Eleo scratched his head. "Now what? Hmmmm… I guess I could keep exploring!"
Just as he was about to step forward—
BAM!
Three thugs rushed out of nowhere, swinging their fists at him.
Eleo's eyes widened. "AHHHH—WAIT, HOLD ON—"
One of them aimed a punch straight for his face.
Eleo instinctively yelled out—
"INK BARRAGE!!!"
His fists blurred as he launched a flurry of rapid punches, striking each thug at lightning speed. They were sent flying backward, crashing into barrels and toppling over like bowling pins.
Eleo dusted off his hands, grinning. "Whew, that was easy!"
Without even checking if they were okay, he bolted out of the alley and emerged onto the busy streets.
He skidded to a stop near the metal rails and peered over. Below, a shimmering river stretched out, reflecting the golden sunlight. Boats drifted along the water—some carrying cargo, others filled with couples, travelers, and rowdy groups of people.
"Whoa…" Eleo muttered, leaning forward.
To his right, he noticed a strange sight—water seemed to be moving upward, as if flowing against gravity.
To the left, the river curved underneath a large stone bridge, disappearing into a dimly lit tunnel.
Eleo scratched his cheek. "Hmmmm… wonder what's down there…"
But before he could investigate, he heard commotion up ahead.
A massive crowd had formed, blocking the street.
Eleo, being Eleo, did the obvious thing—he shoved his way through with zero regard for personal space.
"'Scuse me—pardon me—move it—coming through—hey, nice hat—oops, my bad—"
Eventually, he reached the front and saw a masked man standing on a wooden crate, addressing the restless crowd.
"Alright, alright, calm down! It's gonna take time! If you keep making a scene, the Ascendants are gonna arrest everyone here!"
The crowd grumbled but quieted down.
Eleo, still crammed between people, suddenly bumped into someone beside him.
A skeleton.
But not just any skeleton—
This one was fancy.
His bones were polished immaculately white, his jaw was slightly tilted in a perpetual grin, and he wore an extravagant dark suit embroidered with gold. His gloved hands were clasped behind his back, and an ornate rapier hung lazily at his hip.
Eleo blinked. "Uh… excuse me, skeleton."
The skeleton slowly turned his head, peering down at Eleo with an almost bored curiosity. Then, his grin widened.
"Well, well, well… what do we have here? A lost little bunny, hopping into places he doesn't understand?"
Eleo tilted his head. "Huh?"
The skeleton chuckled, his voice smooth yet laced with mischief. "Tell me, little one… do you enjoy fighting?"
Eleo's ears twitched. "YEAH!"
The skeleton's grin somehow widened.
"Then you're in the right place."
He gestured toward the masked man on the crate. "This, my dear rabbit, is where warriors sign up to challenge the strongest."
Eleo's eyes sparkled.
"OH. MY. GODDDDD~!!!"
The masked man raised his arms, silencing the crowd.
"Listen up! Once you sign up to fight the strongest, you'll be hunted by the Supreme Council! They'll have access to your entire history—every crime, every debt, every embarrassing secret!"
The crowd murmured, some hesitating.
The masked man smirked. "But… you're allowed to form teams! So if you think you can't handle the pressure alone—" he spread his arms dramatically, "—bring some friends to suffer with you!"
A roar of cheers erupted as the crowd rushed forward to sign up.
Eleo's ears twitched with excitement. "This is incredible!"
Beside him, Tony adjusted his cuffs, chuckling. "Kid, how about you join me instead? We'd make a fantastic team."
Eleo puffed out his chest. "No thanks! I wanna be the leader! Because I'll be the strongest!"
Tony's skull tilted slightly, his grin widening. "Mmm… I like your determination, kid." He leaned down, whispering, "How about I join you instead?"
Eleo's eyes sparkled. "Really?!"
Tony gave a flourishing bow. "Of course! I could use a sidekick—I mean, a friend."
Eleo, completely missing the jab, nodded furiously. "Okay! I'm Eleo!"
The skeleton extended a gloved hand. "Tony Venson."
They shook hands dramatically, the camera zooming in as if they'd just formed an unbreakable alliance.
Then—
Tony glanced at the massive line of people in front of them.
"…Now we have to wait in line."
A long, agonizing pause.
Then, both Eleo and Tony groaned in sync.
"AHHH MANNNN!!"
After what felt like forever, Eleo and Tony finally reached the front of the line.
The masked man, now looking absolutely exhausted, handed Eleo a paper. "Sign here."
Eleo grabbed the pen and violently scribbled his name, creating what looked like a cursed drawing rather than a signature.
