The arena hummed with a low, lingering buzz, the aftershocks of the previous match still resonating in the air. Selva and Nolyn's clash had left the crowd excited and thirsty for more, and now, anticipation surged again as the next battle was about to begin.
Darius, sitting slightly off to the side, leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced. His eyes tracked the ebb and flow of the crowd, trying to calm the restlessness that gnawed at him. His thoughts kept circling back to one thing: Kai.
Kai Renhart was a fighter with raw, untapped potential, someone who had already exceeded expectations in every fight he's seen him in. But this time was different. The match that awaited him wasn't something the book had predicted. Darius couldn't help but feel a flicker of unease. Kai wasn't even supposed to make it this far, but he did. He couldn't help but wonder if Kai was ready for the monsters that lay ahead, and was sure this match would test his limits.
