At the end of May, the Venus returned to the massive dock in Kazdel after completing its coordination with Rhodes Island. Players disembarked in droves, while the remaining crew stayed aboard to carry out routine inspections.
This time, the number of players entering Kazdel was dozens of times higher than during the previous World Championship. Kazdel was the first nation liberated under Felix's command. Players had constantly participated in its missions, gradually treating it as their main homeland and capital. When news spread that Kazdel would host the World Championship, they flocked to the city without hesitation.
Kazdel's tourism industry received a long-awaited shockwave of activity. The last time it had been this lively was earlier in the year, during what players called the ACL league. Even so, that crowd was nothing compared to the monumental, record-breaking flood of visitors now.
Hotels filled to maximum capacity almost instantly, earning in a week more than they had during the entire off-season. The bustle rivaled the summer festivals of Bolívar's Dossoles.
Even the Sarkaz who had been recommended by adventurers to open hotels were suddenly earning more than they could count. And this was only the beginning — the number of visitors was simply too overwhelming.
Unlike reality, where people needed visas, plane tickets, and hotel bookings, attending the tournament in the game was instant and inexpensive. Everything required only in-game currency. And even if players couldn't find a room, sleeping on the streets of Kazdel didn't matter at all.
With version 2.0's "Doomsday Clock" about to strike, this was a major event for every player. All other missions could wait. The World Championship was something no one wanted to miss.
This year, the organizers had learned their lesson. They not only secured endorsements from figures in the real world but also reached out to merchants and brands from Victoria, Kazimierz, and Leithanien who were interested in sponsoring the tournament. Most of the staff on the organizing side were devoted players, all members of Tomorrow's Development. With their internal permissions, work became both fast and efficient.
"You want me to be their spokesperson?"
After finishing his training, Felix wiped off his sweat. Loughshinny, who had been waiting outside for him, brought the message.
She nodded. "The adventurers hope you can say a few opening words. Something like 'Welcome to the Kazdel Arena,' to help fire up the atmosphere."
Felix understood immediately. This sounded like a host's job, so why was it handed to him? Still, he had no objections and nodded in agreement.
Since returning to Kazdel, he had remained aboard the landship rather than barging into the city to steal Hoederer's work — even though on the first day back, he'd already held a meeting with Hoederer and his trusted subordinates. He had no intention of replacing Hoederer. Although Hoederer wasn't quite T1 material in terms of combat strength, his education made him exceptionally competent in handling governmental affairs.
"Is there anything else?" Felix asked.
"Yes… the flow of people has reached four times last year's peak. Not only adventurers, but merchants have also rushed in. They're entering Kazdel hoping to do business."
"Let Hoederer handle that. He'll come up with a sound plan."
Loughshinny covered her mouth with a soft smile and placed a light kiss on Felix's cheek before taking her leave.
Since that night of tenderness, she had begun taking the initiative, asking Felix for small, harmless rewards — little secrets between the two of them.
———
What truly made players feel the tournament approaching was the arrival of commentators from different language regions, all housed in hotels booked by the organizers. Once they found their designated commentary booths in the Kazdel Arena, they were almost completely satisfied. From that angle, they had a perfect view of both competing teams, and their voices could project clearly.
As for the issue of official broadcast languages, the organizers had stopped caring. Originally, they planned to host the championship in Cologne, Germany. Because the previous champion was European, they had hoped to profit heavily from European players this year, and the official broadcast language was set to English.
But now the tournament was being held in Kazdel. Canonically, Kazdel's official language was Sarkaz, unrelated to any real-world language. Still, many Sarkaz were fluent in Victorian — essentially English. This sparked dissatisfaction from the Chinese commentators. Why fuss over languages? Whoever paid more should have their commentary accepted — simple.
Russian commentator: Why are you fighting before I even started talking?
English was still the mainstream language in the real world. Many invested brands were involved, even a few questionable online platforms. On the other hand, wealthy bosses from the China region were no fewer. They played Arknights too, though not as hardcore. When they heard about the language dispute, they began throwing money at the problem without hesitation.
The young master of NetEase, Inc even smashed down a seven-figure investment just to secure the position of lead Chinese-language host.
"Looks like this year's world championship is going to be something to watch."
Zen surveyed the view beneath his feet. They had hosted KCL's Asia-regional matches here before, but the world championship was an entirely different league. The English casters were known for being fair and consistent, and as main-language hosts, they couldn't afford to show bias toward any KCL professional team.
"Yeah… I heard the NetEase young master even wants to buy into Tomorrow's Development. Investing in a game's world from real life… that's some surreal stuff."
Xiaowa's mouth twitched as he spoke quietly. They shouldn't be badmouthing a sponsor, but saying this in private wasn't a big deal. "Arknights currency can't be cashed out, and Tomorrow's Development doesn't have real-world industries. I doubt it'll work."
"Exactly… sigh, the pressure is real."
While the Asian casters were stressing, the western casters were much more relaxed. Without having to compete against the Asia region, they were far less tense. They held meetings, did broadcast prep, and still pulled in plenty of viewers.
"Version 3.0 is coming soon. I wonder what the storyline in Tomorrow's Development will be like."
"If I were the Pioneer, the first thing I'd do with that huge battleship is fire the main cannon."
"Bro thinks he's actually Pioneer."
