"Fine," I said, my voice dropping into a flat, serious tone as the top ranks got ready. "Let us see what you have got."
The space between us did not just feel small — it vanished.
A heavy, crushing weight dropped onto my shoulders. It was not the messy, unorganized power of the hundred students I had just taken down. This was sharp. Clear. Nine separate waves of strong intent locking onto me at the same time.
My flash instinct was already screaming, a cold warning at the back of my neck telling me that one mistake here would not just mean losing the Primus title.
It meant getting put in the dirt. These people were strong. Fighting them all together was very different from looking at stats or controlling them behind a screen in my past life. This was real killing intent, and it was dangerous.
Thump.
Roan moved first.
