Novels by adarighofuamena49

The atmosphere changed the moment the announcer repeated the new rule. Everyone already knew the next stage was simple—three teams left, another team just had to fall. But the rule about losing more than two members first made the teams stare at each other differently.No one rushed forward immediately. They all stood in that slow circle, shifting, waiting for someone to make the first move.Jasper glanced at his teammates. “Same plan?” he asked.“Yeah, just don’t get targeted first again,” Neal said.Jasper rolled his eyes lightly. “I didn’t get targeted first. They just made a dumb choice.”“Sure,” Neal muttered.Darren cracked his neck. “We should move. They’re watching us too much.”The third team to their right whispered among themselves. Their captain raised a brow at Jasper’s side. “You guys starting, or should we?”Jasper shrugged. “Do whatever you want.”The man scoffed. “You’ll regret that.”As soon as he shifted his weight forward, the opposite team reacted. Their leader sn

The fight continued without slowing down. Everyone that remained in the ring already understood that there was no point holding back. The coordinators stood outside the ring, watching everything with straight faces as if none of it mattered. The teams were already scattered across the ring, each group trying to stick together but still getting torn apart by other fighters. The noise of fists hitting flesh, bodies falling on the wooden platform, and people yelling in pain filled the entire place.Jasper stood in the same spot he had taken since the round started. He didn’t rush anywhere. Bai Zhe and the two men that came with him stayed close, while the young woman who had joined their team earlier remained behind Jasper, trying her best not to get dragged into anything too dangerous. The moment someone tried to come close to her, Jasper’s men stepped forward.“Stay behind,” one of Jasper’s men told her.She nodded quickly and moved even closer to Jasper’s back.Across the ring, two gr

Jasper didn’t move at first. He stood near Bai Zhe and the two men who came with them, watching the other teams spread out. Everyone was sizing one another up. No one wanted to make the first mistake. The ring was large enough to move around, but small enough that backing away forever wasn’t an option.Bai Zhe adjusted his stance. “They’ll come for us first,” he said quietly.Jasper gave a small nod. “I know.”The two men behind them stayed close, eyes darting between the other groups. One team in particular had already started whispering among themselves, glancing over with looks that weren’t subtle. They had five members—strong-looking ones—and none of them bothered hiding who they wanted to target.Bai Zhe exhaled under his breath. “Here we go.”The whistle blew.Everything went messy fast.The team of five charged straight at Jasper’s group with no hesitation. One of Jasper’s men pushed Bai Zhe back. “Stay behind me,” he said, before stepping forward to engage the first attacker.

When the round finally ended, the ring looked a lot more empty than before. Only about twenty people were left standing out of the hundred that had entered earlier. Most of the others had either conceded or been thrown out. Some limped off. Some were carried away. The coordinators didn’t seem bothered by any of it.One of them stepped forward and shouted, “Next match! Form teams. At least five teams! The first two teams eliminated will lose!”As soon as he said that, Bai Zhe hurried back to Jasper and the two men. He held his waist like it hurt. “I thought they were done,” he said.Jasper looked at him calmly. “They said next match. Not done.”“Still,” Bai Zhe muttered. “I need water.”Jasper didn’t respond.The two men Jasper brought also returned. One of them rubbed his shoulder and the other had dirt on his face. They didn’t say anything. They just waited for Jasper’s instructions.“So teams?” Bai Zhe asked. “We need five teams.”Jasper nodded once. “Yes.”Other fighters around the

The fighting inside the ring grew even louder. After the coordinators told them to keep going, more fighters started turning their attention toward Bai Zhe and the two men Jasper brought. Maybe it was because they seemed newer than the others. Maybe it was because they looked smaller than the stronger fighters scattered around the ring. Or maybe it was just because targets had to be chosen, and those three looked like easier options.Whatever the reason, it didn’t take long before trouble started.One tall man with messy hair pointed at Bai Zhe and shouted, “Get that one first!”Bai Zhe turned quickly. “Why me?”Jasper gave him a short look. “Just defend properly.”Before Bai Zhe could answer, three men rushed at him. One came from the left, another from the right, and the last from the front. Bai Zhe backed up and nearly bumped into Jasper.“I can’t fight three at once!” Bai Zhe said.“Yes, you can,” Jasper replied.Bai Zhe didn’t think so, but he didn’t have time to argue. The man i

A week passed quickly, and before anyone realized it, the day of the martial art tournament arrived. Jasper woke up early and ate with Bai Zhe and the others. No one looked too excited, but everyone knew today wasn’t a small matter. Bai Zhe stretched his arms after breakfast and said he felt ready. Jasper only nodded and told him to relax.When it was almost time, Jasper, Bai Zhe, and two of Jasper’s men got into the car and headed out. They drove straight to Old Man Sinclair’s place. When they arrived, the old man was already waiting outside. He smiled a little when he saw them.“You’re on time,” he said.Jasper nodded. “Let’s go.”The old man stepped into his own car, and they all drove out together. They left Okaridge and kept going until the buildings around them thinned out. After almost an hour, they stopped near a large abandoned industrial area. The place looked quiet, but when they walked inside, it was completely different.The inside was like a hidden arena. There were peop