MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 254 No respite

the question and answer session continued as participants eagerly voiced their concerns and curiosities.

at the back of the room, anthony stood quietly, observing the scene with an air of indifference.

at one point, he even stifled a yawn, his disinterest all too evident.

to him, the entire discussion was pointless.

the rules were straightforward, anything could be done to their opponents.

why complicate such a simple premise with endless, unnecessary questions?

"since that is the last question, we shall proceed accordingly"

the overseer declared, his voice dripping with finality.

with a swift snap of his fingers, the air itself seemed to shudder.

space rippled, twisted, and in an instant, the champions found themselves no longer in the same place.

when they opened their eyes again, they were in a completely different realm, one far removed from their previous surroundings.

the atmosphere felt different, charged with an unfamiliar energy.

as the champions scanned their new environment, confusion spread among them.

the landscape appeared alien, yet there was something eerily familiar about it.

some wondered if they had left the planet entirely, while others struggled to determine if they were still on the same world, just in a different part of it.

above them, chairs floated high in the sky, each suspended in midair.

thousands of them stretched out as far as the eye could see, each one numbered in ascending order according to the remaining champions, one for each fighter left in the tournament.

"in case you are wondering"

the overseer's voice rang out, cutting through the silence.

"this is still the same planet. we've merely moved to a different location"

his words were a simple clarification, designed to clear away any lingering doubts in the champions' minds.

"first off"

the overseer continued, his voice echoing through the arena.

"you see those high rise seats?"

he gestured broadly to the floating chairs that spanned the vast sky, each one hanging in perfect alignment, their numbers clearly visible.

"you all are to pick whichever seat you desire and take your place. the number on the seat represents your number for the upcoming battle"

a subtle shift ran through the gathered champions as they took in the overseer's words.

their eyes narrowed, and whispers rippled through the air.

it was immediately clear that this wasn't just about seating, it was about pride.

the overseer grinned, knowing full well the implications of this seemingly innocuous directive.

the seats, though all equal in structure, had one defining difference: their height.

the higher the number on a seat, the lower it sat in the sky.

seat number 1, the highest, was the most coveted, while seat number 2 was just a step down, and so on.

this was no mere arrangement of seats.

but beneath the surface, lucian was deeply unsettled.

aaaninja's speed had shaken him.

he had no idea how aaaninja had moved so fast, he hadn't even seen him act.

'he truly is the author's emperor'

lucian thought with a furrowed brow.

'but regardless, i'll beat him here'

his gaze grew resolute as he turned to the overseer, waiting for the next phase of the game.

minutes passed, and soon enough, all the champions were seated.

the chaos slowly subsided, though the air still thrummed with tense energy.

every champion, regardless of seat, knew that this was merely the beginning.

"now that you are all seated, let me explain the final rule, as it pertains to the previous champion's inquiry"

the overseer's voice rang out, clear and unyielding.

as he spoke, a massive screen materialized before them, its surface shimmering with an ethereal glow.

it appeared to be crafted from some forgotten, ancient technology, the kind of which none of them had seen before.

"this device will randomly select your opponents each time"

the overseer continued, his tone firm.

"the moment you lose, you are out. no second chances"

'to display numbers, they resort to ancient tech? talk about going all out, or perhaps just showing off'

anthony mused inwardly.

yet, he wisely refrained from voicing his thoughts, knowing better than to provoke these ancient beings around him.

"the only respite you'll get"

he overseer added, a faint sorrow creeping into his voice.

"is between battles, when you can use potions to restore your health, stamina, and mana"

his tone briefly wavered, almost as though he resented the necessity of those potions, yet he knew he had no power to change the rule.

his gaze swept across the group, his words taking on an ominous weight.

"there will be no designated battlefield. the entire planet is your battlefield. you are free to fight anywhere, at any time"

a murmur of anticipation rippled through the group.

"however"

the overseer's eyes sharpened.

"there is no designated resting period. you only have the time between matches. after that, there is no reprieve. you are expected to remain ready, no exceptions"

he paused, his presence overwhelming the room, before delivering his final words.

"as i have said all that needs to be said, let the true starborn tournament begin. may the strongest prevail"

the instant the words left his lips, the ancient screen pulsed with a shimmering light, and a wave of energy surged through the air.

in that moment, a surge of emotions coursed through the hearts of every participant, some thrummed with excitement, others with fear, and a few with deep uncertainty, but all were united by the same intense anticipation.