"Wait, please hold on a moment, sir!"
Just as Lin Ran was about to step off the stage, a call suddenly came from behind him.
Lin Ran's steps slowed slightly, and he leisurely turned around to look behind him.
Lucas?
Lin Ran smiled faintly:
"What, are you going to avenge your captain?"
"If so, I accept your challenge."
Lucas quickly shook his head:
"The battle on the stage is life and death..."
"Our captain died bravely, his soul returned to the divine palace. This might not necessarily be a bad thing for him."
"Everything was the captain's own choice, and I naturally have no right to interfere."
"It's just..."
Lin Ran tilted his head:
"Just what?"
Lucas's expression was one of difficulty. After opening his mouth several times, he finally spoke:
"It's just that, it's a bit inappropriate for you to have taken our country's two national treasures along with you..."
"They are not personal property belonging to Captain Valisi, but shared national treasures of our country."
"It was only because Captain Valisi came to represent the country in this competition that our king lent them to him for temporary use."
"Besides, only those with Red Leaf Kingdom bloodline can wield these two blades. Other races will not be recognized by the divine artifacts, so it's not of much use for you to take them away..."
"So, could I implore you to return our country's treasures?"
Lin Ran's eyes narrowed, a cold glint flowing within them:
"Oh? Return them? And you're talking about 'since ancient times'?"
"On what grounds, just because you say so?"
"Then can I also say that all the current territories of your Red Leaf Kingdom have belonged to my Long Country since ancient times?"
"It was just stolen by you in some historical incident, wasn't it?"
"Let me tell you the truth! Don't think I can't see it!"
"You forcefully inscribed the restriction that only the Red Leaf Kingdom can use these artifacts onto the divine artifacts using the sealing power of formations, and then you pretend to be kind?"
"Hah, 'since ancient times'? You mean since you plundered them!"
"Here's a word for you..."
"If you can defeat me, you can come and take the artifacts back anytime."
"If you don't have the ability, then shut your stinking mouth!"
"I'm starting to regret it now... why didn't I just kill you, you unlucky bastard, on stage?"
Lucas's face immediately turned very unpleasant.
He lowered his head and remained silent, thinking about something.
Lin Ran snorted and ignored him, turning to walk off the stage.
But at this moment, Taniyawa Tadahiko, the primary organizer of the event, suddenly stepped forward:
"Wait, wait, wait!"
"This matter, I should be the one to preside over justice!"
"We, the event organizers, believe that even if you killed your opponent in the arena match, you cannot encroach upon their belongings!"
"Valisi of the Red Leaf Kingdom is dead, but they still have more than ten other members. They are rightfully entitled to take back what belongs to them!"
Lin Ran glanced at Taniyawa Tadahiko:
"If I recall correctly, there was no such clause in the competition rules."
Taniyawa Tadahiko laughed heartily:
"But now there is!"
"As the chief person in charge of the event, I have the right to modify rules that do not affect fair competition!"
"Return the divine artifacts to the Red Leaf Kingdom contestants immediately, or I will disqualify you from the competition!"
This statement caused an uproar among the crowd.
Not only did the contestants in the stands explode, but even the nobles from the Sakura Nation who were watching frowned repeatedly.
For the contestants, such an organizer who changed rules on a whim was unacceptable.
Regardless of the country of origin, any contestant who was not from Sakura would surely be very dissatisfied.
Even if some of them actually wanted to see Lin Ran embarrassed, it wouldn't be in this manner...
If Taniyawa Tadahiko could target Lin Ran today, he could target them tomorrow!
If Taniyawa Tadahiko was allowed to disrupt the rules so unscrupulously, then what was the point of the competition!
As for the Japanese nobles, Taniyawa Tadahiko's reckless actions were also very inappropriate.
They had fought hard to secure the hosting rights for this competition, intending for the Sakura Nation to gain international prestige.
Now, Taniyawa Tadahiko pulls this stunt, what is he trying to do? Smash their own reputation? Stain the Sakura Nation?
Not to mention that they were already considering Lin Ran, even to the extent of reporting him to their leader.
If their grand plan was ruined by Taniyawa Tadahiko's disgusting behavior, who would they hold accountable?
Of course, nothing is absolute. There were still some people in the competition venue who supported Taniyawa Tadahiko.
For example... the members of the Red Leaf Kingdom.
At this moment, including the six members who had appeared earlier, the more than ten of them became energized upon hearing Taniyawa Tadahiko's words. They leaped onto the stage and shouted at Lin Ran:
"The event organizer is right! Hand over your divine artifacts quickly!"
"Heh, stealing our national treasures and still acting righteous, how shameless!"
"Our Red Leaf Kingdom's national treasures are also something you can covet? Now you're facing retribution, ha ha ha!"
"It's a Sakura referee after all... they're targeting sneaky scoundrels like you!"
"..."
Listening to the noisy clamor from the other side, Lin Ran suddenly laughed and turned to look at Taniyawa Tadahiko:
"If I recall correctly, you just said, 'Valisi of the Red Leaf Kingdom is dead, but they still have more than ten other members. They are rightfully entitled to take back what belongs to them!' Right?"
Taniyawa Tadahiko nodded proudly:
"Exactly!"
"What, do you have any objections?"
Lin Ran also nodded, but he didn't bother with Taniyawa Tadahiko. Instead, he turned back towards the Red Leaf Kingdom.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz...
With the cracking sounds of Gate of Babylon, nearly a hundred Gates of Babylon appeared behind Lin Ran as he activated them, soon filling half the sky.
This sky full of golden Gates of Babylon and the blades and treasures emerging from them were quite spectacular.
However, for the members of the Red Leaf Kingdom, they couldn't appreciate their charm.
Because the direction of these Gates of Babylon was none other than the remaining members of the Red Leaf Kingdom...
"Since you've asked me to stay, then you can all stay here with your lives!"
Before Taniyawa Tadahiko and the members of the Red Leaf Kingdom, who hadn't sensed anything wrong, could react, Lin Ran's Gates of Babylon unleashed with the speed of lightning, faster than a blink.
Moreover, the frequency of the Gates of Babylon unleashed this time was ridiculously high, with each gate firing at a speed of more than two shots per second.
This meant that in less than five seconds, over a thousand treasures had been shot out, directly targeting the members of the Red Leaf Kingdom!