Sakuramoria

— Good job, — Leyla nodded to her opponent.

-- Worse than I would have liked, — Varya said with an awkward smile. It's surprising, of course, but what caused the complete defeat? Several things, apparently. Leyla was agile, and the usual "hit-break the opponent's spine-kill" scheme failed, forcing her into a longer and more exhausting fight. And then... Compared to the blows of Vita, Leyla's saber strikes felt like a light pat, and perhaps Refiteyka instinctively positioned herself to get a better moment to strike and end it all... But that was a mistake. Leyla's will was surprisingly strong, and the trick of misleading the opponent didn't work against her, and Varya couldn't ignore the ragged wounds she received, despite her own efforts. A truly inglorious defeat. But it was still instructive, as always in the case of defeats.
Refiteyka wiped the blood soaking from her forehead and instinctively put a finger in her mouth. It's salty.
— Congratulations on your victory. Good luck in the future, — she repeated Nira's words to herself, not yet knowing that Gideon would win in the final.