The arena erupted into absolute chaos.
"Did she just—"
"PETRA BLACKTHORNE JUST CHALLENGED KAEL ASHFORD!"
"The Ashford kid? Are you serious?!"
"What the hell is happening today?!"
Students were on their feet, shouting over each other in complete disbelief. The systematic destruction of Gareth Thorne had already sent shockwaves through the Academy hierarchy, but Petra's sudden challenge to an seemingly random noble had turned confusion into pandemonium.
"This is insane!" a girl screamed above the noise. "First some nobody mining duke's son challenges the S-ranked monster, and now she's going after Ashford?"
"Wait, wait, wait," another student called out, frantically waving his hands. "Kael Ashford... that's the fire awakening, right? The SS-ranked one from the ceremony?"
"SS-ranked fire manipulation," someone confirmed. "But he's what, Novice rank? Just awakened a few weeks ago!"
"Exactly! So why is Blackthorne targeting him?"
