NOVGO.NET Chapter 58: Call For Games
Chapter 58: Call For Games
Seven full days passed since the kitchen recovery check, bringing the next digestion cycle during their quiet evening preparations.
[ Predator’s Digestion II: weekly cycle complete ]
[ Absorbed pools after compounding: strength 30.8154 / agility 35.966525 / endurance 40.087425 ]
[ Banked growth: strength 0.8154 / agility 0.966525 / endurance 1.087425 ]
[ Displayed attributes: strength 68 / agility 84 / endurance 77 / sense 48 / pulse 10 ]
[ Whole endurance gained: +1 / remaining endurance fraction: 0.087425 ]
His internal channels hummed with grounded stability as the additional point of Endurance settled into his bone density.
Fin rolled his shoulders backward, testing the supple elasticity of his reinforced ligaments against the wooden backrest of the chair.
’One point after two weeks of accumulation. Useful, but it does not put sleep back in my account.’
He recorded the precise fractional decimal gains privately before closing the status panel to finish cleaning his field gear.
"The municipal broadcast channel just cut its regular commercial feed," Jolly said, looking up.
She pointed her yellow graphite pencil toward the television screen mounted securely on the apartment living room wall.
A brilliant scarlet banner bearing the official Association emblem flashed across the display, accompanied by dramatic brass fanfare.
Fin lowered his oiled cleaning rag, watching the rapid scrolling news ticker across the bottom of the television screen.
"The decennial Field Command Trials are officially open," the announcer declared.
"Sixty-four certified guilds will enter four qualifying pools," the broadcast continued.
"The tournament committee expanded the entry pool to include independent regional outfits," Ruby observed, folding her arms.
"They want to scout frontline commanders before the continental gate surge arrives," Maya explained, opening her laptop.
"Corporate syndicates use these televised trials to advertise their high-tier sponsored rookies," she added.
"And they use the preliminary rounds to crush unbonded independent houses on camera," Fin noted.
’The corporate sponsors want a public showcase to keep independent hunters in line.’
A sharp, authoritative double knock sounded against the front door, rattling the metal handle in its wooden frame.
Fin opened the heavy wooden door to find a certified Association dispatch courier standing in a crisp blue uniform.
"Official tournament summons for Halden House," the courier announced, presenting an embossed folio.
"Your guild received an automatic seed from the committee," the courier stated.
Fin accepted the formal embossed folio, signing the delivery docket with a quick, decisive stroke of his pen.
"Thank you, courier," Fin said, closing the door as the messenger departed down the stairwell.
He walked steadily back to the kitchen table, breaking the scarlet wax seal with the firm pressure of his thumb.
"What seed did the tournament committee assign to Halden House?" Ruby asked, leaning over his shoulder.
"Halden House is seeded sixty-four in Pool C," Fin read.
"That places us directly in the sacrificial bracket against corporate frontline brigade squads," Maya pointed out.
"Goldwake, Pyre, and Stormcrest hold the top three seeds," she added.
"They expect an unranked warehouse crew to fold during the opening round," Ruby said with a grin.
"What is the prize pool for the top eight finalists?" Jolly asked, pencil hovering over her ledger.
Fin scanned the formal tournament entry regulations, reading the official tier rewards out loud for the entire room.
"One million credits purse for first place, plus tax exemption," Fin announced.
"The top eight finalists also receive unrestricted raid access to Class-D-Plus and C-rank unstable rifts," he continued.
"That raid license allows us to bypass corporate gate auctions without paying syndicate surcharges," Maya noted.
"That is worth more than ten million credits in operating overhead," Ruby calculated with sharp focus.
"Then we enter the tournament," Fin stated, tapping the registration docket against the table.
"Are we entering to win their golden trophy?" Jolly asked, looking at her brother.
"We enter for the tuition," Fin replied with an easy, confident smirk.
"We enter to show sixty-four guilds that Halden House holds the line," he declared firmly.
[ Quest initialized: field command trials (preliminary bracket) ]
[ Objective: secure top-8 placement to claim independent C-Rank raid license ]
[ Tournament entry confirmed: Halden House (seed #64) ]
[ Current standing: bracket C qualifier ]
Maya connected her encrypted laptop to the public tournament database, pulling up the official competitor dossiers on screen.
