After several minutes, Aldric took a step back, his expression turning serious. The playful glint in his eyes was gone, replaced by something far sharper. He rolled his shoulders, the tension in the air deepening.
"You're better than I expected," Aldric said, his voice carrying across the field. "But enough games. Let's see the real you."
He planted his feet on the ground firmly, his aura shifting as the ground beneath him cracked slightly from the pressure of his stance. The sheer physical might radiating from him made the human spectators cheer even louder.
Lance's lips curled into a small, challenging smile. "I was just about to ask you the same."
Lance adjusted his posture, his calm demeanor hardening into something sharper, something that sent chills down the spines of those watching. For the first time, the air around Lance seemed to hum faintly, a subtle but unmistakable sign of the power lurking within him.
