Itsuki, Akeru, Ci, Cleo, and Amani all sat at the dining room table eating breakfast that Aurora had her staff make and Benjiro deliver. Unfortunately, they couldn't be there due to their meeting, and Ravenbeard was out doing his own agenda.

Ci: So, our sister won't come out, and the only way to get to her is to win her little tournament...

Amani: Yep, that sounds like Ashuria! She loves fighting!

Cleo: That's for damn sure. She worked out and fought whenever she had the chance...

Akeru: She sounds like a barbarian...n-no offense!

Ci: None taken; your assessment is somewhat accurate. Well, Itsuki, good luck with the tournament-

Itsuki: W-Wait, what?

Cleo: What, did you expect me to compete? I'm sure nothing wrong would happen if my sister saw me fight just to meet her...

Akeru: T-They have a point, Itsuki...you are the only one out of us that can compete.

Itsuki: There has to be another way to her, right? I-I've never been in a tournament before; what if I lose?

Cleo: Then I destroy the city until I find her?

Ci: Let's not do that, sister...Itsuki, I have faith in your abilities. You can do this!

Amani: But if not, I want to help Cleo destroy the city~ That sounds like fun!

Akeru: H-How about we do not destroy the city in any scenario...

Itsuki, Akeru, and Cleo left the Grand Realm via a new portal gate Ci and Amani made and headed back to Eval. They walked to the arena and inside was all marble. They went to the desk, where a red-haired, tall, busty woman glared at them.

Woman: What do you want?!

Akeru: W-W-W-

Woman: Speak up; I don't have all day!

Cleo: Rude...we would like to register him in the tournament-

Woman: Just place you, Magica, on that device there, and hurry up, damnit! This is the last day for people to sign up, so I have a lot of shit to go through!

Itsuki gulped as he did as instructed, placing his Magica on a steel table with writings on it. The whole table lit up as his Magica sparked a bit.

Woman: Alright, now leave!

Itsuki quickly grabbed his Magica as he left with the three, running into Gilbert and Anna once again.

Anna: O-Oh, hey, you guys!

Akeru: Anna and Gilbert! Are you two signing up?

Gilbert: Anna wants to; I'm a bit too old to compete!

Akeru smiled and shook her head at him.

Akeru: Oh, you don't even look that old!

Anna: What about you three, are you entered in?

Itsuki: J-Just me...Akeru doesn't have any magic or anything-

Anna: Y-You don't?!

Akeru: Y-Yeah, it must be bizarre, huh?

Gilbert: Not weird, just extremely rare to see...hell, I never heard of someone like that until today!

Cleo: It certainly is unique...but since you two know about this tournament, care to explain it to us after you register?

Anna: Can we, Gilbert?!

Gilbert looked at her, sighed, and smiled at her.

Gilbert: After you go, sign up by yourself.

Anna: M-M-Myself!?

Gilbert: Go on. If you are going to sign up, do it now.

Anna looked flustered as she panicked. Akeru took her hand and smiled, walking back to the counter as the three watched them.

Cleo: You seem like a father figure to her...are you-

Gilbert: No, I'm not her dad. I've just known her for a while...shy girl, but since she has been around me, she has been branching out bit by bit.

Itsuki looked down a little as the two returned; Anna was crying.

Gilbert: What happened?

Akeru: The woman at the counter started yelling and scared her...but I helped get her signed in. So let's uhm...go somewhere and relax?

The group nodded as they headed to Gilbert and Anna's hotel room. It was incredibly fancy; it had two beds, a couch, and chairs. The bathroom had both a shower and a massive bathtub inside of it. They all sat down and relaxed, talking about the tournament.

Itsuki: So how will all of this work, anyway?

Anna: W-Well...after today, they will gather all the contestants and put them in the arena at once. From there... it's a battle royale until only 16 are left standing.

Akeru: T-That sound's brutal...how many are usually involved?

Gilbert: Depends on the year...last year, they had about 300 inside that giant arena.

Cleo: 300?! That is absurd; surely that has to be the most there has been!?

