Under the Fireworks

The sound of the crowd's applause still reverberated through the walls of the arena, a symphony of cheers that seemed to pulse with life itself.

The announcer's voice had barely faded before the surge of interviewers and flashing cameras descended on Eratz like a wave of light.

"Eratz! Eratz!" They called his name, microphones shoved in his face, voices overlapping in a chaotic swirl.

"How does it feel to be the Greenridge champion?"

"What was your strategy in those final moments?"

"Some specialists stipulate that with your performance, you might directly pass test for the continental league, how do you feel about it?"

The questions came faster than he could process. The flashes of light left spots in his vision, and he felt as if he were drowning in the noise, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.