"This is Phase 2 of the selection tests. The Battle Royale!"
The crowd erupted into cheers. The sound echoed through the stadium, bouncing off the walls and mixing with the electric hum of the teleportation runes.
The announcer's voice continued, clear and authoritative.
"Listen carefully to the rules."
The screens around the stadium lit up, displaying the rules in bold text.
"Rule one. If a participant's badge breaks, that person will be teleported back immediately. If all team members break their badges, the entire team loses."
A murmur spread through the crowd. Some nodded. Others exchanged nervous glances.
"Rule two. If a person is critically injured, they will be teleported back. In return, the team loses that member for the remainder of the battle royale. No replacements. No exceptions."
The announcer paused, letting the weight of the rule sink in.
