Upsetting the princess and getting beat up

~Swish~

~Swish~

~Swish~

Henry keeps sidestepping Emma's rapid attacks, moving with a grace that seems almost effortless.

~Swish~

Emma lunges forward, aiming a punch directly at his face with determined intent.

~Puff~

"Come on, princess, no need to be so aggressive. I'm just trying to ask you for a favor," Henry calmly remarks as he catches her fist with his palm, surprising Emma, causing her to jump back.

~Huff, Huff~ Emma breathes, trying to recalibrate her strategy.

*What's up with this guy? It's like he's a step ahead of my every move. Wait, can he be? No, it's impossible. He can't have that level of martial arts expertise.*

"Let's see, I dodged 1, 2, 3... ah, I think that's the eighth one," Henry casually counts on his fingers, completely dismissing Emma.

*This guy! Is he actually ignoring me? I'll show him I'm not an opponent to underestimate.* Emma fumes before charging at him like a speeding rocket.

*If he can predict my moves, I need to be unpredictable!* she strategizes.

She charges towards him and executes a mid-air double kick, but Henry reacts swiftly, deflecting the kicks with his hand.

Using the momentum of her landing, Emma attempts a foot swipe, but Henry evades by agilely jumping backward.

Determined, she sprints towards him and throws a punch at his face. However, just before it lands, Henry tries to catch her hand with his palm.

*Gotcha!*

"?!" 

Emma changes her hand's trajectory, grabbing Henry by the wrist and hurling him over her shoulder.

*It was a feint?*

Henry, caught off guard, crashes onto the ground.

~Bam!~

"Khuk!"

The impact on the hard ground knocks the wind out of Henry, momentarily blackening his vision.

The flowers offered no cushion, the pain is intense.

As his vision clears, he attempts to grab Emma's leg, but she swiftly retreats.

Henry sits up, his failed attack making his back ache, and he rubs it, wincing at the sting.

"Come on, princess, that's not a very ladylike habit—throwing your dance partner to the unforgiving ground," Henry remarks, a mix of amusement and irritation in his eyes.

~Sigh~

Sighing, Henry rises to his feet, brushing off flower petals from his clothes.

"Oh well, it seems it's time to turn up the heat, princess. I'm not one to strike a woman, but at this rate, if I only defend, I'll be defeated. So don't expect any mercy," Henry warns, an unsettling smirk playing on his lips.

"A good beating does wonders. Ready for some more?" Emma retorts, her tone defiant, yet masked in determination.

"Heh, it took you quite a while," Gideon, who observed the duel from above, mutters to himself, while the class watches in hushed anticipation, eager to discover who will emerge victorious.

Emma's expertise skills were understandable, she's from a good martial arts family after all, but Henry's skills is a HUGE question mark on everyone.

His background is anonymous.

"He might be from a good family as well, maybe even more than the Lucian's. He just doesn't want everyone to know" Was what most people were thinking.

But they held their thoughts within. Since he's going to get serious, they can use this opportunity to see his skills at it's best and judge his background. If he wins then that makes their general guess true.

"Let's watch and see"