The sparring grounds were lit with a soft amber glow as the sun began to dip over the Pearl Institute campus. The crowd of students—those still conscious and able to walk—gathered around the edges of the training field. Sweat, whispers, and tension filled the air. These weren't ordinary matches. These were elite duels between the strongest first-years and the best second-years.
"Next up. Ji Chen versus Mu Qingxue!" Professor Kong Hu hollered.
Mu Qingxue stepped onto the field like lightning bottled in human form. Her silver hair shimmered under the sun, a faint trace of crackling electricity dancing around her body.
She was the fastest of the Mu triplets, and she knew it. Speed was her weapon. Precision was her shield.
Across from her, Ji Chen's expression remained unreadable.
He said nothing. Wind pulsed quietly beneath his feet.
The signal flared.
