Because there was no clear reference for who each contestant would fight next, the atmosphere suddenly grew extremely tense. However, to prevent contestants from overexerting themselves, they were forced to rest for one hour after each battle. This meant that even if it was a contestant's turn, their match would be postponed if they hadn't rested for the full hour. Instead, the next person in line would fight. With ten arenas operating simultaneously, this only added to the competition's unpredictability. The less-skilled contestants, in particular, lost their confidence, not even knowing which opponent to focus on studying. After all, two consecutive defeats meant direct elimination. If they were lucky, however, even one win and one loss would ensure their ranking wouldn't be too low.
As for the exceptionally strong contestants, they sat with their eyes closed, conserving energy, as if the forthcoming events had nothing to do with them.
