The loud uproar of the gathered aspirants gradually settled into a quiet murmur, the sound of countless minds struggling to grasp the overwhelming scale of Daniel's battle record.
He stood calmly, a quiet island in a sea of shock, his expression unreadable.
Ayra stood beside him, and for a moment, the weight of his power pressed in around her like a storm.
She had always known Daniel was strong, but this? The record ? This was something else entirely.
"Okay, Vance," she said aloud, managing a half-smile, her voice laced with awe. "You're not a recruit. You're a monster! ."
But in her mind, a quieter truth resonated.
The gap between us... it's even wider than I thought.
Lia, ever the serene one, simply offered a small, almost imperceptible nod, her calm grey eyes holding a new depth of understanding.