The world froze.
To achieve a one-strike victory against a B-ranker was demonic, but against an A-ranker? Such a feat was outright devilish, and the crowd forgetting to breathe was understandable.
A wave of "oohs", full of awe, fear, and respect, rode the winds and swirled in the arena.
The Sky Prince reveled secretly in his flawless victory, his heart ticklish, yet his face remained playful-impassive.
There was not even a subtle change in his expression as he descended the stage. Still, he glanced in a certain direction.
Daru followed the young man with a fiery gaze, his long-curious heart stoked. He could already imagine how intense their battle would be.
The rowdy crowd only settled for whispers after some time.
Hostess Nathalie's mouth, meanwhile, never stopped working, her words a blazing poetry in motion as she stirred the hearts of those watching.
The first round…it indeed delivered far more excitement than it was supposed to, thanks to the two Dark Horses.
