Travis crouched beside Kai, carefully checking his breathing and condition. After a tense moment, he looked up and gave a small nod to Elder Bras. "He's fine," he confirmed, though his voice carried the bitter sting of defeat. Kai was unconscious, drained of every bit of energy, but alive—just as Max had said.
Max, watching calmly from above, descended in a flash of blue lightning and landed quietly beside Elder Drew and Lyra. The atmosphere around him was charged yet composed, like a storm that had passed but still left the sky rumbling.
"Haha, good." Elder Drew's voice rang out, his lips curling into a rare smile as he looked at Max with open satisfaction. "The winner of the first battle is Max." His words echoed clearly, and a sense of pride laced his tone—not just because of the win, but because of what it meant for the Great Ruler Empire.
