[The Stance Trail—]
The trial was over. The desert illusion had faded completely, and Darren's mental boundary dissolved along with it.
The arena returned to normal— but the energy in the air didn't. Students were still buzzing, voices crashing over one another, all centered around one name like wildfire:
JASMINE.
She walked toward her friends through the crowd, dust smeared across her face, wings fractured but still sharp like broken steel.
She didn't smile. Didn't wave. Didn't gloat. She just moved— quiet, controlled and deadly calm, the way a warrior walks after a war she didn't start but had to finish.
The crowd parted as she passed. Whispers chased her.
"Is she even normal?..."
"She broke Punch like he was nothing..."
"Did you see her speed?..."
"Oh my gosh, imagine what I could do with such powers..."
"She's… incredible...."
