The next day, Alex and Mellon left the Land of Korin after saying their goodbyes to Bora and his tribe.
"Hey, Alex, what's your plan for the future?" Mellon asked, watching him walk on his hands with the heavy turtle shell strapped to his back. A log was tied to his waist with a rope, dragging behind him as part of his intense training.
"Huff I haven't really thought about it... huff but I guess..." Alex trailed off, struggling to get the words out between breaths.
Mellon raised an eyebrow. "You okay? Maybe we should rest for a bit. We've been walking for hours, and even I'm getting tired."
"Huff Yeah... good idea," Alex agreed before collapsing onto his back. The weight of the turtle shell pinned him down, making it impossible for him to get up. After a few failed attempts, he sighed in defeat.
"You need help?" Mellon smirked, watching him struggle.
"Nah, I'm fine." Alex exhaled and stared at the sky. "Anyway... I was saying, I want to travel the world. More than that, I want to fight strong people—ones who won't go down in a single hit."
Mellon sat on a nearby rock. "Sounds exhausting. As for me? I guess I'll just follow you around."
"Huh? What about your family? Won't they be worried?" Alex asked, frowning.
Mellon shrugged. "Not really. Like I told you before, my mom's too busy gambling, and my grandpa is a workaholic. Even if I went home, I'd still be alone."
Alex hesitated, unsure how to respond. "...Well, I don't know what to say to that."
Mellon smiled slightly. "Nothing to say, really. That's just how it is."
Alex exhaled and stretched. "Hmm... I need a place where I can train without holding back. Somewhere I can fight tough opponents and gain real experience... Ah-ha!" He suddenly rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up.
Mellon burst into laughter. "Hahaha! You look just like a flipped-over turtle!"
Alex ignored her. "I think I know where we're going next!"
After an hour of rest, they set off once more.
---
Weeks Later – Lost in the Desert
Thump!
"Ugh... ouch."
Alex tripped again. It was his tenth time falling.
Mellon groaned. "I don't understand why you insist on wearing a blindfold and walking on your hands in the middle of the desert!"
"I told you, I'm trying to develop my ki sense! Since we rely on our eyes so much, training blindfolded makes it easier to focus. Besides, I'm this close to sensing your ki!" Alex argued, getting up and dusting himself off. "Anyway, are we there yet?"
"I don't know... I think I see something, but I can't tell if it's real or just a mirage," Mellon said, squinting at the horizon.
"Wait, let me check." Alex removed his blindfold and looked where Mellon was pointing. In the distance, he spotted a palace surrounded by water. Black storm clouds loomed to the right.
"There it is! C'mon, let's go!"
Mellon groaned. "I can't. I'm exhausted and thirsty." She pulled out a bottle to take a sip—empty. "Ugh, great. And we don't even have water! You have to carry me."
Alex sighed. "Fine. Come here—we'll fly there."
Mellon grinned as Alex picked her up in a princess carry and took off toward the palace.
As they soared through the air, she crossed her arms. "Tell me, why didn't we buy a vehicle capsule yet?"
Alex smirked. "I don't know why you didn't get one. I, on the other hand, don't need it. It would just get in the way of my training."
Mellon rolled her eyes. "Show-off."
Moments later, they landed in front of the palace.
"Is this the place you were talking about?" Mellon asked, taking in the sight.
Before Alex could answer, a group of people emerged from the palace—bandaged, limping, and looking completely beaten. Following behind them was a small pink ghost wearing a hat.
"Hehehe! Heal up and come back soon!" the ghost giggled as the injured group hobbled past Alex and Mellon.
"That's... strange. Why do they all look so banged up? I have a bad feeling about this," Mellon muttered, stepping closer to Alex.
"Welcome! Now, get in line quickly!" the pink ghost floated in front of them. "Formation before information, as I always say!"
Alex blinked. "Uh... okay?"
"Are you two together?" the ghost asked.
"Yeah, we are," Alex replied.
The ghost giggled. "Hehehe! Good, good! Marvelous! Follow me, please!"
"Wait," Mellon interrupted. "What happened to those people?" She pointed at the battered group walking away.
The ghost simply giggled again. "Hehehe! Let's go!"
Mellon shuddered. "Creepy..." She turned to Alex. "Okay, now you tell me—what is this place?"
Alex smirked. "Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough."
---
The Fortune Teller
They followed the ghost through a dome-shaped chamber and across a narrow bridge, arriving at an even larger room.
"Behold—the great Fortune Teller Baba!"
The room darkened. Suddenly, an eerie green glow descended from the ceiling. Mellon jumped in surprise, hiding behind Alex.
The glow dimmed, revealing a small, elderly woman dressed in black robes, sitting atop a floating crystal ball.
"Good, you've brought me a couple this time," Baba said, eyeing them with amusement.
Alex stepped forward. "So, you're Fortune Teller Baba?"
"Indeed." Baba studied him carefully.
"Can you help me find something?"
"Certainly. If it is lost, I can find it," Baba said with a sly grin.
Mellon leaned toward Alex, whispering, "You never told me you lost something. And are you sure she's not a scammer?"
"Don't worry," Alex whispered back. "She's got a solid reputation."
Baba chuckled. "Of course, my services aren't free. My fee is..." She paused dramatically. "Ten million zeni!"
Mellon's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! Ten million zeni?! Even I don't have that kind of money!"
Alex expected this. "What if we don't have that much? Surely there's another way?"
Baba smirked. "Oh, we do have an alternate method of payment. Come along, follow Baba."
As she floated toward another bridge, Alex and Mellon exchanged glances before following her.
---
The Challenge
They arrived at an arena in the middle of the bridge.
Mellon nudged Alex. "Okay, spill it! What are you looking for? Some kind of ancient treasure? A magic lamp? A legendary weapon?!" Her excitement grew with every guess.
Alex sighed. "Mellon, do you even hear yourself? Your imagination is running wilder than an eighth grader's. I haven't even decided what to ask for yet."
Mellon pouted. "Lame."
Baba cleared her throat. "Here's how it works. Your team will fight my five champions—one-on-one. If your team member wins, they move on to the next fight. If they lose, the next member steps in. If you defeat all my fighters, I will tell your fortune for free!"
Mellon exhaled in relief. "Phew! And here I thought it was going to be something serious."
She smirked at Baba. "You don't know who you're dealing with, old lady. Alex here is practically a fighting expert. Your guys don't stand a chance!"
Baba chuckled. "Oh, is that so? Hehehe! Well then, let's see if he's truly worthy."
to be continue