After a while, Eric also finished his meal, feeling satisfied and content. He leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath, savoring the flavors and the pleasant ambiance of the restaurant. He then got up from his seat and made his way to the counter to settle his bill.
The staff at the counter was friendly and efficient, and Eric was pleased with the service he received. He handed over his payment, noting the total cost of his meal.
As he turned to leave, he couldn't help but think back to his conversation with Athena and he wondered if he would run into her again. He took one last look around the restaurant before heading out.
"Where should I go next? Perhaps I should just wander around." He pondered.
Eric wandered aimlessly around the ship, unsure of where to go. As he was walking down a hallway, he overheard some conversation that pique his interest.
"I plan to head to the arena tonight," a stranger said. "I hear there are some young guys on board who plan to play at the arena later. They must be feeling pretty confident." "Wow, youth can be quite arrogant," the stranger continued. "But tonight should be an opportunity for us to earn some coins. Hahaha."
As the two strangers walked past Eric, he approached them and said, "Excuse me, brothers. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation about the arena. May I ask what is this arena?"
The two strangers were surprised that this young man was unaware of the arena but still explained it to him.
"The arena, you say? It is the main source of entertainment for every flying ship in the empire. It's a battleground for those who relish in the thrill of combat. The only way to be declared a winner is if your opponent surrenders. It's quite the spectacle if you're into that sort of thing." The stranger replied.
"And let me tell you, the arena also offers a ranking system based on your victories and strength, with levels like novice, master, and grandmaster," the other stranger added.
"If you manage to reach the grandmaster level, you're even offered the privilege of a monarch in the entire empire. That's why so many people are drawn to the arena, as it offers not just entertainment but also benefits."
Monarchs are individuals who hold powerful positions of governance in the empire, managing and leading their own cities. Being a monarch is a highly respected and coveted position, as it comes with many privileges. So if you managed to have a privilege of a monarch you will be able to have immense wealth and as well as be able to be respected throughout the kingdom.
"How does one go about improving their rank and becoming a grandmaster?" Eric asked.
"To become a novice, you need to achieve ten consecutive victories in the arena," the stranger replied. "To become a master, you need to have fifty consecutive victories, and to become a grandmaster, you need to win a hundred consecutive fights. However, you should be aware that the opponents you will face will be of similar age and skill level as you, and there are thousands of geniuses scattered throughout the empire who are also vying for the title of grandmaster. It's an extremely difficult feat to accomplish. As of now, only a small amount of individuals has been recorded to have achieved the rank of grandmaster."
"It's certainly a difficult task," Eric thought to himself. "But if I managed to win many fights, my name would be well-known among those geniuses and they would come after me, hunting me down to challenge me."
Eric suddenly felt a rush of excitement. "I should start with this arena and test my strength against other fighters and geniuses," he thought to himself.
Eric thanked the two strangers for their help in understanding more about the arena and for the direction they gave him. After a warm farewell from Eric, the strangers went on their way.
As the two strangers walked away, Eric decided to return to his cabin. "The fights are only scheduled to happen later in the evening," he thought to himself. "I'll head back to my room first and come back later."
Eric's initial plans to continue wandering around the ship were altered as he found the arena more captivating. He decided to return to his cabin and spend some time before going to the arena later in the evening.
At his cabin, Eric could be found lying on his bed, deep in thought. He had made a decision to test his strength for the first time tonight in the arena. He couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and curiosity, wondering how strong these geniuses were and if they would be able to provide him with an entertaining challenge. "Hehehe," he chuckled to himself, "I can't wait to see what tonight holds."
Eric spent the rest of the day in his cabin, resting and preparing himself for the night's competition in the arena. As evening approached, he made his way to the restaurant he had visited earlier, where he enjoyed an early dinner.
After finishing his dinner, Eric made his way to the arena, which was located at the center of the ship. The arena was a grand and imposing structure, with tall marble columns and a domed roof. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings depicting famous battles and victorious gladiators.
The entrance was flanked by two fierce-looking warriors, standing guard and giving an idea of the glory and valor of the arena.
The atmosphere was lively, with people from all around the ship gathering around, chatting excitedly about the upcoming matches.
Eric was impressed by the grandeur of the arena and couldn't help but wonder how they managed to fit such a large arena on the ship. He approached the guards standing at the entrance and asked, "Excuse me, how can I enter the arena?"
"You'll need to pay ten gold coins for entry," the guard replied. "Once inside, you can place bets on the matches or even register to participate in one yourself."
Eric paid the entrance fee and entered the arena. As he stepped inside, he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.
He was greatly shocked as he realized that the arena was not just inside the ship, but was in fact, located in a separate pocket dimension. "What?" he exclaimed to himself, "No wonder they can hold battles inside the ship. It turns out we're in a completely different dimension." This made Eric even more excited to see what the arena has to offer.
After being transported, Eric arrived in a hall, "following the end of the hall should be the way" Eric thought.
As Eric entered the arena, he was awestruck by the grandeur of the place. The battle arena was located underground, while the spectators were seated in a tiered arrangement on the upper level, much like a stadium.
The arena floor was made of polished marble, and the walls were adorned with intricate carvings and murals depicting famous battles and gladiatorial contests of the past. The seating area for the audience was spacious and comfortable, with excellent views of the action below.
The atmosphere was electric, with the excited chatter of the crowd and the sounds of cheers and applause filling the air.
Eric quickly found a vacant seat and sat down. He had decided that he did not want to register for a fight just yet, instead, he wanted to observe the fights that were happening first to get a sense of the competition.
The first match was about to begin, and the crowd was buzzing with excitement. Eric listened in on the chatter around him. "The young master of the Bai family should be the first match today," one person said. "He's an elite student of the Blueleaf Academy, and he already won his first match some time ago."
"I heard his first match was a total blowout, he one-shotted his first opponent," another person said. "I'm betting all my savings on the young master Bai."
"Do any of you know who the young master's opponent is today?" someone else asked.
"I believe it's said to be a student from another academy," one person answered.
"This young master Bai must be a student of my father's academy. I am eager to know who his opponent is," Eric muttered to himself.
As the two fighters arrived at the arena, Eric immediately scanned them with the system. "So, this young master Bai is about the same age as me, and he's a level 9 agility type warrior," he muttered.
He also scans the opponent, his name is Aiden Blaze "Interesting, this Aiden is a level 10 agility type warrior, the young master of the Bai Family should be in deep trouble, the combat awareness of this kid is also higher by one level than him." Eric muttered.
At the arena, as both fighters stood face to face, Lin Bai said, "Aiden, today I will show you my true power. I especially sought you out for this match, as I heard you were on this ship."
Aiden replied with a chuckle, "Hahaha, what an honor it is to be hunted down by the young master of the Bai family of Blueleaf City."
The crowd was shocked when they heard Aiden Blaze's name. Aiden Blaze had recently become famous for his nine consecutive victories in the arena and was only one victory away from earning the title of a novice.
"So Aiden Blaze is here! I heard he's the son of General Arthur Blaze of the Five Leaf Royal Kingdom," some of the crowd murmured, showing their recognition of Aiden Blaze's reputation and background.
This added more excitement to the match as not only Aiden Blaze is a rising star but also a son of a well-known general, which makes him a reputable warrior in the arena. The crowd couldn't help but wonder how the match would unfold and who will come out victorious.