After the matchups had been made, the ten warriors split up so they wouldn't have any interference in any of their fights.
Captain Elara was not exceptionally thrilled at the prospect engaging in combat. Unlike the other officers, she was a non-combatant. Her purview was handling logistics not a weapon. That being said, she was glad to see that her opponent at least seemed to be in the same boat as her.
"Hey you don't look like much of a fighter. Don't worry, I'm not either." Himiko said. This reassured Elara as she had been a bit nervous. "I only came here to make some food for my brothers."
"Oh good, I'm actually only a logistics officer. I was nervous when the General told me that I had to fight." Elara replied.
"I know what you mean, I thought the same thing when Genbu said I had to fight." Himiko said with a nervous laugh. "Why don't you say we just relax while the boys fight? I just made some lunch if you care to join me."
"Sure, that sounds nice." Elara responded while she joined Himiko for a meal.
Meanwhile, Benji was reluctantly beginning his battle against the oldest of the Byakko brothers. A massive man with long white hair that carried a large battle axe. His name was Jintaro.
"Man, I really wish I didn't have to fight. This guy looks really strong, and head to head battles aren't really my forte." Benji thought as he stood across from his intimidating opponent. "There's no way we could end this without fighting is there" Benji asked with a nervous laugh.
"Tch, how ridiculous." Jintaro said as he struck down an invisible blade that had been thrown at him by Benji.
"Whoa that's impressive, how'd you see it?" Benji asked dropping his coy act as he retrieved his blade.
"I didn't, I just correctly assumed that you would try an underhanded trick like that. It's to be expected from the likes of you." Jintaro said.
Benji and Jintaro then began their fight in earnest. Jintaro dominated the fight from the start, and Benji was soon on his back and badly injured.
As Jintaro was moving in to swing his axe down to deliver the finishing blow he stopped to block an invisible blade that had been thrown straight at him.
"Haven't you learned that those kind of tricks won't work against me?" Jintaro asked.
"I know that. That's why I used a different trick." Benji said, out of breath.
Just as Jintaro was trying to figure out what he was talking about, he felt a blade piercing him from the back.
Benji had thrown his invisible blade while he was knocked down on the ground, and he had curved the trajectory so it would swing around and strike Jintaro in the back.
"That's- not, bad." Jintaro said as he fell face first into the ground.
"That was too tough. One on one fights really aren't my style." Benji said as he let out an exhaustived breath.
Meanwhile, Elara was on the ground writhing in pain. "W-What, happened?" Elara asked. She thought she was just going to be having a meal with her opponent.
"Sorry, but this is a battle after all. I just put a bit of poison in your food. Don't worry, it's not lethal or anything. It's just enough to take you out of commission." Himiko said.
Himiko had started to get ready to head out to the other battlefields to check in on her brothers. She was certain that her "fight" with Elara was over.
"H-Hey! Wait a minute. This fight isn't over yet!" Elara said through labored breaths.
"Please don't push yourself,like I said, that poison isn't lethal but it is painful. The more you move the more painful it'll be. I'd be easier for you to just lie down and wait for it to be over." Himiko explained to her.
"I, am, still a solider of the Empire. I can't lose like this." Elara said as she struggled to her feet.
"I see, but it's too late for you to make a difference now." Himiko replied dismissively.
Elara struggled towards Himiko, but eventually she collapsed back to the ground before she could reach her.
"I have to say, you had me worried for a second. I'm not actually a fighter, that's why I tricked you into eating poisoned food. In an actual hand to hand fight I'd bet even you could beat me." Himiko said as she turned to walk away again.
"I'm glad to hear you say that." Elara said as she jumped on her back and got her in a chokehold.
She used the chokehold to subdue Himiko and grasp victory from the jaws of defeat. She then laid on the ground exhausted and still in pain from the poisons effects.
"If Lieutenant Commander Shion was here, he'd say that this fight wasn't very beautiful." Elara thought to herself. "Speaking of which, I wonder how his fight is going."