Ondun opened his eyes to see a very bored Sylphie, Maggie, and an unknown feline Mon sitting at his bedside. The three were whispering about something when the tiny feline's ear twitched his way, and with a cry of "Luxli!", the three turned to him.

  "Mmm. Mornin'. What happened to the Daemon?"

  Sylphie immediately punched Ondun in the shoulder, hard. A beeping from something rang through the room.

  "Listen here, you edgelord twit. Don't you ever leave me again, do you understand? I called in Guardian Alice, and she saved your ass. The Daemon is dead, but had you simply talked to me, like a normal frickin' human being, you wouldn't have been out for three days!"

  Ondun looked around. He was hooked up to some monitors, and a vial of clear fluid was connected to a tube in his arm. He was also clad in a thin smock that he was pretty sure was only covering the barest of essentials. He looked to Sylphie in horror. "How bad was it?"

  She sighed. "Your 'heroism' resulted in a concussion, a few broken bones, a shattered tree that was on two endangered species lists, my blood pressure being up, and also...the city saved. I guess." She paused. "Idiot."

  Then she hugged him. Ondun was beyond confused.

  Valerie opened the door with a knock. "Young lady, you're skewing the readings. Could you not abuse a patient just after he wakes up, no matter how much he deserves it?"

  She removed herself. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry." Then she stuck her tongue out at Ondun and sat with her mom. This raised a very pertinent question. "Also...how are Strudel and Zephanie?"

  Sylphie just sighed. "Well, that explains how you recovered so fast; you're denser than most rocks." She looked at Valerie, who tapped her lip. To Ondun, it looked like she wanted to join in, but she shook her head.

  "Your Aquepup and Galebul are doing just fine. Since you're awake, they'll be returned to you. The Guardian brought you here. It seems that you and Sylphie's quick thinking saved our immediate area from Dark corruption. The city and City Leader are in your debt." She gave them an Eastern bow. "Thank you two." She straightened up. "Also, Ondun, the young lady has a point. A monster coach may operate with their team, but they also don't ditch their teammates. Given Sylphie's situation, I can understand why you might have, and it would be a good political decision...but the girl is right to have some resentment for you as a result. My advice to her was to just ditch you for a less suicidal traveling partner."

  Ondun raised an eyebrow. "I knew she had something going on in her family...what, is she an actual princess or something?"

  The two women looked at each other, then him, then each other again. Valerie broke the stunned silence. "He can't be that dense...can he?" she asked.

  "No, he absolutely is that dense, but I also haven't told him who my father is...and I don't intend to right now. He seems the type to go all formal or something." She rolled her eyes. "Besides, if he 'likes' me enough to leave me to go have a spear fight with...whatever in the name of Olympus' stool that was...I truly fear what his reverence, or love, would look like."

  Ondun sat up, pulling at the IV a little. "Look...I'm sorry. I was an idiot, and I knew it as soon as that thing basically spilled the plan. It was clearly a setup. Someone who can summon Daemons is on this world...and unfortunately, I have an educated guess as to who it could be."

  The beeping on a monitor increased with Ondun's heart. He sighed and lay back. "Sylphie, I'm not trying to be a jerk to you..."

  "...But you are succeeding!" she added brightly. Ondun just gave her a flat look.

  "No, I'm really not. Sylphie, I've lost people." Ondun's eyes were wet and hot, and he didn't care. "I've seen the person who took me and two friends in when it was like the Alliance itself had turned on us, shot through the heart by a Light spell from a treacherous paladin who served a madman. Shortly after that, a woman I was traveling with embodied an Astral to stall an Imperial fleet so that we could pursue that same madman so he wouldn't set off an even bigger catastrophe. Then, I lost a friend who used his own life force and anima to power a spell to temporarily seal an Astral who was so powerful, it literally took us intentionally activating an ancient doomsday weapon just to fight it to a standstill. I'm not going to talk about the people who fell when the Imperial Principix of Ahn Mexol invaded a rebel camp I was staying at as a result of that, or the lives that were lost in Xin-xia when, after that, I went to our world's Far East to further stoke the fires of rebellion."

  Tears ran down Ondun's face. He didn't care. Sylphie's and Valerie's mouths were open in shock.

  "Sylphie, you are an amazing monster coach, and I don't want you to fucking die because I pulled you into something that's, frankly, over your head. I've...I've done that too much." Ondun began sobbing as his reality slammed into him. "Please..." he stuttered out between gasps, "Please don't follow me to death. Whoever your father is, I don't think he'd want to lose you either."

