Columns Corp- Pizzahead&#039;s Revenge - SuperStarlena (2024)

Music- Exit the Gungeon OST [22] - Medical Assistance (Patches and Mandy Theme)

Peppino’s hands clenched, his fingernails digging into his thighs underneath the desk. He does not want to remember what he has gone through in order to keep his pizzeria in one piece. “Uh y-yes.” He answered. “That was-a nearby. But it was destroyed over a month ago.”

“Alright, second question.” Ella turned the tablet screen back to her. “Do you know how or what caused the tower’s collapse?”

A thin veil of sweat appeared on the Italian’s brow. “No. N-no I don’t. I mean, yes, I was inside the tower during that-a time, but it started to collapse when I was halfway through.”

Ella then turned the tablet again. “Are you sure about that?” On the screen showed a recording of Peppino dashing through one of the halls of the Tower’s rooms, charging straight into one of the Pillars acting as that room’s anchor, knocking it down. Then making a mad dash in the opposite direction to escape.

Peppino paled at the evidence. “I-I-… How did- “He stuttered.

“And you are not the only one that we have evidence on.” She then showed footage of Gustavo and Brick escaping from the Pig City level after knocking down the pillar from there, then meeting up with Peppino in a jail cell. “I assume that giant rat of his is hiding somewhere near here?”

“Alright! You are not-a Health Inspector!? Who are you!? How did you-a get all of this!?”

Ella set down the tablet flat on the desk. She took the pen into her hand, clicked it twice, turned the shaft of it once, then clicked it again three times. Reaching her arm out she stabbed the pen, tip first, in the middle of Peppino’s desk, who jumped in his seat. It wasn’t embedded in the desk in any way, but once Ella let go of it, it stayed standing up on its tip and started glowing green before letting out a flash.

Peppino shielded his eyes with a yelp, shaking like a leaf. “It’s alright.” He heard Ella say. “It’s not gonna hurt you or anything. You can open your eyes.”

With his arms still up, the chef cracked one eye open, then looked around him as he found that both he and the blonde woman were surrounded by a green translucent forcefield. “A sound barrier.” She explained. “No sound can get in or out. That way none of the walls can listen in. Neither can your friend, and I know gnomes have pretty good hearing.”

“What the hell is going on here!?” The Italian exclaimed. “What is all-a this?!” He gestured around him at the barrier. “How did you get-a this footage?! How do you even know that-a Gustavo is a gnome?”

Ella sat up and folded her hands together. “I know you have a lot of questions, Mr. Spaghetti. But before I answer them, allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Ella Mottzer, an Agent of an organization called The Columns Corporation.”

“The… Columns Corporation?”

Ella picked up the tablet and tapped it a few times. “We are an organization that deals with these magical Towers.” She explained as she turned the screen around. “The ‘Pizza Tower’ that you encountered was just one of many of these mysterious buildings popping up out of nowhere from all over the world.” Peppino saw images of various themed towers located in different countries, each with a different type of architecture than the last. “While a majority are food themed, there are some that connect to the culture of their surrounding area, the mental state of the first poor soul who wanders in, eldritch or demonic entities, even to different worlds and parallel universes.”

“Parallel universes!?”

“That’s right. That’s how unnatural these Towers are. For centuries, the Columns Corporation have been monitoring them for suspicious activity, stepping in if the Tower Ruler, the one in charge, decides to cause destruction to either a large, populated area, or to anyone who steps into their territory.

“Four months ago, activity in the Pizza Tower spiked high enough to warrant our attention. While we couldn’t get much information about what’s happening or what to expect on the inside, all we know is what Theme is the Tower based on. A week before your little adventure began is when the activity spike is at its highest, so we doubled down on surveillance.

“Thankfully, your intrusion was a blessing in disguise for us. While Pizzahead was busy sending his minions at you, his guard was down long enough to have our hackers piggyback on his security network without being noticed. As well as sending more surveillance drones, as well as an Undercover Agent, inside the tower, right under his nose.”

Ella had a somewhat annoyed look on her face as she continued. “We were going to apprehend Pizzahead ourselves, but you and the Pillar Person that you revived beat us to the punch… quite literally on the latter’s behalf. Along with the bonus of bringing the tower down, you basically did our job for us.”

Peppino sighed in exasperation. “I’m-a sorry, but he threatened to blow up my pizzeria with a goddamn laser! I can’t just sit back and-a let it happen!”

Ella’s eyes widened. “So that’s why you intervened? Oh good! Many of the agents thought you did it for publicity for your restaurant. But now that you brought that up, you have an extremely good reason to do so.”

“Look, I’m-a sorry for butting in… but my-a livelihood was at stake. I can’t afford to-a lose this to that pizza-headed freak! Just please, don’t arrest me!”

“Calm down Mr. Spaghetti, you’re not in trouble with us or the law.” Ella assured him. “But we do need your help.”

Peppino looked surprised. “M-my help? But why?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t tell you the full reason, because in order to get a proper understanding of the situation, you will need a major information dump about the Corporation itself. My boss will handle that when we get to that point. But what I can say is this…” Ella leaned forward, fixing the chef a very serious look.

“Pizzahead is back, and he has taken control of another Tower.”

The Italian’s eyes widened in shock as he was told this information. A storm of emotions rushed through him at once. The fear of losing his restaurant. The anxiety over the battles that he fought over a month ago. And the rage that the pizza-headed freak survived not only the Tower falling on top of his head, but a punch from a revitalized Pillar John that literally sent him to the stratosphere.

And the dread that he might have to go through all that sh*t all over again.

“A-a-are you-a sure that it’s him?”

“I do have proof that it is indeed Pizzahead. But once again, I cannot give you the full reason here. You’re going to have to come back with me to headquarters for a full explanation. I know you haven’t opened yet, but can you stay closed for about a week?”

“A WEEK!?”

“That’s the time frame given to us to resolve this situation. We need to get you briefed on the full situation, get you to the Tower, which is on a far secluded island, and with your help and a small raid team, myself included, take down Pizzahead and save the true Ruler.”

“But why me!? I went-a through hell and back to save my shop from that bastardo (bastard) , and now you-a show up out of nowhere to take me to some… secret agent base to take-a me back to him!? I’m-a sorry Signora Mottzer, but I’ve had enough of this-a sh*t. As long as Pizzahead stays the f*ck away from me and my pizzeria, I want nothing to do with him anymore!”

“…I’d figured you’d say that. Mr. Spaghetti, let me give you two reasons why you should come with me, preferably with no commotion:

“One: With that Tower under Pizzahead’s control, he now has access to weapons that can wreak havoc even if he’s an entire continent away from you. We don’t know if he has that access right at this moment, but the longer he’s in that Tower, the more likely he will find it. And once he does, your pizzeria will be nothing but a crater, courtesy of a satellite lazer that the former Ruler has kept under multiple layers of security. Security that Pizzahead will eventually find access to.

“And two:” Ella leans in, a serious look on her face. “I have been given orders to bring you in either peacefully or by force. Now I might not be able to overpower you physically; we’ve seen the fight between you, Pizzahead, and the other bosses. But I can overpower you with something that you or any of your friends don’t have. Magic. And I don’t mean the cheap tricks that you see magicians do on tv.”

She then lifts a hand, slightly curling her fingers as sparks appear at her fingertips. “I can taze you with a single touch. Put you to sleep with a snap of my fingers. Paralyze you without any physical contact. And since you have never dealt with this kind of magic before, you have no way to resist the effects.”

Peppino gulped. He doesn't know if it’s her magic or something else entirely, but the room just got colder the moment her demeanor changed. And he knows that the air conditioning is off.

“So what is your answer Peppino Spaghetti? Will you come willingly? Or do you want to experience what it’s like to be on the receiving end of the spell, Shocking Grasp ?”

Dammit! Peppino cursed in his mind, his eyes averted down to his desk. So even if I went along with my day, Pizzahead can still destroy my pizzeria, and I won’t even see it coming!? I don't even know where he, or this Tower that Signora Mottzer mentioned is! And speaking of Signora Mottzer…

He raises his eyes back to the blond woman, sparks still at her fingertips. A stern look still on her face. “Time is of the essence Mr. Spaghetti.” She pressed. “I require an answer.”

She’s not lying about those other Towers existing or this…corporation. But if I want to stop Pizzahead from using that weapon on my restaurant, I have to go with her. And those sparks look real too! She really could take me down with that magic if I did anything funny.

Goddammit…I really don't have a choice do I?

“All right, all right.” He sighed as he raised up his hands in surrender. “I’ll-a come with you!”

Ella dispelled the sparks, lowering her hand. “Good choice.”

“I do have-a one request though.”

“What is it?”

“…Can Gustavo come with me?”

Ella was about to answer but stopped with a thoughtful look on her face. “Actually…” she started. “Let me check with my boss really quick.” She took a cell phone out of her pocket and pressed it a few times before putting it up to her ear.

“Director, quick question… Yes, I made it. In fact, he’s right in front of me...I discussed what I could…Quick question though…You know that he was not alone during his endeavor, right? He’s asking if he could bring his allies to the mission…One moment.”

She then turned back to Peppino. “How many people do you want to bring?”

“…Two. Unless a giant rat counts as 3.”

“Ah, that’s right.” Ella turned back to the phone. “Another question, Director… One of his allies has a giant rat as a companion, do we count it as a separate entity?...Yes, the gnome. The one in brown… Very well. One moment.”

“Your gnome friend and his rat can count as one, but we would like to know who is your other plus one. I would like to remind you that if it is someone who has been in that Tower with you at some point, we have an idea who they are.”

“It’s a good thing that you do know. Because the second person I’m-a bringing… is the clone of me from that tower.”

“He said that his clone is also a resident here and wishes to bring it… er-him?... along as well… Understood. One more question before I forget-last one I swear… What mode of transport am I allowed for our guests?... Ah perfect, I was prepared for that route! ...That’s all I needed, we’ll be on our way…Thank you.”

Ella then pocketed her phone. “I suggest that you start gathering your friends. I’ll explain the situation to them while you close shop for a week. You don’t have to pack anything, but we need to get moving asap.”

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 3: Chapter 2- Protection From Bad Intentions

Summary:

Peppino agrees to help Ella and Columns Corp with Gustavo, Brick, and Bruno tagging along for the ride! They all get an example of the magic that she possesses and an express trip to the Corps Headquarters.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 2- Protection From Bad Intentions

"So let-a me get this straight... Pizzahead is back, and he's-a found another tower."

"Yes."

"But that tower belongs to someone else, and Pizzahead is-a holding them hostage."

"Right."

"And you work for a group that deals with these towers."

"Mhm."

"And your group wants to arrest-a Pizzahead but needs Peppino's help to do so."

"Correct. There's more to it, but my Boss will have to explain it."

"And in order to do that, you have to take us to your headquarters."

"Yup."

"And we’re using-a magic circle to do so!?"

Music- Persona 3 OST - During the Test... (Extended)

After the conversation between Ella and Peppino, they both exited the office to immediately tell the others the news. Ella has properly introduced herself to the trio and told them a shorter version of the reason why she's here. They jumped on board immediately, much to Peppino’s surprise, and started to close shop, despite them barely getting started in the first place.

She got along just fine with Gustavo, and while she was surprised when she saw Brick in the fur and found out that he was a few inches taller than her, she was fine with him as well. “He looks very well groomed!” she complemented patting his head as Gustavo beamed with pride.

However, she was a bit wary of Bruno. Then again, Peppino can’t blame her, he felt the same way when the clone first moved in, just on a much higher scale. But after confirming that he didn't mean to harm despite his appearance, she relaxed a little. Keyword being ‘a little’. “He’ll take some getting used to…” she muttered to herself.

And true to Gustavo's word, Ella was now drawing a large 10-foot diameter circle in the middle of the dining area of the pizzeria. Instead of using chalk, a marker, or anything of the sort, she was using a wooden wand like a stereotypical wizard would use, much to Peppino's shock and confusion.

What added to that confusion, is the fact that instead of Ella herself drawing it... A light blue spectral hand that is holding said wand, is doing the job for her. While the blonde was looking at some sort of ornate book that she conjured, seemingly from thin air, with a snap of her fingers.

"This is the fastest form of transportation we have for this situation. As well as the most inconspicuous. If we used a van, there would be a very high chance that we would be followed."

While the circle was being drawn, Peppino was busy writing a quick letter to tape up on the front door of the restaurant.

"And that-a circle there is gonna get us to your headquarters?" Peppino pointed to the floor as Bruno and Brick looked on, interested in the glowing colors. "I find that kinda-hard to believe."

"Nope, what she’s doing is legit Peppino!” Gustavo confirmed. “I’ve seen-a these kinds of spells before.”

