**Announcer 1:** "Oh, what a show we have for you today, folks! Two more competitors down, leaving just 97 fighters still clawing for that billion-dollar prize! And if you thought things were heating up before, wait until you see what's coming next!"

  **Announcer 2:** "We're entering a critical phase. Every encounter now holds more weight, more danger, and with fewer places to hide, confrontations are inevitable. But remember, it's not just about brute strength—it's about how you use your powers and who you trust."

  ---

  The sun barely peeked through the dense canopy as William, Angelo, and Laurel made their way through the forest, the undergrowth crunching beneath their feet. Laurel walked a few paces ahead, his small frame tense with anticipation. The alliance between them had grown stronger, but the looming threat of other contestants made it clear that trust could only go so far.

  The crackling of an announcement echoed through the air, sending shivers down their spines.

  "97 left," William murmured. "Who knows how many more we'll lose before this is over."

  Angelo shifted uneasily, his thoughts clouded by the idea of what it would take to survive. He'd turned into a panther earlier to scout ahead, but it was clear now that no amount of animal instinct could prepare him for what they were about to face.

  The trio pressed on, moving carefully through the woods, until they came to a wide-open clearing. It was an unnatural break in the forest, like something had forced its way through the trees and left only destruction behind. The air was thick with tension, a warning that they weren't alone.

  "Hold up," William said, raising a hand. "You see that?"

  Across the clearing, two figures stood side by side, waiting. They were twins, both tall and lean, their identical features twisted into smirks as they eyed William, Angelo, and Laurel.

  The girl—Jenny—held her hand out, and from it, a flurry of snow and ice crystals formed, swirling in the air like a small blizzard. Her brother, Johnny, grinned wickedly as flames licked up his arms, dancing between his fingers with deadly intent.

  "Looks like we've got ourselves a couple of wannabe heroes," Jenny said, her voice cold and mocking.

  "And a kid," Johnny added with a laugh. "This is going to be fun."

  Laurel's eyes blazed with anger, but before he could react, William stepped in front of him. "Stay back, Laurel. Let us handle this."

  Angelo nodded, his gaze locked on the twins. "We don't want any trouble. But if you're looking for a fight, we won't back down."

  Jenny's smile widened, and with a flick of her wrist, sharp icicles shot out toward Angelo and William. They barely had time to react, diving out of the way as the icy spears embedded themselves in the ground where they'd been standing.

  "Guess that answers that," William muttered, using his power to pull a metal rod from the debris scattered around the clearing. The rod twisted and shaped itself into a makeshift sword, gleaming in the faint sunlight.

  Johnny responded with a blast of fire, scorching the earth in front of them. The heat was intense, forcing Angelo and William to fall back.

  Angelo grimaced, feeling the heat singe his skin. "I'll take the fire guy," he said through gritted teeth, shifting into the form of a massive lion, his claws digging into the earth.

  William nodded. "I'll handle the ice queen. Laurel, stay out of sight and be ready to strike if you have to."

  The battle began in earnest, with Johnny sending wave after wave of fire at Angelo, who used his animal agility to dodge the attacks. But the flames were relentless, and soon enough, one searing blast caught Angelo's leg, the heat burning through his flesh.

  Angelo let out a roar of pain, stumbling as he tried to keep his balance. He shifted back into his human form, clutching his leg as the pain radiated through him.

  "Laurel, get him out of here!" William shouted, deflecting a hail of ice shards with his metal blade as he tried to keep Jenny at bay.

  But Laurel hesitated, his eyes flicking between Angelo's injury and the deadly twins. He knew he couldn't stay hidden forever, but rushing into the fight felt like a death sentence.

  **Announcer 1:** "Oh! Looks like Angelo's taken a hit, folks! That leg burn's gonna slow him down, but will it be enough to take him out of the game?"

  **Announcer 2:** "A crucial injury at this stage could be devastating. But let's not count him out just yet. We've seen competitors bounce back from worse. What's important now is how William and Laurel handle this critical moment."

  The tension mounted as the fight raged on. Jenny's ice attacks were growing fiercer, and William could feel himself starting to tire. Meanwhile, Johnny's flames continued to scorch the earth, trapping Angelo in a fiery corner.

  Announcer 1: "And we're back, folks! The fight of the century is heating up—literally! Our competitors are giving it their all, but who's gonna come out on top? This is what Power Royale is all about!"

