Divya stood at the precipice of decision. her heart was racing.
The weight of a thousand eyes pressed upon her disciples, elders, and even the distant gaze of her Grandfather. She knew the truth in her bones: she was not Samrat's equal in raw power, let alone a match for the Storm Dragon who had shattered him.
Kevin's words hung in the air like an open wound—Do you dare?—not just to her, but to the honour of the entire Kilvis Clan.
She knew the truth. She wasn't as strong as Samrat, nor did she possess the raw destructive force of Kevin's Lightning Qi. Her strength lay in the potential in the unawakened depths of her bloodline, the dormant fire of the Black Phoenix that slumbered beneath her calm demeanour.
"I may lose," she thought. "But I will not run."
The silence of the crowd pressed on her like a mountain, waiting, watching for her answer.
With a deep breath, Divya stood.
