Each person has his or her objective in partic.i.p.ating at the compet.i.tion. Some were there just to join the hype, some were there purely to experience what it's like to be in the expert circle, some were there to obtain fame, a few were there due to some certain desperations, a number of them also joined due to the desire of winning, and many more.

Allen was still a distance away from the registry table. He was reading the plant encyclopedia while waiting for his turn to register.

He felt his robe was being tugged from the back. Turning around to see who it was, he saw a little kid with his big eyes looking back at him curiously.

"Excuse me, mister. What are you reading there?" The kid asked with the cute constant tone of how children spoke.

Allen: "A book."

"What kind of book is it?" The kid asked again.

"A thick book." Allen answered back.

"What kind of a thick book is it?" The kid questioned again.

"An encyclopedia."

"What kind of an encyclopedia?"

After the last question, a wave of silence prevailed over Allen and the little boy. The latter was still looking up at the former's left eye, not noticing the indifferent look that could give one a chill down their spine.

"Why are you here?" Allen ignored the kid's last question and asked his own.

"My master told me to join the compet.i.tion for experience." He replied.

"He's not accompanying you to register?" Allen asked.

"Nope." The kid answered.

"Your master is lousy." Allen commented straightforwardly, not batting an eye on the kid's feelings.

However, on the other hand, the kid only shrugged in response, "I heard a lot of people call him like that."

"Who is your master It's not possible for an alchemist master to be known like that." Allen asked. Based from the boy's testimony, his master was notorious for being like that.

Alchemists under an organization who were allowed to take on personal students in a master-apprentice relations.h.i.+p would be one of the best in he group. For him, it's quite impossible for a complete good-for-nothing teacher would appear from them.

Even if the master wasn't in an organization, they'd still have a degree of dignity as an alchemist not to be known like that.

"I don't know his full name, but most of the time they call him... I think... err... Director Samuel?" The boy answered.

"I know him. He's totally lousy."

"You know him, mister?" The boy asked.

"Yes." Allen nodded. "Do you really want to partic.i.p.ate in this contest? I guess that your master already taught you the basics of alchemy, but it's not enough."

"No, not really." The kid declined that he wanted to join. "But yes, master already taught me all the branches of alchemy." He beamed, showing the proudness from his achievement.

The kid then added, "I didn't want to join in the first place, but I want to see my idols! Master said that they will also be here joining!" His eyes shone brightly with fervor.

"Who are they?" Allen asked.

"There's Ma'am Dorothy of Ikkleshan, said to be the one of the most cunning battle-concocters. There's Sir Gavin of East Gate City, one of the most talented alchemists in the whole kingdom! Then the best of them all, Sir Alchemist Morgan, who first concocted the famous layered pill!" His clenched his hands and shook it up and down due to his excitement.

"I already personally saw Ma'am Dorothy and Sir Gavin, but didn't get to talk with them. But I really want to see Sir Alchemist Morgan personally the most, he's the only one that I haven't seen yet." The kid kept hopping in agitation as he imagined the scene of meeting his idols.

As Allen and the little boy kept conversing with each other, as if the time accelerated, the two of them reached the end of the line.

"Enter your name in this gem." The registrar pointed at a big green gem on the table.

Allen planted his hand on top of the gem directed some of his internal energy inside it. After writing his name, the registrar let him pa.s.s and enter the coliseum.

Suddenly, a loud deep horn sounded out and a voice could be heard afterwards, "The signed-up partic.i.p.ants has reached the maximum number for this compet.i.tion."

"The signed-up partic.i.p.ants has reached the maximum number for this compet.i.tion." The message repeated for a few more times until it stopped.

Sounds of disappointment, anger, and frustration rose among the incoming people who were suppose to be signing up.

Allen turned around and saw the kid he talked with. The kid was doing tantrums and looked he wanted to cry. Meanwhile, the registrar in front of him tried to calm him down.

"He's with me." Allen told the registrar. "Aren't we allowed to bring in helpers?"

"Well yes, it's not prohibited." The registrar nodded and went to the side to make a path. The little boy showed a surprised countenance and froze on the spot.

"Don't you want to enter?" Allen questioned.

The boy ran over at his side and they continued to walk in the venue. The soon as they left the coliseum's outermost area, they encountered a long corridor dimly lit by magical glowing stones on the walls.

"Thank you, mister." The kid's cute little voice quietly sparked out amidst the dim lighting in the corridor.

"What's your name?" Allen asked.

