SWNOVELXO Chapter 72
“I couldn’t believe it when *GameRoad* reached out to us saying they wanted to observe the tournament,” said a short man with eyes that reminded me of a fox, his small frame dressed in a vertically striped shirt. A staff badge hung from his right chest, bearing the name *Endo Hayato*.
If my memory served me right, Endo was one of the organizers of this tournament.
“Thank you for accommodating our sudden request. I’m Akira Kamiki, and this here is Allen Williams… He’s visiting from the Seioji Group,” Akira introduced.
“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Allen,” I said, using the name registered in this world.
The name “Williams” was something I had arbitrarily picked. While I went by just Allen on the other side, it felt odd to leave it at just a first name, so I had tacked on “Williams” without much thought.
“Oh, a representative from the Seioji Group,” Endo said, peering up at me through his narrowed eyes, a glimmer of curiosity evident as he appraised me.
“For someone from abroad, your Japanese is quite good. Do you live here?”
“Yes, I was born in Japan.”
Although I might look foreign, I don’t speak any foreign languages, and culturally, I’m no different from any Japanese person. It’s not that unusual for me to speak Japanese fluently.
What *is* strange, though, is that people in the Asphial world also speak Japanese. In the Kingdom of Kainriese, where I live, even elves like Eurua and Aria hear everything in Japanese.
The dominant religion, *Hama Polytheism*, teaches that in Asphial, spirits govern words and languages, and beings of a certain rank can communicate without any barriers through these spirits. More precisely, they call them “spirits of thoughts,” and according to their holy texts, as one’s level as a living being increases, they come to understand the world’s truths.
So, while I’ve been speaking Japanese unconsciously all this time, it must’ve been quite the shock for Endo, who didn’t know this, to hear me speak so fluently.
—
“And now, the warriors who passed yesterday’s preliminaries stand ready to face off in the finals!”
After exchanging pleasantries with Endo, Akira and I were guided to a special seat at the corner of the stage. Normally, this area was reserved for game magazine journalists and cameramen, but we were placed right in the front row to observe the tournament.
“We also have representatives from major game magazines like *5Games*, and in a special twist, we’re honored to welcome observers from *GameRoad Inc.*!” The host, a seasoned professional with an expert cadence, spoke from the opposite side of the stage, gesturing toward the press seats.
A murmur of excitement rippled through the audience, and even the finalists on stage turned to look at us in surprise.
“If you could just give a small bow, that will suffice,” Akira whispered next to me.
I nodded slightly in response, and the host continued with the event, redirecting the audience’s attention. But I could still feel some eyes on me.
(*They’re still watching me.*)
Most of the crowd had their eyes glued to the commentary booth, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that a few were still glancing in my direction. I did my best to act natural and ignored them—though I wondered how I felt about all the unauthorized photo-taking.
—
(*I have no idea what’s going on.*)
The tournament finals were set up on a single stage, with one match being played out under the watchful eyes of numerous cameras. Huge screens at the back of the stage and along the sides of the hall projected the match for those sitting farther away, making sure everyone could see the action.
The tournament was already in the finals, and from what I gathered after chatting with a journalist, the two players were quite famous. One was an ordinary person who had won several community tournaments in the past, while the other was an up-and-coming *streamer*.
When I asked about the streamer, I was told they were people who live-streamed games and other activities on the internet, a field that had exploded in popularity in recent years.
A large portion of the audience seemed to be fans of the streamer, and when he appeared on stage, there were shrill cheers and applause. It was almost like watching the fans of a boy band. Yet, when the match heated up, these fans became as engrossed in the game as anyone else, showing just how dedicated they were to *Cross World*.
—
Despite not understanding much of the match, the tournament eventually came to an end. As a representative of *GameRoad*, the company behind *Cross World*, I had to greet and take photos with the top finishers.
Thankfully, Akira, standing next to me, took charge of giving detailed feedback to the winners, sparing me from having to come up with something myself.
After that, we exchanged final pleasantries with the tournament staff, and I quickly left the venue. Between the street festival yesterday and spectating the tournament today, my schedule had been packed. Tomorrow, there was a welcome party for new members at the guild, so I needed to head back to the team house by the afternoon.
When I arrived at my home in Tokyo, I immediately transferred back to the world of Asphial.
—
Incidentally, the photos taken at the tournament would later cause quite a stir online.
—
Trading Card News & Community @TRCmatome
[Looks Just Like Them] Famous character from top mobile game spotted at a community tournament hosted by renowned streamer?! https://TRCmatome.com/…………