For the rest of the day, Zal was the only one left on the spacious terrace. It was so quiet that even the sounds in the banquet hall could only be vaguely left behind him, sounding like an illusion of unreality. Zar breathed in the cool night breeze, and from time to time his gaze rested on a spot of light moving in the distant market, silently following until it was gone.

Maybe the gods didn't want to see a lonely figure on this beautiful night, or maybe the ball that Zal attended was not destined to be peaceful. Just as he was about to turn around and return to the banquet hall, a voice without a trace of emotional ups and downs sounded from behind.

“...... Why?Leave your female companion behind and stand here alone?" The dark hooded cloak slowly walked out of the darkness, and without a sound, Zal instantly judged the identity of the other party, it was Blazei. "I have to say, you played well in that game, although it could have been better. ”

Zal's body propped up on the railing didn't move, or even look back. "This ball isn't going to come to an end peacefully, is it?" he whispered, looking at the orange dots of light on the market, "I knew it would be so." ”

Brazei's footsteps stopped at the railing a few yards away from Zal, and seemed to be enjoying the night view. "So gentle, I thought you'd shout and kill when you saw me......" he said with emotion, with a rare hint of banter in his voice.

Zar let out a nasal sound and shook his head. "Rest assured, I have never wavered in my determination to kill you," he said, "and never unless you die." He straightened up and asked, "And then, you don't come to talk to me, do you?" I don't think there's anything to talk about between us. ”

Blazej nodded in satisfaction, as if in agreement. "......Of course not," he said, "to be exact, I'm here to warn you. It's time to head back to the ballroom. Because the schedule for the preliminary stage will be announced soon. He took a deep breath, "It would be a pity if I couldn't let you hear it for the first time." ”

Zal was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously glanced back, only to see that the guests in the banquet hall seemed to be attracted by something. Gathering in one direction. Turning his head to take a deep look at Blazei, who was leaning against the railing, Zal asked, "What did you do again?"

Blazej shrugged. "Wouldn't you have known?" he quickly added, "I hope you will be satisfied with the 'main course' I have prepared for you this time......" he said.

Zar listened, narrowed his eyes, and turned and walked towards the banquet hall. Behind him, Brazei's voice continued to drift over. "That's right, your dance. Good jump......"

But Zar didn't stop, and a moment later, there was once again only a figure left on the terrace. Wrapped in a hooded cloak, Blazej seemed to listen to the night, and finally said to himself, "Strive to be stronger, boy, I don't have much time left for you......"

When Zar returned to the banquet hall, the crowd had gathered in front of a small stage. It was as if they were waiting for someone to arrive. Ajani and Casavalon were found in the crowd, and Zal quickly squeezed through. He stood beside the girl.

Adjani's face was a little anxious, but she was visibly relieved when she saw Zhal's figure. "It's good that I came back in time, otherwise I would have wanted to go out to find you!" said the girl, glaring, as if what had just happened on the terrace had not affected her.

"I'm sorry. My lady......" Zal smiled awkwardly, taking the conversation elsewhere. "By the way, who is this waiting for?" he asked.

Casavalón explained, looking at the closed curtain on the stage. "Shortly after Mademoiselle returned, the ball stopped. He said, "Then the waiter came with the news." Isn't it time for the Archon to be there in person to announce the schedule for the preliminaries?"

Zal nodded subconsciously. "Listen, something big is going to happen......"

Hearing Zal's words, both Adjani and Casavalon turned their heads in confusion. "Big ?......," the girl had barely said when she saw Zal hold up her finger and press it to her lips, and then point to the small stage.

After the curtain shook slightly, Barberto walked out of it with a smile on his face, and from his look, he seemed to be in a good mood. In an instant, the whispering was gone, and all attention was focused on the consul.

"Good night, ladies and gentlemen, sorry for the long wait. Barberto said and bowed, and everyone in the audience quickly responded in return. But his voice changed and he said with some emotion, "But that's a good thing, isn't it? Otherwise, I'm afraid we won't be able to see that wonderful pas de deux just now......

