Haruto's luck seemed exceptionally dire as he stared up at the gigantic figure who had just landed before him, casting a shadow that blocked out the sun. The man, a veritable giant clad only in a kilt with a strap across his chest and heavy boots made from some beastly hide, was reminiscent of an ancient warrior, perhaps a version of Thor himself. The massive hammer slung over his back only added to the imposing visage.
"Imagine my surprise when my griffin informed me of an encounter with some wet-behind-the-ears brat that dared to attack it unprovoked. I immediately thought you must either have an overabundance of confidence or a severe lack of sense," the giant boomed.
Sylvie gasped from the sidelines, "What! You attacked a mountain griffin?!"
Haruto, feeling the weight of the accusations and the eyes of the crowd on him, protested, "Hold on a second. What do you mean unprovoked? That thing kicked me into a tree. I swear I only ran into it by mistake."
Motar turned his gaze toward the griffin, which seemed to nervously shuffle its feet and look away, feigning ignorance. Haruto pointed accusingly, "Hey, you bird, don't play coy; you know what really happened in that forest." The griffin snorted dismissively, almost smirking.
"No matter what the circumstances were, you were just about to attack, were you not? So, for that transgression, you will duel me," Motar declared, his voice resounding across the square.
Haruto's face drained of color as the reality of his situation sank in. "You damn bird, what have you gotten me into!" he muttered under his breath, audible enough for the surrounding crowd to hear and erupt in a chant, "DUEL! DUEL! DUEL!"
**Back at the Palace**
In a dimly lit meeting room, King Drago, the 10th King of Mordell also known as the Dragon King, sat surrounded by two other Vanguard members. The room was filled with tension, the air thick with anticipation of bad news. Servious, the 5th Ranked Vanguard and leader of the Research and Covert Ops Division, held a paper bird, his voice echoing mechanically, "Yessss, my lord. In fact, this message appeared today, and it doesn't bode well."
King Drago leaned back, his expression grave. "Play the message. If it's what we expect, we may have to implement Initiation Plan B."
Kane, the newest member of the Vanguard and Gram's brother, smirked, intrigued by the unfolding events.
**Back in the Square**
The crowd buzzed with excitement at the prospect of a duel initiated by a Vanguard member. Haruto, however, was less than thrilled. Sylvie leaned in, her voice low, "You can't back out. Duels issued by a Vanguard member are binding. You can't say no or refuse. Just try to survive and do your best."
Motar, overhearing Sylvie, bellowed with laughter, "You, girl, you're Six's sister, right? Great! You can join him in the duel!"
Sylvie collapsed to her knees, exasperated. "Why does trouble always seem to follow you?"
The mysterious woman who had appeared with the children earlier chuckled, "Oh go on, it should be fun."
The children, Yu and Mi, giggled and chorused in a hauntingly cheerful tone, "Yeah, go on, fun, fun, fun!"
As the magical dome began to form around them, isolating them from the rest of the square to prevent collateral damage, Motar readied his device. "So this doesn't hurt anyone else or destroy the square. Now, shall we begin?"
The air was electric with anticipation, the crowd's excitement palpable as they prepared to witness a duel that was shaping up to be more spectacle than contest. Haruto squared his shoulders, resigned to his fate, as the magical barrier solidified, sealing them in what could either be his grandest moment or his most spectacular downfall.