The hour of preparation had come to an end. The coliseum buzzed with restrained anticipation as the trainees returned to the center of the arena, each carrying the weight of uncertainty on their shoulders. The spectators were no less eager, their murmurs and shifting movements reflecting their own excitement. Hundreds of armored warriors from various armed groups filled the seats, their gazes like hawks locked onto the fresh recruits below. Banners of the Rikxia Empire's elite forces fluttered in the breeze, casting long shadows over the stone arena.
Klaus stood among the trainees, his silver hair catching the light as his sharp blue eyes scanned his surroundings. His calm demeanor belied the storm of thoughts raging within. This was not the simple trial they had been led to expect. Every detail—the sheer number of spectators, the ominous energy exuding from the captains, and Melo's cryptic words—hinted at something far more perilous.
