Stephanie's eyes did not leave it.
"You better hope we don't cross paths."
Beside her, Nicholas sat quietly, rehydrating. She leaned in and whispered without looking at him.
"If you draw Nnenna next, don't hold back," she said.
Nicholas gave a subtle nod.
"No mercy," she added flatly.
And he understood.
The six finalists stood tall on the arena floor, their names glowing across the giant scoreboard above.
They had all secured solid A's.
Now, the only task left… was to keep it.
They didn't need to win these final rounds, only to hold their ground and avoid slipping up. But pressure hung thick in the air, because holding ground against people this skilled wasn't easy.
Stephanie and Nicholas weren't the only ones rattled by Nnenna's surprising climb.
Adam, Chang, and Keanu had all quietly adjusted their stance on her. The tiny girl they had barely noticed at the start of the day had become a threat they could no longer ignore.
She had earned her place here.
