[As it states on the Contract: Recall the tales and awaken the snow princess from her dream.] The voice of Shirayukihime echoes from the skies.
"Quite a vague piece of hint right there. So what am I supposed to do? Find you and kiss you?" [Y-You shameless vermin!] Akatsuki and Inaba had been teleported into another dimension. From what Inaba had said before this was a game board. For a board this place was quite vast. The clear open skies and the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. A castle was in the vicinity further up ahead. This was a town made of stones and bricks much like in the medieval era. There were even knights in armor walking around along with people going about their business.
"Judging by this place's set up I can say that it's same as the settings in the story of Snow White." "Uuuu..." Inaba was still in dismay of being offered up as an item of value in this wager as she crouches down tracing a circle on the ground with dark clouds surrounding her.
"Get up or do you really want to be that girl's plaything? Don't tell me that you're actually an M?" "I'm not!" "Anyway going over what we already know." "Recall the tales and awaken the snow princess from her dream." To recall the tale as in the original tale of "Sneewittchen" by the Grimm brothers? "Akatsuki-san do you have any ideas? This seems to be a battle of wits." "Oh how I wish that I had a daughter that had skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony." quotes by the mother of Snow White when she was sewing and accidentally pricked her fingers on the needle." "Eh?" "The single drop of blood was pretty much the reason that caused the mother to notice how pretty the color of red was on top of the white snow, thus giving her the ideal image of her born daughter." "A-Akatsuki-san are you perhaps...smart?" "Top of my grade and the number one problem child!" He proudly declares his standing back in his world without reserve. It was true that his delinquent like appearance hid away his intelligent aspects, but Akatsuki was well read in many fields.
"Oh right, I need to take a picture." Once again Akatsuki digs out his phone and snapped a picture.
"I've been meaning to ask but what exactly is that?" "A smartphone, something from my world. I've been taking pictures of this world for the sake of investigating it." Even though Akatsuki's phone is inside of a waterproof case he wasn't too confident on whether or not it will still function again after he fell into the Serpent's Lake. To his surprise it still works without a hitch. The case also acted as a solar charger as well which was quite convenient since he didn't bring his charging cords.
"I see. So did you figure anything out?" "Not really, the objective is just too vague. But from what it looks like this setting appears to be after the evil queen that was Snow White's stepmother died. That castle should belong to the prince who married Snow White." "Then we should head there first right?" "I suppose." They quickly start moving. There was nothing really unusual during their walk to the castle. A normal town with people living a mundane life. "It's quite grand up close isn't it?" "Yeah." The gate of the castle was the size of a modern day destroyer. As Akatsuki approached an invisible wall prevented him from going further.
"It's asking for a password." "Tch." Akatsuki clicks his tongue and kicks the invisible wall but to no avail did the wall yield. The hint given was "the name of the kingdom." "Fine, easy enough. The password is-" "Wait, wait Akatsuki-san what if you guessed wrong and something bad happens?" [She's right you know? Guess wrong and you'll be given a frostbite treatment.] "How about you get your face out to where I can see you instead of echoing your annoying voice for the land to hear? Aren't you embarrassed at all?" "Akatsuki-san it's not a wise idea to anger her any more than what you already have." [Tch you filthy insect, I'll have you pay soon enough!] "Once more the password is Camelot." There is no frostbite treatment given; only silence follows after Akatsuki's answer while Inaba bites her nails in fright. Akatsuki took a step forward and went through the castle gate!
"Heh looks like I'm right." "How did you know that?" [You insect...!] "The tales has all the answers. Camelot is what some would call the perfect kingdom. This was the kingdom after the wicked queen's death. By marrying the prince, Snow White enters the perfect kingdom being Camelot. And Camelot is also highly associated with King Arthur. "Heh, Eden is now getting more and more interesting, everything exists here doesn't it?" Myths and legends sometimes are highly tied together as the same tale even if the myths and legends are slightly different due to alternations of culture and time. Here in Eden is a world where gods and demon exist waging War Games on one another as such it wasn't too bizarre to find two tales merged into one setting.
