Hector’s attack pressured Marsha to jump back. He showed foresight to the maneuver, taking another lunge forward and swinging his right knee towards her abdomen.

Marsha reinforced one forearm with the other as she blocked the incoming knee, but it was clear that the hit did some work. She lost the strength to make another evasive leap backwards as Hector proceeded with the next hook.

Marsha instead took to dodging the hook by ducking. She then folded her fingers into a claw-like attack, pulling her hands close to her face.

“Tiger style!” She yelled, leaping forward and pumping her hands into Hector’s chest.

The blow struck true, forcing Hector back into a slide across the stage. He skidded to a stop right as he reached the edge. Jon breathed a sigh of relief.

Hector only stayed standing for a second before he buckled down to his knees. He was defenseless as Marsha dashed up to him. She jumped onto Hector’s chest with her foot before flipping backwards and kicking Hector upwards in the chin.

Marsha sailed back through the air as Hector was knocked off the stage. He crashed into the floor surrounding the stage on his back.

“Oooh!” The collective sense of cringe was followed by a mixture of cheers and boos.

“Ooh. Tiger style,” Mallory remarked. “That must have hurt bad.”

“What’s tiger style?” Thalia asked.

“Oh, that’s hundred-hands clan stuff,” Mallory said. “It’s one of their martial art things. Manipulating mana in a specific way to accentuate attacks which is similar but also different to… Hector can probably explain it to you later. Just know that he’s probably hurting really bad right now.

“Cool!” Thalia waved her hands around in a claw like motion. “I want to learn tiger style!”

Jon appreciated the gesture. Unlike Thalia, he didn’t want to learn anything that needed him to run straight into his opponent's range.

“Just that one attack?” Milo asked. Before he got an answer, he immediately returned to his notebook.

Jon looked at Marsha, standing over Hector at the end of the stage. He had expected a look of relief in her eyes. Instead, she stared down at his friend with ire. Jon tried really hard not to wave at her.

“What are you doing?” Marsha called out. “Why aren’t you fighting hard?”

Hector used fire mana from his hands to push himself up to his feet.

“That doesn’t count, right?” Hector asked, looking over his shoulder. He casually stepped back onto the stage. Marsha walked backwards with trepidation to give him room.

“I do want to fight hard,” Hector said. “I just-”

Marsha ran at him again. She jumped up, wrapped her legs around his neck, and spun around, tossing him off the stage once more.

Hector’s body flipped out of the ring again, this time flying into the area beneath the crowd. Jon heard and felt a thud underneath his seat.

“He’s getting his ass kicked!” Milo said, finally glancing down to the floor past his notebook as if he could see Hector below him. “What’s up with that?”

Mallory’s lips tightened as it did when he didn’t want to answer questions.

“What are you doing?” Marsha asked, even more annoyed. “Is that all the great King of Resden has to offer?”

The crowd seemed to agree, sending their dissatisfaction through more boos.

Hector stood back up, this time with no mana and still with no agency. He brushed himself off as he approached the stage again.

He climbed up, putting himself before Marsha without any sign of alarm.

“Let’s do this again,” Hector said. “This time, I won’t let you touch me.”

“What?” Marsha exclaimed.

Hector ignored her, readying himself in the same stance he held in the beginning of the battle.

“The… the hubris!” Marsha charged.

She leapt. Hector’s leg was too quick to see. He struck her out of the air, and she crashed down to the ground on her back.

“Predictable,” Hector noted. “I mean, some of your best moves are in the air-”

Marsha spun on her back, sweeping with her legs. Hector lifted his own leg out of the way as she stood back up.

“Cool.” Jon heard Thalia’s whisper even under the roar of the crowd.

“Good move,” Hector noted. “Honestly, if I didn’t-”

“Stop talking!” Marsha cried. She made claws again and swiped at Hector’s head.

Hector simply leaned back, putting himself out of range of the attack. Marsha took a hop forward. beginning a series of rapid strikes against Hector, all with tiger styled claw hands.

Hector maneuvered away from most of the attacks with ease, blocking the rest as he needed. Marsha went to the air again, swinging her leg hard.

Hector caught her leg then pushed away, forcefully spinning her back around.

She twirled clumsily in the air before landing hard on her back.

