The next day, December 16th, marked the opening of the Golem Competition—the Gonpetition.
Jin and his party finished their breakfast by 7:00 AM and set off for the arena alongside the Magic Technology Minister, Reglei Gibbs von Besuvius.
Accompanying them were Reiko, Hope, Edgar, Blitz, Donner, and Yuana.
"Is the venue by the shores of Lake Tosmo?" Lordtoss asked, observing the direction the carriage was taking.
"Indeed. Well, look forward to seeing it once we arrive."
"Hmph." Seeing Reglei’s knowing smirk, Lordtoss decided to drop the subject.
Meanwhile, Jin and the others were in high spirits.
"I wonder what the competition will actually be like."
"I really wish I could’ve entered too!" Rubina lamented.
"You aren't a citizen, so I doubt that would have been possible," Jin noted.
Before long, they arrived at the shore of Lake Tosmo. Looking around, however, there was no sign of a stadium or anything resembling an arena.
"Hey now, where is this competition venue?"
At Lordtoss’s question, Reglei gave a sly grin and pointed toward a nearby facility. "We shall be moving there now."
It was a large building reminiscent of a gymnasium. However, as Jin analyzed the mana emanating from it, he sensed that it belonged to some massive magi-device. He immediately signaled Reiko to investigate with her Peeper.
"...It is a Warp Gate," Reiko reported in a low voice.
"I see. So the event is being held elsewhere. Likely somewhere remote."
This massive Warp Gate appeared capable of teleporting over a dozen carriages and hundreds of people all at once.
It’s the same system as the one we found at the Keuwan Ruins in the Kingdom of Egerea, Jin thought.
He recalled the journey he had taken with Reinhard and Elsa toward the Shouro Empire. They had visited those ruins casually for sightseeing. The site had been an old fortress and a place of relaxation for the local people, but it had also housed a dangerous legacy.
That legacy was the Gigas—a berserker golem that absorbed magic. Though it had been unfortunately unleashed, Reiko’s combat prowess had allowed them to destroy it. Left behind in those ruins—albeit in a damaged state—had been a teleportation magic circle designed for mass transport, just like this one.
Returning to the present, it seemed the Shouro Empire had succeeded in reproducing that mass-transport technology.
"My subordinates and I spent two years bringing this to completion," Reglei boasted, his chest puffed out with pride.
Hmph, quite impressive. Though unfortunately, the mana efficiency is a bit lacking... no, quite lacking.
From Jin’s perspective, the magi-circuits on the outer perimeter of the magic circle were insufficient. Because the mana circulation was inadequate, he could tell the device would require a staggering amount of mana to function.
"Father, it is quite wasteful, isn't it?" Reiko had noticed as well, speaking in a voice audible only to Jin.
"True. But it’s still an incredible feat to have reproduced it this far without any outside guidance."
Jin felt a genuine sense of admiration for what Reglei and his team had accomplished.
While Jin and Reiko spoke, the carriage carrying them entered the effective range of the teleportation magic circle. Five minutes later, a voice echoed through the facility.
"We shall now begin the transport."
Mana was injected into the circle, and the magi-formulae composing the magic circle began to glow. The light raced through the patterns, growing more blinding by the second.
Then, in a momentary burst of radiance, the fifteen carriages and one hundred and twenty people inside the building vanished.
In the next instant, the carriages and their passengers found themselves in a far-distant land.
"This is..."
As the people emerged from the building housing the arrival gate, they stood in awe. The landscape had completely transformed.
Jin and his party were already familiar with teleportation, so their shock was minimal, but they were still surprised by the sheer distance they had traveled.
"This is the southern foothills of Mount Bakusa, in the outskirts of Bulurek."
Mount Bakusa was a mountain towering in the western reaches of the Shouro Empire. To its west lay the rocky wastes of the Sahara. Bulurek was a town that had been developed at the mountain's southern base.
"We chose a location that best suits the nature of this competition."
"Come on, you can at least tell us the rules now, can't you?" Lordtoss urged the triumphant Reglei.
"Fine, fine. In a word... it’s a 'Battle Royal'."
Essentially, the Battle Royal format meant that all participants would compete simultaneously to determine the winner.
"However, it isn't a simple brawl. To begin with, this isn't a combat competition."
Rubina and Shu both leaned in, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"The competition works like this: the basic goal is to complete one lap of a designated course and return to the start. However, there are five checkpoints along the way, each stocked with markers. The golems must secure these markers while racing through the course to determine their final rank."
"That sounds quite interesting," Jin murmured.
"Here is the catch," Reglei continued. "There are roughly fifty golems participating, but each checkpoint only has twenty markers. In other words, some competitors will be unable to obtain them."
"Ah, I see."
No matter how fast a golem reached the finish line, they could not win unless they possessed all five markers.
"Therefore, the rules explicitly allow for markers to be stolen from other participants."
"That sounds exciting!" Rubina cried out, unable to contain herself.
"Haha, doesn't it? I went through a great deal of trouble to finalize these rules," Reglei laughed.
Special spectator seating had been prepared for the guests. As Reglei had promised, Jin and his party were guided to the VIP box.
"Whoa..."
The seats were located just one tier below those reserved for the imperial family, offering an incredible vantage point. The box was enclosed in transparent glass to shield them from the wind, making it perfectly warm inside. Tables had been set out, and the area was fully equipped for them to enjoy tea while they watched.
Jin’s group settled in. Lordtoss, Shu, Jin, and Rubina took their seats, while Reiko, Hope, Edgar, Blitz, and Donner stood attentively behind them. Reglei headed to the officials' stand to fulfill his duties.
Directly in front of them hung a massive magi-screen. The progress of the competition would be projected there in real-time. To facilitate this, magic eyes had been installed at various points along the course. Additionally, specialized filming golems would be moving along the track to transmit live footage.
I might be able to incorporate something like this into the competitions on Onogoro Island as well, Jin thought to himself.
Finally, the competition was about to begin.