The organizer near the raised dais finally cleared his throat, adjusting his embroidered silk collar as the thick, suffocating static in the room slowly settled into an uneasy truce.
"Good," said the organizer, unrolling a grand parchment scroll with a crisp flick of his wrist. "Now that everyone's here, I can begin."
He laid out the exact parameters Ria had previously explained—the high-tier magic artificial wilderness, the preservation of the Black Swan seals, the instant disqualification of any squad whose seals were entirely destroyed, and the legendary rewards waiting for the ultimate victors.
"You may use this resort and its facilities for the remainder of the day," the organizer announced, placing a heavy, brass-bound mahogany box onto the table before him. "For tomorrow, the battle will officially commence."
He reached out and patted the top of the container. A soft, hollow clatter resonated from within.
