Chapter Five: The Echo of Legends.

[Samsara Headquarters]

In a spacious room decorated with the heads of lions, tigers, and other predators, a large table stood beneath the decorations. From the window, a clear view of the city stretched out. Akira was seated in her chair when Ken suddenly entered the room.

"Akira, we need to talk! It's an emergency!" Ken exclaimed in a worried tone.

"Calm down, Ken. Why are you panicking?" A familiar voice sounded.

Ken turned towards the voice and his eyes widened. It was Nox, sitting on a sofa and smirking at him. Ken slowly walked towards Nox, his face contorted with rage and anger.

Exactly five meters away from Nox, Ken stopped, his eyes fixed on him with a death stare. There was a moment of palpable tension as their auras clashed. In the heat of the moment, Ken executed a Brazilian kick. He raised his knee high, feigning a standard roundhouse kick aimed at Nox's head. The initial lift suggested a straightforward attack, luring the adversary into a false sense of security. But in a split second, the real intention became clear. Ken's supporting foot pivoted, his hips twisted, and the kick's trajectory shifted with a graceful, almost imperceptible drop. Like a scythe cutting through the air, his leg arced downward, striking with the force of a descending hammer.

Nox's eyes flickered with a knowing glint, and with a swift motion, he raised a single arm. The block was clean and precise, absorbing the brunt of the kick with a solid, thudding impact. The two locked eyes, staring each other down. Ken then quickly pulled back his leg and calmed down.

"I guess your reflexes are still good," Ken remarked.

"They were never bad," Nox replied with a smirk.

The two men embraced, showing their reunion after a long time apart. Akira watched them with pride, having anticipated this moment.

When Nox and Akira were staying at the orphanage, the grandmother brought in a weak boy whose ribs were visible through his skin, indicating he hadn't eaten in days. His body was covered in bruises, suggesting abuse. Akira asked the boy for his name, but he remained silent, too scared to speak. The grandmother gave him food, which he initially refused but soon devoured as if it were his last meal. After eating, the grandmother bathed him and gave him new clothes. When he returned, Akira approached him again, but he remained silent. Nox stepped forward and the boy, looking into Nox's eyes, finally spoke, "Ken. My name is Ken."

The three were finally together again after a long time. Akira broke the silence and asked Ken about the emergency that had brought him in such a worried state.

Ken replied, "We have Code 404, Danger level: Red."

Nox responded, "Well, there's another meeting going to be held sooner or later, but for now, I guess the tournament is postponed."

"Likely," added Ken.

"For now, we just have to wait... patiently," Akira concluded.

[Somewhere Else]

A tall, slim man wearing a bright suit and a mask resembling a vulture walked down a hall with a stick in his hand. As he passed, everyone bowed to him. Without warning, the masked man swung his stick, decapitating a man and sending blood spilling across the hall. No one flinched.

"Check his boots and send his head where it belongs," the masked man ordered.

The men quickly checked the dead man's boots and found a spying device. The man had been a spy. Following the masked man's orders, the henchmen swiftly cleared the body.

In a large room with a throne at its center and sixteen chairs around it, the decor was lavish, with gold embellishments and paintings of historical scenes like The Last Supper and the Knights of the Round Table.

The masked man entered the room through the throne door.

"Ah, Scavenger, it's you," an old voice echoed.

"Yes, my liege," replied Scavenger.

Scavenger reported the situation regarding Code 404. The old man responded with a simple "Oh." Scavenger then asked what they should do next. The old man replied,

"I have faith in you, Scavenger. Do whatever you want. I just want the tournament to be conducted sooner or later."

"As you wish, my liege," Scavenger acknowledged.

"Also, I want him to participate in the battle," the old man added.

Scavenger nodded and left the room.

[Everest Basecamp, Nepal]

There are two base camps on Mount Everest, on opposite sides of the mountain: South Base Camp in Nepal at an altitude of 5,364 meters (17,598 ft), and North Base Camp in Tibet at 5,150 meters (16,900 ft). These base camps are rudimentary campsites used by mountain climbers during their ascent and descent and are also visited by hikers. South Base Camp is used for climbing via the southeast ridge, while North Base Camp is used for climbing via the northeast ridge.

Climbing Mount Everest is considered a difficult and challenging endeavor, known among mountaineers for its extreme altitude, harsh weather conditions, and treacherous terrain. Only a few have successfully reached the summit.

A black Airbus H125 chopper soared above the southeast ridge, the sound echoing across the giant mountains. The helicopter hovered about 50 feet above the base camp. The pilot gave a thumbs-up signal, and the passenger door opened. It was Sherpa! He jumped out and landed on the ground. As he did, the small ice glacier around the base camp cracked, triggering a massive avalanche.

"Are you even human?" someone at the base camp asked.

"Yeah," Sherpa replied angrily.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Doctor Van Albrecht Kruger," said a middle-aged man with a German accent, stepping out of a tent.

"Ah, pleasure to meet you, The Notorious Prestidigitator," Sherpa responded.

"Thank you. I suppose I'm known to the legendary berserker," Dr. Albrecht replied.

Sherpa and Dr. Albrecht exchanged greetings and a few words. Dr. Albrecht explained that he had invited Sherpa to show him something interesting.

"Why did you specifically invited me?" Sherpa questioned.

"Let me tell you a tale, the tale of an Abominable Snowman," Dr. Albrecht began. "It is said that centuries ago, gods and goddesses lived in these mountains. As human civilization evolved and equipment improved, people began climbing the mountains. To prevent humans from reaching the peak, the gods created a creature—a monster called the Yeti—to scare them away. According to legend, the Yeti had thick fur, huge muscles, big claws, a large jaw, and a conscious mind. They appear only when necessary, sensing grave danger or similar energy. They challenge any energy similar to theirs or greater to assert dominance. Although humans have successfully climbed the peaks and found no gods, the existence of the Yeti has been widely discussed. Many mountaineers claim to have seen a gorilla-like figure in the mountains."

"But why are you telling me this tale? I'm not a child, Doctor," Sherpa retorted.

"Follow me," Dr. Albrecht instructed.

They entered a tent bustling with Dr. Albrecht's assistants, who were handling capsules, injections, and other medical equipment. At the center of the tent was a large object covered with a cloth. Dr. Albrecht instructed his assistants to remove the cloth. Sherpa's eyes widened in disbelief. Before him stood a massive creature, roughly seven feet tall, matching the description of the Guardian of the Mountains—the Abominable Snowman, the Yeti.

"What the fuck?" Sherpa exclaimed.