Chapter : 363
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Chapter : 363
The referee spoke again. His voice boomed from hidden speakers inside the artificial trees.
"The Upper Council has meticulously hidden exactly thirteen magical rings inside this arena!" the referee announced. "The rings glow with a bright golden light! They are scattered across the forest, the river, and the ruins! You must find them!"
Sayma quickly pulled out her notebook. She pushed her glasses up. She started calculating instantly. "Thirteen rings. A one-square-kilometer area. That is a massive search grid. We need to split into search parties immediately."
"The rules are completely straightforward!" the referee continued loudly. "The match will last for exactly two hours! You may fight. You may steal. You may defend. But there is only one victory condition!"
The entire stadium leaned in to listen.
"Whichever unit physically holds the most rings when the final buzzer sounds will be awarded the glorious ten points!" the referee declared.
The crowd roared with approval. The rules were simple but incredibly brutal. It was a race against time. It was a race against the enemy.
Princess Iris drew her silver rapier. Her violet eyes scanned the dense forest ahead. She turned to her team. "You heard the referee. This is a game of speed and detection. We need to move fast. We cannot let Julian find those rings first."
"I call the ruins!" Laxmi cheered. She tossed a flame into the air. "I bet there are rings hidden under the rocks! I will blast them open!"
"No blasting," Sayma instructed politely. She tapped her pen on her notebook. "If you destroy the ruins, you might bury the rings entirely. We need to be precise. Zinia, you take the riverbank. Naomi and Elma, sweep the hedge maze. Ira and Luna, check the tree canopy."
Luna let out a massive yawn. She rubbed her eyes. "I have to climb a tree? That sounds very tiring. Can I just shake the tree until the ring falls out?"
"Statistically speaking, shaking a tree of this size requires more caloric energy than simply climbing the branches," Ira stated flatly. Her face showed zero emotion. "We will climb."
Ken slouched his shoulders. He looked at the giant digital clock hovering high above the arena. The red numbers read 2:00:00. It was a two-hour countdown.
Ken shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He let out the loudest, most miserable sigh of the entire morning.
"Two hours," Ken complained bitterly. He shook his head. "Two entire hours of running around in the bushes. Do you guys realize how much cardio that is? That is one hundred and twenty minutes of uninterrupted walking. My legs are going to fall off. I am going to collapse from absolute exhaustion."
Naomi walked over and gently nudged his arm. She smiled warmly. "Stop whining, slacker. It is just a scavenger hunt. You like finding things."
"I like finding snacks in the kitchen," Ken corrected her lazily. "I do not like finding rings in a fake jungle. Do they have golf carts we can rent? Or maybe a bicycle? I will gladly ride a bicycle."
"No bicycles," Naomi chuckled. "Just your own two feet. Get ready to run."
Ken pouted. He kicked a small clump of dirt. "This is totally unfair. I demand a recount."
On the other side of the biome, the 7th Unit prepared to move. Prince Julian drew a shiny golden sword. He sneered at the 13th Unit. He pointed his blade at the dense forest.
"Scatter!" Julian ordered his elite vanguard. "Find the rings! If you see any of those pathetic commoners, crush them! Take their rings! Do not show any mercy!"
Scott stood near Julian. The wealthy nobleman gripped his magical rapier. He did not care about the rings. He cared about his pride. He stared through the trees, trying to spot Ken. He wanted his duel. He wanted to prove his worth.
The tension in the arena skyrocketed. The crowd stomped their feet on the bleachers. The noise was like a continuous roll of thunder. The air felt thick and electric.
Princess Iris raised her sword. She looked at her chaotic, loyal family. She offered a brave, confident smile.
"Stay alert, everyone," Princess Iris commanded softly. "Julian will not play fair. Watch your backs. Find the rings."
Sayma closed her notebook. Laxmi grinned wildly. Zinia cracked her knuckles. Naomi spun her daggers. Elma stood tall and proud. Ira stared blankly ahead. Luna rubbed her sleepy eyes. Risa clutched her medical bag.
Ken just sighed again. He pulled his untucked shirt a little lower. He prepared himself for a very long, very exhausting walk through the fake woods.
"Ten seconds!" the referee shouted over the speakers.
The giant red clock began to tick down. 10... 9... 8...
"This is going to be spectacular, Bob!" Sarah yelled in the broadcast booth. "The strategy is completely open! Will they fight? Will they hide? It all comes down to speed and detection!"
"You are right, Sarah!" Bob cheered. "Two hours on the clock! Thirteen rings! Ten glorious points on the line! The ultimate scavenger hunt is about to begin!"
The clock hit 3... 2... 1...
Ken closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. He fully accepted his terrible fate. He was going to have to do cardio today. It was a complete tragedy.
The massive stadium buzzer sounded loudly. BZZZZZT!
The match was officially on. The hunt for the thirteen magical rings began.
---
The massive stadium buzzer sounded loudly. The match was officially on.
The large gates swung wide open. Princess Iris drew her silver rapier. She pointed the blade toward the dense trees.
"Move out!" Princess Iris commanded clearly. "Find those rings!"
The 13th Unit surged forward. They ran straight into the beautiful artificial botanical garden. The green grass felt soft under their boots. Towering hedges formed a massive maze. Giant stone fountains sprayed clear water into the air. Dense floral canopies blocked the bright stadium lights. It looked like a peaceful park. But the atmosphere was frantic.
Naomi dashed forward. Her green wind magic swirled around her boots. She moved with incredible speed. She ran toward the closest hedge maze. Laxmi ran right beside her. The fire user grinned wildly. Sayma pushed her glasses up and followed them.
Ken Eliot stayed at the very back of the group. He did not run. He jogged very slowly. He dragged his shoes on the grass. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He let out a loud, dramatic sigh.
"Why are we running?" Ken complained loudly. He stopped by a large oak tree. He leaned against the trunk. "The rings are objects. Objects do not have legs. They cannot run away. We should just walk at a normal, comfortable pace. Sprinting is very bad for my knees."
Naomi slowed down. She turned around and jogged back to him. She did not yell at him. She did not call him lazy. She just smiled a warm, friendly smile. She nudged his shoulder gently with her elbow.
"We have to run, Ken," Naomi explained kindly. She treated him like a fun, stubborn friend. "The 7th Unit is also looking for the rings. We need to beat them to the hiding spots. Come on. I will buy you a large soda after this."