The lights from the plaza is keeping the whole city bright despite the starless and moonless night sky, enveloped with heavy clouds. The roaring and cheering of the citizens gathered there is enough to make the grounds, even at the farthest hillside of the city, shake from time-to-time. Also, loud enough to make Kash Firebrooks awake for the whole night before the day of the most-awaited event that everyone in Cube Cities are celebrating for tonight's.
His gray stale tunic doesn't make him recognizable as a 27-year old man, as he lacks the built to look so. Hearing the crowd cheers from afar, he looks up with a sigh, his cerulean eyes expressionlessly stares at the clouded sky as if matching its ambience.
"I wish I have the energy to celebrate." Kash yet again released a sigh, making his ebony-colored hair, which covers some portion of his pale face, flutter a little.
"You do have the energy, you weakly interacting massive particle." A soft voice spoke a harsh truth which made Kash turned his gaze to the tall man behind him who's wearing a red long tunic and leather brown coat, with his long silver hair being swayed by the breeze of the midnight air, his appearance screams of that of a noble man of a well-respected family.
"Aries, it's you!" Kash, despite trying so hard to keep a poker face, failed as his own eyes suddenly gleams with joy, betrayed him upon seeing his best friend, Aries Ravenheir.
"Who else besides me is looking out for you?" The lad looks at him with lazy eyes that could make everyone feel irritated for some reason.
"Shut up!!!" Bringing up a scissors out of nowhere and threaten to cut his own friend's long hair makes the latter surrender, defeated.
"Not my hair! Dumbass wimp!"
Kash sat down at the grassy hill as he look back towards the blurring bright lights at the plaza. Aries did the same thing beside him, then he looks back at Kash with those crimson eyes that's hidden behind his long silver eyelashes.
"Are you sure you're going tomorrow?" Aries asked. "If you're going, I am too. You know we've never been separated ever since we met each other ten years ago..." Kash trailed off and then faced his friend. "So if you're gonna be away for twenty years in the dungeons, even if it seems dangerous, I'll still go with you. It's better that way than to stay here alone for so long."
"Please learn how to live without me, will you?" The silver-haired said.
"Maybe after one hundred years." Kash's genuine smile didn't received the same as Aries just let out a sigh of defeat. "If you insist."
"Right? So don't worry about me, I may be a wimp but I'm not that weak!" Kash proudly said which made the other frown and look at him with disbelief as he pointed out "You are a wimp because you are weak! Idiot."
"I'm not that weak! I may be an F-Class, but I can still fight. As long as I have my dagger!" Kash defended as he brings out his Level 1 Normal Dagger and swings it midair.
"No, if there's hundred shades of weakness, then you're the whole shade!"
Thus, the battle of disparage continues between two grown men with immaturity complex until the sun rises and one of them ran out of offensive yet nonsense rebuttals.
"We'll continue this later, lecherous beanpole. Let's head to the plaza, I think the ceremony is going to start any minute now." Kash urged.
"Lecherous.... beanpole?" Aries muttered, dumbfounded.
"C'mon!!!"
Kash grabs his friend's arm but the latter stopped their tracks. "You go first, I'll grab something at home." Aries run towards the opposite direction, "Let's meet near the Lion's fountain!"
"That weirdo..." The dark-haired walks towards the plaza where people are waiting for the ceremony to start when a group of four men intentionally bumped onto him.
"Oops! didn't see you there, Kash. I thought you were just a pebble on the road. Hahaha!" The rest followed with annoying laughter.
"Maybe you just have a bad eyesight, Coyle. Time to get yourself a pair of glasses so you can make yourself look smart, at the very least."
He may be a weakling but he sure can talk big that make others offended. This is also the reason why Aries, a Class S Hero, is sticking close to an F-Class like him. He likes this boy's tongue. And by that, I meant his way of words and delivering them, not the literal tongue.
Okay, why am I explaining?
"That twerp! The only thing that's big about him besides his mouth is the word disappointment!"
"An F-Class without any special attack skills and just swings his dagger all over can't be called a Hero! Don't delude yourself just because Aries is in your favor!"
Mockery after mockery. In the world with a system where the strong is favored by all, where does he stand?
As for Kash, it doesn't matter what other people say to him. He's used to it by now.
" Or maybe... Aries is keeping you for pleasure, eh? Eh, eh? Hahaha!"
"Eh eh eh?? That's filthy, that Aries is also filthy! Hahaha!"
Kash may be used to it... if it's him they are mocking.
But not when Aries gets involved.
And so, he dashed towards the foul-mouthed gang and is ready to fight them, when he is just a step closer to one of them, a punch landed on his stomach that got him thrown several steps back.
"Hahahaha! What was that? That wasn't even a 10% strength punch!"
The group continues to laugh as Kash tries hard to get up but struggled.
"10 percent my ass... You put all your strength to it, pig." Pain surge from where he was punched making it harder to stand still as his legs are shaking hardly.
"Oh? You still want to go?" The big guy from the group showed his fist once again, smirking at the poor man, he started making his way to him. Kash felt fear for that moment, thinking that maybe this will be his last day, when a hand suddenly grabbed him on the waist and helped him stand up still.
He look up and saw Aries, slightly smiling at the group in front of them. But this smile is something you don't want to see.
"I didn't see you at the Lion's fountain, so I thought maybe something stupid happened to you. Guess I'm always right."
Aries looks at his friend with a serious expression and ask "Are you alright?"
Clearly, the lad is worried and could burst out any moment but he's maintaining his calm demeanor. Like a calm before the storm.
Kash sensed this aura from his pal and get mischievous ideas rushing inside his head.
Kash started sniffing and everyone was startled. "K-k-kash??" Aries called in worry.
