"I guess some are lucky to have survived the elimination," he chuckled.
"And some of them are beasts who want to mark their territory!" Miss Samantha exclaimed with delight.
1st Place: Team 72
Obtained 81 of their opponent's crystals for a total of 82.
"They are monstrous," Mr. Lemueleon exclaimed, his voice ringing with a mix of awe and astonishment that echoed through the vast arena.
A wave of hushed chatter rippled through the crowd, replacing the previous excitement with a buzz of disbelief and fascination. Some had quietly admired the group, and the majority are desperately expressing about how they had been rooting for them from the start.
"In fact, their teams are full of rising Viking Empire warriors, including the Heiress of the Grand clan, Ms. Athena Freya Amaranth!" the announcement continued.
The previous excitement now replaced with rumors and speculation. A nervous energy rippled through the spectators, some of whom were visibly terrified while others were completely captivated by her beauty. The name alone seemed to conjure images of power and beauty. As suspected, even with their terrifying backgrounds, the majority were mesmerized by the allure of Athena's beauty, their gazes glued to the screen.
"I'd like to marry her," a lovestruck participant whispered, his voice barely audible over the growing murmur.
"She's the Scandevir's tenacious dragon princess, right?" another responded, the recognition in his voice laced with a hint of fear.
"I don't want to mess with her," a third person chimed in, a chill running down my spine as I heard the genuine terror in his tone.
"Neither do I, and guess what? The rumors about her being the reincarnation of Freyja were true," someone else added, his voice low and conspiratorial.
"Indeed, Freyja, the goddess of beauty," a fourth person affirmed.
"I heard she can talk to dragons and other wild beasts," a participant said, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and admiration.
"That's both impressive and terrifying," I heard someone else whisper, a sentiment that perfectly encapsulated the mood of the room.
If she's that good, does that make her the same as the guy from the Eclipse Kingdom?
Is this some cliché concept in which the royalties bully the new kid? Ughh... what a drag.
"That's all for today's winner! Hold on to your seats and wait for the screen to display your new rooms," Mr. Lemueleon announced, his voice booming with renewed energy.
"Once again, I'm Lemueleon Sepia, and I'm your game administrator for today's game level!"
"And I'm Samantha Heigins, your tournament compère! Congratulations to everyone!" she added, her smile as bright as the stage lights.
A four-dimensional map of the Eclipse Kingdom's capital city was projected onto the screen. To my surprise, it included a massive, breathtaking floating island hovering high above the cityscape. Most of us craned our necks, our eyes fixed on the sky, some are confused, amazed, and worried. The island hung there, a majestic island that seemed to defy all laws of physics, yet it felt unsettling, as if it might collapse at any moment.
Suddenly, a disembodied voice instructed us, "Please stay on your positions; the Spatial Mages will transfer you to the island above where the actual tournament will be held."
Glowing orbs of pure energy materialized around us, each one gently attaching itself to a participant. With a flash of light and a strange tingling sensation, we were all teleported to a new location. We found ourselves standing in front of the arena that's a hundred times bigger than the previous one. Its colossal form stretched so high that even if I bent my neck backward, I couldn't see the top. It had a massive golden entrance, flanked on either side by two glowing waterfalls that cascaded down the structure. The grounds around it were different hues of color, surrounded with massive, ancient trees and enchanted flowers giving the place a mystical, otherworldly feel.
As we passed through the golden gate, we entered a cylindrical crystal room. A massive fountain stood at its center, its waters shimmering under the light that poured in from a crystal ceiling. Paths branched off on both sides, which I assumed led to our dorms and the main battle arena.
"Now, command your bracelet to reveal the map of the floating Island, and your room number will be visible in the hologram's top right corner," the disembodied voice instructed.
We followed the instructions, selecting "Map mode: Floating Island" on our bracelets. A hologram of the island appeared, and I was astounded. It was a paradise, a utopia filled with lush greenery and stunning architecture. It seemed more like a luxury resort than a tournament battlefield, complete with a multitude of amenities and facilities designed to keep us entertained and comfortable.
A new message flashed on the hologram.
[Room 305: Team 09, all of your valuables have been moved to your rooms. A blinking light will appear on your map later to indicate your assigned suite.]
Ate Clydelle and I were the first to enter our suite, having given Frank and Tyler permission to explore the island after they noticed something interesting in the amenities list—likely a game room. The suite was breathtaking. It resembled a five-star VIP condo unit, but it was far more advanced and futuristic. The technology was seamlessly integrated into the luxurious design.
"Oh wow, our things are already organized in the closet and drawers," Ate Clydelle commented, walking into her room to inspect her belongings.
The suite had two twin bedrooms with a connected veranda, as well as a kitchen with a mini-bar, a large bathroom, and a laundry room. It appeared that each suite was customized based on the number of people on the team. I wandered into the kitchen, my stomach rumbling. The fridge was stocked with a variety of delicious-looking food, and the cabinets held a full array of ingredients and kitchen equipment.
"The kitchen utensils were also complete, huh?" Ate Clydelle remarked, her voice filled with surprise.
"Yep! Oh—I'll just take a bath," I said, heading straight to my room to grab my things
I glanced over the list of amenities we had access to: pools, a gym, a mall with a wide selection of restaurants and boutiques, a grocery store, a health facility, a library, an entertainment room, the battle arena, and a training ground.
"It feels like we just won the lottery," I thought to myself as I changed my clothes. I had only packed dresses and cycling shorts, and I realized I had nothing comfortable to wear for the actual tournament.
"Wow! I never thought you would survive wearing a dress every day," Ate Clydelle teased as I walked out of the bathroom.
"Miss Kagame and Mister Alfredo bought this for me, so I have no right to complain," I retorted, sighing.
"You can just go out and buy a new one."
"I don't have any money."
"We have it; it's inside the envelope on the living room table; they gave each of us 20,000 Zech as a consolation prize for passing the elimination round," she explained before entering the bathroom.
I rushed to the living room to check the sleek black envelope on the coffee table. As soon as I opened it, a hologram of the masked man appeared once more.
[Good morning, everyone!]
[This is Administrator Yabo, and I'm back with an important announcement. We're rewarding each of you with a bonus of 20,000 Zech to recognize all your hard work.]
[For those of you who have already run low on funds, don't worry—you can replenish your wallet by taking on daily commissions.]
[These commissions are categorized into three different levels. The difficulty is directly tied to your potential earnings: the tougher the mission, the more Zech you'll earn.]
[Successfully completing a daily commission will also grant you a badge, which is a crucial component of our monthly rankings.]
"Haah? So besides the tournament levels, there are daily tasks we have to accomplish?" I muttered, the realization sinking in. Ate Clydelle then nodded, eagerly listening to the information.
[To manage your finances, all you need to do is activate "Money Mode" on your bracelet. You can then tap it on any of the machines located in every store to check your Zech balance or make a purchase.]
"Oh, just like the e-wallets we used on Earth with our phones," I said, looking at ate Clydelle, who nodded back, equally satisfied.
[Speaking of those badges, remember that it's vital to collect as many as possible! We will announce the group rankings for badge collection at the end of each month. Please note this is crucial for your victory: if your group is at the very bottom, you will be automatically eliminated from the competition.]
[That's all for today. Administrator Yabo is signing off.]
"What a drag—" I mumbled, already feeling the weight of the looming challenges. "I didn't think we'd be doing other things..."
"Yeah, we'll have to talk about this later with the other two," ate Clydelle replied, looking contemplative.