There was another person in the forest. An Arbiter.
Aragorn from Warrior Soul College. He watched emotionlessly as the two battled. That Mars was the one who had killed his junior.
The competition amongst Arbiter's military colleges was accident-prone, and the loss of control was due to overwhelming power on both sides. Without a fight to the last, victory could not be decided. No other country would pursue this course, but Arbiter must see one triumphant. This was also the reason that they were mighty - the strong devoured the weak.
Hatred was a given, but the Arbiter way of exacting revenge was to surpass and dominate. To let your opponent watch themself be overtaken.
Any other way of victory within Arbiter would be accompanied with the derision of the entire nation. That was a life worse than death.