rico crossed his arms. “What’s going on?”

on. I just want

leaned closer. “Talk to

37.60

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189 Chapter 189


stood up, ignoring the way my legs shook. “I’ll be here

sighed. “Nine PM. But Sera? You need to be

“I’ll be fine.”

protest. Every muscle ached. My head throbbed. My knuckles were raw and bloody

Perfect.

off my gloves and wraps, wincing as the tape pulled at my torn

the mirror looked like hell. New bruises blooming across my cheekbone. Split lip. Cut eyebrow still bleeding through the butterfly bandage. Dark circles

looked exactly how I

Broken.

it. Don’t think. Just

it would go and stepped under the spray.

welcomed it.

on the pain. Nothing


mind wouldn’t cooperate. It kept drifting back to

the

he moved on.

stung when I scrubbed at my face. Good. I

and raw. I pulled on clean clothes

bruises.

waiting

with me,”

It wasn’t a request.

silence, past other fighters warming up, past equipment and

sweat

news,” Rico

“What kind of news?”

glanced at me. “There’s been talk. About

17:06

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189 Chapter 189

frowned. “What kind

one of the best female fighters this circuit has

talk? It attracts attention.”

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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