The opening ceremony was set for sunset, and by the time the Brotherhood got to the Grand Amphitheater, it seemed like everyone in the city was going to the same place. The amphitheater was an engineering wonder. It was built in a circle so that thousands of people could see the central stage from tiered seating that rose high into the sky at night.

Elwen whispered, "Wow~ Look at this place... the layout is amazing," as they saw their section marked for competitors. "I've never seen so many people gathered in one place."

Lylia stepped beside her, eyes wide with awe. "Right? I can't believe we get to stand here as competitors."

Seraphine adjusted her glasses and scanned the arena. "The acoustics must be extraordinary. Even a whisper from the stage would carry all the way to the top."

Felix nodded quickly. "I read about structures like this, but seeing it in person is... unbelievable. The math behind this curvature must be insane."

Bork crossed his arms with a proud grin. "Hah! Imagine the cheering when we win something. This place will shake!"

Greg looked around quietly, taking in the atmosphere. "Crowds like this... It's been a long time. Feels strange, but not in a bad way."

Marina folded her arms while watching the flow of people. "I can't even see where the crowd ends. This city really takes its competition seriously."

Donetta kept her tone calm, almost flat. "The scale is impressive. I suppose this means the competition won't be simple."

Mira looked around with her sparkling eyes. "So many faces... It feels exciting. I hope we all do well."

There were clear signs showing where each group of competitors should sit, and the competitors' section was split up by region and specialty. The Brotherhood of Peace found a good spot near the center. This gave them a great view of the stage, but it also made them very easy for everyone else to see.

"Special guests seating," Marina said as she read the plaque. "Lylia, they really rolled out the red carpet on this one for us, huh?"

Lylia didn't seem to like all the attention. "The Knight Commander wanted to make sure we were welcomed and honored. I didn't expect the attention to be this overwhelming, as it might cause others to perceive us negatively, you know?"

Greg couldn't help but notice the other blacksmiths around them as they sat down. On their left was a group dressed in red and gold uniforms.

Their leader was a giant man with arms like tree trunks and a beard that reached his chest. That must have been Mikhail the Ironheart.

A woman in clean white robes was looking at a small clockwork device to their right, and her movements were exact and careful. Greg thought it was Adelaide the Precise. Her apprentices were perfectly still behind her and didn't make a sound.

"There's Vladimir," Felix said quietly, pointing to a man who was surrounded by real flames that danced around his shoulders like living things. "The Flame Guy. He looks serious and scary at the same time... better not mess with him or else."

"Stop looking," Seraphine said in a low voice. "It's not appropriate."

"I'm not looking. I'm watching! There's a difference!"

"That's the same thing!" Seraphine sighed.

Before they could go on, trumpets rang out across the amphitheater, making the crowd quiet. As a figure rose from below, the stage lit up with magical lights. The platform they were on glowed with magic.

The man was tall and wore fancy robes that combined styles from both Aethermoor and Valdris. This showed that he was a neutral mediator. His voice magically grew louder as he spoke, resonating throughout the vast room.

"Welcome, everyone, to the First Annual Festival of Blacksmith Creation!" The crowd cheered when he spoke.

"I am Chancellor Stuart, and both kingdoms have chosen me to be responsible for this important event."

"Today is more than just a competition... it's a celebration of peace, creativity, and the things that bring us together across all lands!"

The crowd let out a huge cheer. Hammy, who was sitting on Greg's shoulder, chirped with excitement and bounced up and down.

Once the noise lowered down, Chancellor Stuart said, "These are the rules of the competition."

"Each competitor or team will have their own workshop space in the Grand Forge. You have three days to make your best work."

"Three days?" Bork grumbled. "That's not a lot of time."

"You can use materials that you bring with you or get them from the festival's stores. There will be three ways to judge, which are usefulness, creativity, and uniqueness."

"Each category will be scored separately, and the winner will be the one with the highest combined score."

The chancellor waved his hand, and three people came on stage. "Master Edgard of the Mountain Clans, who stands for practicality, is your judge." An old dwarf with a beard that was even more impressive than Mikhail's bowed stiffly.

"Lady Celestine of the Southern Courts, who stands for artistry." A graceful elf in flowing silver robes nodded in a graceful way.

"And Professor Darwin from the Academy, who stands for innovation." A man in scholarly robes waved and adjusted his glasses with excitement.

The chancellor went on to say, "There will also be a public exhibition on the last day where all the creations will be on display for everyone to see."

"Even though public approval doesn't count toward your official score, it will be noted and could affect special awards."

"And now, here is the moment that everyone has been eagerly anticipating."

"The winner, the person with the highest combined score in all three categories, will not only get big prizes and recognition, but they will also get to meet Lady Rosalina the Valiant, the Shield of Aethermoor, and the hero of the peace in private!"

The cheers from the crowd echoed loudly, even from a distance. Even the competitors couldn't resist reacting.

Some sat up straighter, while others clenched their fists with new determination. Lylia's hand tightened on the armrest of her seat, and Marina reached over and squeezed her other hand to show her support.

"Competitors will report to their assigned workshops tomorrow morning at dawn for the official start. We eat a lot tonight! Let the Festival of Blacksmith Creation begin!"

The ceremony ended with a stunning display of fireworks that lit up the sky in bright colors. The Brotherhood huddled together to discuss their plans as people began to leave and head to the feast halls.

"Three days," Greg said in a low voice. "That's not a lot of time to make something really great."

"Yes, we need to plan carefully," Seraphine said. "What materials can we get to?"

Bork said, "The ore we got from the mines."

"Additionally, we should consider whatever the festival has to offer. If we can, we should check out the materials warehouse tonight."

"I'll write down some possible designs," Elwen said. "Master Greg, what did you want to make?"

Greg stopped and thought for a moment. "Something that shows who we are. Something that is strong but peaceful."

"I'm thinking of something that helps people make things instead of break them. A tool that improves other tools or lets people who wouldn't normally have access to it do crafts."

Marina said with a smile, "That's so you. Making creation more open to everyone."

Felix added, "It will have to be impressive, though."

"The other competitors are going to bring their best game. Have you seen Mikhail? With his bare hands, he looks like he could forge steel!"

Lylia told him, "We're not trying to outmuscle anyone!"

"We're showing them a different way to do things with quality over fear!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.