Trevor's voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd like a blade. Before Riley could even open her mouth to counter his reckless plan, he raised his hand and declared with theatrical bravado:
"Our goddess will also be betting!"
The words struck like thunder. The spectators erupted, their voices overlapping in a chaotic chorus of excitement.
"If the goddess is betting, why should we hold back?"
"Yeah, yeah, let's bet!"
"If the goddess is involved, let's go live!"
"That's a nice idea!"
"Lemme take out my phone too!"
"You guys are so old school—use your wrist watches!"
"Yeah, that's a good idea!"
"Why didn't I think about that?"
"Let's bet! Let's bet!"
Within moments, the arena transformed into a storm of flashing lights and buzzing devices. Streams went live across countless platforms, voices announcing:
"We are live at Sky Domain Academy, at Sky Lexus Arena!"
Riley's heart leapt. For the first time since she had entered the Academy, the eyes of the world were on her. She had trained most of her life for this moment—endless hours of sweat, sleepless nights, and sacrifices that had left scars both visible and hidden. Yet when she finally earned her place at Sky Domain Academy, her talents had been overlooked, drowned beneath the brilliance of others.
She had watched Tempest rise like a blazing star, her power undeniable, her name whispered with awe. Riley's envy had festered in silence. How could Tempest be so strong at such a young age? Riley convinced herself that Tempest had been handed everything—rare skill scrolls, advanced cultivation techniques, leveling pills, resources beyond imagination. Meanwhile, Riley clawed for every scrap of progress, every inch of growth.
If only one of the Academy's masters noticed her. If only she could prove herself in front of them. Then her path would be smooth, her struggles finally rewarded.
But she did not realize that this desperate gamble would lead her toward ruin.
Beside her, the boy who had always stood by her side wore a grim expression. His eyes, shadowed with worry, betrayed his unease. He leaned closer, his voice low but urgent.
"I don't think we should do this. What if something goes wrong?"
Riley's glare was sharp enough to wound.
"What? Have you lost confidence in me? This is my chance to make it big, but you don't want it to happen, do you?" Her words dripped with fury.
He flinched, taken aback. "What are you saying? Please don't misunderstand, Riley. Don't mistake my worry for holding you back. I want the best for you—you know that. Why would I want to stop you now?"
But Riley's jealousy twisted his concern into poison.
"Just because you have a unique talent that attracted one of the masters, you don't want me to succeed! You're afraid I'll rise too!"
His voice cracked with desperation. "Riley, don't do this. We've been together for so long. Don't—"
"I don't need you!" she spat, her voice echoing across the arena.
"Riley, please, rethink this properly," he begged, his eyes pleading.
"I said I don't need you! Leave!"
The boy's shoulders sagged. He turned away, walking into the crowd without looking back. For a fleeting moment, Riley's mask slipped. Hurt flickered across her face as she watched his retreating figure vanish. But she forced the emotion down, burying it beneath a smile.
She faced the crowd, her voice ringing with false confidence.
"Hello everyone! My name is Riley Reign! Today, I will tame a powerful beast to showcase the might of the Star Azmin beast tamer!"
With a flourish, she pulled away the heavy cloth draped over the rattling cage. Gasps rippled through the spectators as the creature within revealed itself.
The beast was no ordinary serpent. Its body stretched the length of a house, scales glistening black and ember-red beneath the arena lights. Its form resembled a python, but upon its head rose jagged dragon horns, sharp and regal. Its eyes burned with primal fury, and when it opened its maw, it did not hiss like a snake—it roared, a sound that shook the very foundations of Sky Lexus Arena.
The crowd erupted again, their voices a mixture of awe and terror.
"Is that… a half-dragon?"
"She's insane! That thing could kill her!"
"Or tame her into legend!"
Riley's pulse raced. This was it—the moment she had dreamed of. The world was watching. The masters were watching. She would prove herself, no matter the cost.
But deep inside, beneath the roar of the beast and the cheers of the crowd, a whisper of doubt gnawed at her. She had cast away her closest friend, the one who had always stood beside her. She had chosen ambition over loyalty, pride over love.
And as the half-dragon's roar echoed through the arena, Riley realized that she was standing alone—before the crowd, before the beast, before destiny itself.
The cage rattled violently, the creature thrashing against its confines. Riley raised her hand, summoning the aura of her beast-taming art. The energy shimmered around her, a radiant glow that marked her as a Star Azmin tamer.
The spectators leaned forward, breathless.
Would Riley Reign rise into glory, or would she be devoured by the very power she sought to control?
The answer hung in the air, suspended between triumph and tragedy, as the half-dragon's eyes locked onto hers with a hunger that promised no mercy