The Steel Citadel

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

Shinzo: [murmurs in sleep] alright...

[10 minutes later]

Hiroshi is standing out of the tent.

The tent's flap opens with a zip sound, Shinzo comes out, ready with his backpack.

Hiroshi: where's the cube?

Shinzo: [pointing to his backpack] inside my bag. It's safe don't worry.

He presses a button on the rear side of the tent, it shrinks down to it's toy size.

He picks it up and puts it in his backpack.

Shinzo: so, why did you wake up so early?

Hiroshi: [serious] I've sensed danger.

Shinzo: [curious] Danger?

Hiroshi: yeah. I had a nightmare. About... Ryumi...

It takes a moment for Shinzo to process that name. And suddenly, he remembers.

Shinzo: [confused] wait... Ryumi? Your team member?

Hiroshi: [sigh] not just my team member... She is my girlfriend...

Shinzo, hearing that, is stunned.

He just stands, blinking and staring at Hiroshi awkwardly.

Shinzo: [shocked] th- the legend... Hiroshi... Has a GIRLFRIEND?!?!

Hiroshi: [confused] uhh... Am I not allowed to have one?

Shinzo: [stuttering] N- No it's... It's not like that... I'm... I'm just surprised.

Hiroshi: just like you, there was a time when I myself was surprised at hearing that.

Shinzo thinks for a moment. A thing comes to his mind.

Shinzo: wait... It's been 200 years... Is she still... even... alive..?

Hiroshi: yeah. She is. While we were still kids, Ryumi had a slight accident while training. Draining her blood a lot. I had 'O-negative' blood group. So I could give blood to her.

My blood has some special abilities like not naturally dying, non-aging and even healing. And those abilities can be transferred to others with my blood.

So, if she is not killed as in my nightmare, she is definitely alive.

Shinzo hears it all carefully and replies:

Shinzo: ohhhhh! Healing! That's how you regenerated your punctured lung!

Hiroshi: yeah. But my abilities are limited. I can't regenerate on a big scale. Not until I regain the green ember. But now, finding Ryumi is important.

Shinzo: [confident] well, let's find her then.

Hiroshi nods in affirmation.

They both walk away together.

They walk through the advanced city. Big building, homes, malls, everything.

Shinzo: this is the most modern Ring on our entire planet. It's technology is similar to that of 2028.

Hiroshi: I can't believe that these Varkonians made us so behind in technology... It's the year 2396 now... The technology is 368 years behind! That's a shame...

They walk for a bit and reach crossroads. Both leading to a different direction.

Hiroshi: I'll take left. You take right. Give any signal once you find the tyrant's residence.

Shinzo: how will I know the exact place??

Hiroshi: Always remember. The Villain's lair is always something that stands out from the rest. Find the black sheep amongst the regular ones. That's our target.

Shinzo: Alright.

They both go to different directions.

Hiroshi walks through the left way, the houses keep getting better and better. The way curves to the right as he moves.

Hiroshi: [in mind, thinking] this must be the Varkonian section of this ring. Only Varkonians reside here...

Shinzo takes right, the houses keep getting basic like basic huts and single room houses. The way curves to the left as he moves.

Shinzo: [in mind, thinking] This must be the poor worker section of here... Only humans reside here...

They walk for some time.

Both the roads meet ahead.

They both walk while looks at their sides, ignoring each other.

They bump into each other, Shinzo falls.

Shinzo: [groaning slightly] hey, watch out! You hit my head!

Hiroshi: I'm sorry...

Hiroshi grabs his hand and pulls him to make him stand up.

Shinzo dusts off his clothes.

Hiroshi: did you find it?

He sees that Shinzo is looking to his right, his mouth wide open.

Hiroshi turns and sees a massive fortress.

Big metal walls, covered in a black colour. Big pillars, a big main door.

Hiroshi: that's it. Let's go.

They both approach the door.

Shinzo: so... Do we knock or...

Hiroshi clutches his fist. It tightens. He punches the door, it breaks and falls to the ground in just one punch.

