Since Tom's frame was somewhat slimmer than Oscar's, although Oscar initiated the action a split second earlier, Tom relied on his agility to take off at lightning speed, instantly overtaking Oscar.
"Click."
At that moment, a crisp yet spine-chilling sound echoed through the room. Immediately after, the sixty-second countdown timer began ticking with a tense "tick-tock" rhythm.
"You bastard!"
Upon hearing the sound, Oscar's eyes turned red, filled with fury and frustration. Just as he started moving, Tom had overtaken him in mere moments. To make matters worse, because the iron chains around their necks were linked, every step Tom took forward forced Oscar to take a step back involuntarily.
Grinding his teeth, Oscar summoned all his strength and surged forward with explosive force. Tom, who was ahead by one body's length, was suddenly jerked backward mid-dash, losing his balance entirely and collapsing heavily onto the ground with a loud "thud."
