Beatrice and Ember went through the increasing crowd of multi-raced citizens of Klapsus and approached the twenty-foot-high opening. Pillars of flame shot high up on both sides of the opening as if powered by industrial-grade flamethrowers, radiating immense heat on all that passed them. But the waves of heat from the flame pillars only prepared for the heat coming from within. Beatrice's jaw dropped as she looked at what awaited all the viewers and participants.
A dizzying maze of narrow paths and multi-leveled platforms of rocks and stone stood upon pillars or were carved in sheer rock formations with no clear edge or sign of where man-made creations ended and the natural formations began or how they were constructed over the bottomless pits they overlooked. And out of those pits, countless flames shot up one after another in spectacular balls of fire that lit up the twisted mines. Each ball of fire sent a new wave of heat into the crowds. And the waves of heat reached Beatrice even from the most distant fireballs.
Beatrice no longer had to wonder why Samantha saw no reason to provide her with proper armor. The succubus was already sweating under her cloak and took it off. Anyone stupid enough to come here in full metal armor would pass out from the heat and eventually die from countless fourth-degree burns.
Beatrice looked at Ember with amazement at how her bodyguard could remain in her blue robes in these conditions. The freckled redhead seemed completely unfazed by the heat, and Beatrice could only assume that skilled fire mages had ways to mitigate heat not only from their spells but also from other sources.
But despite all the light that illuminated these underground mines, Beatrice could not see the bottom of the chasms from which the pillars and walls of razor-sharp rocks rose out. Many paths and pillars connected dozens and hundreds of feet below, but even those connections disappeared in the bottomless darkness below.
However, despite the perils of falling to their deaths, nobody seemed concerned that nearly none of the many paths, bridges, and platforms had any railings or other visible safety measures to speak of, even as many people walked across them and leisurely took position at the very edges to get a better view. Select few platforms had some metal railings installed, but even those would not pass a single safety inspection in modern society.
"You are the last-minute participant, are you not?" a masked man asked Beatrice with an official tone after suddenly appearing from the crowd. The man wore nothing but a black skirt that reached to his knees and a black mask that had a red flame painted across it. His build was above average muscle-wise, with barely any fat on him. The sweat that poured down his body indicated that he had already spent many hours here while remaining well-hydrated.
Beatrice paused for a second, reminding herself why she came here, took a deep breath, breathed out, and said, "That is correct."
"Follow me," the masked man said and turned his sweaty back toward Beatrice.
"Keep your eyes open," Ember said. "Don't hesitate and show no mercy! Because you'll receive none."
"I'd expect nothing less in a place like this," Beatrice said, handed Ember her cloak, and followed the sweaty masked man through the semi-naked crowd.
"Woah, look at that one!" one of the men exclaimed as his eyes got glued to Beatrice's underboob.
"By the Gods! Who is that sexy bimbo!?" another man went googly-eyed.
"She's got to be from the S.E.C.R.E.T. Guild! B-rank, at least!"
"Don't tell me she's also participating!?"
"Hey, sweetie! Don't go there! Stay with us! We'll treat you well!"
"You wish! As if a high-class babe like that would care for your puny cock!"
Beatrice heard similar drivel coming from all directions. However, as none of the men or women dared to touch her or get in her or the masked man's way, Beatrice paid little mind to their comments while she and the masked man approached one of the narrow paths that descended to a large, circular platform that stood upon a massive pillar, where several dozen men and women already gathered.
"But that outfit… I've seen it somewhere…"
"Isn't it what those spoiled brats in that magic academy used to wear?"
"I never heard anything about no masks."
"Obviously, she doesn't want to reveal her identity to a degenerate like you!"
"Whatever happened to that place?"
"I heard they were the first to be destroyed."
"That's what they want you to think! They just shut their gates and turned their backs on the rest of us!"
"You think she could be one of the students from that place?"
"No way!"
"Who cares!? Better tell me what do I have to do to fuck this 'student'!"
"Try your luck and join the action!"
"E-eh… I would, but I sprained my ankle!"
"Bwahaha! Yeah, right! Was that before or after got banned from entering the S.E.C.R.E.T. District for masturbating while peeping through the windows?"
"Nah, it was when me and my buddies ran a train on your momma!"
"My mother's dead, asshole!"
"I know!"
"… Not funny man. Not funny!"
Beatrice rolled her eyes and was happy to get out of range of that particular crowd as she followed the masked man across the first bridge down the path that led to the center area with the other participants of the Games.
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