Then, she lunged forward and twisted, feinting left before abruptly pivoting to the right.
Gon moved to dodge…
Too late.
Her fist crashed into his jaw with brutal precision.
A sharp burst of pain shot through him as his head snapped to the side.
He staggered back, tasting the faint, metallic tang of blood where her knuckles had split his lip.
The crowd gasped, then roared even louder, their excitement palpable as the first real blow of the match landed.
For the first time in the fight, Gon stopped moving.
Dina exhaled, stepping back into position, her hands flexing at her sides as she watched him.
Her chest rose and fell with controlled breaths, but inside, her heart was pounding.
Fight me, she thought, the words a silent challenge that hung in the air between them.
And finally, finally, something in Gon's expression shifted.
The haze in his eyes cleared, the last remnants of hesitation burning away like mist under the morning sun.
