CHAPTER 81: The Ascension TrialThe terrain softened from harsh mountain stone into cultivated farmland as the group descended into the lowland townships of the Second Province. Wagons and merchants filled the dirt trade roads, offering the kind of civilian cover they had not seen since leaving the southern borders.Kyran turned Renna's suggestion over in his mind, recognizing the brutal math of their journey. Every forced crossing since the quarry had cost him allies, blood and institutional attention he could no longer afford to spend. A sanctioned path upward would let him move through the tiers without leaving a trail of destroyed garrisons and broken Wardens behind him.“Does the outer sect ascension tournament still follow the ancient schedule?” Kyran asked, falling into step beside Seren to avoid a passing merchant cart.“The tournament runs on a strict seasonal cycle immune to the political chaos in the upper tiers,” Seren confirmed, adjusting her wooden bow over her shoulder.

CHAPTER 83: The Bracer's HungerThe arena crowd murmured in a continuous roar of voices as Kyran stepped out of the staging tunnel onto the packed dirt floor. He kept his shoulders slumped, letting the disguise of Darian Voss dictate his posture as he walked toward the center ring. Ris stood by the wooden railing at the edge of the combat pit and passed him a canvas water skin.“Keep the mana draw shallow,” Seren warned from the shadows of the tunnel entrance. “The detection wards scan for high-capacity output. They will flag anything above a low-tier mortal circulation.”“I will keep the shard locked down,” Kyran answered, tossing the water skin back to Ris. “I am only here to study the board.”“Caelen is arrogant,” Renna added, leaning against the stone archway with her arms crossed. “Let him talk and waste his breath. Arrogant men leave their defenses open.”“I will let him exhaust himself,” Kyran replied before turning away from his companions.He walked to his mark and studied hi