  Sylphie got up and flung herself at Ondun. He ripped the IV out with his embrace as Valerie rushed to close the ripped arm up. "Ondun. You're a dick and an edgelord...and you know what?" She pulled back. "Like Hellzeph's butthairs, am I not going to stick with you, especially not after hearing that. Olympus, what is wrong with you!?"

  It was Valerie that answered. "Post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor's guilt, probably the beginnings of an anxiety disorder...this guy sounds like the case studies from the Mericarian-Allemand War, some eighty years ago."

  The name of the conflict gave Ondun some pause. "Wait...what war?" Sylphie patted him on the head, throwing him back into complete confusion. "My pet rock here has no idea what you're talking about. He's from another world, see." Valerie quietly whispered, "Aah. That explains a lot." She tapped her lip. "Tell you what...you should ask the City Leader. In fact, you'll have just the chance to do that." She pulled a letter out of her apron. "Here." She handed it to Ondun.

  For his part, he nodded, reached up to his neck, and didn't find his necklace, only for the pink-clad woman to hand it to him. He nodded gratefully, drew anima from the Medicus gem, and replaced the medical smock with flowing robes. The Spelliths flew from his back as he channeled healing energy into his limbs, then, when satisfied, raised the visor to read the letter.

  Ondun folded up the letter. Sylphie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I had a feeling. Of everyone here, you really need a therapist." She stopped for a moment. "Please...take him up on the offer? I..." She looked like she was hesitating the way he would before launching an attack. "...I'm worried about you, and I do...like...you..." She was red and looked embarrassed.

  Ondun hugged the woman. "Sylphie...you're such a brave woman. I...I need to think about it."

  "Good," was her reply. Valerie looked smug. "I'll go get your armor and that spear. By the way, don't walk around the city with that. It's very illegal."

  After what felt like hours of apologizing to Sylphie, she finally left. Ondun was given his discharge from medical care, and he reported to a room on the third subbasement, where he gave a report to Garamond, who had remained behind. Alice had tried to wait, but Ondun's injuries were just serious enough she had to leave basically until the Circuit started. Ondun gave the Mon a recounting of how he tracked the monster, how he fought it, and how he realized the thing was a setup. All the while, the Mon listened to his voice and his mind. Telekinetically, keys clicked on a mechanical keyboard, as the entire debriefing was recorded.

  Thank you, Lord Ondun. My lady wishes to convey her thanks as well. She was busy with matters of state, but she at least intends to see your first Circuit battle. It is a rare honor for her to watch anyone's fights. I suggest you treat the fact with the respect it deserves.

  "I will," Ondun said with a stoic nod. "Please, thank your lady for me. She—and Sylphie—have been far better friends than I fear I deserve."

  The knightly Mon nodded. "Very well. Then, I will see you later." In a flash of violet, the Mon teleported away.

  The first thing Ondun did was get the capsules containing his Mons back after that. He released the two immediately. Strudel slammed into him, giving a furious flurry of wet licks, while Zephanie flapped lightly around Ondun's shoulders. "It's good to see you two alright. Thank you for following me. Going forward, I will work to make sure it's not a trap."

  The two stopped their celebration of the long-overdue reunion. Zephanie the Galebul landed on Strudel's head. His snout was beginning to elongate from a puppy's nub to a proper canine nose and jaw, so the tiny bird fit without trouble.

  "I also know that, in six days, we will be battling the City Leader. This is unlikely to be an easy battle, but it also won't be to the death, like with the Daemon. If you want to do this, we have to train. The fifth day will be our rest day, so we have only four days to be ready to fight versus City Leader Lowell himself. It's going to suck, probably for all of us."

  The two Mons said nothing and made no movement.

  "If you want out..." he put the capture capsules down, "I won't blame you. Zephanie, we defeated the monster who hurt you. Strudel, you're still young, not yet in your second form, and have been running yourself ragged at my side. It is your choice."

  The monsters didn't move a muscle. "Aquepup. Aqueaque." I'm with you. "Galebul! Galegalegale!" I'm in too!

  Ondun put the capture capsules back onto his belt. "Then, the three of us have much work to do."

  A woman's voice cleared her throat from behind him. Sylphie, Maggie, and the cat that Ondun suspected was a 'Luxli' based on the name-growl were there. "You mean, the six of us have much to do. Venus here..." she gestured to the feline Mon, "...also needs some training if we're to make a good account of ourselves. Besides, someone has to keep an eye on you."

  Ondun sighed...but with a smile. "Training is always more fun in numbers.

  Besides...I could stand to work on being a better coach and a better travel partner." He gave his most formal, courtly bow. "Mine lady, will you have a knave like me at your side, knowing my proclivity to champion lost causes as an errant knight?"

