Karel straightened slowly after Osric's last hit to his stomach.
The air in the arena felt heavier now.
The smirk he had worn earlier was gone.
Across from him, Osric stood calmly, watching.
The difference between them had become clear in only a few exchanges.
Karel was skilled.
His movements were precise, controlled, and efficient.
But Osric was stronger.
And he wasn't reckless.
Karel moved first.
His footwork was light as he circled, probing with quick jabs and short strikes meant to test Osric's guard.
For a brief moment, the two exchanged blows.
Karel's technique was sharp, but every time their arms collided, the imbalance in strength became obvious.
Osric kept pushing forward.
Not rushing.
Just closing the distance step by step.
The crowd began to notice it as well.
"He's forcing him back."
Karel tried to slip to the side again.
But this time Osric moved faster.
His left hand shot forward, forcing Karel's guard high.
Before Karel could react, Osric stepped inside.
His right fist came down like a hammer.
The punch connected cleanly with Karel's jaw.
A sharp crack echoed through the arena.
Karel's eyes went blank.
His body collapsed instantly.
For a moment the arena fell silent.
Then the crowd exploded.
"Again!"
"He knocked him out!"
"Two in a row!"
The referee rushed forward and checked Karel quickly before raising his arm.
"Karel is out! The winner is Osric!"
Several spectators jumped to their feet while others cursed their lost bets.
Two attendants dragged Karel's unconscious body out of the ring.
Osric remained standing where he was.
His breathing was steady.
The entire fight had lasted only a couple of minutes.
But the atmosphere in the arena had changed.
The crowd was no longer just curious.
Now they were excited.
Across the room, Alice watched quietly.
Her eyes were fixed on Osric.
Her earlier irritation had faded.
In its place was something else.
Interest.
'So that's why he avoided me,' she thought.
But the thought didn't calm her.
If anything, it only made her more determined.
The noise in the arena slowly settled after the initial eruption of cheers and curses.
A man climbed into the ring carrying a small leather pouch. Without ceremony, he tossed it toward Osric.
Osric caught it easily.
The familiar metallic clink of coins sounded from inside as the pouch landed in his hand.
"Two silver," the man said briefly before climbing back out of the ring.
Osric loosened the drawstring slightly and glanced inside.
Two dull silver coins reflected the torchlight.
Not bad.
He closed the pouch again and slipped it into his belt.
Around the arena, the spectators were already discussing the fight.
"That guy's strength is ridiculous."
"Karel didn't even stand a chance."
"Two knockouts in one night…"
"He's going to lose the next one. No way he keeps this up."
Osric listened to the noise without reacting.
His breathing had already returned to normal.
He rolled his shoulders once.
His muscles felt warm, but far from exhausted.
'I'm not tired yet.'
Osric flexed his fingers slowly.
'I can now really tell that stamina is my highest stat.'
Even after two fights, his body still felt steady.
No trembling.
No heavy breathing.
Just the dull ache of exertion.
It felt… manageable.
His eyes moved across the arena.
Most of the elite fighters avoided looking directly at him now.
Some looked thoughtful.
Others looked annoyed.
A few simply looked uninterested.
Then his gaze stopped.
Alice.
She was still standing where she had been earlier, leaning lightly against the wall.
Her eyes were fixed on him.
Even from across the arena, he could see the calm confidence in her posture.
Unlike the others, she didn't look surprised by his victory.
She looked… curious.
Osric studied her quietly.
'I can feel it.'
'She's different from the others.'
Something about her stance told him everything he needed to know.
She wasn't just another brawler.
Her movements were relaxed, balanced.
Controlled.
'She's much more skilled than most elite fighters here.'
Osric hesitated for a moment.
'Screw it.'
'I want a challenge that will help me improve even more.'
'And I can't help but be curious about that woman.'
At that moment—
A familiar message appeared before his eyes.
Osric immediately lowered his gaze slightly, pretending to look at the floor.
The crowd and referee saw nothing unusual.
But his eyes moved across the translucent text floating before him.
{ New Challenge Activated }
Objective:
Defeat the third opponent you have set your sights on.
Reward:
+1 Agility
Close Combat (F) → (E)
Osric blinked once.
'That's… generous.'
The system rarely offered rewards like this unless the challenge was meaningful.
Which meant only one thing.
'She will really be difficult to beat.'
Instead of worry, a small smile appeared on Osric's face.
Excitement stirred in his chest.
'Good.'
The message faded.
Osric raised his head again.
The referee stepped closer.
"You leaving the ring," he asked, "or choosing another opponent?"
Osric didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he turned his head.
His arm slowly lifted.
Then he pointed across the arena.
Straight at Alice.
For a moment, the arena went silent.
Then dozens of heads turned in the same direction.
Alice pushed herself off the wall.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
Slowly, she began walking toward the ring.