Azian Continent, Union of Northern States, Kingdom of Niasp, Northern Watch, Peak of Ediet Mountain, August 21st, 1999.
A dark-haired young man, around 1.70 meters (around 5'7") tall, sits cross-legged on the peak of the colossal Ediet Mountain, located on the northern coast of Niasp. Despite the summer months, the mountain shows no sign of warmer temperatures and is still completely covered in snow.
His body is halfway covered in snow as a small snowstorm rages around him, violently waving his shoulder-length hair around.
Surrounding him is a large dome-shaped area of Aura, with a radius of around 300 meters.
His eyes closed, his dark green pendant on his neck glowing slightly, he is completely relaxed and unbothered by the cold around him, despite wearing just a thin pair of pants, a shirt, and a pair of dark black boots, bracers, and gauntlets. Wearing a katana with a white sheath, the man is concentrating intensely while still maintaining an almost complete stillness.
However, his calm and serene meditation is disrupted as he senses movement around him.
Not reacting at all, he calmly senses a tall man approaching him, recognizing him within seconds.
The approaching man stomps forcefully through the snow, his confidence and physical strength more than apparent, making quick progress until he stops in front of the meditating man.
Now 16 years old, still possessing a youthful charm, Auren has the physique of a trained fighter. Despite his much leaner build, at least compared to the colossal man approaching him, his overall look carries an almost illogical vitality, not inferior to the visitor at all.
"Greetings... Prince Benjamin," Auren says, his eyes remaining closed.
"You recognize my Aura?" Benjamin asks. "It looks like you've grown, Auren... in more ways than one."
"Heh," Auren says as he stands up, opens his slightly glowing blue eyes, and activates Ren, instantly clearing away the snow around him and blasting it away, causing Benjamin to block the snow thrown at him with his arms.
"I'd recognize you by your size and body alone, Prince. I don't know anyone else with such a towering build. It looks like you've made a lot of progress regarding Nen as well," Auren comments with a grin.
"I can sense that your overall Aura capacity has reached the level of a veteran Hunter," Auren continues. "Add to that your muscles, and I don't see you needing any of your bodyguards. Did I waste my time?"
"I've seen those guys on my way up... I thought you were only giving them instructions once in a while... from what I've seen, they made incredible progress... those guys are a small army on their own. I'm quite tempted to test them out myself," Benjamin admits.
"Feel free to... their Hatsus might be a surprise for you as well. However, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? I wasn't quite finished with my training. I want to focus on En a little longer," Auren asks, his face turning serious.
"Heh, why are you training this obsessively? You were already on top of the martial arts world almost 2 years ago. By now, I don't think many people could hope to beat you," the Prince argues, his eyes landing on the sheathed katana on the left side of Auren's body. "Especially... with that thing. It feels even more ominous than years ago... my men told me you hunted the colossal bears and tigers around here, and even jumped into the freezing water and hunted down sea beasts on your own. Since you donated your prey to us, I've been receiving many compliments after showing off your trophies in the palace. I feel like a liar."
"No need to feel that way. I promise you, with your strength, you can take down every single kind of local prey as well... I only wish there were stronger beasts around, but I guess they were just enough to keep me from getting rusty," Auren replies.
And to make progress in awakening Eternity....
Even after all that time, it's only around 30% white... it looks a little silly now. Still... any progress is welcome. I feel that with my own growth, so has the potential of Eternity increased.
"But you still didn't answer my question," Auren continues.
Benjamin smiles, crossing his arms. "I've come to pick you up personally because I am interested in seeing how you've progressed."
After a brief pause, he continues. "The date of the next Battle Olympia has been decided as well. It's starting in exactly ten days. If you don't head back now, you won't make it in time. Didn't your friends inform you?" he asks.
Showing a hint of surprise, Auren perks up. "I'm only checking my phone every few months... I was only focusing on my training... and it paid off," Auren says. "Well... I can work on En somewhere else. Fine, I am ready to leave."
Together, the two of them descend the mountain, Auren's body seemingly unaffected by the cold, frost, and snow as he walks forward with a very swift pace, the Prince having some trouble following after him despite walking behind him, as his steps become a little easier with less snow to stomp aside.
As they make progress and head for the fort, the snow visibly thins, and the ground gets easier to tread on.
"Auren," Benjamin asks from behind. "Your training... was it successful?"
"It would seem so," Auren replies before glaring at Benjamin. "However... as I stressed numerous times..."
"I'll keep it to myself," Benjamin replies, not shrinking back, instead laughing loudly. "You worry too much!"
"..."
Exactly ten days later, Auren, accompanied by Prince Benjamin on his personal luxury airship, arrives at Heaven's Arena.
He briefly checks his phone only to see numerous messages asking about his whereabouts.
Neffi... Vanessa... Eren... Vanessa... Konrad... Vanessa... Leira... Vanessa... again... and yet again...Ura...Vanessa again...
Briefly skimming through the messages and angrily deleting Vanessa's, who turn out to be only one-liners with countless exclamation marks, Auren puts the phone aside.
Having trained hard and ended his isolation and training only in the last ten days, he didn't bother to chat, aside from sending a single message to everyone that he intended to appear in Heaven's Arena to participate in Battle Olympia.
Together, just hours before the start of the event, Auren enters the prince's personal box, offering a great view of the arena while granting complete privacy.
"I don't want the attention anymore, so I've booked a private box," Benjamin explains. "You can watch and relax, the format of this year's Battle Olympia has been adjusted a little."
"Why?" Auren asks. "Don't I have to fight?"
