It was a normal day for Saber as she was busy working out in the gym, wearing nothing more than a simple pair of shorts, gym top and her trademark wrestling mask - she never removed that mask. As befitting of the Ring Cats champion, the gray saber tooth tiger smiled while lifting heavy weights in a way that made it look easy, showcasing her ridiculous strength for all to see. Many of the gym-goers marveled at her chiseled build and tall body, though they were careful not to stare at the feline’s large chest and firm booty in fear of the potential violent consequences. Saber really didn’t care how many people stared at her, by now it was an everyday thing and she saw it as nothing more than the norm, behavior that she was expecting to see. With a toothy grin, she shifted her grip to lift the weight with one arm before lifting another, a feat the other gym-goers could only dream of accomplishing themselves.

  Just then, a sheep entered the gym with a hungry look in her eyes before grinn8ng as she spotted Saber. “So that’s the champion I’ve heard so much about.” she said while staring at the feline’s physique. “People weren’t kidding when they said she was big in more ways than one.”

  Saber’s ears twitched as she heard that, yet she didn’t even turn her head. “Damn right. Big body, big muscles, big personality, big IQ, there’s nothing about me that isn’t big~” She then somehow managed to balance one of the weights on her index finger. “And that’s why I’m the champ.”

  The sheep smiled in amusement and approached Saber fearlessly while briefly glancing at the saber tooth tiger’s rear behind. “Well, except your tail. It’s rather small for a feline such as yourself.”

  Saber’s eye twitched. “My tail, eh? Well…” She turned to look at Anne with a toothy smile, “that’s because most of it couldn’t handle my brilliance. You’d be wise in following suit if you know what’s best for your health, girl.”

  Anne met Saber’s smile head on with a grin of her own. “Oh I’d never flee in fear of anyone, including big gals like you. The only one in this world that truly scares me is my sister.”

  Saber’s smile fell and she straightened up with a grimace as she waved her hand dismissively. “Great, family issues. Yeah, no, I ain’t touching that.” she said before resuming her workout. “I’ll just cut this little chat short, I’m a busy champion after all. Though if you want to continue admiring my body, go ahead and help yourself to the sight of what peak performance looks like.”

  “Actually,” Anne said as she picked up a nearby weight with a cheeky smile, “I didn’t come here just to chat either. I came here for you.”

  The saber tooth tiger blankly looked at the sheep. “...Sorry, but you’re not my type.”

  Anne blinked and almost dropped the weight in surprise. “Ah, no, I didn’t mean it like that. My name is Anne Horndale and I’ve come here to challenge you to a match.” After seeing that her words caught Saber’s attention, she showed a hungry smile. “See, I’ve got this fun hobby of mine. I travel the world to challenge all sorts of champions and you’re next on the chopping block. Of course, I’ll understand if such a sudden challenge is a bit daunting for you, maybe even intimidating.”

  “Intimidated? Me?” Saber burst into laughter. “Fear isn’t even present within my emotional spectrum.” she said before showing a menacing smile. “However, I don’t challenge just about anyone. After all, a champion never wastes their time fighting random schmucks who are way in over their head~”

  “I figured as much, the life of a champion is obviously very busy.” Anne said with a nod before snapping her finger. “So how about I compensate you for your time. In exchange for me facing you in the ring, I’m willing to pay in cash.”

  “10k.” Saber said suddenly with a cheeky smile. “Upfront payment, right here and now.”

  “Is she for real?” one of the onlookers blurted out. “Nobody in their right mind would walk around with that much money on them.”

  Meanwhile, Anne stuck a hand inside the wool on her chest and pulled out a bundle of dollar bills. “Let’s see, pretty sure I brought that much at least…” She finished counting and put some of the bills back in her wool while handing Saber the money. “Here you go.”

  The saber tooth tiger blinked slowly with a blank expression, admittedly surprised that Anne already had the money on hand. “Heh, you’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” She flipped through the bills with a toothy grin. “Well, can’t say I dislike how prepared you are for this challenge, though…” She put the weights down and placed both hands on her hips as she looked down on the sheep, “I do wonder how prepared you are to handle me in the ring?”

  Anne took a step closer while looking up at the large saber tooth tiger. “Oh I’m plenty prepared alright. I’ve already defeated champions in the past, so don’t be surprised if I knock your lights out.”

  An audible “Ooooh!” echoed in the training room as the onlookers heard Anne’s words.

  “Big words.” Saber said while casually popping her neck. “Just try to keep up when we meet in the ring, because I’ve got no intention of holding back even in unofficial matches.” With a big, cocky grin she leaned down to look Anne in the eyes. “If you last for longer than five minutes, I’ll be impressed.”

  The sheep responded with a smile of her own. “I’ve defeated a champion in less.”

  Saber snorted. “Must have been the champion of pansies then.”

  “Nope, MMA. Forty seconds.” She stepped forward as their foreheads touched. “And soon I’ll also have defeated the champion of Ring Cats.”

  The sparks flew from the sheer electric tension as the onlookers stared at the two big, muscular women in awe, dazzled by their overwhelming confidence. Many of them went for their phones to take pictures of the two and soon the images and news of the unofficial challenge was spread all over social media. Neither of the two women seemed to notice this however as they were too busy with their staring contest, an act which ultimately entertained the saber tooth tiger.

  “You...” Saber said as she finally straightened up. “I like you.” She soon walked past the sheep with confident swagger as she headed for the locker room. “After I’m done kicking your ass, let’s meet up for some post-match grub. I’ve got a good feeling you might actually be somewhat worthwhile.” she said before looking over her shoulder. “But don’t you dare prove me wrong by .”

