Hey guys, I would like to thank our new Patron, Jay
Thanks for the support man, you're awesome.
Anyways, here's your chapter for the day. Hope you'd enjoy this chapter as much as I did...
Oh, and a suggestion...
PLEASE READ CHAPTER 30 AGAIN BEFORE READING THIS CHAP!!!
Hehehe... That is to increase your reading pleasure.
xP
Enjoy.
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Chapter 31: Grand Dramatic Entrance
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The door with the red label [ARENA] at the top opened and an NPC arrived there holding a holo-panel in his hand.
He screamed, "The Three Musketeers!" and then he looked at the list on his panel and yelled a second time. "Night Locking Victory... you guys are up! You guys are fighting in the S-Ranked Betting Pool so if you have any disputes about your bets, you should clear it out now. You have 10 more minutes to back down before proceeding."
After saying the things he needed, the NPC casually gave the people in the room an uncaring glance and closed the door to the arena.
Thorn and Volt both wanted to laugh and die at the same time as they looked at the proud and chuckling Siva in their midst.
"...Seriously?"
"The Three Musketeers...?"
"Isn't that a great name for our team?" Siva proudly pointed up a finger. "There're three of us, we are wearing white masks, and we three will be using swords as well... just like the real three musketeers."
While the three were discussing their names, the other four groups in the waiting room all had been disturbed by the silly name of the enemy group.
They were not worried about the three musketeers but rather, of the Night Locking Victory.
"So those are members of the Nights..."
"They occupy the fifth and ninth gates of the city and their Guild's size is 6th to the biggest and strongest Guilds in the entirety of Warjillis."
"It hasn't even been that long since those three had come and signed up but they already got the news and are trying to hoard all the goods to themselves."
"Hmp. If they try to do anything that is not part of the treaty then this city will literally become a Battle City and we, the Big Bang Guild, will burn them to the ground."
The groups were divided into their own cliques and it was their own it remained clear that information was one of the most essential parts of survival in this city.
It hasn't been that long since Siva's group applied to the arena's matches and yet they were already in the list of [should be watched] people.
Siva remained seated and cross-armed while Thorn and Volt stood on both sides of him like guardians.
Each respective groups inside this waiting room was of their own Guild and of the four, two actually belong to the top 10 Guilds of the city.
6th strongest, the Nigh Locking Victory
5th strongest, Big Bang Guild
Although the other two groups belong to the other organizations of the city, they weren't as great and as big as these two organizations.
In fact, even though the Big Bang Guild is said to be stronger than the Night Locking Victory, it was only to the sheer number of their members and if including quality of its members than the numbers, then it was enough to say that the Night Locking Victory is a tad stronger than the Big Bang Guild.
For this simple matter alone, the Night Locking Guild had been beaming with smiles as they mockingly gazed at the Big Bang Guild members.
"Too bad, super nova shits," said the Victory's leader derisively, "It seems we'll be farming this one."
"Don't be too complacent, padlocks. There's still the next round."
"Heh. The first round is just a warm up. We'll be waiting for you then."
"See you around."
The two leaders of the Guild Squads glared at each other as the minutes passed by. Meanwhile, back to the bench where Siva sat, Volt and Thorn were actually gnashing their teeth in irritation.
"The hell with these guys?!"
"They don't even put us in their eyes!"
Siva was only grinning behind his mask as he separated himself from the room. He had focused himself on designing his second S-Class weapon and so he left all the decisions to the teamwork between his two trusted companions.
Volt and Thorn looked at each other and exchanged nods. They have decided.
Before the fight, they were reluctant because they were up against the Guilds of Warjillis. But to actually treat them like they were fodder and talk about them as if they were ants that can be crushed easily in front of them... it was an unforgivable crime.
The ten minutes felt longer than they can endure and when the door of the Arena opened with two burly Gonn Race players with large swords appearing, the first group to actually go wasn't the Night Locking Victory but rather the group comprised of three.
