Chapter 34: POETRY VS PERCUSSION
The crowd buzzed with barely restrained excitement as the announcer’s voice rang again across the arena, sharp and clear:
"Match Three — Second Round! Token 18 versus Token 23! Darius Smith versus Zephyr Albrecht!"
And just like that—the noise stopped.
Then, a wave of murmurs swept through the stands like a brewing storm.
"Oi oi... this is the one we’ve been waiting for!"
"Smith family heir versus the wind phantom of Albrecht!"
"I swear, if someone blinks and misses the first move again, I’m suing!"
Even the noble balconies were unusually quiet.
Mirena leaned forward, her nails digging into her armrest. She whispered a silent prayer—but whether it was for her son’s triumph or survival, only the gods knew. Kael Thorne stood beside her, arms crossed, unreadable—but a tiny tic at his temple betrayed tension.
Across the row, Rudeous remained silent, his gaze flicking to Logan. Alice gently squeezed Logan’s hand under the table. Ardyn Vex observed the field with the grim calm of a war general.
"Let’s see if Darius can handle this," Logan muttered.