  The public challenge had quickly gone viral online and it soon became the talk of the town as many eagerly waited for the match in anticipation. Many had no idea who Anne even was, but as more background information about her came to light, some members of the public began to air the thought that she could maybe have a chance to defeat Saber after all due to her extensive experience in the ring. Among the people who gathered information was Gunner Drake, a duck who served as one of Ring Cats’ commentators. The former wrestler had been given the role of commentating the unofficial match solo and his first act was to gather as much information as humanly possible so he could be prepared, which in turn made him get rather fond of the sheep. Ever since he became a father, the man had made it a point to always favor face wrestlers over heels to make a good example for his daughters, so he had made up his mind to voice his support for Anne once the matchday began.

  “Good evening and welcome to today’s Ring Cats match. I’m your host, Gunner Drake and I’ll be your commentator for tonight’s match. My partner Bunnie Savage is a bit late, so I’ll be steering the ship solo for now.” he said while looking down on his papers. “Tonight’s event is a bit different from the usual as our champion Saber has been challenged to an unofficial match by an unaffiliated fighter, but don’t think for a moment that the challenger is weak. In fact, she's very accomplished- Ah, it seems like she’s ready to enter.”

  As Anne’s name was called, the sheep walked into view with both arms raised to soak in the applause and cheers as she slowly went down the ramp towards the ring. Unlike most wrestlers or even people in general, she didn’t wear any clothes to cover her body aside from a black belt, though it could be argued that the thick wool covering her body already served that purpose. As a direct result of the sheep’s aversion to clothing, it also served to highlight her muscular build and two prosthetic limbs, a view which earned her both admiration and a slight sense of pity. Once she reached the ring and climbed inside, Anne stepped on the bottom rope and grabbed the top rope with her prosthetic hand before raising her fist with an excited battle cry which roused the crowd to echo her loud cheers in return.

  “Anne’s really full of energy despite facing our champion, but this isn’t her first rodeo challengin’ powerful opponents so I’m not surprised.” Gunner said with a nod. “Three years ago she defeated the MMA champion Mathilda Rhodes in another country and two years prior to that she defeated the heavyweight boxing champion Timothy Welks in a rare case of mixed bout, both of which were highly respected individuals in their sport. Anne has, on record, challenged a grand total of five champions and today serves as her sixth challenge, as well as the very first involvin’ wrestling. Though if I’m going to be honest, Saber should be a whole different beast compared to the champions Anne’s already faced. Speaking of which, it seems our champion is going to make her entrance!”

  Deafening rock music blasted in the arena at max volume as Saber came into view to a roaring applause which easily dwarfed Anne’s reception. The saber tooth tiger wore a black and white wrestling top with a long, white piece of clothing in the shape of teeth reaching down to her trunks, its angle highlighting the orange letters spelling “Saber”. In addition, while Saber raised both arms to urge her fans to cheer louder, a pair of red wristbands in the shape of chains could be seen as she made long, heavy steps with her red, black and white wrestling boots, making it perfectly clear who the boss of the arena was.

  “Now that’s what I call boss music.” Anne chuckled as she looked at the large feline. “Hey Saber, how many fans do you think would go to my side after I’ve defeated you~?”

  Saber immediately stopped her stride and her entrance music abruptly cut off. “What was that? I couldn’t hear you over my awesome, custom-made and justifiably expensive theme song!”

  “I said!” Anne yelled. “I’ll kick your big ass in front of your endearing fans!”

  “What a bold declaration!” Gunner called out as he leaned forward. “Despite the stark difference in status and size, Anne didn’t hesitate to declare her victory! She better not be all hot air, I’m sure many of us would love to see Saber fall tonight!”

  “You’re funny.” Saber said calmly with a big smile. “Maybe I could have you hired as Ring Cats’ very own court jester to give our audience some pre-match amusement?” She took a firm step forward. “After I’ve finished squashing you of course.”

  The saber tooth tiger’s remark got Anne smirking. “The only amusement they’ll get is seeing the look on your face after you’ve lost to the three-count.”

  Saber effortlessly jumped inside the ring and pointed at Anne. “You talk big, but I can easily see you for what you really are. After all, nobody’s got better insight than yours truly.” She stroked a thumb against her throat. “You're just another ant for me to step on.”

  Anne slowly blinked and stepped off the rope before approaching the saber tooth tiger. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to underestimate others?”

  “Didn’t yours teach you to pick your fights more carefully?”

  Just as the two women were about to clash, Diego, a male black cat in a referee uniform got between them. “Alright, alright, break it up you two. The match hasn’t begun just yet.”

  Gunner wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief as he watched the scene unfold. “The match hasn’t even started and I can already feel the heat! This intensity is so dense I can almost taste it!”

  Once Anne and Saber were separated by the considerably shorter referee, the black cat went on to remind them of the rules for their match, which were very much a standard affair. Anne’s heart was pumping intensely as she gazed at Saber, feeling an odd sense of intimidation from the saber tooth tiger’s well-built, sculpted body and confident posture which screamed of an absolute confidence in victory. She had faced many opponents, including champions, yet somehow there was something about this champion’s aura that felt different, as if she was facing a foe that simply couldn’t be beaten. After a brief delay, Diego threw shifting glances at the two before finally stepping out of the way as the bell rang, prompting Saber to immediately approach Anne. The sheep was momentarily surprised by her opponent’s speed but reacted quickly as the two clashed with both hands clasped together, yet her hooves stayed firmly planted. Not only did Anne manage to stand still despite Saber’s heavy push, she also proved that her grip strength was no joke either as she tightly squeezed the saber tooth tiger’s hands with enough force to make the champion wince. Saber quickly returned the favor by squeezing Anne’s hands in response and while it wasn’t quite as effective since the sheep’s prosthetic hand didn’t feel pain, the sounds of creaking metal was produced as it gave way to the saber tooth tiger’s strength. Anne could tell that a prolonged contest of strength could risk badly damaging her prosthetic hand and tried to raise her leg to perform a Knee Strike, but the champion was quite literally two steps ahead of her as she stepped on both of the sheep’s feet to prevent any movement. The sheep gritted her teeth and tried to pull back, but when she saw Saber lean her head back to wind up for a Headbutt, her momentary frustration was replaced with relief. When the saber tooth tiger unleashed her Headbutt, Anne mirrored that movement as their forehead’s clashed with enough force to make many in the audience wince. However, much to everyone’s surprise, Saber was the first to relent as she let go of Anne’s hands and stumbled back in a daze while holding her forehead, skull rattled by the impact as she was left seeing countless stars.

