The rhythm of the tournament had settled.
Not slower—never slower.
But steadier.
Nearly an hour had passed since the opening battles began. The enormous arena of the Sun Moon Empire had already witnessed dozens of matches, each one followed by the brief pulse of the arena formations resetting the battlefield before the next competitors stepped forward.
Above the stadium, the sun had climbed higher in the sky.
Light poured across the colossal structure, reflecting off the metallic framework of the projection arrays suspended above the battlefield.
Even after so many fights, the crowd had not grown tired.
If anything, the excitement had only increased.
Every few minutes another eruption of cheers rolled across the stands as a spectacular technique or decisive victory captured the audience's attention.
"Did you see the lightning user earlier?"
"No, the swordsman from Sun Moon Academy!"
"He defeated three people alone!"
"That academy is terrifying this year!"
The discussions never stopped.
And more often than not—
The same academy kept appearing in those conversations.
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.
Beneath the stadium stands, inside the preparation area reserved for competitors, the atmosphere was far calmer.
The Sun Moon team occupied a wide resting chamber lined with stone benches and formation lamps that provided a steady glow of spiritual light.
Through the open archway leading toward the arena corridor, the distant roar of the crowd could still be heard every time another match ended.
Ju Zi stood beside a circular table where a projection disk displayed the current tournament bracket.
Thin lines of light shifted across the projection as results updated in real time.
She tapped the surface once.
Another academy name faded from the bracket.
"Western Coast Academy eliminated," she said calmly.
Xiao Hongchen glanced briefly at the projection device from where he sat.
"Expected."
Su Mei approached from the side carrying a tray of small bowls.
The scent of spiritual herbs drifted softly through the room.
Light recovery meals.
Nothing heavy.
Exactly the kind of food cultivators preferred between battles.
She placed one bowl in front of Ma Xiaotao.
"Eat."
Ma Xiaotao didn't argue.
Even she knew better than to ignore Su Mei when it came to cooking.
Nearby, Wu Feng stretched lazily.
A distant wave of cheering echoed through the corridor.
"That sounded loud."
Xu Tianzhen leaned back against the wall with a relaxed posture.
"Another flashy fight probably."
Ji Juechen stood quietly near the edge of the chamber, his sword resting across his shoulder.
He hadn't spoken much since returning from his earlier battle.
But his attention remained fixed on the arena entrance.
Jiang Nannan sat on a nearby bench adjusting the hidden straps securing her twin daggers beneath her cloak.
Long Xiaoyi rested one hand against the stone floor, feeling the faint vibrations carried through the stadium structure.
Even underground, the entire arena seemed alive.
Every battle above echoed through the foundation.
At the center of the resting chamber, Lin Huang sat calmly.
His mask still covered his face.
One arm rested loosely along the back of the bench.
The other held a small figure nestled comfortably against his chest.
Tushan Honghong.
In this form, she was far smaller than her true martial spirit manifestation.
Barely the size of a young child.
But even in this reduced state, there was nothing ordinary about her presence.
Soft cerulean-blue hair framed a delicate face, its color shifting slightly under the ambient light like a calm sky reflected in water.
Behind her, ten long fox tails swayed slowly through the air.
Each movement subtly disturbed the surrounding spiritual energy.
Even without releasing her power, the aura of an extraordinary existence lingered around her.
Honghong rested comfortably against Lin Huang's shoulder.
Completely relaxed.
As if the roaring tournament happening above them had nothing to do with her.
Meng Hongchen leaned forward slightly, curiosity shining in her eyes.
"She really looks smaller like this."
One of Honghong's tails flicked.
Slowly.
She opened one eye and glanced toward Meng.
"…Hmph."
Wu Feng laughed immediately.
"She heard you."
Meng Hongchen grinned and reached forward, gently brushing her fingers across one of the fox tails.
It was unbelievably soft.
Honghong's ears twitched.
She stared at Meng for a moment with clear displeasure.
Then she turned her head and buried her face against Lin Huang's shoulder again.
Ignoring everyone.
Xu Tianzhen walked closer, crossing her arms as she observed the fox spirit.
"She's spoiled."
Honghong lifted her head slightly.
"…Hmph."
One tail lazily wrapped itself around Lin Huang's arm.
Possessive.
