Why walk down?

[Ren Hilton's POV]

"...eh?"Confusion tugged at the edges of my mind, muddling my thoughts as if I'd been thrown into a puzzling game without the rules. The method of using chits to determine the final contenders felt like an unexpected turn in this high-stakes competition. A wave of bewilderment crashed over me—why resort to such arbitrary selection methods in a contest of this magnitude?

Glancing sideways at Helga, I found her visage mirroring my own perplexity, a shared confusion etched upon her features. The abrupt change in the lineup, positioning us as the last match, cast an eerie silence over the arena. Despite the professor's beckoning call, no one seemed eager to step forward, leaving an unsettling hush hanging in the air.

My gaze fixed on Stormborne, seeking answers in the depths of his eyes. But instead of warmth or explanation, his response was devoid of emotion, a detached inquiry slicing through the air like a chilling wind.