The five cities of Lait, Gelie, Calais, Newton, Hesse all belong to the Kahn Province in the southwestern part of the province. They are economically interdependent, culturally similar, and closely related.
The live-fire exercise was a joint effort by five cities, and the commander-in-chief was Kaladona, the flamboyant middle-aged man in red.
Although this guy is unreliable, he is the strongest among the 22 instructors in the five cities. He is the only Tier Seven High-Rank Transcendent, Esper System with four awakenings, and Innovation School.
Upon entering the Sade Arena, a colossal goat demon head immediately comes into view, standing over three meters tall. Its two pairs of pupils, burning with black flames, are filled with Slaughter and bloodshed, instantly turning the atmosphere from bright to dark and oppressive.
"My goodness, is this the Demons of the Abyss? I've finally seen the real thing!" Burke's eyes lit up; he had almost no resistance to such a powerful Haki creature.
Moreover, this demon head is not a sculpture, but a specimen made from the severed head of a real Demons of the Abyss after its fall. There is also a detailed text description below. This demon's rank in life was astonishingly high, reaching the Tier Nine. Even after many years of death, the remaining demonic aura is still terrifying. He truly deserves to be called the public enemy of the Astral Realm.
The group walked through the hall and down the metal corridor. Their view gradually opened up, and bright, soft lights shone down from above. A slightly noisy murmur of conversation reached their ears.
Staff members in uniforms came and went, their faces bearing professional smiles.
The contestants, dressed in various combat suits, were active under the lights. They were all Transcendent individuals, and a significant portion of them were women. Almost all of them wore shorts and fighting vests, with exaggeratedly hot figures. Their heroic and dashing appearances were tinged with an indescribable charm, which greatly enhanced the atmosphere of the entire hall.
Large windows lined the towering walls, each topped with an oversized sign.
The registration area, rest area, medical room, changing rooms, and betting area are all clearly marked.
"You have thirty minutes to register, change clothes, and collect your weapons... Meet here promptly in thirty minutes for a basic assessment. Understand?"
"Clear!"
The group disbanded, Lancelot and his three companions lined up at the registration desk. Soon it was their turn.
"Name?"
Lancelot Terra!
"Age?"
"12 years old."
Upon hearing this, the staff member looked up and muttered, "Kids these days are so tall!"
"What code name would you like?" The staff member's tone softened slightly after learning Lancelot's age.
"Iron Fist!"
Lancelot just picked one randomly.
"Are you sure you don't want to change it again? Don't you young people all like cool and flashy nicknames?"
"This is it, no change!"
"Okay! Here's your game card. It can be directly linked to your communication account and bank account. If you want to make purchases in the arena, you'll need to use this card. You can also use a communicator, but you'll need to import the information yourself."
"Understood, thank you." Lancelot took Seka and left the registration window.
Before long, the three Burke had also finished registering and were sharing their nicknames with each other.
Cole's codename was ' Heavenly Radiance Star,' Rui's was ' Hermit,' both were quite conventional.
Burke didn't stand out this time, adopting the codename ' Barbarian King,' which... well, it's a little bit arrogant. Hopefully, he won't get beaten to death.
The Sade Arena offers standard weapons, but the range of weapons available varies depending on the class.
Lancelot chose a pair of metal gauntlets and a nanofiber combat suit.
After changing their clothes and grabbing their weapons, the group checked the time and, seeing that they had about ten minutes left, went to the gambling area at Burke's urging.
Above the window, a line of large characters gleamed brightly.
"A little gambling is harmless, but excessive gambling is harmful to your health. For your physical and mental well-being and family harmony, please gamble responsibly."
The Alliance does not prohibit gambling, but it has implemented many restrictive measures. These warning signs can be seen at every gambling establishment, just like the "Smoking is harmful to your health" warnings on cigarette packs.
You should earn every penny you deserve, but you also need to show proper care and consideration. You need to save face and maintain a good image.
"What's the maximum bet limit here?" Burke, clearly a veteran, asked with practiced ease.
"The cap for ordinary people is 1.5 million Crimson Notes, but for Arena members, the cap is doubled," the staff member explained enthusiastically. Putting everything else aside, their service was definitely the best among all the service windows.
"What betting platforms are available? Can newcomers open betting accounts?" Cole asked.