Xu Tianzhen laughed.
Even Ning Tian leaned forward slightly, studying Honghong with interest.
"She's calmer in this form."
Lin Huang nodded once.
"Yes."
Honghong didn't respond.
But one of her tails slowly shifted and lightly brushed Ning Tian's hand away when she tried to touch it.
Outside the resting chamber, several nearby competitors had begun peeking through the corridor.
At first they were simply curious.
But the moment they saw the ten-tailed fox spirit, whispers spread quickly.
"Ten tails…?"
"Is that really a martial spirit?"
"I've never seen anything like that…"
Some spectators visible further up the corridor even pointed toward the room.
The whispers began spreading toward the stadium stands above.
Honghong glanced toward the voices briefly.
Then she looked away.
Completely uninterested.
Ju Zi tapped the projection disk again.
The bracket shifted.
A new notification appeared.
"Sun Moon Imperial Academy."
She paused.
"Our next match will begin in twenty minutes."
Wu Feng cracked her knuckles.
"Finally."
Ma Xiaotao finished the last of her food and stood.
"About time."
Xu Tianzhen stretched her arms.
"So…"
She glanced toward Lin Huang.
"Who's going this time?"
Lin Huang looked toward the arena entrance.
Behind the mask, his voice remained calm.
"Decide among yourselves."
Honghong yawned softly in his arms.
Her ten tails swayed lazily behind her.
As if the entire tournament—
And the roaring stadium above them—
Were nothing more than background noise.
The noise of the arena rolled through the corridors like distant thunder.
Even from the preparation chamber beneath the stadium, every eruption of cheers could still be heard echoing through the structure above.
Another match had just ended.
The sound of the referee announcing the result echoed faintly through the corridor entrance.
A moment later, the projection disk on the central table shifted again.
Ju Zi tapped the surface lightly.
A new line appeared in the bracket.
"Next match," she said calmly.
"Sun Moon Imperial Academy."
Wu Feng pushed herself off the bench immediately.
"Finally."
Xu Tianzhen stretched her arms slowly.
"Perfect timing."
Honghong shifted slightly in Lin Huang's arms, one of her ten cerulean tails swaying lazily through the air.
Her ears twitched once as the distant roar of the crowd rolled through the corridor again.
Clearly—
The fox spirit was unimpressed.
Ju Zi glanced at the projection again.
"Format selection in ten seconds."
The arena selection array was already spinning above the battlefield.
Even from here, the faint hum of the formation could be felt through the stadium floor.
The group turned toward the corridor entrance where the arena broadcast projection hovered.
Four glowing symbols spun across the display.
1 vs 1
2 vs 2
3 vs 3
7 vs 7
The lights rotated several times before slowing.
Then—
They stopped.
1 vs 1
Wu Feng grinned.
"Looks like someone gets to have some fun."
Xu Tianzhen cracked her neck lightly.
"Perfect."
Ma Xiaotao leaned back against the wall, watching with interest.
"So who's going?"
Lin Huang didn't move.
Honghong had shifted slightly in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder again as if she had already lost interest in the tournament entirely.
Behind the mask, his voice remained calm.
"Decide."
Wu Feng smirked.
"Oh?"
Xu Tianzhen looked toward her.
"Rock-paper-scissors?"
Ma Xiaotao laughed.
"Sure."
Wu Feng stepped forward immediately.
The three of them raised their hands.
Ji Juechen glanced in their direction briefly but didn't comment.
Even Jiang Nannan watched with quiet amusement.
"Ready?" Wu Feng said.
Three hands dropped at once.
Rock.
Paper.
Scissors.
Wu Feng blinked.
"…Seriously?"
Xu Tianzhen's hand remained extended.
Paper.
Wu Feng groaned.
"Of course."
Ma Xiaotao shrugged.
"Looks like it's you."
Xu Tianzhen smiled faintly.
"Good."
The arena gates opened.
Sunlight poured across the battlefield as Xu Tianzhen stepped onto the stone platform.
The crowd reacted immediately.
"Sun Moon again!"
"Another one already?"
"She's the imperial princess!"
Across the arena floor, her opponent approached from the opposing side.
A tall young man wearing the uniform of Eastern Sea Academy.
His cultivation aura was steady.
A Soul Emperor.
Respectable.
