Every fighter on standby, Eratz, Raya, Aelric, and Lira, had been placed in cells located in each corner of the massive battlefield.
These cages shimmered with magical restraints, ensuring their containment until the five-minute limit was reached. If Ryder and Caius could survive, the cells would unlock, and these fighters would be unleashed, turning the tide of the battle.
But for now, all the attention rested solely on Ryder.
The atmosphere in the arena was suffocating. Every other fighter's gaze was fixed on him, not with admiration or respect, but with a mixture of pity and cruel anticipation.
To them, Ryder was the sacrificial lamb of the Golden Cosmos, a black sheep caught in the jaws of an unforgiving system.
Ryder felt their stares, their unspoken judgments, and for a moment, it weighed on him. His chest tightened as self-doubt began to creep in.
