Chapter 46: The Integration Tournament
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Chapter 46: The Integration Tournament
Waves crashed in the Pacific Ocean. They always did; tall and short, thick and thin, close together and further apart. They traveled in groups of thousands, covering miles and miles of water before meeting another group and crashing together. Some wavesthe stubborn oneseven crossed entire oceans.
On this day, their journey was interrupted. The surface frothed. Steam rose from below in tremendous quantities, scaring all sorts of marine wildlife for a dozen miles. Something appeared at the bottom of the sea. It was large, and it began to rise.
Schools of fish darted away at top speed. Whales flapped their large tails to escape faster. Most managedand the ones that didnt found themselves pushed away by an invisible dome.
A titanic structure rose for miles through dark waters. Dark shapes appeared under the ocean, growing larger as time passed. The top of a white tower finally broke the surface; and, following it, an entire city rose from the depths, with squat buildings and tall ones, walls, shops, and even people watching in awe.
In its very center stood a massive arena larger than Romes colosseum and similar in shape. Next to it, a tall tower cut into the sky, made of white marble and reaching twice higher than the arena itself. The protective dome started from the top of this tower, and a gray-caped form stood on its highest balcony. She was a middle-aged woman whose every breath could crush F-Grades, but she was no human; her face was that of a lioness.
Finally she murmured, looking down at the city edges, where confused people were already appearing out of thin air.
The Integration City had appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
***
Teleportation was a disturbing experience.
Edgar felt his entire body wrap and distort as if pulled in every direction at once. His vision was assaulted by blinding lights of infinite colors, forcing him to close his eyes even as he stifled a scream. He thought he was torn apart.
Then, everything returned to normal. He opened his eyes to find a wide plaza covered in people as confused as he was, framed by white buildings with blue windows behind them. Even further back, he could see the towering walls of a colosseum, as well as a tall white tower that looked mystical against the clear blue sky.
Surprisingly, this place didnt look like as sci-fi as he expected. Advanced technology was undoubtedly a core part of everything, but it was subtle, lending itself to a city that looked more like a picturesque island resort than a high-tech arena.
Edgar even thought he heard the sound of crashing waves.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.
No, wait.
He turned around and found the sea only a dozen feet behind him. Waves splashed against a ten-foot-tall platform of white stonethe edges of the plazawhich stretched left and right to the ends of his vision and curved behind the buildings like the shore of an island.
The sea stretched unobstructed all the way to the horizon, where it merged with the cloudless afternoon sky. A salty sea breeze blew on Edgar, making his messy hair fly back. His eyes widened behind his glasses as he took in the sight. It was beautiful.
Where are we? he couldnt help but wonder.
The next moment, he was assaulted by the strongest sense of nausea hed ever experienced. He puked right then and there. Everyone did.
When he was done, Edgar looked to the side, where another man seemed to suffer from an even worse case of nausea. He was kneeling on the ground, heaving stomach acid on the pristine white stone. By his side, a little brown monkey was watching anxiously.
When the man finally raised his head, Edgar was shocked to find he was unrecognizable. His features were similar but distinctly different. Though his body shape remained the same, a host of minute differences threw Edgar completely off. It was difficult to put his finger on the change, but if he didnt know this was Jack, he would never recognize him.
With some quick thinking, Edgar quickly left the Bare Fist Brotherhood faction. Otherwise, any scan he received would lead to suspicion, and he risked giving Jacks identity away.
Seeing his big bro recover, Brock widened his little eyes and looked around like an awestruck baby. Jack croaked out a laugh.
Wow, Edgar whispered. You look
Handsome?
Different.
Jack felt his face, going through a dozen expressions before settling on worry. But still handsome? he asked.
As much as before.
Thats not a yes.
Not my fault. Edgar smiled. By the way, why is Brock here?
Jacks eyes widened in realization. He turned to the monkey, which stood there like a participant itself. Yeah, what the hell, he agreed. What are you doing here, Brock? Do you have a Dao Root?
That would open up a whole new world of complications. However, neither of them could feel the aura of Dao from Brock.
Maybe the System registered him as your pet? Edgar ventured a guess. I didnt know we had a plus one.