“Oh really. Mind filling me in on what-a Signora Mottzer is doing?”

The gnome pointed to the circle. “What she is doing is preparing a spell called Teleportation Circle . It’s-a like making a portal! Haven’t been through one in decades, but it’s-a not too bad."

He then points towards the glowing hand drawing the circle. “And that right there is the spell, Mage Hand . A very common spell, and very handy for-a getting things from far away.” He chuckled a bit as Peppino rolled his eyes at the pun.

“You really know your stuff Mr. Giunta.” Ella turned towards him, impressed with his knowledge. “You know magic as well?”

“Not really. The only spell I know is-a Minor Illusion , due to me being a Forest Gnome. Don’t-a really use it much though.”

Peppino finished the letter and taped it to the front door. "You know, I really don’t-a get all this magic stuff.” He started as he walked back to the group. Leaning on the front counter watching Ella draw the circle. “But what I really don’t-a get, is the fact that-a you two, er three, still want to tag along. Even if it involves-a going to yet another Tower."

"Of course, we’re-a gonna tag along!” Gustavo exclaimed, jumping up on one of the stools to put an arm around Peppino’s broad shoulder. “We're-a here for you every step of the way paisano!"

Bruno put a hand on his original’s other shoulder. "Helped me. Want help you!" he added.

Brick stood on his hind legs, putting one of his front paws on Peppino’s forearm, the other in a thumbs up. “See even Brick wants to help ya!”

Peppino’s eyes widened a bit to his friends’ responses, but then gave a grateful smile to them. “ Grazie ragazzi. Ho bisogno di tutto l'aiuto che posso ottenere . (Thanks, guys. I need all the help I can get.)”

"Alright, it's good to go!" The Italians turned their gaze towards Ella, then upon the floor in front of her.

On the floor of the pizzeria dining area was a 10-foot diameter circle written in what seemed to be pure energy. Runes were etched along the sides facing the 4 cardinal directions. Intricate patterns weaved throughout the inside, with a 2 foot in diameter circle devoid of any markings in the middle. All of it was faintly glowing in a light blue hue.

The three men and rat looked in awe. "Mama Mia!" Gustavo breathed. "I've-a seen a few magic circles during my time, but nothing this complex!"

"For security purposes, it has to be complex. But that's neither here nor there.” Ella waved the Mage Hand over. It handed her the wand then disappeared into sparks, fading from view. She then turned to the trio. “Now before we step in, is there anything you need to wrap up here?” She asked. “Because once we leave, we won’t be back for a week."

Peppino put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. “Let’s-a see…” Without opening his eyes, he called out; “Gustavo, are the ovens off?”

The gnome saluted, he didn’t care if his boss wasn’t watching, he did anyway. “Si! First thing I did when I heard the news!”

“Bruno, is all the food put away?”

The clone copied Gustavo’s salute. “Si!”

“We didn’t put out-a much, but he did put it up.” Gustavo confirmed.

The head chef opened his eyes to look at Brick. “You didn’t leave-a mess anywhere, did you Brick?”

The rat shook his head. “It’s true, I checked.” His owner confirmed.

Peppino heaved a sigh. “Okie dokie! That’s everything! I’d say we’re-a good to-“

Music Stops

"Wait a minute!” Gustavo suddenly exclaimed. “Peppino, we are forgetting something! Or should I say some one .”

"Someone!? What do you mean!?"

Bruno managed to catch on to what, or in this case, who Gustavo was referring to. "What about Noise?"

Peppino’s eyes widened. "sh*t, that’s-a right! If we’re-a gonna be gone for so long, Noise is-a sure to cause havoc to my restaurant!” He then turned towards the woman with a pleading look on his face, his hands clasped in front of him. “Signora Mottzer! Please tell me that you have-a spell or something to protect-a my restaurant while-a we're gone!"

Ella put a hand on her chin with a thoughtful look on her face. "Yeah, I do… Well, more like a ritual that I can do."

"A ritual?"

"Basically, a spell with a whole lot more preparation." The woman flipped through some pages in her book, looking for something. "Good thing I came prepared with it! Now where is- Here it is!"

After finding the page she was looking for, she turned towards Peppino. "Mr. Spaghetti, for this ritual, I need to write some symbols on the walls of your establishment, including your roof. Don’t worry, it's written with magic, so it won't permanently mar your walls. Do I have your permission to do so?"

"Uh…y-yes, of course-a. But what-a does this ritual do exactly?"

"This ritual is for a custom-made spell called Protection from Bad Intentions ; a spell created by one of our agents. Let me read what is says for its description:

Music- P5 OST 38 Butterfly Kiss

" By drawing a set of sigils on the walls of a building facing the four cardinal directions, one on the floor as close to the building’s center as possible, and one on the roof preferably above the floor symbol, an invisible warding barrier is formed around the establishment.

This barrier will only allow people to pass through, if the person has no intention to cause damage or sabotage the building itself, anything within the building, or the building's owner or allies so long as they are inside the building in question.

If a person DOES have any intentions of sabotage, they will not pass through the barrier and will receive an electric shock. The intensity of the shock depends on how evil their intentions are.

If the building owner knows the full name (Titles or Nicknames do not count) of the saboteur or any allies that they want to pass through, a contract is made with the Owner's name and a list of people that they want in or out of their establishment, along with a symbol written on the back acting as the arcane focus for the spell.

The duration of the spell depends on what symbols are drawn, from 24 hours to 7 days. And the number of symbols needed to be drawn depends on how many floors tall the building is, limit 4 per floor, not including the roof, while only one is used for the floor of the bottom-most level. The spell can only end prematurely if the contract is destroyed or if the caster dismisses it before the duration ends. Any spells such as Dispel Magic will not work against it. "

Gustavo’s eyes widened as he heard the instructions. "Wow! And someone created this spell!?” He spoke. “That’s amazing! Genius even!"

"If you want a demonstration on how it's done, I can start with the front door." The Mage Hand, well handed, Ella her wand then disappeared in a flash of sparks. Walking up to the glass door, the wand's tip glowed blue as she used it to draw a strange arcane looking symbol on the window in that same blue energy.

The men and rat looked on in awe. " Pretty!" Bruno babbled.

"I just have to do this to three other walls, the floor close to the middle of the building, and the roof directly above the one on the floor. Don't worry, it goes away once the spell expires, so it won’t leave any damaging marks to any surfaces.” She then turned to the pizzeria owner. “Mind leading me to the furthest outer walls here Mr. Spaghetti?"

"Oh yes, of course. There's also a second floor that I use for living quarters."

“Okay! Let’s start with the first floor then work our way up.”

The first stop was back in Peppino's office as it was the western-most wall in the building. The second was the easternmost wall in the kitchen. When they got to the southernmost wall in the apartment attached to the shop, which is the living room, was when Peppino spoke. “I don’t-a mean to doubt or insult you or anything Signora Mottzer, but is all of this really necessary?”

“I know this looks a bit much, but yes, this is necessary.” She replied as she drew the sigil. "You haven’t seen any magic before, haven’t you Mr. Spaghetti?"

"No, not really. I've seen-a some magic before at the Tower. And a few small illusions from Gustavo. But nothing like-a this.”

“The magic that Columns Corp deals with is leagues different and powerful compared to what you’ve seen. You’ll see what I mean when I finish setting up this spell.”

After finishing the sigil, she then stepped back as it started to give off a faint glow. “Good.” She nodded. “This will give me the location of where to put that floor sigil.” They both stepped out of the apartment as they then saw a five-foot diameter glowing circle near the entrance to the kitchen from the front counter. “Perfect.” Ella stepped into the circle, squatted down, and started drawing.

Music- Wicked Plan - Persona 5

Peppino was trying his damnedest to keep his eyes anywhere but the blonde’s (very shapely) backside as he was directly behind her as she did her work.

He breathed a silent sigh of relief as she stood up. “Can you lead me to the second floor please?”

After Peppino leads Ella upstairs and she repeats the process with the walls, they both head back down. “Now there’s one more place left, the roof.”

“Oh! I have a ladder if you need it.”

“No, that's fine. I’ve got my own way to get up there.”

Going out the back door, the duo now faced the backside of the building. Ella held out her hand and it was enveloped in a quick flash of light…

Peppino’s eyes almost popped out of their socket as, when the light died down, a mace appeared in her grasp.

Not the pepper spray, but the ACTUAL WEAPON!!!

“ Che diavolo!? (What the hell!?)” Peppino yelled. “How- how did you-a get that!? Where did that even come from!?”

“Long story. But here’s the short version: Magic. Could you hold this please?” She then shoved her purse into the bewildered Italian’s hands.

Pointing the mace at the roof, the blue gem on top of it glowed. Peppino’s eyes bugged out even more as he saw a spectral clawed hand pop out with a similar spectral tether, reminding him of a grappling hook, shooting out of the crystal. The claw grabbed on to the roof’s edge, but the chef didn’t see any cracks or damage to that area.

Ella gave the mace a quick tug as she was then propelled towards the roof, hanging on to the ledge then climbing over. “This is gonna take a minute. Be right back!” She shouted as she then moved out of the building owner’s line of sight.

It took every ounce of Peppino’s willpower to not have his jaw literally drop to the ground. Between the magic that she demonstrated, her natural beauty, the controlled but intimidating mood shift in his office, and the physical prowess she just showed…

He couldn’t get enough of it. “ Che donna… (What a woman…)” he muttered to himself.

After coming down from the roof (and Peppino snapping himself out of his infatuation), the two of them head back inside to the dining area. Meeting up with the others, Ella then tore a page out of her spellbook and laid it on the tabletop. “Here is the final step for the spell. Mr. Spaghetti. I need you to read and fill out this contract. Once you do that and after I sign it, I’ll be able to complete and activate the spell. After that, the spell is guaranteed to stay active while we're gone.”

The contract reads as follows:

I, ______, Owner of the building named ______,

will allow the following person(s) passage and full access into my establishment:

For the duration of _____, the named individual(s) may enter and exit the building of ________ as they see fit, even in my absence.

I, ______, Owner of the building named ______,

will also NOT allow the following person(s) passage into my establishment:

For the duration of _____, the entire building of ________ is protected from harm in any way shape or form, inside and out, from the named individual(s) or any outside force. The individual(s) also cannot enter the establishment even in my absence.

The Columns Corporation Agent ______ has my permission to cast this spell, as well as extending its duration or dispelling it as they see fit.

This contract and the spell Protection from Bad Intentions will expire after the period of _____.

Signed,

________

Owner of __________

The Italian Trio (and rat) read this over, or in Bruno’s and Brick’s case just looked at it. “Well, I’ve got-a nothing to lose, and I’m not-a literally signing my life away with-a this.” Peppino took the paper and a pen he took from his pocket. “Here goes nothing.” And started writing.

After he finished and Ella signed, the contract now looks like this:

I, Peppino Spaghetti , Owner of the building named Peppino’s Pizza ,

will allow the following person(s) passage and full access into my establishment:

Gustavo Giunta

Brick the Rat

Fake Peppino “Bruno” Spaghetti

For the duration of 7 Days , the named individual(s) may enter and exit the building of Peppino’s Pizza as they see fit, even in my absence.

I, Peppino Spaghetti , Owner of the building named Peppino’s Pizza ,

will also NOT allow the following person(s) passage into my establishment:

Theodore Noise

For the duration of 7 Days , the entire building of Peppino’s Pizza is protected from harm in any way shape or form, inside and out, from the named individual(s) or any outside force. The individual(s) also cannot enter the establishment even in my absence.

The Columns Corporation Agent Ella Mottzer has my permission to cast the spell Protection from Bad Intentions, as well as extending its duration or dispelling it as they see fit.

This contract and the spell Protection from Bad Intentions will expire after the period of 7 Days .

Signed,

Peppino Spaghetti

Owner of Peppino’s Pizza

Ella looks it over. “Alright, it looks good! Now for the finishing touch.” Taking out her wand, she turned over the paper and drew a symbol on it. The group of 4 looked on as she drew a rune far more intricate than the others on the walls. “Stand back a few steps. I don’t want you all to get blinded by what’s going to happen next.” Heeding her warning they did so.

Music Stops

Giving her wand a quick twirl, the blond then stabbed the paper with the wand’s point. A glow started to emit from the tip as Ella shouted, “ Protection from Bad Intentions !”. With that shout, the rune started to glow, and the wand glowed even brighter until they both let out a bright flash, making everyone cover their eyes for a second.

Music- La-Mulana Remake Soundtrack - Requiem

All the runes surrounding the pizzeria started to glow with a blue ethereal glow, with the quartet looking at the one on the front door. The Italians’ eyes widened as they looked through the windows outside as they saw a wave of magic rise from the ground, wrapping around the building. If one were to witness this phenomenon from the outside, they would see a massive blue energy barrier form around the entirety of Peppino’s Pizza for a few seconds before fading away.