"A-aries! I thought I was gonna die! They ganged up on me and punched me, and kicked me, slap me, and even said that I'm so frail that I could turn into a girl. And so they started throwing nasty looks at me, and touched me everywhere!" cried Kash.
The group was dumbfounded after hearing those bullshits, but they can't throw a fit now, not when Aries, who's far from their level, is in front of them.
"What kinky BL fantasy novel are you high on?! That's not true!" The big guy defended, but it was too late, for Aries is now fuming with anger, he dashed and gave the four a punch on their faces.
"Answer me before I hit you..." Aries said with an air of bloodlust
"You already hit us tho..." the one with a punky character design commented.
"Did you really did all that to him?" Aries continued.
"No, I swear! It's just a punch! I just punched him one time!" The guy who punched Kash claimed.
"Get lost!" Then Aries sent all four of them flying with one punch.
"That's S-Class Hero for you! Yeah! High five?!" Kash waved his hands up in front of Aries for a high five, but Aries just look at him stupefied.
"A serious question, my dear friend. What kind of kinky BL fantasy novel are you reading?"
"Aaaahhh!!! I'm not reading anything like that! Shut your trap! Let's just go to the plaza, I think they're starting!" Kash started running, though not guilty of the accusation, that was really embarrassing for him.
"Wait for me, wimp!" Aries followed him and both of them walk towards their destination. "Now I'm really worried."
"For what now?"
"For you... coming with me in this dungeon and tower raids." Kash stopped after hearing this from Aries.
"If you were this hurt just after getting beaten by those guys, what more if something happens to you inside the portal? You do know it's filled with monsters, right?" Aries explained.
"So, what are you implying?"
"What if you just stay here?" Aries almost said it as a plea.
"Without you? No way, you want me to go back to the way I was before meeting you? A loner, and a trash?" Aries thought about it too. But maybe that choice is way more of a better option than Kash hurting, or worst, dying whilst inside the dungeon raids.
"Please, Aries. We already talked about this. Besides, it's not just about how you feel on that matter. I also get worried when I think about not coming with you and then you get yourself hurt."
"And the thought that what if after twenty years of waiting for the raid to finish, there's no you coming back. You know, it's way more scary to be alone than to get hurt, or die, together."
Kash was never been this open to what he thinks regarding matter like this. He doesn't want to dread about bad things as he's so fed up with it before he met Aries.
Aries realized his friend's point and smile." Okay, you win. Let's go... together."
The both of them reached the plaza. At the center, is a mini stage that is set up for the City Mayor, and for this year's dungeon raid's host. A host is a system's personnel responsible for giving instructions, guides, and other related informations to the Heroes. The host differs for each city, but holds the same agenda: it is to help the Heroes level up in order to be the Raid's Champion.
Cube Cities are named base on their respective registered numbers in the system. The city where Kash and Aries are in is Cube City: 20421. As the name itself states, a cube city is a 60,000 hectare land that has 80meters concrete walls on four sides, forming like a square den for the citizens.
Each cities are separated by these tall, cold walls. Thus, the citizens never had any chance of interacting with the other citizens from another city. Unless they participate on the Dungeon Raid that happens every twenty years where the Heroes from different cities meets and interacts inside the same dungeon or base. Despite the fact that this is a dangerous expedition where various types of monsters and unexpected disasters could exist, Heroes are still participating in this event as a life of luxury is provided inside the portal as they start to gain or infiltrate bases in every dungeon they clear. Not to mention their pride, of course. And the ones who can reach the top of this raid is given more privileged and luxurious life that a human could ever imagine.
The crowds are chattering, brimming with excitement, when a puff of smoke appeared on the podium and there stands Leroy Winston. The Cube City: 20421's mayor.
"A spectacular day for all of us!" The crowds roar for a cheer that even made Kash's heart jumped out of his chest for a moment.
The city mayor didn't take too much of the time, just a few greetings and he called for this year's host.
"Mr. Clourre 091"
A moment of silent as the man on his mid 80's with a holographic appearance suddenly surfaced beside mayor Winston. As for Kash and Aries, this is their second time seeing a host. The first time was twenty years ago before they even knew each other.
"Welcome, to the 90th Dungeon Raid of Cube Cities!" After the host said his greetings, a hologram text box is presented in front of all the citizens' eyes.
"Kindly choose the 'Yes' option if you want to be a Hero and participate in the dungeons. For those who do not wish to participate, you can choose the 'No' option and the interface will automatically disappear in front of you."
The citizens did exactly what the host said, those who choose Yes have another text displayed on their interface.
The long, and obviously boring "Terms and Conditions".
"What's with the long contract? I don't even like reading."
The other Heroes are complaining and getting irritated as they scroll down to read all of it. Some literally loose their patience and get to the bottom part where there are the 'Accept' and 'Don't Accept' options.
"Of course, Accept. What's it gonna be, right?! Hahah!"
The others who are also impatient did the same and after a few moments everyone are done with the Terms and Conditions of the Cube City's System.
"Haaaah, why did it have to be so long? Right, Kash?" Aries turned to his pal and is astonished when he see Kash still reading it.
"Oi, you're really reading it?"
Kash is too focused to give his best friend a reply as he read such dreadful conditions written on the interface.
"Aries-"
"If everyone accepted their fate, I will now open the portal... to the dungeons!"
"Let the raids...BEGIN!"
The Heroes, and citizens roar once again and fireworks, colorful smokes, and magic glitters sparks the beginning of another Dungeon and Tower Raid.
"Kash! Come on!"
"Aries... this raid... the city is..."
Kash, unable to grasp some of his thoughts and feelings, was dragged inside the portal.
Into the Cube Dungeon.