Tim and his pals stood in front of their ship, which had become dusty from their absence, as twilight fell over the Golden Wasakona and its desert.
"I'm not sure how we ended up in this predicament, but seeing this ship makes me wonder. But that's okay if there's a way back to our homes. On the other hand, based on everything we've seen, I feel like I could live here for the rest of my life."
Codey said as he began to ascend the ladder that ran down the side of their ship.
Their new friends stood on the sand, making sure to give them a proper farewell, but Nina and Dr. Louree were required to stay behind as more and more patients needed to be treated owing to the pandemonium in the battle.
"You weren't kidding when you said you were sailing aboard a pirate ship. It's no surprise that the moment you set foot on an island, people mistake you for pirates."
Tim raised his hand in front of Ireene, rubbed the back of his head, and smiled foolishly.
"I can't claim we're not skeptical when we're a whole crew and board a pirate ship, but this is our sole mode of transit across the Vast Expanse. But I'm growing used to it, and the more I think about it, the more I think we should turn into pirates and start giving people problems!"
Everyone shouted a large decline as they all whacked the top of Tim's head, giving him a bump and causing him to sit on the floor with an unimpressed expression the moment he laughed.
"This is the absolute last thing we need! You've already received a bounty, and you're not even a pirate! Seriously, learn how to make excellent decisions so that we don't have to take on any more folks." Tim chuckled again as Ayuka exclaimed and put her hands on her hips.
"I suppose, but if I may say so, we'd be the nice kind of pirates!"
Their new pals, as well as the Sand Shark Surfers who came to bid them farewell, and Kou, who cried out to them with a sorrowful call, all chuckled. "Tim and friends, I hope to see you again soon! Make sure that Tomomi will survive! We swear we'll never forget you, and I appreciate everything you've done for us! I wish I could cruise on the ocean, so I'm hoping you'll share plenty of intriguing experiences, when you come back!"
Everyone smiled when Kou called, save Tim, who chuckled and stretched on the spot in response to Kou's call.
"You want to sail through the ocean? That's an easy task to do, if you ask me."
"I wish I could say so for myself, but I never managed to do so. You're very lucky if you ask me!"
"Then hurry up..."
Kou looked perplexed at Tim. He looked about at everyone, but didn't understand what was going on, and he even looked behind him, where Ireene and Walmo gently pulled him forward and grinned, and then Kou heard Tim's next word.
"Come aboard! You wanted to sail across the ocean, correct? I think this is the best chance you'll ever get, so come up quickly. I think you'd be a great ally for us and you can do whatever you want with us! I mean, if you're not worried about getting into trouble against other people, then it should be easy. Plus, I saw you had some knowledge about fighting."
"W-What? W-Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Y-You want me to be part of your crew, even though I'm only fourteen years old? Y-You must be kidding. I think I'd be quite useless and couldn't do much to help. So, I think I should stay back and become older."
Kou scratched the back of head with embarrassed face as he looked to the side and hoped that they were joking. But just then, Ayuka stepped close to him and grabbed his wrist gently and then turned around toward the ship. She shared a big smile.
"Don't say that! We might not have been able to find a doctor for me if it hadn't been for you, and based on what I've heard, your assistance was crucial in bringing Byron down."
While Artemis chuckled in the rear, Ireene held Kou's shoulder and softly put her head next to his face with a smile and gently patted his shoulder.
"You know, you were incredibly helpful. You saved my father and even went out of your way to help Tomomi, and to be honest, what you said to Tim back then was incredible! I believe you are now old enough to take your first trip out to sea. You don't have to be concerned about your home. We have more than enough freedom now that Byron has been defeated and we have become stronger. So hurry up and board their vessel! Your wish will eventually come true."
Kou grinned as everyone greeted him with a smile. He broke into a big smile and nodded, clearly excited.
"I don't give a damn if I get into trouble! I just want to go sailing on the sea! Hold your horses, I'm coming!"
Everyone laughed around Ayuka and Kou as they ran toward the ship alongside Tim, delighted to see Kou's emotion improve, and everyone stayed on board in the end. Along with Artemis, Ireene, and the Sand Shark Surfers, Tim and his companions raised their arms in the motion of waving their arms.
"Everyone! Raise the anchor!"
With the help of Kou, Elliott raised the anchor, while Natan and Codey dropped the flag and landed on the ship, Ayuka twisted the wheel, Tim and Karisa waved to each other at the front, and Ellie sat on the fence.
"Furthermore! Ellie, I've heard, is looking for a way out! At roughly ten o'clock, there should be a "Multi-Reality Gate" appearing! It should just be a few kilometers from the coast, so take that exit!"
Ellie jumped onto the fence and grinned immediately. "Really?! Isn't it great that I can finally go home?! I was really excited to be back home! Thank you! Good bye!"
