The world returned in fragments.
A burning ache across his ribs. A ringing in his ears. The distant murmur of voices.
Shadow forced his eyes open and found himself staring at a ceiling he didn't recognize. White cloth partitions separated rows of beds, and the sharp scent of herbs stung his nose. He was in the arena's infirmary.
"…He's awake!"
The voice was familiar—Ryn's. In the next moment, Sera and Lena appeared in his vision, their faces tense with relief and anger mixed together.
"You idiot!" Sera snapped, hands on her hips. "Do you have any idea how reckless that was? Challenging Rena? She's level thirty-nine!"
"More like trying to survive her," Lena added, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Despite her calm tone, the worry in her eyes betrayed her.
Shadow groaned, forcing himself upright. His entire body screamed in protest, and he caught the faint shimmer of bandages beneath the blanket. "So… I lost." His voice was hoarse, but there was no bitterness. Just quiet acknowledgment.
Ryn gave him a flat look. "Lost? You nearly died. We thought she broke your ribs and your spine in the last hit. If the healers hadn't rushed in…" His voice trailed, fists clenched.
Shadow let out a dry chuckle, though even laughing hurt. "I'm alive. That means I did something right."
Sera thumped the edge of his bed, glaring. "Something right? You were insane out there! Do you even realize how long you lasted? The crowd was going wild because no one thought you could even touch her!"
Her words pulled back fragments of memory—flashes of Rena's speed, the crushing weight of her blows, the desperate struggle to keep up. And then the final clash, when he'd poured everything he had into that last strike.
The pain in his chest deepened, but so did a strange sense of pride. He hadn't won, but he had endured.
"…She's stronger than I imagined," Shadow admitted quietly. "Stronger than anything I've faced. But—" He looked at his gauntlets, resting at the side of the bed. Cracks marred their once sleek surface, faint scorch marks etched into the metal. "—I didn't break as easily as she expected. That's enough for me."
The trio exchanged glances. Lena spoke this time, her tone softer. "That's why the crowd cheered. Not for Rena. For you. They saw something different—a fighter who wouldn't back down, even against impossible odds."
For a long moment, Shadow was silent. The weight of defeat pressed down on him, heavier than his wounds. Yet beneath it was a flicker of something else—determination.
He clenched his fist. I can still grow. I will grow.
Ryn sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just… don't pull something like that again without telling us. You're reckless enough as it is."
Sera added, softer now, "At least rest for a while. Don't try to jump straight into training, or you'll collapse."
Shadow gave a faint smile. "Resting isn't my style. But… I'll try."
They stayed with him longer, chatting, sometimes scolding, sometimes laughing faintly to ease the tension. As they left for the night, Shadow was alone once more with his thoughts.
The infirmary was quiet, save for the faint rustle of sheets and distant footsteps of healers. Shadow stared at the cracked gauntlets by his side.
Rena… Level 39. That's how high the wall ahead of me stands.
His fingers brushed the worn metal. "I'll reach it. No matter how long it takes."
Unbeknownst to him, word of his survival had already spread through the city. His name—Shadow—was no longer just another masked fighter's alias. It had become something else. A challenger. An underdog.
And far beyond the arena, in the city's upper halls, others had begun to take notice.