บท 1: Ringmasters
"Don't get out of there, Angel. Just stay where you are. Help will arrive."
A closet.
"But mom-"
A young boy.
"THERE SHE IS! CATCH HER!"
A woman who closes the door to the closet. The boy couldn't say his final goodbyes.
16 YEARS LATER
"And in today's news, following the retirement of 16 Ringmasters, there are now 16 vacant Ringmaster positions. Individuals meeting the qualifications are invited to test their luck and join the Hex Organization."
Ringmasters—you can call them the saviours of this world. The chosen Ringmaster is given a ring that allows them to transform into a masked hero with fighting capabilities equivalent to a superhuman.
Who do they fight? The Undergrounders! These nefarious creatures seek to destroy humanity, and the Ringmasters are the ones who stand against them.
Following this news, a test has been held for the crowning of the ringmasters. Over 10,000 applicants have applied, but only 16 will gain entry to the squad of the ringmasters.
"Over 10,000 applicants, huh?" a guy says as he looks at a massive building. "Are you one of them?" he asks another guy. The person he's addressing appears to be in his early 20s, with dark black hair and a slim build. He is of average height and looks ordinary. He wears a plain white T-shirt and baggy pants, carrying a bag with him.
"You... asked me something?" the black-haired guy pauses, addressing the questioner.
"Yeah, are you here to take the test as well?" the guy asks the black-haired guy.
The black-haired guy nods. "Yeah."
"You seem pretty young," the guy tells the black-haired guy.
"I just turned 22 this year," the black-haired guy says.
"That's why," the guy smiles, placing a hand on the black-haired guy's shoulder. "As a senior, I have some advice. If you fail, it's alright. You can try again when there's a ringmaster seat open."
"The ringmaster seat—I've been aiming for it for over 12 years now. Not an easy test whatsoever," the guy says to the black-haired guy, who just smiles and nods.
"One day, I'll definitely be a ringmaster," the guy says with determination.
"I see," the black-haired guy replies with a smile.
"Let's go then, we have a test to take," the guy says, and they both enter the massive building.
Inside the building, the black-haired guy steps forward to check in for the test.
"Yes sir, how can we help you?" a woman in her mid-40s asks the black-haired guy.
"We're both here to take a test," the guy answers for the black-haired guy.
"Oh, it's you, Mister Gilbert," the woman remarks. The guy seems to be named Gilbert.
"Yeah, Paulie, I'm back for another test this year," Gilbert addresses the woman as Paulie.
"Gilbert, huh? That's your name," the black-haired guy says.
"Yeah, I'm Gilbert Reynolds. Nice to meet you," Gilbert smiles.
"Mister Gilbert, I'm sorry, but you didn't make it in time for this year's test. The seats are full, and your name was registered a bit late," Paulie says as she looks at her computer.
"Man... That's a bummer... I'll just have to try next year," Gilbert says, smiling, but it's clear he isn't happy about being late for registering.
"Is my name registered, Miss Paulie?" the black-haired guy asks.
"What's your name?" Paulie responds.
"My name is Ryuki Arata," the black-haired guy tells Paulie.
"What's with the fancy name? You do realize we're not at an anime convention, right? That kind of name doesn't work here, and this is no game," Gilbert says, seeming unhappy with Arata.
"But... That's my real name," Arata says.
"You don't even look Asian, dude," Gilbert tells Arata.
"Found it, Ryuki Arata, age 22. That's you, sir, right?" Paulie confirms.
Arata nods. "Your test is on the 2nd floor, room 203, and will start in about 10 minutes," Paulie says.
"Understood, I will make my way there," Arata says.
"No way... THIS DUFUS MADE IT TO REGISTRATION BEFORE ME?! WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF NAME IS RYUKI ARATA???!" Gilbert explodes.
"That's the name that's on his government ID, sir," Paulie says.
"BULLSHIT!" Gilbert kicks the wall but ends up hurting himself.
"Do you need help, sir?!" Paulie runs towards Gilbert.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Gilbert pushes Paulie away and storms out.
