Chapter 485: Opening Ceremony and the Arrival of Emperor
The Preliminary Tournament was still raging with feverish intensity. Not only were the individual matches and Guild Tournaments fiercely contested, but the Regimental Battles had also drawn massive crowds. Stuffed Bun, Singo, Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang, and Xia Ye Qiu Yu formed a four-person party and swept through their match with effortless ease—though the entire contest was so dull that not even a single minute of compelling video material could be extracted.
The opposing team’s hearts sank the moment they realized their opponents were four professional players. Before Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang could even swing his Great Axe, they surrendered to the referee Watch with a resigned sigh.
Stuffed Bun felt deeply disappointed.
"I haven’t even fired my Rifle yet—why did you give up so fast?"
For the seasoned pros, the Preliminary Tournament was a breeze—low pressure, high fun. Some players even took the opportunity to show off their flashy, unconventional stunts.
Take Langli BaiTiao, for example. He used his Vampire’s supernatural regeneration ability to stand still, arms wide open, inviting his opponent to strike. All the while, he taunted with playful lines like “No pain~”, “Didn’t eat breakfast?” and “Come on, hit me! Hit me hard!”—his antics sent the audience into a frenzy, with fans on the stands practically itching to storm the arena and beat him senseless.
The opponent, driven to mental breakdown by the absurdity, slashed over three hundred times—only to find his foe still perfectly unscathed. Defeated not by skill, but by sheer frustration, he finally threw in the towel.
Stuffed Bun, having watched days of matches, took the opportunity to compile highlight reels of the players’ Watch moments. He edited together videos titled “Top 10 Epic Iconic Moments” and “Top 10 Hilarious Iconic Moments,” riding the wave of popularity from the Empire-wide event to amass a massive surge in traffic.
Even more shamelessly, he placed his own clip—where he charged with a Dragon Roar and pierced through an enemy in one strike—at the very end of “Top 10 Epic Iconic Moments,” syncing it with an intense, soul-pumping soundtrack.
But the audience reaction wasn’t what he’d hoped for.
The live chat flooded with:
“Is that it?”
“Hidden content? Are you sneaking in subliminal stuff?”
“Honestly, this doesn’t even compare to the one Root clip.”
Wait… shouldn’t the comments be “Stuffed Bun is so cool”?
Staring at the barrage of scathing remarks, Stuffed Bun slumped in his chair, his Watch emotions utterly shattered.
He’d finally managed to flex—why was the response so terrible?
No good. He’d been too obvious this time. Next time, he’d sneak in the Hidden Content more subtly—aiming for that “subtle, natural, and imperceptible” effect.
Still, his videos exploded across major video platforms, and the large-scale, visually rich Guild battles saw their popularity skyrocket. The clash of magic and machinery, the epic showdown between Roman Army and “cultivators,” the brutal warfare between the Undead Legion and Paladin—these spectacles stirred a deep curiosity in countless viewers.
Wait… you can actually do that?
Is freedom really this high?
What?! There’s a little girl version of a Fire Dwarf?!
These were the thoughts of casual viewers, and soon, Ailezegai surged back to the top of trending topics.
“Where can I buy Ailezegai?”
That question alone dominated the trending list for hours.
Meanwhile, within the Empire, the Empire Official launched an all-out propaganda campaign, drawing the entire nation’s attention to this grand event. Under the extensive promotion, every citizen—from government officials and commoners to workers, soldiers, and scholars—knew the name of this spectacle: the Imperial Dueling Tournament.
The two-week-long Preliminary Tournament came to a swift end. What followed was the real highlight: the Imperial Gladiatorial Tournament, the true elimination-style competition, set to take place at the Isdalia Grand Arena.
The Imperial Commerce Ministry released 100,000 tickets, priced at 50 Silver Ginnar each. In just half a day, all tickets were sold out—scammed on the black market for as much as 5 Golden Nael per ticket.
The event’s overwhelming popularity stemmed from multiple factors: the Empire’s deeply ingrained martial culture, the relentless official propaganda, and the growing influence of Stellarfallen across the Empire.
But the most direct and crucial reason?
Emperor of the Ashen Flame, Sovereign of the Empire, Supreme Ruler of the Anzeta Great Wasteland—King Kai Xiusu Claudew Noirikexius himself would be attending in person.
The Isdalia Grand Arena—also known as the Imperial Colosseum—was constructed between New Era 1783 and 1785, built by tens of thousands of players and hundreds of Frost Giant slaves.
The grand arena consisted of a series of circular archways, with a circular outer wall standing 60 meters tall, divided into five levels. The first four levels each featured 80 arches, adorned with classical column designs.