I dont think we do, said Jack, looking around. In any case, it doesnt matter much. Heh. Check this out. We did a number on their plaza. Serves them right.
Edgar found himself agreeing. The pristine white stones were now covered in tremendous quantities of filth, both from them and other people.
I can guide you through the city! a creature that looked like a desert version of Santa Claus shouted in its deep voice, and the entire crowd of aliens erupted into similar shouts as they fanned out. Instantly, the situation resembled an open-air bazaar, with every merchant shouting to be heard over the others.
Some even waded into the crowd of humans, aggressively approaching their prospective victims and trying to sell themselves as a guide.
Most people are first-timers, but Ive been around. A little blue person shrugged, approaching two sharp-eyed girls. Im just trying to make ends meet and help people while getting rich myself. Truth is, customers are everything here. How about I give you a discount?
Jack heard a spinning top-like person proclaim themselves as friends of the Planetary Overseer, whatever that was, and a wolfman whisperloudlythat the big, copper-skinned merchants werent to be trusted.
What the fuck? he said in response to the chaos.
Right! Edgar replied. Aliens shouldnt be like this. Wheres the advanced technology? The System-driven, light-speed, streamlined market?
Jack felt grumpy. I expected to be thrown into an arena, not a bazaar
He looked around. There were no fools here. Everyone was experienced and wouldnt fall for schemes, which might explain why these merchants were so forward. If anything, they knew their job, if the large number of successful transactions that Jack observed were anything to go by.
Adapt to the market, he muttered, chuckling.
After all, an aggressive guide had better chances of getting good deals, as all these people loudly proclaimed. The ones that waited at the back had knowing smiles on their faces, placing their preconstructed stalls before them to entice customers.
Anyone that agreed to have a guide quickly transferred a number of creditsthis price was actually whisperedand then instructed to wait somewhere while the merchant got more customers.
A wolfman approached Jack and Edgar, who were at the back of their group. Are you guys
We know someone, Jack cut him off, and the wolfman instantly drifted away to another human.
How do we find him, though? Edgar asked, cupping his chin, and Jack laughed. He took a deep breath. Then, his voice boomed out, covering the entire plaza.
ARKARVAHUL!
Everyone fell quiet for a moment, turning to look at him, but he took their stares in stride and smiled back.
A moment later, a blue person waded through the crowd to reach him. He resembled ArTazulas did all of them, to be honest. He barely reached Jacks chest, wore light, colorful garments, and carried what looked like a little shoebox but actually contained a wealth of merchandise. A turban was on his head, while his shoes were polished and pointy. He smelled like spices.
When he smiled, he seemed like the best person ever. His beard wiggled. Did you call? he asked.
Yes, Jack replied suspiciously. Were friends of your cousin.
Ah, Tazul, said the merchant, and Jack instantly smiled.
Hes ArTazul, not AhTazul, Edgar pointed out, drawing Jacks empty stare and Karvahuls seemingly earnest laughter.
You humans are always spicy, he said, shaking his head. Its a pleasure to meet you both. We can leave this noisy place now, if you want.
Already? Wont you gather more people? Jack asked.
Thats for new customers. I know you guyswell, my cousin does, but he said I should take care of you. Could I get your names, by the way?
Mhm. Jack smiled, then spouted out the first name that came to mind. He was incognito, after all. Im John.
Im Edgar, said Edgar.
And this is Brock, Jack completed, pointing at the monkey that was tilting its head at Karvahul, wondering if he was the same person as Kazul.
The pleasures all mine. The little blue person gave a curt bow. Im ArKarvahul, a Djinn from planet Bing. For only five hundred creditsincluding a friendly discountIll show you everything the Integration City has to offer. Shall we?
Jack and Edgar looked at each other, then shrugged. The price sounded fair.
Where are we going first, Karvahul?
Well, theres no rush. Dont mind the chaos around here; its only business. The market can wait, as can the arenaand the restaurants, of course. I was thinking of showing you your lodgings first. Im sure theyll absorb you for the entire night.
Oh? You already know the best hotel?
Karvahul laughed. Only the audience lives in hotels. Participant lodgings are predetermined.
Edgars eyes shone. Are they free, too?
