Chapter Thirty-Four: The Battle for Glory (Part One)

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Battle of Glory (Part One)

The direction in which Sairus gazed was precisely where the human royal capital lay.

“The Elven Queen? What does she have to do with us going to the library?” Shen Ce’s expression flickered, and he lapsed into thought.

Sairus withdrew his distant gaze and spoke calmly, “The Elven Queen is to meet with the Human Emperor, and she’ll most certainly tour the famed Royal Library. She’s expected to arrive in about half a month. Right now, the capital is recruiting people proficient in Elvish. Both players and NPCs can sign up.”

Shen Ce had never paid much attention to such matters, but he knew that Elvish was the most complex and esoteric language in “Sovereign of Heaven and Earth.” Typically, only high-ranking Elven NPCs spoke it—players born in Elflands rarely bothered to learn such an ancient tongue.

Curiosity stirred within Shen Ce as he mused, “Sairus, does this mean you know Elvish?” The language was beyond most Elven players, yet Sairus, from the look of things, was proficient. How could that not be surprising?

Sairus smiled faintly. “I once had the fortune to meet an Elven noble. We got along well, and he gifted me a manual of Elvish.” Sairus’s jet-black eyes betrayed no emotion, his tone even as ever, simply stating a fact.

Having encountered a master Dwarven craftsman and conversed amiably with an Elven aristocrat—receiving a manual of Elvish to boot—such legendary experiences made Shen Ce feel like a frog at the bottom of a well. Shen Ce had always considered himself lucky, but now, compared to Sairus’s fortunes, he realized what it truly meant to be blessed by fate.

“But I don’t know Elvish. Are you planning to go to the Royal Library alone?” he asked quietly.

Sairus shot him a sidelong glance, and suddenly produced a book with a burnished copper cover. “Of course we’ll go together. I still have that manual. As long as you learn the basics, I’ll handle most of the speaking.”

Shen Ce nodded in agreement and took the sturdy manual. Flipping through a few pages, he saw only indecipherable symbols, yet somehow the corresponding pronunciations and meanings appeared in his mind.

It was the first time Shen Ce had seen a game manual decoded this way. The martial arts manuals he’d used before simply required a thought to select “Learn Skill,” and the knowledge would be instantly his—the book itself turning to ashes. Accustomed to such direct and crude learning, this more laborious method felt unfamiliar; it would demand much more time and energy.

Sairus seemed to read Shen Ce’s mind and chuckled. “There’s still nearly half a month—learning the basics isn’t hard. Just look over it when you have time.”

Shen Ce nodded. “I hope so.”

As they conversed, a resounding system chime echoed in their ears—clearly a global announcement, for the street fell silent as everyone listened intently to the game company’s latest update.

“Dear players, greetings! In three days, ‘Sovereign of Heaven and Earth’ will grandly launch the Battle between the Light and Dark Factions! This is a battle of glory, where all splendor belongs to those with burning blood! The competition will be knockout rounds—no matter your class, as long as you wish to bring honor to your faction, join us! As this is the first server-wide tournament, the rewards are lavish: prestige, equipment, gold, and more. Players who reach the top three will not only win top-tier growing equipment, but also have a chance to obtain hidden quests and classes related to the Divine-Demonic War! Are you tempted?”

Shen Ce had expected the company to launch a large-scale border skirmish first, not an individual tournament. The rewards were indeed generous, and he immediately felt the urge to compete.

Since joining “Sovereign of Heaven and Earth,” Shen Ce had been quite confident in his level and prowess. He wanted to see where he stood across the entire server. After all, this battle of glory would include participants from both Light and Dark Factions—he was familiar with Light Faction combat styles, but not those of the Dark. Regardless of outcome, witnessing the rival faction’s techniques would be valuable.

Though usually composed, Shen Ce was a competitor at heart. He tamped down his excitement and asked Sairus beside him, “Did you hear the announcement? Are you joining the battle?”

To his surprise, Sairus shook his head. “I won’t, but if you join, I’ll come watch.”

Shen Ce was stunned. With Sairus’s skill, he’d expected him to vie for the top spots, yet he refused so directly. “Why not? Aren’t the rewards tempting at all?”

