"Give up?"

Sonya was just about to turn around when Louisa grabbed her back, forcing her to face forward. "Stop moving! I'm trying to fit this on you!"

Left with no choice, the country girl straightened her spine and stared straight ahead. "They want me to surrender voluntarily?"

Adele explained, "Not surrender. It is more like stepping off the stage after giving your absolute all and falling short. Thousand Star Entertainment believes that taking severe injuries on the verge of death during a nationwide broadcast will severely damage your popularity and lower your commercial value. If you recognize the gap between you and your opponent and voluntarily step down, you leave everyone with a lasting, positive impression. It only benefits you."

"That makes sense." Louisa adjusted Sonya's accessories as she spoke. "I don't think any participant has ever surrendered in the Meteor Calamity finals before."

"That is because most participants were third- or fourth-year students. They might only get one chance in their entire lives to compete in the finals. Why would they ever stop before fighting to their absolute last breath? Besides, the Starshot Guard, Gryphon Corp, and Bastion Legion all monitor the intercollegiate league closely. Abandoning a match out of fear heavily damages the future of a combat sorcerer. But Sonya is different.

"She is only a first-year student. Her making it to the Meteor Calamity finals is already a miracle. If she voluntarily steps down, nobody will look down on her for it. She still has her second, third, and fourth years ahead of her. Damian graduates next year, leaving her plenty of future opportunities to compete for the title."

The country girl looked thoughtful. At that moment,...