CHAPTER 57: THE JOINT COMBAT MEET : PARADISE

The Royal Capital of Sylvanna Kingdom, normally steeped in its dignified stillness, now buzzed with a rare intensity. The central exhibition square in front of the Royal Court had been transformed into a grand ceremonial stage, decorated with shimmering banners bearing the sigils of the Five Great Races — the Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Beastkin, and the Waterfolk.

From commoners to nobles, from wandering merchants to high-ranking officers, the plaza was brimming with anticipation. It had been nearly a decade since the Emperor last addressed the public directly. That he would now do so—through a shared message with the leaders of other races—was unprecedented.

Magical transmission towers rose around the capital and across the continent, linked by ethereal runes pulsing with radiant mana. Slowly, the sky itself shimmered. Above the Royal Court, a giant translucent screen formed—hovering like a divine window—and flickered to life.

Five figures came into focus, their faces veiled by glowing sigils to protect their privacy, yet their presence was unmistakable. This was no illusion. These were the leaders of the Five Great Races.

A voice, deep and resonant, echoed across the city, layered with linguistic spells so that every listener heard it in their native tongue:

:: Citizens of all continents. Today, we declare an end to the Silent Cold War that has loomed between us for generations. ::

:: Let it be known—the Five Races of the World now stand united under a Truce of Harmony and Mutual Advancement. ::

The crowd remained silent, breath held in reverence.

:: This is not merely a diplomatic formality. This is a rewriting of history. For too long, fear has governed our borders. Mistrust has stained our treaties. We have shared a world, but never a future. That ends today. ::

The screen changed—scenes of past battles between races, followed by visions of reconstruction, healing, and cross-racial cooperation.

:: Henceforth, we promise the following: ::

1.

:: All peaceful travel between continents shall now be legal and protected. From this moment, borders will be opened to scholars, artists, healers, traders, and all who seek to build, not destroy. ::

2.

:: Intercontinental trade routes shall be established and guarded jointly by Five-Race peacekeeping units. The new Five-Sign Accord shall maintain the sanctity of commerce and civilian movement. ::

.

3.

:: All capital cities will receive the first generation of Unity Academies—neutral institutions of higher magic, alchemy, combat, and diplomacy—where students from all races will study together. ::

4.

:: A joint research council shall be formed, focused on solving shared crises: epidemic mana diseases, overdrawn ley lines, demon incursions, and climate magic imbalance. ::

5.

:: Restoration programs shall begin in war-ravaged regions. The Dwarves will lead city reconstruction, the Elves will restore devastated biomes, the Waterfolk shall repair aquatic ley lines, and Humans and Beastmen will coordinate efforts under neutral watch. ::

The people murmured in awe as glowing schematics filled the screen—blueprints of Unity Academies, Five-Race marketplaces, and arcane research towers.

Then came the most anticipated part.

The Beastman representative stepped forward on the screen, raising his clawed hand.

:: To bind this truce with strength and fellowship—we now announce the first-ever Joint Combat Meet of the Royal Academics. ::

:: An elite, non-lethal tournament—open to the finest students of all continents. This year’s theme is Paradise. It shall be hosted by the proud continent of the Beastkin. ::

:: Each year henceforth, a different race shall host the Meet, rotating its location to reinforce our shared future. This is not a war game. It is a celebration of strength, wit, culture, and evolution. ::

:: The strongest students shall be rewarded handsomely—and offered intercontinental contracts and future leadership opportunities in the Unity Accord. ::

:: The participants shall begin their journey this month. Details will be relayed to each Academy’s head. Let this mark a new Chapter. One of unity. One of peace. One of pride. ::

The screen slowly dimmed, the sigils of the five races glowing once more as the message closed.

:: Glory to the New Era. May our children inherit a world where race is not a wall, but a thread in the same grand tapestry. ::

The crowd remained frozen for a moment.

And then the plaza erupted.

Cheers, gasps, cries of disbelief, and roars of joy echoed through Sylvanna. For the first time in decades—hope had not come through a blade or bloodshed, but through dialogue.

From balconies above, the Emperor of the Humans stepped forward, cloaked in a golden mantle, raising one hand in calm reassurance.

But even his gesture was drowned beneath the rising storm of applause.

Change had begun.

And far away, in a quiet corner of a forest outside the capital, someone sat by a firepit... watching, listening, and calculating what this would mean—for power, for history—

And for the game behind the curtain.

***

Yes, the next event in this story would be the joint combat meet as expected.

Vaykara, the continent of the beastkin is the one hosting this event, named, Paradise.

Well, it said that each year the hosting rights would rotate, so the next year would be for our Sylvanna Kingdom to host this event.

All of this is being done to restore peace and avoid cold war among races.

As the name suggests, this is a combat meet.

Meaning there would be competition based on combat skills of each academies participating from across all the continents.

In the story, it went as expected though, our protagonist l, despite being a first year attracted attention through his aura farming display of skills in the arena.

There was a side incident of the elven princess being kidnapped, for which our MC steps forward, and finds her, kicking the asses of the kidnappers, as it might have caused some rifts in the relationship among continents.

Nothing much twist happens, as everything goes according to a normal combat meet of academies.

Now, the question for me, is whether to attend or not.

As my suspension has been lift off, I can participate if I want.

But, is there any reason for me to participate?

Well, of course there is.

There are many rare items the MC gets in that continent of Vaykara.

It would be a waste not to acquire those before the mc does.

Also, the people of the mermaid kingdom would be there too.

Maybe I can gain information about their situation and think of measures to save them.

Then, I should prepare myself for the departure, and gain information about how our Academy will represent itself there.

Also, there is one more thing I want to try.

I have heard from Dulhard that the brothels in Vaykara, are way cheaper than here, and their girls are, well, ...way more sexier too.

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Next Chapter - The Combatants

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