Ya-Mi leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing. "Was it easy for you to go into that frenzy afterward and start killing your previous teammates?"
A long, almost eerie silence followed. Alexander's expression hardened, and he stared at the image on the screen as if it were still playing out in front of him. "Yes," he answered finally, his tone unwavering. "In that moment, I knew exactly what had to be done, and those I killed knew what they signed up for. The three that survived were lucky. I believe a few even forfeited when they saw me coming." He shrugged slightly, his eyes still on the paused fight. "Those who didn't... like I said, they knew what they signed up for."
Ya-Mi watched him, the intensity between the two of them crackling like a live wire. She adjusted herself, as if attempting to ease the palpable tension, and addressed the camera with a smile that held a hint of strain. "That's true. So, going into the second stage, I do have some news I'd like to share with everyone watching the broadcast." She picked up the remote again and turned towards the screen, her finger hovering over the button. "The second stage format will be released in about a day. Just so you both know—and everyone else watching—at the end of the first stage, there were only twenty-two contestants remaining. But now," she added with a hint of excitement, "we have two more coming back!"
Ty's brow furrowed, his head tilting in confusion. "That's it? Out of one hundred people, only twenty-two—or twenty-four—are left?"
Ya-Mi nodded, her smile growing a touch weary. "Things moved faster than we expected, honestly. We spread both teams out, hoping for things to slow down just a bit, but you battle-hungry monsters were just clawing to fight. We had about twenty people forfeit in total, with eight of them leaving after the first round concluded, not wanting to fight Alexander."
Ty narrowed his eyes, turning slightly to look at Alexander. "Then why even stay in?" he asked, his tone blunt.
Ya-Mi continued, her eyes flicking between the two men. "Because they likely wanted to take him on in a group, but regardless..." She snapped her fingers, and the screen next to them blinked to life once again, displaying one hundred faces, twenty-two still lit in green. Two more faces that had been previously grayed out flickered, turning green once again. Kern and Gisorn's faces stood out, illuminated among the rest.
Ty's eyes widened slightly as he recognized the faces. "Kern and Gisorn... they're back?" He leaned forward, his brows furrowing in confusion. "But I thought that they had been badly wounded after the fight with the puppet."
Ya-Mi nodded, clicking a button on her remote. The screen lit up with footage of Ty standing over Kern and Gisorn, Rosana and John by his side. Ty's expression was tight as he worked to seal their wounds, blood pooling beneath them. A drone hovered above, recording every moment. Ty's voice echoed through the room, tense and decisive: "They have been mortally wounded and told me they would like to forfeit."
The video transitioned to a medical room, the dim lighting casting a sterile, almost eerie atmosphere. Kern and Gisorn lay unconscious on hospital beds, connected to various machines and IV drips. Their faces were pale, drained of color, but life still clung to them. The next scene showed them waking up simultaneously, confusion marring their expressions as they blinked at the bright lights overhead. They both stirred, their limbs heavy and sluggish. Kern flexed his muscles, his eyes darting around the room before they widened in disbelief.
"Wh-what the hell is going on?" Kern demanded, his voice rough and filled with frustration. He pushed himself upright, his hands trembling as he struggled against the wires and tubes connected to him. "Where the hell are the others?"
Gisorn rubbed his shoulder, wincing at the dull ache. "This isn't right," he muttered. "We were in the middle of a fight. Why are we here?"
A doctor approached, his demeanor calm, though the tension in his shoulders was visible. "Sir Kern, it's good to see you awake. You've been out for a few hours. You both forfeited the match due to your injuries."
"Wh-WHAT?!" Kern's roar echoed through the room, his face contorted in fury. "I never did any such bullshit thing! I could've managed those damn wounds!" He ripped the IV from his arm, blood trickling from the puncture. "Who gave you the right?!"
Gisorn, still seated on his bed, flexed his hand experimentally, the pain evident in his face. "Yeah, I could've survived these wounds with the medical supplies I had." He shot a glare at the doctor, his eyes narrowed. "We didn't agree to forfeit."
The doctor hesitated, taken aback by their intensity. "I'm... I'm sorry, but you were officially admitted under the terms of forfeit."
"How can I forfeit if I'm knocked out?" Kern's voice cracked, his anger a desperate edge. He slammed his fist against the bed rail, the metal bending under the force. "This is bullshit!"
"Kern, please stop yelling," Gisorn interjected, his tone quieter, though no less tense. "These walls are bouncing your loud voice right back at us." He grimaced, rubbing his temples as he tried to gather his thoughts.
Just then, the door opened, and Lord Herald entered. He wore the same formal attire they'd seen him in before, though now it bore a few bandages around his shoulder, evidence of his own close calls. His gaze swept over the scene, his expression hardening as he took in Kern's agitation. "What's all the commotion about?"
Kern immediately launched into a tirade, his words tripping over themselves in his rage as he explained the situation. Lord Herald listened, his face impassive, though a flicker of something like sympathy crossed his features when Kern finished.
"Ty, the demon, spoke in your place," Lord Herald said, his voice measured. "He mentioned that you both wanted to forfeit but had passed out."
"He did what?!" Kern spat, his fists clenching. "That sniveling coward just wanted us out! I would've never taken the coward's way out!"
Lord Herald held up a hand, his voice calm but firm. "I understand your frustration, Kern. But for now, I need you both to stay here and recover while I sort this out." His eyes softened slightly, a rare glimpse of the man beneath the title. "I'll see what I can do."
Ya-Mi fast-forwarded the footage, the screen blurring before settling on a new scene. "Let's skip ahead," she said, her voice echoing in the silent room.
The screen showed Lord Herald re-entering the medical room, Kern and Gisorn watching a broadcast of the ongoing fights. Ty appeared on the screen, his blade slicing through an opponent with brutal precision. Lord Herald cleared his throat, drawing their attention.
"I've spoken with the tournament announcers," he said, his tone carefully controlled. "They've decided to condemn the demon's actions. You both are reinstated, once you're medically cleared and if your designated team wins, of course."
Kern grinned, a fierce light in his eyes. "Good. I'll have to pay that asshole back in the second stage for counting me out early."
Lord Herald's eyes narrowed, his voice sharp. "Like I said, that's if—" He was interrupted by a sudden buzz on his comm, a warning flashing across the screen as he glanced down. "The first stage has ended," he murmured, his eyes widening in surprise.
Ya-Mi paused the footage, her gaze shifting to Ty, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "That's how it went, folks." She turned to Ty, her expression unreadable. "So, Demon, why did you lie about them forfeiting? Was Kern right? Did you just want them out?"
Ty took a deep breath, his eyes locked on the paused image of Kern's enraged face on the screen. "Kern's not entirely wrong," he admitted, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of his decision. "Gisorn saved my life. Had he not shot that bullet at me, things could've ended very differently. But I wasn't familiar with this world's medical advancements. I thought if they didn't get the top grade of care, they would've died from their injuries."
Feeling nervous but assured of himself, Ty nodded. "I made the decision for them because I didn't want them to die. It wasn't about wanting them out—it was about making sure they lived."
Ya-Mi stared at him for a beat, her eyes narrowing slightly before she let out a small sigh. "I see," she said. "Well, regardless, I believe that will be all the questions I have for you both. You are to head to some medical screenings and then you are... oh, wait." She held up a hand as Alexander began to rise from his chair. "Alexander, you're free to leave. Ty, please actually sit back down. There are a few off-air questions that need to be answered."