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nI looked over Crater City as I had dubbed it and examined the buildings, but most of them were typical brick buildings with clay tile roofs. I did count at least ten blacksmith shops, and that made sense.

nThe most prominent things were three sizeable black circus tents that looked to be about one hundred and fifty feet across. There was a much larger one at the far end of the crater, and the bright red light was on top of it.

nThat must be where I would find Dao, so I started to jog around the edge of the crater, and as I passed on of the smaller tent, I started to hear cheering and screaming. There was a crazy, frantic, wild, panic, but excited aura coming from the tent, and I knew it. The ring.

nThat savage excitement of wanting to pound the other person down until they give up or stop moving. The crowd cheering you on to do that and so much more; the energy of the place was something I was familiar with.

nI kept moving and started to run faster, but I started to shrink down. While it would be fun to come in there all big, there wasn't a lot of room around the building down there, and sliding down big would cause a landslide.

nOnce I had reached the back of the crater, I started to slide down the side, and I could feel the same energy from the other tent but magnified. I was almost excited to see the inside of this thing; it was bringing back memories of my own times in the Octagon cage.

nDon't get involved with the fighting, you have better things to do!

n'Ah, come on. If we have a plan and have them in the palm of our hands, what's the harm? You said I am too strong for them all anyway, probably wouldn't be a challenge!'

nThey aren't fighting each other. There is a Challenger Crystal inside each one of these tents, and if you focus, you will feel that this is something that isn't supposed to be there.

nI wasn't really sure what he was talking about, but I focused on the tent in front of me as I reached the bottom of the slope. I tried to feel throughout the tumult of emotions, but I wasn't sensing what Hero meant until it hit me.

n'Why does it feel digital? There is a picture of a red gem with a ring around it in my head, and now I know that it can be used to temporarily summon monsters. But why?'

nNot sure, but I think it has something to do with what happened to us. Anything could come from inside of one of those things, and they create barriers around themselves. If you go into the barrier, it activates, and you can't get out if you can't win.

nWell, that was a bit of a buzzkill, but I didn't want to get myself killed just to feed my own curiosity.

nI walked up to the black tent wall and activated Keri's Fire Totem, using my finger to burn a line down the heavy canvas. As I got to the bottom, it started to actually burn, and I had to pat it out, but it was still smoldering.

nYells and screams that were still muffled poured out as I pulled the flap I had created back and slipped inside.

nThe area I entered was a covered-over place that was still separate from the rest of the area and filled with boxes from what I could see. I created a small ball of fire on the palm of my hand, and the room lit up, but it was no more than I thought, just storage.

nWhat is in the boxes?

nThat was a good question, and I pulled the lid off of one of them without very much trouble. Inside was armor and weapons, and after checking more of the boxes, I found that all the armor was used and stained.

nProbably from the Demons that didn't make it.

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"Hey! What are you doing?!

" A voice asked me, and I turned to see a demon holding a torch looking at me with an angry expression.

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"Just browsing your wares, but I have an appointment with Dao, so let him know that I am here,

" I said casually as I dropped the partially melted helmet that I was looking at the back into the crate.

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"Who do you think you are?!

" The Demon growled as he started to approach me.

nThe creature had horns sticking out the side of his head, and he had a pair of broken glasses with only one arm and a single lens. Tan shorts were the only clothes, but at least he wore that much.

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"Listen, I don't want to kill you, but if you don't do as I asked, I am going to shove this little ball of fire down your throat and then make it expand like this!

" I said and then poured more energy into the small one-inch globe, expanding it to over two feet wide.

nThe Demon stopped and then backed away from me, holding a hand up to ward off the intense heat rolling off the flaming sphere. I guess that was enough, and the Demon turned and fled back out the way he came in.

nGet ready for every trick in the book, and don't let him egg you on.

n'I should be fine.' I said, feeling a bit giddy with the roaring noise coming from the other side of the flap I was walking up to. It kind of reminded me of walking past the last door, that moment right before you know the sound of everyone's screams are about to hit you.

nThat was when it all became real, and everything you had worked for to get to this point would be put to the test. I was ready to end this problem and break the first of countless chains that I would be destroying.

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