After the recent attack, Princess Renner's journey had to be cut short, and her entourage returned home. The escort mission of the Last Defender of the Way adventurer team also came to an end.

It was around 4 PM, with the sun hanging low in the sky. At the capital's city gates, two groups parted ways. The royal knights surrounded the princess as she made her way to the palace, while four adventurers at the back of the procession took a different path.

The adventurers didn't expect that, just as they were about to part, a knight in magical steel armor and a curved-top helmet rode out from the group to block their way. Dismounting, he took off his helmet and cradled it in his arms; it turned out to be Grand Knight Wade. He approached Sean and Stella with a warm smile.

Sean and Stella instinctively took a step back.

Wade moved his right hand, removed his iron gauntlet, and stored it in his spatial ring. He extended his broad palm toward Sean. After a brief pause, Sean reached out to shake his hand.

Wade looked at the young man and woman before him, and while shaking hands, he remarked, "Thanks to you, I would have been lost in the flames. In that critical moment, you didn't just think about saving yourselves; you risked your lives, going back and forth in the fire to help others.

"You already possess the noble qualities of a knight! Seeing such excellence in young people, I know the future of our Re-Estize Kingdom is surely bright!"

"Absolutely!" Sean and Stella nodded vigorously.

Wade then stepped in front of Barrett, his expression full of regret. "I used to have some biases against adventurers. When the assassin attacked, I not only misunderstood you but also affected your fight.

"After this incident, I've come to realize that there are many honorable adventurers; we can't judge them all the same. But honestly, your elbow strike was pretty powerful! My jaw still hurts," Wade said, chuckling as he rubbed his chin.

Barrett generously replied that it was nothing, smiling as he shook Wade's hand. The knights closest to the royal family often had rigid mindsets, filled with ideas of honor, justice, and fairness. Yet, they could recognize their mistakes and stand tall even after taking a hit.

It was unexpected for Barrett that this esteemed Grand Knight would come forward to apologize. In the past, when he encountered other knights who knew they were in the wrong, they often sent a squire to convey their apologies with small gifts.

In truth, Barrett thought that since Wade felt guilty, it would be more straightforward for him to just give a few gold coins.

The Grand Knight waved goodbye to the four adventurers and told Sean that if he ever wanted to join the kingdom's longbow unit, he could come to him for a recommendation. He stepped into the stirrup and mounted his horse, kicking up dust as he galloped off to rejoin the cavalry escorting the princess's carriage.

As they watched Princess Renner's royal carriage depart, the four adventurers found themselves at a loss for what to do. At Barrett's suggestion, they decided to wander around the capital together.

Arriving in the western district, they passed through the old, weathered high walls and were greeted by a vast circular outdoor structure. The three-story stone building had yellow-brown walls, resembling a giant, round cardboard cutout standing on the ground. It appeared to be something like an arena.

Inside the circular structure, the sounds of bustling voices, shouting, and cheering spilled out through the walls, reaching the ears of pedestrians outside. Small doors opened frequently, with groups of people coming in and out, clearly indicating the lively atmosphere within.

The four adventurers spent twenty silver coins on a ticket and curiously entered. The building turned out to be an arena, currently hosting the "Warrior Captain Selection Tournament."

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A few years ago, Princess Renner pushed through a martial law that banned brutal duels between humans and demi-humans in the kingdom, leaving this blood-soaked arena quiet for many years.

However, months ago, the king personally issued a command to select a Warrior Captain nationwide, reviving the arena that was on the verge of becoming a campsite for the poor and homeless.

Along with this revival came nobles eyeing the title of Warrior Captain, opportunistic merchants, proud warriors, and desperate gamblers. The undercurrents of money, power, and strength surged, already soaked in blood.

EeDeChi, Barrett, Sean, and Stella found their seats and sat in a row amidst the sea of spectators in the arena, feeling excited about the nationwide Warrior Captain Selection Tournament.