Of course! Karvahul smiled widely. Everyone loves tournament participants.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 46: The Integration Tournament
Waves crashed in the Pacific Ocean. They always did; tall and short, thick and thin, close together and further apart. They traveled in groups of thousands, covering miles and miles of water before meeting another group and crashing together. Some wavesthe stubborn oneseven crossed entire oceans.
On this day, their journey was interrupted. The surface frothed. Steam rose from below in tremendous quantities, scaring all sorts of marine wildlife for a dozen miles. Something appeared at the bottom of the sea. It was large, and it began to rise.
Schools of fish darted away at top speed. Whales flapped their large tails to escape faster. Most managedand the ones that didnt found themselves pushed away by an invisible dome.
A titanic structure rose for miles through dark waters. Dark shapes appeared under the ocean, growing larger as time passed. The top of a white tower finally broke the surface; and, following it, an entire city rose from the depths, with squat buildings and tall ones, walls, shops, and even people watching in awe.
In its very center stood a massive arena larger than Romes colosseum and similar in shape. Next to it, a tall tower cut into the sky, made of white marble and reaching twice higher than the arena itself. The protective dome started from the top of this tower, and a gray-caped form stood on its highest balcony. She was a middle-aged woman whose every breath could crush F-Grades, but she was no human; her face was that of a lioness.
Finally she murmured, looking down at the city edges, where confused people were already appearing out of thin air.
The Integration City had appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
***
Teleportation was a disturbing experience.
Edgar felt his entire body wrap and distort as if pulled in every direction at once. His vision was assaulted by blinding lights of infinite colors, forcing him to close his eyes even as he stifled a scream. He thought he was torn apart.
Then, everything returned to normal. He opened his eyes to find a wide plaza covered in people as confused as he was, framed by white buildings with blue windows behind them. Even further back, he could see the towering walls of a colosseum, as well as a tall white tower that looked mystical against the clear blue sky.
Surprisingly, this place didnt look like as sci-fi as he expected. Advanced technology was undoubtedly a core part of everything, but it was subtle, lending itself to a city that looked more like a picturesque island resort than a high-tech arena.
Edgar even thought he heard the sound of crashing waves.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.
No, wait.
He turned around and found the sea only a dozen feet behind him. Waves splashed against a ten-foot-tall platform of white stonethe edges of the plazawhich stretched left and right to the ends of his vision and curved behind the buildings like the shore of an island.
The sea stretched unobstructed all the way to the horizon, where it merged with the cloudless afternoon sky. A salty sea breeze blew on Edgar, making his messy hair fly back. His eyes widened behind his glasses as he took in the sight. It was beautiful.
Where are we? he couldnt help but wonder.
The next moment, he was assaulted by the strongest sense of nausea hed ever experienced. He puked right then and there. Everyone did.
When he was done, Edgar looked to the side, where another man seemed to suffer from an even worse case of nausea. He was kneeling on the ground, heaving stomach acid on the pristine white stone. By his side, a little brown monkey was watching anxiously.
When the man finally raised his head, Edgar was shocked to find he was unrecognizable. His features were similar but distinctly different. Though his body shape remained the same, a host of minute differences threw Edgar completely off. It was difficult to put his finger on the change, but if he didnt know this was Jack, he would never recognize him.
With some quick thinking, Edgar quickly left the Bare Fist Brotherhood faction. Otherwise, any scan he received would lead to suspicion, and he risked giving Jacks identity away.
Seeing his big bro recover, Brock widened his little eyes and looked around like an awestruck baby. Jack croaked out a laugh.
Wow, Edgar whispered. You look
Handsome?
Different.
Jack felt his face, going through a dozen expressions before settling on worry. But still handsome? he asked.
As much as before.
Thats not a yes.
Not my fault. Edgar smiled. By the way, why is Brock here?
Jacks eyes widened in realization. He turned to the monkey, which stood there like a participant itself. Yeah, what the hell, he agreed. What are you doing here, Brock? Do you have a Dao Root?
That would open up a whole new world of complications. However, neither of them could feel the aura of Dao from Brock.
Maybe the System registered him as your pet? Edgar ventured a guess. I didnt know we had a plus one.
