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"Looks like all participants are here…" the young King of the Luminous Kingdom nodded with a smile, his youthful and handso face admiring the view. "There's a lot of people here, looks like gathering funds doing this was a success! All seats are taken."
"Indeed, what did I tell you? you complained the tickets were too expensive, but Players are rich, so it doesn't matter," laughed the Queen sitting by his side.
"Mama! Papa! When is the competition starting? Are they going to fight yet?" their little son was complaining, sitting on his own small throne between both rulers.
The King and the Queen sighed.
"Dear, I already told you that there is no fighting, this is a competition between craftsn!" said the Queen. "You will see them working hard to do their best and make the best equipnt with what we provide of them. It's a complete battle of skill and mastery over crafting!"
"Eh? What?!" little Gustav gasped, incapable of believing this. "No way! That's boring!"
"It's not boring, its very interesting," said the King. "It's all about what they can co out with. BY providing the sa even field, such as the sa materials for everyone, the sa blueprints and such, a craftsn can show their true potential and talents. You'll see. Despite giving them all the sa things, every single one of them will make sothing different."
"Huh…" the child was still bored. "Can I get popcorn?"
"Sure, I suppose," the Queen sighed. "Hey, you, bring the prince so popcorn, hurry."
A soldier quickly felt paralyzed the mont the Queen addressed him with her crimson eyes glaring at his very soul.
"Y-Yes!"
He ran off, and then quickly brought popcorn.
"Nom, thanks mama!"
The spoiled prince ate his fill, as the rulers watched the contestants. Aside from the Forgery Brothers, and Ambil's group, which included the famous Planta and her partner, Titan, there were several other groups.
The majority looked rather average, like just any blacksmith you'll find around, but amongst them, there were so old masters that looked like they could be more than just old n.
A dwarf with a red beard and long crimson hair, and fiery orange eyes, his Aura emanated the power of Fire Spirits.
A brownie woman with short blonde hair and sharp blue eyes, she seed different than the rest, her eyes, her expression, and the golden hamr she held, it brought their attention.
And then there was a tall draconic man, with red scales over his body, sharp claws, horns, and wings, with long black hair and golden eyes, he surveyed the other participants.
And lastly, soone who they couldn't identify, so sort of alchemist or magician, wearing a black cloak and whose hands were wearing black gloves, their appearance couldn't be seen, but their Aura seed strangely ominous.
"Is that black cloaked person safe?" the Queen wondered.
"Yes, they had already been checked by soldiers and even paladins, he's just a curse caster or sothing… I don't know how they managed to win, but apparently they are experts at making cursed items…" the King said.
"Interesting…" the Queen smiled.
As the people waited for things to begin, several soldiers quickly brought materials, blueprints, and everything else to every participant.
Once that was done, a referee walked into the arena, standing in the middle of all the participants, who were ready to start at any mont.
He was a tall young man, a human with short green hair, wearing sunglasses and a full black suit.
"Welco, ladies and gentlen to the first ever Craftsmanship Competition of the Luminous Kingdom! Sponsored by nobody else than their majesties, our King and Queen Luminous!"
He spoke using a microphone-like artifact, imbued with magic stones to unleash very loud sounds.
The people quickly beca excited as things were finally starting.
"It's finally starting!"
"Oh man, what's Planta going to make?"
"This is our perfect opportunity to see her secret techniques!"
"Yeah, her equipnt is way too good, we'll finally see her secrets!"
Many crafter and alchemist Players had showed up too, they were at least one third of all Players present. They started filming everything already, especially Planta.
They wanted to see what made her equipnt so special, and if they could copy her techniques and craft amazing things themselves too.
There were even so crafting and alchemist-only guilds present, and their guild masters were attentively looking at the arena.
Amongst them, the guild master of the greatest Blacksmith Guild, the Fiery Hamr Guild, a dwarf with black skin, long white hair and beard, and sharp golden eyes glanced at the scene. It was Jackinston, considered the best Blacksmith Player.
"Hmm, it's finally starting, I was getting bored of waiting…" the dwarf crossed his muscular arms. "Now, Planta. Show what makes you so special as to make my sales drop for a whole month…"
Not so far away from him there was a tall, beautiful blue-haired elf, with fair white skin and sharp purple eyes, glancing at the scene while readjusting her amplifying glasses. Her cunning smile revealed she was not a brute like the blacksmiths. She was the guild master of the greatest Alchemist Guild, the Golden Cauldron Guild, Teressa.
"It's finally beginning! Oh my, Planta is cuter than I imagined," the elf woman gasped. "Ahh~ I wonder what secrets she has! I bet she combines alchemy with smithing, isn't it~?"
The two guild masters noticed each other's presences as they talked with their guild mbers, making disgusted expressions the mont their eyes t.
"Ugh, who called this witch here?" Jackinston sighed.
"Witch?! And who even invited a barbarian like YOU here, old man?!" Teressa barked.
"Hah, I have no ti to talk with you…" Jackinston shrugged, ignoring her.
"Y-Youuu!" Teressa gritted her teeth. "You'll see! I'll surpass you on sales this month!"
Both were confident they could improve their own items once they finally understand what made Planta so special.
"Uwaah… So many people…" Planta looked around, feeling slightly nervous.
"Don't worry, we got this," Mark gave her a thumbs up.
"Yeah, don't worry about those folks, concentrate on the smithy!" Ambil nodded.
"Hahh… I'll do my best," nodded Planta, preparing herself.
"Now that all participants are ready, there's nothing else to wait! The contest shall now begin!"
The referee called, as all craftsn imdiately started working, the heat of their smithies quickly making the entire arena temperature rise.
"It has finally begun."
"Hm, I see."
"Let's watch for now."
"Interesting, how these humans do their things…"
A group of four cloaked figures stood hidden inside of the arena's passages, looking at the scene beneath shadows.
As the people cheered and the smithies flared with their flas and heated the arena, the craftsn imdiately started working.
The materials given and the blueprint was right in front of them. Elayne, Mark, and Ambil looked at the things.
"So the first thing we have to make is… A simple sword made of Bronze with a single Fire Spirit Stone?" wondered Ambil. "Pff, that's piss easy! What's with this competition?"
"It's easy because they leave the rest to the craftsn," Planta said. "They most likely want us to surprise them with our own ideas after all!"
"Interesting, then let's begin right away! Planta, Ambil, I'll support you with everything I have," Mark said.
And so it began.
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