Kain glanced at the number printed on his bamboo stick and felt a pang of regret—just barely missing the chance to face Ethan in the opening round. For a moment he lingered, his expression frosty as old grievances simmered in his heart.
"Doesn't matter," he muttered, voice laced with cold determination.
"If you escape one fight, you won't escape me forever. Now I won't even need to use my full strength to deal with you."
With that, he turned away, vanishing into the crowds as the martial arts competition began its crescendo.
Today, only the first thirty-two matches were scheduled. The remaining battles would resume tomorrow morning, promising another day of fighting and competition.
After observing a handful of matches,
Ethan left quietly, returning to his cultivation and preparations for the next stage. The fiery spectacle of combat was never enough to distract him from the path ahead.
—
