The heavy steel doors of the Blue Gate hissed shut behind her, sealing with a definitive, mechanical clank.
Sora stepped out of the shadows of the staging tunnel and directly into the blinding, artificial daylight of the arena. The scale of the battlefield from ground level was staggering.
The air inside the stasis barrier felt unnervingly still, carrying the faint, lingering scent of ozone, crushed rock, and the coppery tang of Elise's blood from the previous match.
High above, the massive holographic displays shifted, projecting Sora's face to the world.
"And here comes our blue side contender!" the male commentator's voice boomed through the acoustic amplifiers, vibrating the very floor beneath Sora's boots. "Representing the proud and unyielding nation of Varisus, give it up for Sora Maddox!"
A ripple of intense excitement tore through the stadium. The name 'Maddox' carried an incredibly heavy weight in the Exterminator world.
