The next day, sunlight pierced through the clouds, gilding the metropolis with a brilliant golden edge.
The International Exhibition Center, located in the heart of the city, now revealed its unprecedented fervor and clamor to the world.
This was the venue for the 5th "National Fighting Game Tournament."
Under the massive spherical dome, crowds converged from all directions.
At the entrance, a gigantic holographic projection, dozens of meters high, displayed the most popular characters from the game "King of Fighters" taking turns to unleash their spectacular ultimate moves.
The sweet aroma of hot dogs and popcorn permeated the air, creating an enthusiastic atmosphere unique to a gaming extravaganza.
"Wow—! So… so many people!"
Saitama, with his smooth head tilted back, was somewhat bewildered by the overwhelming sight of the human sea before him.
He had imagined the tournament to be a small event, perhaps a few dozen game consoles set up in a community activity center, but he never expected its scale to rival a major concert.
"Teacher, please rest assured," Genos stood beside him, his eyes rapidly scanning the surroundings as he brought up a pre-planned route map on a virtual screen.
"I have already completed all registration procedures for you and Mr. KING the moment online registration opened."
"Our contestant numbers are A-777 and A-778 respectively. According to the schedule, our preliminary round area is on Ring 3 in Zone C."
"From here, the estimated walking time is 7 minutes and 32 seconds. We will pass two supply points along the way where you can purchase drinks and snacks."
Lin Mo was not affected by the noisy environment around him, his gaze discreetly sweeping over the excited or nervous faces.
Most of these faces belonged to pure game enthusiasts, brimming with the passion of players.
However, after comprehending [Martial Arts · Pinnacle], Lin Mo's perception had become extraordinarily keen.
He could clearly sense that amidst the tens of thousands of ordinary auras, there were a few distinct ones.
That was not the excitement of players, but a restrained aura.
This made his heart stir slightly, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved into an almost imperceptible arc.
It seemed he had indeed come to the right place this time. This was not only a sanctuary for gamers but also a dueling ground for certain powerhouses.
"Mr. KING, Teacher," Genos's voice rang out again. He pointed to a large booth not far away, where an introduction to the tournament rules was being played on a loop.
"The rules for this tournament are a bit special."
"Oh? Are there any special rules? Isn't it just sitting there and fighting with a controller?"
Saitama's curiosity was piqued. As he spoke, he had already started walking closer.
"Not entirely," Genos explained. "To enhance the tournament's spectacle and professionalism, this year's competition has for the first time introduced two entirely different match modes, which contestants can freely choose during registration."
"The first is the 'Classic Controller Mode.' Contestants will use officially provided standardized game controllers to battle, testing their proficiency with game characters."
"And the second," Genos's tone became a bit more serious. He pointed to a completely different scene in the promotional video:
A contestant, wearing special VR goggles, moved their body in an empty space, and their every action was perfectly synchronized with the game character.
"This is the 'Fully Immersive Combat Mode' that this tournament is heavily promoting."
"Contestants will wear special VR goggles, and every action they make in reality, including punches, kicks, jumps, blocks, and even the technique and speed of their force, will be precisely converted into the game character's actions by the system at a 1:1 ratio."
"One could say this isn't playing a game, but engaging in a real battle."
Saitama became interested. "That's intriguing. Please choose the second mode for me, Genos."
Lin Mo's gaze also lingered on the combat mode screen. He followed closely, saying, "I'll choose the combat mode, just like Saitama-kun."
Genos nodded and said, "I understand."
"It seems the champion of this tournament is already destined to be either Teacher or Mr. KING…" Genos discreetly observed the two beside him.
But soon, an incredibly exciting thought popped into his mind.
"Teacher and Mr. KING… who is stronger!? It seems this tournament will reveal it!"
The thought of witnessing a showdown between these two peak powerhouses made Genos excited as well.
This was definitely a battle of the century! He had to record all the combat data!
— — — — — —
Meanwhile, at the entrance to Zone B.
A tall, muscular young man with black hair leaned idly against a wall.
He wore loose black Martial Arts attire, his hands in his pockets, and his eyes held a lazy disdain that was out of place with the surrounding fervent atmosphere.
He was "the genius of the martial arts world," the inheritor of "Nether Body Fist" — Suiryu.
"Tsk, what a noisy place." Suiryu dug at his ear, his gaze aimlessly sweeping over the young girls passing by.
To him, those so-called powerhouses were nothing special.
The reason he came to participate in this gaming tournament was purely because he saw the advertisement on TV and thought it "might be interesting."
"Hello, sir, are you here to visit or to compete?" A young woman in a work uniform politely approached him, smiling as she asked.
Suiryu lazily lifted his eyelids, his gaze lingering on the girl's pretty face for half a second before he slowly replied, "Compete."
"Alright, please tell me if you've chosen 'Classic Controller Mode' or 'Fully Immersive Combat Mode'?"
"Controller?" Suiryu scoffed, as if he had heard the biggest joke.
"Forget about that childish game. Of course, it's the one where I can move my body. Otherwise, why would I come here? To do stretching exercises?"
His frivolous and arrogant tone made the staff member's smile stiffen slightly, but her good professionalism allowed her to maintain her politeness and quickly process his registration.
After receiving his contestant wristband, Suiryu glanced at the number on it and confidently walked towards the preparation area for the combat mode.
His goal was simple: to find some fun, see if there were any opponents who could pique his interest even slightly, and perhaps, to see if he could meet some lovely girls.
He had no interest in the prize money.
In his opinion, everything in life was merely to make him more enjoyable.