When the two led the group and left the still uncaring Siva who only manipulated his player panel and then programmed his next design, the Players that served as guards felt that this group of three was something like a comedy.
But when Volt and Thorn passed by them, they felt their hairs stood on end as a burning sense of pressure came from their every step.
The two guards looked at each other and the first one eyed the second to be the one to lead the three.
With reluctance, the second guard sighed and then went to lead the group of Siva.
When they left, the first guard looked at the confident looking Nigh Locking Victory and couldn't help but to speak out.
"You guys better watch out."
When the Guild members heard this, they couldn't help but laugh and so the guard only shook his head.
The Nigh Locking Victory party walked outside and the first guard led the way for them. These guys didn't hear his warning so it was their loss.
Siva and the two were now in the final prep area.
Volt and Thorn was shaking and was itching to fight while Siva remained unmoving, still designing his second S-Class gear.
"Aren't you going to fight, Siva?" Asked Volt, though he seemed to have spoken softly with Siva, it was still delivered in between gnashed teeth.
Thorn was no different when he spoke, "Give this round to us. Just continue with what you're doing."
Siva only gave them a light "Mn." Paired with a light nod, he continued to work.
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*****
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The arena was 150m wide and imagining the number of audience that surrounded this arena would easily reach to at least a million.
What more, adding that there were also special seats placed on special angles and the global viewing sphere that floated above the arena that's only visible to the audience, the number of spectators in the arena almost doubled in this day.
Rumours quickly spread about a special team in this arena today and so the excitement of seeing new faces had enticed the audience even more.
Outside in the arena, the spectators were burning with cheers as the announcer started with his intro.
[And so, after an intense duel, we now get into our main event. The Team vs Team fights of the day!!!]
The announcer had a way with the crowd as he floats there in the middle of the arena, keeping up with his job of enticing the crowd and keeping the heat alive.
After all, the Guild that operated this arena takes a great income with more bets there are. The more heated up the crowd is, the more they will bet a lot of their money on the fights they have arranged.
[Today's fights are comprised of a good line up first starting with contestants from the Night Locking Victory!]
Loud cheers exploded from one side of the arena as they all wore the trademark dark blue uniform of their guild, and boasting their numbers with the number of the attending supporters.
From one side of the arena, the nine members of the Night Locking Victory Guild from the waiting room all appeared waving their hands to the crowd.
In the global viewing screen above, the group had been given the honor of a close up view.
Of course, if there were cheers, there was also the loud booing of their rival guilds.
After giving them their time, the announcer then took a glance to his panel and then spoke with energy.
[Give it up... for the Big Bang Guild!]
Louder cheers erupted from another panel of the audience rack as the BBG members waved a giant golden flag with an exploding star as the background.
[And here we have the Nine Dragon Gates!]
Loud drum beats boomed like a war song as a good number of the audience suddenly changed clothes in a flash of light. Red, blue, and green... a waving of bright deep colors filled an entire place in the arena's audience racks close to the BBG.
"Dragoooooonnnn!!!" a loud voice came from that part of the audience as the thundering loud drum changed into a rolling rhythm. The voice of the cheer leader echoed in all directions as he called upon and summoned the unified voice of their supporters.
A drum beat ended up with the call's last note and a still silence came unknowingly to the crowd when...
"ROOOOOOAARRRR!!!"
The entire rack of supporters simultaneously shouted the word as a loud explosion of fireworks erupted into a shape of a Serpentine Dragon coiling in the sky, welcoming the arrival of the nine members of their Nine Dragon Gates.
Wearing red dragon armors, they all came falling in a grand formation from their side of the audience and just when they were about to fall on the ground, they simultaneously expanded their crimson wings that summoned a gust of wind blowing through the arena and even reaching the part of the opposite side of their audience rack.
From the opposite side of their racks, a particular group of people were also there and they glared at the nine members of the Nine Dragon Gates as if they were provoked.
