The rules briefing was worse than the registration hall.
Too many people pretending not to care.
The examiner stood on the platform, voice amplified, listing conditions like they were reading weather reports.
"No lethal force. Matches end on surrender, incapacitation, or judge decision."
I leaned against the wall, hands in my pockets.
Easy.
"Team matches will be randomized for preliminaries. Solo participants may be paired."
That got a reaction.
Murmurs spread. Some annoyed. Some excited.
I stayed still.
"Combat ability suppression devices may be activated at the judge's discretion."
Rei shifted beside me. "They're scared of anomalies," she whispered.
"Good," I said.
Across the room, Team Arata listened attentively. Takumi nodded once at certain points, already calculating outcomes.
He wasn't worried about the rules.
He was worried about variables.
The screen behind the examiner flashed.
Preliminary Pairings – Group A
Names scrolled.
Gasps followed.
When mine appeared, it didn't come with a rank.
Just a name.
Paired with someone unfamiliar.
A boy with messy hair and nervous posture stood a few rows ahead. He turned slowly, eyes searching.
They landed on me.
He swallowed.
Great.
Rei sighed. "Looks like luck picked for you."
"I don't believe in luck," I said. "Just inconvenience."
The boy approached hesitantly once the briefing ended. "Uh… you're my partner, right?"
I nodded.
"I'm Sora," he said quickly. "Support-type. Not very strong, but—I don't slow people down."
I didn't answer right away.
He mistook the silence for judgment and rushed on. "I can keep distance, analyze patterns, relay—"
"Just don't get in the way," I said.
He blinked.
Then smiled. Relieved. "Got it."
That was enough.
From the balcony above, Takumi watched the pairings finalize.
Interesting.
I walked out of the hall with Sora trailing beside me, talking too much to cover his nerves.
I ignored most of it.
The preliminaries weren't about winning.
They were about observation.
And too many eyes were already on me.