The team moved after Rick, Kro, and Roo while Rana purposely walked at the rear with Jim.
"I've heard what you did back there," she said without even glancing at him, "and frankly some things enraged me and others made me smile."
Jim knew which things enraged her. "I hope I can do something good at the expedition," he honestly said, "but I lack time."
"And you have many enemies," she said, "and most are much stronger and wealthier than you are."
He got her message before asking, "is there any way to give me more options there?"
He waited and her face was calm and collected as usual. "Despite being enraged by this, but I have a pantheon to take care of," she said before adding, "however I might give a little hand to your team and authorize you to take these gears with you there."
He knew she was trying to help with her abilities, and frankly he appreciated this gesture of her. After all, the gears they used in the game weren't that bad, especially his ones.
"Thanks master," he said in gratitude.
"Don't forget to seek your three guardians as well," she said, "despite me doubting their ability to help."
"They… can't help?" he was surprised to hear that. He depended entirely on their intervention to change the game for him.
"Have you forgotten? They can't meddle with you until the week is over," she turned to him before adding in a serious tone, "and they won't try anything funny before that time. Or else many wolves will come howling at them and you."
"But…" he hesitated as this meant he would lose their help at that time.
"Losing a fight doesn't mean losing the entire war," she returned to glance up front, "you just need to adapt to losing sometimes and learn how to get up from the ashes and soar the heavens."
"Thanks master," he honestly thanked her as she was advising him out of her own experience.
And he couldn't disagree with her opinion, after all he had all the glory he needed here in the game while those haters like Donald could do nothing to tarnish his own glory.
Yet he didn't totally drop the idea of creating his name in the expedition. 'I'll wait for your instructions after we win the game,' he thought.
'Don't worry, just focus on winning and nothing else.'
He silently smiled while thinking about the words of Rana from before. 'I'll show everyone the real power of me, hehehe,' he inwardly laughed while feeling the gush of power revolving inside his body at the moment.
The team reached the front gate of the stadium and the place was more overcrowded than usual. Many people were there speaking in some serious tone while others kept running and preparing for something.
"What's going on here?" Deno couldn't help but ask as he noticed many Bulltor slaves being overworked while carrying heavy parts.
"They look like they're preparing for something," Rick muttered while the team stood to the side where other teams were lined up there as well.
"It's easy to guess," Rana smiled before adding, "they are preparing to give a medal of the ace league to one team tonight."
Her words coupled with her wink made everyone realize in deep shock what she meant by that. "Damn! It's us!!" suddenly many exclaimed in surprise while others glanced at each other in pure joy.
"Don't celebrate too soon," Rana couldn't help but laugh, "we need first to beat the team before getting that medal. Don't let their effort be wasted and make sure to get that spot tonight."
"Humph, as if that would happen."
All of sudden a distasteful sneer appeared from their backs and the next moment Pol appeared with a team of giants.
"K- Krakens?" Rick and Roo exclaimed in deep shock at the same breath when they spotted those giants with hands ending up with long cylindrical fingers that each reached one meter in length at least.
And they had three pairs of such hands.
"Hi Pol," Rana calmly greeted the dirty giant, "are you still trying to stop my boys?"
"They will be stopped tonight," Pol confidently said, "and on no one other than my boys."
Rana laughed in mockery while everyone suddenly understood what was going on. The previous words of Rana resurfaced again in their minds as this team seemed a bit strong… in everything.
With their weird hands they could attack, defend, and even score. However they lacked anything special at all, which was really a weakness.
"But they are krakens nonetheless," Lim couldn't help but sigh while glancing at the team standing behind them in line to enter the depth of the stadium, "this match will be harder than I thought."
"Why are you laughing?" Pol said with a calm smile over his face, "can't you see them preparing the ceremony to give us the ace league medal?"
"You?" Rana leisurely pointed to him in a mocking way, "as if you managed to succeed at anything in your pathetic life to think you can beat my boys here tonight."
His face slightly changed as if she pressed over a sour spot of his. "I've entered the academy as a disciple and got out of it as a master!"
"Hahaha, there are a long line of such losers who can agree with you indeed," Rana laughed while taking what he said so light, "you should know without being something in the pantheons then you are worth nothing in the academy… and you… hahaha, still acting as someone else's dog, barking at any flying fly and try to seem strong yet you are so fragile."
This time Jim was pretty much sure Pol would attack her or curse her out loud. Pol's face swelled up in redness and he was about to get on fire if he kept like that.
"Good… I'll make sure to wipe that smile over your face tonight and smash that pathetic dream of yours."