"Sir Gilbert…" Paulie looks concerned.
On the 2nd floor of the massive building, Arata enters room 203.
"Yes, may I help you?" a middle-aged man, perhaps in his 30s or 40s, asks from the teacher's desk.
"Sir, I'm Arata Ryuki. I was told to come to room 203 by the receptionist Paulie," Arata informs the teacher.
The teacher yawns and looks sleepy. "Your seat is behind that blondie in the 3rd row, 4th column," he says, pointing to a blonde girl.
Arata takes his seat behind her as instructed.
"A European named Arata Ryuki, really funny," the blonde girl with her hair tied up tells Arata.
"Umm, that is my name though," Arata replies.
"Yeah, sure buddy, totally," the blonde girl scoffs, not seeming to believe Arata.
"Whatever, I'm not here to convince people about my name," Arata says dismissively.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the blonde girl mutters, seeming to want an argument. However, Arata ignores her and takes a seat behind her.
"The test will begin now, and I am going to distribute a paper with 20 questions to each of you. You can't cheat because everyone has different questions, so feel free to try, but it won't help you. Also, you are on a timer of 5 minutes—neither more nor less. The moment you receive the paper, you have 5 minutes to complete it. If any answers are left blank, you will be disqualified," the teacher explains with a smirk, holding the papers and then throwing them into the air.
"WHAT THE—" Everyone seems surprised, but Arata calmly watches as the papers fall.
"Yo, that's so cool," one of the students exclaims.
"I wish I could do that," another student says as a paper lands on her desk.
"You can if you pass the test," the teacher replies with a smile before yawning and sitting back in his seat.
"5 minutes, huh?" Arata says as he grabs his paper. "Should be more than enough," he adds with a smile.
5 minutes later,
"TIME'S UP!" The papers are snatched up and collected by the teacher at the desk.
"No way, I was one question away from completing the test!" one upset student exclaims.
"It's alright, you're not the only one," another student consoles.
"That last question was so tough," the blonde-haired girl remarks anxiously. "I hope they don't dismiss me because of that last answer." She begins praying.
"I'll be back in exactly 12 minutes. Wait for me, and two out of you 200 students will qualify for the interview," the teacher announces. "I and two other teachers will conduct your interview, so sit tight and you'll find out who those two students are."
After the teacher goes out, Arata tries to follow him.
"Wait, where are you going?" the blonde girl asks Arata.
"To complete the test," Arata replies.
"What?" The blonde girl seems confused.
"The last question of the test was, 'What will you do if a thief tries to snatch away all the goods from the people you are trying to protect?'" Arata explains.
"What? Wait, you had the same question?!" The blonde girl appears surprised.
"Everyone here did," Arata confirms.
"What do you mean?" The blonde girl asks, scratching her cheek.
"It's a task and I have to complete it," Arata says, determined.
"Wait, what? HEY, WAIT!" The blonde girl follows Arata.
Arata moves out as he watches the teacher go downstairs.
"HEY, STOP, I SAID!" the blonde girl continues to pursue Arata. Following the teacher, Arata reaches the first floor, room 111.
"HEY, CAN YOU TAKE A BREAK?!" the blonde girl asks Arata.
"Well, well, it seems someone did follow me here after all," the teacher smiles as he straightens his messy hair.
"It was a pretty obvious answer," Arata says.
"Well, good for you two for following me here, but Arata, you didn't answer me. What will you do if the thief takes the stuff away from the people you are supposed to protect?" the teacher asks. "After all, you did leave that part of the paper blank in your test."
Arata smiles, "I did answer you though. I followed you," Arata says.
"What if I am dangerous?" the teacher asks Arata.
"Then I will fight you," Arata replies.
The teacher sighs, "My name is Alex Firecarrie. I am the ex-leader of Squad 1 of the Hex Organization. You two have passed the first test, but following me to room 111 also means you have accepted the challenge to fight me in combat."
"WAIT, EVERYTHING IS GOING TOO FAST! WE'RE ALREADY IN THE COMBAT TEST?!!!" the blonde-haired girl asks.