"I was just saying it. Why so pressed?"
They joked around until someone asked, "Is Sunflower Team still the favorite to win this year?"
"I don't think they still have their old dominance at the end of 2.0, man."
Another replied, "Look at the other teams. Not just Europe—Asia's teams are terrifyingly strong. Did you forget who the Third Legion's commander is? She's the captain of a Japanese pro team. You don't get a position like that without real strength."
"I think North America's Cloud Team is scary. Their captain fully mastered that ancient-grade weapon they unearthed, so his power skyrocketed."
Back and forth they talked, but no one had a definite answer. In an MMORPG, the champion was always uncertain. Every team looked strong on paper, and since everyone's gear was similar, the deciding factor would be pure personal skill.
Once the two teams clashed, it simply came down to who had the weaker link.
The casters chatted merrily. Meanwhile, the pro teams were grinding through intense training sessions every day. They spent huge amounts of contributions and money to hire high-ranking coaches from Tomorrow's Development, hoping to pick up even a little experience. Sometimes they even requested simulated battles against the First Legion or the Second Legion.
Under their hands, regular players were beaten mercilessly. Players in late 2.0 were strong compared to the past, but when faced with these battle-hardened legion members, they still struggled to hold on.
Maybe only when 3.0 arrived would they finally stand a chance.
Felix and Loughshinny were discussing work as they walked down the corridor. When turning the corner, they nearly bumped into Siege. Her eyes lit up when she saw Felix, but when she noticed Loughshinny, a glimmer of doubt—perhaps suspicion—flashed through her gaze.
Loughshinny also looked at Siege with a hint of puzzlement. Then, as if trying to give the two some space, she cleared her throat softly. "Your Highness, I'll head to the office first."
Once Loughshinny left, Siege visibly relaxed.
Felix thought both their reactions were a little strange. They hadn't met many times. He did intend to promote Siege, so Loughshinny had naturally reviewed her file, but the record only stated that she was born in Londinium and was an ordinary Feline. Nothing else.
Yet the way Siege carried herself was indeed unlike a normal Feline. It was something innate, something in the blood. Maybe this was what they called the sorrow of bloodlines.
"Your Highness the Pioneer."
Siege gave a slight bow. "Thank you for promoting me to the position of operations squad leader… but I've only been in the unit for a short time. Being appointed so abruptly… wouldn't it be unfair to the others?"
"Why are you thinking about fairness?"
Felix countered calmly. "Instead of worrying about that, just use your ability—your combat power—to convince the rest of the operations team."
Siege was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
In Tomorrow's Development, everything felt foreign to her. A system where anyone with ability could rise through the ranks was something utterly impossible in the world of nobles. She had only completed a dozen missions, all rated SSS, and was immediately promoted to the position of operations squad leader.
Before this, Siege had cared only about herself and a few people around her. Now she suddenly had to take responsibility for an entire squad. The sudden weight on her shoulders left her struggling to adapt, even feeling somewhat overwhelmed.
It wasn't just the squad members who had doubts. Siege herself lacked confidence. In Londinium, she had only ever led a group of street thugs. Now she was expected to command trained operators, and she truly didn't know what to do.
"You can consult the previous squad leader for advice, and you can discuss things with your team members too. If, after doing all that, you still feel you're not suited for the position, then just tell me directly."
Siege nodded upon hearing this, then quickly took her leave.
Felix watched her retreating figure until it vanished from sight, then shook his head. He couldn't help feeling mildly disappointed. Someone destined to become the future king of Victoria couldn't even seize such a chance?
This opportunity was something he had offered her on purpose, to gauge her true capability.
After all, if she was to become the Victorian monarch in the future, he wanted to see what the current Siege was capable of. If she showed enough competence, he would support her ascent to the throne. Whether as an ally or something closer, it would benefit Tomorrow's Development. But if her ability was mediocre, or she lacked the will to be king…
Then someone else could take her place.
When he stepped into his office, Loughshinny was already waiting for him. Felix asked, "What happened between you and Siege?"
Loughshinny pressed her lips together. "She may have figured out my identity. She might have seen me using Originium arts in the training room earlier… my flames aren't purely Originium-based."
"You noticed something about Siege's identity too?"
Loughshinny sighed softly. "It's only a guess. Someone who understands Draconic flames that well is either a Draco, someone who has been in close contact with them, or a race inherently familiar with Draco fire."
"I can feel she isn't an ordinary Feline. None of Siege's physical indicators match the upper limits of her race. Unless she's a long-lived species like Doctor Kal'tsit, an ordinary Feline shouldn't be able to reach her level. Once I heard she came from Londinium, I started to suspect."
Felix nodded in understanding and smiled. "You're as observant as ever."
Loughshinny let out a quiet sigh. "Is Your Highness intending to support Siege for the throne?"
"That's one of the options."
Felix continued, "As for your sister, Eblana has already been laying low for years. Isn't her goal also that same throne?"
Loughshinny blinked her golden eyes. "But I feel Your Highness isn't planning to support my sister either. Otherwise, you could have done so years ago."
Felix looked at Loughshinny's gentle features and smiled. "Then what do you think I'll do?"
Loughshinny's beautiful eyes shifted slightly. "I think… you believe neither Siege nor my sister is suitable to be king. But at the same time, you yourself have no desire to be king."