In the middle of a seemingly boundless desert, where everywhere you look at is sand and just sand, furious wind was blowing. In the far distance in this desert, there was a massive cloud of violent sand, howling.
Before this sandstorm, a light came out of nowhere and spat out a giant! As the giant landed on the sand, the sand floated and became smoke, covering the giant while the earth below it shook and cracked.
The giant snorted and looked around. His face became irritated, "Urgh!! Who made me come here?!", his voice reverberated through the windy space hoarsely.
He then looked behind, "Did we all get seperated?!", the giant clenched his fist tightly. His face furrowed with anger as the sandstorm that reached the sky covered him.
"ARRGHHH!!!", the giant roared as its eyes glowed red and made the air explode by just using its voice! The sandstorm that was so violent was now following the flow of his tone, the giant's roar echoed and was heard like a volcano, followed by an earthquake. It suddenly became calm above the ground.
He closed his eyes to calm himself down. His hand reach into the pocket on his huge iron belt. The giant took out a piece of stone. It was barely glowing gold. Carved on it was a single horn and the inside was carved faded like the incandescent horn on the giant's forehead.
"That bastard is still very far away! That guy! Whoever he is who could take over my control on the Gate! I will find you and I'll torture you! Argh!", the giant, Gorth, grunted.
Gorth then walked like he knew where he was going. Every step was a mile, and every step he took, his figure itself changes to something smaller and something looked frailer. His figure turned into a human.
Gorth walked onto the endless sand, looking like a normal traveler.
…..
A bandage went around a scraped knee. Dana was not even looking directly at Rin even when he's treating her.
He was like a professional when taking care for a wound since he always injured himself if not everyday before.
Sylvie who was sitting beside Dana on the white bed was also silent. She was feeling a sense of guilt and awkwardness at the same time. Sylvie was no longer comfortable around Dana.
"Done!", Rin exclaimed after he was done taping the bandages.
Dana took and her bag and was about to leave without saying anything but was stopped by Rin when he grabbed her arm, "Hey..", but he didn't know what to say. Is it his fault? Not only Sylvie but he too felt guilt.
Dana glared at him and pulled her arm. Rin had no choice but to let her go and leave his hand hanging.
However, Dana didn't left him but grabbed his hand, the one that was hanging in the air, and pulled him.
"Ah, see you later, Sylvie.", Rin waved his other hand.
Sylvie blushed not because of Rin that was waving at him but she got shy when she saw Dana's cute side and the both of them as a couple.
On their way out from school, Rin couldn't say a word and could only follow Dana: through the busy streets, through the quiet alleys until in front of Dana's house.
Dana didn't utter a single word. She just clenched her hand before releasing Rin's hand and entering her own house just like that.
"…", Rin stared confusedly at the front door as Dana slowly closed it, 'What was that about? I don't understand.
He decided to call her right away when he get home and tried to find what's the problem. Did she hear about what he and Sylvie were talking about and found it upsetting that someone was talking on her back? Or is she jealous???
Rin shook his head thought that may not be possible. He then looked at his palm, "That was such a small and soft warm hand.", he smiled.
"What are you smiling and relaxing like a normal youth would be? Haah, Rin?", Rin looked around but saw nothing and could only hear his master's voice, "Did you forgot that you're going to be the cause of destruction of millions of worlds from now on?"
Rin's mood suddenly plummeted, his face darkened.
"However, all of that can be avoided if you surprise them first. Heheh!", Elihim's voice chuckled.
Rin looked at the air above and listened carefully. He was snapped back into the reality, "Master…"
"Okay, bring all of your attention to my voice as I am going to tell you your workout regime in one breath, okay? This regime is called; The No Sleep Workout."
"Huh? One breath-?", Rin was surprised but before he could ask, Elihim's voice already started;
"At exactly 9 PM, you will go to where your memories will lead you and then always fight in the level 2 in the first week, until you're completely exhausted and let you cheat, do the thing, push yourself higher thyou're limit… you get it?"
"What???", it seemed like Rin didn't get it at all.
"Geez, you're smart. Don't pretend you don't understand that at all. I said that you're going to fight even after you couldn't stand up and could only stop when the sun starts to rise…. Okay, bye!', the voice them faded into nothing.
"Ugh… Master…", Rin's jaw fell off, "I'm going back to the Hidden World this early? Am I going to the… what is it called??", Rin tried to remember but the voice came back: "Yeah, the Colden Cage Arena. The Colden hold it, obvious from its name."
"Huh? Colden?", Rin questioned everything.
"One of the four factions. Seriously, bye!"
"…", Rin gazed far away, "So it's literally no sleep, huh? And that's not even a workout.", he complained but it is not like he could do anything about it.
He just prayed for his wellness to the Omnipotent God.