"Our next destination! Harventona Park Castlemania!!!"
The journey continues...
~ Everyone's tummies were stuffed, and Tim chuckled as he yawned and touched his own belly. "Mmm! Delicious!" When they were about to resume their healthy lunch, the sky erupted in a looping and whirling rift that extended gorgeous rays of light. The weather suddenly shifted to a strong breeze, and the sea waves began to climb in height.
When Karisa pointed to the rift, they all glanced up in unison and waited for something to happen. They prepared their defenses in case they had to battle.
Instead, they all observed a boy clad in a yellow trench coat and brown boots falling through the air. He had blue hair and blue eyes, identical to Elliott's.
"Somebody! Help me!"
-
"Um. You all have a similar appearance to my friends, with a few minor variances... My name is Ellie Thundere, and I'm from the Zero World, a society comprised of the twelve clans created to exorcise the demons and any evil associated with that designation..."
-
Karisa cheered while Ayuka smiled, who soon understood that the battle wasn't done. Instead, she swung her left arm and quickly whirled around. But before she could succeed, a series of spikes pierced her through the front of her body, forcing her lips to spit blood and shaking her eyes.
Karisa was taken aback as she saw her good friend collapsing onto the floor while getting punctured by multiple spikes and stopped on the spot, swiftly noticing how Ayuka's body lay on the floor, and then saw Naeve standing up with heavy breathing.
"No, way... Ayuka!"
-
"That's a Mount Shell Turtle, right there. This desert is its home. It's extremely common in these locations and is completely harmless, although many people are afraid of it because of its size. It rests beneath the sand to avoid direct sunshine, and cool down, but once it has cooled down, it travels on and continues the process."
The girl at the top of the hill was dressed similarly, with a hood over her head and a brown penguin standing behind her, staring down at them.
-
"You'd like to visit Wasakona? But for what reason? Don't you understand that going there is a risk of your lives being cut short? Many people tried to visit the kingdom, but due to our ruler, most of them had to go through a long and dangerous trial."
Natan raised his head with his arms tugged inside his pockets and quickly dragged out a poster that he received from the Oxfell Arton.
"You must be talking about, Byron, right? A "Sea Noble" and pirate with a high bounty of $75,000,000."
"So you're aware of him as well? Yes, I'm afraid so. He's a cruel dictator who decided to jail the king in order for him to take over the Golden Wasakona's reigns. He's been attempting to force our king's approval ever since he took over the Golden Wasakona, but we're fortunate that the king has declined his request. Byron, on the other hand, has been using the situation and forcing people into slavery if they survive the trial. There's no stopping him, and the world government hasn't intervened because of the "Sea Nobles" reputation and the fact that he's part of them."
-
"I'm sorry to bother you with questions, but are you by any chance the Golden Wasakona's royal daughter known as Princess Ireene."
"W-What? You know me? But how is that possible? Was I careless with keeping my identity...?"
"A princess?!"
-
A group of ten people stood on the top of gray shark's backs, acting like a surfing board and each of them held a different weapon. Some of them had spears, one of them had a bow and others had some sort of a cutlass that were enough dangerous weapon for the trial goers to be eliminated with ease.
-
"Princess Ireene. You've caused a rule violation and have put your life on the line of execution. You, who have protected her, do not intervene or we'll eliminate you as well."
-
They both nodded in unison as Nina sighed and grinned in response, and they continued to sprint following Tim, who had suddenly vanished from their vision. They grew concerned and astonished when they heard loud screams coming from behind the edge of a barren hill.
When they reached the cliff's edge, they both glanced down to see a lengthy track rolling down the hill, with Tim sliding down it while struggling to maintain his balance.
"Whoaaahoaaahaaaaa!"
-
"Watch out! Think you could help me out?!"
The boy moved his head to the side, his eyes, shook as he saw Tim slipping down the cliff at top speed, and he felt shocked with sweat streaming down his brow. Tim's mouth opened wide and his cheeks continued to shake from the pace as the boy stepped forward and leaped out of the path as Tim slipped closer to him. He yelled as he slipped passed the boy's body.
-
"Kou! It's me, Ireene!"
After watching Ireene show her face, Kou swiftly turned around and was taken aback when he met her. "Ireene...?" While Tim, Nina, and Tomomi were perplexed, he wondered.
"You two know each other?"
"Yes, he's one of my friends that I met a year ago. But, Kou, why are you here?"
-
Byron stood in the middle of his room, looking through his window and suddenly noticed a massive explosion in the distance, with the flames zooming through the air, straight toward his window. He ended up astonished and out of nowhere, the massive window before him shattered into pieces and scattered on the ground as Tim, Kou and Tomomi came flying through it.
