Competition and the Brass Fortress

"Boom!"

A pillar of fire shot into the sky, its flames raging and turning the player on the field to ashes.

The woman with Golden Vertical Pupils and long dragon horns waved her hand gently, and the flames vanished.

She turned around, bowed slightly, and greeted the audience.

The commentator's voice was passionate and enthusiastic. "Another exhilarating match, a crushing victory!"

"Let's congratulate Xia Ye Qiuyu Yu on winning this match!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the stands, and enthusiastic fans held up light sticks and waved them incessantly.

"Qiu Yu, my wife!"

"I love it so much!"

"Qiu Yu is amazing! Beautiful and cool! I'm totally in love!"

"She's my wife, of course she's outstanding."

"Xia Ye Qiuyu is your wife? I'll go first, let's wake this guy up."

"Damn it, she's clearly my wife!"

"Hello everyone, fellow viewers and contestants."

"Today is the third day of the Preliminary Round, and we can see that everyone's spirits are still very high. The contestants in this round are also extremely outstanding. They are..."

The commentators' voices echoed throughout the arena.

The Preliminary Round are in full swing, with most of the top players advancing with a perfect record, and many dark horses emerging from the crowd.

Many memorable moments emerged during this competition: the summoning of the "Undead Yu San Jia" to gang up on opponents in the Rainy Night City; Born Battle Maniac berserker slicing a max-level Paladin in half with his shield and all; and Charlotte's textbook-perfect magical counterattack. However, this competition had nearly 100,000 participants, and the 154 regions would compete for twelve days.

On average, each venue hosts fifty matches per day.

Those players who advanced early were naturally preparing for the knockout stage, and their information was being sold for exorbitant prices on the black market.

As a highly anticipated "professional player," Steamed Bun is worried about his weapon.

Having won all three matches, he has already advanced and no longer needs to worry about a spot in the knockout stage.

But in the second match yesterday, he was attacked by a Artificer player in a "suicide attack".

The enemy rushed towards him carrying a full load of Electromagnetic Bomb, almost causing him to crash on the spot. Fortunately, Noodles reacted quickly, turned around in mid-air, and escaped the blast radius with him.

Although he was unharmed, the relatively rare "Red Scale Standard Cavalry Spear" that had been with Steamed Bun for a long time was destroyed in the battle, causing him great distress.

So he specifically sought out a player from the Church of the Machine God, hoping to buy some equipment from them.

"You want to buy cold weapons?"

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man sounded surprised.

"Wouldn't it be better to buy a Semi-Automatic Rifle? I have M1 Garand Rifle Replica, and also Lightning Element Launcher."

"No, you don't understand the romance of charging with a lance!"

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man was somewhat disappointed, but he still said, "As for melee weapons, the ones produced by the Church of the Machine God are not of the highest quality."

"By the way, if you want to get your hands on some melee weapons, I recommend a place: Brass Fortress."

"The Fire Dwarf there forge the finest cold weapons, and have even produced artifacts of rare quality."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing the word "rare," the steamed Steamed Bun, whose box had never been used before, lit up with excitement.

Where is this Brass Fortress you're talking about?

"Fire Elemental Plane".

One day later.

Fire Elemental Plane, Brass Fortress, outside the Imperial Affairs Office.

"There are so many people."

Steamed Bun held his newly obtained Fire Elemental Plane Pass, looked around at the crowded people and the busy Fire Dwarf, and had a very happy expression on his face.

In the center of the city, the colossal statue of the Dwarf God stood tall and majestic, while the small, exquisitely crafted bronze huts echoed everywhere with the clanging of metal.

In the distance, there are rows of steaming factories, which look newly built and have an imperial style.

Is this the place where divine artifacts are forged? It matches his imagination perfectly.

"But these Fire Dwarf all look alike, like they were made from the same mold."

Steamed Bun saw a Blacksmith Shop ahead with a sign that read "Gino's Weapon Workshop".

Several exquisite pieces of equipment were displayed on the weapon rack, all of which were of "rare" quality, including his favorite spear.

"Let's go take a look here first."

Steamed Bun pushed open the door and walked into the Blacksmith Shop. A Fire Dwarf appeared in front of him, making his eyes widen and his jaw almost drop.

"Holy crap?"

"Anime/Manga?"

No wonder he was so surprised.

The Fire Dwarf in front of him did not fit his stereotypical image of a bearded, short, and stocky man at all; instead, he was quite cute.

He had a round face, big eyes, delicate features, and a slender figure. He wore a lace dress made of brass, with a brass bow at the back, and brass pigtails.

You call this Dwarf?

The legendary Bronze-Forged Fire Spirit?

This is clearly a bronze-cast loli! But soon, the loli Fire Dwarf emitted a rough voice completely inconsistent with her appearance, like flames crackling and burning:

"You are... Starfallers?"

