The arena floor was wider than it looked from the doorway.
Ken noticed that the moment he stepped through. More ground to cover. More distance between them at the start, which meant whoever closed it first was making a decision—not just moving, but committing to a read before either of them had shown anything yet.
Plistus was already on the other side.
He was built heavier than Ken. Broader through the shoulders, lower center of gravity, the kind of frame that absorbed damage without redistributing it. His stance was open, arms loose at his sides, like someone who wasn't worried about the first hit.
Ken filed that away.
