Chapter 15:

The Fourth Ring

Blaze Borne


Shinzo: ANOTHER TYRANT?!

Hiroshi and Shinzo stared at the sky, looking at the direction of the sound.

Hiroshi: no, it can't be a tyrant. that sounded like something different... Something bigger...

Shinzo: let me check.

Shinzo takes out his Smartphone from his pockets.

Hiroshi: [confused, eyes narrowing] Wait... where did you get a smartphone?! weren't those destroyed about two hundred years ago?!

Shinzo: the Varkonians have snatched away our technologies. but mine still persist. I am an Engineer. I know about technology like the back of my hand. I can create anything I want.

Shinzo turns on his smartphone and video calls to the different continental branches HRA headquarters.

The group video call is done to the Army Heads of the branches of America, Asia and Europe.

The people pick up the call, except for Shinzo, there are 3 people. Karou (army head in america), Tarique (army head in Europe) and Shunjo (army head in asia, especially japan)

Shinzo: what's happening? did you guys hear that sound? Karou? Tarique? Shunjo?

Hiroshi, hearing the name Shunjo, remembered something.

Hiroshi: wait... isn't Shunjo your brother?

Shinzo: yeah. he's in tokyo now.

Shunjo: [tensed, from the call] a big explosion occured! the... the rift... it ENLARGED! and something is comi~ [voice glitches]

the call is automatically hung.

Shinzo: Gosh darn it! this damn weak network!

Hiroshi: [shocked] Network?! now where did you get that?

Shinzo: [groans] even though humanity is way behind in technology, we have made exceptions for us. we've made one big network tower in each continent that can provide enough network for transmission of important details. Understood?

Hiroshi: yeah...

Shinzo is lost in thoughts, staring at his mobile screen.

Shinzo: [in mind] the rift... Shunjo was right below it... what might have happened..?

Hiroshi moves through rubble, the sound makes Shinzo snap out of his thoughts.

he sees that Hiroshi is searching for something in the remains of the library.

the rubble of the library's broken walls made a crunching and grinding sound below his feet.

Shinzo: wait... what are you looking for?!

Hiroshi: the book. I know Majuro hid something from me. I've been trying to get my hands on the book since the day he told me about my past. I knew that something didn't make sense. who was my father? who he really was? that's what's making me sleepless for the last few nights. wanna help me out?

Shinzo is tensed, thinking that Hiroshi must not find about his truth. at any cost.

He rushes, trying to find the book before Hiroshi so that he can hide it somewhere.

After a minute of searching, He finds it.

he finds the actual book of Varkonian history. but, it was badly torn. maybe due to Kurumi's strike.

Shinzo: [relieved] Phew! Hiroshi! I found it! [acting to be sad] but... It... It's badly torn...

Hiroshi rushes to Shinzo to check on the book.

He sees that the books is turned to shreds, unreadable.

Hiroshi: [groans in frustration] Argh! Dammit!

Shinzo sees tension on Hiroshi's face, but it fades away quickly.

Hiroshi: [sigh]  well, let's go and bury Majuro...

Shinzo: alright... Lemme grab my backpack. It must be around somewhere.

He moves his hand through the rubble and touches his bag's fabric. Luckily, its safe.

Shinzo: [relieved] phew... Atleast something is safe.

He wears his backpack and rushes with Hiroshi.

They both go to where Majuro was lying on the ground, dead. blood had flowed out and dried, mixing with sand...

They looked at his headless body for two minutes straight, not speaking a word. Mourning his death, silently.

After the two minute mark had passed, they dug Majuro's grave and gently made him lie down inside of it.

They covered it with soil and placed a stone on top.

Shinzo: let me just do something.

He approaches the stone, a screwdriver in hand.

He carves something on it.

Shinzo: [reading and narrating] "Here lies the great mage, Majuro. We lost a hero on 15th September..."

He turns to Hiroshi.

Shinzo: shall we go now?

Hiroshi: yeah...

Shinzo takes the cube in hands.

Shinzo: [looking at Hiroshi] now, where to?

Hiroshi: the Fourth Ring. The next tyrant awaits.