Suddenly, the ink on the page glowed—letters magically shifting and forming:
Eleo
Age: 12
Height: 5'5"
Race: Animal – S-Orb: Ink
Eleo's eyes sparkled. "Woooooahhh! That's so cool!"
The masked man glanced at the massive clock tower nearby and his face dropped. "Oh no—"
He suddenly turned to the massive crowd behind them. "SORRY, EVERYONE, MY TIME'S UP—GOTTA GO!"
Then he bolted at full speed.
A roar of outrage came from the remaining crowd.
"HEY!!"
"WE HAVEN'T SIGNED UP YET!"
"COME BACK HERE YOU MASKED CLOWN!!"
The entire mob of people started chasing him through the city, knocking over food carts, tripping over themselves, and absolute chaos erupted in the streets.
Eleo blinked. "Rip mask man."
He turned back to Tony. "Okay, how do I add you to my team?"
Tony tapped his skull, thinking. "Hmmm… How about you just ask me?"
Eleo gasped. "OH, TRUE!" He dramatically cleared his throat. "Mr. Tony! Would you like to join my team?"
Tony grinned, placing a hand on Eleo's shoulder. "Why, of course, kid."
Suddenly, another paper magically appeared:
Tony Venson
Age: 130
Height: 6'7"
Race: Skeleton – No S-Orb
Eleo cheered, throwing his fists into the air. "YEAHHH!"
Tony smirked. "Alright, kid. So, do you have a boat? Or at least a plan?"
Eleo nodded confidently. "YUP."
Tony raised a brow. "Really?"
Eleo crossed his arms proudly. "YUP. But uh… it's probably only big enough for like… three people."
Tony slowly dragged a hand down his skull. "Oh, great. So your 'plan' is a tiny boat and vibes?"
Eleo beamed. "YUP."
Tony sighed. "Alright, fine. What's after that?"
Eleo thought for a moment. "Hmmm… Oh! I'm just gonna search every island for the strongest!"
Tony gave him a blank stare. "…You're literally a madman."
Eleo grinned. "Thanks!"
Tony shook his head. "Okay, okay. Look, since I'm your first member, I might as well help you." He gestured toward something behind Eleo. "First off, you see that massive tower over there?"
Eleo turned—and his jaw dropped.
A gargantuan building loomed over the city, nearly touching the clouds.
"HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT?!"
Tony shrugged. "Dunno. But on top of that building is the best flying ship in World 1."
Eleo tilted his head. "World… 1?"
Tony smirked. "Ahhh, let me educate you, my tiny ink-covered friend." He raised a dramatic finger. "There are multiple worlds—World 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… but reaching World 2 is not easy."
Eleo leaned in, eyes wide. "Ohhhh. How do you get there?!"
Tony leaned closer, voice lowering.
"The Storm Barrier."
Eleo blinked. "The what now?"
Tony's grin widened. "A never-ending superstorm that surrounds World 2. The winds alone can tear ships apart. The lightning? It strikes with pinpoint accuracy. If you don't know how to navigate it, you're dead."
Eleo's ears twitched. "AWESOME!"
Tony ignored him. "Then, there are the legendary monsters."
Eleo's ears twitched more. "OH! I LOVE MONSTERS!"
Tony raised a finger. "Not one—but many. Some guard the entrance, others just hunt for sport."
Eleo gasped. "MONSTERS PLAYING TAG?!"
Tony ignored him again. "They're so big, they shape the ocean. And they fight each other as much as they fight intruders—so the battlefield is chaotic."
Eleo vibrated with excitement. "I WANNA SEE IT!"
Tony rolled his eye sockets. "And if you survive that? Then you face—" He extended his arms dramatically.
"The Eternal Whirlpool."
Eleo's head tilted. "The what now?"
Tony leaned in, voice dark. "A vortex so strong, it pulls in anything unworthy. Only those who can make it through… do."
Eleo's eyes sparkled. "THIS. SOUNDS. AWESOME."
Tony chuckled. "Yeah, well, it gets better."
Eleo gasped. "THERE'S MORE?!"
Tony nodded. "There's one more thing—Ascendants."
Eleo blinked. "Who?"
Tony's grin faded. "They're part of the Supreme Council."
Eleo's excitement halted. "Ohhh."
Tony crossed his arms. "Yeah. Very bad news."
Eleo frowned. "So… they'll try to stop me?"
Tony smirked. "Oh, definitely. But lucky for us…" He pointed toward the city's grandest balcony, where banners were being set up. "The Mayor is making a speech today—so all the big shots are distracted."
Eleo's eyes shone. "SO YOU'RE SAYING—"
Tony grinned.
"We're stealing that flying ship."
Eleo jumped into the air. "LET'S DO IT!!"