After the first round of the Holysoul Preliminaries.
Josiah was invited by Empress Yekana to the Iron Nation's embassy for a banquet.
Josiah didn't like attending noble banquets, but Madam Marina said that this might be a good opportunity to find craftsmen from the Iron Nation.
Josiah had no choice but to drag Hiri along for a free meal.
Coincidentally, Josiah met the enemies that the Iron Forger had met in the first round … the members of the Crothill Squad.
"Did the Empress capture you as prisoners and bring you back to the Iron Nation?"
Josh held a glass of fruit juice in his hand as he approached the members of the Crowhill Battle Team. They appeared to be very reserved in this banquet where the nobles gathered.
Four of the five members were commoners, and they were dressed in Crothill robes instead of luxurious formal attire.
From the looks of it, they were the most similar to Josh and Ciri in this banquet.
"You're … the person we met in the magic arena."
Breila, the leader of the squad, recognized the stranger who suddenly greeted them.
"My name is Josiah, and I can only say that I'm someone who can help you."
Josiah looked at the three members next to Breila. Their performance in the first round was very miserable in front of the Iron Forger's powerful strength.
However, their talent in the game could be seen from their score on the Stairway Ladder.
"Breila."
She didn't recognize Josiah's true identity. Whether it was the creator of the Magic Net or the director of the movie, only a small number of people would remember these two identities.
If Taylin stood in front of them, Breila would probably choose to ask her for an autograph.
"That's all for the self-introductions. Can you answer my question just now? Were you kidnapped by Empress Yekana? If it's just a nod, I can help you. "
When Josiah said this, he glanced left and right. Many people in the banquet were paying attention to Josiah.
Because Josiah and Hiri's temperament seemed out of place in this banquet, the four members of the Crothill Battle Squad were the same.
"Kidnapped … We should be considered to have been kidnapped … to this place."
She wasn't sure if it was a kidnapping.
"Isn't this forceful recruitment without maxing out Favorability really the same as capturing slaves?"
Hiri looked at the girl named Blayla. She looked like the daughter of a rancher. She wore a pair of round-rimmed glasses and had flaxen fishbone braids. She had a simple air about her.
It was the same for the other members of the Crosier Battle Squad … This reminded Hiri of her past self, but she didn't seem to have changed much.
"Capturing slaves? The Empress shouldn't be that kind of person. No, she seems to be able to do it. Anyway, can you tell me what exactly happened?" Josiah asked.
Blayla cooperated and told Josh everything that had happened after the conclusion of the match.
"I rejected Her Highness Yekana, but my parents happened to find me in the magic arena. I don't know what Her Highness Yekana offered, but my parents agreed …"
Blayla felt as if she had been sold by her parents.
"Well … I can take you back, but you look a little hesitant," Josiah said.
"Hesitant, this … I just don't think I'm qualified to be a knight." Blayla pondered for a moment, but still spoke her true thoughts.
"The competition for the Iron Forger must be very fierce. If I'm eliminated, I really don't know what to do. It's really hard to survive in this world if I only know how to play Holy Spirit. I can't think of any other way to make money."
"What did you say before? This child will do great things in the future."
Hiri quietly said to Josiah after listening to Blayla's narration.
She was able to resist the temptation of rising to the top in one step and seriously consider the pros and cons. It was indeed something that ordinary people couldn't do.
"I don't even know how to refute that." Josiah thought for a moment, then said, "I guess you have a lot of concerns."
While Josiah was answering Blayla's question … an elderly noble quietly came to the table behind Blayla with a glass of wine in his hand.
This noble sat in the audience seat in front of Josiah during the match.
He paid close attention to the conversation between Josiah and Blayla, and didn't hide the fact that he was eavesdropping.
"Your concerns and choices are all correct." Josiah didn't lower his voice. It wasn't a shameful topic. "It's indeed difficult for Holy Spirit players to survive in this world."
Josiah's affirmative answer made the elderly noble's hand tremble. It seemed that he had a son who was a member of the Iron Forger, or he wouldn't have appeared in this match.
"Knowing the Queen's personality, she won't hesitate to eliminate the weak."
