Everyone who had survived gathered around a blazing fire. Every person here had rightfully earned their spot, even if for so, it was by the skin of their teeth. I stared at the smoke of the fire, and the heat scorched my skin as I fought my boredom. Next to , an overexcited child was wiggling her feet near the flas. ’Kids shouldn’t play with fire.’
The others were sitting quietly, awaiting a ssage from the system that had completely ghosted us. Among the silence, you heard the occasional cry for those who fear this place, and the laughter of the sociopaths who think they will survive no matter what. It was like the sides of a coin.
As I was about to give in and let myself falter into the world of dreams, the system appeared.
[Welco! To the elimination round. If you are picked, you’re going to need more than luck! So with that, Jacob Moon and Anri Ashcroft, the winners of the first ga, please nominate the seven teams that will compete in the elimination ga.]
I sighed as I realized that a piece of my humanity would still haunt for eternity. The system calls by my human na.
"Who do you think we should nominate?" The child turned to with a nervous face, it was strange that soone who had decided to join The Core would be so nervous at such an easy task.
It’s just choosing seven random teams, nothing personal, just eliminating competition, not sure how anyone could feel guilty when it’s your goal to reduce the number of people. After all, these shows aren’t made to create friendships, but to entertain the viewers. They don’t care for those inside the gas, only those outside.
I turned away and stared at the spring of the great fire. I wondered what could fuel it, as there was neither any coal nor wood.’Why are you so nervous, it’s not like we’re the ones who are at risk of dying.’ I stood up, stretching, as I had gotten stiff from sitting on the chair all day waiting for The Core. ’Don’t tell it’s because of all of the eyes staring at you.’
anwhile, you couldn’t see them, their presence was clearly felt through the hair on your arms. Endless gazes, waiting, for the littlest error to make fun and demoralize you.
These gazes have multiplied since the system announced that the winners would make the decision of who lives and who doesn’t.
"It’s not that! I...I just don’t think we have the wight to do this! To those who will nevew see theiw families again." Her hand gripping her pants, as she tried to hold in the tears of rcy that were actively trying to escape her tired eyes.
’Anri, think of it this way. If we don’t eliminate anyone, do you think the sa will happen when soone else wins? Or do you even think our decision of rcy matters, the system can just nominate the teams itself?
The truth hurt, and I’m sure most accepted there’s no escaping, only a quarter of us will survive, and that’s it, no buts. We couldn’t let the chance of eliminating the competition go to waste, it was just too bright of a gem to be sold at a pawn shop.
She tried arguing, but looking at my eyes, she realized that there was nothing she could ever do to convince . And with that, it was ti for the judging to begin.
A screen appeared in front of my eyes, with every team alive and all their mbers. I scrolled through all of them, trying to find what team could cause the most problems later on.
But what would cause trouble? A tough question to answer as there wasn’t enough information to go by. The first ga was entirely focused on luck and calculations. But that doesn’t an that none will require physical interaction. Which would an I had to choose between risking it and nominating the teams who looked physically strong.
Or play it safe and choose those that I think are ntally strong. But even that is hard. I don’t have anything to help predict who’s a genius and who’s not. anwhile, I was able to feel the amount of coins in the chests last ga, but I wasn’t able to see by who they were deposited. As [King’s Authority] is only at level one.
But, you know what they say, a genius knows a genius best, so if I went with my gut I would at least nominate so, but was I going to risk this? Nominating the physical teams would be easier than ntal ones.
I felt Dusk’s gaze linger on , had he also chosen to admire my power? No, he was probably just trying to intimidate , maybe a strategy to make not pick him? Who knows maybe it worked.
I rested my head in my hand, letting the possibilities swirl in my mind. But as the tension in the room was at its highest, with no one saying a word, just staring at , it looked like I had to make a decision. I sighed, as I raised my head from my soft palm.
My decision, both. I was going to nominate three physical and three ntal teams. It was the safest answer, picking for both parties ant I would at least eliminate so of each, aning whatever the next ga is, indifferent of what it’s about, there will be less competition.
As I chose, I could fell fear coming from the teams that were picked. I tried not to pay attention, but what was really making it hard for was Anris’s face, which unlike wasn’t as cold-hearted, and whose skin had turned green from the guilt.
And now, I had the last team, lucky number seven. I knew from way before who I would choose for this position, I was just waiting for them to let their guard down for even the minuscule second.
’For my last team, I nominate... team 66, Dusk Sovereign and Eclipse Sovereign.’ Behind that mask of your Dusk, I now see a great typhoon of frustration, hatred, and overall madness, all bottled up for one person, was that ? Didnt think I angered you that much last night. I laughed, as I heard the crowd murmur between themselves. So didn’t believe they had gotten away, while so seed disappointed.
But why? Did they think participating in more gas would raise their chance of becoming the rulers of the scenario after it ends, and that they would gain that sword? That’s just stupid, the system definitely wouldn’t do sothing so ridiculous. But who knows, it has surprised lately, so maybe I’m wrong.
As the nominees were told to exit the room, the tension evaporated, and the crowd went into chaos. Now, there was nothing to fear. Nothing to make you break a sweat. I saw how even those who while I was choosing, were clenching their teeth, their posture straight like an arrow, and their face drowned in sweat, laughing like they had won the lottery. Well, they have won sothing greater than any lottery, their lives.
I was now powerless. It felt quite good, being the one who controls the ga, even if I didn’t have as much control as I think I had. I just nominated, not chose the ga, nor have I eliminated a team, and neither do I decide who survives the ga and who doesn’t. It felt more like I was used by the system than being the one in full control of what happened.
I turned to Anri, my eyes pausing on her shaking hands. Maybe I should have told her to move away or close her eyes. I need to think about others sotis, even if I don’t like it. I need my teammates in the best conditions, and she clearly didn’t fit in that ideal.
I tried speaking to her, but she shut down. I had broken beyond the line and had upset her. Though I understand her, anwhile not for the sa reason, I also would have hated if I was in her place. But like I said different reasons, I don’t care about who dies and who doesn’t this round.
As I wasn’t unlucky, I looked at the screen that had appeared in the far right of my eye. Its black color confused , and so I tried touching it to see if sothing would happen. But that was all for nothing, as it turned out, this screen was where we would watch the elimination round.
A tall tower stood in the middle of all the contestants, its aura was terrifying. If I was in the place, I don’t think I would have been able to win, since this is most likely a physical ga, the type of ga I lack in.
[Welco to the elimination round. The changing tower! As the na suggests, you will have to climb to the top of it anwhile its structure changes every five seconds! The first team that has both of its mbers of top wins and the others are eliminated. Oh and, you can push people off. Good Luck!]
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