A referee stood just outside the combat area, positioned to observe rule compliance without interfering with the natural flow of combat. His role was crucial but deliberately unobtrusive, stopping fights when necessary while allowing competitors to demonstrate their skills without unnecessary interruption.
The other tournament participants gathered in the spectator areas with obvious intent. Everyone wanted to gain insights about potential opponents, studying fighting styles, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and developing approaches that would provide crucial advantages in future matches.
Noah found himself analysing both fighters, noting subtle details about their stances, grip positions, and preliminary movements that revealed aspects of their training backgrounds and probable combat approaches.
He wasn't analysing for the same reason as other competitors who wanted to gain advantages; he merely did so out of interest.
