Chapter 393: The Opening Ceremony (1/2)
Chapter 393: The Opening Ceremony
The hosts and sponsors of the games ensured that no violence occurred outside of the arenas. That didn’t mean they barred people from defending themselves. The short man had started things my slapping his shoulder and poking at him – that earned a response. Of course Lan Jue would not get in to trouble for that.
The surrounding Adepts didn’t dare trouble Lan Jue further. Some of them knew the short man, and knew that he was a seventh ranked Adept. Even still, he didn’t even have a chance to use his Discipline against the masked man. Eventualy he picked himself up off of the floor, and slinked away like a beaten dog.
The first day would have a staggering number of Adepts competing, so they had set aside a place designated as an Adept resting and waiting area. Once registration was complete, robotic assistants lead them to this waiting room and urged them to have a seat.
As they made they way through the corridors of the arena, Lan Jue couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The place reminded him quite a lot of the NEU’s training facilities, just much larger.
The octagonal sports arena was capable of holding over a hundred thousand people. The open air battlefield itself was the size of ten football fields, and had been separated in to several diamond-shaped fields. Each one was roughly fifty meters in diameter. Altogether there was a hundred of these small skirmish fields. It meant two hundred adepts could battle at a time. The stands were each equipped with a personal screen that let the view see the action up close. It was state-of-the-art, and despite the chocking throngs of people there was perfect order. Overhead, a cadre of mecha pilots hovered, keeping an eye on the situation below.
At the Western end of the field there was a raised dais different from the others. It stretched long, with seats enough for a hundred spectators. Clearly this was the VIP booth, as was evident by its perfect view of the arena.
After a little over an hour, all of the participating Adepts were registered. The ceaseless din of impatient people filled the waiting area. Lan Jue, however, stood with a firm dispassion for the goings on that swirled around him. A badge was pinned to his chest with the number 315.
“Hrrrmmmnn….” An electronic hum filled the air. The boisterous crowds were silenced as a blanket of darkness fell upon them – like the day had suddenly been extinguished.
Floodlights cracked as they switched on, sending beams of light piercing through the blackness in all directions. They swayed and rolled until settling on a single figure, suspended in air above the center of the arena.
He was dressed in black leather, and his physique could rival mountains. Tidal waves of oppressive force crashed against the awe inspired onlookers. It wasn’t focused, so the crushing asphyxiation they felt flow over them was thankfully temporary.
“Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, fans and contenders, to the Conclave’s Tournament Arena.” The man’s thunderous voice boomed across the fields and bleachers.
Naturally, all the Northerners recognized the celebrity immediately. This was their pride and joy, fourth strongest Paragon, the Terminator! Outsiders didn’t need too long to guess for themselves who he might be.
“I offer you all a feast for the eyes, available live here and at home. You young fighters here for glory, show us what you’re made of. Let the whole human race see how strong you truly are.”
His were were simple, a few sentences only. But he said them with a fierce vigor and a booming voice, and that was enough to get the competitor’s blood boiling.
The Terminator had not been exaggerating. Everything that was going to happen on these fields were streamed live to all corners of the human Alliances. The proceeds would be used to help acquire the lofty prizes organizers had promised.
The lights peeled away and plunged them all in to darkness, but just for a moment. The darkness fled before a radiant blue – though this was not the blue of the sky. This was a heavier blue, like the boundless depths of the ocean.
There was not a sound. Then, rolling in with the soothing color came a ululating cry. An enormous column of golden light sprang to life, stretching from the ground up to the distant heavens. Gradually, a sapphire-hued figure radiating cobalt blue light descended through the glimmering column.
The notes of this man’s song were strong and clear, and the familiar strains of Sounds of Nature filled their ears. The silence of the arena was shattered. A hundred thousand voices rang out with cheers, like thunderous waves that crested and rose again and again.
The same word reverberated over and over; Poseidon! Poseidon! Poseidon!
Hua Li’s face was a mask of bitter pain, like the face he’d shown at the loss of that little mermaid girl. The magnificent decorations from his earlier concert had been exquisite, but this time… this time he truly did look like the King of the Oceans.