Music Stops

The people inside then see the runes’ glow also fades, as they then disappear. “…Did… did it work?” Peppino asked.

As he said that the rune on the back of the contract glowed softer until it dimmed completely. Ella picked it up and showed it to the chef. “See for yourself.”

Underneath Peppino’s signature a new sentence appeared:

The spell Protection from Bad Intentions is now active and will expire in:

167 Hours, 59 Minutes, and 45 Seconds

As Peppino could see, the timer was counting down, in real time, right before his eyes. “It worked…” he breathed out. “It actually worked.”

Ella then folded up the contract and handed it to Peppino. “I need you to put this somewhere where no one but you can find it.” She instructed. “This contract now doubles as an Arcane Focus, aka a battery, for this spell. If it gets destroyed, the spell deactivates, and The Noise will be able to get free reign of this place.”

She then opened her spellbook and tapped her wand on a blank page. “If you want to see the timer again or want to see any updates on who tried to pass through the barrier, I now have a copy of the contract and its timer. And I’ll be the first to know if anything happens.”

Peppino clasped his hands together (as well as fighting the urge to grasp hers) in gratefulness. “ Grazie, Signora Mottzer! I’ll be right-a back!” he said as he took the contract and dashed to his bedroom to stash it under his mattress.

When he came back, he saw Gustavo, Brick, and Bruno standing on the glowing circle. Each of them in one of the smaller circles in the larger circle’s pattern. Ella turned towards the chef. “Now that everyone’s here,” She pointed to the smaller circle that was unoccupied. “Get on.”

Music- Beyond the Portal

Peppino cautiously stepped into the circle’s boundary and stepped into the smaller one in between Gustavo and Bruno. The blond agent then stepped past him, stopping at the middle.

“Now, seeing as this is your first time using a Teleportation Circle, allow me to give you a few rules: First and foremost, stay inside the circle. If you step out of it during travel, you’ll be lost in between dimensions with no way back.”

Peppino audibly gulped at that warning.

“Second, try not to move so much. It’ll cut down on motion sickness. And third, if you see a bright flash about to happen, cover your eyes. It will cause blindness, and possible long term eye damage. You guys got all that?”

The four of them nodded.

“Alright. Brace yourselves!” Ella then stomped her foot, causing the circle to glow brighter than before. Opening her spellbook, she started to read aloud. However, to everyone else, it sounded as if she was speaking in another language, one they have never heard before.

Both Peppino and Bruno co*cked their heads to the side in confusion, Gustavo's eyes lit up in recognition, and Brick just stood there looking around at the pretty colors.

The circle glowed brighter as Ella finished reading the spell. Once she was done, she snapped her fingers. A bright flash erupted underneath everyone, forcing the men and rat to cover their eyes.

Music stops

Peppino, eyes squeezed shut and heeding Ella's warning from before, fought the overwhelming urge to turn tail and jump off of the circle. "It's alright! You can open your eyes," he heard the woman's voice call out. Peeling his eyelids open one at a time, the Italian lowered his arms, his widening at the sight before him.

Music- [LOOP] Glass Structure (Dark)

Still standing in their spots in the magic circle, everyone sans Ella, was looking around at the light blue, tunnel-like void surrounding them.

"This is the gap between dimensions!" Ella announced. "In just a few seconds, we'll be at the Corps HQ, so stay where you are!"

The void around them started to change color, going from light blue to a dark purple. The group could feel the wind whip around them as a bright white light started to glow above them. "We're almost there! Cover your eyes, it's gonna be bright!"

The Four Italians (Rat Included) heeded her warning and covered their eyes, just as the glow intensified. Even behind their eyelids, everyone saw white for a couple of seconds until it went dark. When the bright flash died down, the group slowly opened their eyes.

Music Stops

Looking around him, Peppino could see multiple interconnecting platforms, each with magic circles of their own. People of many different shapes and sizes were either stepping on and being teleported to who knows where, or stepping from the platforms, with the circle that was being used fading away.

The other three also had awed looks on their faces. "Mio Dio..." Peppino breathed, looking at the different species, most that he has never seen before.

" Is that bunny?" Bruno pointed at a platform to the group's right as an average height humanoid rabbit in a green uniform stepped out of a magic circle.

"Wait, is that a Dwarf!? And a Dragonborn!? I haven’t seen any in-a years!" Gustavo pointed at a platform below them as a very short, bearded man and a red dragon-like person passed below them.

" Ehi, smettila! È scortese indicarlo, sai! (Hey, stop that! It's impolite to point you know!)" Peppino hissed in Italian in order to not draw attention should he say that in English. He and the others then turned around as Ella cleared her throat.

"I understand that you're all amazed at this place, but could you all follow me please. After all, this isn't even the main hub."

"Where are we exactly?" the gnome asked.

"This is one of the sixteen areas called Portal Hubs. Columns Corp is connected throughout multiple worlds and universes. And the only way to get to HQ is through a portal of any kind. And where we're heading is one of the eight main hubs of HQ."

Exiting out of the gate that says "Portal Hub Delta", the group then entered an open area.

The guests' eyes widened even more as they gazed upon their surroundings.

Stepping in front of them then turning back to the group with a smile of pride, Ella gestured out towards her surroundings, and proudly said:

“Gentlemen. Welcome to the Columns Corporation!”

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 4: Chapter 3- Enter The Columns Dimension

Summary:

The party has arrived at Columns Corps HQ. They meet up with the Director, get a briefing, and find out the severity of the situation. Peppino also gets an offer that he can’t refuse.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 3- Enter the Columns Dimension

Exiting out of the gate that says "Portal Hub Alpha", the group then entered an open area.

The guests' eyes widened even more as they gazed upon their surroundings.

Stepping in front of them then turning back to the group with a smile of pride, Ella gestured out towards her surroundings, and proudly said:

“Gentlemen. Welcome to the Columns Corporation!”

The 4 Italians felt like they stepped into a futuristic college district. People and creatures of different shapes and sizes were seen and were much more diverse than what was at the Portal Hub. From normal looking Humans, humanoid animals such as cats and dogs to name a few, to a half Human, half Horse person roaming around.

“This is amazing!” Gustavo gushed. “So many-a different races and species! Some I haven’t seen in-a over fifty years! And some that I’ve-a never even seen before!” He saw an average height young woman with fairy wings, in a green uniform, do a quick twirl before shrinking down to about 6 inches and flying off.

Bruno pointed up at the sky. “ Purple!” he burbled out. And true to his word, as the others looked up, they saw that the sky was a dark purple hue. But instead of seeing clouds or a sun, they saw the sky itself ripple like it was made of water.

To add on to the strangeness of this place, Peppino saw 2 bird looking people, both in business suits, swoop down from the sky and land in front of the building in front of them, walking inside. “Mio Dio… (My God…)” he breathed. “Is-a this even real?”

Everyone snapped out of their trance as Ella cleared her throat in order to get their attention. "I understand that you want to take in the scenery but we're on a major time crunch here. If you all could follow me." She then turned around and walked towards the building in front of them, with Peppino and the gang following suit.

“So is that-a building there the Columns Corporation?” Gustavo asked, pointing to the very large building in front of them.

“Yes, but that building is just a part of it. The Columns Corporation as a whole…” Ella once again spreads her arms, gesturing to the space around her.

“Is the very dimension that we are currently in.”

“WHAT!?”

“Take a look at the sky. See how it's purple like Mr. Bruno said?” The group looked up again at the purple rippling sky as they walked. “That sky marks the boundary of what we call the Columns Dimension. And the multiple sectors of the Corporation, plus more sectors for living areas for agents and allies alike, are all housed in a private dimension that could fit the largest major city in your world five times over.”

“The Corporation itself is separated into 5 sectors: The Field Agents, who I'm a part of, are the ones who carry out the missions. The Engineers who make our gear, both magical and non-magical. The Mystics who are like the Engineers but only magic based. Mission Control, the center of intelligence across the different worlds and where our Navigators guide the Field Agents in their missions. And the current Sector that were in are for the Executives, the hub for the high-ranking leaders for each Sector, as well as the main office for the Director."

As they entered the building and made their way to the front desk, a brown-haired woman with pointy ears and a typical secretary outfit greeted them. “Welcome to the Executive Office! How may I help you?'' She then noticed Ella at the front of the group. “Oh Agent Mottzer! You came just in time! The Director is ready for you and your guests now.” As she gestures to the elevators behind the desk.

“Thank you. Right this way gentlemen.” As the Agent led the group and pushed the button, Gustavo had something to ask. “Say um, Signora Mottzer?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t-a mean to be rude or anything, but… What-a race are you?”

“Gustavo!?” Peppino’s head whipped towards the gnome in an offended tone.

“No no, it’s fine Mr. Spaghetti. What he meant by that is what species I am.” With a ‘ding’, the doors opened, and everyone entered. Ella pushed the button to the top floor and the doors closed.

“What species? Y-you mean you’re not human!?”

“Part human actually.”

“I thought so! And-a you spoke Elven when you teleported us here, right?” At Ella’s nod, Gus’ eyes widened as he put two and two together. “You’re a Half Elf, aren’t you?”

Ella smiled at the answer. “That’s right!” She said as she pulled back her short blonde hair, revealing her ears. While they are slightly larger than a normal human ear, it had a pointed tip.

Bruno looked at her ear tips in wonder. “KnowSanta?” he asked.

Ella chuckled. “No, I’m not that kind of Elf. The concept of Elves in your world is completely different from others. We have no connection to Santa Claus in any way, we just have a higher affinity for magic.”

Peppino couldn’t believe his ears. He couldn't believe that he was falling for someone who wasn’t even human, well, fully human anyway. Must be the elf side of her that's enhancing her beauty.

"That's... that’s amazing." he breathed out.

She's amazing. He thought.

The elevator dinged once again as the doors opened. “But if you think that’s impressive, wait until you see the rest of my team.” She replied with another chuckle.

As everyone exited the elevator, they saw another reception desk, this time with a fox woman with red fur and the same standard secretary uniform was behind the desk. As the group arrived, her ears perked up. “Oh! Agent Mottzer!” she said. “Go on in, the Director’s expecting you and your guests!”

“Thanks Scarlett!” the blonde waved as she passed by with the group in tow. As they arrived at the double ornate wooden doors, Ella put her hands on the handles, then turned her head to address the guests. “No time to waste.” She spoke. “It’s time that we gave you your answers Mr. Spaghetti, so we can start this mission.” She then opened the doors allowing them inside, before closing them behind her.

When they entered, the party could see a large desk with a larger than normal office chair. Mounted on the wall behind it are 9 monitors, each showing something different. But nobody dwells on what detail as the chair swivels around and reveals the person sitting upon it.

To the guest’s surprise, the person didn't even look like a person, or even a human...

It looked like a dragon.

A black and dark purple dragon wearing a gray suit with dark purple lapels stared back with a piercing gaze. Their purple, almost glowing eyes shift one at a time to the men, to the clone, then the rat, until they finally settle on the agent.

Music- Yuppie Psycho OST - Hollow Faces

"Ah Agent Mottzer." The dragon spoke. A female voice, with a serious sounding tone, was easily identified by the guests. “I see you succeeded in bringing our new ally and his allies as well. Any problems in getting here?”

Ella stood at attention and performed the Corporation’s salute. Clenching her right hand into a fist, she put it over her heart. Then raised that same hand holding it flat against her forehead with her palm facing outward. “No problems at all, Director. Although I had to take some extra steps to prevent some problems happening to his pizzeria while we're gone." She jerked her head towards Peppino.

"I see. Protection from Bad Intentions I'm guessing?"

"You guessed correctly."

The Director chuckled with a smirk. "You were always one to protect others, Mottzer." She then stood up and walked towards the party. "Allow me to introduce myself gentlemen. I am Violet Sterngaze, the Director of the Columns Corporation.”

While Gustavo didn’t look too surprised with Director Sterngaze's appearance, Peppino, Bruno, and Brick (with some interest) couldn't help but look at the rest of the dragon woman. Standing at 5 foot 10, the same height as Peppino, her piercing gaze was easily at the same level as his. While she is wearing slacks matching the lapels of the suit, she wore no shoes revealing 3-digit raptor-like feet. Her scaly tail gently swished as she walked.

Sterngaze noticed their stares with a raised eye ridge and a chuckle. "Ah that's right! Dragonborn are not very common in your world, are they?"

The men perked up, snapping out of their daze. "You're-a going to have to excuse us, Signora." Gustavo said. "It's-a been decades since I've seen a Dragonborn. And these two, well three in-a Brick's case." He pointed a thumb towards the human, his clone, and the giant rat. "They've never seen one before."

