2153 The Contests Begin
After meeting the group that had come with him to Elves Island, Minos concentrated on talking to Sarah and Kendrick while George and Hannah talked to those of their troops who would be joining Emperor Stuart's eldest children.
They had formed a team for betting and competing in the Continental Tournament. Then, they each advised their competitors on what they should aim for in their respective competitions within the tournament and also provided them with useful resources so that they would have the best possible result at the end of the event.
The competitors had only one hour to prepare and receive their mentors' items. After that, they could no longer receive resources or meet with their supporters.
It was even possible to communicate with their supporters during the competition, but that wasn't the case for all tests, and it wasn't easy or cheap.
Therefore, this meeting before the start of the competitions was essential, and Minos focused on talking to his children before paying attention to the rest of the group.
...
"... That's all. Do your best and come back safely." Minos sighed as he finished his conversation with Kendrick and Sarah, confident in them but not overly demanding.
He wanted them to work hard and achieve the best possible results. But he preferred that they protect themselves if they were in great danger.
Winning the Continental Tournament wasn't so important to Minos that they had to risk everything to win.
They should just do what they thought was possible within their means, have fun, and take advantage of the opportunities along the way. Apart from that, he would deal with any situation that might arise from his children's actions.
"We'll do our best, father!" They said at the same time, excited to leave and start helping their father more meaningfully.
Rowan, Lily, and Hollie watched the two say their goodbyes and naturally felt a little jealous, thinking that if they were a few years older, they could join Kendrick and Sarah in contributing to the empire.
Unfortunately, they were too young to participate in such influential competitions. All they could do was continue to strengthen themselves with an eye to the future so that they could eventually contribute their strength or even that of their future descendants.
Isabella and Ruth watched them play and sighed, feeling that they could only watch and wait for the results.
"How much did you bet on them?" Ruth asked as the group settled into the area where they could watch the competitions over the next few days.
From there, they could watch all the events. However, if they wanted, they could go to the arenas where some of the competitions would take place or even walk around the area where there were various attractions related to the tournament.
Minos then answered Ruth as he sat down on the main seat of the luxurious room he was in. "More than 4 million."
"All of that? Did you place many specific bets?" Isabella asked.
"Hmm, if Kendrick and Sarah are successful, it will be difficult for other powers to beat us in terms of points. We'll get enough points to beat the score of the last winner of the Continental Tournament's main bets."
As mentioned before, it was both possible and impossible to predict how well one would do in the tournament, as infinite possibilities could happen in the event and change everything one had predicted before the tests began.
But it was possible to estimate what would happen, given the bettor's margin of success. Since Minos had bet heavily on Sarah and Kendrick, each hit would be worth a lot of points. He felt that he could hit between 50% and 80% of what he had bet, enough to beat the score of the last winner of the Continental Tournament.
Isabella and Ruth heard this and were anxious about the tests and results, wondering if their husband would actually win the event.
If so, they would have the perfect excuse to get another God on their side, thus improving the chances of survival for their state and the Spiritual World.
Others who won might also help the world somehow, but the best outcome for the Stuart family would surely be victory itself.
So the two women sat down beside Minos, excitedly smiling as they felt the good sensation of betting on the Continental Tournament.
"It is no wonder that this competition is so highly regarded and that the world's experts have decided to hold it, even with the Ice Age and alien invasion on our doorstep. This competition is a great opportunity and a chance for us to relax and have some fun." Ruth commented to Minos and Isabella as she watched the event start.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group settled into the luxurious room with several arrays showing ranks, images of various locations, and even audio.
All you had to do to hear the audio from one of these special devices was to use your powers to receive mental communication from it.
Everything there was very sophisticated so that the players and high-level spectators could enjoy the experience in the best possible way.
There were even aura replicators, devices that could replicate the aura of two warriors fighting in one of the exams being broadcast live.
Snacks and drinks were also available in this room, and service was provided by waiters and helpers. The helpers provided the necessary explanations if anyone had any questions about how anything worked, the contests, or the arrays available.
Finally, the group watched as the Pantheon of Honor representatives kicked off the Continental Tournament alongside Aurae on the main screen.
The other Gods who had come to this island also appeared at the opening ceremony, where elves and high-level cultivators gave a beautiful performance.
Soon after the opening ceremony was over, the first events in which the contestants would participate were introduced, along with their possible scores, requirements, and prizes.
The first activity of the Continental Tournament was a simple speed contest, which had a land section on the island where the fastest person to complete the race on foot would win.
The bettors would even have fun with a cat's fight, then the thrills in the rooms like Minos' or in the stands around the area where the tournament was taking place.
