Zuko was never a match for Azula to begin with.
Add in the fact that he'd just finished a draining fight with Kahn, and it was no surprise that he was quickly and thoroughly beaten.
The one thing Kahn genuinely admired was Zuko's toughness—he refused to surrender, even when Azula's attacks were clearly overwhelming.
In the end, he wasn't defeated by choice, but by being kicked straight out of the arena.
That alone earned Kahn's respect.
Even Azula seemed taken aback; for once, she didn't bother mocking Zuko after his loss.
Kahn, however, couldn't help it. Looking at Zuko's dirt-streaked face, singed clothes, and hair standing in every direction, he burst out laughing.
But his laughter quickly died when Azula turned toward him, waving cheerfully with a too-friendly smile.
Great. Now it was my turn.
While Zuko had been getting pummeled, Kahn had been watching closely—and he had to admit, Azula was something else. Her skill was on a completely different level.
If Kahn and Zuko's fight had been a balance of strength, skill, and intelligence, then Azula and Zuko's battle was pure, crushing dominance.
Azula's Firebending was precise and powerful, every strike flowing seamlessly into the next.
Zuko could barely block, often forced into sloppy dodges. Worse yet—Azula's flames weren't the usual orange-yellow. They burned blue.
Blue fire—hotter, faster, deadlier. Whether scientifically or spiritually, it was simply superior.
Kahn's eyes had widened at that revelation, but he'd set it aside. Now, as Azula's next opponent, it was his problem to deal with.
He wasn't delusional—he knew he couldn't overpower her. Still, losing wasn't in his nature.
When Azula beckoned him over again with that infuriatingly smug smile, he muttered internally, you don't need to look that happy about it.
"Do you need a break?" he asked casually.
Azula raised an eyebrow, gave him a strange look, then smirked.
"Worry about yourself."
"Alright then," Kahn shrugged.
They took their positions, standing back-to-back for the starting ritual.
Kahn closed his eyes, breathing deeply, visualizing every move he'd seen her make earlier.
If he couldn't match her strength, then he'd beat her with strategy.
I, Kahn, refuse to bow to anyone who thinks too highly of themselves.
"Three… two… one—begin!"
Azula moved first, blasting a blazing fireball straight at him, charging right behind it.
Kahn didn't meet her head-on. He darted to the left, dodging the fireball, and swept a counter arc of flame to cut off her advance.
"Petty tricks!" she barked, slicing through his flame with one hand and firing another blast.
Kahn rolled, flipped, and twisted—dodging again and again.
His movements looked more like acrobatics than fighting: side rolls, flips, squats, one-handed handstands, and even donkey kicks.
But despite how ridiculous it looked, every move served a purpose. He was minimizing damage, conserving energy, and frustrating his opponent.
Azula's attacks grew fiercer, more aggressive, her patience thinning by the second.
Zuko, watching from the sidelines, was dumbfounded.
He's… not losing?
Azula, meanwhile, was losing her temper. "Ha—ha—did your teacher only teach you how to run away?! Like a coward?!"
Her voice came out between heavy breaths. The exhaustion was starting to show.
Kahn smirked. "Running away's a pretty good skill. At least it keeps me from getting burned."
That jab hit home. Azula's face twisted in fury, and she lunged at him again.
Kahn kept dodging, letting her waste her energy. He knew his limits—there was no way he could overpower her, but he could definitely outlast her.
Each second that passed, Azula's movements grew less precise, her attacks sloppier. The once-flawless rhythm of her Firebending began to falter.
That was the moment Kahn had been waiting for.
The instant she overextended, Kahn lunged forward, slipping past her flames with pinpoint timing.
He grabbed her wrist, twisted his body, and used her momentum to hurl her over his shoulder.
Azula hit the air before she knew what was happening—but managed to flip midair, landing lightly on her feet.
She smirked, about to fire back a retort—until she noticed where she'd landed.
Outside the arena.
Her eyes widened slightly as realization dawned.
Kahn, panting, grinned. "That's called rational use of rules."
A stunned silence filled the air for half a second—then Zuko's triumphant voice broke through.
"Azula! You lost!"