"Currently, the arena only offers betting odds for players with more than ten consecutive wins, as well as those participating in the Battle of Transcendence."
"Oh, I see!" Burke was a little disappointed. He had originally wanted to cooperate with Lancelot and take advantage of the latter's combat power to fleece the arena, but Sade, as expected of a well-known company, left no loopholes.
After understanding the specific rules, and with time almost up, the four headed to the previously agreed meeting point.
On the way, Burke instructed Lancelot, "Brother Lan, hold back a bit in the first ten games to create suspense. In the eleventh game, reveal some of your true strength, make a quick buck, and then..."
Lancelot listened and noticed that while Burke was careless in other matters, he seemed to have a knack for gambling, appearing exceptionally shrewd.
According to his plan, everything went smoothly, and Lancelot was expected to reap at least a million Crimson Notes.
"We'll do it your way! But I don't have any money." Lancelot shrugged, looking like a penniless pauper.
"Don't worry about that, money is not a problem. My dad gives me a few hundred in pocket money, which is more than enough!" Burke patted his chest confidently.
"Wow, so you're quite the big shot! My apologies!" Lancelot exclaimed, feigning shock.
"Not at all, not at all. Money is just an external thing. How can it compare to Brother Lan Lan's extraordinary talent? I'll still need Brother Lan's protection in the future." Burke rubbed his hands together, smiling obsequiously, a complete lackey.
The two put their arms around each other's shoulders and flattered each other, making Cole and Rui grimace.
Ha, tui.
Once assembled, the neat rows of people drew everyone's attention in the hall, sparking much discussion.
"These must be the elite candidates participating in the Joint Entrance Examination, right?"
"Definitely. They're all newbies who've never seen bloodshed before. Look at their eyes, so clueless, just like we were back then."
"Tsk tsk, I hope I can run into them and give these little cuties a good beating. Otherwise, once they grow up, there won't be a chance." A man in his thirties rubbed his hands together, eager to try his luck.
He was an F-level potential user, but he didn't have the courage to take the Innovators route. He was almost at the top at the Tier Two. He couldn't afford to mess with a fully grown C-level potential user, so he could only bully newbies.
His companion teased, "Then you'd better be careful. Don't run into a high-potential Ability Energy. If a flying dragon charges at you, you're just a lowly Tier Two- tier weakling; you'll still get beaten up easily!"
"Tch, I've always been lucky, it's impossible for me to encounter such a Rare event!" The man raised an eyebrow and said with a hint of misplaced confidence.
Sade Arena is a legitimate arena for Transcendent individuals, well-known within the Crimson Alliance, with numerous prestigious tournaments under its umbrella and a large portfolio of advertising agencies.
The arena where Lancelot and his group are currently located is just a branch.
To participate in Transcendent competitions, you need to be rated first.
Depending on the rating, participants can compete in different levels of competition, similar to how weight classes are used to differentiate levels in boxing.
Because there are significant differences even within the same life rank, the Sade Arena further divides them up.
A rank is divided into two sub-levels: 'lower middle' and 'upper middle'.
Tier One, lower-middle; Tier One, upper-middle; Tier Two, lower-middle... and so on!
The primary basis for the rating is physical attributes, and the secondary basis is Transcendent abilities. Lancelot was rated as lower-middle -Tier Two.
"Those who have completed their rating can now register for the competition. Just a reminder, the arena has no sensors; you must admit defeat yourself. Don't stubbornly refuse just to save face. Signing a waiver means you won't face criminal charges even if someone kills you; at most, you'll have to pay some money..."
Instructor Tarn suddenly became very talkative, saying a lot of things, and some of the training camp members listened attentively.
Some didn't take it seriously, while others hesitated, struggling with whether or not to quit.
In this complex atmosphere, Lancelot stepped through the metal door numbered 003 without hesitation.
Walking through the long, dimly lit corridor, the air gradually became somewhat stale, filled with the smells of sweat and a faint stench of blood.
A scene that was both strange and familiar came into view.
Colorful spotlights, cheering crowds in the stands, a spacious competition arena, virtual projections floating in mid-air, and a host standing on a platform holding a classic old-fashioned microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Sade Arena! I am your host for Ring 003 Mengduo. Now, let's give a warm round of applause and cheers to our two contestants for today's first match!"