CHAPTER 5 — THE DEATH CHAMPIONSHIP
The entire prison was awake before sunrise.
No breakfast.
No work assignments.
No roll call.
Only silence.
Every prisoner knew what tonight meant.
The Death Championship.
The one event where no mercy existed.
Only one fighter would survive.
The rest would disappear forever.
As Ethan was dragged through the prison yard, inmates silently stepped aside.
Some bowed their heads.
Others avoided looking at him altogether.
The old prisoner who had warned him on his first day suddenly grabbed Ethan's sleeve.
"There is no championship."
Ethan frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The old man's eyes filled with terror.
"They're not looking for the strongest."
"They're looking for the perfect one."
Before Ethan could ask another question, a sniper's laser settled on the old man's forehead.
A suppressed gunshot echoed.
The old prisoner collapsed without another word.
The guards simply stepped over his body.
One of them smiled.
"Lesson number one."
"Questions get people killed."
Hours later...
The underground arena looked nothing like before.
Thousands of wealthy spectators filled the luxury balconies.
Politicians.
Corporate executives.
Military officers.
International crime bosses.
Each of them held a digital betting tablet.
Above the arena, a giant screen displayed one sentence.
THE FINAL SURVIVAL TOURNAMENT
WINNER RECEIVES FREEDOM.
The crowd applauded.
The prisoners laughed bitterly.
Nobody had ever seen a winner leave.
Massive iron gates opened one by one.
Twelve of the deadliest inmates entered the arena.
The Executioner.
The Ghost.
A former heavyweight champion.
A cartel assassin.
An ex-special forces sniper.
A giant known only as Titan.
And Ethan.
The announcer's voice thundered across the arena.
"There are no rounds."
"There are no rules."
"The last prisoner breathing... survives."
A deafening horn echoed.
Chaos exploded.
Titan crushed a man against a steel wall.
The assassin attacked from behind.
The Executioner broke another prisoner's arm with one strike.
The sand turned crimson.
The audience cheered wildly.
Ethan fought only to survive.
He refused to kill.
That decision almost cost him his life.
Titan charged like a freight train.
At the last second—
The Ghost tackled Titan instead.
The collision shattered a concrete pillar.
The Ghost looked at Ethan.
"This prison can't fall..."
"...unless you stay alive."
For the first time...
The Ghost wasn't fighting against Ethan.
He was protecting him.
The audience noticed.
The betting screens froze.
Someone shouted from the VIP balcony.
"They're working together!"
The Warden slowly stood from his private suite.
May you like
His smile disappeared.
"Activate Phase Two."