"Understood. But I'm sure you all want answers on why you are all here. Especially you, Mr. Spaghetti."

"Si Signora.” The man in question replied. “Signora Mottzer told us that Pizzahead is back, and-a you wanted my help, but couldn't say anything more."

"That is because in order to properly explain the situation, you all require a better understanding of this organization and the Towers themselves. Basically, an information dump. After that I will show to you all the reason why you were all called here."

Sterngaze turned around and walked to her desk. "This will take a while, but time is of the essence so I will be as brief as I can. Please take a seat." she ordered as she snapped her fingers.

When she did so, the chair she was sitting in lowered into the floor, giving the group a clear view of the monitors. And with another snap, four more chairs appeared a few feet away from the front of the desk. Ella took hers without hesitation, while the others, Peppino especially, tentatively took theirs. Gustavo took his at one of the ends so that Brick could sit by him. Peppino, while still nervous about the situation about to be explained by him, took some solace of the fact that he's sitting right next to Ella. Sure, Bruno is flanking his right side, but that's no big deal.

Sterngaze cleared her throat as she started, clicking a button on a small remote. "Before I get the reason why you are brought here Mr. Spaghetti, allow me to tell you what we do here in Columns Corp. As well as providing more information on the Tower that Pizzahead usurped."

Music- EV24: Briefing 2 - The Wonderful 101 [OST]

"Throughout your world, as well as countless others, these Towers appear out of nowhere.” The screens behind her showed multiple images of different looking Towers as she explained. “No one knows how they came to be, or why they exist even to this day, but what we do know is this: Trying to take control of those Towers is bad news should you fall to its influence.”

"What do you mean?" The chef asked.

"I mean that these Towers are, in a way, somewhat sentient. They can warp and corrupt the thoughts and desires of whoever walks inside, all with one simple goal: Find someone to protect it in order to keep itself standing. Some ‘Natural’ Towers may exist for years, sometimes decades or centuries on end, before a suitable ‘Host’ can be discovered.”

The images then changed to various looking sentient Pillars. The party could easily compare these people to Pillar John. “However, some Towers can be created another way. By placing a curse, then imprisoning an entity called a Pillar Person. You lot have seen one who calls himself Pillar John.” A screenshot of the said Pillar was shown.

“For centuries, our mission at Columns Corp is to track down these towers and get to their Ruler. What happens afterwards depends on their intentions with the Tower. If the Ruler is unwillingly "trapped" by the Tower's influence, then we will then try to save them. Once achieved, depending on their intentions, they have three choices:

They can choose to keep their status of Ruler and work with the Corporation. This turns them to what's known as a Tower Ally.

They can lose their Ruler status, but still join the Corporation.

Or, if they want zero part in this situation anymore, they can request to lose their memories of the event entirely and return to their normal lives.”

“But if the Ruler is dead set on causing chaos and destruction on any unwilling visitors, any cities or towns in its immediate area, or even on a global scale, then the Tower will be destroyed, and the Ruler will be arrested. In which we will strip them of their power and punish them accordingly, either by erasing their memories and/or executing them. We also endeavor in rescuing Pillar People as well, by collecting their treasures hidden within its Tower in order to fully break their curse. Once we do so, we put them in what's called the Pillar Protection Program, to prevent others from abusing their powers again.”

“Did you find Pillar John by any chance?” Gustavo asked. “Or his-a brother Gerome?”

“No, we have not. But we are searching.” Sterngaze assured. “But let’s move on with the Tower that is now under Pizzahead’s control.” The screens now showed a red brick tower having a similar build to the Pizza Tower.

"This Tower he has usurped is known as the CheddarSpice Tower. This Tower is located in the middle of a supernatural area in your world you know as The Bermuda Triangle. And is formerly ruled by one of our Tower Allies named PepperJack.” Beside the image of the Tower, a smaller image of a Jester-like person is revealed.

“This Tower is home to mostly Cheese and Pepper based creatures, along with some other creatures not fitting that category. But the main reason why this Tower is very important, is because it is also one of the Corporation's sources of weaponry and one of its gateways is a direct delivery point into our Hub Dimension.”

“Before Pizzahead struck, PepperJack managed to lock down all access, remote or otherwise, to his Tower's defense system, and cut off all access to what's called the Tower Teleportation Network, which is a network of portals connecting to the Columns Dimension and to other Allied Towers across the multiverse. Unfortunately, it can only last for so long before Pizzahead can find a way into his system and call off the lockdown. And I fear that he has already made some progress."

"What makes you say that?" Peppino asked.

"And this is where we get to the reason why you were called here Mr. Spaghetti." The dragonborn pressed a few buttons on her remote. "Around 20 hours ago, going by the time in your world, we received an emergency alert from the CheddarSpice Tower. But we received no response when we reached out. That was when PepperJack activated his security lockdown. Then, 1 hour later, we received a transmission from the Tower, but from someone that we do not recognize."

“Pizzahead…”

“Exactly. Allow me to show you all the transmission we received.” Another button press, and after showing a ‘Transmission Loading’ screen, the video started to play:

Stop Music

It started out blurry as the camera was jostled, but after a few seconds a close-up of someone’s eye was revealed as it was right in the camera’s lens.

"Helloooo there~!” a voice greeted. “Is this thing working? Oh, good it is!”

The figure then stepped back, revealing themselves to be Pizzahead, and judging by his appearance, he didn’t look any different than from what Peppino and the others remember him.

“Ahem! Hello Columns Corporation!” He gave the camera a wave. “Yes, I know who you people are. After digging into the systems files and someone's brain, not literally of course, I managed to get the gist of who you are and what you do. And I gotta say, dealing with Towers from around the world AND across different universes!? Hoo boy! You guys are a real big deal! Oh, I just can’t WAIT until I can take it over!”

“Oh! Where are my manners! Allow me to introduce myself. You can call me Pizzahead! The brand-new owner of this fine Tower! Looks a lot more advanced than my Tower I'll tell you what!”

He then had a peeved look on his face. “Well... my former Tower I mean.”

“You see, I am a former 'Tower Ruler' as you put it. And a few months ago, from the date of this here recording, my very own Pizza Tower was destroyed. All because a certain Italian Pizza Chef couldn’t take a joke.

What happened you may ask? Let me give you a brief version.”

Music- P5 OST 87 Restlessness

He leaned back in his chair as he started his tale. “My Tower was located in a very remote place in California, miles away from the nearest city. No other buildings or homes were even close to my location… except for a small pizzeria. So, I decided to have a little fun.”

“After a week of preparations and staking out my competition, I, using a mech of my own creation as the messenger at the time, decided to issue a challenge to the owner of that pizzeria, Peppino Spaghetti. The challenge was simple; I have a giant laser aimed at his pizzeria. If he makes it to the top and stops me, I’ll leave him alone. If he fails or refuses, I’ll blow his business to kingdom come!”

“And boy oh boy did he surprise me!”

Pizzahead starts to look agitated. “This fat*ss Italian runs full tilt at the speed of sound, and I’m not exaggerating here, into my Tower, defeated my four Guardians, my mech, and then ME! And that’s not all, oooooh no!” The agitation then morphed into fury, leaning into the camera. “Instead of taking his W and just leaving, he straight up DESTROYS MY TOWER AND HAVING THE PILLAR PERSON THAT I ENSLAVED UPPERCUT ME INTO NEXT WEEK!!!”

After a few deep breaths trying to calm down from his outburst, he straightens out his bowtie and stands up, reaching towards the camera. The view was obscured due to his hand over the lens, and rustling indicates that he is trying to disconnect it from its stand. “But I’m not here to vent about my problems, I’m here to make an announcement…” Pizzahead’s hand moves as he is now holding the camera. “The CheddarSpice Tower is under new management!”

He took a few steps and turned the camera towards what seemed to be a crystallized statue. However, with a closer look, the statue was of a person putting up their arms as if shielding themselves from something. Pizzahead moved the camera’s view and zoomed in on the person’s face, revealing it to be the same jester that the group was informed about.

“Wait… is that?” Gustavo asked.

“Jester!” Bruno answered pointing at the screen.

Music- P5 OST 99 Desire

“That’s right! PepperJack here is out of commission, his Tower Guardians are under my control, and while I have some difficulty with hacking into his security, I have a bit of a start on shutting down the lockdown on his weapon production. It isn’t much considering the sheer complexity of it, but hey, it’s better than nothing!” Pizzahead came back into view as he stood next to the crystalized PepperJack, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and leaning in so that they’re both on screen. “Especially since one of those weapons happens to be a giant laser!”

Pizzahead’s eyes opened as he shifted them from side to side, as if he was checking to see if he was being watched. He leaned into the camera with a sneaky expression on his face. “I’ll let you all in on a little secret. Remember when I said that it all started because Peppino couldn’t take a joke? Well, here’s the punchline to that said joke:

That laser I had… it wasn’t even real! It’s just a big metal husk with no wiring.”

Stop Music with a record scratch

“WHAT!?!?” Peppino all but roared, shooting out of his seat in rage. Everyone in the room jumped at the powerful and sudden anger in the Chef’s voice, they could’ve sworn that they felt the entire room shake at that moment. A thud was heard as Ella, startled by the shout and pushed by the force of Peppino’s voice, fell to the floor on her rear.

Sterngaze even jumped, her eye ridges raised in surprise as she fumbled with the remote pausing the recording. “Mr. Spaghetti, I understand that you are upset,” she started. “But please calm down! You even managed to spook Agent Mottzer there!”

Peppino’s face was bright red and stuck in a ferocious snarl, staring daggers at the paused visage of his enemy. But when Sterngaze mentioned Ella’s status, his skin color returned to normal, and the snarl was instantly replaced with shock as his head snapped to look at the blond agent.

“Signora Mottzer! I-I’m-a so sorry! I didn’t-“

“I’m fine!” She grunted as she stood up, not accepting Gustavo’s hand. “Just caught me off guard.” Taking a few breaths to compose herself, she sat back down. “Please continue Director, we’re wasting time here.”

“Are you sure-”

“Yes, continue!” Ella snapped.

The dragonborn silently sighed. “Are the rest of you composed enough to continue on?” she asked everyone else, as her namesake was aimed at the Human Chef.

Taking a deep breath, Peppino nodded and silently took his seat with Bruno copying him. Gustavo followed suit after giving Brick a few head pats to settle him down. Peppino spared a look at the woman and saw that her hands were gripped together and subtly shaking. He recognized that action all too well, she’s startled and is trying not to look like she’s shaken up in front of everyone. He wanted to apologize again but felt like it would aggravate her further.

With everyone except herself sitting down, the Director pressed play.

Music- P5 OST 99 Desire

The usurper closed his eyes and let out a chuckle as he moved away from the jester statue. “Yup! I did all that just to really mess with him and what do I get? A gigantic pile of rubble and a mad hankering for revenge. And now, with some help from a… benefactor? Yeah, let’s go with that…I finally have my chance.”

Pizzahead made it back to his seat and sat down, still holding the camera. “So! From the time of this recording, you have one week to bring Peppino Spaghetti to this Tower. I don’t care if you bring reinforcements or whatever, I just want him to climb this Tower, face these Guardians, and reach me. Just like old times! And that same deal still stands, if he doesn’t show, or if he fails, his pizzeria will be destroyed. And as a bonus, PepperJack will be killed, and with the help of my new benefactor, the Columns Corporation will be under my absolute control.

A challenging grin spread on his cheesy face. “So tick tock Columns Corp! I want my delivery of one fat, Italian bastard to my doorstep in preferably 30 hours or less if you want to give him plenty of time to succeed!”

“Oh, and if Peppino himself is watching this…”

The tyrant leaned forward, making sure that only his now fully opened eyes are seen, as if he’s trying to stare down Peppino in person. All traces of his whimsical attitude are gone as sheer, focused hate is radiated from that glare as he continued in a low, serious voice.

“I made a grave mistake in underestimating you, and I’m not making the same mistake twice. And I know you got the meatballs to face me since your oh so precious pizzeria is in danger once again. So come and find me Peppino…”

Pizzahead’s pupils then glowed an eerie purple, shocking the Italians as he said his final words:

“I’m ready for you.”

END TRANSMISSION

Stop Music

The Director turned off the screens then walked back to her desk, her chair reappearing as she sat down. “Now do you see the importance of us bringing you here, Mr. Spaghetti?”

The man in question heaved a heavy sigh. “I do, Signora Sterngaze. And with what Signora Mottzer told me about-a Pizzahead being able to destroy my pizzeria without me seeing it coming… There’s nothing I can do but accept this deal.” He looks at Sterngaze with a resolute gaze of his own. “Pizzahead may have-a underestimated me in the past, but I took him seriously. I know how much of an actual threat he is, and how much-a more he will be with access to all-a those weapons. And if I have a chance to stop him, for good hopefully,” He stood up, clenching a fist in front of him, adding on to his resolve.

