Approaching the base of the Silver Tower, the area where a large number of metal buildings had once existed was now cleared away, forming a vast silver plaza.
The space above the plaza was divided into transparent domes of various sizes by the light of numerous rune formations, presumably the so-called "arenas" for dueling.
Around the plaza, gigantic white screens formed by projection magic displayed clear images of each "arena".
In the center of the plaza, floating directly above all the "arenas", were innumerable names condensed out of runes.
At the very top was the name—Clements, marked with the symbol of the Fifth Ring.
Below "Clements", Ronan found Lanni’s name at the sixth position, indicating the status of a Fourth Circle wizard.
Then, at the seventeenth position, he found Travis, Third Ring.
It wasn’t until nearly the bottom that Ronan found his own name, Zero-Ring, an ordinary member.
Due to having completed only one trial mission, his ranking was almost at the very bottom.
Ronan counted, there were a total of one thousand two hundred and twenty-three names in the sky, of those, ninety-seven were of the Second Circle and above, and twenty-eight were of the Third Ring and above.
Standing amidst the crowd, Ronan felt wrapped in a complex and vast invisible energy field.
This was the collective product of the spiritual fields and emotional fluctuations naturally emitted by all the Magic Ring Wizards in the field.
Tension, anticipation, excitement, exhilaration...
In such an energy field, even Ronan’s blood felt it was beginning to heat up slightly.
This was indeed a grand stage, and every Magic Ring Wizard had the chance to go up and showcase themselves; the spotlight could fall on anyone.
Ronan silently observed everything, his heartbeat and blood flow accelerating gradually, yet his spirit was absolutely calm, even as if it were sinking continuously.
He was in an indescribably delicate state.
Yet this subtle state was quickly shattered by a majestic spiritual force that Ronan had never felt before.
Ronan squinted, thinking he saw the sudden fall of the sun.
When his vision cleared, he saw that the so-called "Sun" was an old man with a white beard, wearing a Wizard Hat and a finely-made silver robe.
Could it be the Ring Master of the Seventh Magic Rings?
The arrival of the white-bearded Wizard silenced the bustling crowd in an instant. He scanned everyone with his spiritual power and then lightly waved the silver metal wand in his hand.
A giant silver-white bat, shining with a metallic luster, flew out from under his robe, and immediately, the silver bat began speaking human language, calling out one name after another.
For every name announced, one person from the perimeter’s group of wizards would quickly step forward, flying towards a certain "arena" in the air following the silver bat’s directions.
The selection for the duel had essentially begun.
Most of the names called by the silver bat were congregating at the lowest ranking section, and the names called first were for one side of the duel.
Just when all the "arenas" were nearly occupied, leaving only the central and most conspicuous one empty.
Ronan suddenly felt the silver bat responsible for naming the participants casting a seemingly meaningful glance in his direction, and then it uttered his name.
Ronan’s figure was suddenly projected onto a screen by the projection magic in the sky; Ronan was startled but soon calmed down, taking flight towards the last and also the largest and most visible "arena" in the center.
However, before he could approach the "arena", the silver bat once again began announcing the names of the opponents for the wizards on the ground, starting with his own.
The first name it uttered, which was Ronan’s opponent, was...
At the sound of this name, Ronan’s suspended figure abruptly came to a halt.
He looked around instinctively.
He did not know where in the crowd Travis currently was.
However, on all the projection screens surrounding the plaza, the same image flashed simultaneously—
A young man with pale skin, black hair, wearing black diamond earrings, and an aura of profound mystery, slowly rose from a large black metal chair.
He looked at Ronan calmly and indifferently, his figure and the black metal chair behind him merging into an expanding, thickening shadow.
Under the projection of all the magic screens.
It was as if countless shadows were simultaneously rising, spreading, and diffusing from all directions...
Finally merging into a vast and opaque black tidal wave, slowly creeping towards Ronan’s solitary and small figure in the center, ready to envelop and sweep over him...
Third update, I’m asking for your votes for the monthly ticket! Thank you~