Have you ever heard of the city that never sleeps? Or the City of Lights? Or perhaps Capital City, New Work City—it goes by many names. It earned all these honourable titles for a reason: its lights never dim, its people never rest, business runs twenty-four seven, restaurants stay open till dawn, and entertainment never ceases. Moreover, it is the City of a Hundred Dreams and One—because people come from afar, chasing dreams that seem only possible here. And, most importantly, it is the city that houses the grandest entertainment complex in the world: Sisyphoseum—the arena where the Soul Blade Brawls unfold.
After a long six-hour train ride, I'm finally here.
No—we are here.
"Ahhh! Exhausted! My ass hurts, man! I wanna eat somethin'. Come on, Dash, hurry up! I'm all fired up! I can't wait to see the arena and have my first battle!" I shout, bursting with excitement, unable to wait for Dash to get off the train.
"Whoa, whoa! Hold your horses, buddy! It's not that simple. First, let's grab somethin' to eat. I crave somethin' sweet. And… ah… you go ahead! I'll catch up soon." He sounds suspiciously busy. "And hey—don't get yourself into trouble! This ain't your barnyard anymore, got it?" he warns, vanishing into the ant-like crowd.
"Roger, Father! I'll look for somethin' to eat. When you're done with your 'business,' hurry up! I might not leave you any!" I joke as we split ways.
Man, this place is bursting with energy. I can feel it—alive, throbbing with people to the edge of every street. It's just early morning, yet folks gather like flies drawn by the scent of sweetness—or something worse. Still… it's cool.
I feel reassured after all that happened. Now… now I'm even closer to my goal. And this time, I'm not alone. I've got a friend.
Then I catch a delicious scent—something divine, fresh from the oven. My mouth starts watering uncontrollably. I follow the trail and find a huge pastry shop. Outside, a table is laid out, covered with all kinds of cookies and sweets I've never seen before. One looks like a crescent moon, topped with chocolate and what seem like white sprinkles.
"Ahh, damn! I forgot—I'm broke!" I remember, but the smell alone scrambles my thoughts. The idea of stealing one pops into my head as my hand reaches out.
"Please, serve yourself! I recommend the one with cheese—it's fantastic," says a voice from behind me.
"Waaah! I'm sorry! I… I wasn't gonna steal it, I swear! On my pride as a man!" I stammer, waving my hands in panic. I just hope he doesn't chase me like the Old Man used to. Ugh… I feel a little homesick.
"Stealing? Who said anything about stealing? Go on, eat to your heart's content! They're morning samples, but spare some for the others," he explains kindly.
Seriously, that's crazy generous. I wish we had stuff like this back home—it would've saved me so many coins. I try a bit of everything from each tray, gulping down pastries before I even know what they are.
"Slowly, young man! There's enough for you," the man laughs. "How do you like them? Those are just the morning samples. Wait till nightfall to see the nocturnal batch. Miam-miam!Quel délice! Enjoy! I must return to work."
What a kind man. I like him. Now I'm curious about those "nocturnal samples" he mentioned. Ah, damn it! I forgot to ask his name. I wonder who makes these little delights. Whoever they are—they're talented. Ahh, if I can't do it, I'll just admire those who can!
By the way… Dash is taking forever. Maybe he got lost? Nah, knowing him, not likely. He's probably off taking a piss—or maybe, fixing his hair in some mirror. Yeah, he seems like that kind of guy.
"Oof! God bless… I need a quick nap. But first, I gotta find Dash!" I decide.
I wander the whole city—street after street, alley after alley—and someone please tell me why I can't find Dash! It's like he was swallowed by the earth or abducted by aliens. Maybe I should ask someone where people usually go. This place is a labyrinth—you take one turn and end up right back where you started. "Who the hell built this place?!" I shout, earning confused stares. People look at me as if I were some exotic animal.
Then, all of a sudden, everyone around me scatters like dust in the wind. "Huh? Why? Is there—" I start to ask, but the crowd is already gone.
"Hey, you! The boy over there! Surrender and lie down! Now!" A man shouts, flanked by uniformed henchmen who look like city security.
"Whoa, whoa! Hold up, man! Something's wrong! I just got here! You've got the wrong guy!" I say quickly, trying to defuse the situation.
"I will not repeat myself! Get down on your knees—face the ground! Move!" he barks.
Good gracious, what's their problem? They look dead serious. "I've done nothing! Who even are you? Get lost!" I snap back, refusing to obey.
I think about running—but they've already cornered me.
"By order of the Crown, you are hereby placed under arrest for sedition and defamation against His Majesty. You will be escorted to the royal court to answer for your offense," he reads from a scroll. "Seize him!"
What!? What!? WHAT!? "Why!? I just arrived! I'm just a visitor!" I protest, but they don't listen. They're closing in. Fine then—time to do what I do best.
"Sorry, pals! But… ohhh! Look behind you—it's a dragon!" I shout, then leap onto a nearby roof while they actually turn to look. Idiots! When they realize the trick, I'm already gone, sprinting across the rooftops.
"Oi, idiots! Up here! Farewell! Don't bother looking for me! Bye!" I yell as I vanish over the next block.
They're furious, no doubt. But seriously—what's their deal?
After a few minutes of jumping from roof to roof to avoid those guys, I finally spot Dash.And he's with a girl.
The son of a—! I was searching all over, and he's been flirting!?
"Dash, you son of a bitch! Where the hell were you this whole time!? Those fancy-dressed guys were chasing me because they wanna arrest me! And you're out here flirting with some girl? Seriously!? I thought you just went to take a piss or fix your damn hair!" I explode.
He eyes me sharply. "Sein! What are you doing here!? I told you to wait! And what's your deal now? I wasn't flirting with anyone! Who the hell were those guys chasing you? Diavuli! Can't you, for once, just sit down and act like a man?" he snaps, half-angry, half-defensive.
"I was looking for you, damn it! You took forever! I wandered through every street in this city, and then outta nowhere, these guys show up—they tried to arrest me for no reason! Said something about a royal order or some crap. I didn't get a word of it, so yeah, I ran! Jumped rooftops, nearly broke my back, and then what do I see? You, flirting with this girl!" I fire back, pointing at him like he just betrayed the nation.
Next time on Soul Blade Brawl Z: The Crash of Legendz— "Run, the Kingly Guards!"