But the moment the projection screens above the arena displayed Xu Tianzhen's name—
The reaction from the crowd changed.
XU TIANZHENAge: 14Rank: 64 — Soul Emperor
Even the Eastern Sea fighter stiffened slightly.
Fourteen.
Rank sixty-four.
The gap in talent between this generation and the previous ones had already become a topic of conversation throughout the stadium.
The referee raised his hand.
"Match begin!"
The Eastern Sea fighter moved first.
His martial soul erupted around him in a surge of blue spiritual power.
A massive spear formed in his hands as waves of water condensed around the weapon.
He lunged forward.
But Xu Tianzhen didn't retreat.
Instead—
She raised her hand.
Golden light erupted outward.
The air itself seemed to brighten as her Solar Radiance martial soul awakened.
A brilliant golden halo appeared behind her.
The temperature across the battlefield rose instantly.
Several spectators shielded their eyes.
"That's the Sun martial soul!"
"Look at that intensity!"
Xu Tianzhen stepped forward calmly.
A sphere of radiant energy condensed above her palm.
Then another.
Then a third.
Three miniature suns hovered around her.
The Eastern Sea fighter hesitated.
For the first time since the battle began—
Uncertainty crossed his face.
Xu Tianzhen pointed forward.
The three spheres shot toward him like falling stars.
The explosion of golden light engulfed half the battlefield.
Heat washed across the arena barrier as the impact detonated against the defensive water techniques of her opponent.
For a moment the arena vanished in light.
Then the smoke cleared.
The Eastern Sea fighter was already kneeling at the edge of the arena.
His spear shattered.
His defensive barrier gone.
The referee raised his hand immediately.
"Victory—Sun Moon Imperial Academy!"
The stadium erupted.
"That was instant!"
"She didn't even use multiple soul skills!"
"Another monster!"
Inside the preparation corridor, Wu Feng whistled softly.
"Not bad."
Ma Xiaotao smirked.
"She held back."
Ju Zi nodded calmly.
"Yes."
At the center of the room, Lin Huang remained seated.
Honghong yawned lazily in his arms.
One of her ten cerulean tails flicked slowly.
As if unimpressed by the entire battle.
The next match—
Would come soon.
The cheers for Xu Tianzhen's victory still echoed through the stadium when the arena formations began resetting the battlefield.
Golden scorch marks slowly faded from the stone platform as the repair arrays activated beneath the arena floor. The intense heat left behind by her solar techniques dissipated into the barrier dome above.
Within moments, the battlefield looked untouched.
Ready again.
Another wave of voices rose from the crowd as spectators leaned forward in anticipation of the next match.
Up in the stands, many conversations had already shifted toward a single topic.
Sun Moon Academy.
"That's the second ridiculous one."
"First the swordsman, now the princess."
"How many monsters does that team have?"
"No idea… but the captain still hasn't fought."
The excitement only continued to grow.
Back inside the preparation chamber, Xu Tianzhen returned through the corridor entrance.
Wu Feng crossed her arms.
"Done already?"
Xu Tianzhen brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Too easy."
She glanced toward Lin Huang briefly before sitting down again.
Honghong barely reacted.
The fox spirit had lifted her head for a moment when Xu Tianzhen entered, one cerulean ear twitching slightly.
Then she settled back into Lin Huang's arms again.
Completely relaxed.
One of her tails lazily swayed behind her, brushing lightly across the bench.
Ma Xiaotao stepped forward.
"Well," she said with a grin, rolling her shoulders slightly, "my turn."
Wu Feng smirked.
"Want help?"
Ma Xiaotao laughed.
"Please."
The projection disk on the table flickered again.
Ju Zi studied it calmly.
"Next Sun Moon match confirmed."
She glanced up.
"Format: 2 vs 2."
Wu Feng immediately stepped forward.
"I'll go."
Ma Xiaotao looked at her.
Then she shook her head.
"No."
Wu Feng raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Ma Xiaotao's smile widened.
"I want to stretch my wings."
Wu Feng laughed.
"Suit yourself."
Moments later the arena gates opened again.
The announcer's voice echoed across the stadium.
"Next battle!"
"Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy versus Silver Lake Academy!"
The crowd erupted once more.
This time the reaction came even faster.
