‘Hey kid could you teach the NPC how to fight?’ Paan asks as he walks into the gym.
Kurama speaks up, ‘Two nicknames back-to-back, you’re wasting no time making yourself comfortable.’
Kasumi suddenly appears behind Kurama and touches his hair, ‘You let it grow out? That’s somehow worse than before.’ She looks up at Red who has grown slightly and has gained more muscle and she looks away quickly.
Kurama notices and looks disgusted, ‘Since when was that a thing?’
‘Let’s go, let’s go.’ Paan stomps his hooved feet in impatience, ‘The faster we sign up the more parties we can scout and observe.’
Paan practically push the others to walk with him as they walk out of Midnight City and walk up the cliff that towers the city.
As they walk up, they past multiple other groups making their way to the same place.
One group had a gorgeous lady with golden eyes and dark orange hair that is in a big bun. She’s wearing nothing but a bra and jeans but that have been cut very short, she is also followed by two men in heavy armor that are basically drooling over her.
A kid wearing a big fluffy jacket and a long scarf waddles behind two ladies who are laughing and talking. One girl is wearing a smock and has dirt all over her face and the other has a school uniform looking outfit with a lute strapped to her back.
Another group is of a man that is at least forty years old that is wearing thick glasses with the glare covering his eyes. He is wearing a black shirt with sweatpants on and is wearing no shoes. The other three people beside him look exactly the same as the first guy.
Kurama tries to look at more of their competition, but Paan pushes him along as they finally get close to the giant coliseum that rests on top of the cliff.
As they get closer the cheers coming from the coliseum get loud with the atmosphere feeling light and fun like a party.
At the entrance there is a person standing holding a clipboard as everyone stops at the person talks a bit and continues into the coliseum.
The group with the boy in the winter outfit are in line right in front of Kurama, after a few seconds of talking the person gives everyone a white circular pin with a number on it.
Kurama walks as they continue into the coliseum, but Kurama sees the lady with the smock whisper into the guy’s ear and puts something shiny into his hands as she walks away.
Kurama and the party go up to the clipboard man as he says, ‘Welcome to the Dragon Gauntlet can I have proof your party is made and the name please.’
Everyone looks at each other as they all forget to make the party.
Paan steps up, ‘Well we all knew I was going to be party leader so join my party.’
The blue screen appears in front of the whole group:
Party Invitation:
Do you want to join Paan’s Party?
Yes No
Kasumi and Red raise their hand to press up but Kurama stops them.
Kasumi looks shockes, ‘He’s the boss why wouldn’t we let him be the leader?’
Red agrees, ‘Yea isn’t he the one who got this group together it makes sense.’
‘Wait Paan being the party leader puts a target on our back instantly.’ Kurama then thinks to himself, ‘In the game when they announce the party, they also say the party leader’s name, and seeing people’s reaction to Paan everyone will try to take us out first.’
Kurama clears his throat, ‘I should be party leader, I’m a nobody and the weakest member so no one will come after us. Even if they do, they definitely will underestimate us.’
Paan shakes with rage and then suddenly stops with a smile on his face, ‘So they will come to us cause they think your weak self is the leader right? Then let’s do it but remember who the true leader is.’
A scared Kurama nods his head, ‘Party Invitation.’
Red, Kasumi, and Paan see the blue screen in front of them again as they press the ‘Yes’ option.
As soon as they press it Kurama receives a blue screen that says:
Kurama5454’s Party:
Party Leader: Kurama5454
Members: Paan, Kasumi Shiku, Red Potato
Kurama looked at Paan’s name confused.
The man with the clipboard started talking, ‘I see you are in a party so what is your name?’
Leaning over to Kasumi, Kurama whispers, ‘Grab Paan and walk into the coliseum.’
Kasumi opens her mouth to object but sees Kurama’s serious face and grabs his hand and starts to walk into the door.
Kasumi’s face brightens up, ‘I feel a bit stronger.’
Paan is confused as he starts getting dragged away.
‘Our party’s name is NPCs.’ Kurama doesn’t wait for a response as he sprints into the coliseum.
‘WHAT!!!!’ Paan rips from Kasumi’s hold and chases him down.
The clipboard man watches all the chaos happen and just sighs as he hands Red four white circle pins with the numbers ‘601, 602, 603, 604.’
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He sighs, ‘Make sure everyone in your party wears one. Next.’
Red makes his way through the entrance as he sees Paan chasing Kurama throughout a waiting room where people are brandishing their weapons.
Everyone watches the two go back and forth and Paan finally grabs Kurama by his leather chest plate, ‘Why the hell did you name it after those things?’
Kurama could only get a few words out, ‘To…. attract…. people.’
