BXBX NOVEL Chapter 72 - 72
Chapter 72:
Sky steered the carriage, with the familiar landscapes of Aeritha unfolding before them. Layla and Yumeko engaged in a light conversation, occasionally glancing at Fire General Kai, who seemed deep in thought. The journey was smooth, the atmosphere inside the carriage a mix of relief and contemplation.
Upon reaching the border of Ignarock, Fire General Kai expressed his gratitude. "Thank you for the ride. I\'ll inform Fire God Ignis of the developments and our new alliance with Aquora," he said, stepping out of the carriage.
"Good luck, Fire General Kai. Let\'s hope our gods agree with our decision," Sky said, offering a supportive nod.
"I\'m sure they will see the wisdom in our actions," Layla added with a smile.
Fire General Kai nodded and departed, heading towards the heart of Ignarock to deliver the news. The carriage continued its journey towards the Capital City in Aeritha, where Sky, Layla, and Yumeko would report to Wind God Kaze. The journey was quiet, each lost in their thoughts about the recent events and the future that lay ahead.
Upon arrival at the Capital City, the trio made their way to the Palace where they were escorted to Wind God Kaze. Yumeko put her head down as the guards and workers around the palace pointed at her.
"Look, it\'s the bastard," said a guard.
"I can\'t believe she returned. I thought Wind God Kaze Hayashi Sama sent her to Aquora, the land of the savages, to be killed," said one of her half-brother Kira\'s maids. This made Yumeko\'s fist clench as she shook.
\'I can\'t believe they think my father would send me to my death,\' she thought.
Sky was fuming. "Let me take over, Sky." Sky heard the angry voice of Red Sky say as he tried to stay calm, knowing it would be over if he let Red Sky take over.
"For God\'s sake, my weak, worthless counterpart, they hurt Yumeko, my Yumeko. They deserve death," Red Sky yelled as Sky ignored him.
If looks could kill, Layla would have killed everyone here thousands of times over. She never thought she would have gotten along with anyone; she was more a lone wolf. But Sky, Yumeko, and Noboru changed that. She started to care for them, especially for Noboru. As she thought of him, her cheeks lit up a bit, but that quickly changed as she remembered what these people were saying about Yumeko, her sister figure.
"Hey, wanna say that again?" Layla yelled, snapping both Yumeko and Sky out of their thoughts as they heard her yelling at the workers of the castle.
"Layla. It\'s okay..."
"No, it isn\'t, Yumeko. These idiots are harassing you every time you come to the castle, mocking you for just being born. Just because our dear Wind God can\'t keep it in his pants. They look down on you because you aren\'t born to his wife," Layla said angrily as she turned to Sky. "And you, Yumeko, your precious Yumeko is being harassed and mocked, and you\'re just standing there. I thought you... forget it," Layla said, turning her head around as they made their way to the throne where they met a butler who ushered them into the presence of Wind God Kaze.
"And that, father, was how we managed to get the alliance with the help of the Blackstar Knight," Yumeko explained, leaving out the part where Noboru altered the plot to make Water God Aqua and make her the Water God.
"I see," the Wind God said as he listened intently to their recounting of the events in Aquora, Noboru\'s intervention, and the formation of the new alliance. Wind God Kaze nodded in understanding. "You have done well. This alliance is a step towards a more unified world. Noboru\'s actions are... intriguing. He wields power unlike any I have seen before. We must keep a close eye on him," Kaze mused.
Sky, Layla, and Yumeko agreed, each sharing their insights and experiences with Noboru. The Wind God listened, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"As for your next steps, you should head to Terravale to meet up with Noboru, who\'s now the Water God\'s representative. We need to solidify this alliance and ensure all realms are united against the threat of the Void and the Disciples of Darkness," Kaze instructed.
"We understand, Wind God Kaze. We\'ll leave for Terravale immediately," Sky replied, determination in his voice.
After receiving blessings from the Wind God, Sky, Layla, and Yumeko left the castle. They knew the road ahead would be filled with challenges, but they were ready to face whatever came their way.
As they traveled towards Terravale, the sky above them was clear, the winds gentle yet firm, as if guiding them towards their destiny. They were unaware of the trials and tribulations that awaited them, but they were prepared to face them together, as allies, friends, and guardians of their realms.
Meanwhile, in Terravale, Noboru had arrived in a small town, ready to negotiate with the Terravalean king, or as they were called in this world, Earth God. Noboru thought that these rulers\' ancestors must have been really arrogant, like Kouki and Meiyo levels of arrogant if they called themselves gods for being the strongest.
The town was big. If Noboru had to describe its size, it would be as big as Ignarock, but that was to be expected. Terravale is a realm beyond imagination and embodies an unfathomable scale, much like an endless dream within a dream. If Noboru had to explain it, he would tell someone to envision a place where dreams cascade endlessly, each layer more expansive than the last. Within this dream, the pursuit of Terravale\'s boundaries feels akin to chasing shadows – an endeavor without end. It\'s as if reaching for a single atom within this infinite expanse, a quest doomed to perpetual obscurity amidst the boundless layers of dreams.
His thoughts were a mix of strategy and awe, wondering how the Earth God would react to the alliance proposal and the awe of the size of Terravale compared to Aquora and every other kingdom/realm he had seen before. Will the Earth God be as stuck up as the Suijin or will he be as hard?
