Tournament [13] [End]

Before Aria could give her beasts the next command, a blur of black and purple streaked through the battlefield.

In the blink of an eye, her Frostclaw Lynx and Direhound were slammed harshly into the ground.

Time seemed to freeze.

Aria's breath caught in her throat.

She stood there, frozen, as dust and shockwaves rippled out from the impact.

What... just happened?

She blinked once, then twice trying to make sense of it.

But then the announcer's voice boomed across the arena.

"And the winner is — GHOST!"

The crowd exploded into deafening cheers, chanting Ghost's name as if he were some untouchable hero.

'No...'

Aria barely heard any of it. She stumbled forward, falling to her knees beside her beasts.

Her hand trembled as she reached out to check them.

Healers rushed the field.

They carefully checked over her beasts—some bruises, some strain—nothing life-threatening.