Chapter 128 – Storm Axes
Chapter 128
Storm Axes
Date : Day 23 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Ina clapped her hands together, clearly delighted. The sound was sharp—a crisp punctuation that cut through the lingering tension of the moment. Her expression had shifted from exasperation to something approaching satisfaction.
This agreement was good for her no matter the outcome. If Hyoren lost, she would finally have a legitimate reason to be with him. If he won, she could help him gain a strong and trustworthy party member. Either way, she emerged from this situation with something valuable.
"Okay. Duel. Under guild oversight. I will fetch Guild Master as referee."
She looked between Hyoren and Jackey. The gaze was assessing—evaluating both combatants with the kind of professional attention that came from her position as Vice Guild Master.
"It will be held in the guild training yard in one hour. Practice weapons and shields only. No armor."
Then she calmly laid out the conditions for the guild-sanctioned duel. Her voice carried the authority of someone who had overseen such matters many times before.
"The first person to land a clean hit wins."
The mention of the Guild Master immediately silenced the remaining snickers. The crowd that had been murmuring and joking moments before went quiet—their amusement replaced by something more serious.
This was no longer some random street challenge. The duel was real. And the Guild Master was a famous former Silver-ranked adventurer. Fiona Akela's involvement elevated this from a petty squabble to an official event—one that would be recorded and remembered.
Instantly, the atmosphere around the plaza exploded with excitement. The earlier murmurs had been curious but dismissive. Now the energy shifted dramatically—becoming focused and intense in a way that only happened when genuine stakes were involved.
"Guild-sanctioned duel! It's been a while!"
"Betting! Betting! Who's betting on the dark-haired man? Who's betting on the beastkin? Place your bets here!"
"Fifty thousand Kres on the beastkin! Those twin axes look terrifying!"
"Same here! My money's on the beastkin! That dark-haired guy looks weak!"
The agreement was immediate—echoing the sentiment that seemed to be spreading through the crowd. The odds were clearly favoring the Cat-clan Beastkin challenger.
Hyoren's mind raced. The thoughts came quickly—processing the rules and their implications with the kind of analytical attention that had kept him alive in dangerous situations.
The rules were simple. A 'clean hit' was subjective, but in a training duel it usually meant a solid, non-glancing strike to the torso—something that would have been debilitating if it had been a real weapon. The definition was deliberately vague—leaving room for the referee's judgment while still providing a clear framework for victory.
He met Jackey's intense gaze. The beastkin's golden eyes held steady—meeting his own without flinching or wavering. There was no malice in the beastkin's eyes. Only straightforward, almost boyish conviction. Jackey was doing this for his big sister in the only way he knew how—through direct action and physical challenge. The approach was simplistic but genuine—a reflection of someone who solved problems with his muscles rather than his mind.
And in his own strange way, he was also offering Hyoren a chance to gain a powerful new comrade. The duel's stakes worked both ways—creating an opportunity regardless of the outcome.
"Alright. The training yard. Let's go."
Hyoren held out his hand. The gesture was deliberate—a formal acknowledgment of the challenge and the terms that had been established.
Jackey stared at it for a moment before firmly grasping it in a bone-crushing handshake. The grip was powerful—carrying the kind of strength that came from years of wielding weapons and fighting in dungeons.
The deal was struck. The absurd duel for a sister's hand—and a future party member's service—had officially begun.
Ina quickly headed into the guild to inform Guild Master Fiona. Her cat tail swished behind her as she moved.
Hyoren looked toward Elise, whose expression had become difficult to read again.
"Hyoren, remember. This duel is a chance for you to actually have Ina for yourself."
Her voice was calm. The words were measured—delivered without the edge that had characterized her earlier statements about Ina. There was no jealousy in her tone. No possessiveness. Just a simple acknowledgment of fact.
"I'm not going to question your decision. Whether you truly want to lose on purpose... or win."
She gently touched his shoulder. The contact was light—her fingers barely pressing against his tunic. But the gesture carried weight that went beyond its physical presence.
"But please, be honest with yourself."
Her strange words and encouragement felt deeply unsettling to him.
The sensation was difficult to describe—a kind of cognitive dissonance that made it impossible to reconcile what she was saying with what he expected her to say. Over the past few days, Hyoren had felt Elise changing in mysterious ways. Her behavior toward Ina had shifted from hostility to something he couldn't quite define.