  “Oof, that looked like it hurt! She seemed to be in full control, but the Headbutt must have backfired horribly!” Gunner exclaimed as he leaned forward on his chair. “Just how thick is Anne’s skull?!”

  Anne looked at the dazed saber tooth tiger before grabbing her by the shoulder. “Headbutting me is not the best idea. My skull is thicker than most.”

  As the sheep moved behind the taller feline and wrapped both arms around her waist, Gunner’s eyes widened. “Hold on, is she going to-…” He then watched as Anne slammed Saber to the canvas with a German Suplex which shook the ring. “She really did it! What monstrous strength, she made lifting Saber look so easy!”

  While Saber was still stunned by the impact, Anne grabbed hold of the saber tooth tiger again and lifted her in an upside down position before slamming her to the canvas with a Tombstone Piledriver which got the audience gasping in shock. The champion’s mind was shaken for the third time in a row now and it was already showing as she didn’t move even when Anne pinned her down. Although he was flustered by the rapid development, Diego quickly got down on his knees and slapped the canvas to begin the three-count.

  “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me, is Anne going to win this quickly?!” Gunner exclaimed as his fingers squeezed around the microphone. “In just a matter of seconds, Anne turned it around and might have already beaten the Ring Cats champ-”

  Just as the black cat was about to make the three-count, Saber suddenly lifted her body in a bridge position and canceled the early pinfall attempt as Anne fell back. The audience went wild with loud, roaring cheers of excitement while chanting the champion’s name as she slowly sat up to rub her throbbing head.

  Feeling that she was robbed of an early win, Anne pressed her finger against Diego’s chest. “You’re so slow! That should have been an easy three-count!”

  The referee was unfazed by the much larger woman and held up two fingers. “No, that was a clear two-count!”

  “Talking back to me, huh?” Anne growled as she showed a dangerous glare. “You could have started the count much earlier!”

  “Don’t tell me how to do my job, I know what I’m doing.”

  By this point, Saber had already got up on her feet and as she saw the sheep being busy arguing with the referee, she tensed her right arm to prepare an Arm Lariat with a smirk. Sneak attack or not, everything was fair game to a heel wrestler. While Anne’s back was still turned, the champion stepped forward to attack, only for the sheep’s ears to twitch before ducking low, causing the saber tooth tiger to strike Diego with the Arm Lariat instead. While the cat was sent tumbling into the ropes, Anne quickly stood up and grabbed Saber’s arm to perform a throw, but rather than hitting the canvas, the champion proved exactly why she held that title as she used her feline flexibility to twist her body in the air and land on both feet. While the audience applauded and cheered loudly at the technique they had just witnessed, Saber let out a wild yell and lifted Anne by the arm before slamming her into the canvas, then spun the sheep in circles and threw her into the ropes. When she hit the ropes and rebounded towards Saber, the saber tooth tiger was well prepared as she threw herself forward to perform a devastating Dropkick, but Anne managed to guard herself just in time to avoid the brunt of the blow before grunting as she was sent crashing to the canvas. Despite having successfully blocked the attack on sheer reflex, Saber’s destructive power had left a literal mark on the sheep as the imprint of her shoes could be seen on both of Anne’s arms.

  “You’ve got some nerve, thinking you could pin me that early.” Saber growled as she grabbed one of Anne’s horns. “I’ll show you what happens to those who underestimate me.”

  Anne’s arm was throbbing in pain and her prosthetic arm was creaking from the impact, leaving her temporarily unable to fight back as the champion’s destructive Dropkick had dealt a significant amount of damage to the sheep. With her hand firmly gripped around Anne’s horn, Saber ran and jumped forward before using the weight of the fall to smash the sheep’s face into the canvas with an improvised version of the DDT, then swiftly got on top of her back to transition into an STF.

  “Saber is back in control! What a nasty-looking STF!” Gunner commented before slapping the table as he watched Saber tighten the hold. “Hopefully Anne will find a way to escape.”

  At that very moment, a gray bunny wearing a red dress sat down next to Gunner and grabbed a microphone with great vigor. “Ooh, this is awesome! Saber really is the master of the ring!” she exclaimed excitedly. “No matter how strong her challengers are, they’re simply no match for our Ring Cats champion!”

  Gunner stared at the bunny. “Bunnie, you’re late! The match started over five minutes ago! Where were you?!”

  Bunnie stared blankly at the bird for a moment as if trying to come up with an excuse, only to quickly return her attention to the ring. “Ah, look! What’s Anne doing?!”

  The blue bird frowned. “Don’t change the subject!” he called out before catching a glimpse of the ring from the corner of his eyes. “Hold on…”

  Back in the ring, Anne gritted her teeth as she had grabbed hold of Saber’s arm. “You’ve made…a big mistake…” she growled before smiling as she pressed both thumbs against the saber tooth tiger’s tendons. “Escaping these holds…is my specialty…”

  Saber winced as she felt the pressure being applied directly to her tendon, producing a stinging, almost burning sensation of pain before subconsciously releasing the hold. In that very instant, Anne thrusted the elbow of her prosthetic arm into Saber’s jaw with a metallic clang as she was thrown off the sheep, then gasped when her stomach was struck by a heavy Elbow Drop. However, Saber wasn’t the type to be stunned for long and she quickly grabbed hold of Anne’s prosthetic arm, twisting and pulling mercilessly as she made her opponent trip before trapping her in an Armbar.

