Chapter 443

Chapter 443: Conditions for Becoming a Fighter

The distance from the grand arena hosting the bonfire gathering to Mososbury City wasn’t far.

Yet even this short stretch allowed Midi to learn the requirements for becoming a fighter in Mososbury City.

Each city’s fighter qualifications were fixed and divided into two types.

The first type comprised reserved slots controlled by the Four Major Families under the city council. From the top-ranked Death Scorpion to the fourth-ranked family, each held a different number of slots based on their status.

Fighters recommended by these families skipped all selections and advanced directly to the next stage.

For the current Black Dragon Conference, this meant family-backed fighters could enter Crystal Dragon Fortress immediately to seek heritage and grow stronger.

The second type involved experts competing for leftover slots not claimed by the Four Major Families—those who triumphed in Mososbury City’s Fighter Selection.

Participation itself had strict conditions, explaining the bonfire gathering’s purpose: tribes needed to earn families’ recognition here to join the selection.

Midi had experienced the competition format twice—unchanged, with its preliminary round and final match.

He’d initially assumed he’d have to enter the Fighter Selection.

Family recommendations seemed impossible.

Securing one required meeting countless demands from century-old major families.

Though confident in his battle strength against family elites, Midi knew recommendations demanded more: loyalty, future potential, and even "bloodline" purity.

In the Shaded Realm, tribes were small—a cavern could only hold hundreds to a thousand people.

Relying solely on such limited populations to produce geniuses took too long. Thus, tribes absorbed outsiders like Alexis and Midi, letting them rise quickly to core roles.

Families differed. Guarded by magic arrays and city resources, they lasted centuries. Their knowledge and heritage bred geniuses more frequently than tribes.

Even isolated, established families maintained or grew their power.

Hence, Shaded Realm families prioritized "bloodline" over recruiting outsiders.

Strength, contributions, and loyalty could be proven—bloodline couldn’t.

As a surface human outsider, Midi never dreamed of competing for family recommendations. Surviving potential hostility within Death Scorpion was uncertain enough.

But Hawke’s words revealed complexities in Mososbury’s fighter system.

“With your current abilities, a family recommendation’s unlikely,” Hawke advised. “But you’ll easily pass the Fighter Selection. Focus less on leveling up and more on gamble, ruins exploration… especially alchemy.”

“Why alchemy, Mr. Hawke?” A flicker of surprise crossed Midi’s eyes.

With only about a month remaining until the Fighter Selection in Mososbury City, Hawke unexpectedly advised Midi to stop trying to level up. This puzzled the young man.

Midi knew this couldn’t be a trap. Why would Death Scorpion family’s martial arts master bother scheming against him?

"Because selections are ultimately just selections," Hawke said meaningfully. "Even if you win the championship through pure battle strength, that fleeting glory means nothing. Forget the legendary Dark Dragon City – take our own Crystal Dragon Fortress ruins. Do you think raw combat power alone ensures survival in such perilous places?"

The truth struck Midi like lightning.

As Hawke explained, placements in selections mattered little compared to the true goal – gaining entry to heritage sites like Crystal Dragon Fortress. The real challenge would begin inside those ancient ruins, demanding skills beyond mere fighting.

The bonfire gathering had taught Midi this lesson already. After receiving Death Scorpion’s invitation, he’d willingly forfeited victory to plan for greater battles. Now he realized even the Black Dragon warrior selections followed similar logic – all merely stepping stones toward exploring dangerous ruins.

Surviving such expeditions required diverse skills: trap disarming, deciphering magic arrays, dismantling illusion mechanisms. This broader form of alchemy proved crucial, as Midi recalled from Master Norton’s vital contributions during the Elven Kingdom ruins expedition years prior.

Having clawed his way up from slavery through endless combat trials, Midi had fallen into rigid thinking patterns. Now awakened, he understood his true test wouldn’t be arena battles, but navigating uncharted heritage sites.

Major families understood this well. While Midi struggled for qualifications, they strategized about maximizing gains within ruins. With proper alchemical skills, Midi might even secure recommendation slots previously beyond his reach.

Though calm by nature, Midi felt excitement stir. The blood oath ensured fair selections, but disadvantaged lone fighters like him. Each public victory bred enemies; every revealed trump card became common knowledge. Even fighting style and habits would be dissected by observers.

Nobles could counter-analyze opponents, but Midi lacked such resources. Hawke’s advice offered new hope. Though only versed in basic potion-making, Midi possessed unique advantages: guidance from Eighth Apostle Rot, enhanced environmental awareness through mind-related abilities, and two decades’ worth of reincarnated memories.

Who was Midi? A veteran adventurer reborn! His previous life had been spent plundering ruins for resources. In this life, he’d conquered even the Mind Maze. Ruin exploration posed no challenge – his confidence here was absolute.

Now he needed to demonstrate his alchemical and exploratory worth to Death Scorpion. Resolve solidified, fighting spirit blazing in his starry eyes, Midi gazed upon Mososbury City’s cavernous splendor. No longer just a transient visitor, he would march from this city toward Dark Dragon City – taking his first true step into legend.