And now she was actively encouraging him to consider a future that included another woman.
Did she truly want him to lose? So he would have a reason to marry Ina?
Before this, Elise had always reacted sharply whenever Ina flirted with him. Because of that, Hyoren had assumed Elise was the type of woman who could never accept another woman in their relationship. Her reactions had seemed to confirm that assumption beyond any reasonable doubt.
There had even been a crisis between them before, when Elise discovered Ina's scent and traces of makeup on Hyoren's shirt. The confrontation had been intense—the kind of moment that tested the foundations of a relationship. He had assumed that incident would solidify her position on the matter forever.
So why was she acting like this now?
Hyoren couldn't understand her anymore. The woman standing before him seemed fundamentally different from the one who had reacted with such fierce protectiveness just weeks ago. In the end, he chose the safest option. The one that required no interpretation of Elise's cryptic statements or navigation of emotional complexities he didn't fully grasp.
He would win.
"Elise. Don't worry. I will win."
Elise slowly nodded. The motion was measured—carrying neither approval nor disapproval. Her expression remained difficult to read.
"If that's really your answer..."
She paused for a brief moment.
"Okay then... good luck."
***
One hour later, the Guild's outdoor training yard was packed. It was behind the Guild Building—a spacious area designed for sparring matches and combat instruction that rarely saw this level of attendance.
Word had spread like wildfire, and a crowd of adventurers formed a rough circle around the central sparring pit. The gathering was substantial—far more than the typical handful of onlookers that training matches usually attracted. Their chatter blended into a low, excited hum that filled the air with anticipation. The smell of sweat, dirt, and anticipation hung thick over the yard.
To Hyoren's surprise, most of the cheers were directed at Jackey. The beastkin had clearly accumulated a following during his brief time in Akela—or perhaps the crowd was simply drawn to the more visually imposing combatant.
“I already spent all my money on you Jackey! Don’t lose!”
"Go on, Jackey! Put that weak boy in his place!"
"Time to tame that little minx, Jackey! Make an honest woman out of her!"
"Let that cat finally settle down already so the rest of us men can stop suffering from our wives' anger!"
The last call drew laughter from nearby spectators—a rueful sound that suggested the joke contained more truth than exaggeration. Several men in the crowd nodded in apparent solidarity, their expressions carrying the weary resignation of those who had faced consequences they hadn't fully anticipated.
The calls and jeers confirmed what Ina had tried to downplay.
Her reputation as a maneater was legendary in Akela.
It seemed every adventurer who had ever been hunted by the flirtatious vice guild master had come to witness the day she might finally settle down. The crowd contained more than just casual spectators—there were men whose expressions ranged from hopeful to vindictive, all united by their apparent desire to see Ina removed from the romantic marketplace.
Hyoren stood in the center of the packed dirt ring, dressed only in a simple tunic and trousers.
In his right hand was a blunted training sword. In his left, a small round practice buckler.
It was a far cry from his new equipment. A return to basics. Back to the kind of gear he used while training under Ronald.
The familiar weight felt strangely comforting. These were the same types of weapons he had spent days practicing with alongside Reon. The muscle memory associated with them was still present.
Across from him, Jackey looked like a completely different kind of predator. Where Hyoren's equipment marked him as a practical fighter, Jackey's very presence suggested something more primal.
The beastkin had removed his leather armor, revealing a torso lined with lean muscle and crossed by faint silver scars from countless battles. The scars told stories of their own—each one a reminder of an encounter that could have ended differently. His frame was powerful without being bulky.
He spun the twin practice axes in his hands, the blunted heads whistling through the air in a practiced rhythm. The motion was fluid—carrying the kind of ease that only came from years of familiarity with one's chosen weapons. Each rotation was precise—controlled despite the apparent casualness of the movement.
Jackey wasn't just strong. He was a skilled dual-wielder.
A hush gradually fell over the crowd as Fiona Akela stepped into the training yard.
Her fiery red hair fluttered behind her with every step. She wore only a practical tunic and leggings, yet radiated an aura of absolute command that silenced the entire yard. Her presence demanded attention.
Her sharp eyes swept over both combatants.
"Because you two fuckers dragged me here to become referee..."
Her voice carried effortlessly across the training yard. The words were coarse—but they commanded attention in a way that polite language never could have achieved.
