"Please hand over your tags…"

As the battles had already come to an end in all rings, the ranks were more or less set already, so they asked us to hand the tags back so they could correct the mistakes they made like putting me at number 2…

There were other participants who also got a different rank like the dual element swordswoman who managed to to take the sixth rank by beating the earth practitioner, but that wasn't as surprising as the fact that the fire fist guy managing to secure the eleventh rank even though he was put at number one…

'I guess he isn't as stupid as I imagined after all…'

It might have been due to the fact that I was his first opponent that he acted that cocky, being rash as he thought he would do some show by taking me out in a few seconds, which actually made sense, otherwise, he wouldn't have managed to survive to this point and even get the eleventh place…

There was also the possibility that he actually learned from the first match to think things through first, which would actually mean that I have somehow benefited him…

'Well…'

"Here you go…"

Receiving the tag from the referee, I noticed that the organizer was once again back, as I go a bit of an ominous vibe…

'Could it be…'

"Congratulations to you all once more on the ranks that you have managed to secure, especially the former No.2, No.7 and No.13 who managed to actually become the new No, No.6 and No.11!"

'Hmmm…'

"That aside, I know you must be all very excited for the rewards, choosing a sect to join, or getting chosen by a sect specifically, but you will have to wait a bit…"

'No!'

"The ranking and sect apprentice acceptance ceremony would be held in 10 days, once these ten days pass, you would mostly get what you want, so you just have to be patient a bit…"

'It can't be…'

Hearing that I would have to wait 10 days once again after going through the long days of the tournament was like a drill that went through my heart which became heavy once again…

"The sect members should already know that's the norm so I hope that the ranking recruitees will also bear with it for the following day until the start of the ceremony…"

With nothing that I could possibly do, I could only pray that I wouldn't have to spend these 10 days in my room doing nothing once again as I dejectedly left the colosseum, returning to my room in the 'Hotel' as I went to sleep immediately, wanting to sleep for the whole next 10 days if possible…

`~~`~~`~~`

Knock... Knock.

"Who is it?!"

Being woken up by the door's knock when I wanted to sleep away the time to the ceremony, I felt like I could bash the head of whoever was the cause of this…

"It's me, dear customer, it seems that you have some guests that want to discuss something with you…"

'Hmmm?'

Returning to me rationality as I was no longer half asleep, I considered in mind who might be the ones who would actually visit me for some sort of business…

'Is it that old White or something…?'

"Alright, tell them I will be going down in a few minutes."

"Understood."

Hearing the footsteps of the receptionist going away, I simply had a quick 'Spatial' shower as I changed to a clean set of clothes using my 'Spatial' drawer before heading down the stairs slightly in anticipation that this might be another something as interesting as that auction that might make me feel less bored and shackled during the following 10 days…

'It better not be just a stupid recruitment offer though…'

If it was indeed old White who has came, there was a possibility that he might have come to finally give me the offer to join his sect that he held back on for so long already, and in that case my slightly raised spirit would turn gloomy once again…

It wasn't like I was 100% not going to join his sect, but it wasn't the time to consider that just yet, as I still had to see my choices during the ceremony and inform myself first on the sects' natures, before deciding on one, besides, it was probably going to be more efficient to join one of the sect hegemons that were called something like 'The Big Three'...

"Oh…?"

Finding no one other than a few unknown people in the tables in the ground floor, I grew a bit more curious who might be the one that wanted to talk with me since I couldn't see old White neither any one of his sect's people that I took note of during our journey….

"This way sir."

The receptionist who suddenly came to me gestured towards a closed corner… Which actually housed another table in it that was a bit secluded behind a wooden wall…

'Let's see who it's then…'

Moving towards that slightly secluded position that seemed to be a very likely one to miss without putting that much attention to it, I was a bit surprised to see some familiar faces that I didn't actually expect to come for me…

"Here you are, I almost became too bored from waiting…"

The one who said that in a slightly loud voice was actually the big guy who won the first item in the auction, the 'Earthen Edge GreatSword' that ran out at the very start of the auction…

But that wasn't the only person worthy of my attention on the table as there were also the earth practitioner and the dual element swordswoman who ranked 7th and 6th respectively…

The collection of not so easy to meet familiar people looked a bit concerning, but at this point, I could already smell that there was something interesting that would come out of this!