The One

Xasius remained silent for several seconds and then finally spoke. He looked at the people in the sand pit as he said to Set. "All versus one?" He laughed joyfully. His laughter echoed across the stadium. He said with a joyful tone. "What a wonderful idea! You're the only one who truly understands me, Set!" He looked at Set and said. "But who did you have in mind? Who do you think is powerful enough to beat all of them?"

Set looked at Xasius and said. "Beat all of them?" He chuckled mischievously as he said. "That would be an interesting turn of events." He looked at the people in the sand pit. He began to tap his right pointer finger against his armrest as he said. "But as for the one I'd pick... It would be the one that is different from the rest."

Xasius laughed joyfully. His laughter echoed across the stadium. He looked at the people in the sand pit as he said to Set. "I see. So you want to pick him, huh? Very well then he will be-"

Aineas clenched his left hand over the center of his chest as he cut Xasius off and said. "Sorry to interrupt, Your Supreme Majesty. But I have a request."

Both Xasius and Set looked at Aineas with annoyance.

Xasius said with a serious tone as he looked at Aineas. "What is it?"

Aineas's left hand remained clenched over the center of his chest as he said. "There is an urgent matter I must take care of, Your Supreme Majesty. Will you allow me to leave your side?"

Xasius looked at Aineas who was standing by his seat and then looked at Atreus who was standing by Set's seat. He looked at Aineas again and said. "Very well then. Take care of it."

Aineas bowed with his left hand clenched over the center of his chest and said gratefully. "As you command, Your Supreme Majesty." He disappeared from where he was standing.

The boy with no armor saw Aineas reappear at the Eastern side of the stadium. He had reappeared next to the man with the dark red hair, known as Menelaos's Fifth Guardian, and began to whisper to him. The two of them talked for several seconds and then Aineas disappeared again.

Aineas reappeared in front of the boy with no armor. He stared at the boy intently.

A cold shiver went down the boy's spine as he thought. "G-Grandfather's Fifth Guardian?! W-Why is he down here?! W-Why is he staring at me?!"

The boy took one step back with his right foot.

Aineas continued to stare at the boy intently as he said with a serious tone. "Don't move."

The boy immediately stopped moving. He looked at Aineas fearfully.

Aineas asked the boy with no armor in a serious tone. "You were sent here by Adrastos weren't you, kid?"

The boy with no armor had a look of both surprise and shock on his face as an image of a man that wore white armor and had a crimson mask that covered his face flashed across his mind.

Aineas said with a serious tone again. "I thought as much. So that means you must be from the Kingdom of Menelaos?"

The boy with dark silver hair stuttered as he said fearfully. "N-No, he is from the Kingdom of Set. H-He is my-"

Aineas glared at the boy with dark silver hair. The boy with dark silver hair immediately stopped talking.

Aineas looked at the boy with no armor again.

The boy with no armor nodded and said. "T-That's right. I'm from the Kingdom of Menelaos."

Aineas muttered with annoyance. "So that trash really did have two sons!" He then said to the boy with no armor in a serious tone. "You were sent here by a man known as Adrastos Andreas weren't you?"

The boy with no armor had a confused expression on his face as he said. "I don't know what you mean by sent here. He said he was going to see Sister and then headbutted me. Then I was suddenly in this place..."

Aineas sighed with disappointment and muttered. "So he went to see that princess..." He then said with a calmer tone. "Thank you for the information, kid. I'll be on my way now." He turned around and looked up at the top level of the stadium. He then muttered to himself. "Wait! He said he got headbutted?!" He quickly turned around and looked at the boy again as he said with surprise. "What do you mean he headbutted you?! How are you even still alive, kid?!"

The boy with no armor had a confused expression on his face as he said. "What do you mean? All he did was headbutt me..."

Aineas chuckled and said. "So this is what they meant by 'different from the rest'." He said with a friendly tone. "You're more powerful than you look."

The boy with no armor thought while confused. "Huh? What is that supposed to mean?"

Aineas said with a friendly tone again. "Oh well I should be off now. See you again, kid." He turned around and looked up at the top level of the stadium. He said in a serious tone as he looked up at the top level. "Before I go there is something I should tell you, kid."

The boy with no armor thought. "What? He has something to tell me?"

Aineas said with a serious tone again. "His Supreme Majesty has decided to make it an all versus one. And you are the 'one'." He chuckled and said in a friendly tone. "But for someone with your capabilities this should prove to be extremely easy. Don't beat everyone too quickly, okay?" He disappeared from where he was standing.

Aineas reappeared next to the seat Xasius was sitting in. He clenched his left hand and placed it over the center of his chest as he said. "I've returned, Your Supreme Majesty."

