"Endurance Trial. One round only. No rest points. The terrain will test your stamina, your balance, your agility, and your ability to remain composed under pressure. Only ten of you will advance to the next round. Every second, every step, every movement counts."
His words hung in the air, echoing faintly against the distant hills that formed the arena's perimeter. The students shifted uneasily, some gripping straps or bracing themselves on the starting line, feeling the intensity of the task laid before them.
Madam Zhao stepped forward with her usual calm precision. Her dark eyes swept across the competitors like water flowing over stone, steady, unyielding, yet observant of every twitch, every subtle sign of hesitation.
