The mid-term examination brought about a huge influence!
Or at least, that was Meng Lei's opinion.
This was because the atmosphere in the academy had completely changed!
The usually laughing and bantering Dragon People nobility had disappeared, the indolent and romantic young masters and playboys were gone, and the couples hiding in the corners were also missing in action.
The number of loafers in the school had decreased, the number of people listening in class had increased, and the training grounds were packed with people!
A mid-term examination had miraculously turned around the atmosphere in the academy. The first-year students' transformation, in particular, was especially dramatic. It was a complete change from their previous indolence, as though they had suddenly woken up to reality!
After morning classes ended, Meng Lei left the academy and headed to the capital city's biggest battle arena—Flame Arena.
Flame Arena was located in the east of the city and situated in a prosperous area where the rich and the noble congregated. It was a considerable distance from Fire Dragon Magic Academy. Meng Lei flagged down a magic cab and headed there in the carriage.
The magic cab driver observed Meng Lei's countenance and asked carefully, "Lord Magician, are you heading to Flame Arena to watch tonight's battle for the title of King of Fighters?"
Meng Lei was wearing a magician robe and was evidently a noble magician. He wasn't someone whom a driver like him could casually strike up a conversation with, but if he could get acquainted with Meng Lei, it would definitely be a positive thing!
"Battle for the title of King of Fighters?"
Meng Lei was mildly stunned.
"You don't know about it?"
The driver found this rather strange. He said, "The annual King of Fighters battle is a grand and spectacular competition famous throughout the capital city. Everyone, from peddlers and servants all the way to high-ranking officials and the nobility, knows about it!"
"I've been staying in the academy all this time, so I haven't heard about it!" Meng Lei said with a smile, "Why don't you tell me about the King of Fighters battle?"
"Alright!"
As the driver explained, Meng Lei finally understood what it was all about.
The King of Fighters!
That was the strongest Gold-Medal Fighter in the battle arena!
After an intense year-long tussle, a king among all the fighters would emerge from the Flame Arena, and he was known as… The King of Fighters!
In the King of Fighters battle, this year's King of Fighters would challenge the King of Fighters that had won the previous year's King of Fighters battle. This was a battle between kings and was also Flame Arena's most exciting battle of the year. Somewhat similar to the NBA finals and the World Cup finals, its influence reached far and wide, and was highly popular and received great support from the nobles!
In the magic cab driver's words, all the noblemen or tycoons that loved battle tournaments would watch the King of Fighters battle taking place tonight. Tickets had even gone as high as several tens of thousands of gold coins per ticket!
I didn't think that I would actually run into a competition like this!
Meng Lei secretly shook his head.
It's just that the tickets are too expensive. At tens of thousands of gold coins per ticket, I can't afford that!
Meng Lei had initially wanted to join the fun, but all he could do now was only to think about it. He wasn't that big of a millionaire yet!
He arrived at Flame Arena an hour later.
The massive Flame Arena was somewhat similar to the stadiums and theaters on Earth. It was a grand and magnificent building that occupied an extremely big plot of land and formed the shape of a lick of flame. It shone a dazzling fiery red everywhere and gave off a blood-boiling and fiery, passionate feeling!
At that moment, it was already packed with people outside Flame Arena. There were Dragon People nobility decked out in gold and jewels, big-bellied wealthy tycoons and overlords, fashionable and sexy noblewomen and ladies…
Human traffic flowed ceaselessly, and people moved constantly!
People's voices were loud and went on without pause!
"How lively!"
Meng Lei had been just an ordinary employee in his past life. As he had needed to support his family, he had rarely taken part in large-scale activities. However, he did know what the train stations during the spring festival looked like!
The scenery outside the arena at this moment could totally give the spring festival a run for its money!
Meng Lei went along with the human traffic flow and reached the grand entrance, where the strict guards on duty stopped him. One of them said, "Lord Magician, please go to the ticket booth on the right to purchase a ticket first!"
Meng Lei shook his head and replied, "I'm not here to watch the King of Fighters battle. I'd like to join Flame Arena and become a fighter!"
"Huh?"