  “What the heck is Saber doin’?” Gunner questioned as he scratched the top of his head. “Why is she using an Armbar on an arm that doesn’t even feel pain? Just what is that dirty, no-good cat plannin’?”

  “Maybe she’s trying to steal it?” Bunnie giggled with a smile. “It’s made of metal, right? It’d be a useful weapon.”

  Gunner rubbed his forehead in dismay. “Bunnie, don’t be ridiculous. Saber may be the epitome of evil, but there’s no way she’d do somethin’ cruel like-...”

  Through sheer effort and brute strength, Saber finally managed to detach Anne’s prosthetic arm, causing the sheep to yell in surprise and grasp at the nub where her arm used to be before grunting as the champion whacked her upside the head with her own arm. The sheep cried out in pain and rolled on the canvas while holding the back of her head in agony as Saber casually patted the prosthetic arm she held in her hands.

  “No hard feelings, Anne.” Saber said with a smirk as she took aim at the sheep. “But anything goes when you’re up against me!”

  Before Anne could react, Saber brought the heavy prosthetic arm down on her stomach like a baseball bat, causing the sheep’s body to jerk upward as spit flew from her mouth before letting out numerous gasps when the champion repeatedly struck her body. A number of audience members stared at the ring in stunned silence while others booed and cheered as Saber’s actions caused a great divide between them, though the first one to voice his concerns was Gunner.

  “That slimy, cheatin’, no-good cat is doing it again!” the bird growled into his microphone. “She really has no conscience at all! This is simply too cruel to watch! Imagine, to steal someone’s prosthetic just for the sake of hitting them with it…that evil woman truly has no scruples!”

  Bunnie on the other hand was amazed by what she was seeing. “Wow, that’s so cool! Saber really is a genius in the ring~!”

  Gunner stared at his co-commentator. “Bunnie, are you serious right now?! She’s completely disrespectin’ every ounce of ethics-”

  “Oh, lighten up already, old man.” Bunnie said while waving her hand dismissively. “Anne will be just fiiine, I heard rumors that she’s rich, so the hospital bills won’t be an issue.”

  “For the last time!” Gunner snapped. “I’m only fourty-three!”

  After having repeatedly struck Anne’s body several times, Saber was finally stopped as Diego placed himself between them, having finally recovered from the previous Arm Lariat. “That’s enough, Saber! Using weapons aren’t allowed!”

  Saber showed a cheeky smile as Anne writhed on the canvas in pain. “Oh, you mean this?” she said as she patted the prosthetic arm. “Is it really a weapon though? Sure, I do suppose a fighter’s limbs are their weapons, but that’s not what you meant right?” She leaned forward to look Diego in the eyes. “If this arm counts as a weapon, you should be reprimanding Anne for bringing it into the ring, not me. I’m just merely…borrowing it.”

  Diego paused for a moment. “I…I can’t possibly reprimand her for using a prosthetic arm.”

  “Then you also can’t make any comments about the act of other combatants using it, now can you?” she asked with a toothy grin. “Or are you trying to make an exception to the rules due to personal biases? Tsk, tsk, that’s not a good look~”

  Diego had no choice but to acknowledge that no rule was officially broken before yelping as Saber forcefully shoved him aside, causing him to fall outside the ring with a grunt. With no referee present to get in her way anymore, the saber tooth tiger immediately brought the prosthetic down before blinking in confusion as it was suddenly caught by Anne. The sheep was sweating and panting heavily, yet Saber was unable to pull the arm back despite her great efforts, a fact which puzzled the champion who held great confidence in her own strength. She gritted her teeth and furiously pulled at the arm with all her might, only for Anne to suddenly get up on her feet and punch Saber in the stomach. The saber tooth tiger’s eyes went wide as the fist pushed deeply against her solid muscles, forcing her to step back while holding her stomach in pain, winded by the heavy strike.

  “Never…touch…my prosthetics…” Anne growled with a menacing look in her eyes before striking Saber’s head with a Buzzsaw Kick. “They’re not…a toy!”

  As the champion hit the canvas, Gunner made a fist and punched the air. “Saber’s cruel act has backfired! The attacks might have done a number on Anne, but it seems like she’s become really pissed! Saber must be very careful if she knows what’s best for her!”

  “Anne just got lucky!” Bunnie protested with a pout. “If Diego hadn’t intervened, she would have been turned into ground meat by now!”

  Anne grumbled as she reattached her prosthetic arm and firmly grabbed hold of Saber’s ankles before dragging her to the center of the ring. “You might be wondering…how I’m still able…to move…” she said while lifting the saber tooth tiger’s legs up. “Well…my thick wool…weakens blunt trauma… Now, get ready…for some pain!”

  At the very moment Saber regained her senses, Anne lifted her leg and proceeded to stomp her hoof down between the saber tooth tiger’s legs, then harshly twisted it against the surface to perform an Electric Foot Massage. The sheer amount of pain Saber felt as the hard hoof twisted against her lower parts made the saber tooth tiger grit her teeth and grasp at the canvas, yet she refused to shed any tears. After all, a champion never cries.

  “Does it hurt?! Good!” Anne growled as she finally lifted her leg, only to then end the torture by kicking her between the legs. “This should teach you…not to mess with me!”

