NOVEL NEXT X2.5.5 – The Story of Red Kingdom
X2.5.5 – The Story of Red Kingdom
The competition began with little to no fanfare. As soon as the first two fighters began swinging fists, the crowd cheered and the tournament was off. Since their fights were all scheduled for the afternoon, the group spent the morning trying to gather fighters to the cause.
"Any luck?" asked Rosso.
"Nope. Not a single fighter I've met has even remotely entertained the idea of joining the Greatest Fight. They all want to just—win," Indigo pointed out, drinking a cold drink as the sun shone above them.
"The Centuries also say no," Roa said, walking up to them.
"The monks? You went straight to them already?" Rosso wondered.
"Yes. We might as well start from the strongest and work our way down. They said that the Dojo remains neutral in all politics and struggles, to maintain their purpose pure. To train and to improve," the boy said, rolling his eyes. "What is the point of becoming so strong if you don't use it for some good, is beyond me."
"Looks like Nirvana is plowing through the competition already," said Rosso, pointing toward one of the rings.
The pink-haired crime boss punched her rival so hard, he flew halfway across the island, crashing onto the wall of one of the temples.
"Out!" shouted the referee monk.
Nirvana turned around, her chest heaving as sweat fell down her brow. For a moment, her eyes met Roa's, and she shot him a look that could kill.
"You're lucky you're not fighting her yet. I think she's still mad at you," Rosso said, letting out a laugh.
"Rosso Broonus Regola, versus Crimson," shouted the announcer.
"Looks like I'm up next," said the boy from Lalh-Ah Land, stepping onto the ring.
His opponent was a tall man in a red, medieval armor. A red plume bounced around on his helmet as he moved on the ring.
"You're going to fight me with all that on?" Rosso asked.
"I am skilled enough to move with my armor on, yes," the man answered.
"Begin!" shouted the monk.
The knight swung his arm, causing the metal on it to clank. Out of his hand appeared a staff made of pure light.
"Woah—what kind of Gift is that?" asked Roa from the side of the ring among the sea of spectators.
"It looks like the Arsenal Gift. If one is able to concentrate, and keep their aura from dispersing, one can wield just about any kind of weapon with that Gift. As long as the weapon continues to be in contact with the person's body, the weapon will not fizzle out of Existence," explained Elevar.
"You mean to tell me that we can manifest weapons with our energy?" Roa asked.
The monk manifested a sword. It's bright, yellow light reflected in his eyes as he said, "exactly."
"Well, that's the first thing you'll have to teach me," the boy said.
"It won't be much use if you are dead, Sunflower," Elevar looked at him with a calm face.
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Roa sighed, but turned back to the fight.
Crimson swung his staff at Rosso, who leapt up in the air and kicked him in the face, causing his helmet to fly backwards and roll on the ground. His face was scarred by old battle wounds, and his short beard was gray on the sides. The knight swung the staff again several times, hitting the boy who shielded himself with his Scutum, taking several steps backwards in the process. Eventually, Crimson was able to overwhelm the heretic, who fell on the ground.
"For King Red!" he shouted, as he raised his staff.
"Wait!" Rosso said.
"Do not beg for me to stop. I will win this match," he shouted back, raising his staff even higher, ready to strike.
"No, wait—that name," Rosso said, sitting up, "Red was my father's name. Redrith Broonus Regola."
The knight eyes shot wide open, and he slowly lowered his staff.
"Did you say—King Red—is your father?" Crimson stuttered.
"Do you know my father?" Rosso stood up quickly.
"Is this some sort of trick?" the knight pointed the staff at his opponent again.
"No, I'm dead serious. I've been looking for my father for years. I'm from Lalh-Ah Land," Rosso explained as the spectators began to boo at the pause.
"Prince Rosso? Is it you?"
"Prince?" the boy laughed. "What are you talking about?"
"Uhm—are we interrupting something?" said a monk on the loud speaker. "The match must continue, or both of you will be disqualified.
The knight glanced at the boy and attacked him again, pushing his staff against his chest, he said, "beat me, and I will tell you everything."
Rosso's aura spiked. His resolve burned within him, and he pushed back. He moved like Vesper and Master O had taught him, and he remembered all he had picked up along the way, facing enemy after enemy. The boy hit the staff out of the man's hands, causing it to disappear immediately. He leapt up in the air, and roundhouse kicked his opponent all the way to the edge of the ring. Rosso leapt with one clean jump, landing on top of Crimson. Pointing a Gunhand at him he said, "give up—and tell me what you know."
Rosso's friends congratulated him on his victory, as they gathered around the two fighters, away from the crowd.
"Crimson," said Rosso with a serious look on his face, as he sat cross-legged in a park.
"Yes, Prince Rosso," he answered, causing eyebrows to raise. "I am a knight protector of the realm. I served your father for decades as his personal body guard and enforcer. Your father must have never revealed his past, to ensure your own protection and that of your mother's. He spoke of you two once he returned to Red Kingdom. He had been lost for a lifetime in the deserts of a world called Lalh-Ah Land, the place you call home."
"Why did he never come back to us?"
"He tried, but could never find his way back to that world. The Palace shifts and Exits come in and out of Existence all the time. The way back was impossible to find. He tried, Prince Rosso. Believe me, he tried for years to find you two. Until that day…"
"What day?"
"The day he returned to his kingdom. The day he was taken prisoner by your scheming uncle, Count Rust. In his absence, the count took over the kingdom, but when your father returned all of the sudden, he did not relinquish his authority to the rightful ruler of the realm. So, instead, he imprisoned your father in Viper Tower. I fear that he has been there ever since, if he is still alive."
"Where is this Viper Tower? Where can I find him?"
"He is being kept in Vermillia, capital city of the kingdom, located in Green Gardens," Crimson revealed.
"How do I get to that world?"
"It's not a world, it's a set of floors of the Palace."
"So—there are Gates in the way," Rosso said, resigned. "How many?"
"I am not sure. I could not keep track of the path on my way here after I escaped the purge of loyalists in the kingdom," said Crimson.
"Nobody knows where the Gates are located, as their headquarters are kept secret even among the upper echelons of Default World. But, Green Gardens should be some—thousand floors upstairs, from where Calyxx Town is," explained Elevar.
"One thousand? Is that a lot? Sounds like a lot," Rosso said.
"It's a lot if you traverse them all without taking any Exits for shortcuts—even longer if there are several Gates blocking the way up. But, with the right conditions, it could take less than expected," Elevar continued. "It all depends on how the path unfolds."
"So—who knows, then," Rosso sighed. "As usual."
"Crimson," interrupted Roa, "join us. We can fight together against the Old Order, and eventually free Red Kingdom and reunite Rosso with his father. We need all the help we can get. Will you join our crew?"
"It would be my pleasure," he stuck his hand out, and shook the boy's. He turned to Rosso and bowed, "I am at your service, Prince Rosso."
"Thanks?" the boy said, letting out a nervous laugh.
"Well, that's one fighter we managed to convince finally," Indigo laughed.
"Don't forget about me," said a pudgy, teenage girl with orange hair, holding a chainsaw.
"C-Saw!" shouted Rosso and Roa.
"I've been looking for you guys in this place for months. I figured you'd get here eventually," she said smiling. "Boy, you look like crap," she said, staring at Roa.
"I know. Thanks for reminding me," the Sunflower said.