Europe, distant future. A meteorite impacted on the area of Russia, turning the area into a dead zone. Moreover, it emits a strange radiance which increases the impact survivors and their offsprings' endurance and strength, but also causing them to...
To qualify for the European Neoclash Showdown, the Champion has to prove their skills by participating in Second-league tournaments. There are 40 Second-league tournaments held throughout the year, each of them rewarding golden, silver and bronze badges. Every qualifier must have at least one golden badge for winning a tournament.
Official Neoclash rulebook
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Vítáme vás v Česku, součásti federace Vyšehradsko.
A holographic tag with this writing shows up in the train we are traveling with. For a second, I curiously observe the tiny hats some of the letters have. It's apparently common in Central Europe, especially in states of Visegradia - Czechia, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.
After a minute, the notice changes to English: Welcome to Czechia, a part of the Visegradia federation. Then, the screen shows us two flying flags. One is divided into two halves - white on the top and red on the bottom, with a blue triangle-shaped wedge pointing right. The other one is rather similar. It has three stripes - white, red and green - and the same wedge. However, this blue triangle is further decorated by four stars resembling a constellation. Probably one for each state.
I look at the badge on my chest - it confirms my qualification to the European Neoclash Showdown. Throughout the whole summer, I competed in numerous Second-league tournaments. With varying results, yeah, but my badges were enough to qualify me.
I even got my second golden badge. It was in Prague Challenge - I hope Czechia is my lucky place since the Neoclash Showdown is taking place here (the place changes every year). Even better: all my friends managed to qualify, too. Maria almost didn't make it, but after her phenomenal victory in the Dublin Challenge, she also received the right to compete on the most important tournament.
However, there is one strange thing. Since the Bifröst Challenge, Nightingale didn't appear on a single tournament. It was like she disappeared from the world's surface. For her, it doesn't matter since she already had enough badges to qualify.
She decided to not take the risk of exposure. She knows we're after her.
The train we ride isn't as luxurious as the ones in DIANA, but still much better than several trains in eastern Europe which sometimes resembled rollercoasters. Ryan sits on the opposite seat, constantly working on something on his pentop. He told me his project is almost finished; it needs only some little tweaks he will work on after the Showdown.
"Ryan? What about you stop working for a while?" I tell him. "I know your research is important and everything, but lately, you barely talk to me. You don't even seem happy I qualified to the Showdown!"
"What? Of course I'm happy," Ryan finally closes his pentop and looks at me. "Happy and proud. I've already told you many times. Two years ago... if someone told me I'll finish my project and my Champion will qualify to the Showdown, I wouldn't believe. But well... here we are."