During this time, three of them had been busy protecting Princess Renner, while one was focused on finding ways to counter Ainz Ooal Gown. Before they knew it, the Warrior Captain Selection Tournament had entered its final stages, with each administrative district, city, and county having selected their strongest fighters for the ultimate showdown in the capital.

The arena was packed to capacity, with four large magical screens hovering above, arranged in a square so that spectators from all directions could see the displayed content.

At that moment, the screens clearly showed the opponents for the next match. One was "Wind Blade" Yaso Abel, a lean figure with a long scar across his nose, while the other was "Iron Blood Hand" Deus Lefia, a hulking mass of muscle.

The realistic oil painting style vividly portrayed the fierce expressions of the two. Against the bloody backdrop of the magical screens, they appeared not as competitors for the title of Warrior Captain, but as fated enemies destined to fight to the death.

"Who do you think will win?" EeDeChi asked. "These weight classes are totally not even."

"It's definitely going to be 'Wind Blade' Yaso Abel," Barrett replied confidently. "Don't be fooled by his slim figure; he's an orichalcum-level adventurer and an old acquaintance of mine. I teamed up with him for a year, and his move 'Gale Slash' can take down a 'Nightmare Armor' Constructs with just three strikes."

Having been in the adventurer business for nearly twenty years, Barrett had a vast network of contacts. Yaso Abel, nicknamed 'Wind Blade,' was one of his former adventure companions.

Typically, free-spirited adventurers wouldn't be interested in the position of Warrior Captain, but old Tony, the guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild in the capital, had struck a deal with Princess Renner to rally the adventurers of the kingdom to support Brain.

Traditional nobles clustered around the second prince, and with their immense power, they could easily find a thousand ways to sabotage Brain in the Warrior Captain Tournament. However, with the Adventurer's Guild backing him, the outcome would surely be different.

This orichalcum-level adventurer Yaso might just be part of old Tony's plan.

Barrett looked at his three teammates beside him. "What do you think? Want to place a bet? Trust me, bet on Yaso to win, and you'll rake in the cash!"

Barrett was known for being steady and reliable, never making reckless suggestions. As soon as he said that, Sean jumped up from his seat, and Stella looked eager to join in.

EeDeChi frowned, saying, "Gambling in groups is strictly prohibited."

Sean and Stella immediately sat back down obediently, but Barrett ignored her and dashed down the stands to the betting area, where he placed a wager on his former teammate—"Wind Blade" Yaso Abel.

He ran back to his seat, grinning, while EeDeChi still wore a stern expression. "Go write a self-reflection."

Soon, the duel was about to begin.

A hoarse voice, magically amplified, shouted in the arena, "The moment everyone has been waiting for is here! Let's welcome the first champion to emerge from the Fridrensa —'Wind Blade' Yaso Abel!"

In the center of the arena, a tall, lean young man with long black hair tied in a high bun and a long knife at his side stepped forward. He waved to the audience with a warm smile, but the long scar on his nose made his expression look more menacing.

The crowd erupted into cheers, waves of sound rising higher and higher. "Yaso! Go! Beat him down! You're our pride from Fridrensa!"

Among the shouting crowd were not only locals from the Fridrensa Administrative District but also bettors who had placed their stakes on Yaso. Barrett wanted to cheer for his old teammate but glanced at EeDeChi and kept his mouth shut.

"The other contender is no pushover! He's the strongest warrior from Welsh—'Iron Blood Hand' Deus Lefia!" The host continued to shout hoarsely, fully igniting the crowd's enthusiasm.

A burly warrior wielding a long-handled double-edged battle axe ducked through a small door and stepped into the arena. Another section of the audience began to cheer, "Go! Go! Take down that skinny monkey! Welsh supports you forever!"

Regardless, the Warrior Captain's selection tournament was increasingly resembling a battle for survival, with a bloody storm brewing beneath the calm.

In this life-and-death struggle, some bettors laid down gold coins as stakes, while others wagered power and even their lives.