Garden Of The Abyss

"Well, that was a lot more stressful than I had hoped for…"

Letting out a tiny sigh as he dropped his head, sitting on a lavender sofa placed within a large, open waiting room filled with the other passing participants, Ren closed his eyes.

Patting his head gently, the azure-haired girl smiled, sitting beside him, "You did great."

"We did great."

Valerie corrected Iris' words; though it wasn't anything smug--far from it, holding her usual, confident smile, it was clear she was actually being a team player.

"Right."

Returning the attitude, Ren gave a triumphant smile and thumbs-up to the draconic, crimson-haired woman.

"I'm getting kind of worried though…"

"Hongse, right?"

"Mm."

Nodding her head in response to Ren's question, Valerie held a worried look in her usually feisty eyes, biting impatiently on the metal of her gauntlet.

"Don't worry--he'll back it through."

"You can never be sure with that fuzzball…"

Letting out an exhausted breath, Valerie finally slumped down onto the spot on the sofa beside the white-haired young man--making it an extra cozy experience with such little breathing room left.

Of course, in this situation, pressed so close to two females, Ren couldn't prevent his cheeks from taking an apple-red tint.

Attempting to break the self-encumbered awkwardness of this seating position, Ren latched onto whatever topic he could find in his mind, "Aiko and Macheo should be somewhere around here, right?"

"They should be, but it's pretty full in here...it's not just participants, there's a lot of staff here as well."

Making this observation, Iris tried to keep her voice down as her words brought the three's gazes to the demons who remained present in the room. Though, Ren felt a whole lot more safe around the self-proclaimed demons than the Purgatory participants.

That's right, I totally forgot about Galaggher...I'd like to find out if it's him or not, but now's not exactly the time...I'd prefer not to leave them alone in a place like this, Ren thought.

Dragged out from his thoughts, the clearing of Sitri's thought, who stood at the back of the room behind a podium, brought the attention of everyone present.

"He's going to announce the final participant…"

Iris muttered, intertwining her fingers as she held her hands close to her chest as if praying for some miracle.

"Come on, you big oaf, you better have made it."

Tapping the tips of her sharp gauntlets against her light, but durable armor, Valerie's eyes were honed in on the golden-haired, handsome demon.

"And with the time being just about wrought out, the twentieth and last passing participant of the Champion's Culling has been decided!"

All eyes were on Sitri now as he smiled, clearly loving the attention and anticipation his voice drew in as he raised his glove-wearing hand towards the ceiling.

Please, please, please! Ren thought.

"Hongse, qualified! Please remain still as you will be momentarily warped to a waiting room!"

With those words, presented in such a familiar, repetitive format--they were spoken this time with pure energy rushing through them towards the Weltwanderer members.

"Yes!"

"Thank goodness…!"

"Hell yeah!"

Celebrating the loudest, Valerie stood from her seated position, her tail flailing side-to-side as it smacked against the poor sofa.

However, this news drew out some other sought out people--as the celebrations weren't limited to just the three seated in that corner of the room.

"I knew that panda had it in him!"

"Well, he's quite strong after all!"

Bringing themselves over to the sources of these voices, the three found themselves reunited with not only Aiko and Macheo, but the eccentric Jae-Seong himself, and his quiet, stoic companion. After a quick catch-up, spirits were high, and smiles were exchanged.

"Looks like we all made it--by some miracle."

Ren commented as he looked between everyone in the group with a smile. The notion was rejected instantly by Jae-Seong, who flipped his curly, but somehow well-kempt locks.

I don't see this "Galaggher" guy, I guess he made his way out already...Ren thought.

"It wasn't a miracle or a case of some passing-by good luck; you earned your qualification with your own finesse. You better respect that--because I do."

With a beaming smile, Jae-Seong gently bumped his fist against the chest of the white-haired otherworlder. Between that radiant smile and dazzling eyes, paired with blemish free skin that looked as soft as lavender, Ren found himself latched onto something else beyond Jae-Seong's words of wisdom.

This guy is fucking beautiful! Ren thought.

Taken away from his enamored look at the glasses-wearing Heavenly King, the familiar presence of a large, fluffy paw against his shoulder made Ren look up to see the red-furred panda himself, who held a wide smile--basking in his last minute victory.

"Hongse!"

"The one, and the best!"

Gloating in his triumph, the red-furred demi-human let out a haughty laugh as he puffed his large chest out.

"With that, all  twenty qualifying participants in the tournament have been decided!"

Announcing this, Sitri began to list off the names of those who earned their entrance into the mysterious tournament.

"Andraste, The Supreme!"

The first name listed; a spotlight manifested by what could only be assumed to be a spell shined a light down on the regarded participant. Holding a confident smile with his arms crossed over his chest, the man oozed with power.

Wearing a pristine, snow-white coat with no shirt beneath to cover his immaculate torso, he possessed two blades that remained sheathed in iridescent, platinum sheaths that screamed expensive.

