The elder's raised arm cut the roaring crowd into silence.
The second match was about to begin.
Max Brooks and Conner Brown stepped forward at the same time, both tense in different ways—Max had the quiet confidence of a trained spear-user, while Conner moved with the brittle tension of someone who knew defeat meant humiliation. The Brown Clan, lowest among the four, rarely tasted victory in the upper ranks.
But tonight… Conner's gaze held something fierce.
He tightened his grip on his spirit staff as the elder nodded.
"Begin."
Max launched forward immediately, his spear snapping into motion like a striking hawk. He drove a line of shimmering qi toward Conner, aiming to overwhelm him with speed.
Conner met the thrust head-on.
His staff twisted sharply—quick, clever, almost slippery in its movement.
The staff's wooden shaft glowed with earthy qi, stabilizing each deflection.
The two clashed again.
And again.
