On the broader cosmic stage, they were just two names with decent rankings among the thousand finalists, hardly capable of even making a respectable splash.
Barton, at least, was briefly mentioned by a handful of veteran viewers, thanks to his fearsome reputation and his first-place finish in the division.
Meanwhile, Li Wen, who was ranked second in the division, was completely overshadowed by the dazzling brilliance of figures like Ling Xuzi, going entirely unnoticed.
Just as the clamor and fervent debate across the entire cosmos reached a crescendo.
The Alka Empire's contestants for the finals had been teleported en masse to a staging area in the core region of the Virtual Cosmos, a space that felt like an endless Star Sea.
The thousand elites chosen from the Alka Empire's division were now seated in neat rows on hovering chairs that gleamed with a metallic luster.
Solemnity, tension, anticipation, belligerence... A mixture of emotions silently filled the space.
