Once Shan finished selecting his Wishers, the staff had to spend time soothing the Wishers who were not chosen, calming them down and persuading them to leave.
After that, Shan busied himself with planning weapon and item purchases. The association staff who came to assist Shan were completely bewildered because he was a brand-new sponsor, and moreover, he was a rural person who spoke a local dialect. Besides, he did not understand the culture and manners of city folk. However, when it came to weapons and equipment, this sponsor was surprisingly knowledgeable and well-versed.
While the beta testing system in this game world was new to Shan, the information on weapons and equipment was all data that existed in the game, which Shan had played and studied to the point of almost memorizing.
"I'd like to order this weapon, this one, and this one... And for upgrade gems, I'll order this one, this one, and this one…"
The staff members were all left speechless as they saw Shan's list of equipment orders.
He ordered numerous top-class and expensive weapons. In addition, he purchased gems to upgrade those weapons, buying so many that it seemed like he was picking up beads at a flea market. Shan barely even glanced at the total cost, as if he had unlimited money.
Everything Shan ordered was high-level equipment typically used in Advance Wisher League competitions. Only major sponsors with deep pockets could afford to buy gear of this caliber.
Shan is indeed a whale sponsor who spends money extravagantly without limits. This generosity benefits both the Wishers under his contract and the Wisher Association, which relies on the income.
"Mr. Shan, famous sponsors typically provide their Wishers with unique team uniforms. I wonder if you're interested. If so, I can contact a fashion stylist for you."
"Oh, interesting." How could Shan miss it.
Some rare weapons in the game don't have very good stats, but Shan was always happy to buy them if they were beautiful and looked good on his favorite characters.
For Shan, fashion > META, and a whale like him would never miss out on fashion. However, no matter how good the equipment was, if it didn't suit his fashion taste, he would skip it.
Afterwards, a uniform designer came in to provide services.
"What color would you prefer for the team's uniform?" the designer asked, seeking his opinion.
"Color, huh…" Shan said. "How about blue? The color of whales, haha."
"Okay, sir. Do you have any specific requests for the uniform itself?"
"Specific requests…" Shan pondered.
Shan imagined Vinzent and considered the outfit he would most like to see him wear.
"Can it be shorts?" Shan barely had to think twice.
For Shan, he had a particular fondness for legs. It's like a part of their physical appearance that is most attractive to him. Some people might like someone for their face, eyes, or hairstyle. But for Shan, it was beautifully shaped legs that captivated him.
"Sure, sir. Blue uniform with shorts. We'll take care of it for you."
The designer recorded everything on a digital tablet.
Now, Shan was all set within a week.
The Wisher League was about to begin.
The whale Poseidon was ready to show off his wealth!
This round of the Intermediate Wisher League competition was livelier than ever before because a new, enthusiastic whale sponsor had prepared his Wishers to participate. Additionally, this sponsor had submitted a list of his agency's Wishers to potentially team up with Vinzent, the unwanted Wisher.
The stands were packed with people buying popcorn and soft drinks, eager to watch the exciting match unfold. Many people had heard that the new sponsor had spent a lot of money on this competition, everyone was curious to know how the outcome would play out.
"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! I, the announcer of the Wisher Association, welcome you all to the 'Intermediate Wisher League' competition!"
The announcer's voice echoed throughout the stadium.
"As you all know, this Wisher League competition is only open to B-Tier Wishers and below. But today, everyone is anticipating because our new sponsor has joined the competition."
"Even though he is still a new with no reputation, the Wishers under his guild are all at the N level and E-Tier rank. However, his team also has a UR level unaffiliated Wisher. But as you all know, this Wisher is only D-Tier."
"In this competition, sponsors from numerous agencies have sent their top Wishers to compete. Looking at the list, oh my, it seems there are mostly B-Tier and C-Tier Wishers. Hardly any agency has sent a D-Tier or E-Tier, except for the new sponsor agency I just mentioned."
"So, I can assure you that this competition will be exciting and enjoyable for all viewers. Without further ado, I hereby declare the competition open!"
"The first two teams to face off are the ones everyone has been anticipating - Mr. Shan's team! And the other team is a seasoned sponsor team, filled with all B-Tier Wishers. Let's see how it unfolds. How these nine E-Tier Wishers plus one D-Tier Wisher will overcome? Nope, I mean, how long can they extend the match without losing face?"
The announcer's blunt remarks sent the audience into fits of laughter, particularly among the sponsors. They not only laughed but also sneered at the mentioned sponsor. However, despite the ridicule, the sponsor remained relaxed, sitting cross-legged. Shan's face expressed no concern, his eyes showed no fear. He even held popcorn and cola in his hands, ready to enjoy the competition.
Seeing Shan's attitude, many sponsors were skeptical, but they didn't pay much attention. After all, in their eyes, this new sponsor was just a rookie with a big mouth, acting all big. They just had to wait for him to be defeated miserably, and he would soon humble himself.
Wishers under Mr. Shan's affiliation stepped onto the field in their newly tailored uniforms. They wore long-sleeved navy shirts with standing collars, adorned with intricate patterns resembling military insignias. Their round and cute white berets with blue bird feather accents matched perfectly. They also wore high knee-length boots and leather gloves, ready for intense competition. The only contrasting element was their white shorts, revealing their legs, which seemed contradictory to the otherwise serious outfit.
"Yes, pretty uniform." Shan felt immense pride in the uniform. Looking at the boys wearing it, he felt a sense of healing.