"Carly, you're Paulie's daughter, right?" Alex asks the blonde-haired girl.
"Don't compare me to that woman. I am much better than her," Carly tells Alex.
"Well, then prove it to me by beating her right now," Alex says, taking a pose with both hands in front of him, as if he's trained in karate for years. Carly raises her fists in response.
"As you wish, Mister Firecarrie," she says with an angry face.
There is a staredown between Alex and Carly for a while, and soon they start to fight, with Carly throwing the first punch. She aims for Alex's nose, but Alex catches her fist.
"Good try, girl, but I am better," Alex says as he swats her fist away.
"Grrrh," Carly grunts in frustration. She then attempts to kick Alex's left side of the face, but Alex crouches and dodges the kick. He swiftly sweeps her legs out from under her, causing her to fall to the ground.
As Carly hits the ground, Alex places his open palm on her neck.
"You see, you're an easy and open target, but you can definitely improve. Plus, I am the best soldier in the squad."
"Your turn, boy," Alex tells Arata. Arata steps forward with a stance and takes a deep breath.
"What the… Am I afraid…" There's something about Arata that sends a chill down Alex's spine.
"Let's go," Arata says as he quickly moves and targets his punch for Alex's jaw.
"So fast," Carly thinks to herself.
Alex defends as Arata's punch pushes him back slightly.
"What's the matter, Mister Firecarrie? Were you not expecting me to be this fast?" Arata smirks.
"This jerk, he's definitely going to be the most fun to train," Alex thinks to himself as he counters with a kick to Arata's chest. Arata blocks it but is pushed back.
"These two… They're a totally different beast," Carly thinks as she watches them exchange punches and kicks.
The fight continues as Arata crouches to dodge a sudden punch from Alex. Arata then tries to double-kick Alex's jaw while on the ground, but Alex dodges. This leaves Arata open, so Alex catches Arata's ankle and throws him to the side. Arata lands safely, but Alex stops a kick right at his face.
"You're pretty good at combat, boy, but you're inexperienced," Alex says to Arata.
"On the other hand, you're too impatient, girl. You need to learn to control your anger, but you'll do fine in combat with some extra training, of course," Alex advises Carly as he gives her a hand to get back up.
"So, this is your squad, Alex?" Lights turn on as a very old man, holding a stick to walk, watches the three from a two-way mirror.
"Hey, you're cool, alright. Sorry for being rude earlier," Carly says to Arata.
"Pissed at your mom or something?" Arata asks.
"Wow, you are a mind-reader. You actually were on point," Carly smiles.
"Maybe I am," Arata shrugs.
"Yes, sir, this is my squad. These two, starting now, I will be training them to be ringmasters," Alex bows down in front of the old man.
"I see, good for you. That boy has great potential to be a Blue Ringmaster and the girl has great potential to be a Black Ringmaster. So get them their respective rings and tell me what animals choose them. I will await in my room," the old man says.
"Yes, sir, I will," Alex bows again as the old man leaves.
"Rings, huh? We're finally getting them?" Just as Arata asks the question, flashes of red start to blink and the sound of an emergency alarm begins.
"A new undergrounder has appeared a few meters from the base. Mister Alex Firecarrie, your squad is the only one nearby for now. Go and take down the undergrounder. The location is on your ring radar," a voice announces.
"Understood!" Alex says crisply.
"Come with me, you two," Alex tells Arata and Carly to follow.
They enter the room next to theirs, Room 109. There, Alex quickly opens a box containing 16 rings.
"Blue ring for Arata and Black ring for Carly," Alex declares, handing each of them their respective rings. The rings are small in size, with a blue mineral inside Arata's and a black one inside Carly's. Both rings shine brightly. Arata puts on his ring first, followed swiftly by Carly. Thought Carly's ring seems to be full of colour and Arata's ring seem to be less colourless.
"Do you know how to transform?" Alex asks them. Both shake their heads.
"Just close your eyes, and an animal will call for you. Answer that animal's call, and you will transform," Alex instructs.
