Chapter 557: Morgans Hosts Again
The final magic pattern guild in Alabasta was Wind Sand Orchid.
Wind Sand Orchid was a guild backed by the World Government.
Its strength was comparable to the other three magic pattern guilds in Alabasta.
It boasted over a hundred full members and hundreds of trainee members.
The trainees lacked condensed magic patterns, possessing only basic magic power usage.
Though not the strongest, Wind Sand Orchid led the most comfortable existence.
Their daily task was guarding the stronghold outside the large magic mine.
This came with the burden of limited resources.
Guarding a large magic mine was far more demanding than managing a small one like Oasis or scavenging in the desert like Cactus, hoping for aid or sneaking into the World Government's mine.
As an affiliate of the World Government's official magic pattern organization, Wind Sand Orchid lived quite comfortably.
The Demon Hunting Ceremony's starting point was the stronghold guarded by Wind Sand Orchid, located deep in the desert of Alabasta Island.
At this time, Sand City, as the stronghold was named, welcomed a flood of visitors.
Despite its desert location, the enthusiasm for the Demon Hunting Ceremony couldn't be deterred.
People arrived from the port in droves.
They boarded sand boats, recent inventions designed for desert travel.
Sand boats operated in various ways.
The most common used steam screws, while others relied on electric power systems.
Some even used Sky Island's wind shells or blowing shells as power sources, though these were rare and costly, affordable only to royalty or the wealthy.
Within Sand City, once-quiet streets now bustled with activity.
The upcoming event drew massive crowds.
Near the city's eastern district stood a rough, Roman Colosseum-style building made of sand and stone.
Wind Sand Orchid's magic pattern users had quickly constructed it under orders.
Its style was rugged and utilitarian, saving both cost and effort.
However, the World Government still needed to maintain appearances.
They adorned the interior with fine decorative fabrics.
Now, the stepped auditorium was nearly full, hosting close to 100,000 spectators.
The high ticket price, 100,000 Berries minimum, deterred many.
Otherwise, the venue would have been overflowing.
Those unable to afford tickets gathered in city squares to watch free live broadcasts, which offered more camera angles and a lively atmosphere, all at no cost.
"Kwahahaha, dear viewers, we meet again!"
"Your Morgans, back on time as always!"
His bird head appeared on the video, sparking instant recognition among the audience.
If another host had appeared, the crowd might have felt detached.
But Morgans' presence stirred a visceral reaction, igniting the atmosphere as people gritted their teeth in familiarity.
At the ceremony, Morgans stood on a yellow stone platform between the auditorium aisles.
Seeing the eager eyes of the crowd, he smiled.
As expected, he was a global celebrity.
Who in this world didn't know him?
He relished the sensation of being the center of attention, as if he were the world's focal point.
To experience this again, Morgans silently thanked the Five Elders, despite their annoyance with him.
Without their Demon Hunting Ceremony, he'd have to wait for another event to bask in this glory.
The Five Elders hadn't welcomed him as host.
"Dear viewers, this is the official Demon Hunting Ceremony hosted by the Magic Pattern Association." Morgans declared.
"You can see the packed auditorium, nearly full. It shows how lively it is here!" he said passionately, holding the microphone.
Cameras panned across the auditorium, complementing his introduction.
Watching the live broadcast from Marijoa, the Five Elders were speechless.
At other conferences, Morgans praised the organizers.
Now, hosting their event, he merely called it "official from the Magic Pattern Association."
The Association's anti-demon organization comprised multiple guilds, but his phrasing implied a joint effort, sidestepping the World Government's leadership.
Still, the Five Elders weren't overly harsh.
Despite their history with Morgans, they hadn't considered him for host.
Yet, Morgans secured the role for a simple reason: he offered too much.
He provided a medium-sized magic mine as a prize.
Though located in a magma-filled giant pit, it was enough for the Five Elders to overlook past grudges.
As long as it drew crowds, they were satisfied.
"No more nonsense."
"The rewards for this Demon Hunting Ceremony have been announced, and most of you have likely heard."
"The first-place Magic Pattern Guild will gain mining rights to a medium-sized magic mine, paying only 20% of the profits to mine freely."
"Additionally, there are two thousand Holy Light potions and ten billion Berries."
Even with mental preparation, the audience buzzed with excitement.
Ordinary people had little grasp of magic mines' value but understood ten billion Berries.
It paled only in comparison to the Fortune Cat's daily billion-Berries output.
Otherwise, the crowd would have erupted.
As Morgans detailed the rewards, in the building's long, dark passages, the eyes of participating magic pattern users gleamed.
The prizes were undeniably enticing, their reason for coming.
Only top-tier magic pattern guilds, however, had the confidence to vie for first place.
(End of this chapter)