"The winner of the Global Competition goes to... Jadon Dayo!"

The whole crowd erupted, giving Dayo a standing ovation as the applause grew louder.

Dayo smiled as he stood up, receiving the cheers as he walked toward the stage. He took the mic from the MC and looked out at the crowd.

"I'm short of words to express how I feel today. It's been a long journey to get here. After so much struggle and effort, I stand at the highest peak of this competition held every three years. I'm beyond grateful to everyone who got me here — first, to my family, for their ultimate support and belief in me, even during my toughest times."

He paused, catching his breath before continuing.

"And to my team right here — Valery and Wayne — and my label, for their hard work and dedication to me."

"And, of course, to my opponents. You pushed me to be the best I could be. I thank you."

The crowd clapped again. Just as the golden cup was about to be handed to him, Dayo heard his name like a whisper.

"Dayo…"

"Huh?"

"Dayo…"

"Dayo, wake up!"

The voice grew louder until a sharp light hit his eyes. He blinked, staring up at Min-Jae, who stood over him with a grin.

"Wake up, come and see what's going on online!"

Dayo looked at him for a few seconds, not sure whether to curse or laugh. "You couldn't wait for me to at least collect the award before waking me?"

"Huh? What was that?" Min-Jae asked, confused.

"Nothing. I just hope the reason you're waking me up is good enough, or else…" Dayo said, cracking his knuckles.

"Haha, sure — you can judge that when you see it."

He handed Dayo his phone. The moment Dayo saw the screen, his face shifted into a wide smile.

WILDCARD COMEBACK WINNERS

Tyrell Mack

—

The smile grew wider. Min-Jae tapped his shoulder, grinning. "So, what do you think? Worth the wake-up?"

"Haha, it's more than worth it, my friend," Dayo laughed, joy written all over his face. "Let's go meet Tyrell — I can't wait to tell him."

"Sure thing. Let's go."

Dayo and Min-Jae arrived at Tyrell's room and, without knocking, burst inside.

"Yo, Tyrell! You did it!" Dayo shouted — but froze when he saw Tyrell packing his bags.

Confused, Dayo stepped forward and turned him around. Tyrell's eyes were red.

"Bro… what's going on?"

Tyrell tried to hold back his tears but failed. They rolled down his cheeks as he sank onto the bed.

"They called me," he said in a shaky voice.

Dayo frowned. "Who called? What happened?"

"My label," Tyrell whispered. "They said if I go back… I'll lose everything."

The room went silent. The air felt heavy.

Dayo bowed his head, countless thoughts running through his mind. Anger, confusion, disbelief — all mixed together. He didn't need to ask who was behind it. He already knew.

Michael.

And Frank.

A slow realization hit him — this was a cover-up. Tyrell's comeback would have drawn too many questions. People would've asked why Frank wasn't eliminated instead. And nobody wanted that conversation.

So, to bury the story, they buried Tyrell's chance. He was just collateral damage.

Dayo looked at his friend quietly before asking, "So… what now?"

Tyrell sighed. "There's nothing I can do. My agent explained what's at stake. If I fight it, I'll lose my contract, my sponsors… everything. So, I'll just walk away."

Min-Jae, who had been quiet all this time, spoke up. "Hmm… a smart choice, my friend. I know it's unfair, but… ugh, forget it — I can't talk like Dayo," he said, scratching his head.

For a moment, the room stayed silent — then all three of them burst into laughter. The tension broke for just a moment.

They helped Tyrell finish packing. When the bus arrived, he met the director and informed her of his withdrawal. She didn't look surprised — if anything, her facial expression said she already knew but wasn't happy about it.

Later, a small broadcast aired, showing the new wildcard list. The announcer briefly mentioned that Tyrell Mack wouldn't be rejoining the competition due to "a family emergency."

Fans were surprised, but no one questioned it for long. The show moved on. Another talent quietly erased by power.

Afterward, the contestants were given a day of rest before the next stage.

When the break ended, they were all called together for an official announcement.

"Good evening, everyone," the regional director began, smiling faintly. "First, congratulations to all of you for making it to the next phase. Standing here means you've proven your talent — not just locally, but globally. The next stage will test not just your skill, but your endurance and creativity."

The contestants nodded attentively.

"The next round," she continued, "will be held in Morocco — the same city that hosted the FIFA World Cup this year. You'll be leaving in three days, so make sure you're prepared. The competition only gets tougher from here."

Applause filled the hall, but Dayo barely heard it. As his mind was somewhere else.

That night, the dorm was quiet again. Everyone was asleep, except Dayo. He sat by the window, looking out at the dim glow of the city.

His thoughts couldn't stop circling — Tyrell's tears about the call from his label, the way the director didn't look surprised. Everything connected too neatly.

He knew Michael had influence, but this was deeper than he'd expected. He had underestimated him.

He clenched his fist slightly. If Michael could pull strings this easily, then fighting him head-on would be suicide. But still… he couldn't sit still either. Because he knew for sure that Michaele was coming for him, as Misha had said earlier that he was serious about him.

He needed time. Time to think. Time to plan. And he had little.

If Michael wanted to play power in the shadows, then maybe he'd bring back his old tactics back in his days of undercover and do some personal digging.

He took a slow breath, closing his eyes. Stall him for now. Stay quiet. Watch everything.

For the first time that night, Dayo's mind calmed — not because he wasn't afraid, but because he had made a decision.

When the time came, he'd be ready.

And this time, he'd make sure Michael didn't see it coming. For now, he waits and plans his next move.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.