Shinzo closes his eyes and concentrates. A portal opens before them, yellow in colour.

They both enter it and reach the other side.




[Location: The Fourth Ring, North America]




They step out of the portal and reach the fourth ring.

It is night time. Everyone in the city is asleep.

They find themselves amidst of a big city with tall skyscrapers and housing societies.

Hiroshi: I don't remember seeing such a place...

Shinzo: the Varkonians didn't just steal our technology. They used it for themselves. Just like how parasites do.

Hiroshi looks at the night sky, it looks way less starry.

Hiroshi: what happened to these night skies?

Shinzo: this is North America... The major portions like the Ring and some outskirts are highly polluted, hiding the beautiful stars before them. We need to get some night's rest.

Hiroshi: but where?

Shinzo looks around and sees an empty alley between two buildings.

They both go there, its a really dark alley that is closed from one end.

Hiroshi: [sarcastically] so... Do we sleep here?

Shinzo: don't be silly... You've got an Engineer with you. Presenting to you, the POCKET TENT!

Shinzo takes a small toy tent from his bag.

Hiroshi: am I supposed to squeeze in it?

Shinzo: [frowning] no, dumbo!

He presses a button and places the toy tent on the ground.

The toy instantly pops and grows outwards to turn into a real tent.

Hiroshi jumps back in exclamation and surprise.

Hiroshi: WHAT IS THAT?!

Shinzo gives him a wierd look.

Shinzo: don't you know anything about nanotech? I'm pretty sure it existed while you were a kid.

Hiroshi: the day I was born, the Varkonian invasion had started. I never got to see much technology.

Shinzo sighs and opens the tent's flap.

They both enter inside.

From inside, it was small, but enough for them both the sleep while spreading their legs like a sleeping buffalo.

It had two blankets and two pillows inside for sleeping.

Hiroshi: this thing is cool!

Shinzo click a button and small fans that are embedded in the fabric walls of the tent are turned on.

Shinzo: now it will actually be cool!

Shinzo clicks another button and a light inside turns on.

They both sit inside.

Hiroshi: so... What were we-

Another loud boom is heard.

Hiroshi: it's that again!

Shinzo: [realises something] wait... The sound is from the rift... And... The portal cube... The time I used it before, just moments later, we heard a sound. And now, when we used it to come here, we heard a sound again...

The portal cube and the rift are linked as Majuro told us. So... The cube is causing it to...

Hiroshi: [completes his line] Expand in size... Yes! That's what's happening! The first time when the rift opened, a similar boom sound was heard as well! It's the portal cube causing it... The more we use it, the more it alters the rift!

They both stare at the cube as it warbles with yellow energy.

Shinzo: we must stop using it from now on...

Hiroshi: I agree to be honest...

They both lie down to sleep.

Shinzo: so, how's your new power up feeling?

Hiroshi suddenly sits up straight.

Hiroshi: [confused] power up?!

Shinzo: yeah... Power up. Like... The orange and blue mixed flames.

Hiroshi thinks about it for a moment, still it rings no bell.

He then creates an ember in his hands.

The ember is half orange and half blue, radiating even more energy.

He waves his hand and the ember disappears.

Hiroshi: [shocked] holy smokes of the devil! What in the world is that?!

Shinzo: [sigh] didn't Majuro tell us that you were going to get a power up after your Sugokyo mark had appeared? Maybe your training and rage about Majuro's death made it possible. The blue flame suggests that the Blue Lava did it's job as well.

Hiroshi tries to recall, but can't remember anything about the blue lava.

Hiroshi: what's it with the blue lava?

Shinzo: well, while you were unconscious, Majuro made a potion using different ingredients. Blue lava was one of those. He said that you could accumulate more fire if provided.

Hiroshi: hmm... Maybe... So, is my Varkox level even more then before now?

Shinzo takes out the Varkox meter.

He uses it on Hiroshi.

The results come in, and Shinzo is left in shock.

Shinzo: [shocked, confused] WHAT?!?! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!?!

Hiroshi: what happened?

Shinzo, trembling in shock, slowly turns his head towards Hiroshi.

Shinzo: [stuttering, shocked] s- se- SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND!!!

