Two days had passed since the coliseum trial that shook the Rikxia Empire to its core. News of the brutal second wave—and the single life it had claimed—spread swiftly throughout the realm, igniting fierce backlash from citizens of all classes.
The name of the fallen trainee lingered in the air, whispered in hushed tones of regret, and shouted in heated accusations. He had been young, barely more than a child, and his death became a symbol of everything that was wrong with forcing ungraduated trainees into perilous trials. Streets once filled with lively chatter now teemed with anxious murmurs and pointed glares directed at anyone in uniform.
In the bustling markets of the capital, vendors who once welcomed customers with broad smiles now spoke in grave voices. "They were just trainees," an older woman lamented as she served hot broth to a passerby. "Still children. How could the captains let this happen?"
