"Come on, Jack," Lena said, her voice cold. "You think you can beat me? You couldn't even save yourself back then."
Her words stung more than her strikes. Memories of their past flashed through Jack's mind—training together, laughing between sparring sessions, the nights they spent talking about their dreams. Those memories felt like a lifetime ago.
Jack shook his head, refocusing. "This isn't about the past," he said, his voice steady. "It's about now. And right now, I'm not losing to you."
Lena's expression flickered, just for a moment, but she masked it quickly. She lunged forward, feinting a jab before pivoting into a devastating right hook. Jack ducked under it, countering with a stiff uppercut that snapped Lena's head back.
The crowd erupted, sensing the shift in momentum.
Victor's voice rang out. "That's it, Jack! Make her chase you. Punish her when she overcommits!"