Because now the spectators expected something unusual.
When the Silver Lake team stepped forward, two fighters entered the battlefield.
Both Soul Emperors.
Both activating their martial souls immediately.
The air around them cooled as streams of silver water condensed into swirling currents around their arms.
But when the Sun Moon gate opened—
Only one person stepped forward.
Ma Xiaotao.
The murmurs began instantly.
"Again?"
"They're doing it again!"
"One person against two?"
Inside the Shrek observation section, Wu Ming burst out laughing.
"Of course they are."
Ling Luochen shook her head slightly.
"That team…"
Han Ruoruo narrowed her eyes.
"They're not even trying to hide their strength."
On the battlefield, the Silver Lake fighters exchanged uneasy glances.
One of them frowned.
"…Where's your partner?"
Ma Xiaotao stopped a few meters away from them.
She stretched her neck slightly.
"Don't worry."
Her smile was sharp.
"I'll be enough."
The referee raised his hand.
"Match begin!"
The two Silver Lake fighters attacked immediately.
Twin streams of water surged forward, twisting together like serpents as they rushed toward Ma Xiaotao.
But before the attacks could reach her—
The temperature of the battlefield exploded upward.
Scarlet flames erupted around her body.
A massive phoenix silhouette appeared behind her.
Phoenix Flame Martial Soul.
The audience gasped.
"Extreme fire!"
"That's Ma Xiaotao!"
Flames spread across the battlefield in an instant.
The water techniques evaporated before they even touched her.
Steam erupted upward as the entire arena seemed to ignite.
Ma Xiaotao stepped forward.
Then she vanished.
A streak of crimson fire tore across the battlefield.
The first Silver Lake fighter barely had time to raise a defensive barrier before Ma Xiaotao appeared directly in front of him.
Her fist struck his chest.
The explosion of flame launched him backward across the arena.
Before the second fighter could react—
Flaming wings unfolded behind her.
The phoenix silhouette descended.
A column of scarlet fire crashed down onto the battlefield.
The arena shook.
When the flames faded—
Both Silver Lake fighters were already down.
The referee raised his hand immediately.
"Victory—Sun Moon Imperial Academy!"
The stadium exploded.
"Another instant victory!"
"That fire is insane!"
"Three monsters already!"
Back in the preparation chamber, Wu Feng laughed loudly.
"She didn't even last thirty seconds."
Xu Tianzhen nodded slightly.
"More like twenty."
Ju Zi watched the projection calmly.
"Efficient."
Su Mei placed another bowl on the table.
"She should eat after."
At the center of the room, Lin Huang still hadn't moved.
Honghong shifted slightly in his arms, one of her cerulean tails brushing lazily across his sleeve.
Her ears twitched once.
Then she yawned again.
The fox spirit clearly found the entire tournament—
Deeply uninteresting.
The arena had barely settled after Ma Xiaotao's match.
Steam from the evaporated water techniques still lingered faintly above the battlefield before the formation arrays beneath the arena floor activated once again.
Lines of light moved across the stone surface.
The scorched marks left by phoenix flames disappeared.
Within seconds—
The battlefield was restored.
Perfect.
Untouched.
Ready for the next fight.
Above the arena, the projection screens shifted once more.
The selection array began spinning again.
The crowd leaned forward.
After witnessing two overwhelming victories from Sun Moon Academy in such a short time, anticipation had grown noticeably heavier inside the stadium.
Some spectators were excited.
Others were cautious.
And a few were beginning to feel uneasy.
"How many of them are like that?"
"If every member is that strong…"
"This tournament might already be decided."
The spinning symbols slowed.
Then stopped.
3 vs 3
The announcer's voice echoed across the stadium.
"Next match!"
"Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy versus Black Iron Academy!"
The reaction from the crowd was immediate.
Now everyone was watching.
Back inside the preparation chamber, Ju Zi glanced at the projection disk.
"Three versus three."
Xiao Hongchen adjusted the small control device attached to his wrist.
"I'll go."
Wu Feng looked at him.
"You sure?"
He nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Jiang Nannan leaned slightly forward.
"I can come too."
Ye Guyi also looked up from where she sat quietly near the edge of the room.
But Xiao Hongchen shook his head.
"No need."
He stood up and adjusted the sleeve of his uniform.
