"Miss, do you want me to grab these people and make them talk? I am sure I can get them to confess a thing or two."

Mary asked as she grabbed the curtain tightly. She looked amused by what was happening, but her bloodlust made Layla reconsider Mary's actions.

"Stop! There is no need for you to go that far…yet. If these people do not target me, I will ignore it…"

That was what Layla said, but she did feel guilty about it.

But as much guilt as she felt, she needed to concentrate on the bigger picture, which was winning.

Any kind of disruption could cause this competition to get canceled.

"Alright, if you say so."

Mary's smile said that Layla was trying to do something stupid. But the maid was not going to stop her from trying.

The spell Layla had cast around them prevented people from being able to hear what was being discussed in their section.

She continued to sit quietly in her section until a representative came to take her and the other kids out of the room.

Layla signaled for Mary to grab this opportunity to look around while she spent this time with the other kids.

Since she was in the public eye for the duration of this competition, things would remain relatively calm.

The stage prepared for this competition shined dazzling, making Layla feel faint.

She would rather not have this much spotlight on her, but she could understand that she did not have much choice.

Layla looked around quickly and seemed to be the only one in her section who did not seem nervous. Everyone else was shaking as they tried to comfort each other.

"Everyone, please welcome all our constants to our first elimination round. The rules of this round are simple: Stay focused. As such, our participants will be put in isolated spaces in groups of ten.

They must stay focused and ensure their ball does not touch the ground, no matter what happens. In the meantime, the contestants are free to do whatever they want.

They can even try and distract other participants to gain an edge.

Everyone gasped as soon as they heard these words. The other contestants looked at each other suspiciously, wondering who would betray them at any moment.

The announcer was a ruthless man who did not see anything wrong in pitching kids against each other.

Many kids immediately turned to look at Layla as well, wondering if she was a threat that needed to be eliminated. However, since Layla had kept to herself and not boasted about herself, others quickly lost interest in her.

"Now then, without further delay, let's start our competition. You will be transported to your first location on the count of three. Be prepared…and let us start…"

Layla braced herself as soon as the announcer started speaking. She could feel the excitement making her body vibrate.

"3…2…1…go"

As soon as the last word came out of the announcer's mouth, Layla felt her body being thrown out of the stadium. She felt as if she was flying through space and time.

Someone had paid an advance magician to set up, and from Layla's research, she knew it could not have been cheap.

She was thankful for this consideration when she landed on her feet in the middle of the forest. Although she could not see anyone around her, Layla knew others were with her in the same space.

"System"

Layla asked, and the translucent screen appeared not even a second later. It was marked with nine other spots, meaning Layla had several competitions in her area.

"I should secure a line for water and food first. The sooner I do that, the sooner I can control this area."

Layla had no idea how long she would be here, so she felt lucky to have some food with her. But this food was not going to last her long.

[Attention, all constants. Get ready to catch your quest item. You would be transported back to the stadium if it touched the ground. Only 50% of you will pass this test. Now, keep your eyes on this counter.]

The counter showed the number 300 on top.

Frankly, Layla was surprised to see only 100 participants in a competition with reputable fame.

But with the rumors she had heard, seeing this low attendance was unsurprising.

The ball of light fell in front of Layla, and she quickly reached out to grab those falling balls.

Right before she touched that ball, Layla felt the intense heat of the ball. She instantly used her magic to keep the ball floating in her hand.

Her hand was a good few inches away from her hand, but Layla still felt the intense heat radiating off the ball.

When Layla looked back at the counter on top, it had already fallen to 250.

Those people might have dropped their ball as soon as it fell. It was good news for Layla, and she immediately began to mark down the places where supplies would be gathered.

This competition phase could last a few days, depending on how much practice and magic these kids had.

Layla first reached the freshwater source and immediately set up the traps.

But she also underestimated how much magic she could use, and the ball wobbled. It spun out of control and landed out of Layla's hand.

Within seconds, she realized she couldn't reach the ball in time, so she decided to use her magic on a cloth and throw it around the ball.

Layla was half convinced it would not work, but it somehow did.

She gasped as the ball hit the floor, all warped in the magic cloth. But Layla still needs to be eliminated.

"Is that…a loophole? Was this left in deliberately? I doubt the one spending this much money on this competition would leave such an annoying loophole in this trail. I better be careful from this point on."

Layla quickly returned her ball and used her magic to carry it again. But she also kept this method in her mind…. just in case.