The arena could seat approximately 150,000 spectators across four tiers. The higher your status, the higher your seat. Dragon-Blooded Nobles occupied the topmost “Glory Seats,” commanding a panoramic view of the entire arena.
Wealthy spectators sat in the front rows, close enough to feel the raw intensity of the combat. Commoners were relegated to the middle tiers.
At the very peak stood a specially crafted, massive platform—upon which sat a solemn, opulent golden throne. This was the seat prepared for the Emperor.
In every Imperial construction, such a feature was mandatory. Though rarely used, it served as a silent test of loyalty—proof that the builder had envisioned the Emperor’s presence.
The architect of the Isdalia Grand Arena was himself a Stellarfallen, rumored to hail from a guild known as [Roman Era].
“Ohhhhh!”
“It’s starting!”
The arena was packed to the brim. The stands roared with chaos—cheers, debates, even heated arguments echoed through the air.
Some fan squads of star players gathered together, waving lamps and chanting in perfect unison.
“Look at all these people!”
“Whoa… is this arena really this huge?!”
“Estimate tens of thousands—makes me nervous. How am I gonna handle this?”
“S神 will definitely win!”
“Hardcore player fanatics, get out of here—this time, the champion is definitely my War狂哥!”
Not just players, but native inhabitants of Anzeta filled the stands—Humans, Great Goblins, Tieflings, Serpent Folk, even Ogres. They chattered among themselves, but the match itself wasn’t their main focus.
“Such a rare occasion.”
“True. In the old Northern Kingdom, a medium-sized city barely had ten thousand people. Now, just this arena holds ten times that.”
“The number of Stellarfallen in the Empire keeps growing… not sure if it’s good or bad.”
“They’ve helped me a lot, but also brought endless trouble. Those homeboys are always acting crazy.”
“Do you really think the Emperor will come?”
Before the question could fade, the sky darkened with jagged shadows.
One by one, Two-Headed Dragons beat their wings and landed on the arena’s pillars, their heads raised in thunderous roars.
“Aaaaarrrrgh!”
A spatial rift tore open above the arena. The Imperial Prime Minister, the Ogre Magus Lanpu, stepped through with a calm smile.
The crowd erupted.
“It’s the Prime Minister!”
“He’s here too!”
Lanpu cleared his throat, held his Scepter flat, and his voice carried across the entire arena like a gentle breeze.
“People of the Empire, please… silence.”
“The First Imperial Gladiatorial Tournament is about to begin.”
“Regardless of your race, your status, whether you’re Human, Tiefling, or Ogre—so long as you are an Imperial Citizen, you are welcome to enjoy this grand spectacle.”
Though the arena was vast and packed with tens of thousands, Lanpu’s voice reached every ear with perfect clarity, as if whispering directly into each listener’s mind.
He raised the Scepter high, his tone now charged with excitement.
“This will be an unprecedented, unmatched event. And even more importantly—the Emperor himself will be here.”
On the platform, the Satyr Military Band struck up a passionate melody, while a Minstrel softly recited verses.
If you listened closely, you’d recognize the lyrics—“Hymn to Kai Xiusu,” a song sung throughout the Empire.
Suddenly, a massive shadow descended, blotting out the sun and casting darkness over the crowd.
“Look! Look up there!”
“That’s—”
“That’s the Emperor’s True Form!”
“It’s really him! Praise the Emperor of the Ashen Flame!”
“Kai Xiusu, above us! He’s so huge!”
The crowd gasped, eyes wide with awe, hearts pounding. They stared upward, their gazes burning with devotion—like witnessing their god descend.
A Red Dragon, over forty meters long, unfurled its immense wings and circled the arena, proudly displaying its majestic form.
The Satyr band played on, the war drums beat in rhythm, and the dragon descended slowly, harmonizing with the grand music.
In the end, the colossal dragon body began to fade, dissolving into a dignified phantom image—hovering above the crowd.
And then, from the fire itself, a man materialized—black hair, golden eyes, his face resembling something divine. He stepped from the throne, his form fully realized.
Though Kai Xiusu had to shrink his size to fit the arena’s scale, his crown and Dragon Horns remained—symbols of his sovereign status.
“It’s the Emperor!”
“That’s the divine form of the Emperor!”
A stunned exclamation rang out from the stands. The citizens of the Empire were familiar with Kai Xiusu’s humanoid form.
For them, this human-like appearance evoked reverence, not fear. Kai Xiusu rarely used this form for battle.
