"How is it possible that my lord has returned?" Karpi wondered in her mind, looking at Ban with a mix of astonishment and relief. However, those present didn't seem to share her enthusiasm.
Seeing him dressed in the same clothes as 'X', some whispered among themselves: "Surely he's just another impostor." Others, noticing how handsome he was, commented: "If this guy is even a model." Some even let out mocking chuckles. "Where did this lunatic come from?" others said, pointing at him distrustfully.
At that moment, some soldiers who had been outside rushed in, alerted by the commotion inside the room. Without hesitation, they grabbed Ban by both arms.
"Aha," said one of the guards holding him firmly. "Take this guy away; he's definitely a crazy person pretending to be our leader. We want to see 'X', not some model!"
Ban looked at the guards in disbelief, trying to maintain his composure. "No, don't take Lord Ban away!" Karpi shouted, attempting to intervene. "He is our lord 'X'!" But her words only caused more confusion.
"I don't believe it," replied a group of soldiers. "Lord 'X' probably uses that mask and those glasses to hide his horrible face. Of course, he must be older, not some kid like this."
Others chimed in, pointing toward where Karpi stood. "Besides, she also claims to be 'X'. What's going on here?"
Everyone began arguing about the individual before them. The only thing they agreed on was that they needed to remove the "impostor." No one recognized this stranger, and everyone was convinced he deserved to be locked up.
For his part, Ban remained silent, surprised by the accusations. He couldn't blame them; he had never shown his face in public. Only Karpi and Ludra knew who he truly was. With a sad expression, he looked at the crowd as if wanting to say: It's me, I'm 'X'.
When the guards tried to take him away, something unexpected happened. One of the guards received a karate kick that sent him flying backward, while the other was quickly subdued with a martial arts hold, immobilizing him.
"Silence!" boomed a powerful voice from the entrance. It was Ludra, who had just entered with firm and authoritative steps. Her presence immediately silenced all voices in the room.
"Lady Ludra!" everyone exclaimed, bowing respectfully. Ludra was known not only for training the soldiers but also for her ability to maintain order and her indisputable leadership.
"Fools," Ludra said sternly, glaring at those present with an expression that could freeze hell itself. "You're making two grave mistakes. First: he is the real 'X'." She pointed firmly at Ban, her tone leaving no room for argument. "And second: don't call me 'lady.' I'm still young! It's Miss!" She shot them a withering glare that made everyone shrink in fear.
After the sepulchral silence that followed, Ban decided to speak. "There's no longer any need to call me 'X'," he said calmly but firmly. "My name is Ban, and I am the prince of Fruitalia. Thanks to Paltio, I was able to heal the wounds on my face." He paused, allowing his words to resonate in the room. "Many thought the prince had died in the Shadow attack, but here I am."
The people looked at him in astonishment, finally understanding the truth. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, and gradually, respect and admiration for their leader returned to their faces.
"Well, now that that's cleared up," said Ban, adjusting the clothes he still wore as 'X'. "It's best we all gather. I'll give you an inspiring speech, just like everyone wanted." He raised his voice to capture the attention of those present, theatrically cleared his throat, and began:
"Well then, everyone, these are tough times, and the moment of truth is just around the corner. It's time to defend what's ours and save our kingdom... well, not just our kingdom, but our entire world from those disgusting shadows. Let's all go together! Paltio needs our help."
A brief silence followed the speech.
"And... that's it?" asked Alcho, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Hey, kid, show some respect to 'X,' I mean, to Leader Ban!" Kol interjected, glaring at Alcho.
Ludra, who had been observing everything with her arms crossed, shot a menacing look at the crowd. Without saying a word, her expression alone was enough to make everyone start clapping, though some did so with less enthusiasm than others.
"How was that? I spoke from the heart, didn't you think it was good?" Ban asked Karpi, seeking a pat on the back or some kind of recognition.
Karpi, however, simply rolled her eyes, avoiding a direct response.
"Alright, what are you waiting for, everyone? To training and preparation! We only have two days left until the big showdown," Ludra ordered firmly.
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison, quickly heading toward the training field with renewed determination.
Once alone, Karpi looked at Ludra and Ban with curiosity. "Sometimes I think Ludra is really the leader here," she commented with a mischievous smile.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I only serve my lord Ban," Ludra replied, crossing her arms, though a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, betraying her discomfort.
"Yeah, sure," Karpi teased, winking at her. Then, returning to the main topic, she asked: "And how did you two get here so fast?"
Ban was the first to respond: "Well, the professor made me use his machine without warning. I almost died in the process, but here I am. By the way, that reminds me, I have something to say to the professor when I see him," Ban said, frowning as he recalled the experiment.
"And you, Ludra?" Karpi asked, looking at her expectantly.
"Well, I also went to the professor's lab. I was looking for Ban when one of the Kbots pulled out a hose with a saucer-like device. Before I could react, I appeared here. Paris and Chip explained the situation to me, and I came as quickly as possible because, well..." Ludra paused, glancing at Ban with a half-smile. "...you know Lord Ban isn't exactly known for his inspiring speeches. Plus, he wasn't wearing his 'X' disguise anymore."
Ban, feeling wounded in his pride, lowered his head and muttered something unintelligible as he walked off to a corner, pretending to be deeply affected. "Show-off," he muttered under his breath.
"My lord, don't feel bad, but it's the truth," Ludra said, unable to suppress a small laugh.
"Don't be so blunt," Karpi scolded her, playfully elbowing Ludra.
"Very well, Lord Ban," Alcho chimed in, approaching with a teasing grin.
"You too, kid! Go train!" Ludra snapped, shooting a withering glare at Alcho. Kol, seeing the scene, grabbed the young soldier by the collar of his uniform and dragged him out before he could get into more trouble.
"Goodbye!" Alcho shouted as he was dragged away by Kol, waving with one hand while trying to wriggle free from the grip.
Once the misunderstanding was resolved and the atmosphere calmed down, the three—Ban, Ludra, and Karpi—decided to return to the laboratory where the professor was. They knew there were still many things left to address, and time was running out.
"Professor! We're not done talking about what happened earlier!" Ban exclaimed, crossing his arms, visibly irritated by the experiment the professor had conducted without warning him. However, when he looked around, he noticed the lab was empty. Neither Paris nor Chip was there, and there was no sign of the professor either.
"Where did everyone go?" Karpi asked, frowning as she began walking toward the exit.
The three—Ban, Ludra, and Karpi—started inspecting the area, searching for any clues about what had happened. It was then that they heard voices coming from outside. Curious, they opened the door leading to the backyard of the lab... and stood speechless at what they saw.
In front of them stood an enormous dome the size of a house. The structure was breathtaking: it shimmered with intermittent blue and white lights, as if it were alive. Several people emerged from it, including Rodelos, who looked just as surprised as everyone else to find himself in that place.
"Welcome, everyone!" exclaimed Professor Kuang enthusiastically, appearing from behind the dome with his trademark unhinged smile. "This is my latest invention: the KTeleport! And with this, we can reach the battlefield much faster!"
The professor let out a sinister laugh, though for him, it was simply an expression of absolute joy. He had achieved something he once thought impossible, and his pride shone through in every word he spoke.