Without lengthy introductions that might test the audience's patience, the competition delved directly into the main event after a brief opening speech.
"First up, the dazzling preliminary elimination round, where twelve contestants enter the arena, and the match concludes when only four remain, with the victors moving on to the next round," the announcer declared.
"After three rounds of eliminations, we'll have the advanced rounds with groups of six contestants each, where the top two from each round will advance."
"Once two rounds of advanced matches are finished, the remaining 64 contestants will receive the Commemorative Swords of Dawnstar Lake, and then we'll move on to the final part of the competition, which we'll keep a secret for the moment, to build anticipation."
"Enough talk, let's welcome the first round of contestants!"
The roar of hundreds of thousands of clapping hands echoed in the venue, followed shortly by the slow turning of the huge mechanical stage in the center as the clock chimed gradually.
At the twelve indices of the dial, twelve passages opened up, from which a contestant leaped forth, each holding a sword, dressed in various attire, and charging towards the central dial.
Feeling the slightly cool air and breeze at her side, Tilan blinked in surprise as she found herself arranged to compete in the first round, resulting in the loss of a chance to observe and learn first; fortunately, the rules were probably the same as usual, requiring contestants to pick targets, trying to eliminate opponents while ensuring they weren't attacked en masse.
In this kind of competition, attacks other than with a sword were prohibited, and there were also many restrictions on long-range strikes, to prevent boring exchanges of energy blasts. After all, it was meant to be a performance-oriented contest, seeking to showcase the beauty and splendor of swordplay under special conditions.
Her toes touched down on the copper dial, emitting a faint echo. Tilan stood on the spinning dial, being carried by its movement, while other contestants began to act in quick succession, some running on the dial, using its momentum for acceleration, the blades in their hands swinging, and their bodies spinning, flipping over in an almost heaven-and-earth-inverting posture.
Contestants at close quarters soon clashed, stepping between rotating gears at different heights, sword flashes crisscrossing with crisp striking sounds, then using the complex gear surroundings to block and dodge attacks, occasionally counterattacking suddenly to catch their opponent off guard.
Unlike typical fighting, the brass-coated sections of the clock's components, if merely stepped over or pressed on, would not trigger any effect, but if a sword blade slashed or stabbed them, it would peel off the brass surface, exposing the inner silver metal, which would then be recorded and penalized.
Defeating an opponent would score points, while being defeated or striking the stage's components would result in penalties. The victors were the six with the highest scores. If you defeated many opponents but damaged the arena extensively, you might face massive penalties and end up being eliminated, while one of those you defeated advanced.
In the beginning, many contestants were somewhat reserved, as quite a few were participating for the first time. However, they quickly adapted, as those attending this interstellar competition had neither weak swordsmanship nor insufficient strength.
Silver sword flashes continued to weave through the gaps in the gears and dial, and even though the multitude of sword shadows seemed overwhelming, each strike cleverly avoided the surrounding structures, eliciting gasps of astonishment.
The continuous silver sword shadows soon penetrated their opponent's defense, piercing through their shoulder. As the sword was withdrawn, it flipped, creating a larger wound and causing intense pain that made the victim pause, followed by a slight blood mark on the neck.
"Astonishing! Less than 2 minutes after the match began, Aikedeng from Luota Star Domain has defeated his first opponent, gaining 5 points," exclaimed the host.
"Such a seamless and splendid display of swordsmanship deserves a nickname right away, as he could become a new star of this competition!"
Under the host's excited voice, the atmosphere in the venue was gradually stirred up, and many in the stands began shouting out possible nicknames and handles.
"Excellent, with quick collection and tallying by the AI, the name commanding the highest call out now is 'Stormy Silver Wind'. So from this point on, we shall refer to this remarkable contestant as 'Stormy Silver Wind' Aikedeng, and we hope he makes it to the very end."
The external voices rose like a fire, yet inside the arena, Tilan felt a chill because the contestant dueling before her embodied a sword intent that was cold and clear.
The female contestant, dressed in Eastern style, wielded her sword with movements that were like the fine rain of Qing Ming, seemingly gentle and continuous but imbued with a subtle chill that could evoke awe.