As the tournament approached, Vik signed me up and agreed to coach me. Having a doctor who could patch me up if I got knocked down seemed a smart idea. The doctor's orders were clear: train my cardio and my footwork. That's how I started running, one hour a day, from my dingy motel to the waterfront.

 

 

 

To be frank, it felt really good! With my corpo background, I had totally neglected the athletic aspect of my training. I used to kick bags or people, sometimes. Not everything could be overcome by cybernetic implants. I learned the hard way to ignore them when things went down.

 

 

 

Damn, it's over! Time for some stretching and relaxation exercises, to prevent unnecessary injuries. It felt nice to spend some time here, as the waterfront under the Californian sunset was giving Night City its dignity back.

 

 

 

Most of the fighters at the tournament were boxers. As for me, I specialized in taekwondo. Fists against feet. Hence Viktor's advice: regain my stamina to support my kicking. I needed speed and agility both to strike and to hold my ground.

 

 

 

Stretching helped me restore my flexibility. Working a desk job didn't help, and my occasional monthly workouts failed to keep me as nimble as before. But I was getting back in shape, and I knew how to win.

 

 

 

I didn't care if my opponents were all local ex-champions, they would bite the dust. Because when I set a goal in my mind, I made sure to achieve it. Don't think I've forgotten Arasaka, but to take them on required money, a solid plan and allies to back it up. I was a long way from that.

 

 

 

Right after a good training session, nothing beats dipping sweaty feet in water to clean them off. Come on, what else do you think those pools of water were used for? Plus, you get to stare at them before they kick ass. That's how I would become the fighting queen.

 

 

 

And like all self-esteemed queens, you have to take time for yourself. So every morning, I fingered myself by caressing my breasts until I climaxed. A healthy attitude in a healthy body. No, I'm joking, but it gave me a real boost for the entire day.

 

 

 

Today marked my debut in the competition. Viktor had picked me up and briefed me on the champion I was facing:

"You're facing El César, he's the guy on the car in the back. A member of the Valentinos gang, Heywood's former top man. Avoid his gold prosthetic arm and you should be fine. One question though, are you sure about the outfit? I have my doubts, you don't have any torso protection or footwear."

"Don't worry about that, I don't expect to be hit. Besides, it's the proper gear for the kind of fighting I do."

"Alright Eleanor, you're the boss. Go beat him."

 

 

 

The fight began. El César tried an aggressive approach, getting within range to punch me with his cybernetic arm. I denied the courtesy by shoving him back. That's when I found the weak point to attack: his chest hadn't been enhanced at all.

 

 

 

I needed an opening. For that I had to let him hit me, at least try. His golden arm struck the air as I ducked to dodge it. El César thought I wasn't in range to counter-attack, but oh boy... He was so damned wrong.

 

 

 

With my left leg, I delivered a brutal blow into his belly. I didn't intend to strike back with my fists, but with my feet. And that turned out to be his mistake. El César was taken by surprise and fell to the ground, unable to keep up the fight.

 

 

 

My second fight was far more challenging. I faced the boxing champion of the Animals gang, Rhino. She showed great strength combined with a strong defense, making it impossible to land a single hit. In fact, it was her who managed to put me on the ground first, ready to finish me off with an elbow drop.

 

 

 

I rolled to the side at the last moment, avoiding an inevitable defeat. For the first time in the fight, I was behind Rhino, and to take down a behemoth, I knew what to do: aim for the legs. I tackled the joint behind her knee with all the force I had. She staggered and fell to the ground.

 

 

 

Once down, I kicked Rhino's head just once to make sure she stayed that way. It was fucking exhausting but I did it, I won! I had passed the quarter-finals against El César and the semi-finals against Rhino. My next fight, the final, would set me up against the current champion Razor Hugh and, best of all, it would be broadcast on TV.

 

 

 

"Are you really sure about this Viktor? Betting that much on your protégé's victory against the reigning world champion? You must have an incredible amount of trust in him."

"In her Judy, Eleanor is a woman determined to kick ass. Believe me, she's got her own fighting style and every chance of winning. You should bet too, you won't be disappointed and you can thank me later."

"If she loses, your services are free of charge for the entire month."

"Fair enough, Judy. Watch and learn."

 

 

 

“Introducing the challenger, straight from Watson to take on the champion Razor Hugh. Weighing in at 121 pounds, make some noise for Eleanor the Celeste!”

Don't ask me where the nickname came from, I just thought it was cool. Like this new outfit, based on a legendary female fighter from South Korea. Tonight, I decided to honor her legacy.

 

 

 

"You're my weakling opponent? Haha! You won't make it through the first round."

Razor Hugh had the arrogance of an undefeated champion. Prior to the match, Viktor informed me that the champ had been equipped with new cybernetic abs, so confident in his own strength to knock the life out of me. We'll soon discover if he can withstand several good kicks to the stomach...

 

 

 

As soon as the bell rang, Razor Hugh tried a strong right punch. If I had not bent down instantly to avoid it, I would have joined Morpheus' land. Damn, his arm was terrifying, as wide as my whole body! I had no room for mistakes.

 

 

 

I launched an attack right back at the champ. He had the boxer's reflex of putting his guard up to protect his head. But I didn't bother, my kick was aimed at his stomach. I needed to inflict more than one hit to defeat him.

 

 

 

Razor Hugh didn't flinch and counterattacked with an uppercut. Unfortunately for him, I stepped back far enough to parry it and be within range to deliver a second, much stronger kick. I could hear his cybernetic equipment failing.

 

 

 

His blows were swift for a big guy like him, except that I moved a lot faster than he did. The more I dodged his punches, the more I felt my endurance depleted. The champion grew just as tired of hitting the void, and soon I knew the fight would have to be over. After an umpteenth evasive move, I prepared myself for a fatal blow.

 

 

 

I put all my rage and anger into this spinning kick. My foot pierced his belly like a sword thrust into the flesh. Razor Hugh fell to his knees, the cybernetic hardware inside him ripped to shreds. It was the champion's arrogance that led to his downfall, broadcast over the networks.

 

 

 

"What a sensational night! And against all odds, tonight's winner is Eleanor the Celeste! She takes home a prestigious victory over world champion Razor Hugh and the princely sum of 100,000 Eurodollars!"

When I set myself a purpose, I achieve it, whatever the means. Tonight, in front of a small crowd, I had reached my fifteen minutes of fame. The first of many, if you ask me.