Standing out the most was his divine-like, white hair that almost looked like it was glowing at certain angles, jutting out in random directions without any proper style to it.

"...Andraste?"

The name left Jae-Seong, Macheo, and Iris' lips in perplexion as the others looked at them for an explanation.

"What the hell is someone like him doing here?...Just what in the world is up with Purgatory?"

Gritting his teeth, Macheo placed his hand over his face as if experiencing a head-churning migraine.

"Who is he?"

Asking on behalf of everyone else's confusion, Ren posed this question at the three for an answer.

"Andraste...he's one of the Victorious Seven of Mastorn--the most prestigious, elite group of warriors in the kingdom…"

Answering the question in a heated breath, Iris looked to be one second away from sweating at the presence of such an overwhelming figure.

"Victorious Seven…?"

It's the first I heard of them, I think, Ren thought, but sounds like trouble.

"Honestly, I couldn't be any happier."

In contrast to the others who seemed to have their breath compromised by Andraste's presence, Jae-Seong seemed overwhelmed with excitement as his smile wasn't contained in the slightest; grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Looks like I made the right call coming here. My boredom can finally be quenched."

Continuing on with the list of participants, Sitri didn't waste any time as his voice boomed through the densely packed room.

"Arsya, Representative of Derjun!"

Shining the spotlight onto the golden-skinned, silver-haired man who held a relaxed smile, Sitri announced the collected-seeming man, who waved with two fingers. With unkempt, silver locks that only made his sky-like eyes stand out, his lavish garments almost seemed like a waste to wear in such a savage environment.

Wearing a grey sherwani decorated with hexagonal patterns and a sable scarf over his shoulder, his celestial, unnatural eyes met directly with Ren's own for a moment.

Derjun...that was Goldheve's homeland, right? Are they connected? No...I doubt it. I remember him telling me he was an exile, Ren thought.

"He's strong."

Macheo commented, his crimson eyes honing on the distant participant put into the spotlight.

"You can tell as well?"

"Of course."

Replying to Valerie, Macheo's tone didn't change in the slightest--it was obvious he was dead serious about this tournament.

"Kikomori, The Elusive!"

Centering the mystical light to the next named challenger, it was placed over a familiar, lanky figure wrapped in a white jumpsuit, with arms unnaturally long that hung past their own knees.

"That's…!"

Recognizing them immediately, Ren fell short of words--the same reaction coming from the two who were with him in the skirmish.

"Kikomori…? What is he doing here?"

"Huh? You know that freak?"

Looking down at the beige-haired girl who stood beside him, he was caught off-guard by the young girl recognizing the enigmatic, malicious figure standing in the far corner.

"Everyone in Akitein does...he's the leader of a bandit group known as the "Bane of The Breathing". Why is he here though…? I don't understand…"

"I've been asking myself that a lot recently."

Macheo muttered as he shot a glance at the round-rimmed glasses wearing otherworlder standing behind him, who gave him a slight chuckle.

"Yuri, Lucrauv's Coldest Captain!"

"Jae-Seong, One of The Eight Heavenly Kings!"

Taking advantage of the spotlight, Jae-Seong smiled brightly as he introduced himself with an over-the-top spin followed by a wave of his hand.

"Iris, The Outlander!"

"Ren, The New Outlander!"

Hearing their names introduced with such controversial titles, the two winced at this--feeling eyes fall onto them.

"Did he have to give such sensitive information away…?"

Muttering under his breath with a wry smile, Ren followed with a perturbed sigh.

"Really…"

Iris whispered as well, rubbing her arms out of sheer shyness as her cheeks took a warm, red tinge under the spotlight.

"Valerie, The Royal Knight!"

"Hongse, The Glutton!"

Gah, what? That's not very intimidating! Hongse gasped.

"Aiko, The Young!"

Gasping at this vexing title, Aiko's cheeks turned to a peek as they puffed up in a pout--luring in a laugh from Ren and Macheo--who earned themselves quick jabs to the sides from the short, beige-haired girl.

"Macheo, The Twisted!"

"Hey, what the hell?!"

Yelling out at his own title was called out, Macheo gritted his teeth, pointing his fist towards the overseer across the room.

"That's rough, buddy."

Ren placed his hand on his golden-haired companion's shoulder with a teasing smile, quickly having his hand swatted away as Aiko took revenge with her own snicker.

"Galaggher, The Galant!"

Hearing that name be called, the spotlight finally revealed to Ren the participant he was most curious about. Revealed by the discerning, orange light, a tall, well-seeming man was presented, wearing lavish, but practical armor clearly reminiscent of a proper knight. With a fair face and luscious, hazel locks, it was clear to Ren that there was no resemblance at all to the skeletal merchant.

Still, what are the chances of a coincidence like that? Ren sighed.