"Good morning, lads and lasses! Ye can call me Samantha, your tournament compère!" A mischievous glint danced in her eyes as her voice, sweet as honey, dripped with playful menace. "I suppose ye had enough rest to kill— A-AHEM! To be passin' the elimination round! I hope y'all are all ready for this coz we'd be expecting a lot from ya!" She feigned her mistake, a theatrical flourish meant to send shivers of unease through the crowd, feeding her own satisfaction.
"However, I won't be the one to teach ye lads and lass's the game mechanics; that will be the role of the game administrator." Samantha, now grinning like a Cheshire cat, tapped her broom twice on the floor before mounting it. "Please give a warm applause for Mr. Lemueleon Sepia! He is a Class S: Fighter Mage with a Wind attribute and one of the top rankers in the Wizard Academy!"
As she soared away on her broomstick, a figure rose from the stage behind her. He was strikingly attractive, with an undeniable aura of power. His presence commanded attention.
"Welcome to the tournament elimination test! I hope you're all hyped up because this will assess how you plan a winning strategy to win." He paused, a visual animation of the instructions appearing on the screen behind him. "To be fair, groups of equal numbers will fight each other. Your task is to protect the crystal that will be provided to each group, because if it is stolen, your team will be automatically taken to the safe zone. Second, you must steal two or more crystals from the other groups in order to pass. Lastly, this game has only 15 minutes to complete the task."
A familiar voice cut through the air, tinged with apprehension. "Excuse me, but what would happen if we were transferred to the safe zone?"
Lemueleon's wicked grin returned. "Just like the name of this game— Eliminar A Los Debiles, which simply means removing the weak. Let the tournament... begin!"
Suddenly, the world dissolved around us, and our team was teleported to an assigned battleground.
On our new location, a floating blue crystal, glowing with a soft, ethereal light, appeared. Its size was no bigger than a fist. I instinctively grabbed it and handed it to ate Clydelle, our chosen strategist. She would hold the crystal, assign our tasks, and guide us through the battle.
"AAAhH!" A sudden, thunderous explosion nearby made me scream. The earth trembled beneath our feet.
Team 7 is eliminated in less than 10 seconds!
"Someone was just eliminated in 10 seconds…" Clydelle mumbled, her voice laced with worry.
"What's the plan?" Tyler asked, his eyes darting around the new environment.
"I'll use my Clairvoyance to locate the crystals. Tyler, Sari, your job is to steal them from the other teams." Clydelle's voice was firm, her focus already on the mission. "Sari has an enormous advantage because her ability is to control time, and Tyler, I'm sure you're in control of your shape-shifting ability."
She gave her final instructions. "While you two are out, Frank and I will remain here. I'll guide everyone and protect the crystal, and Frank will do everything he can to defend me. Do your best to steal as many crystals as you can, and it would be best if you don't return here right away. Find a place to hide until the game is over."
"Sure!" I nodded eagerly, the thrill of the challenge eclipsing my nervousness.
"Sari, there are two groups fighting at your 5 o'clock, a range of 19 to 23 meters. Tyler, there's a team with two crystals, 15 meters on your 3 o'clock. Try to steal one of them."
"Can you tell me where they hid their crystals, ate?" I asked, using the affectionate term for an older sister.
"Hmm, they're not being clever about it. Most of them are just holding it in their hands. I don't need to tell you where they are because the crystals shine brightly enough that you can discern them even if they're inside their pockets."
"All right, we'll go ahead, ate!" Tyler waved, and we parted ways.
"Be careful!" Clydelle's voice followed us.
The air grew thick with the scent of ozone and burnt magic as I drew closer to our targets. The distant chanting of spells and the clang of colliding weapons were a symphony of destruction.
"Telepathy mode," I commanded silently, my mind connecting with ate Clydelle's.
"Ate, I found the two groups."
"Well done. Now proceed on carrying out your mission. It's much better if you can steal their crystals without them knowing you're there—"
"Hey!" I called out, interrupting her. I stepped into the clearing where the two teams were locked in battle, stretching and twisting my waist with exaggerated casualness.