Shinzo: [impressed] well, that's also a way to enter.

They both barge in.

They see that all those walls were made to protect a two-storey building of metal.

[Inside A Room]

The big metal tyrant, Gorokko, was standing in front of a CCTV screen, watching Shinzo and Hiroshi.

Gorokko [Tyrant #4]: they have arrived... It's time I get the cube for my master...

He had a big sword in his hand, he swings that sword on the CCTV control panel, breaking it, and walks away.

[Back Outside]

Hundreds of guards surround them.

They were no ordinary guards.

Half of them were tall humanoid soldiers with the body of a human but the head of a bull, and they were made of pure silver.

The other half were small and cute looking archers that were made of pure gold.

Shinzo and Hiroshi take their stances.

Shinzo: so, what do we know about this Tyrant?

Hiroshi: speciality, Metal. So, he can create metal minions. Silver and gold ones as well.

Shinzo: [smirking] I took something with me just in case I needed it. Well, I guess now's the time.

He opens his backpack and takes out The Big Hammer he took after Kurumi died.

Hiroshi: you did not just steal that from Kurumi...

Shinzo: hey, it isn't stealing. It's a souvenir of our Victory. Well, gold and silver are malleable. [Looking at the archers and Bull-men] Let's see how malleable this artificial gold and silver is.

Hiroshi: [Daggers ready, in hand] I am going to the Tyrant. Be safe and handle these guys.

Shinzo: [Hammer ready, in hand] Don't forget to use your improved moves.

Hiroshi: [confident] sure! Let me do some of your work.

FLAMING SLASH 'N DASH, CONTINUOUS FLOW!

Hiroshi dashes away in full speed. Sprinting through the metal guards in a snake-like pattern, leaving an Orange-Blue coloured flame trail and killing all of the Bull-Man guards.

They all melt away due to the fire.

Shinzo: [sigh] aww man... I wanted to beat those guys... [Grips the hammer tightly while looking at the Little Archers] See little guys, I am playing whack-a-mole after a long time. So don't ruin it for me, okay?

The archers had pointed their arrows at Shinzo.

They all were smirking, thinking they'll beat Shinzo. But their smirks faded to frowns as he lifted up the hammer.

Shinzo struck the hammer down, as if he was playing whack-a-mole, and the archers ran for their dear life.

While they fought, Hiroshi had reached the upper floor.

He found himself in a dark room, everything quiet and nothing unusual.

But suddenly, he felt a menacing presence.

Heavy footsteps echoed in the room, sound of a big sword screeching was heard.

The room's floor shook at each footstep.

Hiroshi: [in mind, thinking] that presence... It's so intimidating! 

He takes out the Varkox meter that Shinzo gave him and measures Gorokko's Varkox level.

The meter showed 800,000.

Hiroshi: [in mind, thinking] 800K?! No wonder he is a grade-γ (gamma) Tyrant!

The footsteps stop.

Hiroshi: Show yourself, Scrap Man!

A spotlight shines, A big tyrant is seen. Thrice as large as Hiroshi.

body covered in a golden spikey armor and a chestplate of silver. His head protected by a silver helmet. He also had a big metal sword in hand, twice as big as Hiroshi.

Gorokko [Tyrant #4]: you dare call me that. I am Gorokko, the Tyrant of Metal. The ruler of the Fourth Ring. You better don't disrespect me. Otherwise...

Hiroshi: what otherwise? You will kill me? Well, I am here to fight and end you!

Gorokko laughs, he swings his sword to be at his front and glares at Hiroshi.

A stomps his foot and they both are teleported to a metal arena.

The flying spherical arena. It was purely metal from inside. Silver pillars with special engravings, titanium floor, golden roof, everything made of metal.

Gorokko looked at Hiroshi with a smirk on his face.

Gorokko: [overconfident] well, let this duel commence!

To Be Continued...

Next Chapter:- Hiroshi Vs Gorokko, Part-1: The Metal Tyrant

Releasing: Sunday, 5th October