A week passed in the blink of an eye.
The highly anticipated Dawn Initiative advancement tournament finally kicked off amid the eager anticipation of countless viewers.
Inside the official livestream, the atmosphere was more electric than ever before.
Host Charles stood on the newly renovated stage, behind him a backdrop of dynamically flickering "Dawn" emblems and vast animated star fields, heralding a new journey ahead.
"Welcome back, everyone! After days of waiting and preparation, the top 100 advancement tournament of The Dawn Initiative is now officially underway!" Charles's voice rang out, full of commanding energy.
The massive screen behind him switched to display the competition rules in clear, concise terms:
[Advancement Tournament Rules]
Rule 1: The top 100 contestants will create an entirely new project within the designated venue and equipment environment provided by the organizing committee, to be completed within the specified time frame.
This project may be a continuation and deepening of their preliminary work, or it may be an entirely new creation.
The final results will be made available for judges and select lucky audience members to experience and score.
Rule 2: The creation period is seven days. During this time, the organizing committee will periodically livestream the contestants' daily interactions and behind-the-scenes moments in public areas through official channels.
However, the actual creative process and core content will not be shown, to preserve the final suspense.
The rules were simple and straightforward, instantly sparking heated discussion in the chat:
"Brand new projects? Can't wait! Wonder what surprises the masters will bring!"
"One week is so tight, feels like an extreme challenge."
"Livestreaming their daily life? Love it! Want to see what the masters are like off camera!"
"Protecting the creative process, good call. Keeps people from stealing ideas."
"So will there be a sequel to Battlefield: Warhammer 40k? Or a new IP? I'm dying to know!"
Charles glanced at the rapidly scrolling comments and smiled slightly, tossing out a teaser at just the right moment.
"Looks like everyone's more than ready. And as we speak, some contestants have already arrived at our tournament venue, the Kroc Sports Center!
Why don't you all take a guess: who do you think got here first?"
The camera shifted with his words, focusing on the grand entrance corridor of the sports center.
Sunlight streamed through the massive glass dome, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the mirror-smooth floor.
The background music softened, filling the air with anticipation.
The chat immediately erupted with wild speculation:
Amid countless guesses, a figure emerged unhurriedly from the shadowed corridor, stepping into the pool of light.
The first thing that caught the eye was a head of striking orange shoulder-length hair, bright as autumn maple leaves, with the ends flipping up playfully.
The newcomer stood about five foot seven, dressed in a simple yet stylishly designed white casual outfit that looked fresh and sharp.
Her face still carried a hint of youthful softness, but those bright eyes radiated a calm, sharp intelligence beyond her years.
She walked up to the camera, flashing a confident, easygoing smile and waving at the livestream audience.
"Hey everyone, I'm Neil."
Her voice was clear and bright, with that distinct quality of youth, yet remarkably steady.
Instantly, the livestream chat exploded like an orange tidal wave:
"Neil!! It's Neil!"
"First to arrive, of course it's Neil!"
"Goddess looks so cool today! Love that hair!"
"Crabapple blossoms speak their language is the GOAT! Can't wait for her new work!"
Neil's appearance, with her sky-high popularity and approachable charm, instantly ignited the livestream atmosphere.
As the first-place winner of the preliminaries, her early arrival seemed to set a high-caliber tone for the entire advancement tournament.
Charles walked over with a smile. "Welcome, our preliminary champion, Neil! First to arrive on site... looks like you're confident and well prepared?"
Neil grinned, her tone humble yet carrying an undeniable edge. "I wouldn't say prepared. I just didn't want to waste time on the road. The earlier I get here, the sooner I can get in the zone."
Her gaze drifted casually toward the entrance, as if she too was eager to see which other competitors would arrive next.
۞۞۞۞
~ Support & Read 10 Advanced Chapters on Patreon
https://p-atreon.com/lost_magus
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)