The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the battlefield. The once-vast area had shrunk to a fraction of its original size, forcing the remaining contenders into close quarters. The tension was electric—every footstep, every rustle of leaves could mean the difference between life and death.

  Announcer 1: "Ladies and gentlemen, we're down to the final fifteen! The stakes are higher than ever, and for each elimination, there's a sweet 10-million-dollar bonus on the line! Who's ready to cash in?"

  Announcer 2: "This is where strategy meets brutality. With only a handful of competitors left, it's not just about survival—it's about profit. The question is, who will make the first move?"

  William Dangerfield, Angelo Vasquez, and Kindliker Kluckson moved cautiously through the dense forest. William led the group, his senses sharp and his metal manipulation ready to strike. Angelo, who had just shifted back to his human form after scouting the area as a hawk, was tense, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of movement. Kindliker trailed slightly behind, his usual nervous energy radiating off him in waves.

  "Keep your heads on a swivel," William muttered, gripping a metal shard he'd pulled from a fallen piece of debris. "We know Macchiato's out there somewhere."

  Angelo nodded. "If we can take him down, that bonus could be a game-changer. But we need to be smart about this."

  Kindliker, who had been quiet for most of their trek, suddenly piped up. "Yeah, yeah, I know. We just gotta—"

  A sudden whizzing sound cut through the air. Kindliker froze, eyes wide in horror as an acorn-sized object shot out from the trees, embedding itself in the ground next to him. For a brief second, nothing happened. Then, the acorn exploded with a deafening blast, sending dirt and shrapnel flying in every direction.

  Announcer 1: "Whoa! What a shot! Johnny Macchiato just sent Kindliker Kluckson flying! That's one less player to worry about!"

  Announcer 2: "Macchiato's kinetic energy manipulation is nothing to scoff at. Precision and power in one deadly package."

  The smoke cleared, revealing a gruesome sight. Kindliker's body was in pieces, his remains scattered across the forest floor. Blood stained the trees, the finality of his death sinking in.

  William stared at the carnage, his hands trembling with a mix of rage and shock. "That son of a—" He didn't finish the sentence. His heart pounded in his chest, and his vision narrowed to a red haze.

  "William, we need to move!" Angelo shouted, his voice laced with urgency. But William wasn't listening.

  Johnny Macchiato stepped out from behind a tree, a cocky grin on his face. "Well, well, looks like I just made myself a cool 10 million," he sneered, tossing another acorn in the air and catching it with ease.

  Without a word, William's eyes locked onto Macchiato, and the metal shard in his hand elongated into a vicious blade. He charged forward with a speed that caught Macchiato off guard, the metal blade slicing through the air.

  Macchiato reacted quickly, throwing the acorn at William. But William was faster. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of metal shards toward Macchiato, the sharp pieces embedding themselves in Macchiato's legs, forcing him to his knees. The acorn exploded harmlessly behind William as he closed the distance.

  "No more tricks," William growled, his voice low and dangerous. He raised the metal blade high, the sharp edge gleaming in the fading light.

  "Wait—" Macchiato started to plead, but William didn't give him a chance to finish. He brought the blade down with all his strength, the metal slicing clean through Macchiato's neck. Blood sprayed across the ground as Macchiato's head rolled to the side, his body collapsing in a lifeless heap.

  Announcer 1: "And that's the end of Johnny Macchiato, folks! William Dangerfield just secured himself 10 million dollars, and boy, did he do it in style!"

  Announcer 2: "Brutal, efficient, and without hesitation. William is clearly here to win, no matter the cost."

  William stood over Macchiato's body, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, but the realization of what he'd just done was starting to sink in. He wiped the blood from his face, his expression hardening.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  "Let's move," he said to Angelo, his voice cold. "We're not done yet."

  As they turned to leave the scene, the camera zoomed in on William's face, capturing the steely determination in his eyes. The hunt was far from over, and with the promise of more money on the line, the worst was yet to come.

  The shrinking arena had become a gauntlet of danger and desperation. As the area continued to compress, the remaining competitors were forced into increasingly tighter quarters, amplifying the tension and peril of every encounter.

  William Dangerfield and Angelo Vasquez made their way through the dense underbrush of the ever-decreasing battlefield. The metallic clinks of William's metal manipulation were a constant reminder of his readiness, while Angelo's animalistic instincts kept him on high alert.

  Angelo's sharp eyes scanned the surrounding woods. "We need to stay on our toes," he warned, his voice laced with urgency. "This place is crawling with potential threats."

  Just then, the pair heard a faint, rhythmic sound—a bouncing noise. William's eyes narrowed, and he motioned for Angelo to stop. From the dense foliage, Jessy Jamaica emerged, her rubbery limbs stretching and bouncing with an almost unnatural fluidity.

  "Jessy Jamaica!" Announcer 1's voice boomed over the arena's loudspeakers, "The queen of elasticity herself! Watch as she bounces into action with her incredible rubber powers!"

  Announcer 2 added, "Despite her impressive combat abilities, she's proven to be elusive and hard to hit. Let's see how she fares against William and Angelo!"

