The morning air in Silverpeak was sharp and cold, but the Guild public arena was already radiating intense heat. Public sparring matches were a cultural institution in the Northern Empire—a necessity for reputation building and a display of the meritocracy that defined the realm. Today, the arena was packed with 200+ warriors watching, drawn by the news of the rapid promotion of the foreign trio and the arrogance of Thane's challenge.
The setup was simple: a massive, circular platform of dark, anti-magic stone.
The matchup was clear: Thane vs Kai. It was the noble's son (5th Core Stage) against the "mysterious newcomer" (4th Stage publicly). The energy disparity was obvious; Thane was a full Core Stage level ahead in raw, visible power.
POV: Thane
Thane stepped onto the platform, arrog
