"It's a Ranker battle."
A hushed voice—so quiet it was dramatic how every single ear caught it. The words carried through the hall, threading themselves into the silence of held breaths.
Then, cutting straight through that heavy tension, came another voice. Light. Frivolous. Almost playful.
"Oooh. What, you mean like a Battle Royale or something? Sounds fun—count me in!"
It was the sound of a girl. A chirpy, lilting tone that didn't belong in the suffocating weight of the moment. Instantly, every head snapped toward its source.
There she was, standing at the edge of the seats. Short, with long, messy waves of brown hair tumbling down her back. Her eyes—big, round, and dark emerald green—gleamed with intensity. An excited grin split her small cherry lips, taunting, mischievous, and brimming with anticipation.
And yes, I recognized her.
Terra Bought. Class B—and Rank 6.
Another Ranker, just like Ceres, Deandra, and the others on stage.
