Okay, so that last comment might have come off as kinda cocky...but so long as my opponent isn't an Anomaly, it's true, I can beat them, and instantly at that. Think about it, I could activate Cut and Paste as soon as the countdown ends to instantly teleport my opponent outside the Duel Field.

Alternatively, I could freeze time and get through their defenses that way. All that said, if I take my Anomaly powers off the table, then no, I wouldn't fancy my chances against an Ace very much, though I definitely wouldn't go down without putting up a fight at the very least...that's what I'd like to think anyway, and I don't think I'm overestimating myself.

The door to the waiting room then opened and one of the organizers walked in, looking around at us before addressing us...

"Good, it looks like you're all here. We'll be calling you out in about half an hour, by which the interviews will begin. Now, I would like to go over some basic conduct we'd like you all to follow during the interviews."

Guess I should pay attention, considering that I've never done this before...

"Let me start by saying that these interviews will be airing live, so we'd like to avoid any problems. For starters, please speak slowly and clearly when answering a reporter's question. You don't necessarily have to speak formally, of course, but avoid foul language or vulgar slang, please. If you're asked a question you don't want to answer, simply say 'no comment'. Each of you will be allotted to be interviewed for about five minutes, and a maximum of ten minutes if necessary. Any questions?"

After a few minor clarifications, the organizer left, after saying that he'd be back to get us when it's time for the interviews to begin. Ugh, why am I getting a bad feeling about this?

...

It wasn't long before he came back and called us out for the start of the interviews and crap. Since these interviews were being broadcasted live, each contestant would be interviewed one by one, and while the rest were waiting, they'd be made to pose for photos and stuff, to go with the articles they'd write about us, or whatever.

I hate all this, how long until the exhibition match? Seriously, maybe I should have just asked what time the match was going to start and then skipped all this and arrived just before the start of that match...then again, considering that I'm the winner of the tournament, they'd probably just reschedule my interview, huh?

"I don't like the look of that," Remarked Katie, a slight look of concern in her eyes.

She was nodding at the area where the interviews were being held, they were currently interviewing one of the K-Ranks, specifically the one that Katie had beaten in the very first round, who was looking uncomfortable and more than a little annoyed. I strained my ears to try and hear what they were asking...

"How do you feel, having lost to a student despite being a K-Ranked X-Warrior?"

"Did you expect to be eliminated in the very first round of the tournament like that?"

"Do you think you'll be demoted to Q-Rank now? If not, do you think you should be?"

Jesus fucking Christ, that's brutal...

"Somehow, I doubt saying 'no comment' will be enough against all that," Sighed Katie.

"Yeah, you just might be right. This is gonna be a pain," I replied with a groan.

I then spotted one of the organizers approaching me...what's this going to be about?

"Mr Light, your interview will be conducted next, so please get ready for it."

"Huh? Already? I thought I was going to be interviewed towards the end," I responded in confusion.

"Yes, well, the broadcasters are complaining that viewership is too low as things stand, so the producer decided to conduct your interview next, to get a spike in interest and viewership."

Seriously? Hm, actually, I guess I'd rather get this over with as soon as possible, so why not?

"Alright, fine," I sighed in reply, "I just gotta answer questions for like five to ten minutes, right?"

"Well, er, that's a bit of an oversimplification, but yes."

I then walked over to the spot where they were conducting the interviews, as the currently ongoing one was about to conclude. The X-Warrior who was being interviewed stood up and left with an irritated frown as his interview concluded, his fists clenched.

On most days, there isn't much of any excitement in the Sanctuary, so naturally, news organizations don't get much attention most of the time, since there's nothing interesting to report. So whenever they do get the opportunity to report something that viewers are actually interested in, they milk it for all that it's worth.

I reluctantly sat down in the seat that the interviewees had been seated in the previous interviews, and in front of me, was a desk with a bunch of microphones, and the reporters were about a couple of meters ahead of desk, waiting impatiently and expectantly for the heads up to begin questioning me.

The moment they got the green light, they hit me with an avalanche of questions right away...

"How do you feel as the winner of the X-Warrior Championship?"

"How long have you been hiding your Anomaly powers for?"

"You are seen as a controversial figure among some X-Warriors, what are your thoughts on that?"

"What do you plan to do with the prize money you earned?"

"You have been accused of benefiting from favoritism, do you believe that's true?"

All the previous interviews went the same way, a barrage of questions, followed by a scramble to try and answer all of them...well, I'm not having any of that.

They finally quitened down to give me a chance to respond...but I didn't.

"Er, excuse me?"

"Aren't you going to answer?"

That's better, I'll force them to slow down their frantic pace, that should make things easier for me...

"Answer what? All I heard was incoherent babble. Why don't you try that again, but this time, one at a time?" I suggested, in an exasperated tone, "How should I know what to answer if you ask me one question and then ask another without even letting me answer the first one?"

After a brief moment of uncertain silence and the reporters exchanged glances with each other, they got back to asking their questions, but this time, at a more reasonable pace...

"Okay, er, how do you feel as the winner of the X-Warrior Championship?"

"Pretty good, I suppose. You're looking at me like you want me to say more, but I don't know what else to say, I won and I feel good about it, that's all there is to it."

"How long have you been hiding your Anomaly powers for?"

"Since I was fifteen, and since I'm now twenty-one...six years."

"You are seen as a controversial figure among some X-Warriors, what are your thoughts on that?"

"It's annoying, I guess, but what're you gonna do? Complaining about it will just draw more attention to it, so might as well just leave it be."

"Follow up to that question, a big part of some of the X-Warriors seeing you unfavorably is due to a perceived reception of favoritism on your part...do you think you've received favoritism?"

"Hm...dunno. But if you ask me, anyone saying that is probably an insecure loser who couldn't handle the thought of someone they perceived to be a regular Paragon gaining a more favorable standing than they do."

Huh, maybe that was a bit harsh...nah, it's how I honestly feel, and if people have a problem with that, fuck 'em.

Anyway, my last answer prompted another flood of questions, though it didn't take them long to cut it out, since I refused to answer anything unless they slowed down.

Overall though, I gotta say, this is going a lot better than I expected it to. By refusing to answer their questions at their pace and instead forcing them to move at my own pace, I made sure that I'm in control of the situation, just the way I like it.

Okay, it looks like the questions are starting to wind down, shouldn't be too long before I'm done here. After that, it's the awards ceremony and then, finally, it'll be time for the bonus matc-.

"Are you involved in a romantic relationship?" One of the reporters suddenly asked me.

...I might have spoken too soon. Shit. I can guess where this is going...and based on the silent yet expectant expressions on the faces, looks like all of them had been saving this question for last...well, let's see if this works...

"No comment."

"Yesterday, shortly after the end of the tournament, you were spotted in the popular dessert confectionery known as Delectables along with your fellow competitor and classmate, Katie Cummins. Is there perhaps something there you'd like to talk about?"

...it didn't work. Fuck.

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