Thanks for _______ ________ and Nefasturis for becoming as Supporters!
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"Please allow me to give you a detailed explanation of the duties of the special guest commentators. There are two tools prepared for you: the first is a specially made Akademiya Kamera. We hope the three of you will use it to record the course of the competition; the second is the competition-exclusive locator. It will mark the locations of the contestants for you, and when a contestant completes their objective, it will emit an alert sound."
"That sounds pretty simple—basically capturing the contestants' highlight moments on camera… It kind of feels like being a reporter?"
"More or less." Karina nodded, then continued, "Additionally, there are two commentators stationed at the commentary booth—Mr. Alhaitham and Ms. Nilou. You should both know them. They are responsible for explaining the competition content, rules, and evaluating the results."
"So, it's them! Then we can go say hello later!"
"Mhm. Do the three of you have any other questions? If not, I won't take up more of your time."
"Yes!" Seeing that Lumine didn't seem inclined to speak, Paimon prompted, "About the Diadem of Knowledge… Lumine has some questions."
Hearing this, Karina looked at Lumine, but Lumine shook her head. "It's fine."
After Karina left, Paimon asked, "She's the host of the tournament, so she must know something about the Diadem of Knowledge. Aren't you going to investigate?"
"From what The Wanderer implied, Lesser Lord Kusanali should already be aware of it. Besides, the Diadem of Knowledge belongs to the Akademiya to begin with…" Lumine said calmly. "Let's relax once in a while. Don't think about so much—just enjoy the Akademiya festival."
"Alright, I'm fine either way. We should head to the commentary booth too… Huh? Wait, aren't those Dehya and Candace? You're here for the festival too!"
Candace replied, "The Akademiya sent us an invitation, and since this concerns the school in Aaru Village, we would've come even without one. Participating in this celebration is a stance—and a call to action."
Dehya smiled as well. "The Akademiya festival might not be an official holiday, but it's a well-known grand event in Sumeru City. Merchants from all over gather here, and there are more goods than you can count. I've been wanting to help Candace pick out some new clothes for a while now."
"Hehe, I'm looking forward to it. Maybe one day, Aaru Village can host a festival like this too."
"Isn't everyone in Aaru Village, along with Rahman's group, already preparing for that? I heard Dori Sangemah Bay, that big merchant, is backing them too. Once the second round's venue moves to the desert, Aaru Village will be just as lively!"
As she spoke, Dehya looked over. "What about you? Want to walk around together?"
Paimon frowned in conflict. "I really want to join you, but we still have work to do…"
"That's fine. We can do it next time when you're free. We'll help you pick out some new outfits then too."
"Deal!"
"Then we'll head off first."
"The competition's about to start anyway. We should go to the commentary booth too. See you!"
…
"Next, I will announce the contents of the first round of the Akademiya Championship. Contestants, please listen carefully.
"During the opening ceremony just now, Akademiya staff released several cages of butterflies throughout Sumeru City. Among them are three specially bred 'Swiftflies.' Their appearance differs from ordinary butterflies, and they fly slightly faster.
The objective of this round is to locate the Swiftflies and bring them back here. Based on the order in which the butterflies are returned, contestants will receive 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point respectively.
That concludes the entirety of the first round's rules. If there is anything unclear, you may consult other staff members.
And now, the competition begins."
As Alhaitham's voice fell, the competition officially began. The six contestants either discussed strategies together or acted alone, and before long, they all set off.
Since it was unlikely that anything particularly exciting would happen just yet, Lumine set up the Kamera to film, Victor Wang began taking notes, and Paimon seized the chance to ask the two commentators, "Why did you come to be a commentator, Alhaitham? It doesn't really seem like your style."
Alhaitham replied, "There are several reasons. The most direct one is that I was recommended by the Sages. Since I resigned from the position of Acting Grand Sage, they probably think I'm relatively free and have the energy to handle this work."
"That's… then what about you, Nilou?"
Nilou answered, "The staff said that if all the participants were Akademiya scholars, fewer people would be interested in watching. I don't really understand these things, but since they invited me, I came."
"Nilou, you're as kind-hearted as ever! Alright, we've said hello—now we need to focus on tracking the contestants!"
…
"And now, here is Paimon's summary of the first round of the Akademiya Championship!
"Tighnari relied on his expertise from the Amurta Darshan, using incense to attract the butterflies and easily captured the first one, earning 3 points.
Faruzan and Kaveh worked together, using a mechanical butterfly to lure and capture the second one. After drawing lots to determine point allocation, Faruzan received 2 points.
Layla searched tirelessly and eventually caught the third butterfly, earning 1 point.
Cyno mistakenly chased after the mechanical butterfly released by Faruzan and Kaveh, wasting a great deal of time and returning empty-handed.
Hat Guy showed no intention of searching for butterflies at all.
Additionally, the Akademiya Championship will hold one round every two days. The next round will take place the day after tomorrow, and the venue will move to Aaru Village. Contestants and interested spectators, please plan your travel in advance!"
...
"It seems everyone is present. Next, I will announce the contents of the second round of the Akademiya Championship.
In the area near Aaru Village, three Ley Line Disruptors have been buried. These machines can simulate ley line disturbances and interfere with the surrounding environment. Your objective is to shut them down.
Based on the order in which the machines are deactivated, contestants will receive 4 points, 3 points, and 2 points respectively.
It must be emphasized that each contestant may only carry a limited amount of water and food. Additionally, leaving the competition area will be considered a forfeit for this round. Please assess your condition carefully and prioritize your safety.
And now, the competition begins."
…
"And now, here is Paimon's summary of the second round of the Akademiya Championship!
Cyno, relying on his expertise from the Spantamad Darshan and his familiarity with the desert environment, was the first to shut down a Ley Line Disruptor, earning 4 points.
Although Layla specializes in studying the stars as a Rtawahist scholar, she performed exceptionally well and was the second to deactivate a Ley Line Disruptor, earning 3 points.
Faruzan and Kaveh once again coincidentally discovered the third Ley Line Disruptor at the same time. After drawing lots, Kaveh received the 2 points.
Tighnari, due to his discomfort with the desert environment, withdrew from the competition not long after it began.
Hat Guy once again showed no intention of searching for the Ley Line Disruptors.
Based on the current scores, the rankings are as follows: Cyno with 4 points, Layla with 4 points, Tighnari with 3 points, Faruzan with 2 points, Kaveh with 2 points, and Hat Guy with 0 points.
The next round will be the final round. The point gap between contestants is small, and considering that only one person can obtain the 4 points in the next round, among the five contestants excluding Hat Guy, whoever wins the next round will become the champion. Everyone, rest well and do your best!"
...
"Next, I will announce the contents of the third round of the Akademiya Championship.
The Akademiya staff have hidden one of the competition prizes—the Diadem of Knowledge—within the Ashavan Realm. The first person to find the Diadem of Knowledge and successfully place it onto the designated platform will exclusively obtain the sole 4 points available in this round.
And now, the competition begins."
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