A heavy, expectant silence fell over the vast competition field.
All eyes were on Daniel, the young man in the strange, heavy metal bands.
The whispers started as a low murmur, then grew into a wave of open disbelief and mockery.
The students from Astralis Academy, especially the senior ones who knew what they were looking at, were the loudest.
They saw the Strength-Sealing Manacles on his wrists and ankles and understood immediately what they meant.
"Look at that! It's Vance, the so-called legend!" a burly senior student with tribal marks across his cheek sneered to his friends.
His voice was loud, clearly meant for Daniel to hear.
"The Principal's personal disciple, and he's competing in sealing manacles? What a complete joke!
Is he trying to show everyone how tough he is, or did he get punished for breaking too much stuff again?"
The small group around him scoffed, their eyes filled with contempt.
