—
The boy stiffened beside him.
His throat tightened.
"…This is bad…"
Low.
Barely a whisper.
The fox girl's ears lowered slightly.
Her gaze flicked around—
Reading the room.
"…Yeah."
Quiet.
Tense.
"Now everyone's thinking the same thing."
—
Draven didn't move.
Didn't react.
He just stood there—
Looking at the orb.
Unbothered.
As if the weight of all those eyes—
Didn't exist.
—
The voice continued.
Almost playful now.
"Well then…"
A faint hum echoed.
"This certainly makes things more interesting."
A pause.
Then—
"So tell me…"
The tone dipped slightly.
Curious.
"What will you do, I wonder…?"
—
Draven's gaze didn't change.
Didn't shift.
And after a moment—
He spoke.
Calm.
Flat.
"…Nothing."
A faint pause.
"…I'll do the same thing I've been doing."
His eyes flicked slightly—
Toward the others.
Watching.
Waiting.
Calculating.
—
The orb drifted a little closer.
As if drawn in.
As if curious.
The voice lingered for a moment after his answer.
Then—
A soft chuckle echoed again.
"…Nothing?"
Amusement.
Clear.
Unhidden.
"And what will that be?"
—
Silence followed.
Not forced.
Not tense.
Just… still.
—
Draven didn't look away.
Didn't shift.
His eyes remained on the orb—
Unblinking.
Unmoved.
Then—
"…None of your damn business."
Flat.
Cold.
—
The words cut clean through the chamber.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just dismissal.
A ripple spread through the room.
Some participants stiffened.
Others exchanged glances—
Because no one spoke to *that voice* like that.
Not here.
Not in a place like this.
—
Above—
In the arena—
Several nobles leaned forward.
Interest spiking.
Some smiled.
Others frowned.
Because this—
This was new.
—
Back below—
Draven continued.
Tone unchanged.
"…Since everyone's picked a team…"
A slight tilt of his head.
"…shouldn't you get started already?"
A pause.
Then—
"…or are you planning to waste everyone's time?"
—
Silence.
Heavy.
Lingering.
The orb didn't move.
Didn't respond immediately.
For a brief second—
It felt like the entire place held its breath.
—
Then—
Laughter.
Low at first—
Then rising.
Echoing through the chamber.
"…Ahh…"
The voice exhaled.
Genuinely amused now.
"I like you."
A pause.
"You're bold."
Another.
"Or maybe just arrogant."
A faint hum.
"But either way…"
The tone sharpened slightly.
"…you're right."
—
The orb slowly pulled back.
Rising.
Creating space once more.
"Teams have been formed."
"Participants have been selected."
A low rumble spread beneath their feet.
Subtle.
Controlled.
"Which means…"
The air shifted again.
"…we can begin."
—
A brief pause.
Then—
Colder.
Sharper.
"Round Two."
—
The lights above dimmed slightly—
Not fully—
But enough to change the atmosphere.
From open—
To focused.
—
"To all participants…"
The voice echoed clearly.
"Your next objective is simple."
A beat.
"Survive."
A faint distortion followed.
"Each team will be transported to a separate field."
"Different terrain."
"Different conditions."
"Same rule."
—
Silence.
Then—
"Only those who remain standing…"
"…will advance."
A pause.
"And just to make things a bit more entertaining…"
The tone lightened again.
Almost playful.
"…you're not the only ones in those fields."
—
The meaning hit instantly.
The boy's eyes widened slightly.
"…Not the only ones…?"
The fox girl's gaze sharpened.
"…So there's something else in there."
—
Draven didn't react.
Didn't ask.
Didn't care.
—
The voice finished.
Final.
"Prepare yourselves."
—
The ground beneath each team began to glow faintly.
Circular formations forming beneath their feet.
Teleportation arrays.
—
"Your time begins…"
A brief pause.
Then—
"Now."
—
The light surged.
Blinding.
Light swallowed everything.
For a split second—
There was no ground.
No sound.
No weight.
Just—
White.
—
Then—
It snapped back.
—
Draven's feet touched solid ground again.
The light faded quickly—
Replaced by dim shadows and a faint, cold wind brushing across his face.
