The improvised arena for the Copas trial was a rope circle in the center of the plaza, surrounded by stalls and temporary stands. Above, the red banner with the Copas symbol fluttered in the wind.

  “Welcome to the Field Reading Test!” announced the master of ceremonies. “Each team must capture the enemy flag using only intelligence, maneuvers, and traps. No lethal attacks, no excessive magic.”

  Luiz was among the organizers, smiling. “This is the game of the clever ones. Let’s see who here thinks beyond muscles.”

  Beside Lukas, Morgana clicked her tongue with excitement: “Strategy? This is your arena, chocolatinho. Show these civilians how it’s done.”

  César, more contained, added: “Remember: avoid unnecessary risks. Your body is not fully rebuilt yet.”

  The whistle blew.

  Lukas moved like a ghost across the field. Instead of advancing, he observed the enemy’s movement patterns, studying where each one looked and how they reacted. Two minutes later, he had the enemy team’s full mental map.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “They expose the left flank every time they attack from the right,” Lukas whispered to his allies.

  “So what’s the plan?” a soldier asked.

  “We drag them to the right… and steal from the left.” Lukas smiled.

  With discreet signals, he had one group simulate a frontal attack while he, with two others, silently circled the field. When the enemy noticed, Lukas was already holding the flag.

  The crowd erupted in applause.

  “This is field reading!” announced Luiz from above. “And that’s why he is my brother.”

  Darian, leaning against the railing, watched with a sour expression. “Tsk… he only won because no one attacked him with real force.”

  Morgana didn’t miss the opportunity: “I lost to the skinny guy and my ego hurts.”

  César simply added: “Clean victory. No brute force. This will only irritate your brother even more.”

  When the referee confirmed the result, Lukas raised the flag, receiving a mix of applause and boos. The crowd loved the underdog.

  Luiz came down from the stands and patted his shoulder. “That’s what I’m talking about!” Then he leaned closer and whispered: “And remember… after the award ceremony, comes the date.”

  Lukas grimaced. “You’re not going to drop that, are you?”

  “I promised Aika,” Luiz winked. “And I never disappoint women.”

  Morgana laughed mischievously: “Tonight, chocolatinho… tonight.”

  End of Chapter 22