He drops Kurama with his eyes racing. He doesn’t say anything, conflicted on what he should say and do.
Red comes up to the two and hands Kurama the ‘602’ pin and attaches the ‘603’ pin to Paan’s robe.
Red holds the ‘604’ pin looking around for Kasumi, but he hasn’t seen her since she took Paan inside.
Out of nowhere, Kasumi appears next to Red and takes the pin attaching it on her belt.
‘Wow you’re really taking this sneaking thing pretty serious.’
She smiles and puts her finger to her lips.
Red smiles nervously, ‘She’s a lot different from before. Maybe the month of isolation and spying really did something to her. I should probably be on her nice side.’
A scaly hand reaches out in front of Kurama, he takes it and stands up.
Kurama looks and sees a dragonkin with red and black scales and green reptilian eyes. The dragonkin has a brown toga on with big black boots wearing golden bracelets and a golden necklace.
He smiles as he helps Kurama up, ‘Hello, it seemed like you were having some problems with your party. May I offer my assistance?’
Kurama laughs, ‘We just had a small argument, nothing too big thanks for the help though.’
‘But of course, members of different coalitions don’t always have to dispute. We could all collaborate to win without needless fighting.’
‘He sounds like a child trying to sound smart by using big words.’ Kurama thinks to himself, ‘But he seems like a nice guy I hope nothing happens to him.’
The dragonkin bows and turns to walk off.
Kurama hesitates as the man walks, ‘What would Kurama do in this situation? Fire and Ice told me to make friends, Zen would just leave him be, but I….’
Kurama raises his voice and waves, ‘Good luck, the name’s Kurama.’
The dragonkin gives a big toothy grin as he waves back, ‘I’m Ventus.’
After the exchange the floor begins to shake and rise. As it rises the muffled sounds of cheering and screaming becomes clearer and louder.
As the floor stops rising the whole coliseum is open with the stands full of excited people with the sun shining down the opening of the building.
Throughout the coliseum there are perches with big black birds sitting on them not at all phased by the noise.
‘Ahem.’ The sound echoes and everyone in the stands stop talking instantly. The birds seem to be mimicking the voice sound everyone can hear it.
‘WELCOME BACK TO OUR MONTHLY DRAGON GAUNTLET!!!!’ The voice can be traced back to a man sitting in the spectator’s box at the top of the coliseum. It’s a young look man with spiky dark blue hair and a bandage over his nose, his dark brown eyes look lively as he talks.
‘I’M GLAD TO SEE ALL YOUR HAPPY FACES, I’M YOUR ONE AND ONLY HOST JOHNNY PLAYS. WE’RE HERE TO SEE WHO CAN BE THE DRAGON….. WARRIOR, I just made that up right now.’
The crowd erupts into cheers and applause.
Johnny laughs, ‘EXCUSE ME, I FORGOT TWO SUPER IMPORTANT DETAILS AND WE CAN’T START WITHOUT THAT. FIRST, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY TRYING TO WIN??? BOYS BRING IT OUT.’
A group of people push in a giant glass vile into the middle of the coliseum, inside it is a boiling red liquid.’
‘OH PERFECT, THANKS GUYS.’ Johnny gives a thumbs up, ‘THIS IS OUR REWARD FOR THIS GAUNTLET: THE BLOOD OF THE THUNDER DRAGON. SRINKING THE BLOOD GIVES YOU SOME COOL NEW ABILITY, LIKE BEING ABLE TO GROW WINGS, RESIST LIGHTNING, OR EVEN CREATE LIGHTNING YOURSELF. IN EXTREMELY RARE CASES IT COULD EVEN GIVE YOU THE POWER TO TRANSFORM INTO AN ACTUAL THUNDER DRAGON LIKE A SUPER STRONG DRUID.’
The crowd goes wild and even the participants start talking amongst themselves sounding very excited.
‘BUT HOW DO YOU WIN IT YOU MAY ASK. IT’S SIMPLE, BY CREATING A SUPER DANGEROUS AND FUN SET OF GAMES AND EVENTS TO SEE WHO IS POWERFUL ENOUGH. Sorry kids but your parents shouldn’t have brought you here anyways.’
Three figures walk through the opposite entrance and make their way to the middle standing right next to the vile of blood.