Sairus only smiled. “This battle isn’t suited for me.”

Knowing he couldn’t change Sairus’s mind, Shen Ce felt a faint regret. Truthfully, he’d have liked to watch Sairus in the arena—Sairus rarely fought, and when he did, it was always a killing blow, never wasting a moment. If Sairus competed, he’d surely meet a worthy rival in the finals; that match would be a sight to behold.

Shen Ce nodded, showing respect for Sairus’s choice. “In that case, I’ll log off for now. I want to check the official website for more information on the tournament and prepare in advance.”

Sairus watched quietly as Shen Ce’s figure dissolved into a beam of white light, his avatar on the couple system instantly dimming. Sairus’s eyes grew shadowed and unreadable—what did Shen Ce mean by “logging off”? Why could Shen Ce come and go freely while he was bound here?

If there were truly a way to make Shen Ce stay, to keep him here forever, never able to leave…

The thought stirred, and Sairus’s throat tightened; his lips pressed into a thin line as if enduring a silent, bitter struggle.

All around, people laughed and haggled with vendors, but Sairus felt an acute separation from this noisy world. He knew he was different from these passersby—yes, he was fundamentally unlike any of them.

Leaning against the wall, Sairus closed his eyes. The crowds flowed endlessly by, and not a soul noticed the solitary figure in silver at the street corner.

After logging off, Shen Ce went straight to the “Sovereign of Heaven and Earth” official site to gather information about the Battle of Glory. As expected, the most prominent banner on the homepage was exactly what he needed. He clicked through and read the details carefully.

He discovered that the first elimination round would be a free-for-all among players of the same faction—each group of a hundred would fight one round, with the last three standing advancing. The second round would be a jungle battle, with both Light and Dark Factions competing to collect quest items; players could attack each other, but attacking one’s own faction resulted in a red name, making them a target for group retaliation. Only those who completed the quest would reach the third round. It was only in the third round that true one-on-one duels would be held, matches determined by drawing lots.

Clearly, under these rules, cooperation in the first two rounds would be advantageous—yet with so many players, no one could predict their groupings.

Shen Ce then checked the forums, which were already boiling with excitement over the news. After skimming a few tournament threads, he sought out battle demos of Dark Faction players. He was especially interested in unique classes like Summoner and Warlock, so he watched several relevant videos.

Because cross-faction teleportation wasn’t yet available, Shen Ce knew little about Dark Faction classes and tactics. After dozens of combat videos, he began to discern some patterns. He noticed that Dark Faction players were far more unpredictable, with exceptionally powerful combo skills.

Beyond the competition itself, Shen Ce’s professional instincts for business were sharp—now that the Battle of Glory was announced, countless players would join, and they’d all scramble for quality gear and potions beforehand.

Such a surge in demand was the perfect opportunity for profit. The Treasure Pavilion still had plenty of premium gear in stock. Shen Ce had planned to sell at fair prices, but now he could raise them to match the market. He was sure everything would sell out.

The next day, upon logging in, he saw players on the world channel looking for high-attribute weapons and equipment. Seizing the moment, he discussed his ideas with Shui Linglong, asking her to promote their stock in the world channel and attach the Treasure Pavilion’s address to each ad—expanding both sales and the shop’s reputation. Shui Linglong, a savvy businesswoman herself, heartily agreed and offered her own suggestions. Shen Ce entrusted her with all decisions, letting her handle matters as she saw fit.

Only three days remained before the tournament began. Time was short, but Shen Ce was determined to hone his skills further. He knew his level and strength were impressive, but to reach the top three in the entire server was a slim possibility, though not impossible.

After watching the Dark Faction battle demos, Shen Ce gained new insights. He ultimately decided to head to Starspirit Valley for intense training, hoping to break through his bottleneck and perfect his combo techniques before the competition.

Author’s Note:
[“Eternal Angel” has thrown a landmine! Thrown at: 2014-08-08 15:29:56]
[Thank you, Eternal Angel, for the landmine~ Hugging you and taking a big bite!]
…Repeat after me: The boss is not a good person.