Chapter 5

The acrid smell of ozone and burnt wiring still clung to Kael's nostrils, but the phantom reminder of the brutal trial was quickly overshadowed. His damaged 'Vanguard' mech, its left arm a mangled ruin, stood as a testament to his desperate victory – a top-tier salvage lottery slot secured. He was already calculating the repairs, the precious modules he needed, when a figure detached itself from the murmuring crowd, cutting through the lingering cheers like a blade.

Jax V