"Amazing Akatsuki-san!" "It's too soon to celebrate." "Eh?" "I just said it right? This setting is merged with King Arthur's tales." "Ah!" That meant that the said king will appear as an obstacle... Akatsuki and Inaba would have to battle against a divine figure!
"Heh this'll be interesting. A fight with a godly figure." "That's too reckless! Even if the summoned King Arthur is weaken without his Divine Armament, a god is still a god!" "That's what makes it so interesting." Akatsuki turns around with a fearless smile.
"I hope that god can entertain me until I'm satisfied." "Huhuhu..." Inaba held her head down as she follows after Akatsuki who laughed in a carefree manners. "Oi Inaba! If just the sound of fighting against a godly figure is enough to scare you out of your wits then don't even think about reviving your Circle!" "!!?" Akatsuki's words were correct. If she wanted to revive her Circle she had to be determined to do so. For the sake of the children who were waiting for them to get back with a water source, she had to do her very best and win this game and not be a burden for Akatsuki-san.
"You're right, if I want to revive our Circle back to its former glory I have to be prepared to take down a godly figure or two at least." She clenches her fist and looks up at Akatsuki with strong and determine eyes.
"Before that we need to take care of this." Before they knew it Akatsuki and Inaba were surrounded by knights in armor.
"Right we'll fight our way to the top." Akatsuki took up his fists in a fighting stance. Inaba as well pull out a card from her pocket. As one of the armored knights came in for an attack, Akatsuki dodged to the side and retaliated with a punch aimed at the chest plate of the knight.
"Hm?" The impact against the armor felt hollow as if nothing was inside of it. As another attack came, Akatsuki kicked the helmet of the knight off.
"Oi what are they? Some sort of puppets? Or are they all Dullahans?" Inaba noticed the graveness of the situation as well as one of her hit connected. She may not be strong as Akatsuki in brute strength but her own physical capabilities are still far above average. This was something that Akatsuki had noticed when chasing after Inaba. She was quick and agile like a rabbit when chased for her dear life.
"They're most likely just a part of the game board." "Then..." No matter how many they defeat it won't matter. It's an endless spawn! This whole setup was made just to drain them of their stamina before the final battle.
"We'll just have to take them all out at once then run away from here and go straight to the top of the castle's throne room." "And I assume that you have a way to do that Inaba?" "Ufufufu this Divine Armament that I possess can only be used once per game but it's power is absolute." With a smug look Inaba took out a white card with a crescent moon symbol in the center.
Typically Divine Armaments are the weapons of Gods and Demon Lords but it was possible for others to hold a replica of them from the God or Demon Lord if they were deemed worthy. The power of the Divine Armament held by Inaba is the Eyes of Tsukuyomi a powerful lunar spell that could bring down a crushing wave of gravity.
"Oh sounds amazing." "But if we use it we'll have nothing to use against King Arthur." This is the final trump card that should absolutely be used against the final obstacle that stood in their way from victory. But if they didn't use it now they'd only be swarmed by armor knights that are practically like cockroaches that won't die out no matter how many they kill. Taking down one two or three more replaces them afterwards. Even though Inaba should be just as competent in combat as Akatsuki she was not going to hold forever. The same naturally goes for Akatsuki as well even though he prides himself on his physical abilities.
"We'll deal with it when the time comes. The present takes priority." Knocking down one more Akatsuki makes his decision and deems it to be the right time to use it. "Alright then." With a nod Inaba raised the white card into the air as a bright light shines forth. The game board's setting was supposed to be day time but using this one card caused the night to engulf the world as a pale white moon rose up in the dark skies. All at once the force of gravity increased by tenfold and it was still drastically climbing without limit! One by one the knights fell kneeling. The heavy armored knights were crushed by their own weight as their armors caved in. They were being crushed flat against the stone ground unable to even move a finger! The suits of armor may as well just be sheets of metal at this point as they were more or less paper thin. Let's move on while they're down!" Akatsuki followed after Inaba and headed deeper into the castle.