"This fucking duel will be officially recorded in the Guild records."
Then her gaze sharpened further as she stared directly at both of them.
"HYOREN! If Jackey wins, you will take Ina as your wife!"
She immediately pointed toward the beastkin.
"JACKEY! If Hyoren wins, you will join his party as a permanent member!"
Her hand cut through the air. The motion was sharp and final—like the swing of a blade that could not be recalled once set in motion.
"Are you two ready?"
Hyoren nodded slowly, his focus narrowing entirely onto the man standing across from him.
"Ready, Guild Master Fiona."
Jackey flashed a confident grin, his orange tabby tail lashing excitedly behind him.
"Always ready! My Big Sis is finally going to settle down!"
Fiona raised her hand high into the air. Then brought it down sharply.
"Start!"
***
The word had barely left Fiona’s lips before Jackey exploded into motion.
His twin axes spun into a complex, whirling pattern that was both beautiful and terrifying to watch. He didn’t charge blindly. Instead, he feinted left before suddenly twisting right, both axes slashing high and low in a perfectly coordinated assault meant to overwhelm any defense.
The crowd gasped. Hyoren’s eyes narrowed.
Jackey was skilled. Far more skilled than Hyoren had initially expected.
Despite his muscular build, the Cat-clan Beastkin moved with fluid, predatory grace. Every step flowed into the next attack seamlessly.
But while Jackey fought like a storm, Hyoren’s mind remained calm. Cold. Calculating.
He saw the patterns hidden inside the chaos. The slight twitch of Jackey’s shoulders before each strike. The tiny shifts in weight that telegraphed the next attack.
Left axe high. Right axe low. A feint.
Hyoren didn’t try to block both.
Instead, he pivoted sharply on his heel.
The high axe whistled past his ear by mere centimeters while he snapped his buckler downward.
CLANG!
The low axe crashed against the shield, the impact vibrating violently through Hyoren’s arm. Heavy. Strong. But not a clean hit.
Jackey flowed with the deflected strike effortlessly. His body spun away before instantly lunging back in for another assault.
This time Hyoren met the attack with his sword.
CLANG!
Steel rang across the training yard.
Jackey immediately jumped backward—then sprang forward again like a predator pouncing on prey.
He aimed directly for Hyoren’s right flank.
His left axe swept low, targeting Hyoren’s exposed stomach.
Hyoren’s stance was still recovering from the previous exchange. His shield remained too far left. Not enough time to pivot.
Jackey smirked. He thought he had him.
But Hyoren didn’t panic. Ronald’s brutal training flashed through his mind.
Without hesitation, Hyoren flipped his sword into a backhanded grip and intercepted the axe at the very last possible second.
CLANG!
Jackey’s smirk faltered instantly. He truly thought that strike would land.
Hyoren seized that brief moment of hesitation. He pivoted hard and slammed forward with his buckler, trying to shove Jackey off balance.
But Jackey’s reflexes were just as sharp. The beastkin instantly crossed his right axe in front of himself to block the shield bash.
CLANG!
The force pushed both men apart. They immediately leaped backward, widening the distance as dust scattered beneath their feet.
The duel continued.
Jackey’s axes became a relentless storm of steel.
The twin weapons carved through the air in a whirlwind of slashes, chops, and probing thrusts that came from impossible angles. One axe attacked high while the other followed low a heartbeat later. Sometimes both came together in brutal crossing strikes designed to crush through defenses outright.
But Hyoren stood like a rock in the middle of the stream. He parried. He dodged. He redirected.
His small buckler was not used as a wall, but as a precise instrument. Each movement was efficient. Minimal. He angled incoming strikes away instead of meeting them head-on, letting Jackey’s own momentum carry the attacks wide.
CLANG!
A high slash glanced off the rim of his buckler.
Hyoren stepped sideways.
WHOOSH!
The second axe swept past his ribs harmlessly.
Jackey instantly twisted his body and chained the miss into another spinning strike aimed at Hyoren’s shoulder.
Hyoren dipped beneath it. Dust exploded beneath his boots as he slid backward.
CLANG!
His sword intercepted another incoming chop. The impact numbed his fingers.
Strong.
Jackey was ridiculously strong. Even with blunted practice weapons, every strike carried enough force to fracture bone.
The beastkin pressed harder, golden eyes gleaming with excitement.