Gino's expression immediately turned extremely angry.

But the angry expression on her pretty face revealed a different kind of embarrassment and annoyance.

Are you still wondering why I look like this?

Steamed Bun suppressed a laugh and nodded.

Gino roared, "Isn't this all your fault, you Starfallers!"

"There was a damned bastard who, to satisfy his filthy desires, switched the molds in the Fire Dwarf foundry and made me look like this! I don't have the strong bodies of the other Fire Dwarf, nor their handsome beards, and I've been ridiculed by Fire Dwarf since birth!"

"He also said I had the cutest appearance. That damn bastard, I want to smash his head flat with a hammer!"

"By Moradin, it is because of you Starfallers that I have become the thinnest and ugliest Fire Dwarf in nearly a hundred years!"

"Puff"

Steamed Bun couldn't help but laugh out loud.

What are you laughing at!

The sight of a little Dwarf with a rough voice is hard not to laugh at.

After venting her anger, Gino crossed her slender arms and said irritably, "Starfallers, what are you doing here again?"

Steamed Bun said, "My weapon is damaged, I need to forge a new lance."

Gino snorted coldly, his face darkening as he turned his head away, deliberately looking elsewhere. "Please find somewhere else. Starfallers are not welcome here, and I will not serve you."

Steamed Bun didn't feel discriminated against; he even felt like laughing.

What kind of Fire Dwarf version of a tsundere loli?

Great video footage.

It can both build weapons and make videos, which is the best of both worlds.

That anime guy from the Church of the Machine God is truly amazing; he actually replaced the mold and used the Fire Dwarf as a model for making figurines.

Thinking of this, Steamed Bun stopped smiling and said seriously, "Although we are both Starfallers, I am not him."

"It's unfair of you to take your anger out on me because of his mistake. Do you want others to know that ' Gino is a stingy Fire Dwarf '?"

Gino lowered his head and interlaced two fingers.

After a long silence, he said softly, "What you said seems to make some sense."

"Sorry"

Gino's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum.

Fire Dwarf are an honest and kind race. They follow the rules, rarely lie, and are often able to recognize their mistakes.

"That's right!"

"It's okay to make mistakes, as long as you have the courage to admit them and actively correct them."

"Steamed Bun" said with a smile.

He looked at the little Fire Dwarf, his tone becoming impassioned.

"Gino, since you were born this way and your appearance can't be changed, why not make your inner self better?"

"Life is never determined by appearance."

With a piercing gaze, Steamed Bun patted the little Fire Dwarf on the shoulder with a serious expression.

"Outer beauty or ugliness is not important; the goodness or evil of one's heart is what matters most! Since you look like this, you need to work even harder to change yourself!"

He raised his hand, pointed into the distance, and spoke with a firm and powerful tone.

"I believe that as long as you work hard and treat people kindly, you can become a great Fire Dwarf even without a strong body!"

"I, you."

"You, you're right!"

Gino clenched his little fists. This innocent Fire Dwarf, who had never been exposed to inspirational platitudes before, was clearly moved.

If he weren't Fire Elemental being who couldn't produce liquids, his eyes would probably be filled with tears.

"Mr. Steamed Bun, you are different from them. You are a good Starfallers."

"I'll forge you the best equipment right now! I want everyone to know that I, Gino, can also become a great Fire Dwarf!"

"OK!"

Steamed Bun smiled and nodded.

Great! Perfect!

He had both crafted weapons and gained new video material—it was incredibly satisfying! Suddenly, he noticed the Fire Dwarf loli tugging at his clothes, saying somewhat shyly, "I think what you said makes a lot of sense."

"Are you interested in getting to know my friends? They should be happy to build gear for you."

"Sure."

Steamed Bun turned around and was immediately dumbfounded. Several strangely-looking Fire Dwarf were walking towards him.

Some were shaped like mechanical cats, some looked like Korean plastic surgery faces, some were sculpted into Ultraman, and some were even Transformers.

The sheer variety of games made Steamed Bun think he had entered the wrong game.

Who on earth did this?!

That's outrageous!

And this guy has quite a variety of interests.

"They were all victims of that bastard Starfallers, and because of their appearance, they were unable to integrate into the Fire Dwarf society."

"Damn, that's a really wild approach!"

The Steamed Bun couldn't help but mutter to itself as it stretched out its hand.

"Etc--"

"Um?"

The little Fire Dwarf, who was about to forge equipment, turned around with a curious expression.

"Are you interested in developing new businesses, such as tours or paid photo opportunities for those Starfallers?"

A few days later, Steamed Bun appeared in the audience of the First District, dressed in brand-new equipment, his face beaming with pride.

Singo looked at his armor and the gleaming lance, a hint of surprise in his expression. "You robbed a bank?"

"What bank robbery? This was specially made for me by my friend!"

