Sebi stood outside the Giant Stadium, frozen in place.Thousands of people moved around him like a river flowing in every direction. Families with kids hanging onto their parents' hands. Groups of teenagers wearing Hunter merchandise. Old couples shuffling slowly toward the entrance. Everyone was shouting, laughing, pushing.
He watched them all disappear into the massive doors, and his stomach twisted into knots.
"Come on," he whispered to himself. "You didn't come all this way to chicken out now."
He took a step forward.Then another.The crowd swallowed him whole. Bodies pressed against him from every side. Someone's elbow hit his ribs. A kid stepped on his foot and didn't even notice.
"Watch it!" a man yelled as Sebi accidentally bumped his shoulder.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Sebi called back, but the man was already gone, swept away by the crowd.
It took forever to get through the entrance, but finally finally Sebi stumbled into the main lobby of the stadium.
He stopped and just stared.The ceiling was so high it felt like standing inside a cathedral. Huge banners hung from the walls showing past tournament champions. Their faces looked down at him like gods. The floor was polished marble that reflected the lights above, and the sound of thousands of voices echoed off every surface.
Sebi's heart was beating so fast he could hear it in his ears.
"Okay," he muttered. "Just… find where you're supposed to go."
He spotted a desk near the far wall with a sign that said PARTICIPANT CHECK-IN. A woman sat behind it, typing something on a computer.
Sebi walked over, trying not to look as nervous as he felt.When he got close enough to see her properly, his brain short circuited for a second.
She was… wow.
She had long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, smooth skin, and a body that made Sebi forget how to form words. Her uniform was professional a white blouse and black vest but the way it fit left very little to the imagination.
She looked up and smiled. "Hi there! Welcome to the Hunter Tournament."
Sebi's mouth opened but nothing came out.
"Are you here to participate?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Or are you just watching?"
"P-participating," Sebi finally managed to say. His voice cracked halfway through the word and he wanted to die.
"Great!" She turned to her computer. "What's your name?"
"Sebi. Just… Sebi."
Her fingers flew across the keyboard. The light from the screen lit up her face and her chest and Sebi immediately looked away, his cheeks burning red.
"Got it!" she said cheerfully. She leaned closer to the screen, reading something. "Oh wow, you registered a whole month ago. You must be really serious about this."
Sebi rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well… you know."
She smiled at him a real, genuine smile that made him feel a little less like an idiot. "Good luck out there. You're going to need it." She pointed down a hallway to her right. "Head through those doors and look for Room 10. That's where all the participants are gathering before the matches start."
"Room 10. Got it. Thanks."
Sebi turned and walked toward the hallway before he could embarrass himself any further.
The corridors in the upper levels of the stadium were like a maze.Sebi walked past Room 3, then Room 7, then somehow ended up at Room 15 even though he was pretty sure he'd been going in a straight line.
"Where the hell is Room 10?" he muttered, spinning in a circle.
The walls were thick concrete, and the noise from the crowd below made the whole building vibrate. It felt like standing inside a giant drum.
"You lost?"
Sebi jumped and spun around.A guy was standing behind him, grinning like this was the funniest thing he'd seen all day. He was tall way taller than Sebi with broad shoulders, messy brown hair, and a cocky smile.
Oh, and he wasn't wearing a shirt.Just pants, boots, and a whole lot of muscle.
Sebi blinked. "Uh… yeah. I'm looking for Room 10."
The guy laughed. "Room 10, right? Yeah, everyone gets lost trying to find it. Come on, I'll show you."
He started walking, and Sebi hurried to keep up.
"I'm Lee, by the way," the guy said, glancing over his shoulder.
"Sebi."
"Nice to meet you, Sebi." Lee's grin got even wider. "You ready for this? First time competing?"
"Yeah. First time." Sebi's eyes drifted to Lee's bare chest again. He couldn't help it. "Uh… what's with the no shirt thing? You trying to show off or something?"
Lee burst out laughing. "Maybe a little. But mostly I just fight better this way. It's tradition for me. Keeps me loose, you know?"
Sebi raised an eyebrow. "Right. Sure."
"Don't worry," Lee said, flexing one arm for emphasis. "You'll get used to it."
"Doubt it," Sebi muttered, but he was smiling despite himself.
They turned a corner, and Lee stopped in front of a door with a big "10" painted on it in white.
"Here we are." Lee pushed the door open.
The room on the other side was huge.It was easily the size of a basketball court, with high ceilings and fluorescent lights that buzzed overhead. Equipment was scattered everywhere punching bags, weight racks, mats for stretching. Benches lined the walls, and at least thirty people were already inside.
Some sat quietly, headphones in, eyes closed. Others were warming up throwing punches at the air, doing push ups, stretching their legs. A few were talking in small groups, laughing nervously.
But what really caught Sebi's attention was the far wall.It wasn't a wall at all it was glass. Floor to ceiling, stretching the entire length of the room.And through it, Sebi could see everything.
The stadium below was packed. Fifty thousand people, maybe more, crammed into every seat. The roar of their voices was muffled by the glass, but Sebi could still feel it in his chest like a heartbeat.
"Holy crap," Sebi whispered.
Lee clapped him on the shoulder. "Pretty wild, right? That's where we'll be fighting in a few minutes."
Sebi's stomach dropped. "A few minutes?"
"Yep." Lee walked over to one of the benches and sat down, stretching his arms over his head. "Better get ready."
Sebi stood there, staring through the glass.Down below, a man walked out to the center of the arena floor. He was wearing a dark suit and carrying a microphone. The crowd's noise shifted got louder, more focused.
The man cleared his throat, and his voice boomed through the stadium speakers.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WELCOME TO THE ANNUAL HUNTER TOURNAMENT!"
The crowd exploded . Fifty thousand people screaming at once.Up in the stands, two announcers sat behind a desk with their own microphones. One of them a woman with bright red hair leaned forward excitedly.
"Oh my God, it's about to begin!" she said, her voice crackling through the speakers in Room 10.
The other announcer, a man with slicked back hair and a sharp suit, grinned. "I am so excited for the battles ahead. This year's lineup is incredible!"
Sebi's hands were shaking.
Lee looked over at him and smirked. "Nervous?"
"Terrified," Sebi admitted.
"Good," Lee said. "Means you're taking it seriously."
Down below, the man with the microphone raised his hand, and the crowd started to quiet down.
"LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!"
The roar came back even louder than before.Sebi took a deep breath.This was it and there was no turning back now.