After Minos told Julian what had happened to his group, why he was back on the Divine Continent, and the origin of his Dragon Aura, he managed to upgrade the level 97 Demigod.
Having also heard about Minos' group and the journey they were about to embark on, Julian understood why Aarav had sent this young man to him and Emperor Stuart's motivations for participating in the elf-led event.
Looking at Minos in front of a fire in his camp, where only his subordinate staff, members of his family, were present in addition to the staff with Emperor Stuart, he said. "Your journey has been fascinating. It's no wonder that you are so capable and talented. With such an adventurous personality, you will make great progress as long as you don't die.
But Minos, take it easy. Is it indispensable for you to go to the North Sea? Right now, I can't guarantee you anything about that place, but when things settle down, I could personally go there with you if you want."
"Unfortunately, there's no time to lose," Minos commented, looking at the man next to him on the other side of the fire that warmed the area on this cold night.
"The timing is terrible. If it were any other era, I would have gotten someone to travel with me to that area, and the risks wouldn't be so significant. Unfortunately, all the high-ranking Demigods of our time are busy.
Some are at war. Others are preparing for the hard times of the next ice age. Apart from them, there are only those who have to watch over their territories or tribes... In short, the current situation has left practically no one of a high level free to worry about the same things I do." Minos commented to the group as they sat or stood around the fire in silence.
"But while you're all busy, elder, time doesn't stand still. I could be wrong, but if I'm not, then our time is short. If I don't act now, there may not be time to prepare for the worst. So I have no choice but to hurry on."
"It's really a shame..."
"It looks like a perfect storm is brewing." Julian's nephew muttered, imagining that if Minos were right, the Spiritual World would probably face the worst moment in its entire history in a matter of decades or centuries.
Too bad it had happened in their generation!
Julian looked at his nephew and closed his eyes, agreeing with these words, just in case Minos was right.
'I hope he's wrong.' He thought to himself, aware of how absurd Minos' theory was but also certain that the brown-haired young man's determination didn't come from absurdity.
Minos really cared and was willing to take risks to gather evidence for his theories!
He didn't try to convince his allies that he was right without doing anything to prove his words. He assembled a group on his own to go to the North Sea and bring back witnesses and proof of his words.
That was the method of a person who did what they did sincerely and didn't try to deceive others for their own benefit.
"Well, I wish you good luck. I won't be able to join you in the near future, so I hope your journey to the North Sea will be quick and successful. I'll wait for the results." Julian said after looking at the starry sky and then at Minos.
"Hmm. I hope to bring results during the Continental Tournament."
"Continental Tournament?" Julian's nephew asked. "Will it still happen? I mean, if the predictions are correct, the ice age will begin just before the Continental Tournament... Will the powers of the Spiritual World still participate in this event?"
"That's a good question..." A woman from Julian's group asked.
Then Nymmas, the dragon from Minos' group, said. "Of course, the Continental Tournament will take place! In the last Searing Era, the tournament was held on schedule.
Do you think the world's strongest will fail to win the Continental Tournament?"
The Continental Tournament was an important event for the participants and the bettors. The participants could win unimaginable prizes, and the bettors could win bounties worthy of Divine Medicine!
How was that possible? Where did the funds for the prizes come from?
The answer was related to the history of the organizations behind the event.
As the main organization associated with the Continental Tournament, the Pantheon Of Honor was born as a group that had organized events for large organizations in the past. If a family, sect, or state wanted to create a high-level event without developing it themselves, they would hire this group.
From the beginning, the Pantheon Of Honor was very good at creating attractive events, and their tournaments, parties, etc., became famous and were played worldwide.
With the meteoric rise of this organization millions of years ago, they had obtained their first God.
Through this man, they created a Spatial Kingdom to host the events, which has since been treated as a unique sanctuary that this organization invests in developing and making as big and rich as possible.
Over time, this Spatial Kingdom had received space from other Gods of the Pantheon of Honor or their allied organizations. Eventually, it became the largest of all the alternative spaces in this world.
Thus, the Continental Tournament had been established between a partnership of the Pantheon of Honor and the elves and had been held in this space for a long time.
It provided most of the resources for the participants of the tournament.
However, this was not the only funding source for the Continental Tournament. In addition, those interested in participating in the tournament had to pay considerable fees to enter the event. Not only that, but the winning bettors received only a portion of the amount accumulated from all the bets, which could be used to "buy" even Divine-grade medicine!
You might ask, how can you buy Divine-grade medicine? Weren't they rare and challenging to mature? Who would sell them?
No one would, but with the resources generated by the tournament, the best spiritual professionals in the world would get resources for their activities, and together, during this event, they could try to predict where and when such resources would appear.
Then, the event's big winner could get information about it if those involved in the prediction could find traces of the appearance of something of such value.
That's why the event had so much power to award such large prizes and was so attractive that it was unlikely to be canceled due to an impending disaster!
...
