It was a peaceful morning. The gentle chirping of birds echoed across the palace grounds, carried by the soft breeze that rustled through the trees. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a warm golden glow on the marble paths. Inside the palace, Shiro slowly opened his eyes, waking up from a deep, restful sleep. He lay in bed for a few quiet moments, collecting his thoughts. After the intense battles and relentless training, this calm morning felt almost surreal.
Deciding to take in some fresh air, Shiro got out of bed, stretched his arms, and walked out of his room. He wandered through the quiet hallways of the grand palace until he reached the outer garden—a peaceful and beautifully maintained space filled with blooming flowers and small fountains. The air was fresh, and the calmness of the surroundings helped ease his mind.
As he walked deeper into the garden, he spotted Jowa and Kyusu standing near a stone table, seemingly waiting for someone. They noticed Shiro approaching and waved at him.
"Shiro, come here," Jowa called with a welcoming tone.
Shiro walked over to them and nodded politely. "Hello there."
"You're finally awake," Jowa said with a smile. "Are you feeling well today?"
Shiro nodded. "Yeah, I'm feeling fine now. But… what should I do from now on?"
Jowa crossed his arms thoughtfully. "If you're asking for my recommendation, I'd say keep fighting and training with us as much as possible. You've come far, but there's still more room to grow."
Kyusu nodded in agreement, and Jowa continued, "In exactly one month, there will be a major tournament—a battle between all seven kingdoms."
Shiro blinked in surprise. "Wait, what does that even mean? What happens if one kingdom wins?"
Jowa explained calmly, "There's no prize or reward, if that's what you're thinking. The purpose of this annual battle isn't about winning something—it's about showing dominance. The higher a kingdom ranks, the more authority and respect it holds across the world. The strongest kingdoms use this tournament to remind everyone why they are feared and respected."
Shiro frowned, trying to grasp the idea. "So… are the higher kingdoms evil or something?"
Jowa shrugged. "Who knows? Some might be, some might not. But one thing is certain—they're powerful, and their strength gives them control."
Shiro folded his arms, looking thoughtful. "So how exactly are these tournaments held?"
Jowa answered, "It starts with the lower-ranked kingdoms. The 7th and 6th ranked kingdoms face each other first. Their noble fighters battle in teams—five versus five or sometimes six on six. Meanwhile, the kings also face off in a one-on-one battle."
"And after that?" Shiro asked.
"The kingdom that wins moves up and fights the next higher-ranked kingdom," Jowa continued. "This pattern continues until someone reaches the top. That's how it works."
Shiro's eyes widened slightly. "So how strong is the strongest kingdom?"
Jowa's expression turned serious. "The most powerful kingdom is called the Kingdom of Dema. It has ten noble-level fighters, three fighters who are on the same level as Lintaro, and one individual above them all—the man known as 'Daman,' who holds the title of the strongest human on Earth."
Shiro's eyebrows lifted in disbelief. "Three Lintaro-level fighters? Then… we're nowhere near their level."
"That's correct," Jowa admitted. "Sometimes kingdoms may look similar in power from the outside, but in reality, the gap between them can be huge. But don't worry, Shiro. With your strength, we believe we can at least reach the second rank."
Shiro looked down at his hands. "Maybe… but what if my power stops growing? I don't even know how far I can go."
Jowa smiled and placed a hand on Shiro's shoulder. "Then we'll deal with it when the time comes. For now, let's not worry too much about the future."
He gestured toward the table. "Come have some tea with us. You have one full month of training ahead, and we'll be there with you every step of the way."
Shiro finally smiled and nodded. "Yeah… you're right."
As Shiro sat peacefully drinking tea with Jowa and Kyusu in the palace garden, he felt calm. The birds were chirping, the wind was soft, and everything felt peaceful around them. After taking a few sips, Shiro looked at Jowa and said, "I think I should head to the training grounds now."
Jowa nodded and replied, "Alright, we'll come later. You can begin training before we arrive."
Shiro stood up, gave them a small smile, and started walking toward the arena. The path was quiet, and he walked calmly through the palace, passing by the tall trees and colorful flowers. When he reached the arena, he began training alone. He warmed up first, practicing his movements, punches, and defense techniques. He was focused and serious, just like always.