Music- EV30: Briefing 3 - The Wonderful 101 [OST]

“Then I’ll-a help you out in any way I can!”

Gustavo, Brick, and Bruno also stood up, motivated by their boss. “And we’ll-a do whatever we can to help Peppino, Signora!” Gustavo added with Brick squeaking with determination.

“Count on us!” While still having his lopsided smile, Bruno did his own rendition of his host’s resolute gaze and pose.

Sterngaze smiled, impressed by the guests’ determination in taking down their mutual foe. “I’m glad that you can join us gentlemen.” She spoke. “However, there is one more thing that we have to discuss.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Your payment.” She started typing on her computer as she continued. “While looking up your personal information from your world, we also found out that you are also in major debt.” She raised an eye ridge. “And I believe you know where I’m going with this.”

“Wait… you mean?”

“That’s right Mr. Spaghetti. Defeat Pizzahead and help us rescue PepperJack…” She stopped typing and leaned forward; her eyes locked onto Peppino’s.

“And we will pay your debt in full. All $300,000+ of it.”

Peppino couldn’t believe his ears. For over three and a half years he has worked himself to death to even put a dent in that massive debt. And while he did manage to get enough money and ingredients from the Tower to keep himself afloat for a while before the influx of customers, it still wasn’t enough to fully pay it off. Now, this strange organization is going to give him a chance to finally pay off and get rid of his main source of stress.

There was only one thing he could say:

“Deal!”

“Excellent!” She then turned to Ella. "Agent Mottzer,” The said agent stood up at attention. “Go ahead and gear up. I will escort Mr. Spaghetti and his group to Hanger Sigma myself. I have already notified the rest of your team of our rendezvous point. Be there in 20 minutes."

Ella did the Corps salute once again. "Post haste!” She then said to the Italians. “See you all there." And swiftly left.

Sterngaze then stood up, passing the men as she made for the door. "As for the rest of you, come with me. We gave you all the information you all need to know. We held this off long enough.” She turned her head giving one last look to the group before opening the door.

“It's time to finally begin this mission."

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 5: Chapter 4- Meet The Team

Summary:

After agreeing to Sterngaze’s terms, the party sets off for the CheddarSpice Tower. But not before meeting the rest of Ella’s team accompanying her.
The team has met Peppino for less than 10 minutes and they’re already shipping him with Ella.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 4- Meet The Team

Music- Exit the Gungeon OST [22] - Medical Assistance (Patches and Mandy Theme)

"So how will-a we get to that Tower? Do we go back the way we came?"

With Director Sterngaze leading the way, the Italians were heading back to Portal Hub Delta. During the commute was when Gustavo asked the question about their mode of transportation.

"No. Due to the distance of the CheddarSpice Tower's location from Peppino’s Pizza and the Pizza Tower, you and your entire group need to go a very long distance. Especially since it's located in the middle of an extremely dangerous and unpredictable place such as the Bermuda Triangle. And since you will be doing that with a large group, you will be traveling by aircraft, taking a much larger portal back to your world.”

“In order to get as close to the Tower as possible, you all need to go through a portal to a hidden base called a Columns Outpost. From there, they will assist and track you as the aircraft is traveling to CheddarSpice Tower. Thankfully, the closest Outpost is in the outskirts of Miami, Florida in your world. Which is also one of the points of the Bermuda Triangle."

“But" Sterngaze stopped and turned around, facing the group. Particularly Bruno. "There is something that I want to address. And it involves you Mr. Bruno.” The clone tilted his head in confusion. "I will be honest with you Mr. Bruno, given your former affiliation with Pizzahead..." Her namesake bored into her target as she asked. "Are you going to betray us to him?"

Bruno was taken aback a bit, but his eyes deepened to a frown. "No!" He growled, hatred in his distorted voice. "Hate Pizzahead! Made me like this! Hurt me! Hurt others of me!Made me hurt Peppino!"

"Others of you?"

"Pizzahead has made-a multiple clones of me back at the Tower." Peppino stepped in. "Apparently Bruno here was-a the leader of those clones, as they all ganged up on me when-a we first fought."

"And Pizzahead abused him, both before and after Bruno's defeat. Is that right Bruno?"

Bruno nods solemnly. "Peppino showed kindness. Want to help him. Help make Pizzahead hurt like I hurt."

Sterngaze was a bit surprised by the answer but smiled and nodded in understanding. “That’s all I needed to hear. All of you have a reason to oppose Pizzahead just like we do, not just tagging along for the ride just to say that you were included." She turned back around and continued walking. "Allow us to assist you in that goal."

The group arrives back at Portal Hub Delta. However, instead of going back to the interconnected platforms that they came from, the Director led them to a set of platforms near the entrance. These platforms look like the ones used for the initial trip, but with a tablet on a stand near it.

"In order to get to the Hangar faster, we need to take what's called a Waypoint. A special Teleportation Circle that only connects to areas in the Columns Dimension. Basically, fast travel."

Sterngaze then typed on the tablet a few times, the platform then glowed white. “Step on gentlemen. Don’t worry, unlike the circle you came in from, this one is much shorter. One flash and you’re there.”

The men and rat stepped on, with Sterngaze following them as she tapped one last time on the tablet. A few seconds after she stepped on, the circle glowed and engulfed the group in a flash.

Once the light died down, and the guests rubbed the spots from their eyes, they found themselves in a different area. In front of them is a building that looks like an airport.

Music- EV02: Briefing 1 - The Wonderful 101 [OST]

"Welcome to Hangar Sigma. Out of the ten Hangars that we have, this is one of the two Hangars used only for mission deployment." Sterngaze explained. "You will be meeting up with the rest of Agent Mottzer's team. Including herself, there will be a total of 5 members. But once you reach Pizzahead, Mr. Spaghetti, she will contact more reinforcements to apprehend him."

After entering and going through some guards, the group could see the control tower in the middle of the area, surrounded by multiple runways. Large military airplanes could be seen taking off or landing, either going through or coming out of a huge circular, futuristic looking portal.

“What you are seeing now is how you will be traveling to the Outpost. We just need to meet up with- Ah there they are!”

At one of the aircrafts, the Italians could see a small group of four standing at attention, doing the Corps Salute when they saw the Director approach them. “At ease everyone.” She ordered. The team relaxed their stance.

“Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you all to the team accompanying you. These are the members of Ironclad Resolve, a team lead by Agent Mottzer herself.” She then turned towards the agents. “Agents, this is Peppino Spaghetti. As you have been informed in your dossiers, due to his experience and the quote unquote ‘deal’ with Pizzahead, he will be assisting you in this mission.” She then gestures to the others. “These are his allies. The gnome is Gustavo Giunta, along with his rat partner Brick. The clone resembling Mr. Spaghetti prefers to be called Bruno, one of Pizzahead’s former Tower Guardians. And before you accuse him of possible betrayal, he has greatly expressed that he wants nothing to do with our enemy.”

The three waved as Sterngaze then stepped aside. “They are already acquainted with Mottzer and they know the basics of each of your Sectors, so please introduce yourselves. And feel free to tell them what Race you are, they have not seen most of your species in their world.”

The first to step up was a six-foot-tall pale-skinned Elf, due to his pointy ears, dressed in a blue uniform with purple accents. He has long black hair with white streaks pulled back in a ponytail, and neatly trimmed beard. His storm gray eyes looked at the guests with a gentle kindness as he gave a small bow.

“Greetings gentlemen. I am Xanthe Xeldinatus, a Field Agent and Mystic. I am a High Elf and the main magic user. As well as the second in command for this team.”

The next one was a dark-skinned average height female, and the only one wearing a red uniform. With her red curly hair and warm brown eyes, her very appearance blends in with her uniform very well.

“Hi, I’m Cinnamon Seasonspice! I’m Human, and an Engineer, but I’m also a Field Agent and part time Navigator. I’m mostly here for anything dealing with weapons and hacking Tower security.”

The next person in a blue uniform wasn’t even a person, but a Dragonborn like Sterngaze. The difference being that they have green scales and eyes instead of the Director’s purple. Like Xanthe, they were also six feet tall, but has an average muscular build. Instead of horns, they have a small black and dark green mohawk.

“Sup, name’s Xeltelliax Obarion! But I bet that’s a mouthful for you guys, so call me Xel for short!” A teenage male voice greeted with a sharp toothed grin. “I’m strictly a Field Agent, but I’m the best damn fighter on this team!”

The last one was the shortest member of the team and the only one in a green uniform. Standing at around 4 feet, the same size as Gustavo, he looks like a human, but with more rounded, protruding ears. He has short, messy bright red hair, and bright green eyes that have a playful mischievous glint in them.

“Hey, I’m Ken, Ken Chapacket! I’m an on-site Navigator. But if the team needs more combat support, I also double as a Field Agent, which is a must for someone like me. Oh! And I’m a Halfling too!”

The Director gave the team a proud grin as they finished their intros. "They will assist you on your mission Mr. Spaghetti. I can assure you that they will not let you down. Especially with Mottzer's leadership."

Meanwhile, Ken was sizing up the Gnome and his larger than normal companion. "Damn! That rat's bigger than both of us combined!" The halfling looked Brick up and down. "Are they all this big back in your world?" He asked Gustavo.

"Only the Stupid ones."

Ken was somewhat taken aback by the answer. The gnome chuckled. "That's actually what-a type of rats like Brick are called. He's not a normal rat from our-a world, he originally came from the Pizza Tower."

"Huh, that's cool. Can I pet him?"

"Of course!" Brick lowered his head to Ken's level, and he started rubbing between his ears. The rat closed his eyes bruxing happily at the affection.

Cinnamon had to strain her neck in order to look up at seven-foot tall Bruno. "So, you're an actual clone of him?" she pointed a thumb at Peppino.

Bruno nodded. "Not perfect though. Peppino still better version."

"Hey, it doesn't matter if you're better than Mr. Peppino there. All you need to be, is a better version of you."

"She's right Mr. Bruno." Sterngaze added. "Just because you have a semblance of Mr. Spaghetti's appearance, does not make you him. You are your own person."

"My own person?"

Cinnamon looked a bit ashamed. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean to.”

"Not upset. Thanks for advice."

Sterngaze nodded. "Be sure to remember that advice. It will give you peace of mind."

Xel turned towards Peppino with an excited glint in his eyes. "I saw the footage of you beating the absolute sh*t out of that Pizza guy! I didn’t expect you to be that damn strong!"

"Not to mention your speed." Xanthe added with a thoughtful expression. "I honestly did not think that someone of your stature could run that fast. Er- no offense to you of course!"

"It's-a fine. That's not the first time I had that-a said to me."

A challenging grin crossed the green Dragonborn’s face. "If we ever get the chance, we gotta spar sometime! I wanna test my technique against your strength!"

"A spar!?” Peppino was taken aback by the challenge. “Uh...huh. I never had anyone say that to me before…"

"I'm not late, am I?" A familiar voice shouted.

The party turned towards the shout to see Ella run up to them, this time in full uniform. Just like Xel, she too was clad in a blue uniform, complete with utility belt and a holstered pistol. But the major difference is that unlike the other agents, she was also wearing blue, black, and gray futuristic looking metal boots.

"Ah, you're just in time Mottzer!" Sterngaze said. "With you here, you all can finally depart." She then turned to face the rest of the Agents. "Ironclad Resolve." Then to the Italians. "Mr. Spaghetti and Company." Then to everyone. "I wish you all the best of luck on your endeavor. Save PepperJack and make Pizzahead regret messing with the Corporation."

The five Agents all did the Corporation Salute. “Yes Director!”

She then turned to Peppino one last time. "And as for you Mr. Spaghetti..."

The man in question looked expectantly at the Director.

With a sinister grin she said. "Do everything in your power to take your revenge."

Peppino returned the grin with his own and a thumbs up. "Yes Ma'am!"

Music- Main Theme - Star Fox 64 [Melee] - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The party then proceeded to enter the aircraft as Sterngaze left the landing area. Once they were all inside, Xanthe started to direct the guests to their seats. Cinnamon and Ken passed by each with a large carry case in their hands. "Ken and I gotta do a check on the equipment. Can everyone else help them strap in?" she asked the rest of the Agents.

"Of course!" Xanthe answered, as he kneeled in front of Bruno, the closest person to him. "If we are flying into an unstable area such as the Bermuda Triangle, they need to follow the same safety protocols that we do." He started to fasten the harness to the clone's chest, then attached the safety belts to it.

The other Agents, sans Cinnamon and Ken, did the same. Gustavo assisted Xel in putting the harness on Brick, before the dragonborn helped the gnome strap in.