"No, not until the final," Benjamin explains. "Since you won so decisively, and aside from two new upcoming Floor Masters, nobody of real talent has appeared. So if you participated like anyone else, this competition wouldn't be a competition at all."
"I see," Auren replies. "Two upcoming Floor Masters, huh?"
"Heh," Benjamin smiles. "Your two students. Meteor Fist Vanessa and Infinity Hand Eren. I have to admit, fancy nicknames. I've seen their fights as well. That broad of yours is totally crazy. I would even welcome her into my own bed... she would make a fine queen for me. However, since I respect you, I'll refrain from acting on my desires."
"Crazy?" Auren asks. "I read that she became a Floor Master a year ago, but aside from her brash personality and... honest attitude, she's fairly normal."
"Heh, you ask why? Because she tends to not only destroy her opponent, but also the entire Arena! Her constant barrage of meteors is incredibly popular. Because of her and her frequent carnage and destruction, they'll no longer sell tickets for the front rows when she's fighting; they just leave them empty. She has hospitalized more than a dozen people, and Heaven's Arena is no longer willing to settle lawsuits for the next spectator who gets hurt, which seems like an inevitability if you allow them to approach close enough.
Is she crazy?
"That sure sounds like her...." Auren admits. "So I take it her reputation is terrible?"
"You might be surprised," Benjamin says, as the Arena slowly starts to fill up, with more and more people arriving. "As for Eren, he's incredibly stable. His fights always end in his slow, but hopelessly one-sided, victory. With his extra set of deadly arms that can extend and shift shape, he has an incredible amount of control over his fights, using them to find a perfect balance between offense and defense."
Makes sense.
Suddenly, a familiar female voice echoes through the Arena. The very same determined, highly motivated moderator from the last Battle Olympia makes a triumphant return, and the crowd goes wild.
"Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen! It's finally time... time for the most violent, high-level, and chaotic fights in the entire world... no other tournament can even hope to compete..."
"Welcome... to Heaven's Arena... welcome... to Baaaaattle Olyyyyympia!!" She hypes up the crowd, which goes wild.
After continuing for a few minutes, the crowd finally calms down.
"This year, we only have eight... no, nine Floor Masters competing. It looks like a lot of people... are not willing to take the challenge because of the high level of competition."
"Let me introduce the Floor Masters based on their seed numbers according to our official Heaven's Arena betting odds, sponsored by Yippie Soda, now with a new peach flavor available for a short time. Give the fruity, delicious summer flavor a try, you won't regret it. Available right here on every floor of Heaven's Arena, only in the official Yippie Soda vending machines."
The crowd slowly goes wild, clapping loudly, until the moderator continues.
"Now... for our first seed... you all know her... you all fear her... but we all know, you all love her even more!"
"International top model, the number four spot on the list of the most desirable bachelorettes in the world, a member of high society with a reputable family, number one femme fatale of every teenage boy...!"
What is she saying?
"Please welcome... the Meteor Fist of destruction! Our beloved... Vaaaanesssssaa... Chester!"
The crowd goes totally wild, stomping on the floor and cheering loudly as a familiar woman enters the Arena.
Wearing what looks like a variation of Neffi's combat armor, only colored in a bright red and looking unnecessarily stylish, Vanessa, with her blazing long red hair, enters the Arena, raising a hand, casually waving at her thousands of fans.
The crowd doesn't want to shut up, and the roars continue for minutes. Auren sees thousands of people carrying banners with meteors and words of encouragement, lifting them proudly for everyone to see.
A few crazy people also manage to jump over the barricades and enter the ring, carrying bouquets as they desperately try to reach Vanessa, only to get tackled to the floor by Heaven's Arena staff. One even crashes onto the floor and by the looks of it, breaks his leg, as he's screaming loudly.
"..."
"Please marry me, Vanessa, I'll make you rich!"
"Please date me! I'll love you so much!"
"Please step on my face!"
"What the fuck has this place turned into?" Auren wonders, looking at her crazed fans with disgust. Is this a respected, sacred martial arts contest or a damn prize fight? This is pathetic, and I won't even address the crowd.
Benjamin grins. "I told you, you might be surprised. I am not interested in ordinary women... it takes someone like her to qualify... however, her personality is just... you know about it quite well. Most of her fans don't seem to mind, though. Not only does she have fanatic male fans, but also a wide array of female fans. She has become an idol... you heard her status. It's the first time a woman has become the most popular Floor Master. Because of her flashy Hatsu, she is a superstar."
Who told her to become a damn superstar?! Now, wherever she goes, she'll be instantly recognized. I guess I'll have a good excuse not to bring her anywhere in the future.
Perhaps that is the reasonable thing to do... but I wonder... would she accept such an answer? I might have to beat her up a little to make her comply.
After a huge spectacle, the moderator introduces the second seed. "Now... his cool and calm demeanor, his rational and highly intelligent fighting style. You all know him well, but at the same time, he is clouded in mystery; in a sense, he's the polar opposite of our first seed, but there is one thing they both have in common. Their undefeated records and unshakable status as martial arts prodigies. Though much of his private life, his motivations, and even his interests are covered in mystery, he has managed to gather a large fanbase. Please welcome... Floor Master Eren!"
A much smaller, but equally fanatic, crowd begins to cheer.
On closer inspection, Auren sees only women among them. From old to young, there doesn't seem to be any particular theme.
"Kiyaaaah Eren, so cute!"
"I want to be your big sister!"
"Beat up that violent she-ogre!"
"Eren!"
Since I haven't shown my face yet... should I just leave? The desire to return to that frosty mountain is sounding more and more appealing with every passing minute.
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