To many, he was called the “Merciful Sovereign,” the “Noble Leader,” the “Embodiment of Divine Grace.”
They saw this form not as his true self, but as a unique, independent manifestation—essence of Kai Xiusu, yet distinct.
But the players’ reactions were far more extreme.
The fan club “Kai Xiusu Fan Club” in the stands erupted into wild, ecstatic cheers.
“Ah ah ah ah!”
“It’s King Kai Xiusu!”
“Kai Xiusu—man among men, male among males, the master of masculinity, the leader of men, the ultimate ruler, the final terminator of men!”
“Big Division! God-Emperor!! Demon King!! Overwhelming masculinity! A forever immortal peak in the history of Human Game modeling!!”
Nearby, the infamous Guild Leader of the Dragon Fanatics Association stood up, glaring at the female-dominated fan group.
“You heretics!”
“Hmph!”
“The Emperor’s True Form is the only real form! The dragon form is the true one!”
His followers rose as one, raising their hands and chanting the guild’s slogan.
“Humans are the worst! Dragon lust is the best!”
“I want to touch King Kai Xiusu’s tail!”
“You’re full of nonsense!”
“Kai Xiusu is clearly the man among men, the ultimate male!”
Just as the two sides were about to come to blows, guards arrived with rifles, swiftly intervening to prevent a full-scale riot.
Other players quietly stepped back—these two groups were clearly unstable. One wrong move, and it could spark a real “Heretic Judgment War.” Better to stay clear.
“I want to touch King Kai Xiusu’s tail!”
“Ah ah ah ah!”
In an empire teeming with players, maintaining dignity was no small challenge.
Hearing such absurd cries from below, Kai Xiusu suppressed the urge to summon a fireball and blast one of them into oblivion. He forced himself to maintain his dignified composure.
But his lips twitched. His expression tightened.
No. Don’t lose control. Don’t ruin the image I’ve spent years building.
These players really need to be disciplined.
With that thought, Kai Xiusu surveyed the sea of faces below—the crowd packed tightly into the stands—and spoke, his voice calm and commanding.
“Silence.”
The moment the word left his lips, a wave of absolute stillness swept through the arena.
Space itself seemed to freeze. The air was severed from sound. Even the most heated arguments died mid-shout.
In a stadium of 150,000 people, silence reigned so deep that one could hear a single needle drop.
All eyes turned upward to the high platform, faces filled with stunned disbelief.
This was the absolute authority Kai Xiusu wielded within the Empire Domain—a power so absolute it bordered on “words become law.”
Kai Xiusu looked down at the gaping players, their mouths open but unable to speak. A subtle smile tugged at his lips.
Now you can’t talk, can you?
That was the brilliance of the Great Silence Spell.
Only such a forceful method could rein in these wildly erratic minds. Otherwise, during his speech, someone might suddenly shout “I want to touch his tail!”—and all the effort to maintain his majestic image would crumble.
Still, gazing at the massive banner reading “Kai Xiusu, Man Among Men,” he sighed inwardly.
This is the cost of exploiting players. One must endure it.
Slowly, Kai Xiusu rose from his throne, standing tall upon the arrogant, supreme platform. He surveyed the vast arena, his gaze sweeping across the sea of faces—each one filled with awe, fear, joy, or devotion.
“Excellent,” he said, arms open, a warm smile on his face. “My fellow citizens of the Empire, good day.”
“The Ashen Empire has grown from ruin to prosperity, and it is your contributions that made it possible. Every citizen, every soul who has served the Empire—each one is my child.”
“And now, I ask only that you set aside your duties for a moment, and savor this rare, hard-won peace.”
“I, Kai Xiusu, Emperor of the Ashen Flame, hereby proclaim—the First Imperial Gladiatorial Tournament… begins!”
His words released the invisible barrier.
The Satyr Military Band resumed its passionate march, the war drums thundered in rhythm.
Cannon salutes boomed across the arena. The roar of applause, the deafening cheers, the thunderous chants—shouted to the heavens—filled the entire city of Isdalia.
“Long Live Emperor Kai Xiusu!”
The cry echoed like a wave, spreading across the Anzeta Great Wasteland.
The First Imperial Gladiatorial Tournament had officially begun.
> “The arena establishes a complex political ritual. This ritual allows the Emperor to shape and control the collective emotions of the people through his direct personal presence.”
>
> “When you witness firsthand how passionately the people of the Ashen Empire embrace gladiatorial combat, you’ll understand why their army is invincible across the continent.”
>
> — Nadia Dennis, Former Court Scholar of the Faldran Empire
>
(End of Chapter)
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