“Too much.” Hector commented, whirling his pointer finger upwards. “Too much in the air.”

“You-” Marsha pushed herself up before finishing her insult, driving into a hard straight punch.

Hector dropped low and tumbled past Marsha’s hook with surprising ease. He grabbed a hold of the back of Marsha’s shin as he rolled past, then stood up with her leg still in his grasp. Marsha hopped on one leg, frustrated and discombobulated from the light hold. Hector simply pushed up and away, throwing Marsha off her balance. She bounced several times before crashing on her backside.

“What?” she cried in shock. She then said it again in anger.

“What!” This time, she stood up without attacking. “What are you doing?”

“I’m talking to you,” Hector said. “Well, I’m trying to. Obviously, you haven’t-”

Hector ducked underneath a high round house kick, the foot narrowly missing his head.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” He begged. “Let me finish.”

Marsha glared at him.

“Um, are you-”

“Finish!” she yelled, crossing her arms. She was clearly trying not to hit him.

“I don’t think you’re used to fighting people who don’t fight back,” Hector answered. “Like-”

Marsha roared and jumped at Hector, kicking him in the chest.

Hector lost his balance and fell on his backside.

“Oh, I was wrong.” Hector held his chest in pain. “You hit me again. I was hoping you would listen-”

“Why would I listen to you insult me?” Marsha asked. “How dare you?”

“Hector, Hector…” Mallory clicked his teeth and shook his head. “Always at the wrong time.”

“Why hasn’t he kicked her ass yet?” Milo asked. “He’s clearly-”

“Shush.” Mallory held up a finger.

“If you would let me clarify…” As soon as Hector, he held his hands up in surrender. “You’re a glorified bouncer. You don’t really get to fight good people. You turn away idiots at the door.”

“I’ve taken plenty of good-”

“I don’t care how good these fighters are,” Hector interrupted. “Tired or not, they’re not as good as you. All of these clowns here? Couldn’t hold a candle to you.”

Marsha’s shoulders relaxed, although she still tapped her thigh in agitation. “And what do you mean by that?”

“You’re never gonna get stronger being around all of this trash,” Hector explained. “You want to get strong, I assume, right?”

“Yeah?" Marsha’s skepticism had at least seemed to wane for curiosity at the moment.

“Of course, you do.” Hector said dismissively. “Why do you even travel around with this woman?”

“She…” Marsha became flustered. Jon could tell, even with the headwrap covering her face.

“It’s none of your business!” She demanded.

“I know it’s not!” Hector explained. “It doesn’t matter. But part of it is you do it so you can be strong, right?”

“Y-Yes.” Marsha stuttered in her reply.

“Well, that’s never gonna happen." Hector looked at the crowd surrounding them before returning his attention to Marsha. "Staying here? You’re never gonna get stronger staying around this woman. Being stuck in this dump. You need to travel. You need to see more things-”

“Are you suggesting I leave?” Marsha replied. “Abandon my post and join the King’s Guard. Like you?”

“Actually.” Hector nodded in thought. “Yeah. Maybe. But not that. Something else-”

“You’re just like her!” Marsha raised her voice again. “This is just a recruitment scheme!”

“No!” Hector waved his hands. “Please! I’m serious. I think you have potential. The potential to help people and help yourself. To actually help people.”

People started to get rowdy. Jon heard more and more people clamoring for a fight.

“The rabble are getting restless,” Milo noted. “And I’m getting a little bored myself. But I want to hear what the Vindhazi girl has to say.”

Marsha gazed around at the booing crowd.

“Ignore them,” Hector told her, getting her back her attention. “They’re nothing to you.”

“How can I leave,” Marsha asked, “when I’m supposed to protect this woman with my life?"

“You’ll never be able to protect her if you’re not strong enough,” Hector said. “But you also can’t protect her if you’re not getting stronger. I know. It’s an impossible situation.”

“I…” Marsha stuttered again. “I…”

“Take it from me,” Hector said. “I’m supposed to be the next King of Resden. Please. I can barely do my job at the King’s Guard. How can I protect an entire Kingdom when I can’t even protect my friends from being hunted down-”

“How can I trust what you say?” Marsha asked. “How can I believe you?”

“That’s your choice,” Hector said. “And I don’t say this much… but I believe we’re kindred spirits. You remind me of someone.”

