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墨書 Inktalez
The territories of the Elven nations are not very large, but due to the numerous Elven kingdoms, their land area ranks second only to that of the Human race. Moreover, as a race inherently skilled in magic, the Elves possess military strength that is currently surpassed only by Humans and Dragons.
Chen Rui arrived at the capital of Salaman, Samanda, in a flash. As soon as he entered the realm, he could see patrolling soldiers and friendly residents smiling at him.
It seems that being a prominent figure in this kingdom still holds a lot of popularity, Chen Rui thought as he greeted them.
In no time, Chen Rui reached the Elder Council outside the palace. Just as he dismounted, someone grabbed him and rushed him toward the palace.
"Elder Chen! Something big has happened! Why did it take you so long to return?" An Elven bodyguard pulled Chen Rui into the palace, leading him directly to the main hall.
At that moment, Chen Rui noticed that the main hall had already split into two factions. The group standing to the left of the Elven King appeared particularly excited upon his arrival, as if they had finally found their backbone.
Reluctantly, Chen Rui walked up to the leader of the left faction under everyone's gaze and slowly bowed to the Elven King.
"You finally made it! I thought you might run away! Now what excuses do you have left?" A senior Elf standing at the head of the right faction sneered at Chen Rui's appearance.
Chen Rui glanced at him and immediately accessed his personal information; this was the head of the Elder Council and a leading figure of the War Faction.
With this understanding, it became clear that since Chen Rui stood opposite him, he must be the leader of the Peace Faction.
"I only know that something has gone wrong, but I am still unaware of what exactly happened. Could someone please clarify?" Chen Rui openly stated in the grand hall. "Otherwise, I won't be able to argue my case!"
Upon hearing this, many Elves from the right faction accused Chen Rui of arrogance. However, it was Elven King Zor who spoke up for him. "Everyone, while you criticize Elder Chen, could you please consider his status?"
Status does not equate to rank; Chen Rui's status is that of a High Elf—an ancient and mythical being with an exceptionally long lifespan. His father was an Elf who survived from mythological times but had vanished two hundred years ago without a trace.
With such noble lineage, Chen Rui's bloodline was superior to anyone present. Even King Zor should refer to Chen Rui as 'uncle' based on their generational hierarchy.
"There is no need for Your Majesty to explain on my behalf," Chen Rui smiled at Zor. From his earlier actions, it was clear that Zor leaned toward Chen Rui's faction and shared a unique relationship with him.
Zor smiled lightly and waved his hand, causing a letter made of magic to appear before Chen Rui. Chen Rui took it and frowned deeply.
The letter stated that the first human empire, Tang Kingdom, would soon hold the Lower Martial Arts Tournament in the capital, Yongan City, but this time no non-human races were invited to attend.
The Lower Martial Arts Tournament was a grand event established after the founding of the Tang Empire to select martial talents. The first tournament shocked the world as Tang Kingdom invited all races and nations to participate, sending envoys specifically to deliver the invitations.
However, due to the vast differences in combat strength among the races, starting from the second Lower Martial Arts Tournament, Tang Kingdom ceased inviting non-human races to compete and instead invited them to watch and enjoy.
This decision caused considerable discontent at the time, but due to the overwhelming power of the Tang Empire, other races and nations complied and attended.
A long period passed with ongoing friction between humans and other races. Yet, because of the might of the greatest empire, Tang Kingdom, no race or nation dared to openly confront them.
Now, with this Ninth Lower Martial Arts Tournament, there were no invitations at all for non-human races. This was nothing short of a blatant insult!
After reading it, Chen Rui sighed and bitterly asked, "I suppose there's also a letter from Dragon Court?"
Unlike the elves, dragons were few in number and had limited territory. However, they were renowned for their immense individual combat strength and high resistance to magic. The Dragon Court was the sole ruling body of all dragons, and its letters represented the will of their race.
"Indeed, you can't be fooled," Zor said with a self-deprecating smile. He gently waved his hand again, and another Magic Letter appeared before Chen Rui.
"To the Dark Night Elven King Zor, Dragon Court is ready and awaits your reply."
Chen Rui's handsome brows furrowed even tighter as he said displeasedly, "They are courting their own destruction! We absolutely cannot follow them into death!"
The Elder Council Head scoffed dismissively. "Elder Chen, are you confused? Do you still think Tang Kingdom is that superpower from a century ago? They have regressed! The current Tang Kingdom is merely strong on the outside but weak on the inside!"
"No! I disagree! The risks involved in this matter are too great with insufficient benefits. For the sake of that vain reputation, you want to lead our entire race into danger?"
Chen Rui waved his hand decisively, rejecting the plan.
"Then how do we resolve this matter? Are we just going to watch them humiliate us?" Elder Council Head pointed at the previous Magic Letter and asked, "If you can settle this issue, then we can temporarily sit back and observe."
