The Grey Shadow Hall elder lifted his hand.
The jade slips in his other palm glowed faintly as he spoke the fated words:
"Number Six… and Number Eight."
A ripple spread across the arena.
Then the names echoed like thunder through the stands:
"Drake Walker!"
"Essie Osborn!"
The crowd erupted instantly—cheers and gasps blending into a single roaring wave.
"Walker Clan in the first match in the top 10!"
"Finally!"
"But wait—Essie Osborn… She is the one who defeated a Brown and a Clark earlier, right?"
"She is Spirit Root Level four—Peak Stage!"
"Drake is only level three Peak-stage!"
"But he is Walker Clan… They always have hidden trump cards!"
A storm of excitement filled every corner of the Grand Competition Grounds.
On the Walker side, Harvey and Aaden grinned confidently.
"Drake will finish this quickly," Harvey said, arms crossed.
But the Osborn Pavilion remained calm. John Osborn only whispered:
"…Essie, do not hesitate."
