As Jefferson's voice trailed off, this year's Freshmen Competition officially began.
The teams stood on the magic circle according to the order they drew their lots. The complicated patterns around them lit up, and the four people on the magic circle were teleported to the small arena on the third floor.
Although it was a small arena, it was actually two-thirds the size of the first floor of the Endless Forest Sea. However, there was a big difference between the Freshmen Competition and ordinary dungeons. There were specialized supply points in the arena, so even though the activity area was relatively large, the contestants didn't need to hire servants. At the beginning of the competition, most people only brought three to five days' worth of rations.
After entering the dungeon, the first thing Rob did was to take out his goggles and scarf. The other three did the same. Yes, the dungeon of Bantam was mostly a desert. As far as the eye could see, the sky was filled with yellow sand, undulating sand dunes, and the scorching sun above their heads. Who knew why Bantam, which was located near the southern coastline, would have such a strange dungeon in the desert.
The environment here was obviously much worse than the dungeon in the Endless Forest Sea.
Unlike when they were forced to enter the dungeon when they first met Lolo, the Freshmen Competition was essentially a game the school used to train the freshmen. Although this used to be the third floor of the dungeon, most of the threats had been cleared, and the danger was far less than the dungeon in the Endless Forest Sea. The only thing they had to be careful of was the owner of the Golem.
Luo Bu knew how important this competition was to Luo Luo, so he didn't stand on ceremony. He immediately took over command of the team after entering the competition and spread out the map of the third floor that he had bought from Loyce for a large sum of money. Then, he took out the ruler and compass that he carried with him and squatted down to write and draw on the sand. Half a minute later, he put those things back into his backpack under Genie and Genie's dumbfounded expressions.
"We're in luck. We're only a day and a half away from the inner city. According to the intelligence I gathered, we're currently in the outer city with very few supply points and treasure chests. The key to the early competition is to see who can enter the inner city first. In theory, the earlier you enter the inner city, the more items and supplies you can obtain, and the later you enter the inner city, the higher the risk of being eliminated. However, this isn't absolute." Rob paused. "The inner city has been remodeled and restored part of its functions. It's the only place with water and vegetation in the entire dungeon. The truly powerful Magical Beasts are active in the inner city, so the earlier you enter the inner city, the higher the chance of being ambushed. In general, risks and rewards coexist."
In order to prevent everyone from being teleported to the same starting point and the stronger teams from eliminating the weaker teams, the teleportation method to enter the competition venue was completely random. In other words, the location of the teleportation point was uncertain, and the teams could appear anywhere on the third floor. Rob wasn't sure if any teams were teleported to the inner city, so it was best for them to act as soon as possible.
Luo Luo appeared very calm. Back in the Endless Forest, she had already been shocked by a certain someone's performance countless times, to the point that she was a little numb to it now. She would not make a fuss like Genie and Genie. She would listen to this guy anyway, so she asked directly, "Which way?"
"This way." Rob pointed in a direction and reminded, "Be careful of the environment here. You might encounter some desert magical beasts along the way. Most of them aren't dangerous, but you still have to be careful of a few of them, especially the Takuta Sand Scorpions. These little things will bury their bodies completely under the sand when they hunt, so it's very difficult to discover them. Their stingers are poisonous, and although it's not fatal, it will paralyze you for at least half a spell. I have antidotes in my bag, but you have to use them sparingly. There might be more troublesome fellows behind us. If you're poisoned by the Takuta Sand Scorpion, rest and wait for the poison to pass."
Lolo was the strongest in the group, so she naturally walked at the front of the group. If there was any danger, she would be able to react immediately. With her skills, she should be able to dodge quickly. Rob followed closely behind. On one hand, he could support her in time, and on the other hand, it was convenient for him to observe the environment and give commands. Genie, who could barely protect herself, was the last one to hold the line.
The quasi magus had always known that Fatty's family background was good, but he didn't expect it to be this good. The armor he was wearing right now was the standard armor of a Holy Knight, and its defense seemed to be even better than the original. It was definitely not something that could be found on the streets. The sword hanging on his waist didn't look ordinary either, but it looked a little old. Rather than calling it a weapon, it was more like an antique. Fortunately, it was well maintained. Although it had been through the baptism of time, it was still sharp enough. Just from this point alone, the quality of this antique sword was far better than many newly forged swords.
Apart from that, Genie was also carrying a magic device engraved with a grade 2 defensive spell. His current attire could be considered to be armed to the teeth. At least among this batch of new swordsmen, no one could be more dreamy than him. He had received all of these equipment the night before the start of the competition.
When Genie's mother heard that her son was going to participate in Siamus's competition, she secretly packed a set of her family's collection and sent someone to deliver it to him so that he could obtain a good result. Rob and the others could only sigh at the greatness of a mother's love.
With this set of equipment, Fatso's strength suddenly increased by a lot, jumping from being a hindrance to above the passing line. Although his attack was still trash, he could even contend with the main attackers of other teams with his super high defense. Of course, the premise was that the other party was willing to keep an eye on him.
However, his luxurious equipment was a bit of a cheat in the current environment. Not even five minutes after the sun shone on the shining golden armor, the temperature was shockingly high. Even if one put their hand on it, they would be scalded, not to mention Fatso inside. At this moment, Genie was like a prawn stuffed into a steamer, sweating profusely in no time and seeing stars. Rob was afraid that he would be cooked if he took a few more steps, so he suggested to the latter, "Why don't you take off that equipment first and wear it when there's a battle?"
Genie shook his head. "You don't know, but this armor is very troublesome to wear and take off. The first time I wore it, it took me half a magic hour. If I take it off, it'll be too late when there's real danger."
Rob did not expect Fatso to be so professional. He gave the latter a thumbs up. "It's fine if you don't take it off, but you should at least cover it with something to block the sun. Otherwise, you'll be dehydrated soon."
"Makes sense." Genie had long felt that he could not hold on any longer, but he did not know how to solve it. He was also too embarrassed to tell others for fear of causing trouble for the team. It was only when Rob spoke that he came to a realization. He hurriedly took out a few clothes from his backpack and tied them over the armor. This way, he felt much better.
After that, the team hurried on with their journey. In just a short half a day, almost everyone deeply realized how fortunate it was to have someone like a certain someone in the team. They had been traveling through the desert for the entire morning, but they had been safe and sound. This was all thanks to the future Supreme Magister's terrifying knowledge and incomparably calm mind. This guy seemed to be omniscient about the habits and characteristics of all magical beasts, and could always avoid danger one step ahead of time. In contrast, the other teams that they had met along the way had more or less encountered some battles.
In the early stages of the competition, most of the teams were more cautious. Because they did not have many points on them, and there was no pressure of water or food, they would not make a move unless they had an overwhelming advantage in strength. Everyone clearly knew that the real competition would come after entering the inner city. There was no meaning in starting a fight now, and it was very likely that other teams nearby would take advantage of them.
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