  Gunner blinked slowly as he saw Saber writhe on the canvas in pain while the audience booed at Anne. “Did…did Anne just do what I think she did…?” he asked while rubbing his eyes. “I’m just seein’ things, right? There’s no way she could have used such an underhanded move…”

  Bunnie on the other hand was blushing slightly after having seen what happened. “I wish I was in Anne’s shoes…”

  With a deadpan look on his face, Gunner rubbed his forehead in resignation. “I think I’m startin’ to understand why Valentine only allows cats in the ring…”

  While Saber was still reeling in pain, Anne grabbed her by the hair and pulled the saber tooth tiger up on her knees. “‘Champion’. What a joke.” she growled. “No true champion would stoop this low… When I’m done with you…I’ll make you bow down to me…and apologize-”

  Before the sentence could even be finished, Saber struck Anne right above the bladder with a sharp Elbow Strike to make the sheep release her grip, then spun around and smashed her muscular bicep between her legs for an immensely powerful Low Blow. Nearly everyone winced at the sight as the blow lifted Anne off her feet before she collapsed on the canvas and held her crotch in a fetal position with tears in her eyes. Within seconds, Anne’s burning anger had been utterly erased by the pain and she was left completely unable to fight back as Saber lifted her in the air before harshly bringing her back down with a Power Bomb that made the entire ring shake violently. Anne’s entire world was spinning as the impact had severely disrupted her train of thought to the point she even forgot about the pain, leaving her highly vulnerable to a pinfall. Fortunately for her, Diego had yet to recover from his fall outside the ring.

  “Saber is such a powerhouse!” Bunnie exclaimed gleefully. “She’s once again proving her mettle as our Ring Cats champion!”

  Gunner on the other hand slumped down on his chair with crossed arms. “Hmph, a shameless one at that. I’m still shocked Anne used those dirty moves.”

  Seeing as no pinfall could be made without Diego present, Saber decided to give Anne a taste of even more pain as she forced the sheep on her knees, then raised her hand and made a countdown with her fingers to rouse the audience into counting with her, then brutally smashed a knee into her face. Regardless of how solid Anne’s skull was, a strike of this caliber was more than enough to deal a ton of damage as the sheep hit the canvas with a loud thud, her eyes distant as she drooled and trembled. After noticing that Diego was climbing back into the ring, a devilish grin showed on Saber’s face as she nimbly jumped on top of the turnbuckle and raised both arms in the air before playfully patting her right bicep.

  “Oh no, is she gettin’ ready for a finisher?!” Gunner exclaimed as he leaned forward again. “Will we finally see the end of this gruelin’ match?!”

  Steam puffed from Bunnie’s nose as she eagerly awaited the end. “Oh my gosh, I can’t wait. Saber’s finishers are always so amazing!”

  The audience was clapping and cheering, Diego was anxiously observing and Saber hunched her knees as she took aim at the sheep, eager to finish off the bothersome challenger. “It’s the end of the line, sheep!” the saber tooth tiger laughed. “But at least you lasted longer than five minutes, I’ll give you that.”

  Saber leapt off the turnbuckle with her arm outstretched and her elbow pointing down to perform a powerful aerial Elbow Drop, but just as she was about to land on Anne, the sheep suddenly rolled sideways. With her target out of the way, Saber’s elbow crashed into the canvas with enough force to produce a dent, but she refused to show the numbing pain as she stared at Anne with slow blinks, surprised by the swift recovery.

  “Surprised…?” Anne asked with a weak smile as she stood up while rubbing her sore face. “I threw my head back the moment your knee struck…to soften the impact. I sold it well…didn’t I?”

  Saber stood up and popped her neck as she cracked her knuckles with a toothy smile. “Now that you mention it, the impact did feel a bit off. Welp, not going to make that mistake again.”

  “Anne’s still able to fight!” Gunner exclaimed as his passion took hold of him. “Just how high is this sheep’s endurance?!”

  “Not higher than Saber’s.” Bunnie quickly pointed out. “Our champion’s built like a truck, so Anne’s performance isn’t all that impressive by comparison.”

  Although Anne was up on her feet and still determined to fight, Saber could tell from the sheep’s posture and unsteady breathing that she was starting to get tired, something the champion was more than willing to exploit. She quickly approached the sheep with both arms outstretched to grapple the weakened opponent, but just as she was about to step within range, Anne shot forward and pierced her solar plexus with a sharp Knee Strike. Saber spat and her eyes blurred as the piercing strike robbed the saber tooth tiger of her ability to breathe, killing her entire momentum. As the champion fell forward and dropped down on all fours, Anne quickly stomped down on her spine to pin her down, then grabbed both wrists and locked her legs before performing a surprisingly well-executed Romero Special.

  Upon seeing the groaning champion being put in such a position, Bunnie slammed the table. “She’s got to be doping!” she exclaimed before pointing at Anne. “There’s no way anyone could use such a move against Saber!”

  Gunner shook his head. “You can if you have enough strength and experience.” he said before scratching his head. “Though I’m not sure if this was a wise move. Unless she’s got a plan, using the Romero Special on someone of Saber’s size can quickly backfire on the user.”

  As if on cue, Saber began bucking her body left and right while she was stuck in the hold, fully aware that her superior size made it impossible to sustain this technique for long. Although the Romero Special caused a painful strain to her spine, she powered through it by sheer force of will and continued to resist with every ounce of her being. Sure enough, Anne’s hold on the saber tooth tiger began to falter until she finally let go, but rather than letting Saber hit the canvas like the champion had intended, the sheep made sure she fell on top of her instead. The sheep grunted from the impact of Saber’s heavy body, but she quickly coiled her arms around the saber tooth tiger’s neck like a snake and wrapped both legs around her waist as she caught the champion in a merciless Rear Naked Choke, fully intent on finishing the champion off.

