As they travel, Hime becomes increasingly jealous of Satou doting on Nephrites and has a nightmare of being separated from him. They stumble upon Needakitta, the moving kingdom of merchants and cat people whose princess holds the Fire Ring, disappointing Marmarugius who wanted to go to the Water Kingdom first. After the boys and girls get separated, Nephrites apologizes to Hime for coming between her and Satou and assures her that Satou loves her. Satou is shocked when all the girls in the kingdom admire Marmarugius but dismiss him as a weakling. They regroup at an arena where Princess Granart faces her suitors for she will only allow a man who can beat her in a fight to marry her. Satou challenges her, but is knocked out in one blow. Marmarugius trains him in swordsmanship and Alabaster trains him in magic for a rematch, but he does not make much progress. Hime comforts him by assuring she does not mind if he is weak. In a mixed gender spa, Granart allows a shocked Satou to massage her nude body. As he does, she confides she is tired of fighting weak suitors. Since their cause of defeating the Abyss King is just, she offers to throw their rematch so she can marry him and give the Fire Ring. Insulted, he declares he will fight her for real and defeat her.