"Well, the tournament has two championships. One is to choose the champion of the younger generation which mostly have Body Strengthening disciples. The second championship is the main one, this is where the core disciples of the big sects compete. Considering you've reached the Core Formation stage and you're the Core disciples, you won't be competing with the younger generation but with us"
Michael grinned recalling the events that happened at Heaven's gate competition. At that time, Celena and her boyfriend Alex Fisher threatened him not to step on the 100th step, and ever since he came across Celena at the waterfall by mistake, she was looking to mess with him. This tournament looked like a good place to kick their asses and prove to everyone that he is the number one in Elon.
Just imagining how many badass points he could reap from this award made his blood boil in excitement.
"Why are you grinning?" Sadie creased her brows, seeing the grin on his face.
"Core disciples huh? I assume Celina and her boyfriend will be there" Michael did not stop the tinge of killing intent from emerging in his eyes.
"Yes, but you can't kill them. Killing is strictly forbidden in the tournament and it's the referees' job to keep the competitors alive"
"They can try," he snickered inside. He was positive that he could come up with a plan to kill anyone he wants at the competition with the help of his Alchemy talent and the help of the system.
"Is that so? Tell me more" However, he was not going to share his thoughts with Sadie.
"In the main championship, there will be 6 rounds. First-round, second-round, third-round, semi-final one, semi-final two, and the grand final. What type of contest and battles in each round will be decided by the tournament committee depending on the number of disciples competing"
Sadie continued to explain how the competition works. After taking mental notes, Michael asked,
"What about the first championship for the Body Strengthening stage disciples?"
"It's pretty straightforward. First-round will be a knockout round, the second will be one on one battle and the winners will yet again battle in the final. We would know who takes the championship in a couple of days after the tournament begins"
"I know who's going to win it, Gaya," Michael thought. Making Gaya reveal her true cultivation level to compete in the second championship might cause some unwanted suspicion on her but none would suspect her if he makes her look like a Body Strengthening stage cultivator and compete in the first championship.
He doubted the spell she was using to hide her cultivation lever would be enough to fool the competition committee. Hence, he planned to ask the system to help Gaya hide her true cultivation level. If they both won the championship of their league, it would catapult the sect's reputation through the sky.
"Young Master" while they were talking about the tournament, Mia finally returned with a silver space ring in her hand.
"All the items in the list are here. The space ring is on the house" Michael took the space ring from her hand to see the items inside. One could see metal bolts, gears, various colors of stones, coils, and many other components inside his ring. If he gave this ring to someone else, they wouldn't be able to make anything but thanks to his unique inventor trait, he could make hundreds of spiders and a few dozen drones.
"It'll be 8000 gold coins, Young Master Ghost"
"Only 8000?" Sadie was taken aback by surprise. She thought he's here to buy a weapon or potion recipe which would have definitely cost more than 20,000 gold coins yet what he bought was only 8000.
[The host should have brought all the items in the system store as it would have been high-quality items and saved you the time you've wasted here] The system's annoyed voice sounded in his mind.
"I could have if your prices weren't so outrageous. I can't afford to spend the points on anything unnecessary for now" Michael entered the system to reply.
[Take a loan host]
"Didn't I make myself clear before. I don't want any more loans"
[Hehe. You will take a loan] he was stunned for a moment hearing the system's laugh. He could swear that the laughter seemed sinister.
"So you can now laugh, good to know. Why do you think I'm gonna take a loan?"
However, the system did not reply as it went silent. Knowing that it wouldn't answer him no matter how many times he asks. He just exited the system and sighed in his heart.
"The space ring alone would cost 10,000 but yeah, I can see what's happening"
It wasn't uncommon to see trade centers like the burning star give discounts or freebies like this to establish a good relationship with figures like Michael, a 5-star Alchemist.
Michael accepted their gesture with a happy smile before willing the system to place stacks of 8300 gold coins on the ground.