"This will be quick."
Wu Feng laughed.
"You people are getting arrogant."
Xu Tianzhen shrugged.
"Can you blame them?"
Ji Juechen remained silent.
He only glanced toward the arena entrance briefly.
Lin Huang didn't move.
Honghong still rested comfortably in his arms.
One cerulean fox ear twitched slightly as Xiao Hongchen passed by.
One of her ten tails lifted lazily—
Then dropped again.
Unimpressed.
The arena gates opened.
Black Iron Academy entered first.
Three fighters stepped onto the battlefield.
Their martial souls activated immediately.
Dark metallic armor spread across their bodies as heavy weapons formed in their hands.
Hammer.
Blade.
Shield.
Their formation was solid.
Disciplined.
Clearly trained for coordinated combat.
Then the opposite gate opened.
Only one person stepped onto the battlefield.
Xiao Hongchen.
The murmurs spread again.
"Again?"
"Another one alone?"
"This academy is insane."
Inside the Shrek observation section, Wu Ming leaned forward.
"They're doing it again."
Ling Luochen nodded slightly.
"They're confident."
Han Ruoruo watched Xiao Hongchen carefully.
"This one is different."
Wu Ming glanced at her.
"What do you mean?"
Han Ruoruo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"He's not a frontline fighter."
On the battlefield, the Black Iron fighters exchanged a glance.
One of them frowned.
"…You're alone?"
Xiao Hongchen didn't answer.
Instead he raised his right hand.
A small mechanical ring around his wrist flickered.
Then—
The battlefield filled with metal.
Several floating spheres appeared around him instantly.
Small.
Perfectly polished.
Soul tools.
The moment they activated—
Thin lines of magnetic energy connected them into a formation.
The referee raised his hand.
"Match begin!"
The Black Iron team attacked immediately.
The shield fighter charged first.
The hammer user followed close behind while the third fighter moved to flank Xiao Hongchen from the side.
Heavy weapons crashed toward him.
But Xiao Hongchen didn't move.
The floating spheres around him rotated.
Then split apart.
Blades of compressed metal shot outward.
The hammer fighter barely managed to block the first strike before a second blade slammed into his weapon and knocked it aside.
At the same moment—
A pulse of magnetic force erupted from one of the drones.
The shield user was thrown sideways as the weapon in his hand jerked violently out of position.
The third fighter tried to close the distance.
But before he could reach Xiao Hongchen—
A compact soul cannon unfolded from one of the hovering devices.
A beam of condensed energy struck the ground directly in front of him.
The explosion forced him backward.
The battlefield changed instantly.
Three fighters.
Surrounding one engineer.
But the moment Xiao Hongchen's devices activated—
The battlefield belonged to him.
The metal drones moved with precise coordination.
Every attack from the Black Iron fighters was intercepted before it reached Xiao Hongchen.
Magnetic pulses redirected weapons.
Energy blades struck from unexpected angles.
Barrier plates formed and vanished in perfect rhythm.
Within less than a minute—
The first Black Iron fighter fell.
His hammer torn from his grip by a violent magnetic surge before a drone blade struck the ground at his feet.
The referee removed him from the battlefield.
Two remained.
Then one.
The final fighter attempted a desperate charge.
Xiao Hongchen finally moved.
One step.
The drones converged.
Three beams of energy fired simultaneously.
The impact sent the fighter sliding across the arena floor.
The referee raised his hand immediately.
"Victory—Sun Moon Imperial Academy!"
The stadium erupted again.
"That was completely one-sided!"
"He controlled the whole battlefield!"
"He didn't even move!"
Inside the preparation chamber, Wu Feng shook her head.
"…That was cruel."
Xu Tianzhen laughed.
"He barely walked."
Ju Zi nodded slightly.
"Efficient battlefield control."
Su Mei placed another bowl onto the table.
"For when he comes back."
At the center of the room, Lin Huang still hadn't moved.
Honghong shifted slightly in his arms.
One of her cerulean tails lazily brushed across his sleeve again.
Her ears twitched once as the distant cheering echoed through the corridor.
Then she closed her eyes.
Apparently satisfied—
That her master's team was still winning.
By the time Xiao Hongchen returned through the corridor entrance, the noise of the stadium had grown even louder than before.
