"Both have beast resonance above ninety percent!"
Elders whispered among themselves, comparing notes, calculating who had better stamina left after the brutal royale.
The two fighters bowed slightly.
Their beasts appeared behind them—one a spectral tiger, glowing silver; the other a soft, pale rabbit shape with faint lunar patterns pulsing like breath.
Tian Lei flicked his wrist.
"Begin."
The tiger youth charged immediately, wind exploding beneath his steps. The moon-rabbit girl didn't move—not until the last second, when her figure flickered like a ripple in still water.
She vanished.
The tiger's claws ripped through empty air.
Gasps echoed.
"She's behind him!"
"No—above!"
"Her footwork… she's using moon-shadow steps!"
The tiger youth pivoted, slashing upward, forcing her to retreat mid-air. Her landing was silent—too silent. The tiger youth's aura surged; his beast roared, sending a silver shockwave toward her.