"My name?", the kid paused on his sentence and thought of something.

Finally, he replied, "James, my name is James."

On the other hand, Allen introduced himself with his first name. After introducing themselves, James initiated another conversation with Allen if metallic objects could be melted and used as medicines.

A little while later, they reached the end of the corridor where another man who checked if the incoming people were registered and gave them a pouch full of gemstones. The man also told him that there were important information about the first round written in the gems. After that, Allen was given a room number and he proceeded underground through the nearest stairs.

The area was still lighted up by the glowing stones on the ceilings, and sometimes on the ground. Some vines and other plants were also present, hanging around and growing through the walls and floor.

While walking even deeper, he used the time to read the information inside the gemstones.

It didn't take long after and they reached another corridor with rooms on each side. With the number plate on his hand, Allen searched for a door with the same number; when he found it, he inserted a gem that was provided by the second registrar earlier into a gap on the door.

With a clicking sound, the door was unlocked and they both went in.

Inside the room was a bed, a table, a few chairs, two small drawers on each side of the bed, another glowing stone lamp each on top of the drawers.

James closed the door, sat by the table and silently observed Allen.

Meanwhile, Allen inspected the floor of the room and found a gem socket a meter away from the door. He attempted to insert a gem in it but was unsuccessful; nevertheless, he tried the other gems in the pouch until one of them finally sank in.

Another clicking was heard and the sound of a working underground mechanism could be detected. Only stopping until a circular symbol rose around the gem, afterwards, thin beams of metal pierced the gem from the symbol and a projection appeared mid-air which showed the ongoing occurrences in the main area of the coliseum.

***

Meanwhile, the area around the coliseum was also nearly full of people who were watching from projections coming from gemstones like the one in Allen's room.

***

Earlier...

In a room of the coliseum, five people were gathered, including of which was Esmund.

Aside from him, there was the marquis of the Ryon City, Marquis Rowin, wearing the n.o.bles' attire; the young lady from the Aeoshun Observatory who was also their representative, Dianne, wearing the same robe when she greeted Allen; the bishop of the eastern region of the kingdom, Dominic, who was wearing his clergy uniform; and one of the officials of the Royal Cabinet, Theqias, wearing the official suit of the high-ranking members of the government along with the insignia of the kingdom on his collar.

"The Lady sends her regards to Sir Esmund." Dianne slightly bent her back to bow.

"Thank you."

"As the representative of the of the Retollian Church, we send our congratulations to you, Mister Esmund." Dominic shook Esmund's hand in greetings.

"It is too early for success, good reverend." Esmund smiled.

Theqias also made a handshake with Esmund and stuffed an envelope in his hands, "It's a letter from the Chief Alchemist, Esmund."

Esmund placed the envelope in his pockets and thanked Theqias.

Theqias nodded and added, "His Majesty would also like to greet your branch on this occasion too."

Esmund's eyes slightly widened in surprise and he made another oral appreciation, "I'm so thankful to His Majesty for noticing this branch."

After which, he also made a handshake with Rowin.

"I hope this event will be successful." Marquis Rowin said.

"Surely will, it has your full support after all, great marquis." Esmund replied with another smile.

Rowin: "Mhm."

"Let us go out already."

***

Allen and James saw the angle of the projection changed and was directed towards the platform on the coliseum where there were five seats.

After which, Esmund, Dominic, Dianne, Rowin, and Theqias appeared on the screen and walked towards the seats.

Theqias sat on the middle seat, while on his left was Dominic, on his right was Esmund, on the far right was Rowin, and on the far left was Dianne.

***

In another partic.i.p.ant's room, Gavin was sternly looking towards the screen.

Along with him in the room was Mr. Howard, sitting beside him on the bed.

***

Meanwhile, also in another contestant's room, a woman was also paying attention at the screen.

The woman had features of calmness, yet, under the calmness was an intimidating indifference.

Of course, she was none other than Dorothy.

***

The five all stood up, then Esmund walked to the edge of the platform, looked at all the spectators, then towards a giant floating projection above the place powered by four gemstones.

He was currently being shown at the screen. Setting his sights away from the screen, he took out a gem and positioned it near his mouth.

"Let the Ryon Alchemy Tournament, begin!" Esmund's voice was projected throughout the whole coliseum and at the surrounding area outside the venue.

All the spectators in the venue as well as the ones on the outside cheered loudly. A type of cheer that could deafen an unsuspecting person.