Johnny watches the figures make their way to the middle and clears his throat, ‘WHAT IS THIS? SEEMS LIKE THE INSTRUCTORS ARE READY TO START AND YES YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED THAT ONE OF THE INSTRUCTORS ARE DIFFERENT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW, first what’s wrong with you come by more often and second, INSTRUCTORS ARE THE CREATORS OF THE DRAGON GAUNTLET MEANING YES, THEY ARE OLD. BUT BEING THE CREATOR DOESN’T MEAN YOU AUTOMATICALLY KNOW WHAT’S BEST OR WHAT IS NEEDED AS TIME GOES ON SO THERE IS A SPECIAL TRIAL ISSUED THAT ALLOWS THE WINNERS OF THE DRAGON GAUNTLET TO FIGHT ONE OF THE CURRENT INSTRUCTORS TO TAKE THEIR PLACE. WOW THAT’S LONG WINDED BUT KNOW THAT INSTRUCTORS HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES THAN JUST WATCHING OVER THE GAUNTELT LIKE CREATING THE GAMES AND SETTING UP MEETINGS AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF.’
Johnny takes a deep breath, ‘SO WITHOUT FURTHER INTURRUPTIONS I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU OUR FIRST AND LONGEST RUNNING INSTRUCTOR. AN OLD TIMER WHO HIDES HIS TRUE DRUIDIC STRENGTH BEHIND A SMILE: JAY ROKU’
A small older man with a sloppily button-up shirt and messy black hair waves to the crowd with his tail twitching with excitement.
Kurama instantly remembers this man as the person who gave him directions back to Paan’s gym.
‘NEXT, WE HAVE THE GLUTTONOUS, THE SMARTEST, AND THE BEST BLACKSMITH IN ALL OF MIDNIGHT CITY. EVERY PIECE OF ARMOR AND WEAPON MADE BY HIM IS THAT OF LEGENDARY STATUS. GIVE IT UP FOR: SIR BLACKSTONE. Is that his first name or his title nobody knows.’
A tall, and heavy-set, dark-skinned man bites down on some fruit. Sir is wearing a tank top with a long sleeve shirt tied around his waist and long black pants with flip-flops and he wears a welder’s mask backwards.
‘FINALLY, WE HAVE THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR INSTRUCTOR ROSTER WHO JUST GOT THE ROLL WITH HER STUNNING AND ADAPTABLE MAGIC: GABBY INN.’
A lady looking about twenty years old with fair white curly hair and grey eyes waves shyly. She wears grey robes like a wizard and is holding a small wooden staff.
The audience goes silent as Jay open his mouth, ‘Welcome to the first round of Gauntlet. We had a game planned but due to information being leaked we decided to change it last minute.’
The participants look confused and look at each other.
Kasumi avoids making eye contact with Paan as he looks disappointed.
‘We will be playing an elimination round of sorts as you see there are way too many parties to start off.’ Sir takes over as he finishes his food, ‘We created an entirely different area for everyone. In this new game there will be five zones: Snow, Desert, Jungle, City, and Beach.’
Sir pulls out a metal stand and unfolds a map that shows a circle shape with a distinct region marked with symbols that Kurama knew as letters ‘S, D, J, C, and B.’
Sir continues, ‘The pins we have given out have a teleportation spell inscribed onto it. In a few minutes you will all be randomly transported across this map. After an hour everyone wearing or holding on to a pin will be transported back here.’
Gabby shyly adds, ‘If there are more than ten parties left when you arrive back everyone fails. So, I’m sure you know what that means, we will also give you about five minutes to discuss and then we will begin. Starting now.’
Paan, Red, Kasumi, and Kurama huddle up with Kasumi not saying anything.
Paan starts to talk, ‘This is different information than we got, but that’s to be expected they’re Instructors it was always a likelihood that was going to happen don’t beat yourself up about it.’
Kasumi nods aggressively.
‘This new game though is much easier than we thought we just have to attack everyone and grab their pin. We can easily be the only party left after this.’ Paan starts getting loud as he gets excited.
Kurama agrees, ‘This game is very rewarding to people who go on the offensive, just destroying someone’s pin should break the inscription and prevent them from teleporting.’
‘Wouldn’t it make sense to just hide and keep our own pins safe?’ Red interjects.
Paan laughs at him, ‘Dumb kid, hiding would make you an even bigger target. Since there has to be at most 10 parties left, people will go crazy trying to make sure everyone around them can’t win. Hiding shows that you’re scared and weak, the perfect prey.’
‘This could still work.’ Kurama starts thinking out loud, ‘We can keep the same pairs and have Red and Kasumi go to the jungle while Paan and I go to the city.’
Kasumi scoffs, ‘Why the jungle? If anything, everyone in the city would be best.’
‘Oh because….’
*RIIIINNNGG*
A loud bell sounds off throughout the coliseum as Kurama’s scenery changes as he now falls and tumbles down a snow mountain as he bounces and tumbles until he is at the base of the mountain.
Kurama hears the sound of feet crunching on the snow getting closer and closer.
‘Can I get a break please?’