Free Web NovelChapter 152: Chapter 152 Ashley Taking Action 5
Meanwhile, inside the arena, Ashley fixed the reigning champion with an icy stare. The moment she stepped into the fighting area, she stopped suppressing her presence. A heavy, oppressive aura rolled off her like an invisible storm, pressing down on everyone nearby. Even the emcee, who had witnessed countless brutal matches, felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly raised his microphone.
"Now that our challenger has arrived, let’s begin the fight!"
The announcement was immediately met with laughter and jeers from the crowd. Most of the spectators didn’t even consider betting on Ashley. In their eyes, the outcome was already decided. The reigning champion had dominated every challenger who had stepped into the arena before him, and they saw no reason why tonight would be any different.
Some even felt sorry for Ashley. Despite being captivated by her beauty, they couldn’t imagine a woman standing a chance against the hulking champion. Murmurs of dissatisfaction spread through the audience as several people questioned why the management had allowed her to enter the ring in the first place.
As a result, very few wagers were placed on Ashley. Aside from Gideon and the masked man in the VIP section, only a handful of spectators put their money on her, either out of sympathy or admiration for her courage.
The overwhelming majority backed the reigning champion, causing Ashley’s odds to skyrocket. If she somehow managed to pull off the impossible and win, those few who had bet on her would walk away with a fortune.
"Why was such a frail woman chosen?" one spectator scoffed. "Hell, I could step into the arena myself and probably put on a better fight, one that people would actually enjoy watching."
"Maybe the management is playing favorites," another person joked. "Perhaps they’re making sure the champion keeps his title this year."
The remark drew laughter from the crowd, but it also struck a chord. One after another, people nodded in agreement. From their perspective, the reigning champion seemed to have it far too easy. Instead of facing a worthy challenger, he had been handed what looked like an effortless match, making it seem as though he would walk away with the championship and the ten-million prize without encountering the slightest obstacle.
"Pretty lady, see?" the reigning champion chuckled as he pointed toward the crowd. "Everyone agrees that this fight is pointless. Just surrender now, and you can walk away without a scratch."
He completely failed to notice the frost in Ashley’s eyes or the dangerous aura lurking beneath her calm expression. The very idea never crossed his mind. To him, Ashley was nothing more than a fragile beauty standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Looking at her slender frame, he couldn’t imagine her posing any threat. His arms were thicker than her thighs, and he was certain that one solid punch would be enough to put her down for good.
That was why he was giving her an opportunity to quit while she still could. If she accepted, everyone would save time and move on. If she didn’t, then he would simply have to play his part. Once the fight began, he would throw a few punches to satisfy the audience before knocking her unconscious.
After all, he couldn’t afford to appear soft on a woman, no matter how beautiful she was.
He believed that his threat would be enough to make any ordinary woman back down. But was Ashley an ordinary woman? Not even close.
She had sparred with men far more imposing and powerful than him within werewolf society. Sure, she had been bruised, battered, and occasionally left aching all over, but had she ever truly been defeated?
No. Perhaps some had held back because of her former status, while others may have genuinely lost to her. Regardless, compared to those warriors, the reigning champion standing before her looked more like an overconfident chick trying to puff up his feathers.
As a result, Ashley couldn’t even be bothered to respond. She simply waited for the referee to start the match. Unfortunately, her silence only fueled the champion’s anger. Being ignored felt like a direct blow to his pride, and he couldn’t tolerate such disrespect. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
In his mind, all she needed was a harsh lesson to put her in her place. Once he humbled her, surely she would stop acting out and obediently do as she was told.
With that thought, his expression hardened. At the referee’s signal, both fighters stepped forward. The official grabbed their wrists, raised them briefly, and, after ensuring they were ready, signaled the start of the fight.
The reigning champion immediately fell back on his usual tactic. He took a step backward, trying to intimidate Ashley while creating enough space to launch the opening attack. The moment he found his footing, he exploded forward, driving off his rear leg and firing a fast, straight punch toward Ashley’s left cheek.
However, Ashley had already read his movements. The instant he shifted his weight onto his right leg and rotated his hips, she knew where the punch was coming from. Instead of meeting force with force, she calmly sidestepped to her right, letting the strike sail harmlessly past her face.
At the same time, she seized his extended arm, pivoted her body, and smoothly pulled him off balance.
Before the champion could react, Ashley dipped her shoulder beneath his center of gravity and executed a textbook shoulder throw. His feet left the ground as his body flipped through the air before crashing heavily onto the arena floor.
The impact drove the air from his lungs. Instinctively, he curled into himself like a shrimp, clutching his body as waves of pain shot through him.
"Ugh! That hurts like hell!" the reigning champion grumbled as he struggled to recover from the throw.
Unfortunately for him, Ashley had no intention of giving him time to compose himself. Before he could utter another word, her fist shot forward and slammed squarely into the bridge of his nose. A sharp crack echoed through the arena, followed by a pained grunt from the champion.
The moment her strike connected, Ashley immediately retreated a few steps, creating enough distance to avoid any desperate counterattack from the ground. To the spectators, it might have looked like she was being cautious, but the truth was far different.
Ashley could have ended the fight right then and there if she wanted to.
She simply chose not to.
A quick victory would be too merciful. Instead, she intended to drag the fight out, slowly grinding away at the man’s arrogance, confidence, and pride. Every painful exchange would serve as a lesson, teaching him exactly what happened when he underestimated a woman and resorted to underhanded tactics.
After all, women could be surprisingly vindictive when provoked, and Ashley was more than willing to make sure this lesson stayed with him for a very long time.
"You fucking bitch! I won’t let you get away with this!" the reigning champion roared as he pushed himself off the ground, fury blazing in his eyes.
"Oh?" Ashley replied with a faint smirk. Raising both hands into a relaxed guard, she adopted a casual boxing stance. "Then come at me."