"Understood?!" Alex asks assertively. Both nod in affirmation.
"LET'S GO, WE HAVE AN ENEMY TO TAKE CARE OF!" Alex dashes out.
"Yes, sir!" Both Arata and Carly respond, showing readiness for action.
Arata and Carly follow Alex, who is looking at a hologram map projected from his ring. They exit the building and see an undergrounder causing havoc in the park right in front of them. The creature is huge in size with massive, giant hands, smashing the ground.
"There he is!" Carly points out.
"Transform now!" Alex commands. He closes his eyes and places his hand on the ground, feeling the earth beneath him.
Meanwhile, Carly closes her eyes and senses the wind blowing around her. However, Arata encounters a problem: even though he closes his eyes, he doesn't feel anything.
"TRANSFORM, LION RING!" Alex shouts.
"TRANSFORM, VULTURE RING!" Carly shouts in response, and they begin to transform.
Alex's entire body is covered in red spandex, with a red helmet featuring a black glass visor covering his face, and his hair styled to resemble a lion's mane. He also gets his hand and leg covered with white gloves and white big boots.
On the other hand, Carly's body is enveloped in black tights and a tight dress on top, secured with a belt that combines the pants and dress into what appears to be a skirt. She also gains black wings and a black helmet with a black visor and also black gloves and big black boots.
"Ummm… You guys, how do you do this again?" Arata asks.
"HELP ME!" A woman screams, trying to cover her child from the dangerous undergrounder.
"I WILL TELL YOU LATER, ARATA. RIGHT NOW, EVACUATE EVERYONE!" Alex commands as he runs with Carly to fight the monster.
Alex pounces onto the monster and pushes it away from the mother and child. Carly follows by flying over them, while Arata assists them.
"Let's get out of here," Alex urges.
"Carly, your ring has a weapon. Just feel for it," Alex instructs as he continues to fight the monster, dodging its attempts to strike him with its large hands.
"I WON'T FORGIVE THIS ORGANIZATION. THEY ALWAYS FAIL ME! THEY THINK I, WHO HAS BEEN TRYING FOR 12 YEARS, AM NOT CAPABLE OF BEING A PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION!" the monster rants.
Carly pulls out a gun from her ring while flying. The gun resembles a revolver, black with white lines in the middle.
Carly shoots the monster, but it doesn't seem to have any effect.
"I WON'T FORGIVE THIS ORGANIZATION! I WON'T!" the monster continues to rant.
"Gilbert?" Arata questions.
Alex takes a deep breath and begins to roll his toes on the ground.
"Sorry, but it's the end for you, undergrounder," Arata looks confused.
Alex's toes start to catch fire.
"LION'S STRIKE!" Alex attempts to finish it with a single blow, but a sword stops his kick.
"What the—"
"Hey, Lion Ringmaster, been a while," greeted the undergrounder with a calm male voice. He was clad in dark red, heavy metallic armor with a helmet sporting a red visor and a long coat over his armor.
"...It's you again, Uriel," Alex identified the dark red warrior as Uriel. Alex backed off.
"Who are you?" the undergrounder asks the other undergrounder who saved him. "Whoever you are, thanks." The undergrounder keeps his hand on the red-armored undergrounder's shoulder, relief evident in his voice.
"I don't care who you are or what you do," the red-armored undergrounder responds, turning to the giant-arm undergrounder. "I only care about fighting Lion." With a swift motion, he points his sword at Alex.
"URIEL!!!!" Alex shouts, his voice filled with rage. He charges at Uriel, fist ready to strike, but Uriel blocks the punch with his sword. "Bring it on, Lion." The taunt in Uriel's voice is unmistakable.
"Well, time to kill the small fries," the giant-arm undergrounder says with a sinister grin.
"Shit!" Carly exclaims, her voice trembling with fear.
The giant-arm undergrounder starts to run towards Carly, intending to bash her with his enormous hands, but Carly tumbles away just in time. "I need to transform... What do I do?!" Arata is confused, scared, and concerned.
