"First round, begin!"
After the host stepped down, the competition officially began.
The contestants immediately sprang into action. Some who disliked each other began fighting outright, while others simply attacked whoever was nearest. Two or three, however, immediately used defensive items and curled up in separate corners of the arena.
A free-for-all was different from a duel. Unless someone was strong enough to crush everyone else, there was still the possibility of being gang-pressed to death.
In a fifteen-person melee like this, striking first instead put one at a disadvantage. Others could observe and counter their abilities and item effects.
It was clear that the three contestants huddled in their respective corners had put some thought into it. They wanted to wait until everyone else was done fighting, then swoop in for the leftovers.
"Kill them!"
"Someone's sneak attacking! Dodge!"
"With skills like that, you dare enter the competition? You're seriously overestimating yourself!"
A savage melee raged in the arena, while the spectator stands remained deafeningly noisy.
Many spectators stared wide-eyed at the contestants being killed, their faces flushed red—not from fear, but excitement.
They had spent their hard-earned Ascension Coins on tickets precisely to witness this kind of brutal slaughter, this blood-boiling spectacle.
So, many people immediately started cursing at the contestants who dodged and hid, refusing to fight head-on and only thinking about surviving until the end.
"Kill those slippery bastards hiding and refusing to fight first! Those sneaky rats are the worst!"
"That's right! I didn't buy a ticket to watch you cower!"
"Kill them first!"
The arena was not soundproof. The contestants could hear the spectators' clamor and roars clearly, which also tested their concentration.
Hearing the crowd's shouts, the contestants who had started fighting right away also noticed the people hiding in the corners. Realizing