The sharp crack of the announcer's voice sliced through the courtyard, cutting off Gon's musings with all the subtlety of a thunderclap.
"LADIES and GENTLEMEN!" the man bellowed, his words amplified by a minor enchantment that carried them over the roar of the crowd, echoing off the stone pillars and reverberating through the open space.
The spectators erupted in response, their cheers a tidal wave of sound that rolled across the arena, shaking the wooden stands and sending a fresh gust of wind swirling through the courtyard.
"THE TOURNAMENT IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! TAKE YOUR SEATS NOW!"
Gon's head snapped toward the center of the arena, his pulse kicking up a notch as he caught sight of Dina stepping into the sandy expanse.
Her hair was packed back in a lose ponytail, the strands glinting in the muted sunlight, and her mage's robes hugged her frame, the deep emerald fabric rippling slightly in the breeze.
She moved with an easy confidence as she took her place.
