CHAPTER 288 PARTICIPATE AT ONCE

The competition would start two days later.

Rocky did not want to travel to the base camp with Marin. He asked Thor to tell Marin that he would just

meet them there later. Marin knew well enough that Rocky was highly independent and preferred

traveling alone. She left the camp and traveled to the base camp with two Deputy Commanders and

two squad leaders who were participating.

The real reason why Rocky wanted to travel on his own was because he planned to go shopping in the

Evian City before he went to the base camp. He then left with Uriah and Rubygon via carriage after he

completed his preparations.

When he arrived in the Evian City, Rocky went straight to the branch store of the Super Beast Farm

and purchased the items that he needed. He then had a brief walk in the city and then deposited his

personal carriage and luggage at the Super Beast Farm. He then left for the base camp.

That day was also the start of the competition, and the road to the base camp was filled with soldiers

and spirit manipulators who traveled in groups or by themselves coming from different military camps.

The guards at the gate were more lenient than usual because of the volume of soldiers and spirit

manipulators who had to enter the base camp. Rocky was allowed entrance when he told them the

name of the camp where he came from. Once inside, he decided not go straight to the competition

area. Instead, he went to the Isis Pavilion to see Sue. It had been months since Sue saw Rubygon.

Rocky knew that she must've really missed Rubygon. It was one of the reasons why he brought

Rubygon with him this time.

Rubygon was familiar with the path that led to the Isis Pavilion. It twitched its head slightly when they

started to walk towards the Isis Pavilion and then ran ahead of Rocky and Uriah without warning and

entered it without waiting for them. A loud laughter came from inside as Rocky and Uriah approached holds text © rights.

the pavilion. An extremely happy Sue came out to meet them and she became even happier when she

saw Uriah and Rocky walking towards her.

"Oh Mr. Bai! Little Rubygon has grown so much! And it's just been a few months!" Sue exclaimed in

excitement. She hardly recognized Rubygon when it entered the pavilion. Rubygon was now almost as

big as Uriah. Its wild nature had started to manifest. It had almost shed all of its younger down and had

started to be replaced by more mature fur making it look more grown up than before.

"So you can't call him Little Rubygon anymore. It will get really mad," Rocky said with a mischievous

grin.

"Is that so? So I can't call you Little Rubygon anymore? But you're Rubygon, right?" Sue said smiling

as she lovingly caressed Rubygon's head between the ears. Rubygon looked like it loved what Sue

was doing so much.

"So, Mr. Bai. Did you come here for the competition?" Sue asked with twinkling eyes as she looked at

Rocky.

"How did you know?" Rocky asked surprised. He didn't realize that Sue knew about the competition.

"I heard the lady mention your name yesterday. She said that you'd be competing in the competition

today," Sue replied in a reserved yet playful manner.

'So Isis knew I would be here? I suppose that is only appropriate since she is the Deputy Commander

in Chief and the daughter of Lance, ' Rocky thought to himself as his face became thoughtful.

"I heard that the best three would get the chance to become Frontline Commanders. That is so cool,

Mr. Bai!" Sue reassured Rocky.

"Do you want me to be a Frontline Commander?" Rocky asked teasingly with an impish smile.

"Of course! This is an opportunity for you to be recognized for your abilities. If grandpa finds out in

heaven that you're competing, he will surely bless you!" Sue said nodding while smiling sweetly at

Rocky.

Rocky nodded thoughtfully at Sue's words. He did not reply anything to what she said and instead

changed the subject. "I need to leave Rubygon with you. Please take good care of it. I will only take

Uriah with me to the competition."

"Of course! You have nothing to worry about. I will take good care of it!" Sue said sweetly.

Rocky left the Isis Pavilion with Uriah and walked towards the competition area.

The training field was chosen to be the venue for the competition. It was located on the eastern side of

the base camp. When Rocky arrived at the venue, the place was filled to overflowing with soldiers and

spirit manipulators from the different military camps. They came over to cheer for their comrades and

boost their morale.

Each military camp sent five competitors to participate in the competition and represent their military

camp. With representatives coming from each of the six military camps, this brought the total number of

competitors to thirty. Only three would be chosen from the thirty participants and these three would

have the chance to be Frontline Commanders.

There were three rounds to the competition. The spirit manipulators would have knockout matches on

the first round where the top seven winners would move on to the second round. No one knew what the

second round would be. The Commander in Chief would announce the rules and conditions for the

second round only when it was about to start. This would require quick thinking from the remaining

participants in order to get ahead of the other competitors on the second round. The first two spirit

manipulators who would finish the second round would be qualified to enter the third round. The third

round would test their ability to lead, the most important quality for a Commander.

The spirit manipulator who would win the third round would be promoted as a Frontline Commander.

The spirit manipulator who lost in the third round would compete against the spirit manipulator who

ranked third in the second round. The Commander in Chief would test them and decide whether they

were strong enough to be a Frontline Commanders or not.

If they both met the Commander in Chief's requirements, they would both be promoted as Frontline

Commanders. Obviously, the reason why Lance held the competition was to select talented individuals

who had the potential to be Frontline Commanders.

On the side of spirit manipulators, the competition represented an opportunity to rise in rank. They all

eagerly waited for an opportunity like this and they could wait no longer to show what they were

capable of.

However, as in all things in the world, there was always an exception.

"Where is Rocky?" Marin asked Deputy Commander Chen in the lounge of the northeast military camp.

Deputy Commander Chen shrugged and raised his open hands in the air.

"Commander, he must be afraid to be disgraced and decide not to come," a squad leader of spirit

manipulators sneered.

Marin did not reply. She knew Rocky well enough to know that he wouldn't be afraid of the competition

for whatever reason. He simply did not like activities that had him exposed to the public. She had to do

everything she could to get Rocky to agree to join. She even had to use the favor that Rocky promised

her. But despite the promise that Rocky made that he would participate, Marin still felt worried that

Rocky might go back on his word. The competition was about to start and Rocky had not shown up yet.

Worry started to inch itself into Marin's stoic features.

Without warning, a slim and graceful woman, escorted by maids, entered the lounge of the northeast

military camp. Her beauty that seemed to have been taken straight from the pages of fables and fairy

tales, made the room even brighter.

"Deputy Commander in Chief..." Marin stood at attention and promptly saluted the woman.

The two Deputy Commanders and the squad leaders in the room all stood at attention and saluted her

as they all fell victim to her unmatched beauty.

This woman was Isis!

"You don't have to do that. Commander Marin, where is the fifth member of your group?" Isis asked as

she looked around the room and Rocky was not around.

"Oh, he will be here soon," Marin replied nervously.

"Very good! Commander in Chief mentioned him to me just now!" Isis said in a neutral voice. She

approached Marin and whispered, "Marin, come sit with me later. I want us to talk."

Marin nodded and smiled at Isis.

Isis then left with her maids as suddenly as she arrived.

At that moment, the man responsible for setting up the matches came in and informed the members of

the northeast military camp who their opponents would be.

Marin did not expect that Rocky would go against Evan. Evan used to be the squad leader of the first

squad of spirit manipulators of the northeast military camp, and was transferred to the northwest

military camp.