"Sir, you are a ringmaster, right? Why aren't you helping your teammates?" the kid that Arata saved asks him.
"I wish I could... But right now, this ring... it doesn't recognize me," Arata says.
"The ring doesn't recognize you?" The kid looks puzzled.
Arata nods. "The ring... doesn't... No... Something's wrong..." He examines the ring's color.
"He gave you the wrong ring," the old man who was talking to Alex earlier steps forward with a ring box.
"Wrong ring?!" Arata asks, bewildered.
"I think because he was in a hurry, he gave you the colorless blue ring, which is broken, instead of the colorful blue ring, which is newly made. He made a mistake," the old man explains as he bows and opens the box, displaying Arata's ring.
Arata takes a deep breath and accepts the ring. "You know what to do, Mister Ryuki Arata of the Arata family," the old man says.
Arata nods, removes the colorless ring, and puts on the colorful blue ring. "Time to transform," he says, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
He closes his eyes and finds himself in a dark, desolate world with a wolf standing before him. "You are... a wolf..." Arata whispers, as the wolf looks back at him, growling softly.
"I see, you don't accept me..." Arata says, disappointment evident in his voice, but he manages a small smile. "Am I not capable of handling your power?" he asks the wolf. The wolf looks away, indifferent.
"Am I not strong enough?" Arata tries again. This time, the wolf looks back at him.
"Right now, I don't care about all that. What I do care about is saving people... and I need your help, wolf." Arata kneels on the ground, desperation and determination mixing in his voice. "Help me fight those monsters, help me save those in need."
The wolf approaches Arata, eyes glowing in the darkness. "What is it?" Arata asks, searching the wolf's gaze for an answer. The wolf looks straight into Arata's eyes, then turns and walks away, howling into the void.
"Thank you... I will be in your debt," Arata says with a smile, feeling a newfound resolve.
"Transformation... Wolf..." In a calm voice, Arata calls upon his ring's animal. The transformation begins.
"Arata?!" Carly exclaims in surprise.
"Ho, ho, that squadmate of yours finally transformed," Uriel says as he dodges an attack.
"Arata..." There is a sense of relief in Alex's voice.
First, his legs and arms transform, becoming covered in blue and black stripes. His legs resemble the powerful legs of a wolf, and his arms take the form of wolf paws. His chest, now armored, is blue with black stripes running down the sides. Finally, his helmet materializes, shaped like a wolf's open, biting mouth and a black vizer. With this, Ryuki Arata completes his transformation, standing as the Ringmaster who commands the power of the wolf.
Arata feels the surge of strength and agility coursing through him, ready to take on any challenge.
"Arata! YOU TRANSFORMED!" Carly exclaims in surprise.
"Well, well, well, look at that, a lone wolf," Uriel says mockingly.
"YOU'RE WITH ME!" Alex shouts as he strikes Uriel with his right fist.
"I know I am," Uriel replies, blocking Alex's attack effortlessly.
"ARATA! GO HELP CARLY! I WILL JOIN YOU SOON!" Alex commands.
"Got it!" Arata nods.
"ARATA, HE HAS A WEAK SPOT ON HIS CHEST! IF YOU CAN EXPOSE IT, I WILL FINISH HIM OFF WITH MY REVOLVER!" Carly yells.
"Understood," Arata responds calmly.
"It doesn't matter if it's one, two, or three, I'll take you all down," the giant-arm undergrounder declares. Arata takes a deep breath and vanishes from his original spot, reappearing right behind the giant-arm undergrounder.
"What the— Where did he go?!" The undergrounder is bewildered.
"He's so fast..." Carly is amazed.
"Not surprising, wolves are among the fastest creatures on foot," Uriel comments as he dodges another attack from Alex. The giant-arm undergrounder turns around.
"FOUND YOU!" The undergrounder tries to strike Arata with his enormous arms, but Arata dodges with ease.
"Why, Mister Gilbert, I thought you wanted to be a Ringmaster?" Arata asks.
"What?! WHO ARE YOU?! HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" Gilbert demands.
