The crowd held its breath as the principal's voice boomed across the vast arena. "Today, we commence the second challenge of this year's tournament," he announced, his tone brimming with anticipation.
"Each participant will face an opponent whose strength is beyond question… none other than Ciara herself."
A murmur swept through the crowd. The shock on everyone's face was unmistakable. Lise, Zaya, and I exchanged wide-eyed glances, not entirely sure we'd heard right. An entire day fighting Ciara? And being judged by how long we could survive?
The principal continued. "There will be a timer for each duel. Those with the shortest times—our bottom five—will be eliminated from the tournament. Only the strongest, the quickest, and the most resourceful will remain."
