[Book 1 Completed] Industrial Mage: Modernizing a Magical World [Kingdom Building LitRPG]-B3 | Chapter 46 – Second Event of the Tournament
General POV
When information about the second event was finally revealed three days after the first event's conclusion, the entire capital rattled with renewed excitement.
The second event was simple, and much like the first one, but slightly different.
Teams of five, randomly selected across all Instances, would hunt beasts for points in a singular shared Instance. The twist that sent betting houses into chaos, however, was that one member would carry all team points in the form of a bracelet.
If that member was captured or lost the bracelet, and by extension the points, the whole team would lose everything.
The public reaction was immediate and intense.
"Random teams? My entire betting strategy is ruined!"
"Caleb won Instance One, and now there's a chance he could get stuck with Instance Seven garbage!"
"Or Instance Seven could get carried by Caleb!"
To anyone who could think about it for a moment, the implications of this event were staggering.
Whole teams could be disqualified just because of a bad "point holder".
Strong individuals might get dragged down by weak teammates, weak individuals might ride stronger ones to victory. The betting houses scrambled to recalculate odds while arguments erupted in every house and tavern about which fighters would dominate regardless of teammates.
"Caleb from Instance One is winning no matter what team he gets," became the most common sentiment. "The man broke through to Rank 5 mid-battle. That's
destiny
."
The footage of his breakthrough had been replayed thousands of times, of course. One moment he was losing to Darius, backed into a corner with no escape, the next moment power exploded from him like a volcano erupting. The transformation was so dramatic that several experts claimed the recording crystals must have malfunctioned.
"Darius would've won Instance One without that breakthrough though."
"Doesn't matter. Caleb's Rank 5 now. Game over."
But Caleb wasn't the only sensation from the upper Instances. Darius was one such person, having lost the first position and settling for second because of Caleb. Tessia from Instance One was another such person, and she had demonstrated ice magic that left viewers speechless.
"She trapped twelve people simultaneously in ice coffins! Took their bracelets without even fighting!"
"Efficiency over brutality. Smart."
"My money's on her for sure."
Orren from Instance Two had his own following, particularly among those who understood archery.
"Three people pinned to walls with single shots each. From miles across! He didn't even injure them badly!"
"Range advantage in a beast hunt? Invaluable."
"He could protect the point-carrier from distance while others hunt."
The discussions grew more heated as more names entered the conversation. Nora from Instance Three had become famous for her absolute defense, for example.
"Seventeen direct Rank 4 attacks and she didn't even flinch!"
"Make her the point-carrier. Nobody could take her down."
"Tank strategy might actually work here."
Freya from Instance Four generated entirely different reactions.
"She nearly destroyed her entire Instance section!"
"Got warned twice about collateral damage!"
"Almost disqualified for excessive force!"
"That's the kind of power that wins tournaments though."
The Chronicles capitalized on the excitement by releasing detailed power rankings. Caleb, Darius, Tessia, Orren, Nora, and Freya topped the lists, but twenty other names from upper Instances were labeled as "dark horses"—fighters who hadn't shown their full potential yet to the public because they either just didn't want to be in the spotlight, or their performance was "just enough" and nothing extraordinary enough to be sensationalized by the news outlets.
Each name sparked new debate, and, obviously, new betting strategies, as well as new arguments about who would carry whom. The public appetite for information seemed endless. Recording crystals from the first event sold faster than vendors could copy them as people searched for any edge in predicting team dynamics.
The arguments continued day and night.
Noble families hired analysts to break down fighting styles and predict compatible teammates. After all, they had their sons or daughters competing, and moreso, they had bets with other families, for this was the one time they could have fun like this.
Even casual observers found themselves drawn into the speculation.
"What happens if all five Instance Seven people end up on the same team?"
"Instant elimination."
"Hundred thousand aurum says it happens to at least one team."
"You're on."
The Chronicles published three special editions in two days, each one selling out within hours. Their analysts provided detailed breakdowns of combat styles, theoretical team compositions, and strategic possibilities.
Every article generated more discussion, more argument, more excitement.
Which was the entire point, and the Chronicles was
dominating
the capital's entertainment side of things this month due to the tournament. Their sales had spiked and many people had been promoted.
"Instance Four has more raw power overall."
"Instance Two has better tactical diversity."
"Instance One has Caleb and Darius. Discussion over."
Simon watched the feeding frenzy with interest. The public was so focused on individual powerhouses that they missed the larger picture: this event was focused on teams, thus team dynamics would determine
everything
.
The strongest collection of individuals might implode under pressure while balanced teams of moderate fighters could excel through coordination.
Some people understood this, especially adventurers who knew all too well the consequences of having a bad team.
"Mark my words, personality conflicts will eliminate more teams than combat will," one such adventurer said.
"Nonsense. Power is power," another less experienced rookie snorted.
"Tell that to the legendary Red Fang party that disbanded because they couldn't agree on loot distribution."
The conversation inevitably circled back to the obvious favorites: Caleb's Rank 5 breakthrough dominated every discussion; Darius's near-victory earned respect even in defeat; Tessia's ice magic sparked debates about whether control beat power; Orren's archery drew appreciation from those who understood range advantages; Nora's defense prompted discussions about optimal point-carrier selection; Freya's destruction made people wonder if the Instance would survive her if she went all out, after all she was one of the strongest in the tournament after all.
"We haven't even mentioned Instance Five's formation master."
