Roselia, Milim, and the others watched from the edge of the chamber, silent. They could feel it—Leon had entered a new rhythm. Not just stronger, but cleaner, as if the Tower itself was folding around his tempo.
Inside the arena, the space was different. It was not a ring, nor a pit—but a mirrored coliseum: floor, ceiling, and walls composed of semi-reflective obsidian, shimmering like still water. An illusory effect, yes, but also strategic.
His opponent stepped forth: a slender, masked figure with flowing obsidian robes and mirrored armor plates woven over their limbs. They moved silently, gliding over the arena floor as if skating on frozen glass.
A voice whispered through the chamber:
"Champion of Rank 53: Veyla of the Fractured Form. Mirror Dancer. Deceiver of Momentum."
