The noise of the arena did not fade even after they stepped out of the main battleground, because the moment they exited through the massive gate, the echoes of the crowd still chased after them like a living thing, filled with rage, disbelief, and a strange kind of awe that refused to settle.
People were shouting, arguing, even laughing in frustration as betting counters updated wildly, and the name of their team had already started spreading across the lower floors like wildfire, carried through word of mouth faster than any official announcement could manage.
Almond walked at the front without slowing, his posture relaxed and steady, as if nothing significant had happened, while the others followed behind him in the same casual rhythm, their expressions composed despite the chaos they had just created.