“Who?” Marsha asked, becoming suspicious.

“Doesn’t matter,” Hector answered. “Just that, I lost two of the fiercest and strongest women… people I’ve ever met, and I didn’t fight hard enough to keep them close. I’d just hate to see someone like you go to waste. You could help so many-”

“Go to waste over my life’s passion?” Marsha said. “You speak strong words with such conviction, and little doubt. I want to believe you, but I can’t betray what I know.”

She lowered herself into a fighting position. “How’s this? If you beat me, then perhaps I listen to you. Leave and do what you said. Become stronger. Join the King’s Guard.”

“Well, I wouldn’t suggest-”

“If not,” Marsha said, “then it means that you’re wrong!”

“I guess… sure,” Hector shrugged. “But that’s not how the truth works. And I still don’t think joining the King’s guard is exactly-”

Marsha’s fist became claw-like again. She braced herself for an attack.

Hector braced himself as well, pulling his hand back into a palm.

“Next time you hit me,” Hector warned, “you better put me down.”

“Ha!” Marsha’s movements had been the fastest Jon had seen that fight. She zipped across the stage to Hector’s position.

She struck as she was in range, rapidly swinging at his body.

Hector weaved through her entire attack.

She jumped forward, spinning several times as she swung with her claws. Jon could feel the source of intention in every claw strike in his chest.

Hector stepped back and ducked, observing calmly as all of it went over his head.

She landed and tried to continue her press forward, but Hector kicked at the inside of her leg.

It wasn’t hard, but it was enough for Marsha to stumble. She managed to stay upright, but the opening was enough for Hector to close in on her, his hand opened and his fingers pointing at her chest.

There wasn’t any time to react before Hector pushed his body behind his fist as he folded his hand.

Jon saw the movement of Marsha’s body flying off the stage before even registering a sound. Marsha’s body flew as Hector’s did, heading straight into the area beneath the audience.

Instead of a small thud, there was a loud crash and even a little shaking in the seats.

The entire arena had gone quiet. Hector’s hand was still in a fist. He was breathing heavily.

“There!” Hector relaxed his body and gestured up to the audience. “There’s your show!

A moment of breath passed through the crowd before the audience roared into cheer, louder than Jon had ever heard it before. Even people behind and next to him had stood up and cheered. before it erupted into a loud cheer.

“Could he… have done that from the beginning?” Milo asked.

“Meh.” Mallory shrugged. “Depends. I think it was risky from Hector to do that move in an actual fight, but I think it highlights her inexperience, so, good on him for incorporating that.”

“Highlights inexperience? Hey!” Milo looked at Mallory. “He used that on me!”

“That’s the point, doofus!” Thalia exclaimed. “That you’re inexperienced.”

Jon turned from the conversation to Hector, who looked incredibly annoyed. He had always found a way to be impressed by Hector. Jon wondered if he could ever catch up to his friend.

Jon felt a tap on his arm. It was Thalia, reaching over Mallory and Milo.

“Does this mean that Marsha has to leave now?” Thalia asked.

“Maybe,” Jon answered truthfully.

Jocasta walked back onto the stage. She grabbed Hector’s hand and held it up in the air.

“Hector wins!” Jocasta yelled, though her eyes were still on Marsha’s body. “Victory!”

The crowd yelled out in cheer.

“King Hector! King Hector! King Hector!”

Hector withdrew his hand from Jocasta’s grip and leapt off the stage. He approached Marsha’s position.

He lifted Marsha’s body onto his shoulders before several of the arena’s guards showed up and surrounded Hector.

“Tell your goons to back off!” Hector yelled at Jocasta. “I’m taking her where she can rest!”

“Listen to what he says,” Jocasta said, waving back to her men. “He’s okay.”

They all watched as Hector carried Marsha up the steps and away from the arena.

“Where’s he going?” Thalia asked.

“Don’t move…” Milo had started scribbling hard into his notebook. He floated into the air, still scribbling.

When Hector got even further away, he flew after them, face in notebook.

“Wait!” Thalia jumped out of the seat and went after them.

That left just Jon and Mallory at the seats.

Jocasta waved at Jon. “Looks like we can get our next fight started immediately!”

Jon gulped.