"Excited?" Emma asked, though she didn't really need an answer. The way William's eyes gleamed and the faint grin tugged at his lips said it all.

The teachers were being escorted out before the spokesperson even announced what the first round would be about.

Naturally, that left the students uneasy—except for those from Gladiator's Den, whose teachers looked strangely calm, as if they had expected something like this.

The vice-headmaster of Ardentia, however, was far from composed. He protested, demanded explanations, and refused to leave until the staff practically forced him out. Russel, on the other hand, clenched her fists and simply gave her students a firm nod before walking away.

William rubbed his palms together, unable to hide his excitement. "Of course I am. I didn't think they'd make things this interesting."

He had assumed it would be another routine team battle—a coordinated effort filled with strategies and formations. That kind of thing never appealed to him.

But this? The unknown? The unpredictability? It thrilled him.

Emma smiled faintly. "I'm glad you're not regretting coming here."

William chuckled, turning to her. "Now, now, don't get too friendly. There's a chance we'll end up fighting each other in a few minutes."

Emma shook her head, half amused, half exasperated. Watching him light up like an eager child was both ridiculous and endearing.

When the last of the teachers were gone, the grey-haired man on stage straightened and began once more, his tone clear and composed.

"Now," he said, "let me explain the details of the contest."

He didn't pull out any paper or notes. Instead, he looked directly at the students and continued, "Your task is simple—leave this hall as quickly as you can. The time limit is half an hour."

He gestured toward a massive, human-sized hourglass placed on the left side of the stage. The fine sand inside had already started to fall.

"Once the upper chamber is empty," he added, "your time will be over, and anyone still inside will lose their chance to earn points."

At first, that didn't sound too hard. But no one was foolish enough to believe it would really be that easy. The tension in the hall thickened as everyone waited for the catch.

And soon enough, it came.

"But," the man continued, "there's a problem. Only one of the five entrances in this ceremonial hall will function. To open that door, two people must apply force on the handles at the same time. Meaning—unless you have a partner, you cannot escape."

A collective murmur rippled through the crowd.

That was… unexpected.

The students began glancing around, scanning the massive space.

The ceremonial hall was enormous—large enough to hold a thousand people. Each of the five exits stood at least fifty meters apart, positioned along the walls like distant gates.

And now, every one of those gates suddenly felt like both a promise… and a trap.

The man's voice carried easily through the hall as he went on,

"Now, naturally, it wouldn't take half an hour for you to check each door and leave one after another… That's why we've added another element—to make things a little… exciting."

That pause, paired with the faint curl of his lips and those cold, sharp eyes, sent a shiver down Natalie's spine. Several students instinctively straightened, their bodies tense.

Kevin's usual calm expression hardened. His hand twitched slightly, ready to react to whatever came next.

A few long seconds passed—each one dragging slower than the last—before the man finally spoke again.

"In every group," he said slowly, "there is an imposter."

The air turned heavy.

"An imposter whose only task is to delay you from reaching the exit—and stop you from leaving. They may do so by deceiving you… or by knocking you out."

A stunned silence filled the hall.

The students exchanged uneasy looks. That revelation struck deeper than anyone expected.

An imposter? Among them?

No one had mentioned anything about this—not their teachers, not the council, not even rumors. If this was true, then… who could they trust?

Had these imposters already been briefed beforehand?

Were they already blending in, waiting for the right moment to strike?

A ripple of distrust began to spread across the room like a slow, poisonous mist.

Friends started eyeing each other with hesitation.

Teammates took a cautious step back.

Even lovers suddenly found distance between them, as doubt crept in like an unwanted shadow.

But not everyone was uneasy.

Emma and William, standing close together, exchanged teasing glances instead of suspicious ones.

"Beware, you," Emma said with a small smirk, her silver hair glinting under the lights.

William laughed softly, his eyes narrowing playfully. "I suddenly have an urge to see you deceiving people… if only you're the imposter and not me."

While others were tense, whispering, and already planning how to survive this new twist, the two of them looked almost amused—eager, even—to see how it would unfold.

But whether it was fate's irony or the game's hidden design… neither of them truly knew the truth.

Because while they were certain they weren't imposters—

…were they really sure?

The man on the stage clasped his hands behind his back, his calm voice echoing through the hall once more.

"To add more depth to this game," he said, "we will turn off the lights and distort the sound waves. Long-distance communication will be impossible. Furthermore, if anyone attempts to use a spell or artifact to illuminate their surroundings, a staff member will immediately knock them out before they reach the door."

A wave of disbelief rippled through the hall.

"Huh?"

"What the— isn't this going too far?"

"This is so unfair!"

The protests grew louder. Panic, frustration, and disbelief mingled in the air. For the non-imposters, this wasn't just difficult—it was a nightmare.

Escaping a massive, unfamiliar hall in total darkness, without being able to see or even call for help, sounded like torture.

The grand ceremonial space, once filled with soft lights and polite chatter, now felt like a vast labyrinth waiting to swallow them whole.

And to make matters worse, no one could be trusted.

Each student here had been chosen for a reason—because they were ambitious, talented, and hungry for victory.

That hunger was now the most dangerous weapon of all.

Friends exchanged wary glances.

Lovers stepped back.

Every alliance built before this moment began to crack under the weight of suspicion.

The man surveyed the crowd, expression unreadable. Then, in a steady, commanding tone, he said,

"This may seem like a harsh challenge—but remember, no one ever said this would be easy."

He paused, letting the silence settle again before adding,

"You have already proven your worth by standing here today. Now, introduce yourselves to the Great Hall—show them your resolve by overcoming this minor obstacle."

His voice grew deeper, carrying an almost ceremonial weight.

"Show them that you are prepared for what lies ahead."

Then, with a faint smile, he declared,

"That you are ready… to hold the Goblet of Honor."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading..

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