This is mostly an explanation chapter.
For a week after returning from the 61st Floor, we didn’t explore any higher floors and instead conducted further investigations of the springs.
We initially began our investigation on the 61st Floor, but the monsters that appeared were of the high-rank class.
Naturally, at that level, Nana’s intimidation became less effective, and there was a possibility of accidents happening if Mitsuki went alone.
If absolutely necessary, Kousuke could cover the wagon with a barrier, but since we couldn’t be sure what might happen, we decided to wait for Kouhi’s return before investigating floors above the 61st.
Fortunately, a match against the top-ranked opponent was imminent. Once that was over, Kouhi would be able to move more freely, which was a factor in our decision.
Regarding the appearance of high-ranked monsters on the 61st Floor, Kousuke had his suspicions.
He thought that unlike Amamiya Tower, Gazenran Tower might not have a hundred floors, but fewer.
Of course, the types of monsters alone don’t determine the number of floors in each tower.
In the Four Elements Tower and the Holy Demon Tower as well, the monsters’ ranks weren’t fixed or distributed in a specific pattern.
Therefore, we couldn’t definitively say that high-ranking monsters wouldn’t appear in the next forty floors, but it was something Kousuke could only describe as a feeling based on his accumulated experience.
This wasn’t mere intuition; it was based on experience.
Kousuke, who had conquered many towers, could only describe it as a feeling.
When he told Peach this, she asked, “Isn’t that just intuition?” but for Kousuke, it was clearly different.
It was his own sensation, something he couldn’t explain with words.
When Kousuke explained this to Peach, she nodded and said, “I see.”
Because of this, we decided to re-investigate the springs starting from the 52nd Floor, without Kouhi.
It was impossible to investigate all the springs in just under a week.
We thoroughly investigated all the springs we had found from the 52nd to the 55th Floor, but unfortunately, there was only one spring with special water, located on the 54th Floor.
We can’t say for sure since there are still gaps in the floors, but the distribution seems quite sparse.
By the way, the water found on the 54th Floor was Aeris Water, which wasn’t new.
Moreover, the location of that spring was quite deep within the 54th Floor, with hardly any sign of people having been there.
At worst, people might not even know that the spring exists on the 54th Floor.
By the time one reaches this floor, they can obtain considerable amounts of good materials without having to go all the way to a remote area where a spring is located.
Even if a spring is found, there’s a possibility that the water won’t be recognized as important.
While we don’t know which springs on which floors are currently being harvested, if only a select few know of their existence, it’s more likely that they are being overlooked.
Although the investigation was incomplete, Kousuke and the others decided to cut it short and return because of Kouhi’s upcoming match in the arena.
By the time Kousuke and the others returned, it was the day before the match, and the Guild was surrounded by a large crowd.
These were Kouhi’s fans who had come to cheer her on.
Since they weren’t causing any major disturbances, Exu seemed content to leave them be.
Furthermore, the Guild’s headquarters was located on the outskirts of town, so there were no complaints from the neighbors.
If the gathering continued until late at night, they might consider dispersing them, but for now, they intended to overlook it.
Glancing at the crowd, Kousuke and the others entered the Guild directly via wagon.
The place where wagons were parked served as a back entrance, which was convenient for avoiding people.
Upon entering the building through the back entrance, Kousuke and the others were immediately greeted by Exu and Kouhi.
After a brief discussion about handling the crowd outside, everyone returned to their respective rooms.
Kouhi, as expected, shared a room with Mitsuki, and Kousuke didn’t ask any questions.
For Kouhi, the battle tomorrow would be no different than any previous one.
Even if her opponent was the number one ranked fighter, it wouldn’t change anything for Kousuke either.
While there was a commotion outside the building, time passed as usual.
The other members, knowing this from previous matches, didn’t make a big fuss about it.
Fortunately, those outside the headquarters dispersed by the time night fell.
In some cases, people might even line up to secure seats in the arena.
And then, the next morning.
Finally, it was the day of Kouhi’s match against Hartvin, the number one ranked fighter.
Hartvin, the number one ranked fighter in the Arena, had held his position for over ten years and could be considered a true king.
He had hardly ever lost since his Arena debut, making him a monster by any normal standard.
With a match scheduled between him and Corry, who had been defeating strong opponents since his debut, the day’s event was attracting attention not only from Arena fans but also from the general public.
The Arena Guild had likely made some preparations, as they had hired personnel to manage the crowd and create orderly lines from the beginning.
With those lines in sight, Kousuke and the others, on Kouhi’s recommendation, entered through the staff entrance.
This time, they were seated in the VIP section, not the general seating.
This decision was made by Kouhi and Exu while Kousuke was investigating the tower, as it also served as a form of promotion for the Guild.
Kousuke had no problem with the plan, so he went along with it.
The VIP section wasn’t like the private boxes Kousuke was familiar with; it was simply a section secured for staff and guests, offering a good view of the battles.
Whether by design or coincidence, their seats were close to the opposing fighter’s contingent.
A while after Kousuke and the others settled into their seats, several people who seemed to be part of that group also took their seats.
Without exchanging greetings, as soon as everyone was seated, the event officially began.
“And now, it’s finally time! A battle that can be called the match of the century is about to commence!”
As the announcement echoed through the venue, the audience erupted in excitement.
The words were similar to an announcement heard before, but it was likely a standard greeting.
“I will be your announcer for today. My name is Hosue! I look forward to your enjoyment today!”
It seemed Hosue was in charge of the announcements again today.
Whether it was a coincidence or destiny, Kousuke didn’t know.
“I had hoped for this, but I never thought it would be approved, so I’m quite excited myself. Let’s get hyped together!”
It appeared Hosue had requested the role and it had been granted.
Regardless of the details, the venue was already buzzing with excitement.
The crowd was thrilled by the match between Corry, who had emerged like a new star, and the man who had reigned at the top for so long.
Perhaps some in the audience were also harboring the thought of “what if.”
Whether that was hope or anxiety likely varied from spectator to spectator.
There was also anticipation that, whatever the outcome, this battle would be unlike anything they had seen before.
As the audience’s emotions swelled, the event progressively moved forward.
And then, finally, the two combatants for today made their appearance in the venue.
Sorry for the delay!
Actually, I had a plan to finish this quickly, lol.
After much deliberation and writing, it ended up becoming something of an explanation chapter.
This is probably what slows down the progress.
(I won’t delete it though.)