  “H-heh… Not even…a champion…can escape this…” Anne said, panting as she eagerly waited for the saber tooth tiger to pass out. “How does it feel…to lose like this…in front of your fans…? But don’t worry… You won’t lose the title…so don’t start crying afterwards~”

  Saber instinctively grasped at Anne’s arms with gritted teeth as she drooled. “Y-you bastard…”

  Bunnie was at the edge of her seat. “No way, is Saber actually losing?!” She grabbed Gunner and shook him violently. “This has to be a nightmare. Gunner, pinch my arm so I can wake up!”

  Gunner on the other hand tried to ignore the shaking in an effort to stay professional. “I stand corrected, Anne did indeed have a plan and I don’t think Saber can escape this one! It’s nearly impossible to escape a Rear Naked Choke.” Gunner said, though he was struggling to contain his excitement about the prospect of Saber losing. “It’s really hard to believe that she started wrestlin’ only just recently.”

  The bunny stopped shaking Gunner and slumped down on her chair with crossed arms. “Hmph, she just got lucky. If Saber hadn’t tripped, the match would have already been over.”

  “She didn’t trip, she was hit by a deliberate attack!” Gunner pointed out. “I know you really like Saber for some reason, but that evil, vile, cheatin’ tower of evil doesn’t deserve pity.”

  “...You’re right, she doesn’t deserve pity…” She suddenly stood up with a burst of energy. “She deserves support and admiration! Let’s go Sab-”

  Gunner acted quickly and covered the bunny’s mouth. “Hey, no cheerin’! We’ve got to act professional!”

  Bunnie frowned and pushed the bird’s hand away. “Hmph, if you can show open distaste for Saber then I should be allowed to cheer for-” She suddenly paused as she caught a glimpse of the ring and immediately sat down to grip her microphone. “Ooh?! Saber’s still fighting!”

  “Wha-?!” Gunner turned to watch as Saber slowly sat up. “How in the-...?”

  Anne couldn’t believe her eyes as the saber tooth tiger rose in a standing position with the sheep still holding on to her neck. “H-hey, how are you still-?”

  Saber proceeded to drop back down again, crushing the sheep under her weight as she was forced to subconsciously let go of the saber tooth tiger’s neck. While she did manage to free herself from the Rear Naked Choke, Saber knew that it was a close call as she rubbed her sore throat and gritted her teeth, pissed that a mere challenger would even dare put her in such a compromising position. Her temper was boiling and without a single ounce of mercy she immediately brought her foot down to stomp on Anne’s chest, but the sheep narrowly managed to roll away before standing up, albeit with unsteady footing. Saber had no intention of letting Anne regain her balance as she threw a powerful punch her way which the sheep barely dodged, only for the saber tooth tiger to open her palm and grab the back of her challenger’s neck. Contrary to her looks, Saber was no simpleton - she could easily come up with clever feints and miscellaneous strategies if she so wished.

  Anne’s legs flailed as she was lifted above the canvas by the much larger feline and desperately grasped at the muscular arm in an attempt to make her let go. “D-dammit…I got careless…”

  “No.” Saber growled as her leg muscles tensed up. “You simply pissed me off!”

  The champion was no longer interested in keeping their match going and burrowed her knee deep into the sheep’s stomach with enough force to create a large shock bulge on her back. Saliva spewed from Anne’s mouth, tears formed in her eyes and many pieces of wool were torn from her body through friction alone, yet the saber tooth tiger still didn’t let go of her neck. She kept her angry eyes trained on Anne’s stomach which was no longer protected by the layer of thick wool, briefly taking a moment to gaze at the sculpted, well-built physique which had undoubtedly been polished for over a decade…and then she punched it with all her might. Anne’s cheeks puffed up as her body was rocked like a punching bag, all while a sickening onset of nausea hit her with the force of a crashing wave, a feeling which grew even further as Saber’s hard knuckles twisted and turned against her skin. When the champion finally pulled out her fist, the audience gasped and winced as they saw she had left behind a fist imprint on the sheep’s stomach in a manner reminiscent of a cow that had been freshly branded by an iron - in Saber’s case, pure power was sufficient enough. Anne’s eyes were distant and her tongue hung out as she was casually dropped on the canvas and stepped on, prompting the worried Diego to immediately begin the three-count for the pinfall.

  Gunner, although not pleased by what he was seeing, couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. “That was close… For a moment there I was worried Saber would seriously hurt Anne. I suppose even an evil lowlife like her is capable of mercy.”

  “While I do wish we could have seen more Saber action, I’m fine with this.” Bunnie said with slow nods. “The challenger got what she deserved for mocking Saber and was taught a valuable lesson not to mess with her-”

  Saber’s arms were crossed as she kept Anne pinned with a frown, only for her eye to twitch in annoyance when she saw the sheep grab hold of her ankle, much to the surprise of the audience and commentator duo alike. She could feel the grip strengthen before wincing as she felt a pair of thumbs pressing against her tendons, forcing the saber tooth tiger to subconsciously remove her leg just milliseconds before the pinfall could be completed, an act which only served to intensify her anger. Anne’s body was drenched in sweat, her exposed stomach was badly bruised and her legs were trembling as she struggled to support her own weight, but the sheep was determined to continue with both arms raised in a defensive posture. However, it only took a brief glance for Saber to know just how sloppy her opponent’s guard was and she swung a swift kick into Anne’s shin to make the sheep fall down on her knees like a house of cards, then delivered a swift kick to the jaw to send her flying into the corner. After the harsh impact of crashing against the turnbuckle had knocked Anne into a hazy state, the saber tooth tiger firmly grabbed the back of her head and cruelly banged her face against the turnbuckle many times over in a brutal fashion before lifting the sheep up to crush her in a devastating Bearhug. Saber’s muscles bulged as she squeezed Anne like a trash compactor, causing the sheep to convulse and drool uncontrollably in a state of utter defeat, no longer capable of fighting back.

