Two months.
It sounded generous. In reality, it was a countdown.
Training intensity would skyrocket. Sparring rooms would be booked day and night. Friendships would strain, rivalries would harden, and alliances would quietly form.
Some students would burn out before the tournament even began. Others would break through their limits under the pressure.
Elion leaned back slightly, letting Aria remain comfortably settled against him. He could feel the faint tension in her body now; her earlier relaxation had been replaced by quiet determination.
She had straightened just a little, her eyes open and focused on Eveline, already thinking ahead.
Beside them, Mira's expression was calm but alert. Her fingers tapped once against Elion's thigh before stilling, a subtle tell that she was already planning. She didn't speak, but Elion could almost hear her thoughts racing ahead.
Around them, reactions varied wildly.
