Tatsumi glanced around, his gaze scanning the bustling city. "We need to find a place to hide before someone recognizes us," he said.
"But where do we even start looking?" Bachi asked, his confusion evident. "We've all seen different places, haven't we?"
Miko rolled her eyes. "Everything will be fine, Bachi," she said. "Remember, we saw the same place." She turned to Tatsumi. "But we don't know where Tatsumi and Caitrin saw the Rift. We need to figure that out."
"You guys were talking about the Rift you saw in Vurudora," Caitrin said, her voice filled with curiosity. "Where exactly was it?"
"I saw a port," Bachi replied. "And then I had a vision. At first, we thought it was here, but it seems we were wrong. It's probably at the port on the other side of town."
Bachi turned to Caitrin. "Where exactly did you see it?"
Caitrin pondered for a moment. "I couldn't pinpoint the exact location," she admitted. "But I saw a cage-like structure surrounded by rock walls, with only the entrance visible. And then I saw the city. I couldn't tell where it was since I've never been here before."
Lydia joined the conversation. "The place you saw was most likely an Arena cage," she said. "Given the fame of the Beneaver Arena, I don't think there's anywhere else it could be."
Orano nodded. "Then that's where we'll investigate first," he declared, leading the way.
Caitrin's face paled. "Hey, didn't you say there are dangerous people here who visit the Arena every year?" she asked, her voice laced with fear. "Are we really going there?"
Miko stopped, her gaze drawn to a poster. "And it seems we arrived just in time," she said, a hint of excitement in her voice.
The others gathered around her, their curiosity piqued. Lydia and Caitrin joined Miko, their eyes scanning the poster.
The poster announced, "Tomorrow Night! Don't miss the Beneaver Arena fights! The main events will be held between seven and nine o'clock. The Queen's special guest will be with us again tonight!"
Caitrin's face paled. "A special guest?" she muttered, her voice filled with apprehension. "What are they planning?"
Lydia looked at the poster, her eyes narrowing. "She's right," she said. "The Arena battles start tomorrow. We need to act quickly."
Orano nodded. "Let's find a place to spend the night," he said. "Tomorrow, we'll search for the Rift around the city. If necessary, we'll go to the Arena. For now, let's focus on staying hidden."
Despite their reservations, they knew they had no other choice. With a heavy heart, they continued their journey.
---------------------(Minutes Later)--------------------
After their exhausting journey, they finally arrived at a hotel and attempted to rent a room. As they discussed who would rent the room, Orano spoke up. "Given that the soldiers of Emperal are searching for us, we can't simply reveal our identities at the hotel," he explained. "Since Caitrin and I are now criminals, and Caitrin doesn't have an ID, we need someone the government isn't looking for."
Lydia replied, "I have a clean record, but considering my sudden disappearance and involvement in your mission, they might search for me if I use my ID."
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Miko nodded. "And Bachi got into that business too," she added. "He can't use his ID either."
A lightbulb went off in Miko's head. "But we can use mine!" she exclaimed excitedly. "They didn't see me in Emperal because I was sick, and I haven't committed any crimes before."
Orano agreed. "That's a good idea," he said. "Since we haven't been here for long, they probably don't have a clear picture of us. We'll use this tactic for now."
Without hesitation, Miko approached the hotel staff, presented her ID, and waited calmly. The staff stared at the ID for a few seconds, causing a moment of anxiety for the others. However, they eventually handed the ID back to Miko with a smile.
Miko returned to her friends, her face beaming. "It's all right," she announced. "They gave us a room."
-----------------(Tomorrow Night)---------------
As the moon rose, casting its ethereal glow over the city, they began their journey. Their destination was the Arena.
Before entering the Arena, Miko stopped at a small shop that sold a variety of masks. "Hey, since we need to stay hidden, why don't we use these?" she suggested.
The shop was filled with an assortment of masks, from animal masks to festival masks and monstrous creations. Orano's attention was drawn to five fox masks arranged in a row, each depicting a different emotion: happy, surprised, sad, angry, and tired.
He selected the happy mask. "We'll use these," he said.
Lydia chose the tired mask. "They might not completely hide us, but they'll help," she replied.
Miko picked the surprised mask, Bachi chose the sad mask, and Caitrin selected the angry mask. With their masks in place, they made their way to the Arena.
The Arena was teeming with people from all kingdoms, eager to watch and participate in the competition. Dozens of swordsmen, sorcerers, knights, and more had gathered for the night's events. The arena lights blazed brightly, and the announcements echoed throughout the crowd.
The noise was deafening, making it difficult for Orano and his friends to communicate. Caitrin shouted, "Why are we so close? I can't even hear myself!"
Bachi covered his ears. "These speakers are killing me!" he yelled.
Miko turned to Orano, her curiosity piqued by the unexpected presence of speakers in the ancient ruins. "How is this possible?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder. "How could such a thing exist in a place like this?"
"It's a magical megaphone," Orano explained, his voice barely masking his own astonishment. "A device that amplifies sound. It's truly remarkable to find something like this here, but it makes sense when you consider the magic that permeates this realm."
As they reached the ticket booth, Miko announced their departure. "We must find the other rift before it's too late," she said, her urgency palpable.
Lydia agreed. "I have to find a way for us to escape," she replied. "Something bad might happen, so I'll patrol the port for any incoming threats."
Orano nodded. "I understand," he said, his voice reassuring. "If anything happens, just use your Zon Device to let me know your location. I'll contact you both as soon as we find the Rift."
With that, Miko and Lydia bid farewell to Orano and Caitrin and departed. As they left, Orano and Caitrin purchased their tickets and took their seats, eager to witness the spectacle that awaited them.
Caitrin gazed around the arena, her eyes wide with amazement. The vast space was filled with rows of seats, towering trusses adorned with iron gates, and a secluded announcement room. It was a place of grandeur and anticipation, a place where dreams were made and shattered.
As the crowd grew louder, an announcer's voice boomed through the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for is finally here!" The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting the names of their favorite fighters.
"Mr. Louis, win this!"
"Mr. Evander, you can do this!"
"Mrs. Harlow, we believe in you!"
Just as the excitement reached its peak, the announcer made a startling announcement. "By the Queen's decree, we have prepared a special event, just for tonight!" A hush fell over the crowd as they waited for the next words.
"And now, for the first match of the night: Evander Boras versus Genju Nasaki!"
When the crowd heard the second name, a wave of excitement swept through the arena.
"Is Mr. Genju Nasaki really here?"
"He came! I knew it was him!"
"So he was the special guest! I'm so excited to see him!"
"Special guest?" Caitrin asked, her voice filled with confusion. "Why are they starting with the special guest?"
Orano smiled knowingly. "If a lion wants to prove to the other animals that he is the king of the forest, he must first demonstrate his strength," he explained. "By showcasing Genju Nasaki's power early on, the Queen is likely trying to attract more bets for her contestant and solidify her control over the arena."
As Orano spoke, the gates of the cages swung open, and the contestants emerged, ready to face their fate.