The moment the Sleep Emperor finished speaking,
shadows possessing qualification slots shot out one after another.
With the rules of the competition already clearly established, it was obvious that every extra step one put between oneself and the others brought one closer to success. Although getting off to a good start did not necessarily guarantee a good outcome, judging from the curve of costs paid throughout one's growth, working hard at the starting stage was far more reliable than erupting in the later stages.
After all, once the sprint began, everyone would enter a deadlocked struggle of biting at each other's heels.
Once the fifth-ranked contestant determined that they could not surpass the fourth-ranked contestant through speed alone, they would not hesitate to attack. For the fourth-ranked contestant, they either had to slow down to avoid injury or accelerate despite the risk of being injured. If both sides brought out their true strength and still could not widen the gap, the fourth-ranked contestant would have only one choice left: slow down and defend against the attacks. Yet after being overtaken by the fifth-ranked contestant while defending, the fourth-ranked contestant would naturally be unwilling to accept it and would retaliate in the same manner. The situation would then completely enter a vicious cycle.
Then, it would further provoke the others.
When the sixth-ranked contestant saw the fifth and fourth-ranked contestants fighting fiercely, anyone with a functioning brain would not join them. Instead, they would overtake them on the bend. After all, regardless of who was fourth or fifth, neither of them could possibly maintain full speed while fighting, indirectly giving the sixth-ranked contestant an opportunity to squeeze into fourth place.
When the fifth and fourth-ranked contestants saw someone trying to slip past them, they would definitely strike in tacit coordination, dragging