~thud
~thud
The sound of footsteps resonated in the alley, each step echoing heavier than the last.
The discordant footsteps belonged to a 6'2" tall young man climbing the silent and dimly lit stair alley. He had beige skin and short jet-black hair.
His wide, bulky frame made him look older than his mere 17 years. His brownish eyes appeared black in the dark, and he wore a white baggy half-sleeve shirt and brown trousers.
His name was Thane Ironforge.
On his left wrist was a strange iron bracelet with a hammer embedded in it, while his right hand carefully held a cup of coffee, disorienting his steps.
Thane, who had just bought the coffee, walked toward the—rather empty—stairs. It was his first time trying it, but since everyone else was drinking it, he decided to give it a go.
The aroma hit him as soon as he received the cup from the vendor—a cup that was rather expensive by his standards. He was instantly amazed by the calming scent.
Slowly, he savored the aroma as he approached the vast flight of stairs; he decided to take a sip before proceeding further. The smell had him excited to try it.
Tentatively, he took a sip.
"Ah, bitter! Who made this thing drinkable?" Thane mumbled.
He was mad, a suitable reaction for a short-tempered teen. And why wouldn't he be? He spent good money on something he despised with a single sip. Maybe he should have bought drumsticks instead, he thought.
He was still battling with the cup of coffee when the cheering grew louder.
He looked up at the bright end of the stairs. "Dammit, am I too late?"
He rushed and, before long, climbed up. His heart skipped a beat when he witnessed the view before him—a gigantic arena.
"Whoaw!" That was all he could utter.
Thousands of spectators filled the arena, two-thirds of them holding cups of coffee. Most weren't even drinking it—just holding the cup gave them strange contentment.
Thane smirked, his anger fading as he realized he wasn't an oddball.
The arena was humongous, with seats for 40,000 spectators. Thane had a ticket for one of them. His tall body struggled to pass through the masses. Amidst curses and slurs, he managed to find his seat.
The arena had four equally divided portions, each with its own entry. Thane was in the third. In the very middle of the arena was a circular ring, surrounded by a big wall. Above the ring were four massive screens showing a clearer image of the ring.
The device controlling those screens was called 'Video & Audio Entertainment Transmitted via Blessings' (V.A.E.T.B.), something Thane could never pronounce correctly on his first attempt.
Mere moments passed before the audience erupted with unseen zeal.
"KITTY KAT! KITTY KAT! KITTY KAT!"
They chanted from the depths of their lungs for a young lady who wiggled her half-naked body toward the ring.
She wore cat ears and paws, not to mention the tail, which made her look even
cuter.
"Meowdy, citizens of Bentram, your Kitty Kat is here!" she said and winked.
Her seductive voice and alluring style earned her echoes of ovation. Those who had come solely for her performance were not scarce in number.
In the happy crowd of thousands, a few scowled—one of them being Thane. "Bunch of perverts," he commented.
Kitty Kat started her stunning performance. She danced and sang with her melodious voice. Thane, who was no fan of such things, had a hard time bearing it. He had intentionally come late to avoid her.
Be that as it may, his time of torture finally ended as Kitty Kat stopped singing. But that wasn't the end.
She brought the mic—a small device connected to the V.A.E.T.B.—to her lips and
kissed it.
The smooching sound echoed through the arena. A chill ran down Thane's spine, and he subconsciously jerked in his seat. However, the others reacted with delight, as if they had just gotten back the money they spent on tickets… with interest.
Kitty Kat raised her glass-skinned hands, and the spectators fell silent. The silence was so loud it gave Thane the creeps. Well… Kitty Kat broke the silence herself.
"Citizens of Bentram Kingdom, the time has arrived! The moment of waiting is over as the final battle of the yearly Aspirant Competition is about to begin!"
Cheers erupted once again.
"Entering from the first portion, Willa Martinez! An 18-year-old, young, promising Blessed who has just received a physical type blessing, raised by Blue Leaf Academy. This man is not only a capable fighter but a genuine killer. With a terrifying speed blessing accompanied by a pair of daggers, he is undefeated!"
The moment her voice ended, a man around 5'10" entered. He had an eyepatch over his left eye and daggers on both sides of his waist as he walked keenly. He wore light armor—easier to move in and… easier to penetrate. A small line on his face indicated that he was a '1-Line Blessed.'
He walked and hopped into the arena. Kitty Kat winked at him, making the man smile, and then continued.
"Now, introducing from the third portion, a noble of Bentram Kingdom, Ed—"
Before she could even say the name, the cheers soared into the sky. People stood from their seats to give applause. Among them, Thane was the loudest.
"EDNIOT!! EDNIOT!! EDNIOT!!"
Watching the scene, Willa Martinez smirked.
Kitty Kat chuckled in her magnetic voice. "Hehe, I know you all want to see him fight. Me too! But… let me do my job too, pweeaaase?" She made a childlike facial expression.
A man seemingly in his mid-40s, who sat beside Thane, said, "Awww!"
Thane couldn't resist. "Aww!? Really? Is that what you just uttered? You're a grown-ass man. Get a goddamn life, you pervert."
The man gave him an unsettled look and turned his eyes back to Kitty Kat, as if he didn't want to waste a single second watching anything else.
Kitty Kat resumed.
"Once again, introducing from the third portion, a noble bloodline of Bentram Kingdom! A genius from Bentram Kingdom's number one aspirant institute, Golden Crown Academy! No opponent has ever lasted more than a minute against him. With a rare and powerful Ice elemental blessing, will he ever be stopped by someone of his age?!
Ladies and gentlemen, give a round of applause to Edniot Quintess!!"
As her words ended, a handsome man with a small black line on his face stepped out of the third portion's basement. He wore a noble white suit with a sword attached to his belt. His strange light blue hair was rare in Bentram Kingdom.
His presence silenced the crowd. Everyone felt his overwhelming demeanor—cold as ice. His walk was brash yet majestic, even Willa Martinez was overwhelmed.
The only young man in the arena who wasn't negatively affected by his aura was Thane. He wasn't afraid—he was thrilled. He couldn't control his excitement and yelled:
"So cool!"
His words echoed, and Edniot turned his eyes toward Thane.
This was how these two men, who would one day decide the fate of the continent, first saw each other.