"I was with you today, during the Ringmaster test. Ryuki Arata," Arata replies.
"WHAT?! YOU BECAME A RINGMASTER AND I DIDN'T?! YOUR FAKE ASS?! I CAN NEVER ACCEPT IT!!!" Gilbert roars, angrily smashing both his giant arms onto Arata. Arata leaps into the air, causing Gilbert to smash the ground and get his hands stuck. Arata lands on top of Gilbert and delivers a powerful dropkick to his face.
"GOD DAMN IT!" Gilbert is pushed back. "I WILL KILL YOU!!!" He charges again, trying to bash Arata, but fails as Arata dodges, causing Gilbert's hand to get stuck in a truck. Arata delivers a swift punch to Gilbert's chest.
"Why, Gilbert? I thought you admired the Ringmasters. You seemed so determined. No matter what happened, you wanted to become a Ringmaster," Arata says.
"Admired those bastards? They kept on failing me. Doesn't matter if I wrote the correct answers; they said I was wrong. If I showed off my physical prowess, they said I was weak. If I displayed my mental prowess, they said I was weak. WEAK! WEAK! WEAK!!! I AM NO WEAKLING! I AM STRONG, SO STRONG! Because I have this power now, I am even stronger," Gilbert rants, rushing at Arata again.
Arata sighs. "You are not strong, not with such a weak mind," he says, dodging Gilbert's attack. "You did all of this just for power."
"Of course I did! If I were a Ringmaster, I would have immense power, enough to destroy every one of these undergrounders. But no, they denied me, so I decided I will destroy them all," Gilbert rages, charging again. Arata dodges, crouching and sweeping Gilbert's legs.
"Sorry, Gilbert, but you need help. Twelve years of retrying has taken a massive toll on you," Arata says, then looks at the sky. "NOW, CARLY!"
"GOT IT!" Carly replies, aiming her revolver.
"Wait... What are you planning? Stop, don't do it!" Gilbert pleads, but it's too late. Carly shoots a massive beam from her revolver, hitting Gilbert square in the chest and completely wrecking him.
Arata stands over Gilbert, looking somber. "You lost yourself, Gilbert. I hope you find peace," he says quietly.
Alex is pushed back by Uriel. "We are here to help you," Arata says as he and Carly join Alex.
Uriel looks disappointed. "Well, this is no fun. I want to fight only Alex, not you two. You know, since he is strong and all. But for some reason, he is afraid."
"What do you mean?" Arata asks, narrowing his eyes.
"Well, lone wolf, you've caught my interest too. I'll meet you three later. Until then, I'm going to fuck off and mind my business," Uriel says with a smirk.
"NO, URIEL, YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" Alex yells, but Uriel flicks his fingers and vanishes.
"Where did he go?!" Carly exclaims, wide-eyed.
"Teleportation, one of Uriel's abilities," the old man who gave Arata the ring explains as he approaches the group. The Ringmasters untransform, their armor dissipating.
"You guys did well. Good job," the old man says, his voice filled with pride, as he walks with the help of his cane.
"Thank you! Umm... Commander... Umm..." Arata begins, unsure how to address him.
"That will be Commander Warrier for you," the old man replies with a slight smile.
"Commander Warrier, huh? Thank you, sir, for all your help!" Arata smiles and bows deeply.
"You have great potential, boy. Keep training him, Alex. He is strong," Commander Warrier says, his tone firm but encouraging. He then turns and walks away, his stick tapping rhythmically on the ground.
As the Commander disappears into the distance, the team exchanges glances, feeling a mix of relief and determination for the challenges ahead.
The next day, at a cemetery, Arata stands solemnly before Gilbert's grave, placing a bouquet of flowers at its base. "He was a good person. It's sad that he never had any family or friends to support him."
Pauline approaches from behind. "I got that vibe from him," Arata says. "I only wish to save people…"
"It's not easy," Pauline replies softly. "Someone must have already killed him if he became an undergrounder."
"What do you mean?" Arata asks, turning to her with a furrowed brow.
