The BoB Tournament spanned two days.
The first day was for the preliminaries.
The second day was for the main event.
The preliminaries were scheduled for December 13, 2025, and the main event was on December 14, 2025.
In other words, today marked the beginning of the preliminaries.
With this in mind, after Rozen submitted his registration, the screen not only displayed the tournament bracket but also showed a countdown to the start of the competition.
Since Rozen had arrived relatively early, there was still over an hour before the tournament began.
However, he quickly identified his group in the bracket.
"Group A, number one?"
Looking at his name in the tournament list, Rozen smiled faintly.
"First group, first position—maybe that's a good omen?"
The bracket was entirely randomized by the system. Even the first person to register could be assigned to any of the 15 groups. If the first position of the first group remained vacant, the last player to register could end up there purely by chance.
As fate would have it, Rozen drew the first spot in the first group.
Such luck was practically unheard of.
Still, Rozen scanned the tournament list and recognized a few familiar names.
For instance, "Gale," who ranked 13th in the last BoB Tournament, was also on the list.
"Isn't that the same guy who escaped from me in the canyon last time?"
Rozen was momentarily stunned but quickly smirked playfully.
"Seems like he escaped for a while, only to end up crossing paths with me again."
The thought of this player, once ranked 13th but fleeing in disgrace, now coming back to face him seemed like the workings of fate.
That poor player must be regretting everything right now.
"If we meet during the preliminaries, I might go easy on him."
This was about as much "special treatment" as Rozen was willing to give.
With that thought, Rozen didn't leave immediately. Instead, after standing still for a moment, he smiled, turned around, and headed deeper into the grand hall on the first floor of the headquarters.
Several elevators lined the wall in the area he approached. These elevators could ascend or descend, and many players used them to reach the underground arena.
Among the players entering an elevator was a girl Rozen was very familiar with.
"Tch..."
The girl clicked her tongue as she saw Rozen approaching. She repeatedly pressed the button next to the elevator door, hoping it would close before he could get in.
Unfortunately for her, Rozen leisurely strolled over and stepped into the elevator just as the doors were about to close.
Now, the elevator held only two occupants: Rozen and the girl. As the elevator descended, an awkward silence enveloped the space.
Seeing no way to avoid sharing the elevator, Shinon crossed her arms and remained silent, her expression cold.
Rozen didn't say anything either. He knew that Shinon would eventually start a conversation herself.
And sure enough...
"What group are you in?"
Shinon broke the silence abruptly.
Rozen wasn't surprised in the least. He smiled.
"Are you afraid of facing me?"
His words carried a playful challenge.
"I'm more concerned you'll be eliminated before I even get the chance," Shinon retorted without missing a beat.
"I'd like to see who could manage that," Rozen replied with a shrug. "What about you? What group are you in?"
"...Group D," Shinon said after a brief pause. "I'm in the 20th in Group D."
"Looks like we won't meet," Rozen noted casually. "I'm in Group A, number one. There's no chance of us crossing paths during the preliminaries."
"Then work hard to make it to the main event," Shinon said, her tone softening slightly. "I'll make sure to settle the score from a few days ago."
As soon as she finished speaking, the elevator reached its destination, and the doors opened.
Without hesitation, Shinon stepped out, walking briskly as if eager to distance herself from Rozen.
Watching her retreating figure, Rozen chuckled quietly and shook his head before following her out into the competition arena.
The venue was as spacious as the grand hall above, but it was dimly lit. Sparse arc lights caged in iron frames cast thin beams of light, while the floor and pillars were made of dark metallic materials, giving off a somber and industrial vibe. Coarse tables lined the walls, and giant holographic screens on the ceiling displayed deep crimson text reading "BoB3 Preliminary" alongside the countdown to the start of the match.
Rozen stepped into this vast arena.
In the next instant...
"———"
Countless eyes turned to him, and the atmosphere grew heavy.
The stares came from the other players scattered across the venue.
Some clustered together, whispering among themselves. Others stood alone, silently exuding an air of menace. All of them were competitors in the BoB Tournament, emanating an aura of hostility.
These players' gazes were far from friendly. After all, everyone here was an adversary. Once the matches began, they would fight relentlessly, leaving only 30 contestants to advance to the main event tomorrow.
And yet, as the players recognized Rozen's face, their expressions shifted noticeably.
"Hey...isn't that...?"
"It's him..."
"Damn, he really showed up..."
"I just hope I don't have to face him before the finals..."
"Hmph..."
Whispers spread throughout the venue, and the once-hostile gazes softened into looks of apprehension and resignation. Some players quickly averted their eyes, while others fixed their stares on Rozen as if trying to commit his face to memory.
Unbothered by the attention, Rozen strolled casually to a corner, leaned against a pillar, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes to rest.
Occasionally, players would glance in his direction but swiftly look away. A few, however, observed him with curiosity, scrutiny, and even admiration, as if they wanted to etch his image into their minds.
Among those watching was Shinon, seated in a corner with a cold drink in hand.
"What's so special about him anyway?"
She muttered under her breath, clearly annoyed as she looked at Rozen.
Her grumbling was interrupted by the arrival of a male player.
A man with silvery-gray hair tied into a ponytail, dressed in a streamlined gray camouflage outfit, approached her. His slender, intelligent face matched his lithe frame, giving off the impression of a member of an elite special forces unit rather than a seasoned soldier.
Seeing him, Shinon's expression softened slightly.
"So you're here too, Kyouji-kun."
Shinon greeted him.
The man was none other than Kyouji Shinkawa, whose in-game avatar was known as "Spiegel" in GGO.
"I'm here," Kyouji replied, nodding in greeting. He then glanced toward Rozen.
A glimmer of intrigue flashed in his eyes.