After Daniel had killed ten people in the Boxing Ring of Hell and had been strengthened by the mana,
he walked out of the lecture hall like all the other successful fighters.

As he approached the classroom's exit, he saw the transparent barrier that prevented everyone else from leaving!

Unless they had won a match in the ring, no one could leave the Lecture Hall.

The mysterious voice was forcing all the students to kill each other.

He knew that he had done what he had to do to get out, but the memory of the bloodshed and violence he had inflicted on his classmates, even his bullies, started to haunt him now that the rush of mana empowerment was completely gone.

As he walked through the barrier and out into the hallway, he wondered what kind of new world he had entered.

What kind of person will Daniel become in this strange new world?

***

As soon as Daniel walked out into the hallway, Paul jumped up confidently and stood in the center of the ring, his eyes scanning the crowd of his fellow classmates.

He could feel the power coursing through his veins, fueled by the promise of the Mana that awaited him.

He knew that he was strong enough to take on anyone in the class, but he wanted to make a statement with his first opponent.

He spotted Annie Leonhart, a small and timid girl who had always been an easy target for bullies.

He sneered in her direction, relishing the thought of crushing her like a bug. But before he could even call out her name.

Asuna had already taken matters into her own hands. With a swift and calculated move, she leaped onto the ring and aimed her weapon directly at Paul's head, firing a single shot that instantly killed him.

Asuna's heart was pounding in her chest as she stood on the ring. She had just taken a life, and even though it was to protect an innocent person, the weight of her actions still sat heavy on her conscience.

She tried to push aside the guilt and the fear that was bubbling up inside her and instead focus on the new power she had gained. She felt the same rush of energy that Daniel had.

She knew that she was stronger now, faster, and sharper. But at what cost?

The other students in the lecture hall were staring at her in shock and horror.
The weaker ones were aware of their impending fate as they knew they were trapped in this lecture hall with a group of bloodthirsty classmates.

Asuna tried to ignore their stares and instead focused on the voice that had been guiding them throughout this ordeal.

"Congratulations, Asuna," the voice echoed in her head.
"You have proven yourself a worthy fighter. You have earned your place in this new world."

Asuna felt a shiver run down her spine at the sound of the voice. It was cold and emotionless, and she couldn't help but feel like it was leading them all down a dangerous path. She did not continue to nominate more opponents for her even if that would strengthen her mana, instead she jumped down the ring immediately. 

Annie walked up to Asuna with a thankful look on her face.
"Thank you for saving me back there," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Asuna turned to face her, her expression stern. "Don't thank me," she replied coldly. "If you want to survive this game, you need to grow some balls and decide whether you're willing to kill or be killed. There's no room for weakness here."

Annie was taken aback by Asuna's harsh words, but she knew that there was some truth to what she was saying.
She nodded silently, still feeling grateful for Asuna's intervention.

Asuna glanced over at Michael, then turned and strode out into the hallway without another word.