Chapter 32 - Opening Ceremony

The morning had broken in quiet stillness, yet the air carried a sharp chill that settled deep into the bones. Renji stepped out of the van with slow, deliberate movements, his breath faintly visible against the pale light of dawn. The sun had only just begun its ascent, casting a dim orange glow across the horizon, stretched thin like the calm before an inevitable storm. Even at such an early hour, the arena had already awakened, alive with a presence that refused to wait.