"Is there nothing we can do about the crowd size...?" asked Rias, her blue eyes scanning the stands with crossed arms as she contended, "An event like this should have a packed stadium."
"Mmn...it does feel empty..." conceded Vahn, making his way over to join Rias with Grayfia naturally trailing behind him. The oval-shaped field was 200 meters in length and nearly 100 meters wide, with a 50x50m gridded arena in its center, carved from indestructible white quartz. Notably, as it was still fairly early in the day, only seventy or so people had gathered as the remainder were either manning festival stalls or exploring them.
"How about requesting the Tower Administrator to send out invitations or inviting the Sisters to spectate...?" proposed Rias, noting, "That would give us a solid fifteen to twenty thousand people."
"If we did that, some might want to remain after the festival ends," stated Vahn.
"Is that such a bad thing....?" asked Rias, pointing out, "There's plenty of real estate to go around, and if they're summoned here in the spirit forms, they could stay until the training room closes without aging. I'm sure that at least a few Ascendees would leap at the opportunity."
"We could even turn this place into a joint training hub for those who wish to further increase their strength outside the Tower," appended Venelana, meeting Grayfia's silvery gaze as she passed before positioning herself to Vahn's right.
"I do prefer things being lively..." conceded Vahn, the faces of everyone he left behind flashing across his mind. Those like Sona, Ravel, Tsubaki, and Asia were scheduled to swap out with the pregnant group upon their exit, but others he wouldn't reunite with until his return. Four years wasn't that long, so if he gave them the option, he was certain Roxanne, Miu, and many more would choose to stick things out.
Having made up his mind, Vahn nodded and appended, "I suppose there's no harm in providing people the option. If nothing else, it's an opportunity to strengthen the Ascendee community."
"Awesome. Do you think you could invite my parents?" asked Korra, having overheard Vahn's decision alongside everyone else gathered in the lavish, lounge-like viewing box, decorated with a crimson carpet and black, gold-patterned stone walls.
"Of course," responded Vahn, offering a curt nod as Sis, within his mind, hummed, (Just leave it to me). Afterward, a sensation akin to a speaker being turned on but with no sound emanating from it permeated his mind as she began drafting and sending out invitations en masse.
Nodding a second time, Vahn revealed, "The Administrator is sending out invitations as we speak. We should also send out a mass message so that those already here aren't completely blindsided."
"I'll send a message through our group chat and contact Sabo so he can inform his people," stated Venelana, materializing her System interface to get to work.
"Once Sona, Ravel, and Seekvaira arrive, we'll delegate people to set up additional stalls and possibly even a fairgrounds," appended Rias, looking notably excited as if given the choice, she preferred to do things big and with as much fanfare as possible.
"I can assist with that," stated Vahn, producing a half-ram seal with his right hand, causing pale golden flower petals to separate from his back and the hem of his yukata before congealing into six identical clones of himself. It was disorienting to have seven different viewpoints suddenly, but as long as he didn't have to move around quickly or think critically, it was manageable.
"Oh, my..." hummed Venelana, narrowing her violet eyes and licking her lips seductively.
"Now isn't the time for your antics..." chided Rias, staring at her mother disapprovingly. However, the faint reddening of her cheeks made it clear Venelana wasn't the only one affected by the presence of multiple Vahns.
"Oh, relax," countered Venelana, causing Rias's brow to twitch slightly as she pointed out, "A minute outside is six hours in here. Even if a handful of Ascendees accept the invitation immediately after reading it, we shouldn't see them for an hour or two."
"But, considering how many people might appear, even six days might not be adequate time to prepare," reasoned Misla.
"Perhaps for another organization, but we have the Sisters," countered Venelana, confidently expanding, "With their ability to interface with one another over the Misaka Network, we should be able to prepare and man the stadium's concession stands within an hour or two. As for expanding the festival, we can always encourage Ascendees to set up stalls and attractions of their own. Most Parties have at least a Capsule House or two within their Inventories, and if we announce that there will be prizes awarded to the most popular stalls, we can anticipate at least a few food and drink stalls popping up."
"Since when did you have such a laissez-faire attitude?" questioned Rias, looking moderately annoyed as she had grown up under Venelana's stern but generally fair instruction.
"Since I decided to enter into the same harem as my daughter," quipped Venelana, winking playfully before grabbing the original Vahn's right arm and suggesting, "On that subject, let's get you and your clones nice and settled in. I won't hinder you if you insist on lending your assistance, but your time is much better spent attending to and being attended by those you hold dear."
"Wouldn't things be easier if I lent a hand...?" asked Vahn, allowing himself to be pushed back onto a white leather sofa.
"For everyone but yourself," countered Venelana, taking a seat to Vahn's right and guiding his head to her lap as she stated, "You're here today to see how much people have grown, to accept challenges, and to pass out rewards. Leave the rest to us."
"If you insist..." conceded Vahn, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of Venelana combing her fingers through his hair while her womanly scent filled his nose and warmed his body. At the same time, his other six selves split off to accompany a pregnant woman apiece, leaving him to cuddle or make out with seven women simultaneously...