"What kind of friend is this? They can even create rare quality equipment? Although it doesn't have much magic attached, the base stats are very high."

Steamed Bun thought for a moment, then answered seriously, "Little girl, Doraemon, Korean-style plastic surgery face, Transformers, Hatsune Miku."

Singo: "."

Steamed Bun chuckled and said, "Don't worry about the details. Aren't we here to watch the game? There seems to be a match featuring War Maniac Bro today?"

Singo calmly said, "It's not just the Born Battle Maniac; several professional players are also playing their final Preliminary Round today, so it's a good opportunity to see their skill level."

Where is Sister Qiu Yu?

"She had so many fans in the audience that it turned into an autograph session. I turned around and sent her the video."

"Awesome."

Steamed Bun couldn't help but give a thumbs up.

Singo continued, "Unfortunately, it seems that those professional players haven't revealed their hand yet."

"There are too many people registering for the Preliminary Round, so it's rare for professional players to meet each other. Most of their battles are one-sided, and you can't really see much of the competition."

"Especially those professional mage players, like Charlotte, who keeps using Fireball, it's impossible to figure out her spellcasting."

Steamed Bun crossed his arms and said slowly, "Xin Gou, you're too cautious. I never care about my opponent's situation."

"We'll meet force with force and water with earth; our motto is 'fear no one!'"

Singo glanced at him and said coldly, "Don't come crying to the referee and regretting your actions when you get beaten to a pulp."

The referee's voice rang out.

"Number 12533, Born Battle Maniac."

"Glory belongs to the Born Battle Maniac!"

"Born Battle Maniac, I'll cut down everything!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the audience.

The Born Battle Maniac is a veteran class, well-known in various games, and also has its own fan base in "Erezege".

"War Maniac Bro is here!"

The Steamed Bun also looked excited.

He prefers watching others fight from the audience rather than performing on stage and getting chased and bombed.

"Number 23335, The Black Night Poem".

Upon hearing the name, the audience erupted once again, but this time not in cheers, but in a fit of rage.

The players who had been robbed were filled with righteous indignation and wished they could personally take to the field to punish Black Night Poem.

"Holy crap? Black bastard!"

"Okay, okay!"

"From now on, I'm a fan of War Maniac Bro!"

"War Maniac Bro, cut off that black beast's head, the one full of evil thoughts!"

Soon, under the referee's urging, the shirtless Born Battle Maniac and the black-robed Black Night Poem both entered the arena.

From the audience, Single said calmly, "This is getting interesting. I know about Black Night Poem. Although he's a beast, he's still quite powerful in certain areas."

The Steamed Bun was a little curious.

"So, does that mean War Maniac Bro is at risk of losing?"

"Of course not, just keep watching, you'll find out soon enough."

The referee's command echoed throughout the venue of the First District.

"The match begins!"

Black Night Poem is a level 8 Rogue player who chose the [Thief] branch.

In the previous two matches, he used the Fog Cloud, relying on his agility and skillful Nimble Hands hands, to outmaneuver his opponents and even steal all their equipment.

At this moment, the Black Night Poem gazes at the Born Battle Maniac in the distance.

"This guy is a bit tricky."

"But a pro like that must have a lot of good equipment."

"Never mind, let's stir up the water first, then fish in troubled waters!"

He threw a smoke grenade forward, filling the field with smoke and obscuring the view.

"That black beast deserves to die!"

"Damn it, I can't see anything at all!"

"Damn it, no wonder he's a black beast, he even interfered with the game!"

Suddenly, a roar came from the smoke.

"Aaaaaahhhhhh—"

A powerful shockwave spread outwards from the center of the Born Battle Maniac, dispersing all the smoke and shaking away the Black Night Poem that touched his body.

Black Night Poem looked down at his empty hands, his expression one of astonishment. "What?"

"He... he didn't bring any equipment!"

"He only has that axe!"

"It's alright, I have another way!"

Various smoke bombs, sonic bombs, Interference Arrow, poison bottles, and charm scrolls were pulled from the Black Night Poem's robes and thrown at the Born Battle Maniac.

The various insidious and ruthless side effects are enough to make one's scalp tingle.

However, he did not expect that as a high-level Fighter, the Born Battle Maniac possessed the "Selfless Rage" path characteristic, which made him almost immune to all control measures during berserk mode.

The enemy had nowhere to hide from his beast-like battle instincts! "Die!"

With bloodshot eyes, the Born Battle Maniac raised his battle axe, let out a ferocious battle roar, and slashed down with hatred.

"Boom!"

Blood splattered, soaking the black robe; the axe blow was so powerful that it cleaved the earth.

"The battle was exhilarating!"

An unprecedentedly enthusiastic cheer erupted from the audience, not only for the Born Battle Maniac, but also to celebrate the tragic death of someone.