Chapter 197: The First Esports Tournament — Seventh Division (3)
Describing the reaction of everyone at the scene and watchers listening to Bellamende's words would have been impossible.
The stakes of The First International Tournament rose beyond what anyone had predicted.
People believed the game company wanted the first international tournament in the lowest division to attract everyone's eyes to nobodies. A part of it, being the experiment, hadn't convinced anyone.
It went without saying that low-level players were less attractive than those with higher levels, better skills, and more experience.
Bellamende's words shocked everyone, even those skeptical about the international tournament.
Jake glanced at his teammates.
They were shell-shocked.
Even Damien Twice silently stared at the screen. His eyes and lips widened. It was rare to see him like that.
'Guilds with respawn points near the high leveling grounds are swimming in cash… those are their most treasured money printing machines, meaning they protect them with everything they have. If we were to win the international teleport, we'd earn much more than them,' Jake thought.
His heart raced against his chest. He was getting so much more excited.
His entire life could change in this tournament.
He'd earn enough to invest in other fields and focus on his gaming career!
'I shouldn't think this far,' Jake told himself off. "We should think about the prize once we get into the international tournament. Focus on our current enemies. Let's smash them all."
It was surprising to see that Jake was the most clear-headed one.
Prince faintly smiled and nodded.
His sister and SWalker were next to wake up from the dream.
The rest of the team followed after.
-
"Ah, this is really bad!" Robert clutched his head as he heard the news.
Beside him, Mary oddly looked at him.
She asked, "We will be able to visit another continent! It'll be fun!"
Robert weakly smiled, "Mary… I love that part of yours."
Mary blushed as she stared at her boyfriend. Those magical words were enough to simmer down the beast within Mary that always took hold of her. She was so adorable Jake would have vomited upon seeing her.
Her parents were with them, looking at the couple with bright smiles. Jake's mother was in heaven as she observed her daughter, who was in great hands.
Edward crossed his arms and said, "The International Tournament Prize is too lucrative. You do not believe in your guild's newbies, Robert?"
Robert straightened his back and replied, "I do believe in them."
"Why are you worried, then?" Edward side-glanced at him and sneered, "It can't be Jake, right?"
"It's indeed Jake. I feel like we've lost such a good player because…" Robert whispered to his father-in-law, "…because we left recruiting him in Mary's hands."
"Haha!" Edward burst out laughing. "Frankly, I can't wait to see your guild smashed by him. I'm not even interested in cheering at your guild in this tournament!"
Edward's wife smashed her purse on his face. "How can you be so partial?!"
"I'll cheer for Mary and her guild in the First Division," Edward replied, unfazed by the blow.
He didn't expect Mary to pounce at him. She shook his collar and threatened to take back the words.
Edward remained like a stone, which impressed Robert.
Meanwhile, the importance of the International Tournament had finally settled in people's hearts.
It was impossible to cross to other continents because of the hazards in the oceans.
The lands were also shaped in such a way that there was even an additional ocean between Europe and Asia.
A player who would open a permanent path between two continents would be written in the annals of The Legend Enigma Online's history.
Bellamende, once she had sensed that the crowd had calmed down, raised her voice again.
She announced a new feature called The Spirit Observer.
"Anyone on Enheim can turn into a spirit and enter the special land on which players will face off against themselves in the battle royal game, The Heaven Island. Features such as streaming or camera are unavailable. Furthermore, a spirit form cannot get too close to the participants. We're looking into this feature and welcome any feedback regarding it."
Because of that, most the players who had logged out stormed back to the game world.
At last, Bellamende thanked everyone for listening to her.
She passed the torch to the main commentators. "I leave you to Mrs. Elise and Mr. Bobby."
Elise was a well-known commentator on the esports scene. She never bit her tongue while casting esports games and understood the community very well.
She and Bobby were known as the white and black chocolate caster duo in the scene because the latter was serious, calm, and often enough to stop Elise from saying too much.
"Thanks, Bella!" Elise said as she clenched the microphone with her hand. "There's no need for our introduction! All of you know me and Bobby! We've never been stars of any tournament, nor do we want all this fame! We want to see fights, blood, and a little fan service cus who the hell would mind a little peek here and here?!"
Bobby chimed in, "Parents, you silly woman. There's no need to worry about that, however. The Legend Enigma Online has strict censorship for those under eighteen in the game. The same applies to any streaming service and even The Spirit Observer! It's easily toggled off and on, so please ensure you have it on if you're watching with your little ones!"