  “Don’t you dare forget this match.” Saber growled. “It will serve as a reminder to NEVER mess with me in the ring! Do you understand?”

  Anne wanted to tap out, but the Bearhug had firmly pinned both hands against her hips, leaving her no choice but to surrender verbally. “I-I…u-under…stand…” she uttered with a low wheeze. “I-I…g-gi-”

  Saber squeezed even harder with a dangerous glare. “Good girl.”

  Diego could tell that the match was over as he grabbed Saber’s shoulder. “Your opponent can’t fight anymore. Release her-”

  The saber tooth tiger gritted her teeth, let out a loud battle cry and suddenly performed a Suplex which smashed Anne’s face against the canvas, knocking the sheep out cold as her body was left in a folded, upside down position. The crowds stared in awe at what just happened as everyone went silent, only to break out into loud cheers and boos.

  Saber simply didn’t care and casually stepped on Anne’s butt before eyeing the referee. “Hey, ref. Do the count.”

  Anne unsurprisingly didn’t show any signs of resistance as Diego did the three-count before the bell rang to declare Saber the victor. The audience’s volume grew louder as the saber tooth tiger lightly kicked Anne’s twitching body aside and flexed her muscles while a pair of medics entered the ring with a stretcher, a sight which nearly made Bunnie swoon from the commentator’s desk.

  “She’s just so dreamy…and awesome…and badass…and dreamy…” Bunnie said with a big smile as she intently stared at the muscular champion. “Nobody can measure up to her, Saber’s simply too strong.”

  Gunner sighed in disappointment. “Anne fought surprisingly well considering who her opponent was, hopefully she makes a full recovery soon. I hate to admit it, but Saber’s strength and skill in the ring is genuine.”

  Bunnie giggled as she casually slapped the bird’s back. “See? That wasn’t so hard to admit, was it? I guess even old men can change, huh?”

  “How…many…times…do…I…have…to…remind you?!” Gunner snapped. “I’m 43. Fourty-three! I’m not old!”

  The bunny ignored Gunner’s outburst and returned her attention to Saber. “Alright then, it’s time for the post-match interview. I call dibs!”

  Half an hour passed and Saber popped her neck as she walked down the hallway, having just finished her interview, though the aftermath of her match had truly proved to be a troublesome thing. Her stomach was still hurting from the heavy Knee Strike she had received from Anne’s explosive strength and the moment that had been burned into her mind. Despite Anne’s weakened state, the sheep had used her keen sense of observation to read Saber’s muscle movement and attacked preemptively while the champion was mid-attack, effectively using her own powerful momentum against her. Saber was knowledgeable enough to fully understand the course of events and how it was done, though she could have never imagined herself being on the receiving end of such a stunt. In her mind, this was purely the result of her being sloppy, she couldn’t stand the thought of others reading her moves. However, the champion’s anger had all but subsided at this point and rather than being frustrated by the pain and the way it happened, she couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction of her victory as defeating strong opponents always tasted sweet like honey - it was tangible proof of her legitimacy as the champion after all. She rubbed her sore stomach with a wince and stopped by the entrance of her personal locker room as she got ready to change and clean herself up, though she paused to think for a moment. She was feeling rather hungry, but could she really eat any solid food with her stomach in this state?

  “Ah… There you are…”

  Saber paused and turned her head to see Anne leaning her elbow against the wall as her legs trembled in exhaustion. “Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. Are you here to get your sorry ass kicked again?” the saber tooth tiger said while popping her neck. “I thought the medics carried your weak loser-ass self off the premises.”

  Anne showed a weak smile with tired eyes. “I shook them off…after waking up…” she said while slowly approaching Saber before holding out her hand. “That was…a good match… Definitely got…the skill of a champion…”

  “Are you surprised?” the saber tooth tiger asked as she slapped Anne’s hand away. “I don’t need anyone’s acknowledgement, especially not from someone who couldn’t even manage to stay conscious until the end.”

  “Let’s not…fool ourselves here… Do you really think…anyone would stay awake…after taking those moves…?” Anne chuckled. “Your destructive power…could knock out an elephant…”

  Saber crossed her arms and leaned against the door. “Damn right. So?” She looked down on the exhausted sheep. “Did you come here just to praise me? Trying to court favors by appealing to my ego? If so then you can just drop it, I’m not that easily swayed.”

  The sheep shook her head. “No, there’s something else…” she said as she tried to stabilize her breathing. “It’s about what we talked about…when I challenged you…” She rubbed the back of her head. “I don’t think that I’m in any state…to have any ‘post-match grub’ with you… My stomach is kind of, well…” She looked down on her muscular stomach which still had that deep indent of Saber’s fist, “dead… So I was wondering if we could save it for…another time.”

  The saber tooth tiger snorted and bursted into laughter. “THAT’S what you’re concerned about?! That’s rich! And here I was thinking you had something serious to talk about.” She flashed a toothy grin. “Alright, I’ll open up a spot in my schedule for a later date then. You’ll be paying though.”

  “That’s fair, I lost after all.” Anne chuckled before handing the champion a note. “Here’s my number, call me when you’ve decided on a date…and I’ll fix a good place to eat.”

  As Anne turned and left, Saber looked at the number and rested a hand on her hip. “That gal’s got some balls, I’ve got to admit.”