Tim's loud shout reverberated throughout Byron's room and spread through the hallways as he called out Byron's name.
"There you are! BYRON!"
-
"I expected company today, but not such an unique arrival. You must be one of the three intruders that incited a riot and massacred my men, and then you appear from nowhere through the window. What an impressive group of people."
"Byron! I've heard everything about your treatment of others! You've disgraced Ireene's life by first imprisoning this kingdom's monarch, then putting people through these horrible trials, even forcing Walmo and his buddies to go on a mission that involves slaying innocent people if they violate the rules! All of these horrible activities will return to their previous state once I kick your ass right now!"
-
Tim suddenly returned his sight to Kou and promptly shouted out. He didn't hesitate and was completely focused on the combat. His only concern was getting Tomomi to safety as quickly as possible. Her sole chance of survival remained uncertain, which is why Tim quickly assigned Kou to his next task.
"Kou! I'd like you to take her to the doctor you mentioned before! Make your way through the temple and make it there safely! Everything that is happening to her is a result of my sword completely vanishing from existence! Don't even try to avoid my request! Tomomi is my friend, and there is nothing else I would rather keep in the world than her! You better hurry, you got that?! Whatever happens, don't stop running and trust me!!"
-
"He promised... There's no way he'd lose! I refuse to believe it! He would never lose to you, not after making me a promise! He told me to trust him, so I trust him! Those words he said back in the Hatly were enough to prove me that he's no ordinary warrior! He's a man who I can trust! He helped the Sand Shark Surfers despite them trying to kill him! He promised Ireene that he'll beat you and even if you say he lost, I won't believe it! I trust him with everything I have! I know he'll kick your ass, and I know that he'll do it even if it means a sacrifice!"
-
"Tim! Hey! What the hell are you doing?! Don't just lie down there! Did you forget?! You said you'll kick Byron's ass! So, what the hell are you doing down there, slacking off! Byron is still here, so get a move on and beat him!"
"Are you listening?! Tim! Don't play around; get up! I know that you're still alive! Stop messing around, I know you can hear me! Remember that promise you made? You swore that people like Jawjack and Byron don't have the legal right to impose countries! I'm sure you remember, so get up!"
"Please hurry up and do it! Only you have the ability to defeat him! Byron will sell Tomomi if you don't hurry up! Please, just pay attention to me! Do you really want your friends to die?! Please, you're our only hope! Fight! Fight! Fight! Tim! We need you!"
"Tim! Please!!!"
"I BEG YOU!!!"
"WAKE UP!!!"
-
Karisa got up and walked over to the window. She climbed to the top and immediately grabbed the window frame. She looked to have concentrated her stare on Tim's lifeless body, expressing proper determination and seriousness.
-
"Do you understand what that means?! You were able to attract and ally, someone that no one else could! I'm confident that my and his joining the crew wasn't only by chance, but rather because you have something that other people don't! Do you think I'd have joined you and your crew just to draw the maps I'd been wanting to draw for so long? I'm afraid not! Even if there weren't many, all of the moments we've had so far have been done with importance and trust in you as the captain. I'll confess that I'm not strong enough to battle Byron, but if you don't beat him now, there's no purpose in trying to return home, and there's no point in making this difficult journey to bring Ayuka here for the doctor!"
"So, one last time I'll say..."
"Stand up and kick Byron's ass!!!"
-
"Infernal Pummel!!!"
Tim flung his flaming leg behind his back, obliquely beneath his arms, and slammed his shin into Byron's hip, twisting his torso and legs to the side. As he spit blood from the attack, the flames totally burned the side of his hip. Tim drove his leg deeper into his hip, fully shattering Byron's sternum, which spread through his ribs and completely fractured them.
-
The blue flames erupted in a gigantic explosion that completely obscured the sky and shone its blue flames within it. It sent Byron's body hurling into the ground at the speed of a meteor, his upper torso slamming into the ground and creating a gigantic shock wave that hurled sand far into the air, sending one last pulse to rip through the Golden Wasakona's Capital City.
As he gazed down into the ground, Tim realized he was the only one left in the sky, and he finally landed the final blow to completely destroy Byron. His deteriorating scarf was rapidly set ablaze by the blue flames, which entirely consumed it before it came into touch with Tim's body.
"This is it, Kou, Ireene. I've kept my promise. Your kingdom can now regain its harmony..."
Ireene, Kou, Karisa, Tomomi, King Artemis, Nina, Natan, Walmo, Tisch, Devia, Dora and Vrook all smiled in the finale of the flaming fireworks as they were finally finished with the suffering that they had to go through for such a long time. Their one hope, their one ally and their one hero had finally put a stop to Byron, whose body lay in the ashes of the sand.
Together they called...
"He did it!!!" ~