Maya brought up three historical combat recordings from last season’s tournament, highlighting tactical formations across the illuminated screen.
"Our projected first-round opponent is Aegis Wing from District Two," Maya reported.
"Their squad commander is Nila, trained in classical fencing," she continued.
"Academy fighters practice rigid textbook formations and predictable spell combinations," Ruby observed.
Ruby ran a whetstone along the bevel of her steel spearhead, testing the tempered edge against her thumb.
"We will dismantle their textbook formations with packing-line efficiency," Fin said, checking his daggers.
"I will prepare sixty rations of dried fruit and electrolyte tea for the locker room," Jolly said.
Jolly stacked thirty waxed paper packets of dried persimmons neatly inside a clean wooden storage crate beside the tall refrigerator.
"Each packet contains enough carbohydrates and potassium to keep two frontline combatants moving during extended rounds," Jolly noted carefully.
She wrote down the official tournament registration schedule onto a fresh new page in her green notebook.
"Our porters will manage the equipment transport and spectator perimeter," Fin told the room.
"Bram already organized fifteen reserved seats in the lower arena concourse," Maya added with a smile.
Bram walked into the crowded fourth-floor apartment carrying a thick stack of officially laminated municipal spectator passes.
"The porters are treating this like a festival," Bram announced.
"Orson bought ten Halden House pennants from a local print shop on the corner," he added.
"Our supporters will make more noise than the corporate fan sections," Ruby predicted with a chuckle.
"Corporate fans wave printed flags bought by advertising agencies," Fin said, pouring fresh tea.
"Our people wave banners because they share our meals and our roof," he continued.
"Captain Gage appeared on the evening sports broadcast ten minutes ago," Maya reported, turning her laptop screen.
"He claimed Pyre Syndicate will sweep Bracket C without dropping a single round," she noted.
"Gage always makes promises before the first whistle blows," Ruby remarked with a dry laugh.
"We will let him talk while we sharpen our blades and rest our legs," Fin replied calmly.
"Tournament bouts run on thirty-minute intervals with holographic terrain shifts," Maya briefed the team.
"The arena system simulates urban ruins, flooded marshlands, and fractured terrain blocks," she explained.
"We fought through sewers, burning vaults, and frozen bunkers," Ruby pointed out.
"Artificial terrain is just another floor to sweep," Fin agreed, checking his boots.
"The rules allow up to four active fighters and one sideline tactician, and we registered two fighters," Maya noted.
"Fin and Ruby take the arena sand, and I manage the telemetry feeds from the coaching box," she added.
"That gives us complete real-time tactical awareness against any corporate formation," Ruby said.
"We also need to prepare our gear for the opening gala tomorrow evening," Maya reminded them.
"The Association requires all captains to attend the bracket confirmation and qualifying briefing," she explained.
"I will wear my clean utility jacket and dark trousers," Fin decided, leaning back in his chair.
"Corporate captains spend fifty thousand on silk capes," Ruby laughed.
"Let them spend their money on silk while we focus on our footwork," Fin replied.
"Jolly, make sure the pantry is stocked for our return from the arena," Fin instructed his sister.
"We have thirty kilos of potatoes and three seasoned skillets ready on the stove," Jolly answered promptly.
"We also have forty liters of fresh spring water stored in the pantry jugs," she added with a proud nod.
"A well-supplied home base gives fighters peace of mind in the arena," Bram observed, patting his knee.
"We take care of our home, and our home takes care of us," Fin said, finishing his cup of tea.
"Check your weapon straps one last time before bed," Ruby advised, standing up from the table.
Fin adjusted the reinforced leather straps of his dagger scabbards, ensuring silent draw angles during high-speed lateral maneuvering.
"Everything is sharpened and oiled according to standard field regulations," Fin confirmed with a nod.
’We have everything we need to fight, to win, and to return to our own table.’
The bronze pendulum clock on the wall measured out steady, quiet seconds as midnight approached across District Four.
"Get some rest tonight, team," Fin said, looking at Ruby and Maya.
"Tomorrow we march into the central arena and take our tuition from the tournament," he concluded.
’We built our roof with honest sweat, and now sixty thousand people will watch us defend it.’
Across the sprawling city, heavy broadcast drones ascended into the night sky, their floodlights sweeping over the arena domes.
The amber street lights of District Four flickered beneath the low clouds as the official countdown to the tournament began.