Chapter 828: For Your Entertainment
Asher’s eyes flickered open as he sensed the earth beneath his feet. His gaze shifted to the side as he swiftly made a headcount, counting just over six hundred students who had survived the first round.
The moment they all appeared, some immediately collapsed to the ground and fainted on the spot. Others dropped to their knees as they panted heavily, their bodies shaking from the various types of hardship they had endured. Others simply clutched their injuries tighter, their faces pale as they waited for anyone with any type of healing ability to come rushing forward.
But no one did. They were all left to stand there like animals in a zoo. And indeed, they were animals in a zoo. After all, these were the people who had survived the entire Qualifier Round.
Asher’s eyes shifted to the side to see Finch, Ryaen, William, Prince Vaelric, and Princess Vaelra.
He simply sighed in their direction and didn’t try to make contact. They were dirty, exhausted, and had heavy bags beneath their eyes, as though they hadn’t gotten much sleep throughout the four days. Their clothes were torn, their bodies carried countless visible signs of battle, and every movement they made seemed to demand effort. All in all, they looked like crap, and none of their usual noble grace and dignified demeanor remained.
As for Finch, the guy was looking noticeably better, as though he had participated in a completely different Inter-Empire Competition from the others. Despite being weaker, he was in far better shape, all thanks to his absurd luck.
The next moment, Asher felt the very air shake, the earth beneath his feet trembling as the live spectators immediately began to chant and scream at the top of their lungs.
ASHER!!!
ASHER!!!
FINCH!!!
FINCH!!!
ARIANNA!!!
"WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!" a man shouted as he waved a cardboard sign with Arianna’s name written across it.
"SHARE SOME OF YOUR LUCK, FINCH!!!" another man shouted as though, if it were possible, he would simply capture Finch and extract every ounce of luck the boy possessed.
People were frantic. They didn’t take their eyes off anyone. Even those who weren’t within the top fifty received a bit of recognition for their hard work. But all in all, Asher, Finch, and Arianna had practically stolen the entire spotlight; the others could only share whatever little attention remained.
Thomasinho and AlyxAtlas floated downward with their microphones in hand as they immediately resumed their commentary duties. The moment the live spectators saw them, the deafening noise and chants gradually died down.
"The hour we all feared has finally arrived," Thomasinho spoke, his tone noticeably lower this time.
"The four days of back-to-back peak battles, back-to-back displays of incredible abilities, back-to-back one-on-one clashes, four days of Aura Farming, four days of survival, four days of ecstasy, four days of pure dopamine... it has all come to an end," AlyxAtlas said.
Their words seemed to affect the crowd as everyone gathered finally understood that the Qualifier Round had truly come to an end.
"NOO!!! WE WANT MORE!!!"
"THE PEAK CAN’T END!!!"
"WE DEMAND MORE!!!"
Voices overlapped as tones and pitches of every conceivable level thundered into the air. How could they possibly go home like this? After witnessing entertainment of such an unbelievable level, they were simply expected to return to their ordinary lives? Never. They needed more. They wanted more adrenaline-pumping action, more breathtaking battles, and more impossible moments that would leave them speechless.
"No need to panic," Thomasinho began to speak. "The next round shall commence after a short while, and the peak shall resume after a few breaks, so keep your ears and eyes open when the time comes."
"But before any of that, shall we acknowledge the ones standing before us?" AlyxAtlas began. "Especially those ranked below the top fifty. Despite knowing they wouldn’t qualify, they pushed their bodies to their absolute limits. They starved themselves for your entertainment, endured sleepless nights for your entertainment, and survived harsh environmental conditions for your entertainment. I’m sure many of you also made money betting on them. The very least any of you can do is give them a round of applause," AlyxAtlas spoke into her microphone.
As the first round of the competition had concluded, there was no need for her to scream at the top of her lungs until the next round began.
At her words, the spectators immediately began to clap with bright smiles and genuine enthusiasm on their faces. None of them threw eggs at anyone. They weren’t that wicked. They understood and acknowledged every single drop of sweat, determination, and effort that every participant had poured into the competition.
"HOLD YOUR HEADS HIGH!!!"
"IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU DIDN’T QUALIFY!!!"
"WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR EFFORTS!!!"
People like William simply smiled at such words. They were exhausted, their Astra veins were running dry, and they practically had no Astra energy left within them. Yet the words of the people filled their hearts with warmth. After all, their hard work had finally been recognised. Even the Nobles and Merchants seated within the Luxury Viewing Boxes joined in, applauding with sincere expressions on their faces.
Although they didn’t receive a standing ovation like Thalric had, they still received the crowd’s appreciation, respect, and admiration.
And many of them didn’t know it, but their lives were about to change from this very moment onward. Sponsors would come pouring in from every corner of the Empire. Wealthy Merchants would move swiftly to secure these talented individuals for their sons and daughters. Nobles would likewise make their move, hoping to recruit them as personal Knights, trusted retainers, or elite bodyguards before someone else beat them to it.
Some of those influential figures possessed immense wealth and endless resources, but sadly lacked the talent required to make proper use of such blessings themselves. As such, investing in exceptional individuals had always been one of the greatest forms of investment they could ever make.
"And now, let us witness the final Ranking of the Qualifier Round. Let us see those who managed to sneak into the top fifty at the very last second," Thomasinho stated as his eyes turned toward the enormous screen before him.
With that, the name occupying the fiftieth position appeared on the screen. The instant it did, a brilliant spotlight descended upon the young girl’s head, making her smile brightly as she waved enthusiastically into the air. She was undoubtedly loving the attention. After all, who wouldn’t?
More and more students were called, spotlights descending upon each of them as their names appeared one after another across the massive screen. Every one of them smiled proudly as they basked in the glory of their hard-earned achievements. They had fought for it, bled for it, endured for it, and now, at long last, they had earned every single second of the recognition being showered upon them.