"These Undergrounders are not formed normally," Pauline explains, placing her own flower on Gilbert's grave. "They are formed from dead people, and the queen is the one who reanimates them."
"I see… So they use dead people to create these creatures," Arata says, the weight of this revelation sinking in. He sighs deeply, "I think Gilbert killed himself."
"You're joking, right? Gilbert wasn't that type of person," Pauline counters. "Every year, he came and he seemed really happy to take the test."
"That's the issue," Arata says, shaking his head. "People often hide their true emotions. Even behind those small smiles… they might be in pain."
Pauline's eyes soften. "Just like you and your daughter," Arata adds gently.
"Oh, I see," Pauline smiles sadly. She then places a comforting hand on Arata's head. "You're part of Carly's squad, right?"
"Yeah," Arata nods.
"Take care of her. It might not seem like it, but she is pretty weak mentally. However, tactically, there is no one better than my daughter," Pauline says, her eyes glistening with pride and concern.
Arata smiles warmly. "Don't worry, I will."
Pauline nods in appreciation. "Let's get you back to your squad. You need to recruit more members, after all."
"Huh?" Arata looks puzzled.
"Oh, did Alex not tell you?" Pauline asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Please tell me what he didn't," Arata requests, his confusion growing.
"Well, you guys are a newly formed squad, so you are the weakest so far. You need more members, and there are fourteen others who passed the test besides you," Pauline explains.
"I don't understand where you are coming from," Arata admits, scratching his head.
"Well, you need to find and recruit them since you guys are part of Squad E of the Ringmaster," Pauline clarifies.
"Umm… I still don't understand," Arata says, clearly confused. "If we need to recruit the remaining ones, how did we end up in Sir Alex's squad?"
"It's because you solved his test. If you hadn't, you would have just been given the ring and not been part of any squad until recruited," Pauline explains further.
Arata gives a wry smile. "You have to be kidding me…"
Pauline chuckles softly. "No kidding, Arata. Now, let's get moving. You have a lot of work ahead of you."
As they walk away from the cemetery, Arata feels a newfound sense of responsibility and determination. He knows the path ahead won't be easy, but he's ready to face whatever challenges come their way.
EPILOGUE
"So, you came back, Uriel," a girl says, standing near the entrance of a cave, eating bread with butter.
She is much shorter than Uriel, standing at barely half his height. Her appearance is striking and unusual; whiskers sprout from her cheeks, giving her an almost feline look. Her large, expressive eyes are accentuated by the delicate, dark lines of her whiskers, twitching slightly as she chews on her bread. Her hands and feet are oversized, resembling the paws of a cat, complete with soft, velvety fur and retractable claws. The contrast between her dainty size and these powerful, animalistic features is startling.
Her attire is simple and practical, designed for agility and ease of movement. She wears a snug, sleeveless top made of a flexible material, allowing her to move with feline grace. Her pants are similarly fitted, ending just above her ankles to reveal her large, fur-covered feet. A belt with various small pouches encircles her waist, likely filled with tools or snacks. Her ears are pointed and slightly tufted at the tips, twitching occasionally as she listens to the sounds around her.
Despite her small stature and the seemingly gentle act of eating bread with butter, there's an aura of confidence and alertness about her. Her movements are fluid and precise, every motion calculated and efficient. She exudes a quiet strength, and her piercing eyes suggest a sharp intelligence. The cave entrance behind her looms dark and foreboding, but she stands calmly before it, unbothered by the shadows.
As Uriel approaches, she finishes her bite and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, her whiskers twitching once more. She regards him with a mixture of curiosity and mild amusement, clearly unfazed by his presence.
"Hey Butter, I'm back. Where did Cheese go?" Uriel asks, his voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space.
Butter, still nibbling on her bread, looks up at him with a flick of her whiskers. "The Queen sent him on a secret quest, apparently," she replies, her tone casual but her eyes watchful.
Uriel nods, his expression thoughtful. "And what about you? Had your fight with Lion?" Butter asks, curiosity piquing her feline features.
