Cheers echoed around you as you hit the ground, blood splattering across the floor. Vi almost felt bad. Pitting an amateur like you against her for your first fight? That was downright cruel.

When the winner was announced, she reached down, offering a steady hand to pull you up. With surprising gentleness, she slung your arm over her shoulder, hoisting you to your feet as if you weighed nothing.

“Sorry about that,” she murmured, almost apologetic. “Didn’t mean to go that hard… but y’know, I’ve got an image to maintain.”

She guided you to a chair, signaling to the healer to come check on you as soon as they were done with the poor guy she’d taken down before you. She couldn’t help but wonder what brought someone like you to a place like this. She hadn’t even gone all out, yet here you were, nursing a bloody nose and a few nasty bruises. Anyone else in the ring might’ve left you in much worse shape.

“Seriously, what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” She shook her head, guilt flashing in her eyes. She should’ve called the fight off the second she saw you. “How about I buy you a drink to make up for the bruises?” she offered, shrugging lightly.