This would also serve as an opportunity for the strongest in the world to emerge and be elevated to a higher status. Regardless of their sins or wrongdoings, the victor would be granted a wish. The only condition was that if they wished to rule the world, they must defeat the current standing king.
-
Starting shortly after this dream, the standing king began gathering criminals, those who assisted the Demons, and, in rare cases, the few remaining demons who attacked the kingdoms, pitting them in the arena until his death.
That tale, however, is for another time. The kingdom is set up with many houses that support the royal families and the kingdom's palace, which maintains the kingdom walls. Even with advancing technology, the kingdom walls remain unchanged, serving as a symbol of the acting king's authority and power.
Ty closed the book after finishing the final pages just as the door swung open. Goey entered with a yawn and said, "Here's your lunch. I hope the light is working well; I wasn't sure if it was what you were expecting."
Giving a light smile, Ty responded, "This is perfect. I just finished this book. It was very insightful, but a lot didn't really add up about the history of the Kingdom."
Goey, intrigued, asked, "What do you mean?"
"It just seems odd," Ty began, his brow furrowed in thought, "that the history book mentions the traitor kingdom being allied with the Hiean Kingdom when the Titan Goddess descended and spoke her words. And why was the Hiean King the only one to receive such a vision?"
After a brief pause, Ty dismissed his own questions, saying, "Sorry, I might just be overlooking things."
Goey shrugged, attempting to lighten the mood. "It's all in the past anyway."
"There's nothing I can control, but I believe in it because most days, there's nothing else to believe in. But I'll see you around. They should be coming to get you in a few days, and that will likely be the last time we see each other until you win or... yeah," Goey said, his voice trailing off as he walked away.
As Ty watched Goey leave, the silence of the room was promptly broken by the fluttering of tiny wings. A blue fairy landed gracefully on his shoulder, her voice a delicate chime, "Oh, he finally left. What are you reading to me today?"
Ty turned to her with a gentle smile, "Oh, I let you keep sleeping while I went ahead and finished the first book."
The blue fairy, hovering closer to inspect the image, remarked with a hint of sarcasm, "Wow, so even their god is into mass murder."
Ty, placing a hand over his face in mild exasperation, whispered, "Please don't say that in public. We have enough people who already dislike us. This has pretty much become ingrained in their culture, so it makes sense, I suppose."
He couldn't help but ponder the truth behind these tales. "I do wonder what truth lies in this, though, regardless of anything bigger at play," he mused, his eyes scanning over the next few pages with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.
~~ In the book ~~
The narrative explained that the First Arena was a brutal gathering of criminals from the traitor kingdom and some from within the Hiean Kingdom itself.
It was a spectacle designed not just for entertainment but as a purging of those deemed unworthy or dangerous to the realm. The victor, after a series of gruesome and merciless battles, was bathed in a bright light from above, a divine signal of the Titan Goddess's favor.
For a moment, his eyes shimmered with an all-encompassing white, hinting at a vision bestowed upon him that transcended the bloody sands of the arena.
This vision, granted by the goddess, brought a brim to the smile of the man who requested to be the king of this world as he stated "I the strongest wish to lead this world into finding the one!"
Descending from his watchtower, the King addressed the challenger with a grave tone, "For you to take my position, you understand you need to slay me from where I stand and be bestowed my spot?"
The challenger, understanding the gravity of the challenge, nodded solemnly. After a day filled with fierce combat, the scene concluded with the challenger bloodied and lifeless, while the victorious King stood above him, visibly exhausted. Remarkably, all his wounds healed in the aftermath, and a black dot appeared on his arm.
The text elaborated that these marks were inherited by each king, regardless of their lineage or blood. To this day, the significance of these marks remains a mystery, as those who might have known their true meaning have long passed away.
As Ty continued to flip through the pages, he discovered sections highlighting the kingdom's progress in technology and its efforts to grow while staying true to the Titan Goddess's words. Every few years, once enough participants were gathered, the event was held, honoring the tradition set forth by the goddess.
The first king, it was noted, had been given no explicit instructions regarding the frequency, scale, or specifics of the tournament. He was simply told what needed to be done, and he faithfully executed these orders, laying the groundwork for a tradition that would define the kingdom and its values for generations to come.