6 minutes earlier

From Zelis’s point of view, Edan and Lumi were moving quickly into the forest, disappearing into the dense shadows of the trees.

“Get ready. Wayke should show up any moment now,” Zelis said.

The silence that followed was heavy.

The forest seemed still—until something changed.

Between the trunks and the faint mist, a silhouette began to take shape. Someone was there. And that person… was holding something.

When he finally emerged from the vegetation, what he carried made the air turn cold: Wayke’s head.

The team immediately recognized him—Yakura, the psychopath they had spoken about earlier. He approached Edan’s team with a twisted smile, clearly pleased with the situation.

“I already knew it was a trap… but I walked right into it anyway! That way I can wipe you all out at once!” Yakura said as he threw Wayke’s head toward the trap Zelis had set, activating it.

The trap triggered a massive cloud of dust that swallowed the area. Neither side could see the other.

Zelis seized the moment. She coated her left hand with massive rock claws and shaped her right into a large stone spike. Without hesitation, she charged straight into the cloud.

Yakura had the same idea.

He rushed in as well.

Inside the dust, the two forces collided.

Blade against spike.

Just as Zelis prepared to strike with her claws, Yakura smiled.

“What you’re about to see… might surprise you…”

He dodged her attack and grabbed her face with one hand.

In a shocking instant, his face began to shift—warping into Wayke’s.

Before Zelis could process what she was seeing, he blew air directly into her mouth.

Her body froze.

“Shit… I can’t move! I can’t warn anyone… we’ve been tricked!”

Now in Wayke’s form, the psychopath stepped back slightly, observing her coldly.

“Don’t worry… your friends are next.”

The dust began to settle, replaced by a thick fog—Wayke’s ability in action.

He moved without hesitation.

One by one, he approached the remaining team members and blew into their mouths, just as he had done to Zelis. Within seconds, they were all immobilized, trapped inside their own bodies.

Only one member escaped.

A woman, hidden, watched everything in horror—but she couldn’t stay unnoticed for long.

He slowly turned toward her.

And charged.

As he ran, his body shifted again—this time taking on Zelis’s form, complete with her rock weapons.

The woman didn’t hesitate. She turned and ran toward the forest and, in what seemed like a desperate attempt, shouted:

“EDAN, BE CAREFUL! HE’S HEADING YOUR WAY!”

But she didn’t get far.

In an instant, he appeared in front of her.

The spike pierced through her face and out the other side of her skull without mercy.

Without emotion, he tossed her body toward the others, who remained frozen and unable to react.

“Looks like she used sound-based abilities… I’m pretty sure she managed to warn Edan.”

He paused, tilting his head slightly.

“And the fact she didn’t use a communicator confirms it… oh well, doesn’t matter.”

He turned back to the group.

“I’ve got work to do.”

—

In the commentator area, chaos erupted.

“OH MY GOOOOOD! THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE PLAN! THE PLAYER WHO JUST JOINED THIS TEAM FOR THIS MATCH IS TURNING EVERYTHING UPSIDE DOWN! MIRTR, TELL US WHAT’S GOING ON!” Keaton shouted, looking back and forth between Mirtr and the arena.

“It seems this last-minute addition has a very peculiar ability—he can transform into anyone he touches and use their abilities. On top of that, Wayke’s ability allows him to solidify the oxygen inside his opponents’ bodies, completely restricting their movement,” Mirtr explained.

“THEN WHY DIDN’T HE USE THAT FROM THE START?!” Keaton asked.

“Most likely… the plan was to lure the enemy into a controlled area. But something went wrong.”

—

Edan was catching his breath when he received the message.

His expression changed instantly.

“Shit… I HAVE TO GET TO LUMI!”

—

Back on the field, the psychopath slowly approached the paralyzed group.

“Well… we’ve got some interesting abilities here…”

His gaze locked onto one person.

“Especially you…”

He stopped in front of her.

“Izumi.”

He walked slowly toward her.

“Your ability goes unnoticed because of the others…”

He lifted her chin with his hand.

“But the real treasure of this team… is you.”

His smile widened.

“And that’s exactly why… you have to be the first to die.”

Before he could act, a distant explosion caught his attention.

He turned.

“Someone’s having fun over there…”

In that instant, something changed—and his brief distraction did not go unpunished.

As if an invisible signal had been given, the group began to move.

In perfect coordination, they all attacked at once.

Strikes from every direction.

Blades, energy, impact.

He was hit multiple times.

He spat blood—but smiled.

“I really liked your effort…”

His body began to dissolve.

“But it ends here.”

He turned into mist.

And reappeared—striking everyone at once using Zelis’s abilities.

Bodies were pierced.

Only the sound of choking filled the air as the victims drowned in their own blood.

Finally, he appeared behind Zelis herself—using her own body—and pierced through her.

“I bet you never imagined… dying by your own ability.”

But Zelis didn’t give up.

With one last effort, she threw her head back, striking him and pushing him away.

In front of her, Izumi was still breathing—barely, but enough to try to change something.

Through the hole in Zelis’s chest, her determined gaze could be seen.

“Damn… I can only heal one… If I heal myself… I won’t be able to stop him… But Zelis… she can.”

Even while collapsed, she gathered her strength.

“Give it everything, Zelis!”

Zelis replied firmly:

“Leave it to me!”

Inside her mind, a certainty formed.

“I just have to hold him here…”

“Something tells me… he’s not the real king.”

The man charged again.

“Shall we continue our dance?”

—

The scene shifts.

Lumi slowly got back up, still recovering from the explosion.

“That was close…”

“I need to finish those three… quickly.”

She looked to the side—and realized.

Zelis was fighting alone.

Most of the team… was already gone.

“Hold on a little longer, Zelis…”

“We’ll be there soon.”

She entered the forest.

And suddenly—

Three objects flew past her.

More specifically, three heads.

Too fast.

Blood spraying through the air.

Lumi froze for a moment, her face splattered.

“Was that Edan…?”

“No… he would’ve said something…”

She moved forward.

Step by step.

A silhouette appeared ahead.

Getting closer.

As she approached, the face—and the eyes—became clearer.

Yakura.

Sitting on top of his own teammates’ bodies.

“Finally… you’ve arrived, my Lumi.”

Her body went cold.

“This idiot… wasn’t he supposed to be fighting Zelis?!” she thought.

“Have you completely lost it?”

“Can’t you tell allies from enemies anymore?”

Yakura rested his katana on his shoulder, completely at ease.

“I don’t need allies who can’t do their job.”

His smile turned even darker.

“Anyone who’s useless to me… is my enemy.”