The heavy, pressurized silence of the White Stars' underground training arena was shredded by the high-pitched scream of ionizing air.
Gunnar the Viking stood in the center of the reinforced alloy floor, his legs braced wide, his massive double-sided axe—Storm-Breaker—now a focal point for a swirling vortex of black and yellow lightning. The smell of ozone was thick enough to coat the back of the throat, a metallic tang that signaled impending destruction.
Across the room, the two men stood apart. Kim Jin, the pride of the White Stars, held his katana in a low, disciplined guard. His eyes were cold, professional, and entirely focused on the giant. A few paces to his left stood Kang Min.
The observation deck was filled with restrained tension, a low murmur threading through the gathered employees and other players as they looked down upon the arena.
The reinforced glass separated them from the coming storm, but not from the pressure building beneath it.