Josiah's words successfully scared Blayla and the children behind her, including the elderly noble, who didn't seem to be in a good mood.
"Don't be so nervous. If you guys succeed as pro players …" Qiao Xiu didn't continue after saying this.
On the main stage of the banquet hall, all the musicians had walked off the stage. Then, five black-armored Ironforgers walked up to the front of the stage.
They walked to the front of the stage with their heads held high and took off their helmets.
The five Iron Forgers were much younger than the nobles had imagined …
"Everyone here, I know you all have the same question in your heart."
Empress Yekana appeared beside the Iron Forgers and glanced at each of them in turn.
The nobles invited to the banquet were basically the pillars of the Iron Nation.
"You're wondering if these young people are qualified to be Iron Forgers."
Empress Yekana said what they were thinking in a loud voice.
"They came to Noland to participate in a few games, and they're virtual games in the Magic Net."
The Queen's voice pierced the nobles' hearts like needles.
The nobles' opinion of these young Iron Forgers was … that they weren't qualified to have such a lofty status.
"But let me tell you now …" Empress Yekana's voice was not loud, but everyone present heard it clearly, "Today, they are not standing on the arena as themselves, but as the Nation of Steel … representing our country to stand on the arena!"
"Your Highness Yekana, it's just a game. Why are you betting on the Iron Nation's name and honor?"
A voice interrupted Empress Yekana's monologue. All the nobles turned around in fear to find the person who dared to ask such a reckless question.
But they didn't find it … Empress Yekana found it. It was Josiah Yanorod, who was standing in the last row of the banquet.
Josiah knew the answer to his question. The reason he asked it was purely to give her a way to continue the conversation.
"Because the Frost Kingdom is also participating in this competition." Empress Yekana's voice was filled with murderous intent when she said this.
"The Silverfrost Fox Family of the Land of Frost has also formed their own team to represent their country in this competition. Do you want to let Noland and the whole world know that our country lost to those guys?"
"Silverfrost Fox? That's impossible, Your Highness! "
Many of the nobles present hated this family. Back then, the friction between the Silverfrost Fox Family and the Iron Nation had escalated to the level of war.
"Iron Forgers are warriors who fight for the honor of the Iron Nation, and here … is the battlefield where the honor of the Iron Nation is wagered!"
After Empress Yekana said this, the five Iron Forgers beside her straightened their backs, and the eyes of two of the Iron Forgers began to turn red.
"You still think it's absurd to bet on the honor of a country in a game, right?"
Josiah took the juice and came to the side of the elderly nobleman.
"Absurd … I really can't imagine it." Count Kirrlutz had already expected Josiah to take the initiative to talk to him.
"At present, there are more than four hundred thousand players in the Magic Net. These players come from all over the world. You should go to the game section on the spellcaster forum." Josiah shook the juice in his hand, and the sound of the ice cubes inside made a clinking sound, awakening Count Kirrlutz who was in deep thought.
"You really should see … a group of players from other countries, shouting the name of the Iron Forgers and cheering them on on the field. Now there are signs on the spellcaster forum."
Josiah took a look at the spellcaster forum before coming to the dinner party. The entire forum had been blown up by the game during the day, and all the sections were discussing posts related to today's game.
The Iron Forgers entered the sight of all the Holy Ghost players with an absolutely powerful posture.
Count Kirrlutz did not speak again. Josiah took the juice and returned to Hiri's side.
"Hiri, do you think I'm not doing a proper job?"
Josiah leaned on the table and watched Blella and her other team members discuss whether to reject Empress Yekana's invitation.
"Do you … have a proper job?"
Hiri thought for a long time before finally saying this sentence. She had been with Josiah for so long. The day before yesterday, Josiah was still filming a movie, and the day after tomorrow, he ran off to write novels and make games. There was no fixed job at all.
"Ahem, well, I really don't have a proper job."
Josiah shifted his gaze to the scene of the Iron Forgers in the distance toasting and celebrating.
This time, the establishment of the Noland Open system was equivalent to Josiah cultivating a large group of idols from all over the world.
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