NOVPUBAfter all, any city that wins the regional championship might have to face an opponent capable of swiftly breaking through the region-locked alliance to claim a Supreme Council slot.
Following the final champion being declared in Blackwater City's District 41, the remaining 49 districts quickly crowned their own victors.
A total of 50 winning cities formed the rough framework of the alliance's Supreme Council. However, these 50 cities must undergo a points system to decide the mere five slots for the Supreme Council.
One out of ten.
Everyone here is a city champion who emerged victorious in their own regions; no one is easy to deal with.
And now, with only one chosen out of ten, the cities that rise to prominence will undoubtedly act as the guiding lights for humanity in this chaotic era.
"Currently, there are five opponents you need to pay particular attention to: Thousand Facet City, Tech City, Eternal Night City, Beast Fury Isle, and... ourselves. Of course, that Sea City team is strong too. If you're grouped with them, you'd better tread carefully."
"Thousand Facet City, due to the large number of hallucinogenic mineral magnetic fields underground, forces its inhabitants to constantly examine their mental states to ensure basic survival activities. As a result, their Spiritual Energy levels are exceptionally high. Those representing the city in battle are extraordinarily skilled in leveraging this energy; you must exercise caution against them. Your style leans more toward technological weaponry and physical enhancement, so don't underestimate them."
"Tech City actually inherited the most advancements in materials science and other fields from the Golden Age. They lead other cities significantly in technological invention. Their warriors possess jetpacks that allow rapid aerial movement and a phase-shifting ability to temporarily step outside the material world, making their movements unpredictable and their attacks even more so. They're equally troublesome."
"Eternal Night City is located at the extremity, where only about a fifth of the days in a year experience brief sunlight; the rest are enshrouded in darkness. Logically, aside from sharp hearing and vision, they shouldn't have an overwhelming advantage, but the reality is their warriors possess exceptionally powerful physiques, capable of tearing apart opponents with ease. In regional competitions, every city that faced their warriors found none to be spared! They're far more savage than Grey Iron City, your known adversary."
"Beast Fury Isle is surrounded by countless beastfolk, turning the city into an isolated island amidst the sea. Fortunately, the beastfolk lack unified stances and aren't entirely bent on human destruction, allowing them a space for survival. Beastfolk worship the strong and will only communicate with those they deem strength-worthy. Thus, anyone born in Beast Fury Isle must learn to fight from an early age. They possess a unique 'Berserk' ability, likely triggered when pushed to desperation."
"As for us... there's no need to explain."
An envoy from the Imperial Capital meticulously reminded Blackwater City's contestants of the opponents and their characteristics to watch out for in the final competition phase.
"That Sea City team, though arrogant in attitude, indeed possesses some skill. I wonder if you'd be willing to face them again..."
"Willing!" Blackwater City's team captain emphatically replied, gritting his teeth and smirking coldly, "I'm sick of hearing their incessant barking. I haven't yet found a proper chance to shut them up!"
The envoy from the Imperial Capital wore a cryptic smile and winked at Blackwater City's team captain, "Well, prepare yourselves then. You might just be grouped with them when the draw happens."
Indeed, the process for selecting the Supreme Council members is still decided by drawing lots.
Ten cities to a group, and the final victor of each group earns a seat as one of the five Great Stars of the Supreme Council.
But this time around, the Imperial Capital, having largely scoped out the strength of all cities through the regional contests, no longer intended to make this process truly random.
The so-called draw was already pre-determined.
The strongest contenders were essentially guaranteed to be among the five Supreme Council members unless someone unexpectedly surged or concealed their true capabilities. The slots were virtually decided.
Unfortunately, adding Blackwater City to the mix made six actual contenders for the five seats, forcing two top seeds to face each other directly.
After much consideration, the aggressively combative Eternal Night City and Beast Fury Isle became the sacrifices.
Between these two cities, destined to face off, one would inevitably lose their chance to join the Supreme Council.
The Supreme Council represents not only the symbol of alliance strength but also a beacon for strategic planning.
Letting one brainless brute join might be tolerable, but having two at the helm could spell catastrophic disaster for the newborn alliance.
In times of chaos, everyone's time is precious, especially for the teams representing their cities at the Imperial Capital. Efficiency in advancing matters of alliance formation was paramount.
Once the pre-determined "draw" concluded, the points-based contests among groups of ten commenced again.
As the envoy from the Imperial Capital had hinted earlier, Blackwater City did get to face off against Sea City as hoped.
On the battlefield, five individual matches began simultaneously. Sea City's captain, whose body exhibited strange mutations, looked disdainfully at Blackwater City's representatives and sneered, "When we first met, I thought you were impressive. Turns out you stumbled and bumbled through your regional championship, even resorting to payoffs to claim your title. Now, facing us in the first round—bad luck for you! How about this: have your entire team bow beneath our legs and concede. We'll spare your miserable lives to continue competing. What do you say?"
"Not a chance..." Blackwater City's captain restrained his excitement, afraid of scaring off these fools.
Sea City's captain scanned Blackwater City's preparation zone, his gaze lingering greedily on a dark blue battlesuit, "You didn't even bring your secret weapon, yet you dare challenge us? Aren't you overestimating yourselves?"
Blackwater City's captain chuckled, "We won't need it against you."
A whistle sounded. Sea City's captain, his face twisted with rage, launched himself aggressively, "You're dead!"
"Swish!"
"Bang bang bang bang bang!"
The deafening sounds of pure physical clashes erupted across the battlefield, a chaotic symphony of violence. Stripped of the weaponry and gimmicks featured in regional contests, the Supreme Council points battle returned utterly to primitive combat styles.
To save time, all five individual matches were held simultaneously.
No room was given for strategizing, no chance to deploy the sequence of competitors tactically—no more horse-racing tactics here.
This was purely a stage measuring brute strength, devoid of manipulative schemes to ensure victory by any means necessary.
Sea City's fighters, their bodies altered by radiation exposure, endured grueling sufferings. Yet, those who adapted and lived through it were blessed with an extraordinary physique.
Even when facing Blackwater City's Storm Warriors, genetically enhanced and physically modified, Sea City's warriors managed to hold their ground, if briefly.
But with one command from the Storm Warrior team captain, their hidden claws were finally unleashed for the first time on the alliance's competition battlefield!
"Stop playing! Take them down!"
The intentionally controlled release of enhanced organs triggered an instant burst of power. Extra lungs delivered additional oxygen, modified blood provided enriched nutrients to the limbs, and reinforced bone plates brutishly countered the punches of Sea City's warriors. The Storm Warriors began their crushing dominance!
