"On this Daichi, disasters coming one after another is the norm; I was already aware of that."
Seeing her resolute expression, Justin couldn't help but be somewhat moved as well.
He slapped his cheeks hard, trying to pull himself together.
"You're right... It seems my cultivation is still far from sufficient."
He picked up the now-cold coffee and took a big gulp; the bitter taste made his features wrinkle.
His gaze fell again on the empty left sleeve, and he hesitated before speaking:
"Are you sure you don't need to order a custom-made bionic prosthetic limb? We do have the budget for that."
"No need."
Saria answered decisively, raising her left arm and sharply clenching her fingers.
A short, sharp explosion rang out, startling the surrounding customers who turned to look.
"My condition isn't as bad as you think; I can temporarily restore it with magic if necessary."
Saria released her grip and nodded apologetically to the customers.
"You should focus your energy on liaising with the Business Federation; that's the key to our trip."
"... As expected of you."
Justin looked on with admiration. No wonder he was ranked number one on Rhine Lab's internal list of the most reassuring partners...
"However, you don't need to personally oversee this meeting. You've finally escaped that mess in Columbia... how about you relax a bit?"
Seeing Saria's brow furrow slightly, Justin quickly added:
"Isn't there that new recruit? At least he can hold out for a while under your supervision; he should be fine for regular security tasks."
"As for you... spend some time with Researcher Silence to help him relax."
"As you know, her mental state hasn't been good since that incident..."
Saria paused, her words of rebuttal trailing off, and after a moment of silence, nodded slightly.
"... Contact me immediately if you encounter any problems."
"That's more like it!"
Justin breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
"You can go on vacation without worry. I'll handle things with the Business Federation."
Saria nodded, then, remembering something, asked:
Where is that newcomer now?
"Ah, this..." Justin's expression became a little subtle.
"Because I knew you were there, I let him get used to the environment..."
"Familiarize yourself with the environment?"
"Didn't the Business Federation prepare a VIP box for us? I let him go."
Justin explained, then muttered under his breath.
"Speaking of which, what was that newcomer's name again...?"
Meanwhile, inside the Knights' Arena.
The receptionist looked at the visitor with a slight frown as she checked the list in her hand.
The newcomer was tall and muscular, with slicked-back hair and a deliberately displayed "charming" smile.
"Excuse me... are you a visitor from Rhine Lab?"
The receptionist cautiously confirmed that the person in front of her... seemed quite different from the researchers she had imagined.
"Are you Mr. Fitzroy?"
Of course not.
The man smiled and opened his arms, showing off his physique.
Do I look like one of those powerless office workers?
The receptionist took a half step back, her professionalism allowing her to maintain a calm demeanor.
"I remember the head of the defense department who accompanied us was a woman..."
The man's smile froze, and he clicked his tongue in displeasure as he pulled out his employee badge and invitation from his suit pocket.
The receptionist took it with both hands, carefully checked it, and then bowed.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Jeston Williams, please come with me, the private room is ready."
Jeston took a slight breath, raised his head, straightened his collar, and left.
"Listen, perhaps the name 'Jeston' isn't well-known in Kazimierz yet, but I assure you, it's only temporary!"
"Soon, I will surpass that woman and become the true..."
"We've arrived at the room, Mr. Jeston."
The receptionist stopped, interrupting Jeston's impromptu speech at just the right moment.
Jeston glared at the receptionist, annoyed, but the receptionist simply looked away, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings.
He grunted, walked into the private room, and slammed the door shut.
"What's wrong, my friend?"
SilverAsh noticed Gregor stop and turned to look at him.
"Nothing."
The electronic voice responded calmly, and the two continued on their way.
Just as Gregor was pondering why someone would implant iron plates inside their body, SilverAsh stopped in his tracks.
We've arrived.
Pushing open the door to the private box, one is greeted by a luxurious yet stylish interior, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows facing the arena below.
"I hope you enjoyed today's program."
He took his seat with elegant SilverAsh hair, his gaze fixed on the frenzied scene below.
I'll wait and see.
As the two settled in, the giant screen above the arena suddenly lit up, and the dazzling light effects and rousing electronic music instantly ignited a roar from the entire arena.
A man with an exaggeratedly spiky hairstyle suddenly leaned close to the screen, his smile unrestrained:
"Dear viewers here! And to those watching on television! How are you all?!"
"I'm your old friend— Big Mouth Mob!!!"
"Whoa--!!!"
A deafening cheer erupted from the stands. Mob grinned, pointing to the constantly changing screen behind him:
"Mob has received your enthusiasm one hundred and twenty percent!"
"Now—let's skip the boring warm-up and get straight to the part everyone's most interested in!"
He took a deep breath, and in time with the sudden drumbeats and the flashing lights, he roared:
"Knight--"
The entire audience joined in:
"Sports!!!"
