Dance of Despair

In the backstage chaos, the director stood at the center, her mental crumbling under the weight of media scrutiny.

Flashes from reporters' cameras lit up her pale face as she turned to her staff, her voice sharp and desperate.

"Change the next matchup," she demanded. "Pair our students against each other. The winner faces Lila in the next round."

The room fell silent. Teachers exchanged uneasy glances.

One of them finally spoke up, her voice low and hesitant.

"You're... asking us to cheat?"

"Yes!" the director snapped, her patience threadbare. "We have no other choice. We need a win. What are you waiting for?"

No one argued further. They knew the academy's reputation was beyond saving, but fear of losing their jobs outweighed their morals.

Reluctantly, they turned to the tournament board, manually adjusting the brackets.

Moments later, the next match was displayed on the arena's screens.

[Kenny vs Julian]