January 28th, nine in the morning.
In the Grand Martial Arena in the western part of the Imperial Capital, a structure like a giant egg held aloft by thick round pillars, the opening ceremony of the Spring Martial Tournament was underway.
The Grand Martial Arena, large enough to hold thirty thousand spectators at once, was roaring with excitement. The audience's passion and cries pierced the sky, making even those outside the arena feel their blood boil.
Promotions for the Spring Martial Tournament could be seen everywhere throughout the Imperial Capital.
And anyone paying attention would notice that beneath many of the posters was the mark: "Sponsored by Elemental Cards."
At the opening ceremony, Ron held Nora's little hand as they sat alone in a small private box provided by the organizers, sipping pine needle tea and watching the event.
Every year, the Autumn Martial Tournament was divided into five regions: the Northern Frontier, Western Frontier, Southern Frontier, Eastern Frontier, and the area around the Imperial Capital.
Each region selected twenty individual-event contestants and five team-event squads.
Naturally, the competition was divided into two formats as well.
One was an individual event that tested only personal combat strength; the other was a 5v5 team event that tested teamwork.
Ron bit down on the grape Nora held to his lips, then leaned leisurely against the sofa in their box. He thought that if he had transmigrated here as an ordinary person, he would probably be standing down there among those teams right about now.
After all, struggling step by step out of some small place, then shining brilliantly in a major competition in the Imperial Capital and taking first place—that was the standard protagonist template.
There would probably be all sorts of tangled love and hate along the way—
An Orc girlfriend