“HAHAHA! You’re good! Now I’m more determined! Big Sis was right to choose a strong man like you! You MUST marry my Big Sis!”
His tail lashed violently behind him as he lunged again.
Both axes descended together.
Hyoren crossed his sword and buckler.
BOOM!
The impact echoed across the training yard.
Several adventurers in the crowd widened their eyes.
“That dark-haired guy blocked it?!”
“No way...”
“Jackey’s strength should’ve blown him away!”
Jackey didn’t stop.
He stepped forward aggressively, chaining attack after attack in a relentless offensive meant to drown Hyoren under pressure.
But Hyoren’s expression never changed. His breathing remained steady. Calm. Analytical.
Inside his mind, the chaotic barrage slowly became readable.
Jackey favored his right side slightly whenever he committed to heavy swings. His left axe was faster but lacked reach. His footwork became marginally wider before spinning attacks.
Tiny details. Tiny openings.
Hyoren observed all of it. Another axe flashed toward his neck.
Hyoren tilted his head just enough for the blade to whistle past his skin. At the same time, he slammed his buckler forward.
THUD!
The edge of the shield clipped Jackey’s wrist, disrupting the beastkin’s rhythm for the first time.
Jackey’s eyes widened slightly.
Hyoren immediately stepped in. His training sword thrust forward like a snake toward Jackey’s chest.
Jackey twisted away by instinct. The blunted blade scraped across his side instead of landing cleanly.
The crowd erupted.
“He counterattacked?!”
“That newcomer almost got him!”
Jackey leaped backward, axes raised defensively now instead of aggressively. For the first time since the duel started, his grin faded slightly.
***
Elise watched the fight in silence, her emerald eyes following every movement inside the sparring ring. The noise of the crowd faded into background static—muted cheers and gasps that registered only as distant echoes against the focused intensity of her attention.
Every parry. Every dodge. Every calculated step backward. She saw what Ina saw.
Jackey was overwhelming. A storm of powerful, well-practiced attacks driven by instinct, muscle memory, and relentless aggression.
But Hyoren—he was the wall standing against that storm. Calm. Steady. Unmoving.
He wasn't merely defending himself. He was analyzing. Learning. Conserving stamina. The realization settled into Elise's mind with the weight of certainty. She had watched him train under Ronald. She had seen him struggle with the basics of shield work.
And now he was applying those lessons with a precision that spoke to something beyond mere practice.Every clash taught him something new about Jackey's rhythm.
He was fighting a battle of attrition. And he intended to win it.
Elise slowly turned toward Ina beside her. Her expression had become grim, and even her pointed ears remained perfectly still.
"Your brother is strong, Ina... but..."
The words hung in the air—incomplete but heavy with implication.
Ina's cat ears drooped instantly.
"Yeah Elise… Hyoren is too strong..."
She bit nervously on her thumb while her tail stopped swishing altogether.
“He only started learning how to be a tank a few days ago! How is he already holding his ground against my little brother? Jackey is famous for his dual axes fighting style back home!”
The question carried genuine bewilderment.
Inside the ring, another loud CLANG echoed as Hyoren redirected both axes away from his torso with minimal movement.
Ina winced. The sound seemed to physically pain her—each successful defense by Hyoren representing another step away from the outcome she had hoped for.
"Our plan will collapse if this continues..."
The admission came with visible difficulty.
Elise's gaze returned to the duel. Her silver hair swayed gently as she shook her head.
"Our plan to finally make Hyoren honest with himself..."
Her voice softened slightly. The words were quieter now—spoken more to herself than to Ina.
"To make him admit he has feelings for you..."
A faint sigh escaped her lips.
"...is going to fail."
The two women had planned this for days. The scheme had been born from shared frustration—two people who cared about Hyoren coming together to address a problem that seemed impossible to solve through normal means.
Ina would secretly call her younger brother to Akela. The arrangement had required careful coordination—sending a message that would reach Jackey without alerting Hyoren to the scheme. The letter had been crafted to appeal to his protective instincts—mentioning Ina's interest in a man while leaving enough ambiguity to suggest she needed help securing him.
Jackey would challenge Hyoren to a duel under guild rules. The challenge itself was not unusual—duels between adventurers were common enough that it would not raise suspicion.
And the timing was perfect—Hyoren had only recently begun training as a tank, making him vulnerable to someone with Jackey's experience and skill. He was supposed to lose against the experienced dual-axe fighter.