Three victories.
Three overwhelming victories.
And each one had ended faster than the last.
The reactions in the stands had shifted noticeably.
At first, the crowd had simply been excited.
Then impressed.
Now—
They were beginning to understand.
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy was not simply strong.
It was overwhelming.
Inside the preparation chamber, Xiao Hongchen walked back toward the group while the distant roar of the crowd still echoed through the corridor.
Wu Feng looked at him.
"That looked boring."
Xiao Hongchen adjusted the control device on his wrist.
"It was."
Xu Tianzhen smirked.
"Poor guy."
Ma Xiaotao crossed her arms.
"You barely moved."
Xiao Hongchen sat down calmly.
"There was no need."
Ju Zi glanced at the projection disk again.
The tournament bracket had shifted once more.
Three opposing academies now displayed the same symbol beside their names.
Eliminated.
She nodded slightly.
"The bracket is moving quickly."
Su Mei placed another bowl on the table in front of Xiao Hongchen.
"Eat."
He accepted it without complaint.
Even geniuses did not argue with Su Mei's cooking.
At the center of the room, Lin Huang still hadn't moved.
Honghong rested comfortably in his arms.
The small fox spirit had shifted slightly during the last match.
Now she lay curled against his chest, her ten cerulean tails loosely draped across his arm and shoulder.
One tail flicked lazily.
Her ears twitched once when another wave of cheering erupted from the arena above.
Then she looked toward the corridor entrance.
Several nearby competitors had gathered again.
Word had already spread.
Some of them weren't even trying to hide their curiosity anymore.
Their eyes were fixed on the small fox spirit.
"…Ten tails."
"Is that really a martial spirit?"
"I thought that was a mythical beast…"
Honghong glanced toward them.
Her expression remained calm.
Then one of her tails lifted slightly—
And lightly brushed across Lin Huang's shoulder as if claiming territory.
Possessive.
Meng Hongchen laughed quietly.
"She's jealous again."
Honghong immediately turned her head toward Meng.
"…Hmph."
The fox spirit buried her face against Lin Huang's shoulder again, clearly annoyed by the comment.
Wu Feng shook her head.
"She acts like a princess."
Xu Tianzhen shrugged.
"She kind of is."
Up in the stadium stands, the reactions were far more serious.
Inside the Shrek observation section, several students watched the battlefield quietly.
Wu Ming leaned forward with her arms resting on the railing.
"…Alright."
"That's three more."
Ling Luochen nodded.
"And each one stronger than the last."
Chen Zifeng folded his arms.
"That engineer didn't even need to move."
Yao Haoxuan scratched the back of his head.
"So their entire team can fight alone?"
Han Ruoruo remained silent for several seconds.
Her eyes remained fixed on the Sun Moon preparation area visible through the projection arrays.
More specifically—
On the masked figure sitting calmly at the center of the group.
"…No."
Wu Ming looked at her.
"What?"
Han Ruoruo spoke quietly.
"That's not their entire team."
Her gaze didn't move.
"The strongest one still hasn't fought."
Across another section of the stadium, Princess Xu Jiujiu stood beside the Star Luo delegation.
Her calm expression had not changed since the beginning of the tournament.
But her eyes were focused on the arena floor.
Three victories.
Three overwhelming displays of strength.
And still—
The masked captain had not stepped onto the battlefield.
She exhaled quietly.
"…Interesting."
Back beneath the stadium, the preparation chamber had returned to its calm rhythm.
Ju Zi tapped the projection disk again.
The bracket updated.
"Our next match will be later."
She glanced toward Lin Huang.
"Approximately forty minutes."
Wu Feng stretched.
"Good."
Ma Xiaotao leaned back against the wall.
"Plenty of time."
Jiang Nannan adjusted the straps on her daggers again.
Long Xiaoyi rested her hand on the stone floor once more.
Ji Juechen stood quietly near the corridor entrance.
The distant cheers of another battle echoed from the arena above.
And at the center of the room—
Lin Huang remained seated.
Honghong shifted slightly in his arms.
One of her cerulean tails lifted and tapped lightly against his sleeve.
As if reminding him of something.
Behind the mask, Lin Huang's gaze moved briefly toward the arena corridor.
The tournament was moving quickly.
But this—
Was still only the beginning.