The last echoes of the elder's announcement still hung in the air like fading thunder.
"Tomorrow, at dawn… The Top Five matches will begin. Rest well, participants."
The moment the words left his mouth, the tension that had been coiled tight around the arena finally snapped. Gasps, murmurs, cheers, and frantic whispers burst out from every direction, carrying across the vast stone terraces like ripples in a pounding river.
Some shouted with absolute conviction:
"Walker Clan will dominate again this year!"
"Harvey Walker alone guarantees it!"
Others were more cautious.