Then Ina could naturally and officially enter Hyoren's life as his second lover through the duel's outcome. The guild-sanctioned duel would provide legitimate grounds—the result witnessed by dozens of people and recorded in official documents. There would be no way to dismiss or ignore it.
That had been the plan. Both Elise and Ina had carefully arranged it together because Hyoren was too dense and obstinate. He refused to acknowledge feelings that were obvious to everyone except himself. He buried his attraction to Ina beneath layers of denial and rationalization—insisting that his relationship with Elise was enough while clearly wanting more.
But his strength had exceeded all of their expectations. And with each passing moment, the possibility of their plan succeeding grew more distant.
***
The duel continued. Completely unaware of the helpless prayers of the two women watching from the sidelines. The combatants remained focused on each other—oblivious to the hopes and schemes that had been woven around their confrontation.
Inside the ring, steel continued to clash violently.
CLANG!
Jackey's axe crashed against Hyoren's shield again. The impact was sharp—a clear note that echoed across the training yard and cut through the ambient noise of the spectators.
Hyoren absorbed the impact and redirected it away with practiced efficiency.
Dust scattered beneath both of their boots as they circled each other. The packed dirt of the training yard had been churned by their movements—creating small clouds that rose and settled with each step.
By now, sweat dripped freely down Jackey's muscular body. The moisture traced paths across his scarred torso—catching the fading light of the descending suns in a way that emphasized the definition of his muscles. His chest rose heavily with each breath. The relentless offensive he had maintained since the beginning of the duel was finally taking its toll. The stamina that had seemed inexhaustible was now showing clear signs of depletion.
Meanwhile, Hyoren's breathing remained controlled. Not untouched. Not unharmed. But controlled.
Jackey grimaced.
If this dragged on any longer, he would lose. The realization had been building for some time—growing clearer with each exchange that failed to penetrate Hyoren's defense. The dark-haired man in front of him was adapting too quickly.
Every exchange made Hyoren harder to hit. Every attack revealed more of Jackey's habits. The patterns that should have been unpredictable were becoming readable—the tells that should have been invisible were now apparent.
Jackey's golden eyes sharpened. The frustration in his expression gave way to something more focused—more dangerous. Then his lips slowly curled upward. The grin that spread across his face was different from the confident smiles he had worn earlier. He decided to use his trump card.
Suddenly, Jackey lunged forward again. The movement was explosive—carrying more intensity than his previous assaults. This time his right axe descended with far more force than before. The air itself seemed to groan beneath the weight of the swing—a whoosh of displaced atmosphere that spoke to the tremendous power behind the strike.
Hyoren instantly raised his buckler.
BOOM!
The impact slammed into the shield hard enough to make Hyoren's arm ache. Heavy. Far heavier than Jackey's previous strikes. The beastkin had been holding back—conserving his strength for this moment.
At the same time, Jackey's left axe swept horizontally toward Hyoren's ribs.
Hyoren intercepted it with his sword. The blade moved to meet the incoming strike with the efficiency that had characterized his defense throughout the duel.
CLANG!
Then his eyes widened slightly. The pressure behind the second axe was strangely light. Too light. The inconsistency registered immediately—his combat instincts screaming that something was wrong.
To Hyoren's shock, Jackey suddenly released the weapon entirely.
The axe spun away from his hand. The weapon rotated through the air with a speed and precision that spoke to years of practice—tracing an arc that carried it away from the immediate combat area.
He threw it?!
Gasps erupted from the crowd. The throwing axe was a legitimate technique, but employing it in the middle of a duel—and releasing one's weapon entirely—was a bold and unexpected move.
The spinning practice axe curved through the air in a deadly arc, circling around behind Hyoren like a hunting hawk returning for prey. The trajectory was not random—it followed a precise path that would bring it back around to strike from an angle that Hyoren could not defend against.
A throwing skill! Damn it!
Jackey grinned fiercely. The expression was triumphant—the look of a fighter who believed he had finally secured victory.
Now gripping his remaining axe with both hands, he surged forward aggressively, trying to completely overwhelm Hyoren before the returning weapon struck.
The crowd could already see the outcome.
The spectators who had been watching in growing excitement now leaned forward with anticipation—many of them already calling the result in their minds. Hyoren was pinned. A brutal frontal assault in front. A flying axe behind. No room to evade. No room to block both.
