*This is just a filler chapter. You are welcome to avoid it.*
Sin did not immediately leave the tournament venue after his match concluded. Instead, he stayed behind in order to locate his friends Gerald and Eric, who had also competed in matches at the tournament that day. Sin, Gerald, and Eric had all signed up to participate in this gaming competition together in this state where Indira was in another state.
After his own match ended, Sin decided to go try to find where his two friends were and see how their matches had gone. He first went searching for Eric in the part of the venue where Eric's match was being held. Sin knew that Eric's group matches time had started a few minutes after his own group matches, so chances were good that Eric would still be in the middle of playing or would have just finished.
When Sin arrived at the area for Eric's match, he saw that Eric was already at level 18. This was not surprising to Sin, since Eric had a special talent in gaming that set him apart from other players. Eric possessed an unusual innate skill, referred to as his "demon touch," which granted him a surge of extra power and strength after he touched his enemy's body for luck. Using this ability, Eric could elevate his performance to achieve higher capability and faster than most practitioner could manage on their own. For Eric, leveling up to 18 in such a short time before this competition would be easy with the aid of his special demon touch power.
However, as Sin observed, Eric did not even seem to need to activate his demon touch ability during this match. The competition did not appear to be proving too difficult for him at this point. Based on the rate Eric was progressing through the levels and how well he controlled the match, Sin concluded Eric was probably capable of winning the entire match relying solely on his own basic skills, without needing to tap into the extra boost from his enemy using demon touch or another ability called demon booster. It was clear Eric was breezing through the tournament's matches on his own basic strength.
Sin was glad to see his friend Eric doing so well in the tournament match so far. Eric's natural fighting talents combined with his unique demon touch ability made him a formidable competitor in these sorts of battle competitions. Sin knew first-hand how challenging it could be to keep advancing through the higher battle levels under the pressure of a tournament setting against skilled opponents. But Eric clearly had everything under control and was showing how he earned his reputation as one of the best up-and-coming young warrior in the area. Sin felt confident that Eric would finish strong and end up victorious in this match.
After checking on Eric's match status, Sin decided to go find their other friend Gerald next, since Gerald's match should also still be ongoing. Sin looked forward to catching up with both Gerald and Eric soon to hear how the rest of their matches went and share stories about their battling experiences in the tournament. As a trio of group member of the Phantom Spear with a shared passion for battling competitions, they would have lots to discuss about their various matches and strategies from this event. Sin was proud of how well each of them was representing their skills today. He was happy they all got to test themselves against top players here by competing at this premier regional tournament.
It was a bright and sunny afternoon as Sin made his way from the arena where he had just watched his friend Eric compete in a tournament match. Eric, a skilled warrior, had easily defeated his opponent in a display of superior technique and stamina. With Eric's competition complete for the day, Sin decided to go observe another friend, Gerald, who was currently engaged in a battle simulation against his group participants.
Gerald was a talented young mage who possessed the rare gift of earth magic. While elemental magic was common among magicians, the ability to control earth and stone was quite uncommon. Gerald had discovered his talents early in life when he accidentally caused a small rockslide while playing in the hills near his home. This display caught the attention of the local magic guild elder, who recognized the boy's potential and took him under her wing. Under her mentorship, Gerald quickly gained mastery over a range of earthen skills.
As Sin approached the clearing where Gerald was fighting against the other youths, he could see Gerald summoning showers of stone shards and boulders to pelt his opponents. The other young warrior was hard pressed to defend against such an onslaught. But Sin noticed Gerald was now practicing a new technique - rather than simply hurling loose earth at his foes, he was shaping the rocks and soil into a lumbering stone golem under his command.
The golem towered over the battlefield, swatting aside magical attacks as it steadily trod forward. Together, Gerald's precise control over the hulking earth monster and the continued barrage of stone projectiles overwhelmed his opponents' defenses. It was an impressive display, and Sin knew that Gerald's mentor, Lovely Gonjalo, must be very proud of her student's progress.
The stone golem Gerald now wielded in the training exercise was a testament to Lovely's expert instruction. Golem creation and manipulation required immense magical energy and concentration - only the most adept mages could master the techniques involved in conjuring and controlling such formidable entities. Yet Gerald handled the hulking creature with ease, directing its thundering advance and powerful limb strikes to overwhelm the band of fellow apprentices he faced.
Sin smiled as he watched his friend's performance. The golem was clearly the fruit of many long hours of study and practice under Lovely's watch. Gerald had come a long way from the shy, uncertain boy he had first been when Lovely took him on as her student. Thanks to her dedicated yet hursh mentoring and nurturing of his talents, Gerald was growing into the true earth mage he was always meant to be. Sin felt certain he would one day take his place among the preeminent masters of earth magic in the world. For now, he was clearly on the path to fulfilling that potential.