Chapter 221: A Little Get Together [2]
Jayden stared at Zich for several seconds.
However, he did not become angry immediately as he would have in the past.
A moment later, he instead gave a cold laugh.
"You won one tournament. That’s all."
"Next time, I’ll win it back."
"Fine," Zich replied with a smirk. "I’ll wait."
Two simple words. There was no ridicule and no contempt.
The coldness in Jayden’s eyes paused slightly.
He could tell that Zich genuinely believed he possessed the qualifications to challenge him again.
For someone like Jayden, any false consolation would only make him angrier.
A direct response without the slightest trace of pity was instead the kind of attitude he could accept most easily.
"Before our next fight, don’t lose to anyone else."
Jayden withdrew his gaze.
"I don’t want to defeat a champion who has already been trampled by someone else."
Zich lifted his cup.
"Reach the finals first, then we’ll talk."
"..."
Helen finally could not hold back and burst into laughter.
Even the corners of Mira’s lips curved upward by an almost imperceptible degree.
Jayden’s expression darkened further, but he did not truly lose his temper.
Only at that moment did the barrier created between the four of them by the tournament, their competition, and their previous conflicts quietly begin to dissolve through this somewhat unfriendly exchange.
They were still not intimate friends.
The rivalry between Zich and Jayden could not disappear completely because of a single meal.
But at the very least, beginning today, they were no longer enemies who might draw their weapons against each other at any moment.
The attendants of Silvermoon Court soon began serving the food.
One exquisite dish after another, each covered by a silver barrier, was placed across the long table.
Among them were meats taken from rare magical beasts of the First Layer, magical plants cultivated in special fields, and even a pale-golden drink capable of slightly restoring mental energy.
When all the covers were opened, a rich fragrance immediately spread through the air.
Slimy’s body instantly expanded by an entire circle.
"Bo—!"
It charged toward the nearest dish almost immediately.
Zich reached out and grabbed it directly out of midair.
"You already ate three meals."
"Bo!"
"No."
"Bo, bo!"
"No."
Slimy’s two tentacles immediately drooped.
Mira quietly placed a small piece of fragrant fruit onto the plate in front of it.
Slimy instantly recovered its energy.
Helen looked at her with a helpless smile.
"You’re going to spoil it."
Mira answered calmly, "It’s cute. Plus, I like monsters."
’How I wish it were me,’ Helen thought as she struggled to take her eyes off the intimate interaction between Slimy and Mira.
On the other side of the table, Zich quietly observed.
The gathering was not as troublesome as he had expected.
No one asked which faction or guild he planned to join, nor did anyone try to pry into the secrets of his SSS-Rank class.
Helen occasionally mentioned some of the things that had happened inside the Players Association after the tournament ended.
Mira remained quiet most of the time, but whenever the subject turned to combat techniques or mana control, she would voluntarily offer her thoughts.
As for Jayden, although he still did not enjoy talking much, he was clearly more serious than the others when the conversation turned to Lucien’s solar spells and the close-combat strategy Zich had used during the semifinals.
"When did you train your close-combat ability?" Jayden placed down his cup and suddenly asked.
"In the cemetery," Zich answered.
Jayden frowned.
"I’m asking seriously."
"So am I." Zich picked up his utensils and cut into the magical beast meat in front of him. "The cemetery doesn’t have automated transport equipment. Larger corpses have to be moved by physical strength."
"Digging, transporting bodies, and repairing gravestones all require control over physical force."
"After doing it often enough, I naturally learned."
Jayden fell silent.
Helen looked at Zich with a complicated expression.
"So the close-combat ability you used to defeat Lucien during the tournament was originally developed by digging graves?"
"You can understand it that way."
"Lucien probably won’t be able to sleep for a long time after learning that," Mira said softly.
Helen froze briefly before laughing even harder. Even the corners of Jayden’s mouth seemed to twitch by the slightest degree.
Zich did not understand what was so amusing.
In his opinion, the origin of strength was unimportant.
Whether it came from a family inheritance or ordinary labor repeated every day, as long as it could be used effectively in battle, that was enough.
"Right."
Helen suddenly seemed to remember something.
"My father should have contacted you already, shouldn’t he?"
"He did." Zich nodded. "He said the champion’s rewards were prepared and that I could go to the association at any time."
"You still haven’t collected them?"
"No."
Helen looked somewhat helpless.
"Countless people throughout the First Layer are watching the champion’s rewards, yet you went straight home after the tournament and ignored them completely."
"They won’t disappear."
"Theoretically, they won’t." Helen lowered her voice slightly. "But this year’s champion rewards are not completely the same as before."
Zich’s movements paused.
"What do you mean?"
Jayden and Mira clearly knew something as well. Both of their gazes turned toward her.
Helen did not answer immediately. She first confirmed that the surrounding spatial barrier was still sealed.
"Under normal circumstances, the champion’s rewards for the Chosen Tournament are mainly provided by the Players Association and the Human Alliance. They include high-level equipment, skill scrolls, potions, and qualifications to enter special realms."
"But because you defeated two Nullborn in succession during this tournament and ultimately secured the championship for humanity, several factions that had not originally participated in preparing the rewards temporarily added a few more items."
"Including the Vilhart family?" Zich asked. After all, they were the ones he had defeated.
"Yes." Helen nodded. "Although Lucien lost to you, the Vilhart family still represents one of the oldest human factions. They wouldn’t behave too stingily over something like this."
"Apart from them, the Green Group, the City Lord’s Estate, and several high-level human organizations also contributed."
"My father didn’t mention the specific rewards in his message. He probably plans to explain everything after you personally visit the association."
Zich fell into thought.
It was not surprising that the Green Group had added rewards.
Jack had already clearly expressed his desire to establish a relationship with him.
However, the participation of the Central City Lord’s Estate gave the matter a different meaning.
"Why would the City Lord’s Estate add rewards?" Zich asked.