The boy with no armor had a confused and shocked expression on his face as he thought. "Did he just say... that I would have to fight everybody?! Isn't it supposed to be a one on one?! And what did he mean this is going to be easy for me?! I've never fought somebody before! How am I supposed to fight everybody?!" He looked up and stared at Aineas as he thought. "Does he actually think I can win?! This is impossible! What is with Grandfather's Guardians?! They're all crazy!"

Xasius said. "Very well then." Xasius's voice echoed across the stadium as he pointed at the boy with no armor and said. "You boy, step forward!"

The boy with no armor began to walk forward as he thought while frustrated. "Why me? Why does it have to be me? There is no way I can beat all of them! This is impossible!"

Xasius's voice echoed across the stadium again as he said. "Stop."

The boy with no armor stopped walking. He looked up at the royals in the stadium.

Hypatos yelled out from his seat with annoyance. "Hey Northern brat! Where is your armor at?! You dare attend this Ceremony without any armor!"

The boy with no armor thought while confused. "Is he talking about me? I'm the only one here without any armor... But, I'm not a Northerner..."

Hypatos stood up from his seat and yelled out angrily. "Hey brat are you gonna say something or what?! You arrogant little shit!"

Xasius's voice echoed across the stadium as he said with a serious tone. "Sit down, Number Eight!"

Hypatos looked back at Xasius and bowed his head as he said fearfully. "A-Apologies, Father." He sat down in his seat again.

Xasius said to the boy with no armor. "You boy, turn and face the other participants."

The boy with no armor turned around. He faced the other people in the sand pit and thought while nervous. "So they are really going to make me have to fight everyone..."

Xasius's voice echoed across the stadium as he said. "Participants, there are nine of you and one of him. Whoever beats this boy will get a name even greater than my own!"

Set chuckled mischievously and said. "This will be fascinating!" He tapped his right pointer finger against his armrest repeatedly as he stared at the boy with no armor and muttered with both excitement and mischief. "I wonder how powerful this one is...!"

Kambyses said with surprise. "One boy against all of them?!"

Krios said while confused. "Who is that boy? Will he really be able to beat all of them?"

Phobos looked at the boy with no armor in the sand pit and then looked at Kapaneus. He then quickly looked at the ground again.

Kapaneus said. "Is he a Left Hander or a filthy..." He looked at his broken left hand and then looked at his right hand. He muttered to himself. "Does it... even matter anymore...?"

Hypatos muttered angrily to himself and said. "That arrogant little shit! Does he honestly think he stands a chance against any of my sons?!"

Alekto said. "An armorless boy against one of my precious daughters?" She giggled and said. "Don't be too rough with him."

Chara stared at the boy with no armor and muttered to herself. "Why was this boy chosen? Is it because he doesn't have any armor? Or because he doesn't have a weapon? Wait what if it is neither of those things?! Does he have some secret about him that I'm not aware of?" She looked at the two girls with light silver hair in the sand pit and clapped both of her hands together as she prayed and mumbled. "Be safe you two. Don't underestimate that boy!"

A throwing knife landed in the sand by the boy with no armor's feet. He looked at the throwing knife and thought. "Huh? Where did this come from?" He turned his head and looked up at the royals in the stadium.

Menelaos said with irritation. "What are you doing, Klymene?"

Klymene crossed her arms. Strapped to her left side was two throwing knives. Her third throwing knife was now missing from her left side. She scoffed and said. "Why does it matter to you anyway, Menelaos?!"

Menelaos sighed and said with annoyance. "Nevermind. Do what you want."

Klymene scoffed again as she said while annoyed. "I will. But, I don't need you to tell me that, you good for nothing!"

Xasius's voice echoed across the stadium as he said. "Participants!"

The boy with the light blue hair that had a dagger strapped to his left side began to dash toward the boy with no armor. He was then immediately pulled back by the boy next to him that had light blue hair and a sword strapped to his back.

The boy with no armor looked at the boy that had a dagger strapped to his side and thought. "He was really ready to attack me just like that... How am I supposed to survive this? I don't stand a chance against any of them."

The boy that had a sword strapped to his back said to the boy that had a dagger. "Idiot! What are you doing?! Wait until Grandfather says start!"

The boy that had a dagger strapped to his side said with annoyance. "Ugh fine! Just let go of me!"

The boy with the sword strapped to his back let go of the boy with the dagger strapped to his side. Both of them then looked up at Xasius.

The boy with no armor looked at the boy with dark silver hair and the boy with silver armor. Both of the two boys had a conflicted expression on their face as they looked up at Xasius. The boy with no armor thought as he looked at the two boys. "Will I really have to fight them...?" He turned his head and looked at Xasius.

Xasius remained silent as he sat in his seat at the top level of the stadium. The people in the sand pit, the Guardians in the stadium, as well as the Royals in the stadium all had their eyes glued to him. Even Set who sat next to him was staring directly at him. The entire stadium remained silent as everyone waited for his next command. After several seconds of silence his voice finally broke the silence. His voice echoed across the stadium as he said. "You can now start!"