After a while, the five noble fighters arrived. They all came without saying much, ready to train. Shiro smiled slightly, knowing they were going to help him get stronger. First, he sparred with each one of them one by one. They tested his strength, speed, and reactions. Then two of them fought him at the same time. As the training got more intense, all five nobles fought him together. It was tough, but Shiro never gave up. Every day, he fought harder, learned faster, and kept pushing himself.
As the days went by, Shiro continued training nonstop. His body became stronger, his moves faster, and his timing better. He even started sparring with Lintaro again. This time, he wasn't being overwhelmed. He could match Lintaro's speed and strength. The battles were close, and sometimes it even looked like Shiro might win. Everyone could see he was getting stronger with each passing day.
A whole month passed like this—full of training, effort, and growth.
Then, one morning, after a long month of hard work, Shiro slowly woke up in his bed. The sunlight came through the window and lit up the room gently. As he turned his head, he was surprised to see someone sitting next to him.
It was Riku.
Riku was sitting quietly in a chair beside the bed, looking at him. Shiro blinked, still half asleep, and said, "Riku…?"
Riku gave him a calm smile and nodded. He didn't say anything right away, but his presence alone felt familiar and comforting.
Shiro gave a slow nod, understanding the weight of those words. Even a tiny advantage could turn the tide in a large-scale battle.
Lintaro leaned forward, his tone calm but determined. "That's why we'll take things step by step. First, we'll defeat the 6th Kingdom. That should be easy enough."
Shiro looked up. "And then?"
"Then we move on to the 4th Kingdom," Lintaro continued. "With your help, victory is almost certain. But when the battle with the 3rd Kingdom arrives... that's when we reveal you."
"Reveal me?" Shiro blinked.
"Yes. Until then, your strength remains hidden. But when it's time to face the 3rd Kingdom, you'll be introduced as our kingdom's strongest fighter."
Shiro sat up straighter. "So what do we know about them?"
Lintaro's expression darkened slightly. "Not much. We've never fought them directly. But one thing is certain—they have powerful nobles. At least six, maybe more.
Lintaro nodded. "If we send our current nobles into battle, they won't stand a chance. Even Jowa would struggle."
Shiro looked toward Jowa, who simply gave a serious nod in agreement.
Lintaro added, "So when we face them, I'll join the battle as a noble fighter. You'll take my place as the king."
"That makes sense," Shiro replied, "But what happens if we win that too?"
Lintaro let out a breath. "Then we face the real monster—the 2nd Kingdom."
Shiro felt a small chill at how serious Lintaro sounded.
"The 2nd Kingdom is on a completely different level," Lintaro continued. "They have eight nobles, and most of them are stronger than Jowa. Two of them are as strong as me—or possibly even stronger."
Shiro's eyes narrowed. "So even with you and the other nobles together…"
Lintaro shook his head. "Even then, we'll lose. When I enter the fight as one of our six nobles, I can take down one of their top nobles. But the other top noble from their side will defeat the rest of our team alone. On top of that, they have four more nobles who are all stronger than Jowa."
"That's... overwhelming," Shiro muttered.
"It is," Lintaro agreed. "But there's a chance. A small one, but it's there."
Shiro looked at him. "What kind of chance?"
"If you defeat the 2nd Kingdom's king—and not just win, but completely overwhelm him—then they'll be forced to bring out their six strongest nobles to fight you."
"And I'll face all of them... alone?" Shiro asked.
"Yes," Lintaro confirmed. "But if anyone can do it, it's you. Right now, we estimate your strength has surpassed even mine. You might be the only one capable of turning the tide."
"Do they have more than six nobles?" Shiro asked curiously.
"They do," Lintaro replied. "But rules say each side can only send six noble fighters. So they'll bring their best six. Just like us."
Shiro gave a faint smile. "Sounds like it's going to be fun."
Jowa chuckled beside him, his mood lifted by the confidence in Shiro's tone. "The entire world will be watching our kingdom rise. It's going to be so fun.