The sun hung high over the arena, casting its golden rays over the roaring crowd. The Tournament of Five was in full swing, and the stands were packed with spectators eager for the next match. Every clash, every spark of magic, sent waves of excitement rippling through the audience. Yet, for all the commotion, one question loomed over the stadium: when would Shin, the imperial lapdog as his critics called him, finally take the stage?

I sat in the competitors’ section, my leg bouncing with nervous energy. My name hadn’t been called yet, but the whispers were everywhere. I could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on me, their gazes darting in my direction every few minutes.

In the royal box, I spotted Papa and Mama—Emperor Silat and Hana. Papa sat with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp and unreadable, while Mama leaned forward, her hands clasped tightly. They were here for me, and their presence made my chest tighten.

Speed nudged me with her elbow, her grin unshakable as usual. "Don’t worry, kid. They’ll call you soon enough."

"Easy for you to say," I muttered. "You’re not the one being watched by half the empire."

Lady Althea, sitting on Speed’s other side, glanced at me with her usual calm expression. "Expectations can be heavy, but they’re also an opportunity. Remember, you’re here because you earned it."

I nodded, her words grounding me. But the knot in my stomach refused to loosen.

Finally, the announcer’s voice rang out. "Next match: Shin of HighGard versus… Zokar the Crimson Blade!"

The name sent a ripple of confusion through the crowd. No one seemed to know who Zokar was. Even Speed’s confident smirk faltered. "Zokar? Never heard of him."

A figure stepped into the arena, and the air seemed to shift. Zokar was tall and lean, his crimson cloak billowing behind him as he walked. His eyes burned with an unsettling intensity, and his aura radiated a bloodlust so palpable it made my skin crawl. He carried a jagged blade, its surface glinting with dark energy.

"Well," Speed muttered, her grin returning. "This should be interesting."

Lady Althea’s eyes narrowed. "Be careful, Shin. His aura… it’s unnatural."

I stepped into the arena, Eclipsion glowing faintly in my hand. The crowd roared as the announcer’s voice boomed across the stadium. "The imperial son versus the Crimson Blade! Let the battle begin!"

Zokar wasted no time. With a guttural roar, he lunged, his blade leaving a trail of dark energy in its wake. "Crimson Slash!" he shouted, sending a wave of blood-red magic hurtling toward me.

I barely managed to dodge, the attack carving a deep scar into the arena floor. The crowd gasped, but I focused on steadying my breath.

"You’ll have to do better than that," I called, raising Eclipsion.

Zokar’s grin widened, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Oh, I plan to." He slammed his blade into the ground. "Blood Requiem!"

Dark tendrils erupted from the earth, writhing and snapping like serpents. I leapt back, slashing at them with Eclipsion, but for every tendril I severed, two more took its place.

As the tendrils closed in, something inside me snapped. A surge of energy erupted from deep within, raw and uncontrollable. My body moved before my mind could catch up. One moment I was surrounded, and the next I was a blur of motion.

The crowd fell silent as I tore through the tendrils with inhuman speed, my strikes landing faster than the eye could follow. Zokar’s grin faltered as I closed the distance between us in an instant, my blade slamming against his with a force that sent shockwaves across the arena.

"What—" Zokar stammered, his eyes wide.

I didn’t give him a chance to recover. "Celestial Rend!" I shouted, Eclipsion glowing brighter than ever. The blade cleaved through the air, releasing a wave of golden energy that shattered Zokar’s defenses and sent him sprawling across the arena floor.

The crowd erupted into chaos. Gasps, cheers, and stunned silence mingled in a cacophony of disbelief. But all I could hear was the pounding of my heart and the hum of Eclipsion in my hand.

In the royal box, Papa had risen to his feet, his eyes locked on me with a mixture of shock and something else I couldn’t quite place. Mama’s hand covered her mouth, her expression a blend of awe and worry.

"Well, that was unexpected," Speed said, leaning back with a satisfied grin. "Told you he’d be fine."

Lady Althea, however, didn’t share her levity. Her eyes were fixed on me, her brows furrowed in thought. "That wasn’t just training. Something inside him awakened."

"Awakened?" Speed echoed, her grin fading slightly. "You mean like… his potential?"

"Or something far more dangerous," Lady murmured.

As Zokar struggled to his feet, the announcer’s voice cut through the noise. "Winner: Shin of HighGard!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, but I barely registered them. My body still buzzed with energy, my thoughts racing. What had just happened?

Zokar glared at me, his expression twisted with anger and something close to fear. "This isn’t over," he growled, before turning and walking away.

I sheathed Eclipsion and made my way back to the competitors’ section. Speed and Lady were waiting, their expressions as opposite as ever.

"Not bad, kid," Speed said, clapping me on the back. "Though next time, maybe don’t scare the entire arena."

"We need to talk about what just happened," Lady said, her tone serious.

I nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. Whatever had awakened inside me, it was only the beginning.