The tournament had reached the quarterfinals, and only eight fighters remained, their presence commanding the attention of the roaring crowd.
Jae sat among them in the special section, his muscles sore and aching from his previous battles, his heart pounding with a turbulent mix of pride for making it this far and nerves about what lay ahead.
He, Elise, Sun, and Kael were among the elite few still standing, each a formidable force in their own right.
The first quarterfinal match was announced, the referee's voice booming through the hall: "Sun versus Elise!"
Jae's stomach twisted into a tight, painful knot, a sinking feeling settling deep in his chest as he leaned forward in his seat, his eyes locked on the arena.
He didn't want to watch, a heavy certainty of the outcome weighing on him like a stone. Sun, with his terrifying domain, was a force of nature, ranked number two in their class for a reason, his power unmatched by most.
