In One of the Villages of the Great Fire Kingdom
The flames devoured everything in their path, mercilessly burning houses and trees alike.
In the middle of those raging fires stood Ren, his presence overwhelming, his eyes gleaming through the smoke.
With a cold voice, he said:
"The damage seems far too great!"
Suddenly, the nearby river changed its course. Its waters rose high into the sky, then came crashing down toward the village like a massive flood, extinguishing the flames bit by bit.
Ren walked forward with steady steps, heading toward the royal capital. He never once looked back. Instead, he lifted his head toward the heavens and whispered with confidence and disdain:
"Wait for me, Zaloria… I will find you!"
---
The Market
In one of the bustling markets of the Great Fire Kingdom, Ryo was haggling with a merchant, trying desperately to lower the price, while the merchant stubbornly raised it higher.
Ryo (angrily):
"Come on, lower it just a little! I'm a loyal customer!"
Merchant (furious):
"Don't lie! This shop opened only today!"
Ryo scrambled for an excuse.
"That doesn't matter… I'm still a loyal customer! Just lower the price, I don't have that much money!"
The merchant sighed in frustration.
"What days we live in… The hero of the Great Fire Kingdom doesn't even have twenty thousand gold coins!"
Ryo (shouting):
"Do you even understand what twenty thousand gold coins mean?! That amount could let me live like a king for a thousand years without problems!"
The merchant pointed toward a sword on display.
"And what does that have to do with me? Look at this! It's a true masterpiece. How could I possibly sell something like this for cheap?!"
The sword truly was magnificent—black as the night, its edges sharper than any blade. Just a touch would be enough to cut a man into dozens of pieces.
Its rank was incredibly high… Level Twenty.
Ryo's eyes sparkled:
"I know that… That's exactly why I want to buy it!"
After a long and heated argument, Infernos stepped in. With ease, he handed the merchant the required sum for the sword.
Ryo froze in shock, his expression collapsing completely, and everyone in the market mirrored his disbelief.
Infernos (slightly uneasy):
"What's the matter?"
Ryo (stunned):
"Where did you get that kind of money?!"
Infernos smiled faintly.
"What do you mean? Did you forget? I am the King of this Kingdom."
The moment his words ended, every person in the market dropped to their knees, bowing deeply as they chanted in unison:
"We salute you, Great Lord of Fire!"
At that moment, it felt as though thousands… no, millions were kneeling before him. The silence was overwhelming, as though they were welcoming a heavenly king.
Ryo (muttering nervously):
"Wait a second… All this time, they didn't even know he was their king?!"
Infernos smiled calmly.
"There's no need for all this."
And suddenly, everyone stood up and vanished from sight!
Ryo (shouting):
"What the hell is happening?!"
The system's voice echoed:
"That is only natural… In the presence of the greatest Fire King, they must make way for him completely!"
Infernos turned his gaze toward one of the rooftops of the market.
"How long do you plan on watching… Ren?"
There sat Ren, munching on popcorn with amusement.
"Oh… Infernos, I didn't expect you to have such a majestic presence among your people! Since when did you notice me?"
Infernos (with a cold smile):
"Since you were in your mother's womb."
Ryo (shocked):
"Ren?! Since when have you been watching?!"
Ren leapt down effortlessly, snatching the sword from Ryo's hands before anyone could react.
"What an incredible blade! Where did you get it?"
Ryo (proudly):
"Ahem… It's amazing, right?"
Ren (admiring):
"Truly impressive… Can I have it?"
Ryo (shouting):
"Of course not! I fought for hours to get this sword!"
Ren scoffed mockingly.
"Don't lie… you were just arguing, not fighting."
Ryo (defiant):
"Arguing is still a battle—with words!"
After another long quarrel, Ren finally threw the sword back toward Ryo.
"Just shut up already!"
Ryo dodged, but the sword crashed into the ground.
The moment it touched the earth, the entire capital shook violently as a massive earthquake split the land apart!
Both Ren and Ryo exclaimed together:
"Amazing! What a sword!"
And then, as if possessed, the two began fighting over the sword like madmen.
Ren (yelling):
"You already have your weapon, why do you want another?!"
Ryo (stubborn):
"None of your business!"
While they quarreled, Infernos calmly raised his hand and repaired part of the destroyed ground. Then, with a firm tone, he declared:
"Listen carefully…"
Both replied together:
"What?!"
Infernos (sternly):
"By my decree as King… you are both banished from this Kingdom!"
The two froze in shock.
"What?!"
Ryo (panicking):
"Wait! What do you mean, banished?!"
Infernos approached with heavy steps, his breath igniting into flames, his eyes blazing with fury as he roared:
"What do I mean?! Look at the destruction you've caused in my Kingdom!"
Ryo and Ren turned their heads… but saw nothing except ruins about to collapse—the capital itself was on the brink of annihilation.
Ryo & Ren (flatly):
"I don't see anything!"
Infernos (furiously):
"Get out, NOW!"
And so, Ryo and Ren were expelled from the lands of the Fire Kingdom.
Ryo (grumbling):
"Where do we go now?"
Ren smirked.
"How about the Great Thunder Empire—Starovos Aeternalis Tonaris?"
Ryo raised a brow mockingly.
"That name is ridiculously long! How can you even remember it?!"
Ren (boasting):
"Of course I can… I'm amazing."
Ryo:
"I never said that! Whatever… let's just go."
And thus… their journey toward the next kingdom began.
To be continued…