The guard looked Meng Lei up and down, mildly startled. Join the battle arena? Now, that was rare! Very few Magicians were willing to become fighters!
"Sir, you're not joking?"
"No, I'm not!" replied Meng Lei with a shake of his head.
"Please wait for a moment, sir!"
The guard immediately gave a few instructions to his companion behind him, and then said to Meng Lei, "Lord Magician, please follow me!"
Meng Lei followed the guard into Flame Arena. They turned a few corners to the left and the right as they walked before they finally came to an office. The guard knocked on the door and entered. After a while, he came back out again.
"Lord Magician, Master Uno invites you in!"
"Alright!"
The moment Meng Lei entered the office, he saw a calm and collected elderly man dressed in rich brocades seated on the chair. The elderly man looked at Meng Lei with a scrutinizing gaze!
"Little fellow, so you're the one that wants to become a fighter?"
Uno looked Meng Lei up and down, his brows slightly drawing together. Meng Lei was seriously too young. He was the very picture of a little brat that hadn't grown up at all. He was already a Fourth-Grade Magician at such a young age?
He must be joking, right?
"Yes!"
Meng Lei nodded slightly.
"Flame Arena welcomes any expert to join!" Uno's voice was calm and detached as he said, "However, you should be aware of our rules. Only Fifth-Grade Warriors or Fourth-Grade Magicians and above are qualified to join. You're so young, so you probably…"
He didn't continue, but it was evident what he meant—he was clearly dubious about Meng Lei's battle capabilities. In fact, Uno was even wondering if the little fellow in front of him had come up with this idea in a moment of folly because he didn't have the money to watch tonight's King of Fighters battle.
After all, the arena's fighters could watch the King of Fighters battle from the inside!
Meng Lei let out a laugh. He didn't bother saying any superfluous rubbish but began to lightly chant a magic incantation instead. The Thunder Elements in the surroundings began to swiftly gather, and then they formed two long spinning spears!
Each spear was three meters long and an inch thick. They spun at high speed, as though two high-speed electric drills with electric currents twining around them, and gave off a terrifying might that made one's heart palpitate!
"Fourth-Grade Spell, Spinning Lightning Drill!"
Uno got up from the chair and stared at the two lightning drills in front of him. Astonishment filled his eyes, and he said, "You're really a Fourth-Grade Magician? So it's I whose eyes had failed him!"
He was someone who had seen a lot of the world. He calmed down very quickly, and with a joyous expression, said, "Since you can use Fourth-Grade Spells, then you're undoubtedly a Fourth-Grade Magician. You are absolutely qualified to become one of our Flame Arena's fighters!"
"It's fine as long as I can!" Meng Lei breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Do I need to go through any procedures?"
"Yes, there are necessary procedures, of course!" Uno added with a smile, "I'll go through the procedures' specific requirements with you first. You can consider and make your decision again thereafter. If there are no issues, then we can sign the contract after that!"
"Sure!"
Meng Lei nodded.
"How do I address you?"
"Meng Lei!"
"My young friend Meng Lei, as this is the first time you're joining our Flame Arena, you can only start out from the lowest grade, a One-Star Bronze Fighter. This is a compulsory rule that nobody can change!"
"No problem!"
"A Bronze Fighter needs to fight at least 10 battles a month!
"And a One-Star Bronze Fighter's appearance fee is 1,000 gold coins per session!
"If you win three battles in a row, you can level up to a Two-Star Bronze Fighter!
"A Two-Star Bronze Fighter's appearance fee is 2,000 gold coins per session!
"If you win six battles in a row, you can level up to a Three-Star Bronze Fighter!
"A Three-Star Bronze Fighter's appearance fee is 3,000 gold coins per session!"
"…"
"These are the requirements and appearance fees!
"There are also other benefits other than that!
"For example, after you become our Flame Arena's fighter, you'll be under the Flame Arena's protection. Under circumstances where the empire's constitution or the kingdom's laws aren't violated, the arena has the authority to ensure a fighter's life and wealth security!
"Another example is, after you become a Four-Star Bronze Fighter…"