A Victory so Close    

 

The crowd erupted into cheers and gasps, voices blending into a chaotic roar.

 

Lydia, Von, and the others watched from afar, momentarily stunned.

 

"He actually did it . . ." Lydia breathed shakily.

 

Von, still gripping his sword, let out a low whistle. "Yeah. But look at him."

 

Horizon wasn't unscathed.

 

He stood victorious, but his body swayed slightly, his exhaustion catching up to him now that the battle was over.

 

Mana depletion. Wounds hidden beneath his clothes. The sheer strain of the prolonged fight.

 

Yet, despite everything, he smiled.

 

They did it. They finally won.

 

Horizon stood still, his breath steadying as he waited for the announcement of victory—the moment that would mark them as the undisputed champions of this battle.