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Adjani and applauded in admiration. "Praise you, beautiful Adjani, you are amazing. With the applause of the crowd again, the girl saluted lightly, and the archon's meaningful gaze quickly turned to Zhal, and after a moment's pause, the corners of her mouth were raised and removed.

After a slight pause, and after the attention of the crowd returned to his side, Barberto spoke. "The purpose of today's ball, obviously, I don't need to say, and you all know it. As he spoke, he slowly paced on the stage with his hands behind his back, "Regarding the schedule of the preliminary stage, the reason why it has dragged on for so long, as the Yuntai Archon, I would like to apologize to all of you first......

He stopped, and after a shallow bow, he continued without waiting for everyone to speak. "Well, I think it's worth the wait for the final result. He looked at the crowd in the audience and said with a smile, "I said that this 'Blood Arena' must be the most successful one ever......"

His voice stopped, his feet together, his heels clicked, and he landed heavily on the floor with a crunch. "In order to make this competition more exciting, in order to make the residents on the PTZ really carnival, and for all of you, all gladiatorial arenas, no matter how big or small, can make a lot of money...... I hereby declare. This year's Blood Arena preliminaries will adopt a new format-!"

The audience was stunned by the roar of "Brand New Format ?!!!", and all the guests almost stared at each other, as if they couldn't believe their ears.

"That's right! Solo matches will be canceled and replaced with a team mode. Compete in a three-on-three team battle! And the final champion will also produce three winners!"

"Three-on-three, team battle, three champions—!!" At this moment, the reaction of the crowd was not only shocked, and the noisy sound almost lifted the ceiling of the banquet hall. Such a new format, don't say you haven't heard of it, or you haven't thought about it. In the crowd, the three of them looked at each other and frowned, which was by no means good news.

Really. Many people clamored and even forgot about the difference in their identities. "Let's be clear! What kind of team battle, how to fight!"

Barberto quickly pressed his hands and silenced the crowd's voices. "It's very simple, there are currently one hundred and three players in the preliminaries. All gladiatorial arenas that have the right to participate, whether they build their own clan or form a team with other gladiatorial arenas, can do so. And those free contestants who do not have a sponsor. If you want to compete, you also need to form your own team. ”

"Isn't that a maximum of thirty-four teams!" someone shouted.

"That's right!" the archon nodded. "But this will make the gladiator trade more intense during the season! More importantly, the new format will not only make the competition more exciting, but no matter the size of the gladiatorial arena, the chance to reach the final will be fairer! Maybe. The best combination, the biggest dark horse, is not from the top giants?"

Barberto's words lit up the eyes of the gladiatorial arena owners below. This kind of competition system, which does not rely on fighting resources and strength, is likely to be due to the whimsy of a certain combination. And the strength of the top gladiatorial arena is generated. It is even possible to make it all the way to the top and become the champion of the season.

At the same time, everyone in the field quickly understood who this so-called new format was aimed at. However, they are only happy to see this happen, and have no intention of objecting to it. As a result, many gladiatorial arenas directly accepted the change in the format and focused directly on the next issue.

"Dear Archon, what we lack now is not gladiators, it's time, we can't just put together a team and go to the game!"

"Yes, it takes time to raise a team, it takes time to trade gladiators, and it takes time for a team to train in a run-in! Don't tell us, you haven't thought about these problems!"

"Also, how does the three-on-three schedule compare? Wheel battle or group battle, and when will the game start?"

“......”

The voices in the audience came and went, and all kinds of questions were thrown up one by one. But Barberto was clearly prepared and just listened to him. "This new format will be officially announced on the gimbal tomorrow, and for all of you in the gladiatorial arena here, you can actually think of your own team now, or find a partner who wants to be in the alliance!" he said, "In order to give you enough buffer time, before the start of the preliminary round, you have two natural cycles, that is, 24 days, to build the team to participate. ”

His words immediately made the scene very quiet. "As for the specific method of the game, trust me, we will know when the time comes......" Barberto's face showed a confident smile, "but I can guarantee that I will not disappoint you! I said that this 'Blood Arena' must be the most successful in history!" he said, and finally his gaze fell on Zal and the others, bright, flashing with a piercing chill.

