Rumor has it that the Elite Killing Tournament has a new secretary. 

After the death of the old one last season, it seems like they were all too eager to find a replacement. Nang mabalitaan ito ni Evil mula sa kanyang underground connections, kamuntikan na siyang natawa. Nakakasukang isipin na may mga taong patuloy pa ring dadalhin ang "loyalty" sa demonyong iyon hanggang sa kanilang huling hantungan. All the while, for the Devil himself, everyone is just a pawn in his grand scheme of things.

"Hey, Evil. When was the last time you dragged your ass to the gym? Dapat yata ikaw ang nandito."

Everick's voice blasted over the electronic device.

Mula sa kabilang linya, narinig niya ang hagalpak nang tawa ng panganay nila. Evil scowled at his brothers' attitudes. Minsan talaga hindi niya maunawaan kung paano sila naging magkapatid. Glaring at him through the CCTV camera monitors, as if his eyes alone can penetrate through the screen, Evil reminded, "Ha-ha. Very funny, Knight. Wag mo kalimutang nakikita ko ang bawat kilos mo mula rito."

"Ever the manipulative bastard, I see."

"Just making sure you don't get your sulky and depressed ass killed."

From the grainy image (stupid mortal resolution, hindi ba nila afford ang high quality?), his brother lifted his head up and raised a middle finger at him through the CCTV.

Nagpatuloy sa paglalakad si Everick hanggang sa nawala na ito sa view ng camera.

Evil watched from the monitor room, silently noting everything from his perspective. Sumulyap siya sa katawan ng mga gwardyang nakabantay rito kanina, naliligo na sa sarili nilang mga dugo. A moment ago he commanded them to unalive themselves by repeatedly banging their heads to the wall. The gore was a sight to behold. It was easy. Too easy. Bukod sa maluwag ang seguridad sa loob ng gym ngayong gabi, tila ba walang ibang tao sa gusali bukod sa kanila.

And here you would think that more amateur killers would be stupid enough to apply.

'Something is definitely wrong here,' Evil mused as he leaned back on the chair.

Sinundan niya ng tingin ang bawat galaw ni Everick mula sa iba't ibang anggulo ng mga camera.

"Watcha thinking, little brother?"

Joker's voice momentarily pulled him out of the depth of his thoughts. Evil was thankful that clown wasn't in the same room as him. Kasalukuyang nakapwesto sa may labas ng gusali si Joker, on the look-out for any odd activities, just as he instructed him to.

Lifting a hand to the earpiece, Evil boredly replied, "Paano mo nalamang may iniisip ako?"

"Well, for starters, palagi kang nag-iisip. Kahit yata sa pagtulog mo nag-iisip ka pa rin, eh. I dare say you're an overthinker--and a kill joy--but it's just in your nature."

"Correct. Because someone has to compensate for the lack of braincells in this group."

"Exactly! And...HEY?!"

Evil ignored Joker's complaints and focused on the monitors.

Sa hindi malamang dahilan, nababahala si Evil sa kawalan ng ibang applicants sa venue. Not long ago, he was able to get his hands on an advertisement through the Black Market. Kabilang rito ang Call for Applicants ng EKT para sa panibago nilang season, headed by the new secretary who calls himself Metamorph. Ito ang nilalaman ng main agenda ng kanilang meeting, a few nights ago. Although it seems too good to be true, Evil was willing to take every risk.

Kaya't narito sila ngayon sa isang ordinaryong gym sa Eastwood, ang venue ng application.

'Pero nakakapagtakang wala pa ring ibang applicants.'

A movement from one screen caught his attention. A shadowed figure was following Everick, hiding behind the gym equipment. Agad niyang inalerto ang Knight sa mga nangyayari, pero maya-maya pa bigla na lang nagstatic ang monitors. 'What the fuck?!' Evil cursed under his breath and was about to go down the gym area himself when he felt an ominous presence inside the monitor room.

"Hey, what's happening?!" Joker yelled in his left earpiece.

"Shit! Nandito ang Toymaker..." Everick informed on his right one. "Mukhang inaasahan nila ang pagdating natin."

It was a trap.

Hindi nagtagal, napansin na niya ang bulto ng duguang gwardiya sa may pinto.

The guard smirked and threw the destroyed monitor cables at Evil's feet.

"Fancy meeting you here, Neverwood. Paumanhin at ngayon lang ako magpapakilala sa'yo," seryosong sabi ng gwardiya. Ilang sandali pa, tuluyan na itong nagbagong-anyo. Skin merged and regenerated before his eyes. Now he stood before him with a bloodless appearance, black suit, bald head, and a fucking clipboard.

"I am Metamorph, the new secretary for this season's Elite Killing Tournament."

---

"The only task I accomplished
was to get through the day...
and that is more than what I did
in the shadows of yesterday."

---Chayse Dayanghirang