Some say chaos lurks in the deepest silence.
Others claim it is more likely to appear in certain places—like this very bar, for instance…
That Wednesday morning was strangely calm.
People were eating ice cream, going to school, some even kissing in the streets.
GODKI[1] was walking casually toward a bar, armed with his black hair tipped in blood-red spikes, his crimson eyes, his shirt, blue tie, and red pants that made him look more like an accountant than a fighter.
It was the first time in his twenty-one years of life that he had ever set foot in such a place.
His father often said he had met GODKI's mother in a bar like this. According to him, it was just another day, August 17, on his way home from work.
As usual, GODKI's father had ordered a beer.
That's when he saw her.
Beautiful, dazzling… and already drunk. She picked a fight with a huge, hot-headed man.
GODKI's father floored him with a single punch. The giant who had been standing proudly a second earlier was lying on the ground, unable to move.
That day, GODKI's father had found the love of his life. And later, they would give birth to the first half of what would become the greatest Fury Star duo in the universe.
GODKI had been lucky to have loving parents… ones he never blamed, even when his life turned out the way it did. Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately for him—he had been born with an absurd amount of power. Whenever he needed money for himself, his friends, or his family, he never asked his parents. He would take on quest after quest until he had enough.
GODKI was resourceful, but also troublesome… even his friends could never fully figure him out.
Finally, he reached the bar, imagining he might meet the love of his life there, just like his father had.
Instead, he stumbled into a bunch of idiots begging to be smashed into the wall.
Among all the patrons, there wasn't a single woman. Only men of different sizes, some not even old enough to drink.
They refused to serve him a beer, saying he "looked too much like a kid."
Someone else might have left and written a bad review on Fury Table, Ernet Notation, or one of the other rating platforms.
But GODKI? He had already started beating them up.
By the time he had taken down half the bar, another fool repeated the bartender's words with a little twist that made all the difference…
Man in the bar:
— WE DON'T SERVE KIDS HERE!
Those were the words you never—ever—put together in front of GODKI. Instead of burning the servers to ashes, he turned to the one who had confirmed the insult and seemed closer to his level.
And then, the door slammed open.
A man about his age, with the same hair but longer and tipped white, stepped inside. He wore a striped black-and-white shirt, a silver jacket, and a matching scarf.
The red-tinted glasses covering his eyes trembled slightly, though the man himself stood calm and unmoving, like a stone.
Mysterious white-haired man:
— Well, well! Isn't this the #1 of the "New Generation" ranking? Of course it is! The Crimson Savior! —he shouted with an excited voice.
GODKI:
— What do you want? Who are you? —he asked in his usual deep tone.
CritiCoal[2]:
— Me? Glad you asked! Simple! I'm the White Lightning of the Fury Stars! Ranked #2 in the "New Generation"!
In other words… CRITICOAL! —he roared once again, full of energy.
Indeed, the mysterious white-haired man was none other than CritiCoal.
Nicknamed the "White Lightning" by the Fury Star Guild, he was ranked second in the "New Generation" of employed guild fighters.
GODKI:
— And what do you want from me? —he asked, clearly annoyed by CritiCoal's overly cheerful tone.
CritiCoal:
— You know, for me, violence only matters when it's useful and justified[3]!
But sometimes… it's fun to play around with your friends! —he yelled again, brimming with joy.
CritiCoal:
— Isn't that right, Crimson Savior? How about a little spar with me?
GODKI:
— If I beat you… will you leave me alone? —he asked, his deep voice cutting through the tension.
CritiCoal:
— Of course! I'll leave you alone for as long as you want! —he agreed without hesitation.
GODKI and CritiCoal stepped outside.
The Fury Star Guild had already been informed of the event and sent cameramen to capture the scene.
Two glowing interfaces appeared in the air in front of GODKI and CritiCoal, displaying their stats and ranks:
[GODKI FIUMIRA] — Fury Star, Ranked #1 "New Generation."
Title: Crimson Savior [All stats increased by 1550%]
[CRITICOAL WAKURA] — Fury Star, Ranked #2 "New Generation."
Title: White Lightning [All stats increased by 1550%]
GODKI:
— You can still turn back… You don't have to go through with this. Unless you actually wish to die?
CritiCoal:
— No, I don't want to die. It's just a friendly fight, don't tell me you forgot?
From a higher position, CritiCoal lunged down at GODKI, who leaped forward to meet him.
The first battle of the greatest Fury Star duo in the universe was about to begin.
————————
To be continued.
[1] GODKI’s name comes from GOD KI from the anime series DRAGON BALL SUPER. His parents were probably huge DRAGON BALL fans… who knows?
[2] CRITICOAL comes from the English word “Critical” for its sound. As for the way it’s written, it combines the French word “Critique” with the English word “Coal.”
[3] CritiCoal’s mentality is quite unique.For him, violence is only acceptable when necessary… but he also uses it for friendly fights? This guy is a character all on his own.