\'I guess I will find out,\' Noboru thought as he was about to make his way into the main parts of the town and saw a man who looked like a knight and there was a crowd of adventurers near surrounding the man. Noboru decided to see what the commotion was about.
"Hear me, hear me. To all the adventurers of QuakeTown, Baron - Akira wishes for you to enter Duke of the North tournament and represent QuakeTown," a knight in knight armor said.
"Is it that time?" Noboru heard one adventurer say.
"Yeah,
I can\'t wait to fight," another one said excitedly as the knight spoke.
"This tournament will be different this year. We will win! We need to win; if not, this Town is to win the Duke will personally ensure Baron - Akira will be stripped of his title, and we shall be sent to the front lines. Our sons and men will be forced to fight for the Duke Of The North\'s causes," the knight explained as Noboru saw looks of worry cross all the adventurers\' faces.
"Look at the silver lining, boys. If we win, not only will we be rewarded, but our town will have money from the Duke Of The North himself. Baron - Akira will be promoted, and we shall go from a Town which is a mere spec of dust in Terravale to a grand City," the Knight said as Noboru lost interest in listening after that because it was just the crowd getting hyped and because he was in awe of the architecture of QuakeTown.
\'You need to win first. You will be going against the strongest of every other town,\' Noboru thought as he ventured into QuakeTown with a sense of awe that transcended the ordinary. As he approached the town\'s outskirts, he felt the ground beneath him tremble with a subtle, rhythmic energy. The buildings rose from the earth like intricate patterns unfolding endlessly, their structures branching outwards in a manner reminiscent of self-similarity. Each facade bore designs that seemed to echo the notion of infinite recursion, hinting at a deeper complexity woven into the very essence of QuakeTown.
The streets of QuakeTown twisted and turned in a non-linear fashion, creating a maze-like network that defied conventional geometry. Every corner revealed new perspectives, as if the town itself existed in multiple dimensions simultaneously. Noboru marveled at the fractal-like nature of the architecture, where every angle and intersection seemed to echo the recursive patterns found in the fabric of QuakeTown.
As he delved deeper into QuakeTown, Noboru encountered a bustling marketplace where merchants traded in precious stones and minerals, their wares shimmering in the soft light filtering through the canopy of ancient trees overhead. The air was thick with the scent of freshly turned soil, mingling with the savory aroma of roasted vegetables from nearby taverns. Here, amidst the vibrant tapestry of sights and sounds, Noboru sensed the pulse of life that flowed through QuakeTown, connecting every inhabitant in a shared embrace of earth\'s embrace.
Yet, for all its grandeur and majesty, QuakeTown held mysteries that defied explanation. Noboru caught whispers of ancient legends and by the earth itself that spoke of hidden chambers and forgotten passages lying dormant beneath the town\'s surface, waiting to be discovered by those brave enough to seek them out. It was a place of endless wonder and possibility, where the earth itself seemed to whisper secrets to those willing to listen.
\'Legends and Secrets told by the very earth we stand upon. That\'s interesting; perhaps I should keep my ear open. I might find out something,\' Noboru thought as he walked around until he saw an inn. It was magnificent. \'This Town alone is the size Ignarock, but I have to keep in mind the size of this town is nothing compared to the rest of Terravale. It might as well be dust, no smaller, perhaps even non-existence would describe it perfectly compared to Terravale,\' Noboru\'s thoughts were interrupted as the innkeeper greeted him.
"Hi, I am Maria, and welcome to QuakeTown Inn. How may I help you?" She said as she stared at Noboru, staring him up and down, blushing profusely.
"Hey, I am Noboru Chikara. I would like a room for one, please," Noboru said as he thought of One Million TerraJewels and they formed his magic bag.
"Oh, are you here for the Tournament? I heard those who enter get noticed by the Earth God, and if you win, you can earn a Noble Rank. From there, you can get a higher rank and eventually meet the Earth God. Even the other elemental Gods or their representatives won\'t be able to meet the other Earth God unless they show they are worthy by gaining a Noble Rank," Maria says.
Noboru gave no reaction but filed the information away for later. \'It seems I am going to have to enter this tournament then, but I will be limited to Earth Aura or maybe Aura in general,\' Noboru thought.
"Yes, I will be entering," Noboru says.
"Oh, in that case, you don\'t have to pay," Maria says as Noboru raised his eyebrows, indicating he was confused.
"Oh, Baron - Akira had told us innkeepers he will pay for the adventurers who will fight in the tournament. May I see your QuakeTown Guild Card? You should have an Aura mark which shows you are registered as a combatant for QuakeTown," Maria asked.
"Ahh, I haven\'t got one. I lived up in a valley nearby but came here hearing about the Tournament," Noboru lied.
"Oh well then, you have to pay until you get the registration. You will need to also register with the QuakeTown Guild to enter," Maria said as Noboru nods. He hands her 50 TerraJewels and heads into his room.
"So the tournament\'s the only way, I guess this is how the Earth God avoids talking with lower realms since no one from Aquora, Ignarock, or Aeritha would be able to fight the Terravaleans; therefore, none of them can meet the Earth God," Noboru says to himself as he prepared for sleep.
"Just you wait, Earth God, I will meet you, and you will be part of this alliance," Noboru says.