The loser, a higher-ranked Souler, could barely lift his head as he walked back to his position—shamed not just by defeat, but by the eyes now looking at him differently.
It didn't take long for word to spread.
"The matches are fair!"
"Even a low-rank can win if they're skilled enough!"
"The power is balanced by some divine force...!"
"Is this the work of the Empress or something else..."
"As expected of Empress Ivana, her methods are truly unfathomable"
Hope swelled. Soulers who would normally be dismissed as background now stepped forward, eyes burning with fresh determination. It was no longer about status or birth. It was about who you were as a fighter.
And so, the tournament continued.