"Keep the change, Mia"
"It was nice to see you again, Sadie" Michael turned his gaze away from Mia and looked at Sadie.
"Why don't we talk in private, in my room?" Mia's cheeks became red hearing the seductiveness of Sadie's voice.
"I have somewhere else to be Sadie. Besides, I have a girlfriend now"
"Does it really matter?" Sadie shamelessly leaned forward but Michael took a step back. She tried to seduce him but never tried to use her telepathic abilities as she saw what happened to Nyla when she tried to use the tactic on him during Heaven's gate competition.
"It does. We'll meet again" He said as his face was void of any expression.
Looking at the way he acted, Sadie didn't feel annoyed at him but desired to find a loyal man like him as none has ever rejected her because they have a girlfriend or boyfriend. She wanted to meet the lucky girl who got a man like him.
Sadie let out a long sigh before turning back to walk to her room. Mia was busy counting the gold coins as he failed to notice a tiny spider following Sadie.
**************************
[Does the host plan to fly to the Dark forest and then fly to Iceflair from there?]
"I was going to but now I know you have a better way. Am I right?"
[There is] the system said as he entered the system and saw a blue card with a golden outline floating before him.
Function name: Runic Teleporter
Function: Enable the host to instantly teleport to the base of operations and the places marked by the system.
Upgradable: No
[Say the word and the function will be enabled] The system tried to rush him but he had a few questions.
"I have a few questions like what the heck is the price?" Michael raised his voice at the end of his sentence.
[Only 15,999 points. The host can accept a loan of 20,000 points and enable the function]
"This is what you were planning" he sighed realizing the meaning of the system's words before. He really didn't want to take another loan but this function was very tempting for him as it would be a great help traveling between kingdoms. However, he couldn't help but feel there might be some catches to this function.
"I assume there are some restrictions"
[The Runic Teleportation function cannot be used during a battle. The runes can only be placed in less populated places]
"Runes are free to place or do I have to pay you?"
[Each rune will cost the host 4000 - 10,000 badass points depending on the distance between the host's current location and the destinatination]
The system's words made his brows raise as he had one more question for the system.
"Does this function only let me teleport?"
[No, the host can teleport subordinates and familiars with him for no additional cost]
"That's a surprise," said Michael, thinking deeply about taking the loan and buying the function.
"This does save me a lot of time and energy," he said to himself before taking a deep breath.
"System, give me a loan and buy this function"
[Wonderful] The system sounded pleased to hear his answer. Soon afterward, his badass points went from 8500 to 28500 and then it decreased to 12501.
Now that he had the Runic teleporter function, a new jade green window with a list of names appeared in front of him. Currently, there were two names on the list, Sunrise sect, and the Abyssal. Both of them were his base of operations.
However, he had to place a rune somewhere in Flamefair before teleporting to Abyssal. This would save him the time of flying back to Flamefair from the dark forest. On top of saving time, he could now be Ghost in one kingdom and be Lucifer in another with ease. If he had to find a downside of this function, he would say it's the restriction of being unable to use the function during battle. Considering there was another upgradable teleportation spell in the system store, the restriction was understandable as if he desired to teleport during a battle, he had to buy the upgradable teleportation spell.
The reason Michael didn't buy the teleportation spell was according to Gaya, the teleportation spell was considered as a Legendary spell in this world. Therefore, if someone saw him teleport during a battle, it would make him a target of many. He decided to buy the teleportation spell only after he reached the Core Strengthening stage. For now, the Lightning dash was a perfect substitute for the short-range teleportation spell.
"Since I got a loan and bought the function as you recommended, can you show me the places on Flamefair where I could leave a rune?"
A map of Flamefair appeared before him with a few golden dots on the holographic map.
"That's the tavern" He quickly recognized the place the golden dot was on as the tavern he spent the night.
"Good" He began to walk in the tavern's direction while moving the spider he left at the burning star to a dark corner in Sadie's room.