Chapter 162: - The Competition Begins
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The crowd that gathered was abuzz with spection, each person trying to guess what the grand prize might be. It was said to have been prepared by thete King ndorr of the Dissidia Kingdom, thest Sloth Champion from the native Yunateans. His legend had been recounted countless times, and even now, many of Dissidia''s inhabitants still held his memory in reverence.
"Aren''t you curious what sort of prize could be prepared by someone who''s no longer with us, Broken? Khi khi khi..." Goldrich, seated next to Broken, joined the lively discussion about the grand prize.
Broken appeared to be lost in thought. Memories of King ndorr surfaced- a figure notorious for hisziness andck of preparation. Even the two S-rated quests King ndorr had given Broken came without any mention of rewards for theirpletion. Yet, despite the king''s infamous slothfulness, the rewards forpleting the trial domain had been tremendous. Perhaps ndorr''sziness was just part of his nature as the Sloth Champion, but ultimately, he could still be trusted to keep his promises. At least, that''s what Broken hoped.
"King ndorr is a legend. Maybe it''s some legendary-grade item?" he mused.
"Khi khi khi... sure, many would fight over something like that, but everyone knows crafting a legendary-grade item is no easy feat. Even a Master Rank cksmith can manage it only a handful of times." Goldrich nudged Broken yfully with his shoulder. "So, I hope you can work another miracle with your Master Rank cksmith ss, khi khi khi..."
Broken remained silent, his face betraying no emotion in response to Goldrich''sment.
Elincia, who had been listening to the exchange, chimed in, "So, are you certain that Broken is a Master Rank cksmith?"
"Whatever the case, I just wanted to see his reaction. Khi khi khi... He''s so cute when he''s trying to hide something," Goldrich said, still amused.
Broken then turned to Freya, "Freya, could I swap seats with you?"
Freya nced to Broken''s right, where Goldrich was waving cheerfully. "No, thanks," she replied coolly.
Princess Alora stood on the stage and continued her speech. "The fortunate individual who acquires the gift specially prepared by thete King ndorr will inherit a legacy so unique that it will only reveal itself to its rightful owner! This is a prize that cannot be forged or mistakenly given to anyone else."
The audience erupted in thunderous apuse once more.
Princess Alora went on, "With that said, I call upon all contestants toe down to the arena."
She then gracefully returned to her seat.
The massive arena at the center of the Colosseum had been meticulously prepared, with various workstations arranged for the different production sses participating in thepetition. Due to the sheer number of applicants, specific criteria had to be met for entry. These included demonstrating their Craftsmanship Rank and securing rmendations from key factions. Notably, The Ass Guild had provided a slot for Broken in the cksmithpetition and another for Toberry in the Alchemist contest.
Responding to Princess Alora''s announcement, hundreds of contestants with participation tokens began descending from the spectator seats. They represented a diverse range of production sses and quickly formed lines in the arena ording to their assigned numbers. It was evident that the majority of the participants were yers-a sight that was unheard of before yers began entering this world.
A host, dressed in regal attire and brimming with enthusiasm, took over the event to wee the crowd of participants.
"Wee, everyone!" Morbit, the host, boomed with excitement. "I understand this may be a bit of an adjustment for all of you yers who have your own unique culture and ways of interacting. As a representative of the native Yunateans, I will be your host for this event. Rest assured, I will strive to learn how to bettermunicate and engage with you all. And not to worry I won''t be alone on this stage."
From behind him emerged Max, an iconic yer known for her live-streaming channel of Immortal Legacy. She stepped onto the stage. "Good morning, everyone!" Max greeted the crowd, drawing cheers from the audience.
She shed them a wide grin before turning to Morbit and nodding confidently. "Alright Morbit, I''m so proud to be the host of this big event. And what do you think about the hype and everything? I want to hear more from your perspective as a native of Yunatea."
Princess Alora sat regally upon her golden throne, observing the grand event now being handled by the two enthusiastic hosts. Her gaze, however, swept across the contestants. True to her expectations, the person she had been searching for was indeed among them.
"He is the one Elincia brought..." she said to her knight, "There are a few matters I wish to discuss with him," her voice clear yet measured.
Lionell, the knight standing beside her, bowed his head respectfully. "Your Highness, shall I extend your regards to him?"
"No, not yet," Alora murmured thoughtfully. "I hope he performs well in this event. I owe him an apology since that day. But it''s surprising that he is also a cksmith; it seems I have yet to fully grasp his potential."
"But Your Highness, is it possible for someone skilled inbat to also excel in a production ss?" Lionell inquired.
"Nothing is impossible, especially for these yers who have capabilities that differ from ours. Thispetition will give us a chance to gauge the extent of his abilities. Beyond his spirit beast, his production ss, and his unique skills, I hope he can reveal even more." "Are you so certain about this man, Your Highness? Isn''t he just like any other yer?" Lionell persisted.
"I can''t say for sure yet... but I believe those questions will be answered in thispetition,"
she replied.
Morbit and Max stood in the center of the stage, their faces alight with anticipation. They were ready to outline the rules for that day''s match to the eager participants.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"For this initial round," Morbit began, his voice strong and confident, "everyone will have the opportunity to craft whatever they desire. You will have a maximum of 48 hours toplete your work, plus an additional 4 hours for breaks. So, in total, you have 52 hours. After all, you can''t stay in this world indefinitely, haha!"
He chuckled before continuing, "Some might think this gives an unfair advantage to the native Yunateans, but rest assured, everyone needs rest. So, make the most of your time." Max took over, her enthusiasm evident as she surveyed the gathered contestants. "Everyone should ensure they work as efficiently as possible; time is of the essence! We already have some impressive entrants, so don''t let yourselves fall behind."
Morbit fixed his gaze on the hopeful faces in the crowd and spoke once more. "Remember, the judges will determine who is worthy to proceed to the next round. From all of you who submit your work, only the top 5 from each category will advance. Keep in mind, you have only one chance to craft the item you want to present-so make sure it''s of excellent quality!"
Max added, "Yes, quality over quantity. An aplished crafter is not someone who relies on luck alone but someone who has trained extensively to hone their skill and talent to create something exceptional."
Morbit nodded approvingly. Looking at the eager faces, he concluded, "So, don''t be afraid to give it your all, and remember that you can always exceed your best."
The royal servants bustled with activity, setting up anvils, hammers, and tongs to be used by thepetitors. One corner was stocked with an array of raw materials-wood, iron, stone, y, and more—awaiting their transformation by masterful hands.
Max, brimming with energy, added, "I want to remind everyone once more—the quality of your result and the level of challenge you take on in your craft are crucial! Everything will be taken into consideration, so be sure to choose and decide wisely on what item you will work on in this short amount of time. Good luck to everyone."
Morbit followed swiftly, "The first round begins now!"
With that final deration, thepetitors gathered at their designated workstations. The air was thick with anticipation. As the royal bell rang out with a resounding chime, the grand event officiallymenced.
Who would win the grand prize? Many would strive for it, but only one would ultimately
im victory.