Dimensional Descent

They started off extremely benign to the point that many relaxed. Maybe they were overthinking things and this sudden rule change was only really a method of making sure they stayed in line.

In the past, even with rules there, with the only real punishment being confinement, many terrible people would flout them and accept the jail time. Considering they would be released for their matches, and would obviously be released after the Gathering ended, why should they care?

There were a fair share of the weak that had been directly killed for offending the wrong people or even looking at them the wrong way. The worst part was that often the people they had offended wouldn't even act themselves. Instead, they would pay someone else to do it and take the jail time for them. Sometimes it was life-changing money on the table, so who wouldn't jump at the chance if the only punishment was staring at four walls for a bit?

By the time they got to their level of strength, something like solitary confinement wasn't worth too much in the grand scheme.

By the time most of the rules had been read, the crowd actually relaxed and began to feel that this was a good thing. The only people that didn't really like it were those who were looking forward to flouting these very rules.

No combat outside of designated areas. No killing regardless of region. Property damage wouldn't be tolerated, and unless one could pay the fee for repair, they would find themselves banished. Coercion or attempts at it were strictly prohibited. Grudges couldn't be taken outside of the arena....

They were all normal rules... and yet Leonel could hardly stop himself from sneering as he listened to them. Even before the other foot dropped, he could find a million loopholes to these rules.

"Property Damage" had to be paid for? If two people were fighting, who would decide who had damaged what?

Coercion was banned? Who was looking? What kind of case could you even bring forward in such a case? Or if you did bring forward a good case, would you be accused of "taking grudges outside the arena"? What a vague and mind-numbingly useless rule. It could be applied so broadly and it was based almost entirely on the personal judgment of whoever was doing the judging.

from the very beginning, right from the moment

the right to become members of the council. They were supposed to be so well hidden that it should have taken weeks for them all to be found. Leonel hadn't even thought to look for them because the moment he appeared, he was beset by that damned lion, and then they met Yuri and Savahn seconds later. Then the GONGs went off.

amusing. He felt

was why he never had the

temper and keep himself calm, swallowing the insults until he could beat the shit out of whoever slighted him in the

patience for it, and quite frankly he didn't want to have the

other

past years, the first few weeks, especially while the

is to avoid pointless fighting, this strength will be decided by

than one person, your performance will be divided based on the

you to leave

rather than being real, they were most definitely a treasure. Not that most could tell at a

the Owlans, Leonel probably wouldn't believe it. But her gene pool was definitely much thinner than

known as

familiar turban wrapped around his head, only providing space for his

know, the need for privacy is a must in the city as there will often be much improvement between rounds as participants are forced to their

I will willfully take a step back and

known