By the time they reached the host kingdom, the sky had already started to darken. But the city was anything but quiet. Lights filled the streets, voices echoed everywhere, and the energy in the air was overwhelming.
Igna had never seen something like this before.
At the center of it all stood the stadium.
Massive.
Towering over everything around it.
It wasn't just a place for fights—it felt like a battlefield prepared for legends.
As they stepped inside, the scale became even clearer. Thousands of people filled the seats, their voices blending into a constant roar. The ground itself felt heavy, like it had witnessed countless battles before.
All around them—
Teams.
Different kingdoms.
Different styles.
Different presences.
And every single one of them felt strong.
Not just strong.
Dangerous.
Igna's eyes moved from one group to another. Some stood calmly, some laughed, some stared at others like predators watching prey. The pressure was real.
Then—
A loud voice echoed across the entire stadium.
The announcer.
Announcer: "Welcome… to the inter-kingdom tournament!"
The crowd roared.
The sound shook the air itself.
Announcer: "This year… a total of thirty-two teams will participate!"
Another wave of noise followed.
Igna felt it in his chest.
Thirty-two.
That meant thirty-one opponents.
And none of them were weak.
The announcer continued.
Announcer: "The rules are simple."
The noise slowly settled.
Announcer: "Killing an opponent intentionally… is strictly forbidden."
A pause.
Announcer: "Any violation will result in immediate disqualification… and punishment."
The tone made it clear.
This wasn't a suggestion.
It was absolute.
Announcer: "Win by defeat, surrender, or incapacity!"
The crowd cheered again.
Excitement.
Bloodthirst.
Anticipation.
Igna stood still.
But inside—
Something was different.
His grip tightened slightly.
His breathing slowed.
His eyes moved again across the arena.
Every fighter here…
Felt like they belonged to another level.
Faster.
Stronger.
More experienced.
The gap he had seen before—
It was everywhere now.
Not just Emily.
Not just Yash.
Everyone.
For the first time since arriving—
Igna felt it clearly.
Tension.
Not fear.
But pressure.
Real pressure.
He lowered his gaze for a moment.
(I'm not ready…)
The thought appeared instantly.
But before it could settle—
A voice came from beside him.
Emily: "Thinking too much again?"
Igna looked at her.
She smirked.
Emily: "Good."
He frowned slightly.
Igna: "What?"
Emily stretched casually.
Emily: "That means you understand where you are."
A pause.
Emily: "Everyone here is strong."
She looked around.
Her eyes sharp.
Emily: "But not all of them matter."
Igna stayed silent.
Her confidence didn't feel fake.
It felt real.
Yash stood ahead, calm as always.
Unaffected.
Like this place meant nothing.
Sele observed quietly.
Hena stayed close.
May still looked tense.
Igna looked forward again.
This time—
He didn't look away.
Because this was it.
No more preparation.
No more waiting.
The tournament had begun.
And now—
He had to prove he belonged here.