Even Ina's face turned hopeful.
“Elise—!”
Elise immediately gripped Ina's hand tightly. The contact was instinctive—a physical connection between two women who were watching their carefully laid plans hang in the balance.
Both women watched the battlefield with tense, desperate eyes, silently praying for the same thing.
That Hyoren would finally lose. That the outcome they had orchestrated would come to pass despite the unexpected resistance he had demonstrated.
But Hyoren did not panic.
Ronald's brutal training flashed through his mind. The memory of countless sessions where he had been placed in seemingly impossible situations—where defeat seemed inevitable and escape appeared nonexistent—rose to the surface of his consciousness.
Lad, a tank was not someone who simply blocked attacks. A tank controlled the battlefield itself!
The lesson echoed in his mind—carrying the weight of Ronald's voice and the authority of hard-won experience. A tank did not merely react to threats. A tank shaped the flow of combat—creating advantages where none existed and turning disadvantages into opportunities.
Hyoren's eyes sharpened.
The change was subtle—a slight narrowing that spoke to heightened focus rather than fear or desperation. Then, instead of holding his ground like he had throughout the entire duel—he suddenly retreated.
Just one step. A tiny movement. But enough.
Jackey's eyes widened in surprise.
Until now, Hyoren had always anchored himself against every assault. He had never yielded ground. He had absorbed and redirected and countered—but he had never retreated.
That single unexpected retreat disrupted Jackey's balance for a fraction of a second. The beastkin had committed to his assault expecting Hyoren to stand firm—calculating his strikes based on a stationary target. The sudden movement forced him to adjust—creating a momentary vulnerability that had not existed before.
And Hyoren immediately exploited it.
He twisted his hips and drove his foot hard into Jackey's flank. The kick was not powerful—it lacked the wind-up and positioning necessary for a truly devastating strike.
THUD!
It wasn't strong enough to count as a clean hit. But it didn't need to be. The impact served a different purpose entirely.
The kick disrupted Jackey's footing completely.
The beastkin stumbled forward, balance broken—his weight carrying him in a direction he had not intended to go. The carefully coordinated assault that should have overwhelmed Hyoren's defense fell apart in an instant.
At that exact moment—Hyoren ducked sharply.
WHOOSH!
The spinning axe screamed through the air mere centimeters above his head.
Several adventurers yelped in shock. The sound was involuntary—a collective gasp of surprise from spectators who had been certain they were about to witness the duel's conclusion in Jackey's favor.
Then Hyoren moved. Fast. Decisive. The transition from defense to offense was seamless—carried out with the kind of precision that came from hours of training and the clarity of mind that only existed in moments of absolute focus.
His sword flashed upward in a clean arc.
The blade traced a path through the air—rising toward its target with unerring accuracy. Before Jackey could recover his footing—the blunted edge stopped against his neck. The contact was light—barely touching the skin—but its meaning was unmistakable.
Silence fell across the training yard. Complete silence.
The noise that had characterized the duel—the clashing of weapons, the shouts of spectators, the grunts of exertion—vanished in an instant. Even the ambient sounds of the city beyond the training yard seemed to fade—leaving only the stillness of the moment.
Jackey froze. His body remained in the position it had assumed when Hyoren's blade touched his throat—mid-stumble, off-balance, completely vulnerable.
Hyoren stood perfectly still, sword at the beastkin's throat while dust slowly drifted around them.
The crowd stared in stunned disbelief. The spectators who had been so confident in Jackey's victory now stood in silence—processing the unexpected outcome they had just witnessed.
Elise and Ina holding each other's hands. The grip that had been tight with anticipation now remained locked—but for a different reason. The hope that had flared in Ina's eyes moments before had been extinguished. The plan that had seemed so close to success had crumbled before their eyes.
Even Jackey himself looked shocked at how quickly the duel had turned.
His golden eyes were wide—the confident grin that had characterized his expression throughout the fight replaced by something closer to bewilderment. He had been certain of victory. He had played his trump card. And yet here he stood—with a blade at his throat and defeat staring him in the face.
Then Fiona Akela stepped forward. Her presence commanded attention even in the silence.
Her voice rang across the entire yard with absolute authority. The words were simple—carrying no embellishment or dramatic flair.
"The winner is Hyoren Enjo!"