I was crowned the winner of the tournament.
The announcement had barely left the announcer's mouth before the entire arena erupted like someone had set off a chain of fireworks. My name rolled through the stands in waves. People weren't just cheering. They were screaming, shouting, practically tearing their throats apart.
"Silent! Silent! Silent!"
They were screaming that word. It was probably because they have been calling me Silent Swordsman, and this was a short version of that.
It echoed, bounced off the stone walls, and came back louder.
For a split second, I just stood there, blinking like an idiot. The noise was overwhelming in the best possible way. The kind of overwhelming that made your chest tighten and your head buzz. I had won. Not barely. Not by luck. I had crushed it. And now everyone was looking at me like I had just stepped out of a legend.
