"Hahaha," Rovan let out a quiet chuckle, eyes still fixed on the ring.
"What's her name?"
"Whose name, sir?" one of the attendants asked carefully.
Rovan didn't even glance his way. His tone dropped flat. "Don't act like you don't know who I'm talking about."
The attendant stiffened. "Ah–she came in late, sir. We don't have information on her."
"That so?" Rovan muttered, jaw tightening.
"Yes, sir," the attendant replied quickly.
Rovan's gaze sharpened. "Where's he then? He's supposed to be in charge of overseeing the girls' exams. Why isn't he here?"
"I believe he was here earlier, sir. The last I saw him, he was heading toward the men's sparring grounds."
"Very well then." Rovan exhaled through his nose, his tone low and edged with irritation. "You're as troublesome as always…"
He paused, muttering to himself, "Scarlet's gonna get an earful when he gets there."
"What was that, sir?" the attendant asked nervously.
"I wasn't talking to you," Rovan said without looking away from the ring. "Go sit down."
"My apologies, sir." The attendant bowed slightly before retreating to his seat.
"Now, love," Rovan murmured, folding his arms as his gaze sharpened on the ring.
"Let's see what you're gonna do here."
Kinuko lunged forward. Naelle slid into stance just in time, her staff whipping through the air in a sharp swing.
Kinuko twirled aside, movements fluid, teasing. Naelle reacted instantly–her staff came around in a wide arc, aiming for Kinuko mid-spin.
But Kinuko's hand shot out–
CLANG!
She caught the staff, twisted–
SLASH!
Naelle's staff split clean in two.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Naelle stumbled back, eyes wide, splinters falling from her weapon as Kinuko landed lightly and charged again, blades glinting.
Naelle's thoughts raced. 'I hadn't noticed before… but since the start of this fight… she hasn't been taking me seriously.'
Her grip tightened on what was left of her staff.
'The way she dodges – too close to my swings. The way she mocks me… laughs in my face. It was all right there. But I missed it.'
Naelle's gaze flicked to Kinuko's blades –
'She's been attacking me with the back of her sword… ever since the examiner warned her. She stopped using the sharp edge entirely–and I didn't even realize it.'
Her eyes darted toward the stands–searching. Rovan was still watching, unreadable.
"Tch," Naelle hissed, face twisted in frustration and disbelief.
Her pulse hammered.
'Could it be… she's trying to kill me again?'
With that thought lodged in her head, panic clouded Naelle's focus. She swung her now-short staff in a shaky arc, her precision gone.
Kinuko, darting along the edge of the ring, cocked her head. "What's she doing?" she muttered, a grin curling her lips. "Trying to bait me in by acting stupid? Hmph–" Her grin sharpened.
"Fine then. I'll fall for it."
She burst forward, wind whipping in her wake, both blades sliding cleanly into their hilts.
Naelle's eyes widened. "She's – concealing her weapons?"
Kinuko stopped dead in front of her–too close, too fast.
And then–
It began.
A storm of blows erupted – punches, elbows, knees, kicks, each one blurring into the next.
Naelle tried to defend, raising her splintered staff, but it was too weak – Kinuko's earlier slash had already ruined it.
The first few strikes she managed to block, but then–
CRACK.
The staff broke apart completely, leaving her exposed. And Kinuko didn't hesitate.
She kept hitting–relentless, precise, merciless.
One hit.
Two hits.
Three hits.
Each blow landed heavier than the last, echoing the arena.
Naelle's breath came in ragged gasps as the heat of Kinuko's strikes burned against her skin.
She staggered, consciousness slipping, her legs trembling as Kinuko's strikes found them again and again – thigh, shin, knee, a rhythm of destruction.
The crowd had gone dead silent. No cheers. No gasps.
Only the dull, rhythmic sound–
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The sound of fists meeting flesh.
"Sir!" one of the attendants shouted, his voice cracking under the pressure. "We have to stop this!"
For the first time since the battle began, Rovan moved.
He didn't speak. He didn't even look at the man at first–just turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable.
Then he raised a single finger to his lips.
"Shhhhh."
The attendant froze, words dying in his throat.
Rovan's eyes slid back to the ring. "Watch," he said quietly.
Kinuko's shadow cut across the dust as she lunged low, her leg sweeping out in a brutal arc. Naelle's feet left the ground –
THWACK!
She fell – but before she could hit the floor, Kinuko caught her by the ankle, spun, and hurled her across the ring like she weighed nothing.
The crowd flinched as Naelle's body skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust. Kinuko was already there–moving faster than anyone could track.
When the haze cleared, Kinuko stood over her fallen opponent, one foot pressed against Naelle's chest, her twin blades still sheathed.
Her hair clung to her face, her chest rising and falling as her eyes darted, still wild, still searching for another fight.
"Enough!" Rovan's voice cracked like thunder as he stepped forward, the weight of command through the silence.
He walked to the edge of the ring, his gaze sharp but calm. "You win," he said simply.
Kinuko blinked, the grin fading slightly before she gave a lazy skip backward and hopped off the ring.
Rovan's eyes fell to Naelle's limp form. His tone turned cold. "Get her off my ring."
"Yes, sir!" A team of attendants and medics rushed in, lifting Naelle carefully and carrying her out as the silence lingered like smoke.
Rovan looked around the crowd, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze lingered on their stunned faces – wide eyes, lips half-parted, silence thick enough to choke on."That was a good bout… don't you think?"
No one answered. The air was heavy with awe and unease.
Rovan's faint smirk returned. "Now then," he said, turning from the ring, "the sparring contest has been concluded. You'll remain here until your examiner returns – he stepped out briefly. He'll take you to the final tier of this Guild entrance exam."
He paused at the edge of the ring glancing over his shoulder one last time. "Have fun, folks."
With that, Rovan stepped down, his boots echoing against the stone as the silence swallowed him whole.
As Kinuko hopped down from the ring, her manic grin faded – replaced by a tired sigh. "Ugh… I feel insanely drained all of a sudden," she muttered, rolling her shoulders.
She blinked, noticing the wet trail down the chin. "And why's there's so much drool–gross." She wiped it off with her sleeve, shaking her head.
Weaving through the murmuring crowd, she finally reached where Akeno was standing. Kinuko looked up just in time to see her friend's face – eyes sparkling like a kid on a festival night.
"…What?" Kinuko asked flatly.
Akeno didn't answer – she just lunged forward and wrapped her in a crushing hug.
"Quiet down! There's still people around!" Kinuko hissed, squirming to break free.
"I can't believe you didn't use any Jutsu!" Akeno whispered excitedly against her ear.
"Huh?" Kinuko blinked, rubbing her chin."Well… I guess I did say we shouldn't."
"So? How was it?" Akeno asked, bouncing a little with energy.
"How was what?"
"The fight!" Akeno shouted, loud enough for a few nearby heads to turn.
"Shhh!" Kinuko hissed again, smacking her lightly on the arm. "I dunno… it was over in like, a second. Don't even remember much of it."
She started twirling a strand of her hair idly. Akeno giggled, her excitement melting into affection. "You're just too cute," she said, pulling Kinuko into another hug – tighter this time.
"Ugh – what's cute about this situation?" Kinuko grumbled, muffled against Akeno's chest. "You're choking me with your brea–!"
Akeno just laughed, hugging her even tighter. "It's alright, Kinuko."
"You were amazing."