On this day, the entire Asterisk became the venue for a large-scale celebration.
"Bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!"
Fireworks continued to bloom in the sky, and countless ribbons and colored pieces fell, scattering across every corner of the city.
The streets and alleys were decorated with lights and colorful flags, filled with event posters. As people shouted and cheered, the festival's atmosphere soared.
Foreign tourists continuously poured into Asterisk. Some came to watch the Phoenix Star Martial Festival, while others used it as an excuse for sightseeing, making the streets lively and packed with people.
Especially in the central and commercial areas, the congestion was at its peak, creating near-gridlock conditions.
To maintain order, Asterisk enforced strict regulations: vehicles were banned from entering main streets in the central and commercial districts, and students were explicitly prohibited from dueling on the streets during the festival. Violators faced severe consequences.
At the Sirius Dome, a massive venue near Asterisk's center, the grand opening ceremony of the Phoenix Star Martial Festival was underway.
"So... so big! So many people...!"
Natasha, standing beside Erend, looked terrified and clung to him like a startled bird.
"It's really huge..."
Erend glanced at Natasha, who was nervously curling up, and, noticing how her upper body was squeezed by tension, quickly averted his gaze, his mouth twitching slightly.
The Sirius Dome stage was incredibly spacious. It could easily accommodate all the participants of the Phoenix Star Martial Festival while still providing seating for nearly 100,000 spectators. Looking up, Erend could barely make out the audience above.
From a top-down perspective, he would be nearly invisible amidst the crowd.
Despite the massive audience, the noise level remained controlled because a speaker stood on the podium.
"I am Mathias Mesa, chairman of the Star Martial Arts Festival Operation Committee."
A calm, steady voice echoed across the arena.
Mathias Mesa, a man in his prime, appeared to be around 35 years old. He had a sturdy build, exuded confidence, and maintained a cheerful tone. His demeanor seemed relaxed, yet no one dared to underestimate him.
The Operation Committee was responsible for managing the entire festival. As its chairman, Mathias was a high-ranking official within the Britain Company, wielding significant influence. His position far surpassed that of Natasha's uncle, Lee.
"...So that's Mathias Mesa?"
Erend carefully observed the man.
A faint yet powerful aura radiated from Mathias, a fleeting yet intense presence of star power.
Unlike Lee, who had empty authority, Mathias was a formidable individual, possibly rivaling the strongest contestants in the festival.
However, Erend's focus on Mathias wasn't just because of his strength.
"Hmm?"
For a brief moment, Mathias seemed to glance directly at Erend.
It was a fleeting moment—so short that others might dismiss it as an illusion—but Erend had been watching closely and was certain it had happened.
"So... I'm on his radar too?"
He muttered to himself, his voice too low for Natasha to hear.
After Mathias concluded his speech, several other high-ranking officials took the stage, including the mayor of Asterisk.
Their speeches were long and monotonous.
Even Natasha, who initially listened intently, became drowsy and nearly collapsed against Erend.
The dull opening ceremony stretched until almost noon before finally ending.
Then, a broadcast echoed from above the Sirius Dome:
"Contestants, please proceed to your designated competition venues within the specified time."
Upon hearing this announcement, many participants hurriedly left for their assigned battlefields.
The Phoenix Star Martial Festival's preliminary matches were spread across eleven different arenas, with Sirius Dome being just one of them. Most contestants had to travel to their respective venues before the matches began.
Only those competing inside Sirius Dome remained.
"Our competition venue is right here."
In one of the corridors, Natasha clung closely to Erend, flipping through the event schedule to confirm their match details.
She let out a sigh of relief.
With the streets overcrowded, moving to another stage would mean battling through heavy foot traffic—something Natasha dreaded.
More concerning, Natasha's appearance frequently attracted unwanted attention.
Despite the festival's strict no-violence rule, some men still tried to reach out to touch her as she walked past.
If not for the festival's rules, Erend would have broken their hands instead of just stopping them.
Given these encounters, Natasha had no desire to step onto the chaotic streets.
Thankfully, their match was classified as a highlight event, meaning the operations committee assigned them to the most prominent venue: Sirius Dome.
"Our match is scheduled for the first day. Is that good luck or bad luck?"
Erend smiled at his partner, who still seemed tense.
The festival's first week was dedicated to the preliminary rounds, structured as follows:Round One lasted four days, with 33 matches per day. After 128 matches, half of the 256 competing teams would be eliminated.Round Two lasted two days, featuring 32 matches per day, cutting down the teams to 64.Round Three was a one-day event with 32 matches, determining the top 32 teams.After that, the main tournament would begin in the second week.
Not all participants had to fight on the first day, but Erend and Natasha's match had been scheduled immediately.
"Once today's match is over, we get three full days to rest. If our second-round match is scheduled for the second day, we'll have four days to recover."
Erend reassured Natasha with a grin.
"If you don't feel like going out during those days, we can just train at Livermorny Academy instead."
"Okay... thank you, Senior Erend," Natasha said, bowing her head shyly.
As she lowered her head, Erend's hand instinctively reached out.
"Ah..."
Natasha flinched slightly but didn't resist as he gently patted her head.
Her face turned red, and she seemed confused.
She had no idea what Erend was thinking at that moment.
"It doesn't feel that special... Why do male protagonists always pat girls' heads?"
Was it just a flirting tactic?
Before Erend could contemplate further, a loud broadcast interrupted them:
"The first-round match of Group 2 in Area L is about to begin. Contestants, please report to the designated waiting area."
The voice echoed through the corridor, snapping them both out of the moment.
"Group 2, first round, Area L..."
Erend checked the event schedule.
"That's us, Senior."
Natasha had already confirmed it and spoke with certainty.
"That was fast."
Erend sighed, then chuckled.
"Alright then—let's make this a quick fight."
Natasha smiled back, her previous nervousness fading.
"Yes, Senior!"
Her expression no longer showed hesitation but rather a determined radiance.
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