Worldwide Class Change: Minimal Effort, Maximum Reward!-Chapter 17, Announcement of Jianghe Hunter Academy Tournament (1)

Chapter 17: Chapter 17, Announcement of Jianghe Hunter Academy Tournament (1)

Morning sunlight spread across the vast courtyard of Jianghe Hunter Academy, casting long shadows over the stone training grounds. Normally, students would already be scattered across the combat arenas, practicing sword techniques or testing new abilities. Today was different.

Hundreds of students gathered in front of the central platform, forming clusters of excited conversations. The usually disciplined academy grounds had turned into a noisy sea of speculation.

"Did you hear the news?"

"Of course! The announcement is supposed to happen today."

"I heard the champion will receive equipment from the City Armory."

"No way... that’s real?"

Voices overlapped everywhere. But among all the conversations, one topic kept surfacing again and again.

"The Laborer."

"Are the rumors true?"

"They say he killed a Stoneback Bear alone."

"That’s impossible."

"Maybe Instructor Zhang exaggerated."

Several students shook their heads dismissively, clearly unwilling to believe such a story. Yet others were not so certain, because the rumor had spread too quickly and had come from people who were actually present during the wilderness training.

At the edge of the crowd, Wang Hao craned his neck, searching for a familiar figure.

"Brother Lin!"

He finally spotted Lin Yi standing calmly beneath a tree, hands casually in his pockets, and hurried over.

"You’re late," he whispered urgently.

"The announcement hasn’t started yet."

"That’s not the point." Wang Hao leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Everyone’s talking about you." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Lin Yi glanced around. Indeed, a few nearby students were secretly staring in his direction, some curious, others skeptical. He shrugged.

"People like rumors."

"Brother Lin, it’s not just rumors anymore." Wang Hao pointed toward the center of the courtyard. "This is the Academy Tournament."

Before Lin Yi could respond, a loud metallic bell echoed across the grounds.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

The courtyard immediately fell silent. A tall middle-aged man stepped onto the stone platform, wearing the dark uniform of a senior instructor. The aura surrounding him was calm yet imposing, and many students recognized him instantly. Instructor Han Ming. One of the academy’s strongest combat instructors. His sharp gaze swept slowly across the crowd.

"Students."

His voice carried effortlessly across the entire courtyard.

"It seems everyone already knows why you are here."

A ripple of excitement spread through the crowd. Instructor Han continued calmly.

"As you know, every year Jianghe Hunter Academy hosts a combat tournament for newly awakened students."

He paused briefly.

"This year’s tournament will officially begin tomorrow."

The courtyard erupted instantly.

"What?!"

"Tomorrow already?"

"That’s fast!"

Instructor Han raised one hand, and the noise gradually died down. When he spoke again, his voice was measured and deliberate.

"The purpose of the tournament is simple. To test your combat ability. To determine your standing among your peers. And to prepare you for the true dangers beyond the city walls."

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"Because the wilderness does not care about your class rank."

Several students stiffened. Everyone understood the meaning behind those words.

"The tournament will consist of three stages," Instructor Han continued, raising three fingers. "First: Qualification Battles. All registered students will compete in one-on-one combat. Victory advances you. Defeat eliminates you." He lowered one finger. "Second: the Elimination Bracket. The remaining participants will fight until the Top Sixteen are determined." He lowered another. "Third: the Final Bracket. The Top Sixteen will compete for the championship."

A wave of anticipation surged through the crowd. Instructor Han’s voice remained steady.

"Now. The rewards."

Those two words immediately captured every ear in the courtyard. Even Lin Yi looked slightly more interested.

"Students who enter the Top Ten will receive rare equipment from the academy treasury." Several students gasped. Rare equipment was not easy to obtain, and even low-tier pieces could cost tens of thousands of credits. Instructor Han raised his voice slightly. "The Top Three will receive equipment from the Jianghe City Armory."

The courtyard exploded.

"That’s city-level gear!"

"No way..."

"Even the weakest armory equipment is worth a fortune!"

Instructor Han waited for the noise to settle before delivering his final statement.

"The Tournament Champion will receive a Rare Weapon Blueprint."

Silence fell. A weapon blueprint meant something extraordinary. Unlike ordinary equipment, blueprints allowed master craftsmen to forge custom weapons, meaning the champion could potentially obtain a weapon perfectly suited to their class. But Instructor Han was not finished.

"And the champion will receive a recommendation to a Regional Elite Academy."

This time, the courtyard fell completely still. Regional Elite Academies stood far above ordinary city academies, and only the most talented hunters were ever accepted. For many students standing in that courtyard, this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

Instructor Han’s gaze swept slowly across the crowd one final time.

"Registration begins now. Those who wish to participate..." He pointed toward the arena entrance. "Step forward."