Shan was overjoyed. The only thing missing from his current Shota team was the main Waifu. He just had to upgrade to Platinum Sponsor first. Then, he would relentlessly pursue Vinzent to join his team, and his dream Shota team would be complete.
Vinzent was the last to step onto the field, still wearing his usual coat. He was only participating according to the rules of the Wishers and wasn't very serious about the competition. However, he couldn't help but glance at the uniforms of the sponsor's team, which deliberately showcased their legs.
"Mr. Vinzent is here!" The young team members from Mr. Shan's guild turned to greet him excitedly.
Despite being a Wisher shunned by others, with no sponsors or fellow Wishers wanting to work with him, Vinzent was still respected by members of Shan's guild. As a D-Tier Wisher, although not very high and even quite low compared to UR-level Wishers, Vinzent still outranked them, who were only N-level in the E-Tier. Therefore, Vinzent remained superior to them.
More importantly, their sponsor had shown such great interest in Vinzent. It was inevitable that they would collaborate in the future, so there was no reason for these young Wishers to have treated Vinzent poorly like the others.
"Uniform?" Vinzent asked in a neutral tone.
"Yes, it is! Don't you think it looks good?" A young Wisher spun around excitedly to show off the uniform.
"Mr. Shan designed this outfit specifically for us," another young Wisher added.
"We're really happy with it!" the other young Wishers supported.
Since they were just N-rank wishers, no matter how hard they tried, they could only reach the E-Tier. Their dream of joining a good affiliation to climb the ranks was difficult to achieve. No sponsor had ever taken them seriously. Despite trying their best to get attention, they were always rejected.
Until they met Shan. The day Shan decided to take them into his guild, they were so happy that they felt like they were dreaming. It was already difficult for Wishers like them to find an affiliation, but now they were in Shan's team, which was investing heavily in them. Shan provided them with high-grade weapons and equipment they would never have experienced otherwise. He even had custom-made uniforms made for them, something that only wealthy sponsors would care to do. Therefore, they were extremely grateful to have such a generous whale sponsor like Shan.
"Shorts?" Vinzent raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, and guess what? Mr. Shan has a special outfit prepared for you too," a young Wisher whispered.
"Yes, Mr. Shan has it kept in his private room, just waiting for the day you join our team," another young wisher added.
"That's right! Your outfit is even shorter than ours," a third young Wisher said.
"…" Vinzent was speechless.
When Shan, who was seated in the sponsor's zone, noticed Vinzent glancing in his direction, he couldn't help but wave his hands enthusiastically despite the somewhat disapproving expression on Vinzent's face. He even called out Vinzent's name loudly, causing Vinzent to quickly avert his gaze.
"Oh right, this is the weapon Mr. Shan give to you," a young Wisher said, handing Vinzent a gold-colored gun.
Vinzent's eyes widened slightly as he accepted the gun.
It was a custom-made pistol, the Sentinel Glisten Model, SSS grade. It was small and lightweight, yet it boasted the highest power rating among all firearms. The Sentinel pistol had a weapon-mounted skill that increased the damage of its ultimate attack for the wielder. And to top it off, when Vinzent flipped the pistol, he saw red gems embedded all over it. These were power-enhancing gems that further increased the attack power and damage.
"..." Vinzent couldn't even imagine how much this weapon cost.
But as he looked at his teammates, their weapons were no ordinary ones either. Each young Wisher was wielding a weapon of at least S-grade, all of them adorned with power-enhancing gems. However, their weapons differed slightly from his.
The Sentinel pistol that Vinzent wielded was a damage-oriented weapon, but his teammates' weapons were support-oriented. The gems installed on their weapons were not the damage-boosting red ones, but rather blue, yellow, green, and other colors that enhanced their support capabilities. In short, his teammates' weapons did not have the highest damage output, but they had weapon-mounted skills that focused on buffing their teammates.
Normally, even big sponsors wouldn't dare to invest in such expensive support-oriented weapons, let alone install power-enhancing gems without hesitation. It was incredibly extravagant. Vinzent really couldn't grasp what this sponsor was thinking.
"Mr. Vinzent, Mr. Shan told us that when the competition starts, you should wait for us to attack first so that our weapon-mounted skills can activate completely. Then, you can use your ultimate attack," a young Wisher said.
Vinzent was puzzled. He had to wait for his teammates, who were unlikely to be very strong attackers, to start attacking first before he could attack himself? Was that how it was going to be?
"That's right. When we shout 'Ready!', you can use your ultimate attack on the opponent. Do you understand?"
Vinzent remained silent, causing the young Wishers to exchange nervous glances.
"Don't worry, Mr. Vinzent. We've been practicing this for dozens of times. We won't make any mistakes," one of them said.
"Yes! Mr. Shan even supervised our training himself. You can trust us," another added.
The young Wishers were concerned that Vinzent might not believe in them, so they attempted to reassure him.
'So, that sponsor is the one who's been managing everything.' Vinzent thought to himself. Then Shan must know what he's doing.
"Team Mr. Shan & Vinzent LeFolyn, stand by."
They didn't have time to argue or discuss further; they had to step onto the circular platform to enter the holographic simulation of the actual competition arena.
Now, both teams entered the field amid the cheers of the crowd. Of course, no one was excited about the competition's outcome because everyone knew the team with only E-Tier Wishers and that fake UR Wisher was likely to lose. They were merely curious about how long they could hold their ground before losing the match entirely.