A stillness hung in the air as the weight of Instructor Verren's final words settled over the room.
You are candidates.
Act like it.
The cadets stood straighter, shoulders a little more squared. For a long moment, no one said a word—until a hand quietly rose from the middle of the formation.
It was Mira.
Her voice, while respectful, carried a note of genuine curiosity. "Instructor… what about the duel between Victor and Ethan?"
A hush fell across the room again, sharper this time. Everyone turned toward Verren, eyes narrowing with unspoken tension.
Even Julia, who had been leaning back lazily with arms crossed, straightened slightly.
Victor's name still carried an unnatural weight—and Ethan's fight had been the quiet thunder hanging behind every match.
Verren didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he stared down at his tablet for a long beat, as if gathering his thoughts—or perhaps deciding what to say. Then, finally, he let out a deep, restrained sigh.
