“What do you mean? You can't make ambiguous statements like that.”A reporter spoke loudly, his tone full of protest. The microphone in his hand shook with anger.On the other side, Vinn tilted his head, his brow furrowed. Doubt and anger mingled on his face.“Hey, are you trying to fool us again?” he shouted, his voice rising. “Don't put on that pitiful face! We've all seen your behavior in the amateur video that aired on TV.”Several reporters nodded, their cameras continuing to focus on Reiner.“You clearly insulted me and the Order of the Sky Wings in the refugee tent,” continued Vinn, pointing at Reiner with an emotional accusation. “And now you show up here, with the exact same face. You think we're stupid?”Vinn took a step closer, his breathing heavy as he held back his emotions.“I'm sure Harvey told you to do this! You pretended to be a zombie, then pretended to die on CCTV. All so that people would believe that zombies had entered the city!”The crowd was noisy, some reside

“The first match is about to begin. Between Antonio and Miguel, who will win, Mr. Daniel?”One of the judges turned his head. His voice was drowned out by the roar of the stadium, but it was still audible at the judges' table. Daniel rubbed his chin, his eyes fixed on the two participants warming up in the arena.Antonio moved like a tiger that had seen blood. His steps were light, his shoulders relaxed, but each stomp of his foot left a short echo. His dense arm muscles stretched every time he rolled his wrists. The way he observed his opponent—flat, calculating, expressionless—reminded everyone of a soldier who had fought too often for his life.On the other side, Miguel stood tall like a rock that had been battered by storms for too long. His breathing was steady, but his gaze was sharp, full of the alertness of a man who had slept in the snow with his body half-frozen. Both his hands were covered in old cuts and burn scars, signs of the harsh battlefields where he had survived.“I

“I can't let you ruin this tournament,” Adam's voice echoed, firm but without raising his tone. Each step he took created a soft echo on the arena floor, and the shine on his dress shoes seemed to emphasize his status as the highest authority in this place.He stood right between Arden and the five burly men—a comparison that made Arden seem even more fragile, but even more prominent in the eyes of the audience.Adam's gaze swept across their faces one by one, like a knife that easily peeled away their layers of ego. The muscles in the participants' jaws tightened, some of them swallowing unconsciously.“This isn’t some petty gang fight you can do as you please,” he said coldly, each word like a weight hitting their arrogance. “This is a sacred arena. The place where Kaelvarion determines... who is worthy of being the last shield for this nation.”The camera lights flashed, like the eyes of the public they couldn’t ignore.As Adam took a step closer, the atmosphere instantly tensed. T

The referee raised his hand, showing Adam a small bag containing white powder. His voice sounded stiff, as if he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.“There's this powder in his bag. It's possible that he—”“No!” Arden's voice cut in sharply, full of controlled anger. He straightened his body, even though his legs were still a little shaky. “There's no reason for me to use drugs.” His gaze pierced the other participants, cold and dismissive. “I'm strong enough to beat these weaklings.”Veckel's face immediately reddened. The veins in his neck tensed, his breathing quickening like a bull ready to charge. His hand rose slightly—one more movement, and he would have lunged at Arden.But the referee had already moved his arm, giving a firm signal.Veckel's eyes burned, but he restrained himself.“Mr. Veckel, stay where you are,” said the referee in a steady voice, though his eyes were still anxious. “Mr. Adam will decide this.”Arden frowned, the pain in his head stabbing like a knife bei

Sir Kaelan approached Mr. Adam with slow but dignified steps. As soon as they shook hands, a warm smile—rarely seen on Adam's face—appeared on his face. Clearly, this was not a meeting between two strangers; there was history that bound them together.Arden watched from a distance, sighing deeply. A vague sense of unease crept into his mind. Something was about to happen—his instincts screamed.He then walked over to one of the committee members. His gaze fell briefly on the name tag pinned to the man's chest.“Mr. Dony,” Arden called out in a low but serious tone, “does Mr. Adam have a relationship with Sir Kaelan?”Dony looked at Arden with raised eyebrows, as if he couldn't believe the question. “You really don't know Sir Kaelan?” he muttered. “He's a living legend, young man. Saving others by sacrificing himself.”Without moving his hand, Dony pointed his chin towards Sir Kaelan, who was standing not far from them. “Look at his legs. Permanent damage.” His voice dropped to a whisp