Karina's red lips curled, teasing. "Handsome, you're no fun at all." Before the words even faded, she lunged at Tristan. Tristan let out a cold snort. His military knife flashed forward like lightning, ruthless and precise with no hesitation. They clashed in the open arena. Tristan's attacks were sharp and clean, every move fast, deadly, and perfectly controlled. He pressed close, taking full advantage of his close-combat skills. But after a few exchanges, something felt wrong. Karina clearly lacked Tristan's strength and skill. She should have been overwhelmed. Yet she dodged every attack as if she knew them in advance. Every move Tristan made, even flawless ones, she countered perfectly by striking at his weakest spot."Ms. Green." Harvey muttered, still speaking with a slur from his injuries. Thora explained coldly. "Her eyes don't just see through things. They can lock onto a target and read movements, weaknesses, and even flashes of thought." Tristan had looked her in the eyes earlier. That single moment gave Karina full control. It didn't matter how perfect Tristan's technique was. Under her ability, every strike became full of openings. "Commander Green, your eyes are as sharp as ever," Dorian praised without holding back. "Thank you," Thora replied simply. Then both fell silent again, watching the fight. It didn't take long for Tristan to show signs of fatigue. But Thora remained calm. She knew Tristan had more left than he showed.Soon, after getting hit from behind, Tristan rose again. He switched the knife to his other hand. Images of his past training with Thora flashed across his mind. "Always keep a final escape for yourself. Once the enemy knows everything about you, your death is right behind it." She had said that the day she pinned him to the ground. Karina's pupils tightened, a flicker of surprise in her green slit eyes. And Tristan suddenly closed his eyes and charged. His burst of speed was so sharp that even Thora and Dorian's expressions shifted. This time, Tristan no longer fell behind. He controlled the pace, pressing Karina back step by step. Karina's pupils split, becoming two vertical lines as she strained to keep up. But once Tristan blocked her gaze, she had no advantage. In pure close combat, she was completely outmatched. Karina glanced toward Thora, still calm and poised at the edge of the field. A sly smile curved her lips. Then she suddenly called out, her voice trembling with fake panic. "Commander Green?" The moment Thora heard it, her brows tightened. Something was wrong. And just as she feared, Tristan immediately opened his eyes and turned in alarm. He looked straight into Karina's slit pupils. Damn. Thora's gaze went cold. This woman used Thora as bait to make Tristan look at her again. And it worked. Tristan fell back into disadvantage instantly. No matter how skilled he was, her ability restrained him completely. He dropped to one knee, rolled, and tried to rise again when a shadow stepped in front of him."Ms. Green." "Stand down." Thora's voice was flat and commanding. Tristan clenched his teeth. He could still fight. He wasn't like Harvey, who had been physically smashed. If he held out longer, Karina would eventually exhaust her ability. Tristan could already feel her weakening. "Don't waste my time. Down." Thora said sharply. Only then did Tristan finally pull back, though unwillingly. As he stood, he suddenly felt dozens of sharp pains all over his body. He hadn't noticed during the fight, but now the thin cuts burned like fire. Karina had deliberately aimed at thin skin and weak spots. No single wound was deadly, but together they drained strength quickly. Tristan hissed under his breath and shot Karina a cold look. He pressed on the worst wound to stop the bleeding and walked back to Harvey. He tore a strip of cloth and wrapped it loosely before fixing his eyes on Thora. Thora still wore her white shirt with a matching white vest. Under the faint light, she looked less like a battlefield killer and more like a polished young noble. She rolled her wrist, slid one leg back, and raised both hands into a ready stance. "Now your opponent is me."