After a while, it was my turn. This wasn't exactly a surprise, but my opponent this round turned out to be Zeruel. I had thought there might be a slim chance I wouldn't have to face her, but honestly, the odds of that were almost nonexistent. So, yeah, this wasn't surprising at all.
The referee started reciting the rules again, his tone as dull as ever. He even yawned halfway through, his disinterest on full display. The spectators weren't any better. They yawned, muttered, and shifted in their seats, their faces showing just how little they cared. They knew us too well. Our fights had a reputation already—quick, brutal, and over before anyone had time to get invested. The crowd hated it, booing us every time for not putting on a good show. Honestly, it made me wonder why the hell they even bothered to show up. Entertainment was all they craved, but couldn't they find something else to amuse themselves with? Whatever.