And Peppino, both blessing and cursing his luck, was stuck with Ella putting the harness on him. His poor mind was saying both, 'Oh thank God, she's near me!' in happiness and 'Oh dear God, she's near me!' in fear, as he used every ounce of his willpower not to turn red in the face.

Halfway on getting the harness fully fastened, Ella noticed the Italian's color change and backed up a bit. "Are you alright Mr. Spaghetti? You're redder than a tomato!"

And successfully failing.

He nervously rubbed the back of his head as he stuttered. "Oh, uh y-yes-a! Just uh, nerves getting to me is-a all! Heh heh..."

"Mr. Spa- You know what, is it alright if I call you Peppino?"

You can call me whatever you like Signorina~ He mentally punched that thought away before his voice could repeat that. He was no longer the so-called 'Casanova' he thought he was in his teens; he's grown from that.

"Y-yes of course!"

"Peppino," the man's heart skipped a beat, hearing his name from her lips. "I get that all this magic and interdimensional stuff is overwhelming you, but you don't have to worry about it. Just focus on taking out Pizzahead, and we'll help you along the way."

She continued her work on the harness. "You don’t have to be nervous about anything. In fact, why should you be? You've beaten Pizzahead before, and that's without our help, or even knowing that we even exist!" As she fastened the final safety belt, she looked directly at Peppino's eyes. "What's stopping you from doing it again?"

While it wasn't the reason why Peppino was red all over, he still took the blonde's words to heart. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart before it literally beats out of his chest. "Thanks Signora Mottzer. I-a needed that."

Ella gave him a comforting smile, making the Chef blush harder. "No problem! And please, call me Ella. We're gonna be working together for a while, we might as well be on a first name basis."

Everyone could feel the aircraft rumble as it started to move, lining up with the portal gate. The intercom above them dinged as an older male voice, possibly the pilot, said: "All passengers, please put on and secure your safety harnesses! We will disembark in T-Minus 60 seconds!"

The Agents scrambled to their seats attaching their harnesses as Ken and Cinnamon joined them and did the same.

"All equipment is good to go!" The Halfling reported.

Cinnamon looked around, seeing Ella on the same side as the guests instead of with the rest of the team... And right next to a blushing Peppino Spaghetti.

The female turned to Xanthe who, other than Ken, was closest to her. "Did something happen?" she asked.

"Tell you later." he quickly answered.

In her mind, a voice said, New possible ship on deck!

Cinnamon’s eyes darted between the blonde and the chef a few times, before turning back to Xel, who nodded with a knowing look on his face. The Human smirked back with a nod then sat back in her seat.

At the end of the runway, the gate started to crackle with electricity as a much larger dark blue portal was starting to form. The aircraft rumbled again now that the engines were activated. The intercom sounded again. "All passengers, please do not leave your seats! We will disembark in T-Minus 30 seconds!

After checking that everyone is properly strapped down, Ella turned to the Italians. "Hang on tight boys!" she warned. "Once we go through, it will be a straight trip to the Tower. And it will be extremely turbulent when we get to the Bermuda Triangle!"

The men nodded (Brick didn’t really care) and braced themselves.

The portal was now fully formed, and the engines were fully warmed up. The aircraft is fully ready to be deployed. "Taking off in T-Minus 10...9...8..."

As the countdown started, Peppino squeezed his eyes shut, gripping the safety belts in his hands and starting to take some more deep breaths.

Calm down Peppino. he thought to himself. It's just like Signora- no Ella, said.

"7...6...5...

I've beaten Pizzahead before. And with more professional help on my side...

"4...3...2...1..."

He took one last breath, steading his hands and calming his nerves. He opened his eyes, and anyone that was able to look in them could see a newfound resolve in them.

I can do it again.

"Commencing Portal Crossing!"

The enormous portal was fully formed as lightning crackled around it. The aircraft starts moving towards it, slowly gaining speed before lifting off. Once it was off the ground, it went through the massive portal.

Once its hull made contact with the swirling energy, everyone inside the vessel was jostled a bit in their seat and could feel a split-second surge of energy as the craft was enveloped completely by the portal, successfully passing through.

After a few seconds, the intercom crackled once again. "Portal Crossing Successful!” The Pilot announced. “We are now within the Warpstream, en route to the Columns Outpost Bermuda Alpha. ETA four minutes until Dimensional Crossover."

Music- Star Fox Zero - Arcade Mode Menu

The Agents relaxed a little as the guests did the same, seeing that it's safe. A flat screen tv lowered from the ceiling in front of the group.

This time a younger sounding female voice sounded from the intercom. “While we're traveling, feel free to have a look at the surrounding area. If anyone suffers from epilepsy, please let us know and we’ll turn on the monitors once we Crossover. Feel free to use Prestidigitation, any telepathic ability, or knock twice with Mage Hand to pass on the message.”

Xanthe turned to the guests. “Do any of you have epilepsy by any chance. Because in the Warpstream there will be bright colors and lights flashing.” The Italians shook their heads.

“Hang on, I got this.” Xel turned to the door and stared at it intently. After a few seconds, the female voice replied. “We got the all-clear! Try not to be too hypnotized by the colors.”

The monitor then turned on, showing a myriad of blue and purple lights swirling around in a vortex. The guests, including Brick, look on in awe. “Pretty cool huh?” Ella said. “You’re looking at the inside of the Warpstream. A much larger ‘tunnel’ connecting from one universe to another. Think of it as a Magic Circle, but for vehicles.”

“This is incredible!” Gustavo marveled. “I didn’t think that-a technology like this would exist! This is beyond-a advanced!”

"So, you guys got anything you wanna ask us?" Ken asked. "Don't worry about the time limit. Once we cross through to your world, it'll still take a while to get even close to the Tower."

“Uh, I’ve-a got one.” Peppino then turned to Xel. “How did you do that? Er, tell the pilots about-a us, I mean.”

The green Dragonborn grinned, making sure that he could see all four guests. Within their minds they could hear: Telepathy my dudes!

Brick and Bruno looked around trying to find out where that voice came from. Gustavo’s eyes widened in surprise, then calmed down as he figured out what, or who, he heard. Peppino however, nearly jumped out of his seat with a shout, despite the harness strapping him down.

Xel busted out laughing at Peppino’s reaction with Ken chuckling, as Cinnamon, Xanthe, and Ella rolled their eyes. “Seriously Xel…” they deadpanned.

Xel’s laugh died down to a chuckle. “Sorry ‘bout the scare, but why tell you verbally when I could do that!” He composed himself and continued his explanation. “What you just heard in your heads, was telepathy, but it’s unfortunately one way. I can speak to you, but I can’t hear you respond back. It’s an ability that my Race, Gem Dragonborns, have.”

Gustavo perked up. “Oh that’s-a right! I forgot that Dragonborns have-a different subspecies. Then again so do Gnomes and Elves.”

Bruno then raised his hand. “Go ahead Bruno!” Ella encouraged him. The clone then pointed at Xel. "Breathe fire?" he asked.

The dragonborn chuckled. “Normally I can’t. But due to my Class Ability to change my element, I’m able to. I’m an Emerald Gem Dragonborn, making me more aligned with Psychic based abilities. So instead of fire, my ‘Breath Attack’ will just be an extremely loud scream directly into your mind.”

Gustavo’s eyes lit up. "What-a Class do you all belong to?"

Peppino also added. “And what-a do you mean by Class?”

Xanthe sat up and cleared his throat. “Before we answer that, allow me to enlighten the rest of you on what Classes are.”

Ken rolled his eyes. “Goddammit, he’s going ‘Teacher Mode’!” He groaned.

“Shut it you!” The Elf grumbled at the Halfling before turning back to the Italians. “Classes are what is used in the Corporation to classify an Agent’s abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. For example, a Barbarian’s strengths are high durability and physical strength. But their weaknesses are the fact that they normally do not know magic, and they’re not very fast. Along with a Class Exclusive ability called ‘Rage’, which greatly increases their physical power.

“But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Classes can also be broken down into Subclasses, each with their own special abilities tied to that class. One of those examples for the Barbarian Class is the Subclass, Berserker. With their Subclass Exclusive ability of being immune to being charmed or frightened while they are in Rage Mode.

“But why stop at one Class, when you can be qualified for more? Some Agents can also have expertise in two, sometimes three Classes. This practice is called Multiclassing, and it is best done to complement your previous Class. Barbarians commonly Multiclass as a Fighter, but don’t expect them to pick up a class like Wizard or Sorcerer, Barbarians cannot cast spells whenever they Rage.”

Gustavo chuckled. “You know, Barbarian could be-a good Class for you Peppino!” He nudged the said man. “You already have the strength and rage for it. It’s-a perfect for you!”

“Shut it you!” The chef grumbled at the Gnome as he chuckled.

“Now that you all understand what a Class is, we can properly answer your questions!” Xanthe sat back as he answered. “I Multiclass as a War Magic Wizard and a Horizon Walker Ranger. I am basically a Wizard that can maintain their concentration on a spell longer, and an Archer that can sense portals.” Xanthe’s eyebrows then perked up as he then turned to Xel and shook his head. “Unfortunately, there’s some information about our abilities that we cannot disclose to anyone outside of the Corps.” He added. “I hope you understand gentlemen.”

“Uh sure, that’s-a fine.” Peppino was a bit confused by that statement, but he didn’t press the matter.

Ken piped up. “I multiclass as a Bard of the College of Satire aka a Jester that can cast spells, and a Arcane Trickster Rogue, or a thief that uses illusionary magic. Misdirection and enraging the enemy with insults and comedy is my forte!”

Cinnamon was next. “Sadly, I’m not multiclassed. But I am what’s called an Artificer, dealing with both magic and technology. My subclass is Artillerist, making me proficient with firearms, magical or otherwise, and I can create turrets to attack enemies or protect and heal allies.”

Xel has a proud grin as he chipped in. “Despite me saying that I’m the team’s best fighter, I’m ironically not a part of the Fighter Class. I’m actually a Monk of the Ascendant Dragon Tradition! I’m an expert in unarmed fighting, and my Subclass Ability allows me to change the element of my attacks. So, to fully answer Bruno’s question, yes, I can change my element so I can be able to breathe fire.”

Bruno looks amazed at the answer.

“That’s the only Class I’m in though.” he shrugged. “But that’s ok! With my skills, I only need one Class.”

The Italians turned towards Ella as she was the last one. “My Class is different from other Classes. I’m what’s called a Theurgy Wizard, which allows me to Multiclass, while technically still being in just one Class. I can learn spells from both the Wizard and Cleric Classes, as well as extra spells and abilities depending on what Cleric Subclass I chose.”

“And which one did you choose-a?” Peppino asked.

“The Protection Domain. I’m proficient in spells that can heal and protect my allies.” She gave the guests a confident smile (Peppino tried and failed not to blush). “So don’t worry, I’ve got your back.”

The monitor flashed a few times before the intercom sounded with the feminine voice. "We are now approaching the end of the Warpstream. Standby for Dimensional Crossover in T-minus 5...4...3...2...1...”

The aircraft shook as the monitor turned off for a few seconds, before turning back on, now showing a familiar clear blue sky.

The male voice then announced. "Dimensional Crossover successful. We are now exiting the airspace of the Columns Outpost Bermuda Alpha, now enroute to the center of the Bermuda Triangle. We will issue another warning once we get close to very turbulent and unstable winds and/or magic."

"Hey, looks like we're back in your world!" Ken chirped. "Looks sorta similar to my world too!"

Xanthe snapped his fingers and just like with Ella, a book, this one being a darker blue, appeared in his hand. He opened it and flipped a few pages. "I took the liberty of looking up information about this universe. And yes, it is similar to yours Ken. Only differences are the time period, technology, and the less variety of different races throughout the globe."

Peppino's eyes widened. "You all-a come from different universes? What were they like?"

Ella chuckled at the chef's curiosity. "Not just from different universes. We all come from different time periods, even different planets in Xel's case."

"Alien?" Bruno asked Xel.

"In a way, yeah I am." As the Dragonborn explained the difference of his homeworld Terra to the other Agent's and Italians' versions of Earth...

Stop Music

Meanwhile, back at Columns Corps Headquarters

Another dragonborn was in her office, along with her secretary, attempting to contact a certain cheesy usurper.

"Any progress Scarlett?"

The female red fox was sitting in Sterngaze's chair, typing on her computer. "Still working on it, Ma'am. Thankfully, when PepperJack initiated his shutdown, he made sure that his system can still receive messages, but he or anyone else in the Tower just can't send any. He just had to hide those features under some security protocols that thankfully, only Mission Control knows.”

The director chuckled mirthfully. "Despite his Jester appearance and personality, he still has a sharp mind."

