They announced it anyway.
Because procedures mattered—even when outcomes didn't.
The Final Task Is Read Aloud
The host's voice finally entered the clearing, careful and neutral.
"Final challenge:
Navigation and endurance.
Contestants must reach the marked extraction point using only provided coordinates.
No shortcuts.
No assistance."
He hesitated before adding:
"…Time will be recorded."
The words felt ceremonial.
Like reading rules to someone who had already finished the exam.
There Is Only One Contestant
Aria listened.
Nodded once.
"…Understood."
Downhill, medics adjusted blankets on people who were no longer competing.
No one else stood up.
No one else prepared.
The drones framed the empty space where rivals were supposed to be.
Coordinates Without Pressure
The host handed Aria the navigation slate.
She glanced at it.
Didn't frown.
Didn't zoom.
Just translated.
"…Bearing thirty-two degrees," she said softly.
"…Distance negligible."
The cameraman blinked.
"…Negligible?"
She nodded.
"…They chose the safe route."
Endurance Is a Question of When
"Any concerns?" the host asked, trying once more.
Aria considered.
"…No."
She tightened her straps.
Checked water.
Everything was in order.
Not because of the task—
But because it always was.
She Starts Before the Cue Matters
"Whenever you're ready," the host said.
Aria had already taken her first step.
Not rushing.
Not dramatic.
Just moving.
The drones rose to follow.
Navigation Without Drama
She didn't stop to recheck bearings.
Didn't hesitate at forks.
She followed terrain logic, not lines.
High ground where possible.
Shade when available.
Firm footing always.
The cameraman struggled to narrate.
There was nothing to interrupt.
Endurance Reveals Nothing New
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Aria's pace didn't change.
Breathing steady.
Posture relaxed.
No visible fatigue.
The chat slowed—not bored, but resigned.
💬 [TopComment]: This feels like paperwork.
And it did.
Producers Watch the Clock
In the control tent, someone stared at the timer.
"This is supposed to be hard."
The director nodded.
"It is."
"For who?"
He didn't answer.
Closing Beat
As the extraction marker came into view, Aria didn't accelerate.
Didn't smile.
Didn't look at the camera.
She simply kept walking—
Through the last task like it was exactly what it was:
A formality.
Because endurance wasn't something she needed to prove.
It was something she had already built—
Long before the show ever asked for it.