The temporary fortress of Black Sail is situated in the hilly tundra region, nestled in the midst of undulating mountain passes, though far less treacherous than the Kelor Highlands.
Holy Spirit Calendar, year 2690, July 20th.
There are four days left until the rendezvous at Silver Moon City with the Aran Army General from Crocodile Island.
Liszt had no plans to attend this banquet. Taking care of Crocodile Island too early seemed pointless. According to Fen, they should wait for Celeste to deliver the next infiltration update from Vadinia. If it looked promising, they could directly launch an attack, using Uborio as a sacrificial pawn first, and then Black Sail could follow up +18.
What surprised Liszt the most was.
Duguli brought good news, saying that Saleret had tracked down the Netherworld Envoy of the Thief Guild. He had already headed to the Imperial City.
There were less than two months of summer left. When the weather was at its best after the Stargazing Festival in mid-September, it would soon be autumn by late September or early October.
Of course, none of this mattered.
The annual Continent Martial Arts Competition... was reaching its peak.
The Major General Edmond, and Major General (Quasi General) Pyapan, whom they had previously met in Beima, were both monthly champions at the Imperial Arena. Their titles were significant due to the Aran Military Government’s poor selection mechanism, which only used such methods to draw in new blood. Otherwise, even with a merit system, it would result in nepotism, with victories going only to close associates rather than aligning with the Emperor’s aggressive expansion strategies.
The monthly tournament was an internal Aran affair, called the Koi Cup. Although highly valuable, it had some room for manipulation.
Each September, the grand Imperial Arena would host the WCG, where life and death were of no consequence. Rather than an anti-cheat system, it was more about the daredevils willing to participate, as many had a trick or two up their sleeves.
The Continent Martial Arts Competition attracted people from all over the world, the Southern Continent, the Far East, the Northern Realm, from far and wide, all seeking to gain a golden opportunity beneath the Emperor’s throne.
The Emperor sat motionless, the bustling world beneath him driven by ambition, with everyone striving to be his pawns and claws.
The significance of this event was terrifying, often called the World Martial Arts Tournament. It’s said that even if you knew Turtle Qigong, you wouldn’t necessarily stand a chance.
"I’m up, the opponent’s going Super 4, what’s there to say?"
The Western Continent had its own Spring Festival Gala, its own Super Bowl halftime show, with world-class top-tier celebrities performing, all of whom were of the same status as Qili. Thɪs chapter is updated by ɴovelfire.net
The adventurer’s guild press’s trending news would surely overshadow the Northern Bay People’s affairs, offering a spectacle of T0 macho life-and-death duels, gambling, and celebrity performances. Even if aliens invaded, they’d deal with it after September 9th.
Saleret made a shocking decision.
Having learned the Netherworld Envoy’s alias and true appearance for the Continent Martial Arts Competition, named Kai Deng, with demon hunter features of silver hair and golden eyes, she was already in the Imperial City.
Saleret’s actions weren’t due to his loyalty to Liszt; in truth, he wasn’t particularly fond of Liszt. At that moment, his sister was stuck in Heaven Port.
Working for Liszt was secondary; the primary issue was.
Saleret was once one of the fiercest members of the adventurer’s guild, famous in his youth, traversing the continent.
He didn’t expect the night in Aran to be so beautiful. Losing something so beautiful was truly regretful.
Saleret waited seven years for an opportunity to restore his reputation, not to prove himself, but to reclaim what he lost.
He participated in the Continent Martial Arts Competition and already secured a spot in the top thousand.
The finals in the Imperial City would officially begin on September 1st, where the thousand selected contestants would undergo an elimination round until the top sixteen emerged on September 8th.
The real highlight would be on September 9th, with singing and dancing performances, a Super Bowl halftime show, and the selection of the world’s strongest on the night of the Stargazing Festival under the year’s most beautiful night sky.
The difference in status between Kai Deng and the Emperor was vast. Only by reaching the top sixteen could they have the qualifications to communicate with that high figure.
Saleret simply needed to keep advancing until he encountered Kai Deng. Eventually, they’d meet.
Liszt wasn’t worried about Saleret betraying him, for he held Saleret’s sister as leverage.
However, he had a very bold idea.
If they could resolve the Mulong matter before September 9th, this enormous favor would be better given to Saleret than to some minor figure from Snake Kiss.
Of course, if Saleret turned his back on everyone, not caring about his sister’s life or death, Liszt would accept it, taking the loss graciously.
Conversely, if Saleret rose to power, it might be worth infiltrating Aran himself.
Still, he needed to ponder deeply and make a decision when the time came.
"Brother Sha, if you go to the Continent Martial Arts Competition, do you think you can win?"
Shadi, luxuriating under the thigh massage from Yakai Chiyoko and eating the fruit she offered, inquired of Morison.
Anyone who didn’t know might think he was the boss.
Liszt, walking back and forth in the command room over the past few days, pondered that Fen should have picked up Mika by now. Demon?
Under the unawareness of the situation, he seemed to have been mistaken for a subordinate of Da Gun. Had Haywood sent word back? Otherwise, he was more wronged than Dou E.
Morison was practicing with his nunchaku, performing flower tricks with a flourish. The current situation required more than junk to cope with; facing a formidable foe, he’d have to bring Maple Forest.
"By right, if it’s magic rune constructed armor, not affecting mobility and being weightless, you should win the championship with your skills."
Shadi thought Morison’s origins were mysterious and he often seemed to be just amusing himself.
"Hmm...with that, it’d be fifty-fifty against the Aran Sword King."
Morison casually boasted.
Liszt was shocked, unsure if Morison was bragging or what.
"Going fifty-fifty with the Sword King means certain death."
Morison swung his nunchaku and exploded a punchbag. More like ninety-one in favor. Should be.
Liszt was speechless. Morison, though having boarded only slightly earlier than Swan, was deeply assimilated, remaining somewhat abstract, with only Fen and Ox having high resistance.
"If I were to participate in the Continent Martial Arts Competition, I’d make quick work of everyone. Even a two-dimensional foil coming at me would be nothing."
Liszt spoke offhandedly.
The Emperor upheld martial prowess, and pardoning offenders who won their way to the finals was no big deal, granting amnesty for those crimes.
But his crime wasn’t that simple, requiring mediation by the Grand General and significant achievements to resolve it.
Nashano acknowledged, knowing its significance, not just the simple matter of the Radiant Knight, but the legendary tales of the darkest hundred years.
A pirate brought news that the outermost search chain had spotted army soldiers, but without any signs of attack, merely wandering.
Liszt understood that while the deadline was four days away, Crocodile Island wasn’t a masochist, using Duguli’s matter to threaten and pressure him.
Nonetheless, it didn’t matter much, hoping the wealthy patrons he met at the art exhibition would withstand the pressure from the Heavenly Eye Society.
What Liszt didn’t know was that dispatching Nishi, the trade representative known for her promiscuity, was one of his wisest decisions.
It was at that moment.
"Lao Da, General Fen and Teacher Mika have returned."
Liszt’s fists clenched tightly. Mika was already considered a teacher, and this was widely accepted within Black Sail.
"Let’s go, see the demon."
Liszt loosened his muscles.
Morison immediately perked up, "Seeing the demon will send everyone to Hell."