The monitor then flashed with a warning as Scarlett's ears perked up. "The request has been accepted! Coming live in 10 seconds!" She then got up from the seat, allowing the Director to take it, then standing at the front of the desk away from the monitor's camera.

Sterngaze sat down, flattened her lapels, and waited to be patched through. 'Despite the cartoony appearance and mannerisms, that first transmission easily showed a more… psychotic side of him.' she thought. 'And between that flash in his eyes and this 'benefactor' that he mentioned, there's more to his takeover than he lets on.' As the countdown concludes, she looks at the screen, ready to meet this new foe, 'face-to-face'.

Music- P5 OST 87 Restlessness

The countdown concluded, and the ever-smiling visage of Pizzahead appeared on screen. "Aah! You must be the esteemed Director of Columns Corp!" He beamed, uncaring that the Director wasn't a human or something more human-like. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I am Director Violet Sterngaze. We have received your transmission, and we accept your terms."

Pizzahead’s eyes sparkled at the news as he clasped his hands in glee. "Splendid! Is Peppino on his way?"

"Yes, Mr. Spaghetti is en route to the Tower as we speak. Along with a group of our best Agents. As well as a group of his closest allies.”

"Whoh, whoa wait! Allies!?” He was taken aback by the statement. “Look, your Agents are one thing, but his own allies!? That wasn’t part of the deal!"

Sterngaze arched an eyeridge, a smirk on her face. "Oh really? Because part of your challenge was, and I quote: 'I don’t care if you bring reinforcements or whatever, I just want him to climb this Tower, face these Guardians, and reach me.' And last I checked, my Agents count as reinforcements, and Mr. Spaghetti's allies count as both reinforcements and 'whatever'."

Pizzahead shook his… pizza head… chuckling at the fact that she had found a loophole that he didn’t know about, until the very last second. "Well, phooey, you got me there! But now that I got confirmation that Peppino and his posse are coming, I can start preparing. Is that all that you want to call me for?"

"No. This call also involves getting the team to the Tower."

"Huh? How so?"

"As you might have learned, CheddarSpice Tower is located in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, one of the most dangerous supernatural phenomena in your world. Numerous sea vessels and aircraft crossing that area have been forever lost, and no one, not even the most brilliant scientific minds in your world can explain why. But we at Columns Corp know the true reason behind the phenomenon.

A few centuries ago, when the Tower first appeared, it radiated a magic force so powerful, it changed the very weather around the island it occupies, creating a massive storm of unstable magic. As time passed the force grew in size and intensity, so much that no boats or later airplanes could even survive the trip through the area, ending up missing."

Pizzahead had a bored look on his face as the Director explained. "Yeah, yeah, nice story and all, but why tell me all this? How does that involve getting Peppino's group to me?"

"Because you have to allow them passage."

"What?"

"When we allied with that Tower, we added a countermeasure in case any of our aircraft needed to land there. But that countermeasure can only be approved by you, the Ruler, then activated by another entity."

"Another entity?"

"Once you receive a radio message from our craft, you will have to give the order to 'The Reaper' to let them through. He will do the rest."

His eyes widened as he understood who she was talking about. "Ooooh him! Wait, that's it?"

"Yes. He has the magic to activate a special device in a room in the Tower only he alone can access, creating a portal large enough for an airplane to get through. This will allow the group to bypass the storm and safely get into the Tower's airspace to land."

“I see...” He then leaned forward towards the screen, with a sinister grin. "And what's stopping me from just leaving them in that storm to die?"

Sterngaze smirked once again. "And miss the once in a lifetime chance to finally destroy your nemesis with your newfound power?” She retorted in a condescending manner. “I may not know you as well as Mr. Spaghetti does, but I know that you are much too eager to let this golden opportunity slip by."

Pizzahead couldn’t help but laugh at the response, as if he heard a funny joke. “Oh, you are one clever woman, Ms. Director!” he praised. “Is that a normal thing for dragon people?"

"You will receive a radio call from the approaching aircraft shortly.” She continues, ignoring the comment. “When you issue the order to The Reaper, tell him to 'Open the Alpha Path'. He will know what to do."

On his desk, a light next to a console closest to the screen lit up. And from a speaker, the usurper along with the Director, since it's close to the microphone, could hear a female voice saying: "This is CC Crossover Aircraft Delta Four-Oh-Seven requesting clearance portal to CheddarSpice Airspace over."

"Ah perfect timing! Issue the order to The Reaper, then tell the Craft to standby for the portal. Once they-” She stopped as she just realized something, since the Tower was forcibly taken. “Actually... are there any Personnel still on the Island?" she asked.

It was then that Pizzahead looked… sheepish. As if he was caught in the middle of the act of doing something naughty. He nervously chuckled.

“Pizzahead…” the Dragonborn snarled.

He then rubbed the back of his neck in the same sheepish manner. "Yeaaaah, about that. After taking control, I sorta… kinda… kinda-sorta, ordered the Bosses to capture them. Then had that other Reaper imprison them all saying; ‘Do whatever you want with them, just make sure that they don’t leave their cells’. Sooooo... no, no one else is on the island, heh heh. Whoopsie doodle!"

From in front of Sterngaze's desk, Scarlett, making sure that she doesn't make any sounds to give away her presence to Pizzahead, could only gawk at the semi-casual response that the usurper gave. She looks at the back of the monitor, then her Boss, then gestures at the monitor giving it a 'WTF was that!?' expression.

Sterngaze however, could only give a controlled angry glare as one of her eyes was twitching in irritation. She knows about the 'other Reaper' and the fact that they treat their prisoners as toys, sometimes literally. And the fact that Pizzahead is doing the same thing, just to get revenge on one, singular person, is something she truly cannot stand.

"... You absolute buffoon." She snarled, keeping her anger in check.

The female pilot is now speaking more frantically. "CC Crossover Aircraft Delta Four-Oh-Seven requesting clearance portal to CheddarSpice Airspace. We’re getting a bit too close to the storm, please respond, over!"

The Director groans, rolling her eyes. "You know what, just call The Reaper and open the damn portal before they die!" she commanded exasperatedly.

"Alright alright, lemme get him!" He then faces away from the camera calling out. "Oh Reaper~!

While they were not on camera, the Dragonborn and Foxfolk could hear a noise, like someone was phasing in from nowhere, then another voice speaks, this one with a male, deep, otherworldly tone. "Yes My Lord?"

"Open a portal for my air bound guests please!"

"Which path?"

"The, uh, Alpha one!"

"Right away My Lord."

The women then heard that same phasing sound again, marking that The Reaper is now gone. Pizzahead then turns back towards the camera, reaching for the microphone at the communications panel, clicking it on. “This is Pizzahead, new Ruler of the CheddarSpice Tower, aka the future Pizza Tower II!” He said. “Please standby for that portal or whatever!”

Even the Pilot was a bit weirded out by the response from this guy. “…Copy that, I guess?” she replied.

He turned off the mic then turned back to address the Director. "Alrighty then! Now that I gave my guests passage, is there anything else that you want to say before I start my own preparations?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. You issued a challenge to Mr. Spaghetti and by proxy to the Corporation. I, in turn, issue a warning."

Pizzahead raised a brow. "Oh? And what, pray tell, do you wish to warn me about?"

Sterngaze leveled her namesake with a truly serious expression on her face, speaking with the matching tone. "Peppino Spaghetti will not be the only person whose wrath you will incur. Once he has dealt with you, you will face our judgment. We at the Columns Corporation do not take kindly to anyone who dares threaten the peace of either a single world or the multiverse itself.” She leaned slightly forward, her namesake intensifying. “Once you are neutralized, you will be arrested and punished accordingly to your crimes, which includes what has transpired at the Pizza Tower. You are only delaying the inevitable Pizzahead, and now that we finally found you...”

Her eyes narrowed as she hovered a finger over a button on her keyboard.

“We will not be merciful."

And with a press of that button, she ended the transmission.

Stop Music

The moment that screen says, ‘Transmission Ended’, Sterngaze puts her head in her hands, letting out an exasperated groan. She could now understand the reason why, outside of threatening to destroy his restaurant, Peppino hates Pizzahead. He was infuriating to deal with. Whether it's a part of his cartoony appearance or if his whimsical personality is just second nature to him, she doesn’t know or care at this point.

"Pardon my language Director." Scarlett piped up, still in front of her desk. "But that guy is a f*cking maniac!"

"That he is Scarlett." She agreed with a sigh. "A maniac that can endanger multiple worlds if he isn't stopped."

"But how can the Agents contact us once they get through? That storm disables all electronic communication outside of the Tower. And with PepperJack's lockdown, we can only contact Pizzahead and not vice versa!"

"It doesn't disable magical communication though. And I know that Agent Xeldinatus knows Sending . I can easily get a message from him." Sterngaze leaned back in her chair, letting out another sigh. "Peppino Spaghetti is this Corporation's only hope of beating Pizzahead. And with the help of Ironclad Resolve, his chances of winning are much higher."

"So all we can do is wait huh?"

"Precisely. Now on to other matters.” She then sat back upright. “Do you have the file I asked for?”

“Yes Director.” The fox pulled out a file seeming out of nowhere.

“Good. What is the status of the Tower known as the Sugary Spire?"

And now back to the Squad

In the middle of Xanthe's and Ella's explanation of their world, (a mix between modern and semi medieval time periods) the aircraft started shaking, startling the passengers.

Music- Persona 3 OST - Calamity

"Everyone remain calm." the male pilot announced. "We are about to approach the Bermuda Triangle Storm. Please stay in your seats as we try to attempt communication for safe passage."

"Safe passage?" Gustavo repeated. "What do they mean-a by that?"

Xanthe gave the guests the same explanation that Sterngaze gave to Pizzahead.

"And what if he decides to forget-a about that portal and just leave-a us in this storm!?" Peppino panicked.

Xel shook his head. "I highly doubt that. According to the dossier, Pizzahead has gained some new power and a 'benefactor' of some kind." He smirked as he continued. "So why would he strand us out here, and end up missing out on the golden opportunity to test out that new power on Peppino here?"

Cinnamon had a thoughtful look on her face. "Huh. He's got a point there." she muttered.

The aircraft shook once again, this time more violently than the last. An alarm started beeping rapidly as the shaking continued. "We got the green light for access to the portal! But we're getting too close to the storm! Brace yourselves everyone! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

The aircraft shakes even more for a few more seconds, jostling everyone on board despite their safety harnesses securing them. However, outside amidst the storm, a bright red flash appears in front of the aircraft as a magic circle, the same size as the one that they first entered, forms.

The pilots perked up, then with no hesitation took the opportunity to go through. "The portal has appeared; we are clear to pass!" He announced through the intercom as they flew forward. "I repeat, we are clear to pass!"

Stop Music

The passengers were jostled one last time until everything stabilized. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "Apologies for the rocky ride, but we have successfully bypassed the storm!” The female pilot announced.

Music- Star Fox Zero - Training, Part 5

On the screen, the party now has a clear view of a triangular shaped island. Various buildings and residential areas are littered throughout the area near the middle. On each of the corners, an airport each with their own runway and communication tower was seen.

Speaking of towers, directly in the middle of the island was a tall red brick tower with a similar build to the Pizza Tower.

“Welcome to the CheddarSpice Tower! We will be landing shortly. And when we do, kick that pizza weirdo's ass!" And the intercom shuts off for good.

Ella turned to the Italians. "This is it boys!" she announced. "You heard the pilot. Are you ready to kick that pizza weirdo's ass?"

Peppino looks around at the group before him. He first looks at his friends, with the three of them giving him a thumbs up. "We're with you every step of the way paisano!" Gustavo encouraged, with Brick and Bruno nodding.

He then looks at the Agents, Ironclad Resolve they called themselves. Xanthe gives the chef a nod with an encouraging smile on his face. Cinnamon and Ken gave him a thumbs up. Xel did the same, but in Peppino's mind he said; We'll help you in any way we can dude!

He then turned to Ella, and his heart skipped a beat. Between the supportive look in her blue eyes and gentle smile, he was trying his damnedest not to melt on the spot.

The chef took a deep breath, steeling himself for yet another adventure with his restaurant at risk.

"Ready as I'll-a ever be!"

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 6: Chapter 5- The Friendly Tutorial Core

Summary:

Everyone has arrived at the Tower in one piece and is ‘invited’ by Pizzahead to come on in. But in Pizza Tower fashion, you can’t enter a Tower… without a tutorial!
And who’s a better tutor than a Core from the Portal series! (fanmade Core of course)
Disclaimer: Portal is owned by Valve. And credit for the Picrew I used to make the Core is by the user getwheatleycrabbed. Link is posted in the Doc.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 5- The Friendly Tutorial Core

After safely landing and letting the passengers disembark, everyone found that the Tower's Personnel was nowhere to be found. When the pilots cannot establish a connection with Mission Control due to PepperJack's Lockdown, Xanthe used his magic to cast the spell Sending , to send a direct message to Director Sterngaze herself. He immediately received a response saying that Pizzahead had imprisoned the personnel within the Tower, as well as a reminder to keep in touch whenever they could. The Agent passed on the message to the others, which included the two pilots, as they volunteered to drive everyone to the Tower, using two large SUV's parked by the station.

