Shouts shook the sky, and the roar of insects filled the air.
On this special day, even the arena seemed cast in a strange new light.
But everything became all the more thrilling after he appeared.
The spectators rose to their feet in astonishment, unwilling even to blink. Who could have imagined they would witness such a spectacle today?
Within the military encampment outside Ashen City, the Octagonal Arena was one of the few entertainment venues open to locals and outsiders alike.
Warriors fought here to prove themselves, while spectators cheered them on and tossed coins as tips.
It was a decent way to make a living, especially on a day worth commemorating.
And on the rare occasion of the Sunrise Festival, the arena welcomed another new warrior.
He wielded an unfamiliar weapon, and his appearance differed from that of most insects.
Neither his martial prowess nor the way he swung his blade bore the marks of any school or inherited technique.
But his opponents cared nothing for that. They only wanted to find glory here, hone their skills, or gamble on catching an officer's eye and earning a place in the army.
Yet none of the insects had expected this unfamiliar warrior to be such a tough opponent.
Bang!
Beneath the arena's rusted iron dome, a wave of heat tore another opening through the lingering smoke.
Nox's Mo Dao struck the ground for the third time, cracking the bone-patterned tiles of the circular platform in spreading layers.
His opponent fared even worse than the previous two. A slash merely thirty percent faster than before had already decided the outcome.
Both the Bone Nail raised to parry and the armor on his body seemed utterly useless, sent flying together.
The challenger known as the Swiftshadow Beetle slammed into the ground.