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh--!!!"
The roar almost lifted the dome, Mob opened his arms wide in the boiling cheers, embracing this sea of revelry:
"That's right! There are only three months left until the next Knights Tournament! So the question is—brave knights, do you have enough points?!"
He abruptly pulled his arm back and moved closer to the camera:
"Of course—that's not enough!!!"
"This is the Kazimierz Knights' Arena! Only true stars can stand here and step onto the glorious stage of the tournament!"
His voice was loud and highly persuasive.
"So, let's give a warm welcome to our two contestants!!!"
The spotlight cleaved through the darkness, and Mob's voice became as melodious as a poet's.
"First to appear is—the elegant messenger! His swordsmanship flows like endless waves, and his figure is as captivating as the tides!"
"The Wave Knight, Torres, renowned for his dazzling combat skills and large following of loyal followers!!!"
A knight dressed in blue and white armor decorated with wave patterns stepped out gracefully.
He gave an impeccable courtly bow to the audience, removed his helmet, and offered them a charming smile.
"Lord Torres --!!!"
The cheers from the female audience surged instantly, while the male audience responded with sour boos and jeers.
Mob made sure the cheers lasted just a few seconds:
"And his opponent—"
"Ranked among the top in the standings, one of the strongest contenders most likely to qualify for the tournament! -- Silverlight Knight, Nolan!!!"
The silver-clad knight walked out steadily, his armor adorned with few or no elaborate decorations.
Cheers erupted, but were clearly mixed with other emotions:
"Go for it! I'm betting everything I have on you this time!"
"Brother, is this your first time here? Don't you know he's the 'Almost a Knight'?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"That guy! Every time he accumulates enough points and is about to advance to the tournament qualifiers, he always loses!"
"Six years! I haven't been able to cross that threshold even once! Every time it's just 'almost'!"
"What?! Is it too late for me to get a refund now?!"
Inside the private room, SilverAsh gently swirled the wine in his glass, gazing at the two knights below with strikingly different styles:
On one side are meticulously packaged 'products' designed to attract a specific audience, and on the other side are 'unlucky souls' with solid capabilities who repeatedly miss crucial opportunities.
"The Business Federation's script... it seems we're destined to have a less than satisfying day."
Gregor's gaze fell on the Silverlight Knight.
Who do you think will win?
SilverAsh smiled:
"Judging solely from past records, Silverlight has a higher win rate, but this is a Knights' Arena run by Commercial Union..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already clear.
Below--
The Wave Knight launched the first attack, his slender rapier tracing a brilliant and swift blue path.
The Silverlight Knight lowered his center of gravity and moved slowly, yet he blocked every attack.
Inside the private room, Gregor watched silently.
He couldn't discern the skill level of the opponents below, but the difference in strength was already clear.
In his view, the Wave Knight's body temperature was rising steadily, while the Silverlight Knight remained almost unchanged.
[What kind of competition is this...?]
The battle below intensified, with many spectators urging the Silverlight Knight to fight back.
Amidst the clamor of the crowd, the Silverlight Knight raised his sword and with a single strike, repelled the Wave Knight.
The two engaged in a fierce battle of offense and defense, with the tide of battle steadily turning in favor of the Silverlight Knight, while SilverAsh sighed.
"It's over."
The Silverlight Knight's body trembled as if he were panting, but the Wave Knight shouted and sped up his movements.
The rapier pierced through the defenses and stabbed into the joint of the opponent's armor.
The Silverlight Knight shuddered and stumbled backward, and a chorus of groans erupted from the stands.
Let's go.
Gregor stood up first, SilverAsh reluctantly followed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't expect it to turn out like this."
"... A stunning comeback! The Wave Knight has proven with his actions that style and strength can go hand in hand!"
Cheers from the audience and the fading voices of the commentator came from behind, SilverAsh sighed.
"It's more like a commercial performance than a competition."
The door to another private room was pushed open forcefully, Jeston stepped out, his face clearly showing his annoyance.
He had apparently left early, and upon seeing the two of them, he quickly put on a social smile.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who can't stand this boring match?"
(Actually, it was the boss who made the contact.)
He initiated the conversation, his gaze lingering on the impeccably tailored SilverAsh attire.
SilverAsh quickly regained his composure and nodded slightly.
"Indeed, matches with predictable outcomes are difficult to engage with."
He gave a brief reply, while observing Gregor's reaction—
Seeing that the latter was just standing there silently, SilverAsh started a conversation with him.
Jeston glanced at the "TV head" next to him.
Could this guy be the one in charge?
He thought to himself, then smiled and tentatively asked:
"You two don't look like locals. Where are you from?"
"I am Jeston Williams, currently working for Rhine Lab in Columbia."
Gregor turned his head sharply.
[Rhine Lab?]