The arena thundered with noise as the announcer called the next fighter. A massive man stepped into the ring, built like a wall of muscle, grinning with absolute confidence. His eyes lit up when he saw his opponent — a small woman walking forward with quiet steps, her katana sheathed at her side, her expression calm and unreadable. She looked almost delicate compared to him, yet something in her posture made the air feel strangely heavy.

He barked out a laugh. “This is a joke, right? Sending a little girl against me?”

The bell rang.

In the same instant, her blade moved. A single flash of steel cut through the air, too fast for most eyes to follow. She didn’t even touch him — the force of her movement alone blasted outward like a shockwave. The man’s grin vanished as he was thrown backward, hitting the ground with a heavy crash. He didn’t get up. The match was over before anyone could process what happened.

For a moment, the arena fell silent. Then the crowd erupted, cheering wildly, shouting her name, losing their minds over the impossible speed they had witnessed. She didn’t react. She simply sheathed her katana with a soft click, turned her back on the chaos, and walked out of the ring as if she had just finished a warm‑up stretch.

⸻

Minutes later, the terrifying warrior looked like a completely different person.

She sat near a vending stall, legs crossed, nibbling nervously on a taiyaki. Her shoulders were hunched, her eyes darting around every time someone glanced her way. The cold aura she had in the ring was gone, replaced by a shy, jittery energy. “Why are there so many people staring…? I just wanted a snack…” she muttered, clutching her taiyaki like a tiny shield.

“THAT WAS AMAZING!”

She nearly jumped out of her skin as Saw Paing burst into view, practically vibrating with excitement. “You knocked that guy out with one move! One! I’ve never seen anything like that!”

“D‑Don’t sneak up on me!” she squeaked, hugging her snack.

“Sneak up? I was louder than a parade!” Saw Paing laughed, hands on his hips.

A calm voice approached. “Is this who you’re shouting about?”

Kaolan Wongsawat stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over her. He studied her quietly, eyes narrowing in thought. “Someone this young competing here?”

She puffed her cheeks. “How young do you think I am?”

“…Nineteen,” he answered.

“I’m twenty‑five. Same as you.”

Saw Paing exploded into laughter. “BAHAHA! You really do look like a kid!”

“Ehh?! Really…?” she whispered, hiding behind her taiyaki.

Kaolan didn’t laugh. His gaze lingered on her with a new kind of focus — thoughtful, almost impressed. “Your discipline is unusual. That level of technique at our age is rare.”

She tilted her head. “So what, I’m a rare Pokémon now?”

Saw Paing nearly fell over laughing. “She’s incredible!”

Kaolan ignored him and stepped closer. “I underestimated you. That won’t happen again.” His tone held something unmistakable — respect.

She froze mid‑bite, cheeks warming. “You don’t have to make it sound dramatic… I just trained a lot.”

Kaolan nodded once. “Training alone doesn’t create precision like that. You have something more. I’ll be watching you.”