Chapter 10 – The Weight of the First Win
The cheers followed them long after they left the arena floor.
As the heavy gates closed behind Arin, Elina, and Leon, the thunder of the crowd faded into a distant echo, replaced by the cooler air of the inner corridors. The stone passageways were quiet, yet the tension of the battle still clung to their bodies.
Arin loosened his grip on his sword at last.
"That felt different," Leon said, breaking the silence. "Not just a fight… more like a message."
Elina nodded slightly. "Everyone saw it. We didn't win by luck. We won by control."
Adventurers and competitors turned their heads as the trio passed. Some whispered. Others stared openly now—no longer dismissive, but wary. A few even stepped aside instinctively.
Their names were already spreading.
Inside the waiting hall, a large board shimmered faintly with magic as the tournament standings updated. One by one, defeated teams faded from the list.
Then it appeared:
Kurogane Arin – Team Advance: CONFIRMED
Leon let out a low breath. "There it is. No turning back now."
Before they could say more, footsteps echoed down the hall. A broad-shouldered man in dark armor stopped a few paces away, his guild emblem unfamiliar. His eyes lingered on Arin.
"You're the one," the man said. "The summoning exile."
The air sharpened.
Arin met his gaze calmly. "If that's all you know about me, you're already behind."
For a brief moment, the man smiled—then turned and walked away.
Elina's fingers brushed the hilt of her weapon. "Strong teams are already watching us."
"Good," Leon replied. "That means we're doing something right."
A bell rang overhead—deep, resonant.
Next matches announced at dawn.
Arin looked toward the corridor leading out of the arena, where the last light of the afternoon spilled in.
"This win doesn't make us champions," he said quietly. "It makes us targets."
Elina stepped beside him. "Then we grow stronger before they strike."
Leon grinned. "Guess tonight's not for celebrating, then."
Arin allowed himself a small smile.
"No," he said. "Tonight, we prepare."
Beyond the arena walls, the city buzzed with rumors.Within the shadows, powerful eyes had already begun to move.
The tournament was no longer just a contest.
It was a battlefield.
And the next fight would be far more brutal.