The nine members of the NDG, especially the one in their middle a very handsome man, hovered there as if they were exalted knights of a prestigious order, looking down with disdain to the members of the first two guilds below.
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*****
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Siva and the two were watching everything from the viewer's panel in their final prep room and even the busy Siva couldn't help but glance up when he heard the loud explosion earlier.
"They're cool." He said and went back to work.
Volt whispered to Thorn, "Nine Dragon Gates. I heard they are the 4th strongest guild in Warjillis."
"If they are here..." Thorn frowned behind his mask.
"Yeah, they will also be here."
When Volt said those words, both of them blushed.
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*****
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In the Northern Pacific Ocean, aboard the Archangel, Fuma rushed through the brightly lit hallways towards the command bridge.
When he finally stood in front of the sliding door, as soon as the hissing sound of it came, he actually put his hand there and pulled the door open forcefully.
"Vice Captain!" he shouted.
The startled people of the command bridge included the refined and elegant Lady Eleanor, Samara, FlowerLord, Cassiopeia, Kathleen Brew, and the core members of the TOS Guild.
Loni, who was at the forefront of the bridge with the head pilot, frowned at him and almost kicked him in the face if she hadn't seen that Fuma didn't have that usual look of useless urgency in his countenance.
Instead, he quickly walked over to Loni and showed her something on his player panel.
And when he did, Loni's eyes widened and she faced him, exclaiming "When was this taken?!"
"It's live." Fuma said in earnest.
She ordered, "Quickly, display it on the main panel!"
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*****
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[Will our next team be able to topple that kind of grand entrance? Give your hands... to the Valkyries!]
When the name was called, without an exception, 99.9% of the male audience all stood on their seats and looked at a particular place in the crowd.
Unlike the explosive grand entrance of the NDG, the so called 'Valkyries' were more refined and... girly.
In but a moment after they were called, pink petals began to fall from the sky and fill every corner of the arena as a hymning music echoes softly from the sky.
Even the entire surroundings began to take a change as an eerily pinkish hue seeped through the visions of all that was present. And just as well, giggles came from the sky and nine maidens wearing pink-themed dresses were gently floating down afloat an Arc.
They were not in a grand formation or anything and instead were like in the middle of their usual fooling around when they were bothered to make their rare appearance in this world.
It was like seeing something out of a movie.
All of the nine members of the Valkyries were rare beauties that was unique in this world.
Even Thorn and Volt back in their prep room couldn't help but blush as they watch the fluttering skirts of the three maidens on the very furthest parts of their group.
Their descent took double the time the NDG took in their entrance and they landed softly right at the very part opposite of the racks of NDG supporters. The petals were then dismissed by the one in their midst and the gust of wind carried with it the alluring smell of perfume and the softness of a maiden's touch.
[Such a... lovely... entrance!]
The announcer skillfully dismissed the girly air that the Valkyries spread with an energetic approach to his wordings.
[Ooookay! If the NDG was explosive and the Valkyries are pinkish, then what about our next team...? Give it up for the Ebony Sanctuary!!!]
There were still the lingering pinkish air in the atmosphere and the smell of perfume in the wind when as soon as the name of their Guild was called, the sky abruptly turned dark and a heavy atmosphere of danger engulf the entire arena.
But the darkening of the sky only lasted for a moment as the light also came back after just a second. But in that second, the shape of a giant black bird is flying high in the sky as it spread its giant wings to cover the sky above the arena.
After a third second, the bird folded its wings and then dived down in the arena. It didn't stop its rapid descent and was intent on slamming itself in the arena. When it did, it exploded into a splashing sea of dark intangible something and then formed into a giant whirlpool of darkness.
Gradually, the whirlpool of darkness began to seethe and contract, becoming smaller and smaller until finally becoming a small inverted tornado of dark air that slowly revealed nine figures clad in black robes.
