"She did not defeat him," someone muttered. "He defeated himself."
Others, however, were not so quick to dismiss it.
"Mistake or not, a win is a win," a noble from Haran pointed out. "If Asher underestimated her and let his guard down, that is his own fault. Battles aren't just about strength but also about reading your opponent."
"That's right," a warrior from Dixan added. "Even the strongest can fall to a single mistake. That's what makes a fight unpredictable. She took advantage of an opening, what else was she supposed to do? Let him recover and lose?"
Still standing on the stage, Asher clenched his fists, his jaw tightening in frustration. He could hear the whispers, the debates, the arguments happening around him, but one thing was clear, he had lost. And it didn't sit well with him.
He turned sharply to face Nnenna, his eyes dark and stormy.