Uriel shifts his weight, resting his sword on his shoulder with a practiced ease. "Got boring," he says with a shrug. "Others interfered, but I did find another interesting guy."
"Really, who is this interesting person?"
Another young girl enters the scene, her presence immediately commanding attention. She is of short stature, adorned in a long, black sleeveless dress that flows elegantly as she moves. Her delicate hands are covered in black, sheer-like gloves, adding an air of mystery to her appearance. Her face is captivatingly beautiful, with features so striking that it is impossible to look away. She exudes an aura of regality and power, her beauty both enchanting and intimidating.
Uriel and Butter, recognizing her immediately, bow deeply. "It's the Wolf Ringmaster, My Queen!" Uriel announces with urgency and reverence.
The Queen glances at them briefly, then shifts her gaze to the entrance of the cave, her expression inscrutable. "I see," she murmurs, her voice as smooth and cold as silk.
"I have a task for you, Butter and Uriel," she says, her tone commanding yet measured.
"Yes, my Queen?" Uriel responds, his head still bowed, the weight of her authority pressing down on him.
"Find me the Ring of Eel. I need the power of electricity to bring Sheena back," the Queen states, her words carrying an undercurrent of desperation masked by her usual calm demeanor.
Butter and Uriel exchange a quick glance, understanding the gravity of the mission. "Understood, my Queen. We will find the Ring of Eel," Butter replies, her voice steady and determined.
The Queen nods, satisfied with their response. "Do not fail me," she adds, her voice a chilling reminder of the consequences of failure.
With a final, respectful bow, Uriel and Butter turn to leave the cave, their minds already focused on the daunting task ahead. The Queen watches them go, her gaze lingering on the cave's entrance, as if contemplating the weight of the burden she has placed upon them.
Meanwhile, in a modest house far from the cave, a figure paces anxiously. The room is cluttered with various artifacts and relics, evidence of a life dedicated to the pursuit of magical knowledge. The figure, a man with a disheveled appearance and haunted eyes, mutters to himself, his anxiety palpable.
"The Ring of Eel… Man, I am afraid… Why did I ever choose this profession?!" he exclaims, running his hands through his hair in frustration.
He stops and looks at a particular artifact on the table, an old, weathered book with pages that seem to hum with a faint, electrical energy. "This ring has caused nothing but trouble. Why did it have to fall into my hands?" he mutters, his voice trembling.
His thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door. He freezes, his heart pounding in his chest. "Who could that be?" he whispers to himself, dread creeping into his voice.
Taking a deep breath, he cautiously approaches the door, every step echoing his fear. He opens it a crack, peering out into the dim light of the evening. Standing there is a young woman, her face hidden by the hood of her cloak.
"Can I help you?" he asks, trying to keep his voice steady.
The woman lowers her hood, revealing a serene yet determined expression. "I need your help," she says simply.
The man's eyes widen in recognition and disbelief. "You… What are you doing here?"
"I know about the Ring of Eel. I know you have it," she says, her voice calm but firm.
The man steps back, allowing her to enter. "You don't understand the danger," he begins, but she interrupts him.
"I understand more than you think. The Queen is searching for it. If she finds it, she will use its power for dark purposes," she explains, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that makes him shiver.
He closes the door behind her, his mind racing. "So, what do we do?"
"We protect it. We ensure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands," she replies, her voice resolute.
As they stand in the dimly lit room, a sense of urgency and purpose fills the air. The man realizes that his fear must be set aside, replaced by a determination to safeguard the powerful artifact entrusted to him.
Back at the cave, the Queen watches the horizon, her thoughts filled with plans and contingencies. She knows that the search for the Ring of Eel will not be easy, but she is confident in Uriel and Butter's abilities. The power of the ring is crucial to her plans, and she will stop at nothing to obtain it.
As the night deepens, the paths of all these individuals begin to converge, their fates intertwined by the quest for the Ring of Eel. In the midst of their journey, alliances will be tested, secrets will be revealed, and the true nature of power will be explored.
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