  Announcer 2: "This battle has already taken a toll. Angelo is injured, and William is facing a fierce opponent. But in situations like these, strategy can be just as important as raw power. Let's see how this unfolds."

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  Angelo gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain that radiated from his burned leg. He could feel the heat from Johnny's flames growing more intense, trapping him in a fiery corner. The lion form had given him strength, but now he needed something else—something faster. In a flash, he shifted into a cheetah, darting out of the flames before they could close in on him.

  William, meanwhile, was locked in a deadly dance with Jenny. Her ice shards came at him fast and sharp, each one aiming for vital spots. He was using his metal manipulation to deflect them, but she was relentless, and he could feel himself tiring.

  Jenny smirked, her breath visible in the freezing air. "You're slowing down, William. Not so tough now, huh?"

  William didn't respond. His mind was racing, searching for an opening. He knew he had to end this quickly—before her ice wore him down completely. That's when he noticed it: a glint of metal peeking out from Jenny's pocket as she reached for another shard of ice. A necklace, half-visible but unmistakable, hanging from her coat pocket.

  An idea sparked in William's mind. He concentrated, reaching out with his power. The necklace in Jenny's pocket trembled, then slowly lifted into the air, the metal links stretching taut.

  Jenny didn't notice until it was too late. The necklace whipped around her neck, tightening like a noose. She gasped, her ice faltering for a split second as her hands instinctively reached up to grab at the metal chain cutting into her skin.

  William seized the moment. With a swift motion, he manipulated the necklace, twisting it into a sharp, jagged spike. With a grunt of effort, he sent the spike flying forward, straight into Jenny's chest.

  Her eyes widened in shock, the ice in her hands shattering into harmless snowflakes as she stumbled backward. Blood bloomed from the wound, staining her coat as she fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

  "Jenny!" Johnny's voice roared across the clearing, filled with rage and desperation. His flames erupted even hotter than before, the ground beneath him cracking from the sheer intensity of the heat.

  Jenny's eyes flickered as she looked up at William, her voice barely a whisper. "You... you killed me..."

  William stood over her, his expression grim. "I told you. We're not here to make friends."

  With a final shuddering breath, Jenny's body went still, her eyes glazing over as the life drained from her.

  Announcer 1: "Whoa! Did you see that, folks? William just took out Jenny Pognin in brutal fashion! That's one less competitor in the race for a billion dollars!"

  Announcer 2: "A calculated move by William, exploiting his opponent's weakness. But it's not over yet. Johnny's reaction shows that this battle is far from finished."

  Johnny's face twisted with fury, his flames roaring to life with newfound intensity. The ground around him scorched black as he advanced on William, flames licking up his arms and spreading around his body like an inferno.

  "You're gonna pay for that!" Johnny bellowed, his voice cracking with rage. The air around him shimmered with heat, and every step he took left a trail of smoldering earth behind.

  William readied himself, drawing every scrap of metal he could find toward him—twisted scraps from the debris, discarded weapons from previous battles, even the remnants of Jenny's shattered ice. He formed them into a makeshift shield, but he knew it wouldn't be enough to hold Johnny off for long.

  "Get back!" William shouted to Angelo and Laurel, who had retreated to a safer distance. "This isn't over yet!"

  Angelo, still wincing from the burn on his leg, watched as Johnny advanced, flames swirling around him like a living weapon. He shifted back into human form, breathing heavily. "We've got to do something, William. If we don't stop him—"

  "I know!" William snapped, his mind racing. He could see the fury in Johnny's eyes, the raw, unbridled rage that was driving him forward. This wasn't just about the money for Johnny anymore—this was personal.

  Johnny let out a roar, sending a massive wave of fire toward William, who barely had time to throw up his shield. The flames hit with the force of a freight train, pushing William back, his feet digging into the scorched earth as he struggled to hold his ground.

  But he couldn't keep this up forever. Johnny's fire was too strong, too relentless. The heat was unbearable, and William could feel his strength waning with every passing second.

  "William!" Laurel's voice cut through the chaos, his eyes blazing with determination. "We can't let him win!"

  William gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he fought to keep the flames at bay. "I'm not planning on it!"

  The fire roared around them, the heat threatening to consume everything in its path. Johnny's rage was a force of nature, and it seemed like nothing could stand in his way.