**Clink…**
His chains settled.
Unchanged.
—
The boy staggered slightly as he landed, catching himself with one hand.
"…Tch—"
He looked up immediately.
Scanning.
Alert.
—
The fox girl landed cleanly.
Low.
Balanced.
Her ears twitched sharply—
Catching every sound.
Her tail stilled.
"…We're not alone."
Quiet.
Certain.
—
Above them—
A soft hum.
Familiar.
They looked up.
And there it was.
An orb.
Floating.
Watching.
Following.
Just like before.
—
But this time—
There was only one.
Assigned.
Tracking *them.*
—
The voice returned.
Quieter now.
More contained.
As if speaking directly to them alone.
"Each team…"
A faint pause.
"…will be observed."
The orb pulsed faintly.
Recording.
Transmitting.
"Your performance…"
"…your decisions…"
"…your survival…"
Another pause.
"…will all be evaluated."
—
The boy clenched his jaw.
"…So we've got an audience again."
Low.
Annoyed.
—
The fox girl didn't take her eyes off their surroundings.
"…Ignore it."
Soft.
Focused.
"Focus on staying alive."
—
The environment around them became clearer.
Not a prison.
Not a chamber.
A forest.
Dense.
Thick trees stretching high above.
Blocking most of the light.
The ground uneven—
Covered in roots and damp leaves.
Mist lingered low—
Reducing visibility.
—
Draven didn't move immediately.
His eyes swept the area once.
Slow.
Careful.
—
The forest settled around them.
Quiet—
But not peaceful.
Every rustle.
Every shift of leaves—
Felt watched.
Measured.
—
A few steps behind—
The two men Draven had taken stood stiffly.
Eyes scanning.
Breathing uneven.
They weren't fighters anymore.
Not here.
Not like this.
One swallowed hard, glancing at the trees.
"…This place…"
The other didn't speak.
Just kept turning—
As if something might lunge out at any moment.
—
Draven's gaze moved slowly across the forest.
Upward.
Through the canopy.
Then down again—
To the ground.
To the mist.
To the spacing of the trees.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Hmph."
A faint breath left him.
"…They put in some effort."
—
The boy glanced at him.
"…What do you mean?"
—
Draven didn't look at him.
"This isn't real."
Flat.
Certain.
—
The fox girl's ears twitched.
"…You're sure?"
—
Draven's eyes lingered on a tree for a moment longer than normal.
"…This is a constructed space."
A pause.
"…Something like an isolated field."
—
The boy frowned.
"…An illusion?"
—
Draven shook his head slightly.
"…Not exactly."
His chains shifted as he adjusted his stance.
"More like…"
A brief pause.
"…a created environment."
—
His gaze flicked upward again.
"…To do something like this…"
"…you'd need at least third-star magic circles."
—
Silence followed.
—
The boy blinked.
"…Third star…?"
—
Draven continued calmly.
As if explaining something basic.
"Magic circles are ranked."
"One to five stars."
"First and second-circle mages…"
"…can only use one-star circles."
"Third and fourth…"
"…use two-star."
"Fifth and sixth…"
"…three-star."
—
The fox girl's eyes sharpened.
"…So this place…"
—
Draven nodded.
"…At minimum, it's built with third-star level constructs."
A faint pause.
"…Which means whoever set this up…"
His gaze darkened slightly.
"…is either rich…"
"…or very well-connected."
—
The boy exhaled slowly.
"…Or both."
—
Draven didn't deny it.
"…Most likely."
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"…They're making money off this."
—
His eyes shifted—
Toward the orb above.
"…A lot of it."
—
The wind shifted.
Cold.
Subtle.
But enough.
The fox girl's ears snapped forward instantly.
Her body tensed.
"…Something's moving."
Low.
Alert.
—
The boy froze.
"…Where?"
—
She didn't answer immediately.
Her gaze locked into the trees ahead.
"…Front."
A pause.
Then—
"…Multiple."
—
Draven didn't turn right away.
Didn't rush.
His chains gave a soft **clink** as he finally shifted—
And faced forward.
—
Because whatever was coming—
Was already watching them.