100\% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full? Chapter 713 - Preparation

Lootwell released the next official notice.

This time, Lucien included an image.

The preserved region appeared across communication devices throughout the five continents.

At first, most people were simply impressed by the scale.

Then some of the more observant viewers began recognizing the terrain.

The broken mountain chains. The ruined valleys. The strangely preserved scars across the land.

Discussion spread quickly.

It was the infamous dead region of the Middle Continent.

That realization changed the reaction immediately.

The place had been avoided for generations, yet Lootwell had somehow turned it into the foundation of an enormous competition ground.

People saw vast Authority Resistance Fields glowing beneath layered formations.

Observation towers stood above ruined valleys.

The Clear Mind Halls rested quietly beside pale waterways.

Farther away were the Interweaving Grounds, Extraction Trial sectors, and battlefield regions large enough to hold armies.

Teleportation hubs stretched between them like luminous anchors.

And through all of it, the ancient terrain remained.

Lootwell had not erased what made the region strange.

It had built around it and made use of it.

That was enough to surprise even people who had already grown accustomed to Lootwell doing unreasonable things.

Still, the disbelief did not last very long.

It was Lootwell.

By now, that explanation had become strangely sufficient.

The image alone spread faster than most announcements.

Then the details appeared.

[Lootwell Grand Intercontinental Competition]

[Opening Day: One Month Remaining]

[The competition grounds are complete and have passed initial testing.]

[Official events will include individual challenges and team competitions across multiple formats.]

[Individual events will test combat ability, adaptability, survival, Law control, suppression resistance, and performance under changing restrictions.]

[Team events will include battlefield objectives, extraction missions, defensive operations, Law Interweaver challenges, and large-scale combat simulations.]

[Participants will not be judged by raw strength alone.]

[Additional rankings will recognize exceptional command, support, rescue performance, adaptability, efficiency, and other achievements.]

[Even if you do not win the main competition, exceptional performance will still be recognized. Strength alone will not decide who leaves rewarded.]

The announcement immediately changed the mood across the five continents.

People had expected a tournament where only the strongest names mattered.

Instead, Lootwell was making room for anyone capable of standing out in a meaningful way.

For many, that was even more enticing.

A participant did not need to become the overall champion to leave with something valuable. They only needed to prove that they were exceptional at what they did.

Discussions spread almost immediately..

Independent practitioners who had little confidence in winning the main events suddenly saw another path forward.

Then the reward announcement appeared.

Lucien revealed another portion of the prize pool.

The Life Link Talisman had already attracted attention.

The Everlasting Meridian Pearl and Adaptive Bastion Mantle had done the same.

Now Lootwell confirmed that several exceptionally rare treasures had been prepared.

One name was released.

[Sovereign Soul Anchor]

The description was short.

It was enough.

A treasure capable of preserving the core identity of a shattered or displaced soul.

For several minutes, some communication channels became almost unusable.

Then Lootwell added one final sentence.

[The highest rewards have not yet been revealed.]

That was when restraint disappeared.

•••

Registrations surged again.

Several factions that had originally planned to send small teams increased their numbers.

Reclusive experts who had dismissed the competition as entertainment reconsidered.

Young talents begged their elders for permission to participate.

Veterans who had little interest in rankings became interested in the specialized achievements.

Commanders wanted the team events.

Researchers wanted access to the Interweaving Grounds.

Craftsmen wanted to see the facilities themselves.

Some people simply wanted the participation benefits.

Even losing had value.

Winning could change a life.

And apparently, Lootwell still had better rewards hidden.

That last part became the favorite subject of speculation.

If the Sovereign Soul Anchor was not the highest prize, then what was?

Rumors became ridiculous almost immediately.

Someone claimed Lootwell intended to give away an Origin Core fragment.

Lucien nearly dropped his communication device when he read that.

Another rumor claimed the winner would receive an entire world.

Kael sent Lucien that one with no comment.

Lucien understood the threat anyway.

He quickly instructed the administrators to clarify that no worlds or Origin Core fragments were being offered.

That somehow generated even more speculation.

•••

The remaining month became increasingly busy.

Lootwell citizens handled the work behind the spectacle.

Teleportation schedules were tested under simulated maximum traffic.

Registration documents were checked.

Competition categories were finalized.

Medical teams rehearsed emergency extraction procedures.

Judges and observers were assigned.

The ranking network was tested repeatedly to prevent manipulation.

Law Interweaver reservoirs were inspected and catalogued.

Randomized reservoirs intended for certain competition rounds were prepared separately.

Training districts were stocked.

Spectator barriers were reinforced.

Merchants received operating rules.

Faction compounds were numbered.

Emergency shelters were marked clearly.

Solar Concordium became heavily involved in finalizing the event flow.

He insisted that participants should never spend too long waiting between major stages.

Lilith cared more about whether the facilities could survive them.

Anvil-Horn continued trying to strengthen structures that had already passed every safety test.

The Grandmaster wanted more measurement arrays.

The Abbess wanted additional recovery chambers.

Kael wanted everyone to stop requesting things.

Nobody listened to Kael.

Lucien sympathized with him.

Then approved several more requests.

•••

The registration numbers continued climbing.

At first, Lucien checked them every day.

Then he stopped.

The administrative teams assured him the expanded infrastructure could handle the projected attendance.

That was enough.

What mattered more was the variety.

The competition was drawing people from nearly everywhere.

Lucien did not care which reason brought them.

Once they entered the training grounds, the result would be the same.

They would experience suppression. They would learn to operate without their strongest abilities. They would practice retreating, protecting allies, working beside unfamiliar races, using unfamiliar Laws.

And when the real danger arrived someday, those experiences might keep them alive.

The world still believed it was preparing for a competition.

Lucien was perfectly happy to let it continue believing that.

•••

Days disappeared.

The preserved region became busier even before the official opening.

Supply caravans arrived.

Lootwell personnel filled the safe districts.

Teleportation hubs remained active almost constantly as staff and materials moved through.

Massive boards displaying event information appeared near the arrival zones.

Observation formations began broadcasting test images.

The final reward vaults were sealed.

The Covenant of the Thousandfold Echo was still being prepared separately.

Lucien had not forgotten that one.

•••

One evening, Lucien stood above the central plateau and looked across the illuminated region.

A month ago, it had been an empty training ground.

Now it looked like a city waiting for its population.

Lights stretched between mountains.

Teleportation structures glowed in the distance.

The ancient preserved battlefield rested beneath everything, quiet and watchful.

Tomorrow, the first major groups of early arrivals would begin entering.

After that, there would be no quiet left.

Lucien smiled.

The preparation phase was almost over.

The world was coming.