Bab 474: Experience With Power

The arena was quiet for a moment longer, the crowd still grappling with the scene before them. Adrian stood amidst the debris of the arena floor, his figure bloodied and battered, his breathing labored yet steady. His opponent, the crown prince Aurelius, lay unconscious in his arms, the once-pristine robes now streaked with blood and dirt.

Then, as if a dam had broken, the silence erupted into an overwhelming roar.

"Adrian! Adrian!" the crowd chanted, voices rising in unison, echoing through the arena like thunder. Nobles leaped from their seats, clapping fervently, while others shouted and waved. Even those who had sneered at him moments ago now cheered as though they had supported him from the start.

The announcer's voice barely cut through the cacophony as he proclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, the victor of this legendary battle—Adrian Lighthaven!"