The Celestial Watch was abuzz with tension. Injured soldiers, broken weapons, and fractured morale spread through the halls like wildfire. Orrin Vale, still bruised and recovering from the dust and fury of the canyon, paced in his office before the council of captains. His subordinates — several elite officers — stood silently, their injuries evidence of the sheer force they had faced.
"Report", Orrin commanded, his voice sharp despite the ache in his shoulders.
One of the captains stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Sir… the man you encountered… the masked one… He defeated your entire team, including my own subordinates. He moved with such precision and speed, and his prana was unlike anything we've faced outside of the highest-ranking commanders."
Orrin's hand tightened on the edge of his desk. "The Masked Man… he wasn't just skilled. He was precise. He didn't waste a single movement, and even my most loyal subordinates could not withstand him. Two sacrificed themselves to protect me."
Murmurs spread through the council. Shock, disbelief, and a hint of fear threaded the room. "Sacrificed themselves?" another captain asked. "Sir… this is impossible. No one has taken on a full Judicator unit like that and lived —"
Orrin raised a hand, cutting the murmurs off. "The Masked Man is not a full commander. He is the newest of our line, newly appointed. By experience, he shouldn't even be capable of such power. Yet he fought as though the entirety of the Celestial Watch were beneath him."
The council exchanged uneasy glances. Orrin continued, his voice steady but heavy with concern. "If he had been any more experienced, more powerful… the outcome could have been catastrophic. This is not a threat we can underestimate. Prepare for heightened security at all major events taking place, especially around the tournament. He may strike again, but we don't know where."
One captain, younger and wide-eyed, asked cautiously, "Sir… do we know who he is?"
Orrin shook his head. "No. Only that he fights alone, with a mask, and carries a presence that rivals even the highest-ranking commander, but we don't know if he can rival. For now… we prepare for the next phase. The tournament is ending. The main event begins."
Even as the council dispersed, whispers of the Masked Man echoed through the hallways. Soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, their respect laced with fear. Reports were sent to every captain, every branch, and every watch outpost. This was not a normal contender. This was someone who could reshape the rules of power entirely — someone who would be impossible to predict.
Orrin leaned back in his chair, eyes closed. Even injured, even exhausted, he understood one undeniable truth: this Masked Man would not be defeated by experience alone. And for the first time, he feared what lay ahead for the Watch.