The cool, sterile air of the preparation room did little to soothe the slight, lingering tension in my shoulders.
I stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting the cuffs of the standard-issue Academy combat gear, a sleek, form-fitting black and midnight-blue tunic woven with light mana-conductive threads. It was light, durable, and didn't restrict my movement.
I let out a slow, heavy exhale, staring at my reflection.
"So the time comes to this, huh?" I muttered to the empty room.
A duel on the second day of the announcement?
With how much I want to just avoid these things, but I couldn't afford to hold back a victory here. If I wanted the endless waves of glory-seeking nobles to back off, this fight needed to be decisive. It needed to be brutal.
With a thought, I flicked my wrist, mentally executing the command to open my status window. The holographic blue interface materialized seamlessly in the air before me, the crisp text glowing in the dim room.
[STATUS]