The ball was over, and as the guests stepped into their respective carriages and left the Consulate with the most explosive news, many people subconsciously looked in the same direction. or sneering, or mocking, in short, in their eyes, the three people from the "Crystal Cloud Bridge" have undoubtedly become the biggest targets of this new format.

Compared to the almost full number of gladiators in the preliminary tournament of "Crown Bucks", "Crystal Cloud Bridge" just signed Zal and terminated all other gladiators, such a new format is tantamount to a stab in its soft underbelly.

Even if you take a step back and say that there is a time to buy a gladiator again, it is completely impossible to find a strong player or sign back the terminated gladiator at the previous price. From a certain point of view, the announcement of the new competition system is equivalent to indirectly announcing the death sentence of "Crystal Cloud Bridge"!

There was silence all the way, and the three people in the carriage did not have the slightest intention of speaking. Casavallon's face was almost gloomy, and Adjani on the other side frowned slightly, rubbing her temples gently. Zal looked at the street scene outside the car window, stunned and a little distracted.

It wasn't until the carriage rushed into Shell Alley and the three of them returned to the half-elf's hut that the old butler, who had been silent all the way, broke out! He couldn't even drink the wine that Cadius had handed him, and slammed his glass on the table.

“...... I'm cursing that damn viper!" The old man scolded angrily, it was the first time that Zar and the others had seen such a gaffe. "Three against three?!For the sake of the Lord God!No, for the sake of the nearly 300-year-old history of Wind Cliff City!Temporary change of the tournament system!Just for his Archon throne!Damn it!"

The half-elf hurriedly pushed the glass back to the old butler. "Forget it, old man, dissipate your anger, have you seen less of this kind of despicable trick in the decades?" his words made Casavalon laugh and shake his head, only to hear the half-elf continue: "The problem is, the city lord actually agreed to such a format?"

Adjani, who was sitting next to her, nodded in affirmation. "This should be no problem, if the city lord does not agree, Barberto will never dare to do this, even if he is crazy, he will not dare. The girl replied affirmatively, "As for why, it's not clear." ”

"Mainly, what about this clan, do you want to buy gladiators temporarily?" Casavalon let down his glass and sighed a little annoyed.

"Count me in. Gavila, who was sitting next to Adjani, suddenly spoke.

"Really?!" As soon as the Wood Elf's words fell, Casavalon and Adjani looked over together, they didn't expect Gavira to take the initiative to join, because she had already made it clear that she didn't need a sponsor.

But on the other hand, if Gavira were able to join the team, it would be the perfect fit. Aside from the strength of the wood elves who are strong enough, I am afraid that no one in the entire Yuntai will have a tacit understanding of fighting more than her and Zal. So Adjani listened, and she put her arms around Gavira and gave her a big hug with joy.

However, Cadius was not too surprised by this, because he knew that Gavira and Zal could still agree on the purpose of participating in the arena. Such a three-on-three team battle is the best result, which can prevent them from becoming opponents in the same game.

"Alright, let's go straight to a third person. Gavira said dryly. But it seemed that the real problem had just begun, for as no sooner had she finished speaking, the room fell into a collective silence. Where to find the third person?

At this moment, Adjani suddenly remembered that something seemed to be missing, so she turned her head to look at Zhal, who was sitting in the corner. "Zal, Zal!" she finally reached out and pushed the stunned Zal. "You haven't said a word since the end of the ball, have you?

"Uh-huh, it's not much ......" Zar was stunned for a moment, and came back to his senses, "I'm thinking about the clan, aren't you talking about the third person?" he frowned, as if thinking about something, "I should have a good candidate for the third person......" he whispered, but it instantly caught everyone's attention.

"Who?" (To be continued.) )

PS: I sincerely wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy weekend!