Mitsuki tries to stay calm

Mitsuki was the first to raise her fists, settling into a defensive fighting stance with her knees slightly bent and her gloves held firmly in front of her face. Her eyes remained fixed on Irina, carefully following every movement.

The blonde stood opposite her, relaxed and smiling, her hands hanging loosely in front of her.

"Look at all that sweat. Scared of me?"

"L-Like hell I am!" Mitsuki snapped.

Irina chuckled, slowly raising one hand into a loose fist. Her long blonde hair swayed as she shifted her weight. "I'm gonna do you the favor of breaking your spirit today. To ensure you never pick a fight with me again..."

"Keep dreaming." Mitsuki didn't move, waiting for the blonde to make the first move. She had experience on her side, and she intended to use everything she knew to win.

Irina raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting her rival to charge forward. "Oh? No dramatic opening this time?"

"I won't make the same mistake twice."

For a moment, Irina's smile widened. "How clever."

The blonde suddenly stepped forward, throwing a quick jab toward Mitsuki's face. The taller woman raised her guard, deflecting the punch before taking a small step backward.

Irina immediately followed with another strike, this time aiming lower. Mitsuki twisted her torso, narrowly avoiding the blow.

The blonde's expression became slightly more serious as she started throwing even more punches. Her speed was incredible, and Mitsuki could only keep her guard up and avoid as many blows as possible.

Mitsuki felt the anger inside her rising and tried to counter, but the blonde slipped past her guard and drove a short, powerful punch into her abdomen.

"UGH!"

Mitsuki's stomach tightened beneath the impact. She staggered half a step but managed to keep her balance, bringing both elbows down to protect her midsection.

Irina followed with another punch, driving it into her abs and making Mitsuki spit out saliva. She then quickly reached around her opponent's upper body, attempting to secure a tight hold. Mitsuki recognized the movement immediately.

She planted her feet, wedged her forearm between their bodies, and pushed hard against Irina's shoulder. The blonde's grip never fully settled. With a frustrated grunt, Mitsuki forced her backward, breaking the attempted hold.

Both women separated. Mitsuki breathed heavily, one glove resting briefly against her stomach.

"That trick won't work twice."

"Are you sure?" Irina gave her a wink and an innocent smile before suddenly dropping her playful expression and darting forward.

Mitsuki raised her guard just in time to block a combination of punches. The impacts rattled her arms, forcing her backward across the mat. Irina was faster and perhaps stronger, but she wasn't precise. She was clearly trying to overwhelm her opponent with brute force instead of using proper techniques.

A final hook slipped around Mitsuki's guard, catching her shoulder and turning her upper body. Before the blonde could capitalize, however, Mitsuki stepped sideways and caught her wrist.

With a sharp movement, she twisted Irina's arm and threw her away before she could counterattack.

The blonde stumbled back two steps, her long hair swinging over her shoulders. For the first time, Mitsuki allowed herself a small smile.

Irina looked down at her wrist, then back at her opponent. "Oh. This is getting interesting." The blonde's smile returned, this time considerably more dangerous.

She advanced again, and Mitsuki immediately raised her guard. Irina threw a feint before slipping around her side, attempting to catch her from behind.

Mitsuki reacted quickly, turning with her and preventing the blonde from getting behind her. Their bodies collided, shoulders and chests pressing together as both struggled for control.

Irina was stronger in the clinch. Her arms wrapped around Mitsuki's upper body, squeezing tightly as she tried to immobilize the taller fighter.

"Come on, Mitsuki," she whispered near her ear. "You remember how this ends, don't you?"

Mitsuki gritted her teeth. Her cheeks burned, but she refused to let the teasing distract her.

"Shut... up!"

She lowered her center of gravity and pushed against Irina's chest, their breasts colliding as they struggled against each other. They could both feel each other's nipples through their bras, and Mitsuki was clearly surprised by how much bigger and firmer Irina's were. She shoved the blonde and managed to break the hold.

Irina retreated, laughing softly.

Mitsuki stood her ground, breathing heavily. Her stomach still ached from the earlier punches, and her arms were beginning to feel the strain of constantly blocking Irina's attacks.

But she was still standing, and, more importantly, she hadn't allowed the blonde to catch her in that damned chokehold again.

Irina brushed a strand of hair away from her face, looking at her rival with renewed interest. "You're much more fun when you actually think before fighting."

Mitsuki tightened her gloves. "Don't get comfortable. I'm just getting started."

The blonde tilted her head, her blue eyes briefly wandering over Mitsuki's tense physique.

"Good. I'd hate to break my favorite champion too quickly."

Mitsuki's face flushed. "You're going to regret saying that."

Irina simply smiled and raised her fists again. The balance of the fight was already becoming clear: Irina was faster, more physically gifted, and considerably more dangerous whenever she decided to attack.
But Mitsuki had learned from her previous defeat and had years of training and experience on her side. This time, she wouldn't rush blindly into the blonde's traps. She would think and observe before making any move.