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[Seven Hours Later]
With nearly every Ascendee accepting Sis's invitations alongside many of Termina's inhabitants, more than twenty thousand Pavilion affiliates, and a delegation from the Soul Society, the previously empty stadium was close to being over capacity. In total, 63,441 people responded favorably to the invitation, but thanks to the Sisters and many palace employees agreeing to act as staff and event personnel, the lines for food and drink were kept at manageable levels.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Allies and Ascendees from across Invirtua! Allow me to welcome you to the first-ever Transdimensional Tournament of the Best! Once again, I, Karma Dragon Queen, Tiamat, will be serving as both host and referee for today's competition...!" exclaimed Tiamat, modeling a turquoise-green kimono with golden accents as she hovered majestically above the arena, exuding equal parts dignity and pressure as she allowed her draconic aura to permeate the stadium.
Despite feeling as though the air around them was like a heavy blanket, Tiamat's introduction was answered with loud, stadium-shaking fanfare, cheering, and applause. If the stands had not been designated as a safe area, prohibiting people from using their powers freely, the stadium might have collapsed from their vigor.
"Alright, everyone, settle down so I can explain the rules~" commanded Tiamat, making a casual zipping gesture with her right hand that inflicted the Silence Status Effect on nearly the entire crowd. Only those S-Ranked or with specialized equipment or Innates that granted them resistance to Silence were exempted.
"Ah, much better~" hummed Tiamat, making a graceful circle above the arena, her kimono swaying as if moving through a liquid as she went on to explain, "Starting from D-Rank, we'll have one person enter the arena and accept challenges from those of the same Rank. You earn one Rank Point for attaining victory, and if you're defeated, you'll have one opportunity to reenter the competition at the cost of half your points. If you are the final person in the arena and no one is willing to challenge you, you will receive as many points as there were challengers and the title of Strongest within your Rank."
Stopping above the arena's center and slowly spinning, Tiamat explained, "As for the matches themselves, they will have a time limit of five minutes or until one side gives up or is eliminated. Actions that violate the Tower's Code of Conduct are prohibited, and both the victor and the defeated will be healed between matches. Special provisions and bets are permitted if both participants agree to them, but if you are determined to have tricked your opponent, your victory can be rescinded at mine or a higher official's discretion. Let's everyone try and set good examples for any children that may be watching, okay~?"
Punctuating her statement, Tiamat snapped her fingers, producing a crisp sound that removed the Silence effect from the crowd. Then, with a smile that appeared slightly too broad for her face, she spread her hands wide and asked, "Now, who among you is daring enough to be the first to take the stage? The first to do so receives five Rank Points for free~" in a loud, cheerful tone.
Without hesitation, several hands went up within the crowd while those with more sense made their way to the front of their respective viewing sections and either leaped down to lower seating areas or directly onto the field. Once they were past the barrier that nullified their powers, an impromptu race occurred as, while they weren't sure what Rank Points could be used for, the Dragon's Pavilion was known to be generous with its rewards.
"Allllright—! I knew sitting in the front row would pay off...!" exclaimed a young man with messy, navy-blue hair, clear blue eyes, and the build of an athlete, striking a guts pose as he was the first to reach and ascend to the arena. His outfit, consisting of a graphic tee, dark blue cargo shorts, and blue-and-white sneakers, made it clear he was from a fairly modern world, but as he shouted, a wave of pressure surged out from him. That, and the glossy, form-fitting black mask he was wearing, made it clear he was anything but ordinary.
"My, someone's spirited," hummed Tiamat, startling the young man by appearing next to him with a microphone extended, asking, "Would you like to introduce yourself?"
"Wah—didn't anyone ever teach you not to sneak up on people like that!?" exclaimed the youth, leaping back and striking an overdramatic defensive posture. When Tiamat just stared at him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, he eventually rubbed the back of his head with an awkward chuckle before accepting the mic and turning to the crowd, inhaling a deep breath before bellowing, "The name's Sunraku, and you had better not forget it! I may only be D-Rank now, but just wait and see! This rocket ship is headed straight to the top of the Tower...!"
Understanding that Sunraku was referring to the Tower of Ascension, a brief and awkward silence descended upon the coliseum before people erupted into a mix of cheering, jeering, boos, and applause. In response, Sunraku held out and attempted to drop the microphone, but it promptly floated back to the smiling Tiamat's hand instead of hitting the ground as he intended.
"Alright, then, Mr. Sunraku. Shall we see who your first challenger will be~?" asked Tiamat, prompting one of the D-Rankers who had failed to reach the arena in time to disappear before reappearing next to her in a flash of aquamarine light.
"Whoa! That was just like Todo-senpai...!" exclaimed the new arrival, an equally young man with spiky, salmon-pink hair, distinctive facial marks, and a dark blue, nearly black uniform reminiscent of a Japanese Gakuen outfit but with a broad, red, two-button collar.
As she could see all the competitors' Statuses and their names over their heads, Tiamat took the liberty to introduce the newcomer, raising her left hand as she shouted, "And in the left corner, we have Itadori Yuji! Let's all give these two young men a roaring round of applause before seeing what they can do!"
Spurred by Tiamat's shout, the crowd erupted into applause while the remaining D-Ranks around the arena were teleported to a waiting area that allowed them to view the match up close and personal...
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