The hall remained in reverent silence after the humiliating expulsion of the young man who had dared to challenge him. Everyone could still feel the weight of the elder's mana, as if the air were permeated with his presence. Some competitors trembled, others maintained a proud posture, trying to hide their nervousness. But one thing was clear: no one dared underestimate the old man after such a spectacle.
The elder walked slowly to the center of the stage. His wooden staff, adorned with ancient inscriptions, tapped the floor twice. The sound echoed through the hall like a mystical bell, causing the red curtains behind him to part. A gigantic mural was revealed, engraved with runes and symbols that lit up in blue and gold, depicting figures of dragons and phoenixes intertwined in an eternal cycle.
