"Contestant 2246, contestant 2134, please report to Ring C."
Ponzu took a deep breath and walked toward Ring C.
Her opponent was a man about six feet tall, muscular, with a shaved head.
He grinned when he saw Ponzu step into the ring.
"Little girl, this isn't where you belong."
Ponzu said nothing. She stood beside the referee and waited for the match to begin.
The referee raised his hand, then swept it down.
"Begin!"
The bald man charged, throwing a punch at Ponzu's face.
Ponzu turned sideways and dodged. She wasn't fast, but she moved just enough to evade it.
The bald man froze for a moment, then followed with a second punch.
Ponzu dodged again.
The bald man threw punch after punch, each faster than the last, but every one brushed past Ponzu's clothes without landing.
"Is that all?"
The bald man grew impatient. He sped up and switched to combinations, left, right, left, right, as though he were hitting a punching bag.
Ponzu retreated two steps and still dodged them all.
The bald man stopped to catch his breath. The look in his eyes changed as he stared at Ponzu.
"You've got some skills."
Ponzu ignored him. She raised her hand, and Nen flowed from her palm, only to be drawn back in a moment later.
I can't use Nen here.
She was here to test her own strength, not bully people with Nen.
She switched to ordinary fighting techniques, charging forward and punching the bald man in the abdomen.
The bald man doubled over and staggered back two steps.
Ponzu followed up with a kick to the side of his knee.
The bald man lost his balance and dropped to one knee.
The referee rushed forward and stepped between them.
"Contestant 2246 wins!"
The bald man