The stunned silence lingered long after the dust had begun to settle.
No one moved.
No one even seemed willing to breathe too loudly.
"R-Rowan!!"
Alden was the first to snap out of his daze. His face had turned completely pale as he sprinted toward the collapsed building without a second thought. Chunks of timber, broken stone, and shattered roof tiles were piled everywhere, creating a mountain of debris.
He immediately dropped to his knees and began throwing pieces aside with frantic desperation.
"Rowan! Where are you?! Rowan!"
His voice cracked with panic.
Around him, several adventurers remained rooted to the ground, still trying to process what they had witnessed.
A few moments ago they had been convinced Liam was about to be burned alive.
Instead…
The exact opposite had happened.
Liam hadn't simply won.
He had ended the duel with a single exchange.
Meanwhile, Liam barely spared the collapsed building another glance.
