The arena finished expanding with a deep hum that vibrated through Rachel's bones. The wind whipped across the platform, carrying with it a chill that did not belong to the mountain air.
Rachel had stood on plenty of battlefields. None of them had made her stomach twist like this one.
The white tiles at the far end began to darken. A stain of pitch black spread outward in branching patterns, like a spiderweb of shadows. Every tile it touched seemed to sink slightly, as if the darkness were pulling reality downward.
Beside her, Greg's entire posture shifted. His shoulders squared. His breathing slowed. The muscle along his jaw tightened. Instinct told him what the system message already had.
[Unique Boss: Soluna Haronyu. AKA "Luna"]
Greg exhaled through his nose.
"This is bad."
Jamie was the only one not frozen or bracing.
In fact, he leaned forward slightly, curious, his expression lit up with recognition.
