"It begins today," Isbell said, standing alongside several staff members.
"I'm excited to see what this world has to offer," a voice came from the shadows behind her.
Isbell instantly dropped to her knees. "Broth—I mean, The Administrator. Yes, we have prepared everything for your arrival."
"Good. I expect nothing less than absolute obedience from all of you," the Administrator replied softly as he vanished.
...
The bustling crowd filled the streets of the city that afternoon. Lynx and Rey sat on a bench near the main crossroads, waiting for Lucia.
A full 30 minutes passed.
"How long is she going to take?" Rey complained, tapping his foot impatiently against the floor. "She wanna buy the whole clothing store or something?"
"I think there is a different reason behind it..." Lynx muttered, pointing at the crowd.
Lucia was walking toward them in the distance. She wore an elegant white tea gown, but what caught Lynx's attention was her speed. She was moving as slow as a turtle.
"It might get dark before she actually reaches us," Lynx said to Rey. Both of them grinned mischievously. "Let's just go without her."
"Is that so?"
Lucia's voice whispered from directly behind them. Dark aura and crackling lightning particles flickered around her shoulders.
"We—e meant like, grabbing food..." Rey stammered, frantically waving his hands. "Let's go get something to eat!"
Since Lucia was starving, she decided to forgive them.
...
They stopped at an old restaurant near the corner. It looked aged and run down, but they were too hungry to care.
Inside, an elderly woman greeted them with a pure, gentle smile that warmed their hearts. "Welcome, young ones. What would you three like to eat?"
"Give us whatever the best dish in the house is!" Rey said, lightly tapping his hands on the wooden table.
A few minutes later, the granny placed three large bowls in front of them. The special noodles glowed a rich golden color, topped with fresh eggs and freshly baked cookies on the side.
As they ate, Lynx and Rey noticed Lucia's legs shaking under her gown from her earlier high-speed sprint. Rey opened his mouth to point it out, but Lynx stopped him in pure horror, remembering what she had done to them before.
...
After finishing their meal, they rushed through the city streets as the tournament registration approached its final minutes.
They arrived at the massive registration hall situated right outside the grand battle arena and walked up to the front desk.
"Oh, you three are together?" Phoenix asked, recognizing them immediately.
"You know them?" Lucia asked, curious.
"Yeah," Phoenix chuckled. "I could never forget Rey because of his endless energy, or Lynx because of how strange he is."
She gestured toward the hallway, handing over a key. "Here are the keys to your personal waiting room."
...
Inside their waiting room, they found plush beds, fresh food platters, and everything they could possibly need.
"How rich are these NPCs?" Rey shouted, diving face-first onto one of the soft beds.
"Hey, both of you," Lynx said, his voice dropping into a serious tone.
Rey and Lucia turned to face him.
"Before we fight as an official team," Lynx continued, "tell me... what do you hope to achieve from this?"
"To venture wherever I can reach, make tons of friends, and enjoy life," Rey answered without hesitation. He sat up on the bed and glanced at Lucia.
"To go back to my home," Lucia said quietly, her eyes turning hollow as they dropped to the floor. "And find solutions to my problems on my own."
"Sounds solid!" Rey said quickly, trying to brush off the heavy mood. "So what about you, Lynx?"
"Revenge," Lynx replied instantly, his eyes burning with determination. "And to claim what is mine."
...
Before anyone could speak further, a powerful telepathic voice echoed directly inside their minds.
"The tournament's first match will begin shortly. Will Team Seven and Team Nine please make their way to the battlefield!"
The announcement repeated across the complex.
"I repeat, the tournament's first match will begin shortly. Will Team Seven and Team Nine please make their way to the battlefield!"
They walked through the dark tunnel and stepped out into the open arena.
A huge crowd roared around them from the stands. High above in the grand VIP section sat various elite figures wearing distinct attire, including martial artists, sword masters, magicians, cultivators, and several mysterious figures shrouded in cloaks.
Across the glowing stone field, Team Nine made their entrance. Their opponents consisted of two people: a large bald man wearing full knight armor, and a childish boy levitating around him.
As Lynx glanced toward the participant stands, a familiar voice caught his attention. His eyes widened.
He spotted Reilly and his old team sitting nearby. Because of Lynx's outfit, none of them recognized him.
Rey lightly tapped Lynx's shoulder. "The match is about to start. You can look around for shorties later."
"I wasn't looking for shorties!" Lynx snapped.
"Yeah, yeah," Rey chuckled.
"What is a shortie?" Lucia whispered, resting her hand on her chin.
A staff member raised a microphone in the center of the arena.
"Let the match begin!" the staff announced.