Ray felt no guilt whatsoever when it came to Scarlet.
From his perspective, his actions had been entirely reasonable. The argument about how much he had eaten was nothing more than a distraction. Logic didn't support her grievance at all.
She had looked down on him from the start. If that was the case, why should he foot her bill? From the beginning, they stood on parallel paths, two lines that were never meant to intersect.
*
The individual competition grounds were alive with noise and motion.
Since the junior division only allowed competitors with three soul rings at most, the arenas were relatively compact. Each circular platform measured roughly thirty meters in diameter.
Dozens of such arenas were arranged side by side, every one of them showcasing wildly different martial souls, soul skills, and fighting styles.
Flashes of light, elemental surges, weapon clashes, and bursts of soul power overlapped into a dazzling spectacle.
Ray watched with sharp, focused eyes.