Elise held her microphone like a singer and arched her head back. "I love how you cover my back, Bobby! It's time to let the dogs out, then! The first ones to show their faces are the participants from The Raven Guild!"
Bobby said, "Let's welcome welcome The Raven Guild with a round of applause!"
As the arena applauded, the first contestants left their waiting room and emerged on the scene.
The applauses hadn't stopped, and even a few exclamations were mixed.
The Raven Guild's team didn't even have a single man. It was a team of women, each beautiful and mesmerizing. Their equipment was as black as darkness.
Each woman had something of a raven on themselves. For instance, the tank's helmet had a raven's black wings on either side. The swordsman's face was covered with a long, black beak.
In the middle of the group stood a mage that Jake recognized.
It was Maria. On her little shoulder was perched a raven.
She walked in with her long staff like a walking stick.
Jake faintly smiled. He knew he'd face her as he'd talked with her before.
Elise whistled, "So dark! So dark that you could say their presence matters… the most!" She turned to the side and bobbed her eyebrows at Bobby.
He started at her with straight lips for a few seconds before helplessly sighing.
That was when a loud voice broke through the round of applause.
"Why the hell are those guys first?!" Mary asked.
Across the arena, another woman stood up. She pointed her finger at her, "Because my guild members performed much better than yours in the examination! Sit down and accept defeat, Mary June!"
She was Maria's older sister and the guild master of The Raven Guild, Nadia.
She was like a raven reincarnation. Her straight, long black hair and dark eyes reminded people why she named her guild that way.
Mary spat. Poor Robert took the hit. Karma was real.
She said, "That's bull! I thought you were after ravens but I see you got horns popping out of your big forehead! No way the team positions are based on the examination! You're trying to raise your ego higher than your forehead?!"
Veins popped on Nadia's head as her big forehead was her reverse scale.
As the argument between these two unfolded, Elise took matters into her hands.
She screamed, "It's so hot when two beauties argue, but don't ya dare take the fun away from the newbie participants and wait for your turn in the first division! It's newbies times! Let's usher more and more participants!"
One of those teams was naturally Mary's guild—The Untamed.
The Golden Lotus and The Heavy Spree also got representatives in The Seventh Division.
Finally, it was time to top out the introduction with the last team!
Elise howled, "And the last! It's one of the three teams that are not supported by any of the guilds in North America! The only guildless team in the Seventh Division! Casual Clowns!"
Bobby applauded, "The last round of applause! Let's welcome Casual Clowns—whoa…"
He wasn't the only one to react like that.
Jake walked in first.
On top of his new black equipment, he already wore his new Joker Mask. His smile was so accentuated that it looked like he cast a spell on everyone—the crowd felt a tinge of excitement as though the best underdogs had entered the scene!
The mask suited him so well that it was like a second skin. Damien Twice approved it so much that he requested Master Aaron to tinker with his helmet as well.
Therefore, Prince's helmet was similar to Joker's Mask. While Jake's smile was genuine and wide, Damien's was more crooked and stylish.
Because of these two, Shaw also requested his own mask. Master Aaron listened to his view and made him a half-mask that covered only his eyes. Two horns went behind him, crafted after the legends' dragons.
Two expensive earrings dangled at the ends of those horns.
Aaron told Shaw to bring him real dragon horns in the future so that he could complete the mask.
Shaw loved it so much.
Similarly, El Boss Queen had more excuses for requesting something like that. Her mask covered half her face and lacked a smile, revealing only a glare.
Sin received the other side of the mask.
It matched their countenances well.
Last Coin begged to get a mask like Jake or Prince as he wanted his entire face hidden. He couldn't bear so much attention and shame at once.
Master Aaron, for some reason, crafted him a devilish Joker Mask that went against what Last Coin wanted, except for it to cover his face. That was the only saving grace for him.
SWalker stood beside him.
He patted his shoulder.
SWalker's mask was like a calm, patient Joker waiting for his plan to bear fruit. Or rather, it was as though it waited for the awakening, as it lacked color and emotions.
It was a cold stare.
Casual Clowns took the spot and took in the sight of their enemies.
Elise screamed from the excitement, "So cool, damn, so cool, bro! The Heaven Island, Battle Royal, let's begin it right now! Let's see those masks broken, ravens caught, untamed tamed, heavy spree on killing spree or getting killed spree, and lotus blossoming or withering blood! Can't think of more! Instead! Let's goooooooooo!"
The crowd cheered.
The Seventh Division was more fun than it should have been!
[You have been teleported To The Heaven Island.]
Jake clenched his bow.
The time has come.