Rosa's question, filled with curiosity and a hint of teasing, cut through the tension of their situation. "And who exactly is your competition?" she inquired, hands on her hips and a playful smile on her face.
Oscar, clearly annoyed by the question as the atmosphere around them grew charged with electricity, answered with a seriousness that contrasted sharply with Rosa's lighter mood. "I have told you enough times that anyone who wields a sword is my competition. Specifically, my goal is to go to Japan one day. I'm sure they have masters there worthy to test my steel against."
Rosa's laughter lightened the mood. "Again, are you even the best swordsman in the New York division?" she challenged, seeking to provoke him further.
Oscar, without altering his expression, confidently replied, "Well, no one has beaten me in sword to sword combat, so—"
