Beatdown [Part 2]

The arena hummed with anticipation as the next round of Rank War matches kicked off. Spectators buzzed with excitement, but within the K0 ranks, a quiet tension had settled.

"Something's off," muttered one of the K0 members, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the list of participants. "Crash and Dek were supposed to be the ones to beat. Where are they?"

The supervisor, a stoic figure with a commanding presence, kept his eyes on the matches below, ignoring the growing unrest among his subordinates. His silence only deepened their unease.

"Supervisor," another K0 member spoke up, frustration creeping into his tone, "this isn't right. We prepared for months, knowing they were our biggest challenges. Now, they're just... gone? We deserve to know what's happening."

The supervisor finally turned, his gaze icy. "Crash and Dek's absence are being investigated. Focus on the cadets who are here. Your job is to judge, not to speculate."

The K0 members exchanged uneasy glances but nodded, returning their attention to the arena. The PA system crackled to life, announcing the next match: Aiden and David.

Meanwhile, Emily and Liam stood side by side, catching their breath after their hard-fought victories in the first round.

Emily glanced at Liam, her usual calm demeanour slightly shaken. "You felt it, too, right? Crash and Dek are not showing up. Something's off."

Liam nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Yeah, it's not like them to miss a challenge. They were supposed to dominate this competition."

Emily's gaze swept over the arena, her mind racing. "Do you think it's a setup? Maybe someone took them out before they could compete."

Liam frowned. "Possible. But who would be bold enough to target them? And why?"

Before they could speculate further, the PA system blared again, highlighting Mia's impressive performance. She moved with precision, each step calculated and every strike deliberate. The crowd watched in awe as she dismantled her opponent's wind-based abilities, leaving no room for counterattacks.

"Mia's something," Liam remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Emily nodded. "She's always been a force to be reckoned with, but today, she's on another level."

The camera feed shifted to Aiden and David's match as Mia secured her victory. Both were locked in an intense battle, their skills pushing each other to the limit. Aiden's rock-based attacks were relentless, while David countered with swift wind-enhanced strikes.

"Aiden's not holding back," Emily observed. "But David's giving him a run for his money."

"Look at their coordination," Liam added. "It's almost like they've trained together for years."

The K0 members couldn't shake their growing unease as the matches progressed. Between rounds, they gathered near the supervisor's booth, their frustration bubbling to the surface.

"Supervisor, we need answers," one of them insisted. "If Crash and Dek are missing, we should be informed. How can we properly assess the cadets if we don't know what's happening?"

The supervisor's eyes flicked to the K0 members, his expression unreadable. "You are here to judge the cadets, not to question the situation. The investigation is underway. Until then, stay focused."

Before the conversation could escalate, a loud, buzzing sound filled the air, drawing everyone's attention. A nearby TV flickered to life, the screen showing static before clearing to reveal a black-and-white image of an old, abandoned room. A slow, haunting melody began to play, echoing through the arena.

"Lonely is a man without love..." the lyrics drifted from the TV, eerie in the otherwise tense atmosphere.

"What the hell is this?" one of the K0 members muttered, eyeing the screen suspiciously.

The supervisor frowned, his gaze fixed on the TV. "Cut the feed," he ordered, but his command was ignored.

As the melody continued, the camera zoomed in on a figure seated in a dark corner of the room. Shadows obscured his face, but the unmistakable sound of soft laughter echoed through the speakers.

The camera shifted, revealing a series of monitors behind the figure, each one displaying the Rank Wars matches. The figure leaned forward, his features finally coming into view.

It was the ex-Rank 1, a man who had disappeared months ago after a mysterious incident that left him dethroned and presumed dead. His eyes gleamed with maniacal intensity as he watched the cadets battle, his laughter growing louder.

"K0 members," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice, "still playing judge and jury, I see. How quaint."

The supervisor's eyes narrowed. "What is this? A message?"

The ex-Rank 1 chuckled. "A message? No. Consider it a reminder. You think these cadets are your future, but they're just pieces on a board, waiting to be sacrificed."

The TV cut out suddenly, leaving the arena in stunned silence. The K0 members stood frozen, the implications of what they had just witnessed sinking in.

"Supervisor..." one of them began, but the supervisor silenced him with a raised hand.

"Focus on the matches," he commanded, though his tone was now laced with a tension he hadn't shown before. "We'll deal with this later."

The K0 members exchanged uneasy glances but complied, returning to the ongoing matches. But the eerie laughter of the ex-Rank 1 lingered in their minds, a chilling reminder that something far more sinister was at play.