  A week had passed since their match as Anne sat by the table of an expensive restaurant wearing a short, pink-frilled red dress with a generously exposed cleavage section as well as a pair of black heels to go along with the establishment’s dress code. Her long, brown hair had been neatly combed for the occasion and she had sheared off her wool to even make it possible to wear her dress without looking awkward - she had even equipped artificial skin sleeves over her prosthetic limbs to look as proper as humanly possible. A bottle of wine rested in an ice bucket at the center of the table, ready for consumption as the sheep waited for Saber to finally arrive.

  “She should be here soon.” Anne mused with a tiny smile as she looked at her watch. “I’m surprised she agreed to eat here, didn’t strike her as the fine dining type.”

  “Hah, I’m full of surprises, aren’t I?”

  Anne jolted as she heard Saber’s voice and turned her head to see the large saber tooth tiger stand behind her. She was wearing a really fancy black dress with waves of thin golden chains decorating its surface, a color combination which really fit her natural gray, black-striped tone as well as her long and freshly styled black-tipped white hair. Additionally, her hips and cleavage section were also exposed to accentuate her body shape, creating a surprisingly fancy visual of the otherwise hulking champion…though she was still wearing her wrestling mask.

  A true champion cares not for paltry dress codes whenever the mask is involved.

  “You most definitely are.” Anne chuckled as she looked up at the saber tooth tiger. “I never expected you to arrive in even fancier clothes than me.”

  “I may be a badass, invincible champion,” Saber said as she neatly sat down by the table, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t be a woman of fine tastes. While I do love a good barbeque, I also got a soft spot for the exquisite, subtle flavors produced in these establishments.” She opened the wine bottle and poured a glass before motioning at Anne. “Wine?”

  Anne held out her glass and Saber poured with a level of finesse one wouldn’t suspect from someone of her stature. “Thank you.” After briefly taking in the scent of her wine, Anne took a brief sip before looking back at Saber who was calmly reading the menu. “Say, Saber, about our match…”

  The saber tooth tiger paused and glanced at Anne with a cheeky smile. “Ah yes, the one you paid 10k just to lose? What about it?”

  “I’d like to challenge you again in the future.” the sheep chuckled. “I really enjoyed fighting you.”

  Saber raised a brow while sipping her wine. “You enjoyed getting your ass kicked?”

  Anne shrugged. “I enjoy fighting strong opponents. Who wins or loses doesn’t interest me as long as I get to experience the thrill.”

  The saber tooth tiger looked into her glass in thought. “You know, my manager wasn’t too pleased when she found out I agreed to your challenge. Said that I should have consulted with her first.” She then sighed and leaned back on her chair. “Her tone changed afterwards though. Our match apparently caught a lot of attention and saw a lot of views, so I’m sure she wouldn’t oppose a second challenge. Dunno if I should accept though.” She leaned forward and placed her elbow on the table before resting her head on her palm. “Is there really any merit for me to beat you to a pulp a second time?”

  Saber’s words roused Anne who showed a big, cheeky grin. “I suppose that’s a fair point. There’s a considerable risk that you might lose the second time around, so I can’t fault you for declining.” she said with a casual shrug before taking another sip of wine. “Well, it was worth a shot.”

  Those select few words made one of Saber’s eyes twitch as her smile disappeared. “Looks like someone didn't learn their lesson from last time. In that case-...” She paused as a waiter arrived at their table. “Ah yes, I’ll have a medium rare Filet Mignon in Red Wine Sauce with a side of this season’s vegetables. And you can be generous with the garlic butter.”

  After noting the order down, the waiter went over to Anne. “Herb-Crusted Rack of medium rare Lamb please.”

  While it was puzzling to hear the sheep order lamb meat, Saber had other priorities. “As I was saying… I can’t tell if you’re brave, stupid or both for saying that to my face. Did I hit you so hard that you forgot what happened in the ring?”

  “Nah, I remember it all. Quite vividly in fact. Your strength, your skill, your speed, your technique, it’s all in here.” Anne said as she poked the side of her head. “The moment something or someone catches my interest, I absorb information very quickly. And you interest me a lot! Out of all the champions I’ve faced in my career, you’re the only one who made me doubt my chances of winning the moment we squared up in the ring.”

  Saber shrugged. “What can I say? I’m just built different. Now, if you really wish to get your ass kicked again, who am I to stop you? Though…” She smirked and rubbed her fingers together in a greedy gesture, “I’m not doing it for free, if you catch my drift.”

  Anne nodded and stuffed a hand within the cleavage of her dress and pulled out a stack of bills. “10k sounds good?”

  An idea struck and the saber tooth tiger pointed an index finger upwards. “Mmm, not quite. It takes a lot of time and effort to do what I do due to my position. I’m sure a clever woman like you understands.”

  After placing the bills on the table, Anne let out a sigh and pulled out the remaining bills that she had tucked away. “Alright, 20k then?”

  Saber quickly grabbed the bills and flipped through them with a self-satisfied smile. “I’m glad you understand. I’ll see if I can have your next public execution arranged within the next few weeks.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Anne said confidently. “Now that I’ve fought you once, I think I’ve got a rather clear picture of how you fight…and how to defeat you~”

  The champion narrowed her eyes and sighed. “Now you listen here, because I’ll only say this once.” She pressed her finger against the table with enough force to make the wood creak. “I never lose. You could challenge me a hundred times and I’d destroy you in a hundred different ways.” she said before lifting her finger which had now left a round dent in the woodwork. “You’re strong, sure, but you’re not Saber-level strong. Thanks for the money though, I’ll put it to good use.”

  Anne couldn’t help but let out an amused chuckle at Saber’s words, smitten by the champion’s unrelenting confidence. “You’re welcome.” She held up her glass at Saber. “A toast for the reigning Ring Cats champ.”

  Saber didn’t hesitate and clinked her glass against Anne’s. “Damn right!”

  It had only been a few minutes since Saber arrived at the table, but Anne already knew; This was going to be a very eventful evening.