The Five-Party Alliance was still reeling from Jar Bro's earth-shattering punch, their cheers rising wave after wave. The Albinaurics bounced around, the Trolls beat their chests and stamped their feet, and the Demi-Humans danced with excitement. For a while, the scene was utter chaos.
Millicent rolled her right shoulder, ready to step into the arena, only for a hand to gently hold her back.
"No hurry." Siluria looked past the cheering crowd at the figure wreathed in swirling air on the other side. "Give him a moment."
Millicent followed her gaze.
The Storm Warrior stood motionless, his expression as dark as thunder. He neither looked toward the abyss where his companion had vanished nor paid any attention to the Lightning Warrior roaring beside him. He simply stood there quietly, his gaze lingering on Alexander for a moment before slowly turning toward Millicent.
His eyes were calm. Frighteningly calm.
Millicent raised an eyebrow, slipped free of Siluria's hand, and walked toward the arena.
"He doesn't need a moment," she said without looking back. "Wait too long, and the wind will die."
The Storm Warrior watched her approach, then suddenly spoke. "That jar's victory was quite a surprise."
Millicent stopped ten paces away from him and said nothing.
"He benefited from fire's advantage over frost," the Storm Warrior said flatly. "And his control over fire is still immature, far from fully developed. That punch was nothing more than an exceptional performance brought on by heightened emotion. In terms of actual strength, he's no match for the Divine Bird Warrior."
Millicent nodded earnestly. "You're right."
The Storm Warrior narrowed his eyes slightly.
"But luck is part of strength, too," Millicent offered. "If numbers decided everything, nobody would need to practice martial arts. We could just lift weights every day and compare strength. The