Chapter 10 — Last Round

I drew one final breath, settling into my stance.

Across from me, Mary did the same.

“Final round! Who’s taking this victory?!” Peter roared.

The entire arena leaned in, breath held, waiting for the clash to begin.

I burst forward with sharp punches and darting low kicks.

Mary slipped them clean, answering with quick counters of her own.

I veered to the side, staying just out of her reach.

We moved in perfect rhythm—both hunting for the slightest mistake.

And I was going to take it.

I caught it—the tiniest ease in her guard—and struck.

Time to gamble, Coach.

I feinted a cross and fired a high kick with everything left in me.

My shin smashed against her guard and slipped through—Mary hit the mat hard as I staggered, trying to stay upright.

The canvas shook under her weight.

Peter erupted over the speakers:

“Ironwood DROPS her with a HIGH KICK!”

The Dome thundered as the crowd surged to its feet.

She kicked… high?

She actually caught me clean.

No.

I’m not done.

Carson… I’m not staying down.

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

Mary set her palms against the canvas, breath ragged.

“Four.”

“Five.”

Stay down.

But she refused.

“Six.”

She pushed up, legs wobbling.

“Seven.”

She’s getting up…?

“Eight.”

The roar died down to a tense murmur.

“Ni—”

Mary got to one knee, jaw clenched tight, forcing herself to stand.

She rose—shaking, breath rough, but her eyes never wavered.

My fist tightened.

Alright… then I’ll just put you down again.

Before I could blink, she launched at me—fiercer than ever.

Kicks whipped in from every direction; drained as I was, I barely caught them on my guard.

Then that low angle—the same setup as before—but I was too slow.

Pain tore through me.

White swallowed my vision as I crashed into the canvas.

The mat thundered under my fall.

“Mary with the COMEBACK KNOCKDOWN!” Peter boomed, the roar crashing over the arena.

“One.”

Get up.

My body didn’t want to move.

“Two.”

“Three.”

My palms slid against the canvas as I tried to push.

“Four.”

I tried to prop myself up—my arms shaking under me.

“Five.”

“Six.”

I dragged my leg underneath me, fighting to get a knee.

Mary watched me fight to rise, her jaw clenched.

It’s over, Ironwood.

“Seven.”

“Eight.”

“Ni—”

I dragged myself onto one knee—then forced my body upright, refusing to stay down.

For a split second, the arena froze.

Then the crowd erupted.

Mary stared at me, surprise flashing into respect.

We were both barely standing—but neither of us was backing down.

We stepped in, closing the distance. Our next exchange would decide everything.

I ran through every strategy in my head… none of it enough.

Then Pops’ voice cut through the noise—his teachings, his timing, his lessons.

I had one last plan.

If it failed… so did I.

Once we entered striking range, time almost seemed to stop.

I moved as fast as my battered body allowed, setting up just like before.

A cross feint—then I lifted my leg, shaping my stance for a high kick.

Mary reacted instantly, just as I hoped.

She saw the setup and raised her guard high.

I let the kick go up—but then I pulled it back, using the motion as a feint.

I stepped in and drove forward, throwing my fist with everything I had left.

My knuckles sank deep into Mary’s side—a clean liver shot.

She froze, eyes wide with shock and pain.

Her body folded, the fight leaving her all at once, and she fell.

The referee dropped to one knee beside Mary, checking her quickly.

A moment later, he stood and signaled the match was over.

The horn blared across the arena.

“IRONWOOD IS THE WINNER!” Peter boomed.

The crowd exploded with cheers and disbelief, the sound washing over us.

I raised my arms to the sky as the Dome thundered around me.

Dani, Rosie, and Sunny rushed in, all of them shouting over the roar of the crowd.

“You did it,” Dani said with a grin.

“You proved yourself out there,” Rosie said proudly.

“Lily, you won!” Sunny cried as she threw her arms around me.

I laughed—half breathless, half in disbelief—letting the moment wash over me.

I did it—for the Iron Garden, and for myself.

This was only the beginning.

As my body finally gave out to exhaustion, one thought rose above everything else:

Pops… I won.