{Asher's POV}
"Who is that kid?!"
"He's been ending every match with a single blow!"
"Five gold coins on the brat! Come on, place your bets!"
The roar of the spectators washed over me as I stood in the center of the massive stadium. At my feet, yet another man lay groaning, defeated by a single punch.
It was staggering to think all these people were here to compete for the Key of Ascension. Seeing so many men in the brackets reminded me just how desperate they were for the Wish—the prize the Goddess supposedly grants to those who reach the heavens. But I needed to ascend just as much as they did. I wasn't holding back.
Finally, after a monotonous string of one-hit victories, a familiar face entered the arena.
It was Joyce, the rowdy hunter I'd met at the church the other day, praying to the god of war.