"Or Instance Six's summoner who had three beasts fighting for him."
"Small fry compared to the top six."
As discussions reached fever pitch, attention finally turned to the controversial topic everyone had been dancing around… Theodore Lockheart, Instance Seven's winner, the subject of the Chronicles' most ridiculous article to date.
"Can you imagine? Theodore winning the entire tournament?"
The tavern erupted in laughter.
"Simon must have been paid by the Lockheart family."
"Or he's gone completely insane chasing fame."
"The odds against Theodore are what, thousand to one?"
"Try ten thousand to one."
"Betting houses won't even take serious money on it."
The dismissal was universal and casual, based entirely on facts. Theodore was in Instance Seven, most of all, he was a Rank 2. And factually speaking, Rank 2s could
not
fight Rank 4s, let alone Rank 5s. Theodore had artifacts on him boosting his performance so that the royal family wouldn't be humiliated. Granted, no one would dare spout nonsense where the royal family could hear it, but here in the taverns? Drunk people feared none, so they talked about whomever they wanted.
Theodore had won it, sure, but that was like being the tallest dwarf or the fastest snail.
When real competition arrived, when he faced someone from the upper Instances, he'd be brutally defeated. Artifacts could only take you so far, after all.
"He didn't even fight Jason directly."
"Jason probably didn't want to fight him for political reasons. He already offended the Brennan family somehow, the details aren't really public even though there's a lot of speculation, so I doubt he wanted to have another family on his ass—the royal family no less."
"Poor Theodore, all this false attention. If he faces Caleb..."
"If they end up on the same team, Theodore better just carry the bags."
"At least he'd contribute something then."
Theodore winning Instance Seven meant nothing in the grand scheme. The real competitors were in the upper Instances, and everyone knew it. The Chronicles article suggesting otherwise was treated as comedy entertainment rather than anything serious.
"I almost bought that article for the laughs."
"I did buy it. Framed it on my wall actually"
"Simon's career is over when Theodore loses."
"Kid bet everything on an impossibility."
Meanwhile, in the most exclusive district of the capital, a very different discussion was taking place.
The true powers of the kingdom, of the
world
even, the old monsters who'd shaped the world through centuries of life… they had gathered for their traditional tournament gambling session.
Naturally, August Lockheart sat in his usual chair, radiating absolute calm confidence despite the topic of discussion. His old friends couldn't understand his composure and, currently, they were trying to egg him on to get him to react. Because they were all centuries old, cranky, and just needed excuses to go out for a swing.
August was no different, obviously, but it wasn't time nor the place.
Raven shook his head with pity. "August, your grandson won Instance Seven through luck. Accept it gracefully."
"The boy dominated Instance Seven," August corrected mildly.
Such childish games among people like these. What would people think if they ever saw this? Would they be stunned? August didn't know. Then again, petty rivalries and spouting nonsense
was
a hobby of his and these friends of his… so not like he was some angle here. He'd thoroughly mocked others' favorites already, and now it was time for them to pile up on him.
Seiren, an elf, laughed into her glass of… whatever it was. "Dominated garbage is still garbage. When he faces real competition..."
"He'll surprise you."
"August, you should let some of my elves participate sometime. Spice things up a little, it'll be so much fun."
"No thanks, Ren."
She looked at him and made a face. "You're serious about this? The Chronicles article was amusing, but surely you're not that delusional."
August's smile never wavered.
"I'll take any bet," August said.
The room erupted with eager voices. Everyone wanted a piece of this action. August Lockheart throwing away money? Too good to pass up.
Seiren slammed her glass down with glee. "When Theodore loses, you give me the Starfire Phoenix Feather from your vault!"
"And when he wins, you give me the Frost Dragon's Heart," August countered.
"Deal!" She couldn't believe her luck. That phoenix feather was
priceless
.
Raven jumped in immediately. "The Shadow Cloak against your Titanbone Spear!"
"Accepted."
Another one added his own terms. "The Voidcutter for your Storm Dragon's Scale!"
"Done."
They all thought they were robbing him blind. August accepted every wager with that same mild smile. Their faces when Theodore revealed what he'd been hiding and won would be more
priceless
than the things they were betting, all of which could shake the entire world if revealed.
The boy had been holding back so much it was almost painful to watch.
"You've all gone senile," laughed Yuzu the kitsune, who'd stayed quiet until now. "But fine, I want in too. When Theodore loses you give me the Sunfire Medallion."
"And when he wins, you give me one of your Tempest Boots," August replied.
"Ha! Easiest bet I've ever made."
The old monsters continued their wagering, each one certain they were taking advantage of August's delusion.
No one in the world knew of this gathering, but regardless, the second event would begin in three days, and everyone had their favorites picked, their bets placed, their arguments prepared.
Caleb would dominate with his Rank 5 power. Darius would prove his near-victory wasn't a fluke. Tessia would demonstrate that control beat brute force. Orren would show why range mattered. Nora would prove defense could win tournaments. Freya would destroy everything in her path.
And Theodore, to most people, would be lucky to survive the first hour, let alone compete for points. The Chronicles article suggesting otherwise was a joke. "Theodore Will Win It All" became a punchline, something people said when they wanted to indicate something impossible.
Simon published his morning article about team dynamics. He was waiting for the second event to start. Because hells, was he about to make a lot of money!
The second event couldn't come fast enough.
***
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B3 | Chapter 46 – Second Event of the Tournament
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