Seeing the Elder Council Head's skeptical expression made Chen Rui want to laugh. He stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I volunteer to go to Eternal Peace and attend the Lower Martial Arts Tournament!"
"What!"
"Isn't that just asking for humiliation?"
"Going would be truly embarrassing; isn't that bowing down to humanity?"
"Hmph! How could we elves bow down to those inferior humans!"
Chen Rui continued calmly, "I will attend not in the name of the country but in my own name. This way, we can minimize our losses while also probing the true situation within the human camp."
Zor blinked, his eyes noticeably moist, and asked loudly, "Good! Is there anyone who can propose a better idea?"
"This..."
"Then it's settled. Time waits for no one; I will set off immediately." Chen Rui smiled at Zor and strode out of the main hall, leaving a group of stunned elves behind.
As soon as he stepped outside, his Bodyguard approached him. "Elder, are we leaving now?"
"Yes, prepare the horses!"
The Bodyguard asked in confusion, "Why not use a griffin? Even the fastest horse would take at least seven days to reach there without rest."
Chen Rui calculated the days and chuckled.
"Isn't that perfect? Just in time for the Martial Arts Tournament to start! Do you see ordinary humans riding griffins? Even regular elves can't ride them. We represent ourselves, so we should keep it low-key."
The Bodyguard complained with a whine, "Isn't it common for someone of your status to ride a griffin? If you were on a horse, I doubt many would dare to ride alongside you!"
"Haha, you can't blame me for that; I won't take the fall for it!"
Chen Rui was enjoying the conversation with the Bodyguard when he glanced at her information panel and was surprised to discover that she was a female elf. He then looked at her face in disbelief; she was stunningly beautiful.
"Of course, being this gorgeous means you're a girl... right?" Chen Rui couldn't help but chuckle wryly.
***
Yongan City:
In the Dream Game World, there are no levels; combat power is purely assessed based on proficiency. Therefore, a new player just entering the game doesn't differ much in strength from an experienced player who hasn't trained independently.
This is why the Martial Arts Tournament attracted many human players to participate, and of course, the previous theory was something they had come up with themselves.
In fact, those earlier players, whether they had trained intentionally or not, as long as they had gone on adventures and fought in dungeons, had reflexes, agility, explosive power, teamwork awareness, and team spirit that far surpassed new players.
These attributes aren't quantified specifically; the officials only provided a maximum value. So whether it's a donkey or a horse will only be known once they're on stage.
Moreover, since the Martial Arts Tournament is a team competition, each team can have up to eight ordinary human-level members. Regular professions take one slot, while special professions like mages or Rune Masters take up four slots each. This setup prevents an all-mage invincible scenario.
The Martial Arts Tournament takes place at Arena One in the Ministry of War. According to requirements, the Training Ground has been divided into eight combat zones and sixteen rest areas. Additionally, over a hundred observation towers have been built for spectators to enjoy the event.
The registration locations are set up by the Ministry of War in twenty spots across Yongan City. Teams must spar with eight ordinary Imperial Guards using wooden weapons on-site; only the victors may register.
This challenge has proven difficult for many so-called 'heroes.' Most of those who traveled from far and wide to compete for the championship are now preparing to head directly to the Viewing Platform.
Even teams that continuously engage in adventures find it quite challenging to spar with the Imperial Guards. After all, the Imperial Guards have undergone rigorous training, boasting combat abilities second only to the Heavy Cavalry and Light Cavalry, making them virtually unbeatable among infantry.
Of course, this refers to the human ranks!
There are some teams that breezed through this stage, and they all share a common trait: they have specialized professionals!
Although the inheritance rate for Rune Masters is only three percent, mastering a foreign language in such a short time is not something an ordinary person can achieve. However, as long as there is one skilled Rune Master or mage in the team, they are sure to pass the trial.
After all, this is no longer just about physical attacks!
Due to the rarity of Rune Masters with sufficient combat power, most teams consist of four ordinary professionals plus one specialized professional. The combination of Berserker, Rider, Archer, Assassin, and Agiian has become the most popular choice.
"Wow!" At the Third Registration Office, a cute Female Rune Master swiftly drew two symbols that knocked down the eight Imperial Guards in front of her. The reason for two symbols was that the first was a repulsion symbol; however, due to its overwhelming effect, the Female Rune Master had to draw a second buffering symbol to rescue those Imperial Guards who were sent flying.
"You passed! But you really need to hold back! Are you going solo? You should form a team; it's manageable at first, but it gets tougher later on. Don't think you can go invincible alone!" The chief registrar reprimanded the Female Rune Master.
The Female Rune Master appeared unfazed; she simply hoped for a spot closer to the arena for live broadcasting. As for how far she could get in the competition, she couldn't care less!
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