  Announcer 1: "Hold onto your seats, folks! The fire's burning brighter than ever, and this showdown is about to reach a whole new level of intensity! Who will stand victorious, and who will fall? You won't want to miss this!"

  Announcer 2: "Johnny's rage is driving him forward, but in battles like these, emotions can be a double-edged sword. And with Laurel in the mix, this fight could take an unexpected turn at any moment."

  The clearing was a battlefield of scorched earth and shattered ice. The air shimmered with heat, the oppressive warmth from Johnny's flames making it hard to breathe. William stood his ground, his shield of metal barely holding up against the onslaught, sweat pouring down his face. Angelo was on the sidelines, nursing his burned leg, his eyes flicking between William and Johnny, desperate for a way to help.

  Johnny advanced, flames swirling around him like a living storm, his eyes locked onto William with murderous intent. "You took my sister from me!" he roared, his voice cracking with grief and fury. "Now I'm going to burn you alive!"

  With a furious shout, Johnny unleashed another massive wave of fire. William braced himself, metal twisting and contorting as he reinforced his shield, but the force of the flames was too much. The heat seared his skin, and his knees buckled as he struggled to stay upright.

  Laurel watched from behind a fallen tree, his heart pounding in his chest. His laser vision had taken out weaker opponents before, but Johnny's fire seemed unstoppable. And yet, as he watched William struggling, the anger inside him grew. His mind flashed back to his father—another man who wielded power like a weapon, who took from him everything he had loved. The injustice of it all, the pain of loss, it fueled the fire in his heart.

  He couldn't stand by any longer.

  With a deep breath, Laurel emerged from the shadows. He had one shot, and he had to make it count. His eyes glowed with a fierce red light as he focused on Johnny, who was too consumed by rage to notice the young boy creeping up behind him.

  William grunted as Johnny's flames finally broke through his shield, burning the edge of his coat. He stumbled back, feeling the searing heat close in, when suddenly, the flames flickered and faltered. Johnny had paused, confusion flickering across his face as he realized something was wrong.

  And then, in a flash of crimson light, Laurel's laser vision struck. The beam of pure energy cut through the air with deadly precision, hitting Johnny square in the back of his head.

  Johnny's eyes widened in shock, his flames sputtering out as he staggered forward. He reached up, touching the charred wound at the back of his skull, his fingers trembling. The fire that had raged within him flickered one last time, then extinguished. With a final, choking gasp, Johnny collapsed to the ground, his lifeless body falling beside his sister's.

  Silence fell over the clearing, the heat dissipating as quickly as it had come. Laurel stood still, his breathing heavy, his eyes fixed on Johnny's motionless form. He had done it. He had killed someone.

  Announcer 1: "Whoa! Did you see that, folks? Laurel, the kid with laser vision, just took down Johnny Pognin in one incredible strike! The firestorm has been extinguished, but at what cost?"

  Announcer 2: "A strategic move by Laurel, exploiting Johnny's blind spot. It's a reminder that in this game, no one—no matter how powerful—is invincible. But now, the psychological impact of that kill might weigh heavily on such a young competitor."

  William stumbled to his feet, wincing from the burns but still very much alive. He looked over at Laurel, who stood frozen in place, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes still glowing faintly.

  "Laurel..." William called out, his voice softer now. He could see the turmoil in the boy's eyes. "You did what you had to do."

  Laurel didn't respond at first. He just stared at Johnny's body, his mind racing. The thrill of victory was there, but so was the weight of the kill. He had wanted revenge, but now that it was done, all he felt was emptiness.

  Angelo limped over, placing a hand on Laurel's shoulder. "You saved us, kid," he said quietly. "Don't forget that."

  Laurel finally looked up, his gaze meeting Angelo's. He nodded, though the haunted look in his eyes remained. "I had to," he whispered. "He would have killed us all."

  William glanced at Johnny's body, then back at Laurel. "Yeah. And now we keep moving. This fight isn't over yet."

  Laurel nodded again, though his expression remained distant. He turned away from the bodies, trying to push down the emotions swirling inside him. They had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

  As the three of them began to move out of the clearing, leaving the destruction behind, the tension in the air remained thick. They were survivors—for now—but Power Royale had a way of breaking even the strongest.

  To be continued...