I dont think we do, said Jack, looking around. In any case, it doesnt matter much. Heh. Check this out. We did a number on their plaza. Serves them right.
Edgar found himself agreeing. The pristine white stones were now covered in tremendous quantities of filth, both from them and other people.
I can guide you through the city! a creature that looked like a desert version of Santa Claus shouted in its deep voice, and the entire crowd of aliens erupted into similar shouts as they fanned out. Instantly, the situation resembled an open-air bazaar, with every merchant shouting to be heard over the others.
Some even waded into the crowd of humans, aggressively approaching their prospective victims and trying to sell themselves as a guide.
Most people are first-timers, but Ive been around. A little blue person shrugged, approaching two sharp-eyed girls. Im just trying to make ends meet and help people while getting rich myself. Truth is, customers are everything here. How about I give you a discount?
Jack heard a spinning top-like person proclaim themselves as friends of the Planetary Overseer, whatever that was, and a wolfman whisperloudlythat the big, copper-skinned merchants werent to be trusted.
What the fuck? he said in response to the chaos.
Right! Edgar replied. Aliens shouldnt be like this. Wheres the advanced technology? The System-driven, light-speed, streamlined market?
Jack felt grumpy. I expected to be thrown into an arena, not a bazaar
He looked around. There were no fools here. Everyone was experienced and wouldnt fall for schemes, which might explain why these merchants were so forward. If anything, they knew their job, if the large number of successful transactions that Jack observed were anything to go by.
Adapt to the market, he muttered, chuckling.
After all, an aggressive guide had better chances of getting good deals, as all these people loudly proclaimed. The ones that waited at the back had knowing smiles on their faces, placing their preconstructed stalls before them to entice customers.
Anyone that agreed to have a guide quickly transferred a number of creditsthis price was actually whisperedand then instructed to wait somewhere while the merchant got more customers.
A wolfman approached Jack and Edgar, who were at the back of their group. Are you guys
We know someone, Jack cut him off, and the wolfman instantly drifted away to another human.
How do we find him, though? Edgar asked, cupping his chin, and Jack laughed. He took a deep breath. Then, his voice boomed out, covering the entire plaza.
ARKARVAHUL!
Everyone fell quiet for a moment, turning to look at him, but he took their stares in stride and smiled back.
A moment later, a blue person waded through the crowd to reach him. He resembled ArTazulas did all of them, to be honest. He barely reached Jacks chest, wore light, colorful garments, and carried what looked like a little shoebox but actually contained a wealth of merchandise. A turban was on his head, while his shoes were polished and pointy. He smelled like spices.
When he smiled, he seemed like the best person ever. His beard wiggled. Did you call? he asked.
Yes, Jack replied suspiciously. Were friends of your cousin.
Ah, Tazul, said the merchant, and Jack instantly smiled.
Hes ArTazul, not AhTazul, Edgar pointed out, drawing Jacks empty stare and Karvahuls seemingly earnest laughter.
You humans are always spicy, he said, shaking his head. Its a pleasure to meet you both. We can leave this noisy place now, if you want.
Already? Wont you gather more people? Jack asked.
Thats for new customers. I know you guyswell, my cousin does, but he said I should take care of you. Could I get your names, by the way?
Mhm. Jack smiled, then spouted out the first name that came to mind. He was incognito, after all. Im John.
Im Edgar, said Edgar.
And this is Brock, Jack completed, pointing at the monkey that was tilting its head at Karvahul, wondering if he was the same person as Kazul.
The pleasures all mine. The little blue person gave a curt bow. Im ArKarvahul, a Djinn from planet Bing. For only five hundred creditsincluding a friendly discountIll show you everything the Integration City has to offer. Shall we?
Jack and Edgar looked at each other, then shrugged. The price sounded fair.
Where are we going first, Karvahul?
Well, theres no rush. Dont mind the chaos around here; its only business. The market can wait, as can the arenaand the restaurants, of course. I was thinking of showing you your lodgings first. Im sure theyll absorb you for the entire night.
Oh? You already know the best hotel?
Karvahul laughed. Only the audience lives in hotels. Participant lodgings are predetermined.
