The crowd's cheers dipped for a moment—like everyone caught their breath at once.
The arena lights dimmed just a little, then focused on the opposite corridor. A low hum rolled across the stadium floor, the kind of bass you didn't hear so much as feel in your chest. Then the names appeared, slowly, one after the other on the sky-screen.
"Aegis Squad – Independent Entry."
People started murmuring.
Then the doors opened.
Five of them walked out together—no hesitation, no theatrics. Just solid footsteps that echoed off the polished floor. And when the lights hit them full, there was a hush.
The kind that spread fast. One person whispered something and it leapt through the whole arena like wildfire.
"Is that… Rovan?"
No mistake.
