Derek's teammates stood close together, forming a tight circle at the center of the arena.
They could feel it. The pressure.
Seven teams. Dozens of hostile gazes.
Henry swallowed hard, his fingers twitching near his weapon. "This… this isn't looking good."
Art let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Yeah. They're all staring at us like prey." He clenched his jaw. "Seven teams at once… there's no way we can handle that. No matter how strong Derek is."
Emma didn't speak. She already knew.
Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. She stared at the surrounding teams — fourth-year students, third-year students, and veterans of countless trials.
This was a battle royale. And they were the obvious target. No matter how monstrous Derek was… no single person could protect an entire team against everyone at once.
This was the end. The air trembled.
Amidst the growing tension....
Daniel's voice rang out, cutting through the heavy air like a blade.
"Begin."