Edgars eyes shone. Are they free, too?
Of course! Karvahul smiled widely. Everyone loves tournament participants.
Chapter 46: The Integration TournamentWaves crashed in the Pacific Ocean. They always did; tall and short, thick and thin, close together and further apart. They traveled in groups of thousands, covering miles and miles of water before meeting another group and crashing together. Some wavesthe stubborn oneseven crossed entire oceans.On this day, their journey was interrupted. The surface frothed. Steam rose from below in tremendous quantities, scaring all sorts of marine wildlife for a dozen miles. Something appeared at the bottom of the sea. It was large, and it began to rise.Schools of fish darted away at top speed. Whales flapped their large tails to escape faster. Most managedand the ones that didnt found themselves pushed away by an invisible dome.A titanic structure rose for miles through dark waters. Dark shapes appeared under the ocean, growing larger as time passed. The top of a white tower finally broke the surface; and, following it, an entire city rose from the depths, with squat buildings and tall ones, walls, shops, and even people watching in awe.In its very center stood a massive arena larger than Romes colosseum and similar in shape. Next to it, a tall tower cut into the sky, made of white marble and reaching twice higher than the arena itself. The protective dome started from the top of this tower, and a gray-caped form stood on its highest balcony. She was a middle-aged woman whose every breath could crush F-Grades, but she was no human; her face was that of a lioness.Finally she murmured, looking down at the city edges, where confused people were already appearing out of thin air.The Integration City had appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.***Teleportation was a disturbing experience.Edgar felt his entire body wrap and distort as if pulled in every direction at once. His vision was assaulted by blinding lights of infinite colors, forcing him to close his eyes even as he stifled a scream. He thought he was torn apart.Then, everything returned to normal. He opened his eyes to find a wide plaza covered in people as confused as he was, framed by white buildings with blue windows behind them. Even further back, he could see the towering walls of a colosseum, as well as a tall white tower that looked mystical against the clear blue sky.Surprisingly, this place didnt look like as sci-fi as he expected. Advanced technology was undoubtedly a core part of everything, but it was subtle, lending itself to a city that looked more like a picturesque island resort than a high-tech arena.Edgar even thought he heard the sound of crashing waves.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.No, wait.He turned around and found the sea only a dozen feet behind him. Waves splashed against a ten-foot-tall platform of white stonethe edges of the plazawhich stretched left and right to the ends of his vision and curved behind the buildings like the shore of an island.The sea stretched unobstructed all the way to the horizon, where it merged with the cloudless afternoon sky. A salty sea breeze blew on Edgar, making his messy hair fly back. His eyes widened behind his glasses as he took in the sight. It was beautiful.Where are we? he couldnt help but wonder.The next moment, he was assaulted by the strongest sense of nausea hed ever experienced. He puked right then and there. Everyone did.When he was done, Edgar looked to the side, where another man seemed to suffer from an even worse case of nausea. He was kneeling on the ground, heaving stomach acid on the pristine white stone. By his side, a little brown monkey was watching anxiously.When the man finally raised his head, Edgar was shocked to find he was unrecognizable. His features were similar but distinctly different. Though his body shape remained the same, a host of minute differences threw Edgar completely off. It was difficult to put his finger on the change, but if he didnt know this was Jack, he would never recognize him.With some quick thinking, Edgar quickly left the Bare Fist Brotherhood faction. Otherwise, any scan he received would lead to suspicion, and he risked giving Jacks identity away.Seeing his big bro recover, Brock widened his little eyes and looked around like an awestruck baby. Jack croaked out a laugh.Wow, Edgar whispered. You lookHandsome?Different.Jack felt his face, going through a dozen expressions before settling on worry. But still handsome? he asked.As much as before.Thats not a yes.Not my fault. Edgar smiled. By the way, why is Brock here?Jacks eyes widened in realization. He turned to the monkey, which stood there like a participant itself. Yeah, what the hell, he agreed. What are you doing here, Brock? Do you have a Dao Root?That would open up a whole new world of complications. However, neither of