All of them were Magicians and all nine wore a mask that resembled an inverted crescent moon.
Seeing them, Loni and Siva's groups were alarmed as they were all familiar with that style of mask.
"The Masked Organization!" Loni hissed. "AG!"
Siva, however, was just silent and went back to work.
In the middle of the nine dark robed figures, their leader turned his head towards the entrance gate where the next team will be coming from.
[Great! And now, let's introduce our next team... one of the champions of our biannual tournaments! Give it up for the Crrrrrraaaazy... Aaaas... Pinooooyyyyy!!!]
When the name was called, four pillars of fire erupted from the center of the arena but not even a second passed, one of the fire pillars swayed and a man came out of the center of that pillar, puffing his ass that was literally on fire.
"Hot! Hot! Hot!"
"Blimey 'o! Deb's on fire!" shouted a second man's voice as a second and a third pillar swayed into a stop and went to help the running first man who's bum was on fire.
"Oh for crying out loud! Every freaking time!"
From the last fire that wasn't extinguished came an angry voice of a woman. The fire pillar swayed into a stop and a woman with long silky brown hair emerged in a flying notion to kick the first guy's bum who was caught on fire.
The kick literally extinguished the fire on his butt but it also rendered the man rolling on the stage four times before stopping.
Everything happened in a short ten seconds and the entire arena went into a complete silence before they all exploded into a loud cheering layered with intense laughter.
All of the built up excitement from the entrances of the ones who went before them vanished in that one instant and instead was replaced by laughter and joy.
The crowd was whistling, some were cheering, and there were others who were hitting each others' shoulders none stop for that hilarious display.
In fact, when the girl heard these laughing cheers, her face blushed beet red and she hid on the second man's grey coat because of extreme embarrassment.
"Oh my god! Every fucking time!" She exclaimed and dragged the man to their side of the arena where the third man dragged the first man named Deb.
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*****
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When Siva and the two saw this, they were stunned.
But Siva who was keen on details were smiling at the thing that had just happened, saying in complete confidence to himself, "They're good."
"They ruined everything." Said Thorn.
"Yeah. They're really good."
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*****
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Loni and the others were serious while Fuma then said in a serious tone, "It's not them yet but when they appear, we will know."
Loni looked at him and then pulled up a panel on her player window, looking at the picture that Fuma had shown a while ago.
It was a picture of a man.
"Are you sure it's him?" She asked.
Fuma faced her and then glanced at the panel and then nodded with seriousness. "Yes I am sure."
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*****
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Siva glanced at the clock and couldn't help but smile.
After that, an NPC appeared in their room through the door and asked them with an anxious face.
"Sir... are you really sure?"
Siva looked at his two companions and then confirmed with them with a nod.
"Yes." He said.
The NPC exited the room as if it was a funeral, with shoulders heavy with gloom.
Siva faced the screen and then made a grin under his mask but although it was hidden, the three of them all had burning eyes of competence as they were unified in their minds.
"If our opponents are having a battle of entrances, then perhaps it is not that bad to join in."
When Siva spoke, there was a hint of aggressive violence in those eyes. Every entrant in the arena had their own options to choose how they will be presented.
From the start till now, it became a tradition.
The grander the entrance, the better they are received by the spectators.
After the Crazy As Pinoy Guild's four members were called, there were spectacular entrances made by the next 8 other teams. All in all there will be 16 teams and with the 17th Team, the finals, being an optional battle with the Arena Master(s).
"Let's go." Siva said, temporarily halting his work and leading his two excited companions out to prepare their grand entrance.
"Heh. This is going to be awesome."
"If that cat is here, she's going to be ecstatic giggling with the same line as you."
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*****
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"Achoo!"
Loni glanced behind her.
"You okay?"
Kathleen wiped her nose, nodding with a hand.
"I'm okay. Shit happens –achoo!!"
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Next Episode: A King Descends
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(Teaser for this chapter)