Anna: Not at all; the highest, I think, was 1,570?

Itsuki: How did they all fit?!

Gilbert: That year, they used the city itself as the arena.

Akeru: T-That's crazy!

Anna: That isn't all...after the 16 get decided, the wheel comes out.

Cleo: A wheel?

Gilbert: To add a mix of excitement, the Ash Witch herself brings out the Wheel of Misery. On each section is a different alteration to the match...anything from changing the arena itself to completely switching up the line-up.

Itsuki: So you can end up fighting someone else instead of who you were matched against?

Anna: It makes it more entertaining, but it will be a pain for us fighters!

Akeru: How does one win, anyway?

Anna: Well...it depends. In most cases, it's by ring out, if someone doesn't get up by a ten count, or in a worst-case scenario, loss by death.

Gilbert: It happens more than you would think, a bunch of blood-hungry bastards out there...

Itsuki: You said in most cases; what do you mean by that?

Anna: The Wheel can also change up elimination rules-

Cleo: What has she been thinking?! This is absurd!

Akeru: So that means you and Itsuki...assuming you make it in, will have a lot on your plate. All to meet the Ash Witch-

Gilbert: That isn't the only thing; the winner also gets another prize. In the past, it was a random treasure, but this year she is offering a treasure that looks like it broke off of something. It may be a key to something -

Cleo: S-S-She didn't...

Itsuki: Y-You don't think she...

Anna and Gilbert look confused as Akeru quickly changes the topic.

Akeru: Well, anyway, we should get going. We must ensure Itsuki and Anna are in top fighting shape for tomorrow! That means plenty of sleep and training!

Anna: R-Right! Good luck, Itsuki!

Itsuki: Yeah, you too!

Itsuki and Anna smile at each other as the group departs from one another again. The rest of the day, the two combatants did what Akeru suggested. The next day, they all went to the arena, where many people were scattered around. The woman at the desk was yelling at the top of her lungs.

Woman: ALL RIGHT, ALL PARTICIPANTS GO TO THE LEFT ENTRANCE NOW! ANYONE ELSE NEEDS TO STAY HERE AND WAIT UNTIL WE OPEN SEATING!!!!

Itsuki: I guess that means us...let's go, Anna.

Anna: R-R-Right...

Anna had a well-made silver staff with a green ball on the top and a phoenix feather strapped under the ball. She held it tight as she and Itsuki went to the left entrance and entered the vast arena. Itsuki was shocked; it was gigantic! The arena itself was almost the size of a small town; he wondered how 1000 people were unable to fit inside.

Itsuki: G-guess we don't have to worry about ring-outs later on...

Anna: Oh, the ring transforms...so when you go one on one, it will be way smaller.

Itsuki sighed as he looked around at the other participants. Although some were way more tough-looking than others, they all looked different for the most part.

Itsuki: How many do you think are here?

Anna: About 372, but that is a rough estimate...

They stood there as the watchers started flooding in. Itsuki and Anna searched for their group but could not find them. Then, finally, an intercom began to play as an unfamiliar woman's voice came from it.

???: Thank you all for showing up to the Tournament of Ash! I, The Ash Witch, will be your host for this evening!

The crowd started going wild as she continued to speak.

Ashuria: This year, we have 380 vital participants, all eager to fight for the chance to win a visit to see me and win this lovely prize!

A man came out from the balcony overlooking the arena, holding a covered glass box. He unveiled it, revealing a crimson spike the size of both his hands.

Cleo: Damn her...that really is her Key.

Akeru: I-I can't believe she would just let someone have it...

Gilbert finally found them and sat next to them after searching.

Gilbert: Sorry, I got lost in the crowd...did I miss anything yet?

Cleo: Not yet-

Ashuria: This prize is worth so many gold coins, so everyone, give it your all! The sixteen left standing will move on; the tournament starts now...FIGHT!

Itsuki and Anna looked around as the others were already going at it, people falling down or getting pushed off the arena into the moat of water surrounding it. They nodded at each other as they rushed at the crowd, ready to fight for the chance at winning.