  Jessy's movements were erratic, making her a difficult target. She bounced and twisted with alarming agility, her limbs stretching to slap away or dodge any attack. As William and Angelo closed in, Jessy's resilience became clear. Each attack they threw at her was either deflected or avoided with her rubbery flexibility.

  William's frustration was palpable. "Dammit, she's fast," he growled, his metal shields clanging as he tried to cover Angelo's approach.

  Angelo transformed into a cheetah to gain speed but found it challenging to land a hit. Jessy's body contorted and stretched to avoid his swipes. She managed to knock William off balance with a well-placed stretch of her arm that sent him crashing into a nearby tree.

  Jessy's evasiveness and endurance were impressive, but her constant movement drained her stamina. Each bounce and stretch took its toll, and though she was difficult to land a decisive blow on, it was clear she was struggling to keep up the pace.

  "Keep pushing," Angelo urged, his voice a mix of encouragement and exhaustion. He circled Jessy, attempting to cut off her escape routes.

  William, getting back on his feet, reinforced his metal shields and prepared for a more strategic approach. "We need to corner her," he said. "She can't keep this up forever."

  The battle continued with Jessy evading their attacks with remarkable skill, but her energy was clearly waning. As the arena's borders closed in around them, the stakes grew higher. The moment of truth was approaching, and Jessy's fate seemed increasingly precarious.

  The dense forest was alive with the sounds of pursuit—the crunch of leaves underfoot, the rapid breathing of the hunted, and the cold determination of the hunters. The tension in the air was palpable as William Dangerfield and Angelo Vasquez pressed on in their relentless chase after Jessy Jamaica. Her elastic body stretched and snapped back as she bounded through the trees, using her rubbery abilities to escape their every attempt to pin her down.

  "Jessy Jamaica is on the run!" Announcer 1's voice boomed with excitement. "Can she slip through their grasp once more, or is this the end of her elastic evasion?"

  Announcer 2 chimed in with a more analytical tone, "Jessy's abilities have kept her alive this long, but she's exhausted. William and Angelo are closing in—this may be her final stand."

  Angelo, now in the form of a sleek panther, sprinted ahead, using his heightened senses to track Jessy's erratic path. William followed closely, his metal armor clinking with each determined step. The duo moved with deadly precision, driven by the shrinking arena and the knowledge that only one of them would eventually walk away with the billion-dollar prize.

  Jessy's breaths came in ragged gasps as she pushed her rubberized body to its limits. She knew she couldn't keep this up forever—every stretch, every bounce, sapped her strength. Her mind raced as she tried to think of a way out, but the relentless duo behind her left no room for error.

  Suddenly, the trees gave way to a wide, rushing river. Jessy skidded to a halt at the bank, her eyes darting left and right for an escape route. The water was fast and cold, but it was her only option.

  "She's cornered at the river!" Announcer 1 exclaimed. "This could be it, folks!"

  With no time to waste, Jessy dived into the river, her body elongating and twisting as she used her elasticity to propel herself through the water. But William and Angelo weren't far behind.

  Angelo shifted into a powerful crocodile, slicing through the water in pursuit, while William manipulated the metal around him to form a makeshift raft, giving him the upper hand on the surface.

  Jessy's lungs burned as she swam with all her might, but the river's current and her own exhaustion were working against her. Angelo closed in, snapping his powerful jaws just inches from her stretched limbs, forcing her to twist and turn to avoid his deadly bite.

  William, his eyes cold and calculating, directed a stream of metal shards into the water, corralling Jessy toward the riverbank where he could finish her off. Jessy struggled, her rubbery form losing its shape as her energy waned.

  "She's running out of options," Announcer 2 observed. "William has the upper hand here. If he plays his cards right, this could be the end of Jessy Jamaica."

  Finally, with a burst of effort, Jessy reached the shallows and tried to scramble onto the bank. But William was there, his metal tendrils snaking out to wrap around her limbs, pulling her back into the water.

  "Game over, Jessy," William muttered, his voice devoid of sympathy. He knew what he had to do.

  He forced Jessy's head under the water, using his metal manipulation to hold her down despite her frantic struggles. Jessy's rubbery body twisted and stretched, but she couldn't break free. The water churned with her desperate thrashing as she fought for air, but it was no use. William's grip was too strong, his resolve too cold.

  The minutes dragged on, and Jessy's movements slowed. Her once-elastic form began to lose its bounce, her limbs growing limp as the life was slowly drained from her. William kept her submerged, his expression blank as he watched the last of her strength ebb away.

  Finally, Jessy's body went still, her rubbery limbs floating lifelessly in the water. William released his grip, letting her drift away as he stood on the bank, staring down at the river.

  "And that's it, folks!" Announcer 1's voice echoed through the arena. "Jessy Jamaica is down! William Dangerfield adds another elimination to his tally!"

  Announcer 2's tone was somber but impressed. "A brutal but necessary move. William knew what had to be done, and he didn't hesitate. The competition just got that much smaller."

  William turned away from the river, his face set in a grim mask. He knew that with each elimination, he was one step closer to the billion-dollar prize—but at what cost? As the arena continued to shrink, the final showdown loomed closer, and William knew that only the strongest, the most ruthless, would survive.

  To be continued...