The tournament hall occupied an old transit depot whose platforms had been turned into rings, sponsor booths, and camera nests. Nox stood beside Vasa beneath the First Citadel banner while every qualified fighter opened the same bright invitation.
[ City-Anchor Tournament: sponsorship selection is open. ]
[ Select a patron, review one provisional equipment grant, and register public favor terms. ]
Across the depot, champions approached floating displays with careful reluctance, as if they understood the contract too late. Gold, red, and blue symbols hung over the booths, each attached to a distant presence offering weapons, advice, or a reason to become somebody else's property.
Jax stood with the government delegation in a borrowed black jacket, watching the offers with his hands empty at his sides. He did not approach any of them, even after a gold booth turned its display toward him.