them could feel the aura of Dao from Brock.Maybe the System registered him as your pet? Edgar ventured a guess. I didnt know we had a plus one.I dont think we do, said Jack, looking around. In any case, it doesnt matter much. Heh. Check this out. We did a number on their plaza. Serves them right.Edgar found himself agreeing. The pristine white stones were now covered in tremendous quantities of filth, both from them and other people.I can guide you through the city! a creature that looked like a desert version of Santa Claus shouted in its deep voice, and the entire crowd of aliens erupted into similar shouts as they fanned out. Instantly, the situation resembled an open-air bazaar, with every merchant shouting to be heard over the others.Some even waded into the crowd of humans, aggressively approaching their prospective victims and trying to sell themselves as a guide.Most people are first-timers, but Ive been around. A little blue person shrugged, approaching two sharp-eyed girls. Im just trying to make ends meet and help people while getting rich myself. Truth is, customers are everything here. How about I give you a discount?Jack heard a spinning top-like person proclaim themselves as friends of the Planetary Overseer, whatever that was, and a wolfman whisperloudlythat the big, copper-skinned merchants werent to be trusted.What the fuck? he said in response to the chaos.Right! Edgar replied. Aliens shouldnt be like this. Wheres the advanced technology? The System-driven, light-speed, streamlined market?Jack felt grumpy. I expected to be thrown into an arena, not a bazaarHe looked around. There were no fools here. Everyone was experienced and wouldnt fall for schemes, which might explain why these merchants were so forward. If anything, they knew their job, if the large number of successful transactions that Jack observed were anything to go by.Adapt to the market, he muttered, chuckling.After all, an aggressive guide had better chances of getting good deals, as all these people loudly proclaimed. The ones that waited at the back had knowing smiles on their faces, placing their preconstructed stalls before them to entice customers.Anyone that agreed to have a guide quickly transferred a number of creditsthis price was actually whisperedand then instructed to wait somewhere while the merchant got more customers.A wolfman approached Jack and Edgar, who were at the back of their group. Are you guysWe know someone, Jack cut him off, and the wolfman instantly drifted away to another human.How do we find him, though? Edgar asked, cupping his chin, and Jack laughed. He took a deep breath. Then, his voice boomed out, covering the entire plaza.ARKARVAHUL!Everyone fell quiet for a moment, turning to look at him, but he took their stares in stride and smiled back.A moment later, a blue person waded through the crowd to reach him. He resembled ArTazulas did all of them, to be honest. He barely reached Jacks chest, wore light, colorful garments, and carried what looked like a little shoebox but actually contained a wealth of merchandise. A turban was on his head, while his shoes were polished and pointy. He smelled like spices.When he smiled, he seemed like the best person ever. His beard wiggled. Did you call? he asked.Yes, Jack replied suspiciously. Were friends of your cousin.Ah, Tazul, said the merchant, and Jack instantly smiled.Hes ArTazul, not AhTazul, Edgar pointed out, drawing Jacks empty stare and Karvahuls seemingly earnest laughter.You humans are always spicy, he said, shaking his head. Its a pleasure to meet you both. We can leave this noisy place now, if you want.Already? Wont you gather more people? Jack asked.Thats for new customers. I know you guyswell, my cousin does, but he said I should take care of you. Could I get your names, by the way?Mhm. Jack smiled, then spouted out the first name that came to mind. He was incognito, after all. Im John.Im Edgar, said Edgar.And this is Brock, Jack completed, pointing at the monkey that was tilting its head at Karvahul, wondering if he was the same person as Kazul.The pleasures all mine. The little blue person gave a curt bow. Im ArKarvahul, a Djinn from planet Bing. For only five hundred creditsincluding a friendly discountIll show you everything the Integration City has to offer. Shall we?Jack and Edgar looked at each other, then shrugged. The price sounded fair.Where are we going first, Karvahul?Well, theres no rush. Dont mind the chaos around here; its only business. The market can wait, as can the arenaand the restaurants, of course. I was thinking of showing you your lodgings first. Im sure theyll absorb you for the entire night.Oh? You already know the best hotel?Karvahul laughed. Only the audience lives in hotels. Participant lodgings are predetermined.Edgars eyes shone. Are they free, too?Of course! Karvahul smiled widely. Everyone loves tournament participants.
