A heavy silence lingered for a brief moment after the impact, as dust and fragments of stone slowly settled across the arena floor. The crowd, which had erupted in wild excitement just seconds ago, now leaned forward in anticipation, eager to see whether the young challenger had already met his end.
At the center of the shattered section of the arena wall, Matt’s figure was partially obscured by debris. His body was pressed against the cracked surface, his head lowered, strands of hair covering his face. For a few seconds, he did not move.
Then, slowly, his shoulders began to rise and fall.
A low sound escaped his lips—not a groan of pain, but something far more unsettling.
He was laughing.
At first, it was soft, almost inaudible beneath the murmurs of the crowd, but gradually it grew
