Cattaleya cracked her neck and raised her fist again, smiling confidently as she waited for her next opponent. Her eyes were bright, her body completely uninjured, and her aura still sharp.
"Next." She grinned, rolling her shoulder as if she had not just fought the strongest opponent she had ever faced.
But the referee shook his head quickly, almost backing away from her intensity.
"Lady Cattaleya, the semifinals do not follow the continuous fight format. Each contestant fights once per round."
Cattaleya froze. "What? That is not fair. I am still warmed up. You cannot just leave me hanging like this."
A few people in the audience laughed nervously. The referee wiped away sweat.
"Rules are rules. Please exit the ring and wait in the designated area."
She grumbled in frustration but complied, leaping from the stage and landing near Lin Mu with a huff.
"They ruined my momentum," she muttered.
Lin Mu chuckled. "You will have more opponents soon enough."
