The Royal Quest

— You want to become king too? asked Fenril.

— Exactly! replied Tenma with unwavering confidence. And no one can achieve anything alone. Together, Fenril, we'll make the Kingdom of Belfort a better place. Right, Sora?

— Who are you talking to when you say Sora? Fenril asked, puzzled.

— Show yourself, Sora, Tenma said with a grin.

A brief flash of light appeared, revealing a strange creature. It stood no taller than 30 centimeters and was entirely yellow. Its body was humanoid in shape, with two small legs and two small arms. Its head was disproportionately large compared to its body, round and smooth. It had no hair, but its head formed a small point, almost as if its hair was its own skin. Its large blue eyes sparkled with curiosity, but it had no nose or ears, just a tiny mouth. Raising one of its little arms in the air, it waved cheerfully.

— Nice to meet you! it chirped in a childlike voice. I'm Sora, and I'm Tenma's friend.

— Uh… Nice to meet you too, Sora, Fenril stammered, still processing what he was seeing.

— Sora is a Dogon. You've heard of them, right? Tenma asked.

— A Dogon? Yeah! They're pretty rare creatures, Fenril replied. If I'm not mistaken, Dogons are specialized in different categories and possess mysterious powers.

— Exactly, Tenma confirmed. Sora's been with me since I was a child. He's a blacksmith Dogon. You don't see him much because this lazybones prefers to sleep in his house most of the time.

— His house? Fenril repeated, confused. What do you mean by that?

— Sora's house is right here, Tenma said, pointing to his earring, a tiny cube dangling from his hoop. All Dogons have the power to shrink themselves and the objects they carry. It's pretty handy for traveling.

— I see… But Tenma, you said you wanted to become king. The Royal Quest is set to start in two years. There's no doubt you're strong, but to even qualify for the quest, you need to be ranked as a Hero. You're still far from that.

— True! Tenma responded, still as enthusiastic as ever. That's why we need to join a guild. It'll give us more opportunities and access to special quests and dojos. We're near the city of Raza. It's huge! We just need to go there and choose a guild to join.

— I think you'll have no trouble finding a guild… but I doubt any guild would want someone like me...

— You really think so?

— Yeah… unfortunately.

— Then it's settled! We'll create our own guild!

— Huh?! Fenril exclaimed, stunned. But Tenma, that's crazy! You need at least three people to form a guild. Plus, we won't be able to accomplish much in two years, especially starting from scratch. It's suicide.

— Don't worry, Fenril. Believe in me. I'll be the next king, Tenma declared, his face lit up with a confident smile.

Fenril let out a long sigh but felt strangely relieved. Tenma's words were comforting. There was something about him that made you want to believe in him.

— You… You're definitely not going to make my life easy, Fenril muttered, giving Tenma a playful slap on the shoulder.

— That's for sure, Tenma laughed. Well then, shall we get going? The city of Raza isn't too far.

— It's still a two-hour walk.

— Who said anything about walking?

— What do you mean? Fenril asked, confused.

Tenma pulled out a scroll and unrolled it. Drawn on it was a motorcycle. Concentrating his Reiki into his hand, he spoke the key word:

— Release!

The scroll glowed with a bright blue light, and the drawing lifted off the paper, transforming into a real object. It looked like a snow scooter but without wheels.

— Whoa! Fenril gasped, completely awestruck by what he was witnessing.

— Pretty cool, huh? This is my OverBike. Once you reach level 60, you can get one of your own. Of course, you're not allowed to fly just anywhere, but from this plain to Raza, it should be fine. And as long as I'm driving, you can ride with me. Let's go!

Tenma pulled a helmet from the bike's storage compartment and handed it to Fenril. Once both were geared up, they climbed onto the vehicle, which lifted off the ground and soared into the sky. Within seconds, they were hundreds of meters above the earth.

— The helmets are equipped with microphones, Tenma explained. You can talk normally, and I'll hear you just fine.

— Got it. How long until we reach Raza?

— About 10 to 15 minutes.

— That fast?

— Of course! The OverBike is incredibly fast.

Fenril was discovering a whole new world, the world of the skies. He quickly realized that even up here, creatures roamed the vast expanse. He watched as enormous red birds glided gracefully through the air. They had four wings, two on each side, long, slender necks, and massive hooked beaks. Tenma expertly maneuvered around them, weaving through the sky with ease.

— What are those creatures? Fenril asked, curiosity piqued.

— Those are Dori Dori. They're pretty hot-tempered, so it's best not to bump into them. But don't worry, they're actually pretty weak.

Fenril analyzed their levels using his Reiki. They were level 40.

— Weak for him maybe… but they're still a serious threat for me… T_T Fenril thought, feeling a sweat drop on his forehead.

After a few more minutes, the city finally came into view. Tenma descended lower, still hovering a few meters above the ground.

— Why aren't you landing? Fenril asked.

— We have to follow the Sky Regulations. There's a specific altitude and route we have to take. There are four landing platforms. We'll park on one of them and then head out to get information about the guilds.

— Alright! Fenril replied, his heart pounding with excitement.