Hiroshi: [astonished] Woah! 700K?! That's great!!

Shinzo: Great?! Such an energy spike in such a short time is something to be deeply researched on! It's not great, it's Awesome!!

Hiroshi tilts his head up and releases a sigh.

Shinzo: I guess you can counter the fourth tyrant's 'Seki' as you're pretty strong now.

Hiroshi, confused by this new word, jerks his head towards Shinzo.

Hiroshi: [confused] Seki? Is that some sort of sword, food or what?

Shinzo: [facepalms in frustration] you don't know about Seki... [Remembers] aah... I remember... The Tyrants you previously fought weren't that strong... So they didn't have Seki...

Well, Seki is a technique that can be used by people who have their Varkox levels above 750K. It is a technique with 5 different variants according to the Varkox levels. Out of those five variants, I honestly have seen none. So, it's something new to experience for me. But I do know some basics...

Hiroshi looks at Shinzo with full concentration, sitting legs crossed, trying to understand everything he says.

Shinzo: so, when you Varkox level is strong enough, you can channel your radiation into abilities. Like a domain that is controlled by your powers and other stuffs. Its not that complicated. You channel your radiation, it creates a domain, you have advantage in fight. Simple.

Hiroshi: [trying to understand] well, basics cleared. We'll do the main course tomorrow morning.

Shinzo: so... Fight tomorrow?

Hiroshi: yeah. Fight tomorrow.

Shinzo turns off the lights, they both lie down to sleep, facing opposite.

Shinzo: [sigh] a fight again...

Hiroshi: I know it can be frustrating when you have to fight everyday... But that's how we will succeed in our goal... Freedom of Earth...

Shinzo: [sigh of relief] well, goodnight... Atleast we can dream about something good...

They both close their eyes and slowly fall asleep.




[Few Hours Later]

[Time: Sunrise]




They both are still asleep.

As soon as the first beam of sunlight hits the tent, Hiroshi starts sweating.

His body suddenly starts shaking.

And suddenly, he finds himself in a dream, in a dark room.

The dark room fell as if it was the void. A place with no sound, no voice, no sign of light at all.

He stared into the infinitely expanding void.

Out of curiosity, he called out.

Hiroshi: [curious] Hello?! Hello! Is someone here?

No one was there. Only Hiroshi, alone.

Suddenly, a portal opened before him.

A purple-blue portal of spindle shape with an oval-like centre.

From that portal, a girl came out.

Beautiful black flowing hair, black eyes and fair skin.

As Hiroshi's eyes fell on her, a voice came from inside autonomously:

Hiroshi: [softly] Ryumi..?

Ryumi looked at Hiroshi, her eyes desperate and watery.

She wailed out desperately.

Ryumi: [desperate cry] Hiroshi! Save me!

A figure came out of the portal and stood behind her.

He had a horned barbarian helmet and a full metal armour. But his entire body and face were hidden, as if he were a shadow.

The man took a hammer in hand. It was long, with hundreds of spikes on it's head.

He swinged it with brute force at Ryumi.

She wailed.

Ryumi: HIROSHI!!

The hammer hit her head, blood splattered.

Hiroshi snapped out of his dream, palpitating and sweating.

He suddenly sat up straight, only one name on his tongue.

Hiroshi: [tensed] Ryumi! [Calming down] Ryumi..! Ryumi... [Breathing heavily]

Hearing all that, Shinzo also woke up suddenly.

He was also confused by Hiroshi's this behaviour.

Shinzo: [concerned, sleepy] you okay bro..? I'm kinda tired so can you please let me sleep..? I was having a wholesome dream...

Hiroshi opened the tent's flap and saw outside. It was sunrise.

Shinzo lied down again to take another small nap.

Hiroshi: [boldly] we must go now. It's sunrise.

Shinzo: [head tucked in his pillow, muffled voice] Please... Just five more minutes...

Hiroshi: [groans] alright... We'll leave in 10 minutes. Get a power nap. We've got a tyrant to defeat.






To Be Continued...

Next Chapter: The Steel Citadel

Releasing: Sunday, 28th September.

Rude Rex
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Rude Rex
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