The first battle of the arena was about to begin, and the entire place felt like it was trembling under the roar of the crowd. Thousands of spectators packed the stone tiers, banners fluttering in every direction, voices clashing in a storm of chants and anticipation.
Elyno stood near one of the gates, half in shadow, watching it all. He had never seen so many people gathered in one place since the world changed. Their faces glowed in the cold blue light of the system panels floating above them. Some looked excited. Others looked hungry, as if this was the only entertainment left in the shattered world.
At the far end of the arena, a wide set of double doors creaked open. The announcer's voice boomed across the loudspeakers, amplified by magic.
"First match: Liora of the Sett Clan… versus Ken the Frostcaller!"
A ripple of excitement swept the stands. Even from here, Elyno could hear dozens of women shouting Liora's name.
He squinted across the sand as Ken emerged. The man wore a long, dark robe embroidered with silver runes, and he leaned slightly on a polished crystal staff. When he reached the center of the field, he turned in a slow circle, acknowledging the modest applause that greeted him.
Ken's expression was calm, even bored. He looked like he'd fought a hundred matches before this.
But everything changed the instant Liora stepped into view.
The doors opened again, and she walked out, light armor glinting like a second skin, her blond hair braided neatly down her back. She carried a slender sword in her right hand, the blade etched with pale symbols Elyno couldn't read from this distance.
The reaction was instant—and deafening.
The crowd erupted, a single massive cheer that shook the pillars. Elyno felt it vibrating in his chest, mingling with something he didn't want to call envy.
So this is what it's like… to have people believe you can't lose.
Even Ken's bored expression twitched, his grip tightening around his staff.
Liora didn't react to the noise. She only lifted her gaze to the high platform where the judges were seated and inclined her head once.
Then she turned to face her opponent.
A glowing blue panel appeared in midair, letters forming in a slow, deliberate pattern:
BEGIN.
Ken moved first. He swept his staff across the sand, and a wave of cold radiated out in a circle. In less than two seconds, the arena floor transformed into glistening ice.
Elyno sucked in a breath as Liora's boots skidded. Even she couldn't keep perfect footing in such conditions. Ken lifted his staff again, mouth moving as he shaped a spell.
Frost crackled along the edges of her armor.
If he can immobilize her completely, it's over.
But Liora shifted her weight—and instead of fighting the slide, she used it. She let herself glide forward in a controlled rush, one arm out for balance. Her sword glimmered as she launched into a jump so graceful it looked choreographed.
Ken's spell finished at the same moment.
"Phoenix Feather!"
Fire exploded around him, swirling into the shape of a massive bird. The Anka's wings spread wide, heat rolling off it in waves so intense the crowd fell silent. Even from his place near the entrance, Elyno could feel it burning the air.
He swallowed hard, eyes darting over the red-gold flames.
"What… Did Liora just lose?"
For a heartbeat, no one moved. No one spoke.
Then, through the heart of the fire, a silhouette appeared.
Liora shot forward like an arrow, her entire body wrapped in the light of her enchanted sword. The Anka's wings tried to close around her, but she was faster. She came down in a blur of motion, her blade aimed directly for Ken's chest.
At the last instant, Ken jerked his staff up. Steel met crystal in a shriek of impact that echoed around the stands.
The impact knocked Ken from his feet. He landed flat on his back, staff tumbling from his grip.
Liora stood over him, her sword steady, the tip hovering at the hollow of his throat.
Ken's eyes went wide. Then he looked away, face shadowed with resignation.
"I surrender," he said hoarsely.
The blue panel pulsed again:
VICTORY – Liora
A beat passed. Then the crowd erupted all over again.
The cheers were louder this time, nearly overwhelming. Elyno's heart thumped so hard it almost hurt. He felt a strange pang in his chest—admiration, yes, but something else too.
He turned his gaze away as Liora stepped back, offering Ken a gloved hand to help him up.
That's the difference, Elyno thought. She fights like she belongs here.
Three more matches followed, each one brutal and fast. He barely registered them. His own turn was drawing closer, and his thoughts had narrowed to a single sharp point.
When the announcer finally called his name, Elyno felt a chill slide down his spine.
He stepped into the arena.
The instant he appeared, he felt the change.
There were no cheers. No chants.
Silence rippled outward like a stone thrown into water.
People turned to look at him, curious, indifferent, vaguely dismissive.
Who is this nobody?
At the far end, his opponent was already waiting. Pex—a tall fighter with the Sett Clan's emblem stitched to the shoulder of his armor. He held a curved sword and a round shield, his eyes fixed on Elyno with mild contempt.
From the corner of his eye, Elyno saw Liora. She had stopped near the arena doors, watching him in silence.
A different kind of pressure settled onto his shoulders. Not fear exactly, but something sharper—a need to prove he deserved to be here.
The blue panel lit up.
BEGIN.
Elyno didn't wait.
He launched forward, every muscle snapping into motion.
In that single instant, time felt like it fractured. He crossed the hundred meters between them so fast he thought he might tear himself apart.
Gasps erupted from the stands as he materialized in front of Pex, his dagger pressed against the man's throat.
Pex went rigid, disbelief etched across his face.
The silence held for one long heartbeat.
Then the panel flickered:
VICTORY – Elyno
For a moment, no one reacted.
Then the arena erupted with noise.
It wasn't quite the same deafening roar that had greeted Liora, but it was still enough to make the hair on his arms stand up.
Who is he? someone shouted from the stands.
Did you see that speed? another voice yelled.
Elyno exhaled slowly, lowering his dagger. His heart was still hammering so hard he thought it might burst.
He turned and left the arena floor without a word.
He didn't look back to see if Liora was still watching.
As he passed through the archway, he heard the announcer's voice again, echoing behind him.
"Next match: Sergi of the Sett Clan… versus Kayra the Nomad!"
The crowd's response was immediate and electric. Cheers and whistles and screams rose in a wall of sound.
Elyno felt his breath catch.
Sergi.
He knew that name. He'd heard it whispered in taverns and shouted in alleys. The man at the top of the rankings. The Sett Clan's golden icon.
He edged closer to one of the side exits, close enough to see the battlefield.
Sergi was already stepping into the arena.
He moved with a calm, fluid confidence Elyno found instantly unnerving. His silver hair shimmered under the arena lights. He wore dark leathers that molded perfectly to his lean frame, and even from this distance, Elyno could see the fine, intricate tattoos winding along his forearms.
Women screamed his name. Even some of the men joined in.
Sergi didn't acknowledge them. He simply drew a long, elegant bow from his back and notched a single arrow.
Kayra stood across from him, visibly tense.
The blue panel shimmered:
BEGIN.
Sergi exhaled once, his eyes narrowing.
And then he released.
The arrow vanished from the string with a low whistle.
A moment later, Kayra collapsed without a sound.
The panel flashed:
VICTORY – Sergi
The crowd erupted in hysteria.
Elyno swallowed, throat tight.
One arrow… That was all it took.
He felt something coil in his stomach—fear and fascination twisted together.
If he ever faced Sergi himself, speed alone wouldn't be enough.
He turned away from the arena, the roar of the crowd still echoing in his ears.
And the battles continued.