Destroy.
Destroy…
DESTROY…
It practically echoed across the arena.
At one point, one could definitely hear a pin drop. Not metaphorically. Literally.
Marshal Julian was almost certain he could hear his own blood circulating. Every beat felt like a drumline out of sync, and when that boy—that boy—called out to him so casually, his heart skipped like a scratched record.
He was sure he wasn't the only one.
Even the master with the worst hearing among them probably heard it crystal clear.
Then—
GASP.
The air snapped. Time unpaused. And chaos exploded.
Tables screeched. Stools tilted. Wrinkled limbs launched into motion.
Even Master Allan was halfway through crawling over the panel table with murder in his eyes and spit flying from his mouth.
"WHAT KIND OF NONSENSE WAS THAT?!"
"UGH! MY HEART!"
"QUINN, YOU PRICK! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"
"WAIT, WHY ME?!"