I was met with a barrage of magical energy. Wands were pointed at me, their tips crackling with raw power.
"Fire Magic: Canon Explosion!"
"Earth Magic: Dancing Ground!"
"Water Magic: Whipping Tail!"
"I told you not to show yourself, Sari!" Clydelle's voice crackled with exasperation in my mind.
But before their spells could reach me, I activated my time control. "Time pause."
Everything froze—the spells, the shouts, the dust kicked up from the ground. I sprinted toward the frozen players, snatching the glowing crystals from their hands before dashing away from the scene.
"Time play."
The world lurched back to life. I turned back to the now-confused players, a triumphant smile on my face. "No worries, I hold the time."
Team 29 and Team 04 are both eliminated in 5 minutes!
"But not all the time, Sari, so be cautious!"
I had no idea this elimination game would put my skills to the test so quickly. And I was glad I could be of assistance. But a question lingered in the back of my mind. Why did some people, like me, need to chant spells to activate their powers, while others, like ate Clydelle, Frank, and Tyler, could use theirs without a word? I still had to say "Time Pause" or "Time Play" to control time.
"Hey, Sari! Do you get it?"
"Understand what?" I asked, startled. Her tone was so serious that I expected a lecture. It was too late to realize I shouldn't have asked, so I just said yes.
"SARI—YOU—ARE on a battlefield!" she reprimanded, her voice sharp. "You cannot just daydream or think of something that is not strictly necessary during a war! Seriously, do you want to die?! Aren't you the one who's eager to pass this test?"
"I'm sorry," I said, trying to contain my laughter. "But, could you please repeat what you were saying a while ago? Tehee."
"I have located a group heading your way, and they have already collected four crystals from the other groups. It appears they were the first group to steal crystals in less than ten seconds."
"Wait a minute— what?"
"You are about to meet a dangerous team, so take the route at 9 o'clock. You'll be safe there."
"No!" I exclaimed, a surge of adrenaline rushing through me. "I want to see how strong they are!"
Finally, I have the opportunity to witness something incredible!
"Wait no, don't you dare, Sari—"
"Disable telepathy mode," I commanded, a wide, excited grin spreading across my face.
—
On the other side of the battlefield, Clydelle watched in horror as Sari disabled the telepathy link. Her knuckles whitened as she clenched her fist, a low growl escaping her lips. Frustrated, she slammed her fist into the trunk of a nearby tree. The bark splintered, and a tremor ran up her arm. She groaned, pulling her hand back and cradling her bruised knuckles.
"Ughh! I don't know what to do with your sister, Frank!" she yelled, her voice a mix of fury and fear.
Frank flinched, already anticipating this outburst. He knew all too well how stubborn his sister could be. He could only sigh, the sound heavy with resignation. "She's always been this way, ate. Once she sets her mind on something, there's no stopping her."
—
I crept through the underbrush, my movements silent and unseen. As I neared the group, I activated my time control. "Time pause."
The world around me froze. The leaves on the trees, the dust motes in the air, even the frantic expressions on the faces of the group of players—all were suspended in an instant.
I used the silence to my advantage, climbing a massive oak tree with ease. Once nestled among the high branches, with a perfect vantage point, I whispered, "Time play."
The world resumed its frantic pace.
From my perch, I watched them, a fierce-looking girl with a sharp bob cut and a man with a stern face who appeared to be their leader.
"Daniel, someone is watching us," the girl said, her voice a low, tense whisper. Her gaze swept over the surrounding trees, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Indeed—" the leader, Daniel, replied. He didn't even need to finish his sentence. In a flash, his head snapped up, his gaze locking directly onto mine. It was impossible, I thought, for him to have seen me, let alone pinpoint my exact location.
The moment our eyes met, a strange static sensation shot through me. It wasn't physical; it was a jolt of energy that bypassed my skin and went straight for my brain, flowing like a current through my entire body. My muscles tensed involuntarily, and a cold dread seeped into my bones.
"What the hell…" I muttered under my breath, my heart hammering against my ribs.