  She walked over to him and bonked him on the head. "I think there's still some brain damage." Then she hugged him. "But yes. From now on, obey your princess when she asks you not to do stupid stuff, and don't abandon her. Now, we train. Time's ticking."

  Online, Ondun got an informal nickname among the people of Xinling: 'Princess Lee's Knight'. He did not hear of this. Instead, Ondun used his varied Knowledge Gem disciplines, as well as Sylphie's more conventional knowledge, to come up with a training regimen that would, as efficiently as possible, prepare the two teams for the rigors of battle. Ondun provided raw insights into anima manipulation, which had translated well for Strudel and Zephanie into lessons to improve the moves that Maggie and Venus could also use. Sylphie, on the other hand, worked on physical fitness, such that in two days, the Mons were already moving with more dexterity and precision than they had.

  Ondun and Sylphie took part in the training as well, and Ondun got a few new ideas as a result. After the no-win battle with the 'Xinling Daemon,' he'd recognized that his ability to efficiently dispatch foes could backfire in certain situations. Sure, it could be useful and had been, but a change of tactics was long overdue. Also, Ondun had to admit a simple truth: it felt better.

  The six trained for four days and rested on the fifth. Then, they woke up early on the dawn of the sixth day, put on certain outfits, and went forth to face their first real Circuit challenge.

  "Ladies, gentlemen, and Mons of all ages! Welcome to the 203rd Kongming Province Open Circuit! The young and a few returning faces have all registered themselves and their Mon friends to put it on the line to prove themselves, their merit, and their honor, the way the Hero herself did two centuries ago!"

  The broadcast was everywhere as Ondun, clad in thick grey jeans, a black vest over a white shirt, and black all-terrain boots, strode through Xinling, eyes gazing on him in wonder as he passed. At his side, Sylphie strutted like she owned the city. She was wearing rugged boots and thick black leggings that showed only a thin strip of pale skin before the red, flexible dress began. She had a jacket over the upper part that protected her torso and arms that was made of some kind of leather. Her hair was drawn up into a simple, yet stylish ponytail with two ribbon ornaments delicately flapping on each side of her head.

  Their belts each held two capture capsules, red, and with a waiting Mon ready to prove their strength to the Province and the world.

  "This is what you've all been waiting for... City leaders of Kongming, what have you to say to this year's contestants?"

  A muscular man who sat seemingly atop a mountain grunted. "Don't hesitate, or you'll be crushed to dust like impure ore!"

  An elegant woman in a bikini pulled herself into a sexy pose. "Remember to fight with good form! It's efficient and shows you in the best light."

  A man in eastern robes was sitting in a white-paneled room. "Hone yourself. Learn from every defeat, yours or your foes."

  A familiar man in a panda onesie adjusted his glasses, the cityscape behind him. "Think through every fight, both during and before the match. She who plans not, plans for failure."

  A black-armored woman grinned confidently, showing long incisors that made her look like a demon. "And whatever you do? Don't worry about fighting with 'the optimal team.' Win with your will, win with your friends, and win with your favorites. Plunge into every fight wholeheartedly, with no regrets!"

  Then, a dramatic piano piece started to play. A woman walked in front of a massive building on a mountain. "And, those who win? Come up the Shengli Path to the place the Hero saved our world. I, Guardian Alice of Kongming, will be waiting."

  "...And there you have it, folks! With the formal challenge of the Guardian, the Circuit has begun!"

  Ondun and Sylphie walked through the gates, only for the crowd to erupt in raucous roars, screaming for the blood of man and Mon. Sylphie hung back; Ondun strode forward, the bright lights of the stadium scattering shadows in all directions. His opponent, in that goofy onesie, was waiting for him in the center of the field.

  Ondun strode forward. "I knew it, Lowe. I...I knew it."

  City Leader Lowell Zhou grinned. "As did I. This moment was inevitable. I will now test your bond with your Mons and your strategy. The condition for victory is me granting you that victory. Nothing more, nothing less."

  The two walked to their respective ends of the field.

  "And the first match of Xinling has started! Ondun of Arcanis versus City Leader Lowell! Coaches, release your Mons!"

  Zephanie the Galebul came out first, followed shortly after by a small, humanoid Mon that looked a bit like a child. The childlike Mon released a wave of psychic pressure.

  "Zephanie, anti-psychic tactics! Get in close. This is just his warm-up." Ondun called out. Zephanie immediately released a blast of wind that dulled the blast and dove for the tiny psychic Mon.

  "Foolish, foolish man. You've started from a logically sound place, but it seems you learned nothing from the Guardian. I'll be pleased to teach you in her stead."