The Elder's gaze sharpened as he studied the man before him, his tone calm but firm.
"Your name… is it Adam Emberfall?"
Adam narrowed his eyes. "Yeah. That's my name. Who's asking?"
"You don't remember me," the Elder said thoughtfully. "But I've seen you before. A year ago—at the Grand Tournament. You stood among the world's top 128. You showed skill. Potential."
Adam scoffed. "Old man, I don't know you. And I couldn't care less about your memory."
He smirked cruelly. "If you came here hoping for some nostalgic reunion, you're out of luck."
The Elder remained composed. "I'm not here for that. I'm here to ask—what happened to you?"
Adam's smile vanished in an instant. His eyes burned.
"What happened to me?" he repeated, a dark edge in his voice. "Is that why you're here? To play counselor? Save the poor, broken boy?"
He stepped forward, voice rising.
"You think just because you watched a match or two, you know me? You don't know anything. You don't know the battles I fought when the crowds were gone. The way they pushed me—used me—until I was nothing but a tool."
The Elder raised a hand gently, trying again. "Adam, you were respected. Feared even. What changed?"
Adam barked a laugh, full of hatred. "What changed? Everything! The moment I lost, I stopped being their champion. I became expendable. That's how the world works, grandpa. They cheer when you win and bury you when you fail."
The Elder was silent.
Adam's voice trembled with fury now. "You don't get to stand there and act like you care. Like you're different. I've seen your kind before—preaching wisdom while hiding in shadows. You weren't there when I needed help. So don't pretend now."
"I'm not pretending," the Elder said, calm but firm. "I just want to know why you let yourself become this."
Adam's expression darkened. "Let me? I didn't let anything happen. The world made me this way."
He clenched his fists. The fire sparked between his fingers.
"And if you think you're going to fix me with a few words and a guilt trip—you're dead wrong."
Michael, Torren, and Blitz stood a few paces behind the Elder, watching the tense confrontation unfold. None of them spoke at first—each trying to piece together what they were witnessing.
Blitz crossed his arms, tilting his head. "What the hell is going on with this guy…"
Torren muttered, "He's angry… but it feels deeper than just losing a fight."
Michael kept staring at Adam, the name echoing in his head. Then he turned to the Elder and finally asked, "Wait… was he someone important? I feel like I'm missing something."
The Elder didn't look away from Adam but nodded slowly.
"Yes. Adam Emberfall was no ordinary mage," he said. "Last year, he was the champion of the Tournament—the same one you're all competing in now."
Michael's eyes widened. "Wait—he was the previous champion?"
The Elder continued, voice calm but edged with sorrow. "The one who bested a hundred and twenty-seven of the best in the world. A prodigy of fire magic… until something changed."
A heavy silence fell over them. Even Blitz, who usually had something sarcastic to say, remained quiet.
Adam, meanwhile, said nothing. His arms hung at his sides, fists still clenched, eyes lowered in silence. Whether he was listening or ignoring them entirely wasn't clear.
But one thing was: the air had shifted. And none of them knew what Adam might do next.
Adam's expression twisted into a scowl as the Elder's words reached him. His fists trembled at his sides, and his voice came out like venom.
"Champion? Me? What kind of pathetic joke is that?!"
He stepped forward, rage burning in his eyes.
"I lost in the first damn round! They laughed at me! Mocked me! Treated me like trash! And now you show up and pretend I was someone worth remembering?!"
He jabbed a finger toward the Elder. "You're either blind, senile, or trying to mess with my head. But let me tell you something, you shriveled relic—you don't know a damn thing about me."
Michael and Torren exchanged bewildered glances, clearly thrown off by Adam's sudden outburst.
Even Blitz stopped smiling.
Adam's voice shook now, not with fear, but with fury. "You're no better than the rest of them. Just another condescending fool clinging to lies. I don't know who you think I am, but I sure as hell wasn't anyone important."
The Elder blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"