Now, with help from the two pilots, a Human named Grayson Johnson, and an Air Genasi or a human-sized Wind Elemental named Breeze, the Agents and their guests were now embarking towards the Tower proper. With the entire party split in between the two vehicles, Peppino found himself in a van with Xanthe, Ella, Bruno, and Grayson as the driver, while Breeze drove the others.

The chef's anxiety slowly grew during the drive, and not because he's close to a certain Half Elf. The same fear that he felt when he first climbed the Pizza Tower was creeping up on him.

I can’t believe this sh*t! He thought to himself. Pizzahead somehow survived Pillar John's punch and literally landed at another Tower! And according to Signora Sterngaze, this CheddarSpice Tower also has weapons that the bastardo now has access to. And it includes a giant laser! Pizzahead really could destroy my pizzeria and I wouldn't see it coming. I may be fast, but with him being hundreds of thousands of miles away, and the fact that I wouldn’t know where he is, there’s no way I can stop him!

And after that smackdown that I gave him... He remembered the mini psychotic breakdown the former Ruler had before calming down and returning to his whimsical self. He really means business!

Peppino thought back to the end of the recording as Pizzahead said his personal message to him:

His demeanor. His goal to not only destroy my pizzeria and me, but to take over Columns Corp. Just the fact he now wants to take over not just this world but countless others! This is nothing like him at all!

And his eyes...

Pizzahead’s pupils then glowed an eerie purple, shocking the Italians as he said his final words:

“I’m ready for you.”

I've never seen him do that before. Is it something to do with that 'benefactor' of his?

"… Peppino...”

And what the hell does he mean by ‘benefactor’? Is it something magic based?

“Peppino…”

Does he even have magic now? Or has he always been able to use magic? Either way, I’ve never seen him do it before…

“Peppino!”

He snapped out of his thoughts at Ella calling his name. “Are you alright?” she asked worriedly. “You were zoning out for a few minutes.”

"Oh! S-sorry about-a that! Just-a lost in my thoughts is all, heh heh!" The Italian rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Xanthe then spoke up. "We were trying to catch your attention because we wanted to ask both you and Bruno some questions based on your experience with Pizzahead."

"Uh ok. Like-a what?"

"Does Pizzahead know any magic? Any at all?"

Music- Portal 2 - Volume 1 - Track 12 - The Friendly Faith Plate [Remix]

Peppino crossed his strong arms, his expression deep in thought. "That's what's been bugging me. I did see some creatures at the Pizza Tower do some-a form of magic, but I've never seen Pizzahead himself do anything magic based. Unless-a crazy Cartoon Physics count."

Xanthe shook his head. "No, Toon Physics are a category by itself. Outlandish its nature may be, it does not count as magic."

"But there's a chance that he might be hiding his magical aptitude." Ella piped up.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because in order for someone to curse a Pillar Person to bear the weight of a Tower, they need to be able to perform or be able to learn, some form of magic.”

"What!?"

"Allow me to elaborate.” Xanthe began. “According to the testimonies of formerly cursed Pillar People at the Corps, the process on how this happens is the same throughout the different worlds. They said that they were first subdued or restrained, before the assailant summoned a Magic Circle beneath their feet. Unlike the circles you and your friends have seen, this one is specially made for two things:

A Pillar Person affected by this will become Inert, losing their arms and legs and making them unable to move. Or it could turn a humanoid living being into a Pillar Person, then making them Inert."

"People can-a be turned into Pillars!?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Natural Pillar People are extremely rare, no matter what world you are from. We do not know how this curse was first created, but in order to have a Pillar Person without the laborious search, they must be made with that said curse. And the only people that know it, are Tower Rulers, preferably ones that are coming into power, as if the Tower itself is giving them that knowledge.

"But that is not the worst part of that curse. Once made Inert, the Pillar Person's mind is split amongst other Pillars hidden in each of the Tower's rooms, like a hivemind. Knocking down a room Pillar hurts the True Pillar."

"Mio Dio..."

"Can curse be broken?" Bruno asked, a bit confused, by disturbed by the information dump.

"Yes.” Ella answered. “Like what Peppino did at the Pizza Tower, collecting all the Secret Treasures is needed to break the curse. But it can only work after the Tower is destroyed."

"So, there's-a chance that Pizzahead actually knows magic?"

"If he's the one that caused Pillar John's curse, then yes. There's a chance that he has some magical aptitude. We just don't know how skilled he is."

"Is it because of-a his benefactor?"

Just before either of the Agents could respond, Grayson, at the wheel, spoke up as the vehicle stopped. "Sorry to interrupt, but we're here."

Music Stops

True to his word, the group has finally arrived at the CheddarSpice Tower's front door. After the teams converged, they approached the front entrance where two gunmetal black twelve-foot-tall doors greeted them. Grayson looked back at everyone else. "So, what do we do here? None of us don't even have access."

"Maybe we should knock?" Breeze suggested.

"I'll volunteer!" Xel piped up. "Best to let Peppino save his strength."

"Save-a my strength for what?"

"For banging on this door like were the f*cking police in order to announce your presence! Everyone, cover your ears, this is gonna get loud!"

And with that, the dragonborn threw two punches at the metal door, letting two resounding bangs sound out. "Hey! Pizza sh*t Head! This is Columns Corp!" he yelled as two more bangs were heard. "We got your order of one kickass Italian ready to kick yours!" BANG BANG!!! "Open up before we bring this door down!" BANG BANG!!!

He then stepped back, shaking and stretching his hands. "Pretty sure he heard that!" He said with a proud smirk.

"Oh you bet your sweet bippy, I did!" A voice sounded from above.

Everyone looked up to see a floating flat screen tv on two propellers descend in front of them. On the screen was the face of the CheddarSpice Tower’s Cheesy Usurper...

"Pizzahead!" Peppino snarled, a prominent frown on his face.

Music- Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!: Astral Knight Intro HD

"Well pan my pizzas! You Columns Corp folks actually showed up with my order! Long time no see, Mr. Spaghetti! How've ya been? Pizzeria still running?"

Peppino’s frown deepened. "Cut-a the sh*t bastardo! I'm-a here! Now let us in so I can kick your ass-a second time!"

Pizzahead shook his head with a sigh. "Quick to cut to the chase as always! You haven’t changed a bit, Peppino! But at least let me get a good look at the menagerie before I let you all in. So let me see..."

He gave the group a quick look, before landing his eyes at Gustavo and Brick.

"You got your gnome friend and the pet Stupid Rat of his. I do remember seeing you in the Gnome Forest and Pig City levels of the Pizza Tower. As well as helping Peppino with the final battle by being a literal projectile."

Gus shook a fist at the monitor, while Brick blew a raspberry at it. "And I'll-a do it again bitch!" he yelled.

Pizzahead rolled his eyes as he moved on. "Next we have...” His eyes widened as he then started laughing. “Pfffft! HAHAHAHAHA!!! Bruno!? Freaking Bruno!? You brought HIM!?"

Bruno snarled at the screen, hatred very visible in his expression.

"Damn Peppino! You must be either running out of allies in your personal corner or just taking him out of boredom. The most successful clone of you, and yet a failure at the same time. Don't be too surprised if he's dead weight."

Bruno's growl deepened.

"And now that I got a look at the familiar party, let’s move on to the new faces!” He looked over the rest of the party once more. “Which one of you 'Agents' is the leader of this ragtag bunch?"

Ella stepped forward. "That would be me."

"And may I have your name Miss?"

"You may call me Virtue. I'm the leader of this team and the one who will be slapping the cuffs on you once Peppino here finishes you off."

In their heads, the Italians heard Xel explain telepathically; Virtue is Ella’s codename. For the safety of keeping our identities safe, it’s best if you refer to us by them. We don’t know when Pizzahead’s gonna be listening in, or if he’s somehow got access to the Corp’s database to look us up. So call me Protean during this mission. Everyone else will tell you theirs. The guests gave him a quick nod.

"Wow! You’re a spirited one, huh?” The Usurper beamed. “You got more gumption than the Dragon guy banging on the door earlier! And that's saying something!"

Ella just gives him a piercing, stern glare. One powerful enough to make Pizzahead tug at his collar in a nervous fashion. "Sheesh, and a serious one too.” He muttered. “Anyway!" he looks at the rest of the group. "You got a very diverse team here Peppino! Ooh and you got a gremlin too!? He kinda reminds me of The Noise!"

"I'm a Halfling! Gremlins are different from my race!" Ken shouted indignantly.

"Eh, potato potahto. Never seen Dragon people before like the green one or your Director, so that's pretty cool. Elves, more humans, one of those Elemental people, oh those are rare!” He was marveling a bit at Breeze, before turning towards Ella. “And I'm guessing you're a Human like the other lady there, Miss Virtue?"

"Half Elf actually."

"Really!? Wow, you got me fooled!"

"Enough-a stalling Pizzahead!" Peppino yelled. "Let us in already!"

"Alright, alright! Cheesus Crust, you're impatient! Just one more thing before I let you all in…”

Peppino groaned. “What is it?”

He leans forward, his eyes narrowing at the Italian. “Just to be clear to all of you. I want Peppino, and Peppino alone, to traverse those rooms. None of his friends or any of you Agents are to assist him in clearing a Gate.”

Ella sighed. “Fair enough. We have our own ways of assisting him without even entering a gate.”

The pizza clown hummed, rubbing his chin in thought, before shrugging. “Alright, I’ll allow that at least. But fair warning though!” He then leans back. “Once you step foot in here... You won't be able to leave until you defeat me. ~"

"That's to be expected from a Tower Takeover. Just let us in." Ella ordered.

"Okey dokey! Come on in!~"

The tv then turned off and flew back up to the top of the Tower, as the doors then slowly opened. Ella then turned around, facing the entire party. "Welp, this is it.” She then looked at Peppino. “Ready to settle this, Peppino?"

Our Italian Hero took another deep breath and steeled himself, having a determined glare in his eyes, as he said in a serious tone; "Let's-a go."

The Half Elf proudly smirked. "Ironclad Resolve, and company...” She nods to the Italians and Pilots before turning around facing the open doors. “Let's begin the mission."

And with that, everyone stepped inside with the doors behind them closing with a resounding boom.

Music- Lobotomy Corporation OST - Story 01

The party then finds themselves in a large spacious lobby, kind of like the ones that you see in a doctor's office, receptionist's desk and all.

However, right next to the exit into the first floor proper, was a Gate, the same kind that Peppino had encountered before in order to enter a room in the Pizza Tower. This ten-foot gate is supported by two metal pillars... from about five feet from the floor. The rest looked... digitized, a 3-D Wireframe of the rest of the Gate can be seen.

"Heh. Looks like Pizzahead wants to give Peppino a refresher." Xel noted.

"What do you mean?"

"That's the Training Gate." The Dragonborn explained. "It’s basically a tutorial area on how to navigate this Tower. It also doubles as a Training Room for ranged target practice or a gym."

"And the only way to truly enter the Tower is by clearing that Gate." Xanthe then pointed at the exit door covered by a wall made with the same 3d Wireframe pattern as the Gate.

“So do I just-a walk in?”

“Yup!” Ella chimed in. “Inside there is a specialized drone created by the Corps that can assist you. Just mention that you’re escorted by Ironclad Resolve, and it will help you no problem.”

"You know what," Cinnamon set a briefcase on the Reception Desk. "Since you're going through a Gate. Let's set up communications for you, Peppino!"

"Communications?"

“Yup! Due to Pizzahead’s demands for only you to clear this Tower, we can’t go in with you. But we can track, monitor, and communicate with you in case of an emergency, or if you need any guidance. Or if you feel lonely and you need someone to talk to, we don’t mind!”

From the briefcase, she took out a small earpiece and handed it to the chef. "Here, put this on." she ordered. "Now's a good time to start testing some of our equipment."

Peppino put the tiny device in his right ear as the Engineer took out a handheld device and started tapping on its screen. "Ok, test time! Lemme know if you hear beeping."

True to her word, the Italian heard a faint steady beep from the device. "I-a hear it."

"Nice! We got audio monitoring working! Once we get past here, I can start properly setting up visual monitoring."

“Go on ahead and go on in Peppino.” Said Ella. “Clear this, and we can start the mission proper.”

The said chef looked uneasy as he walked up to the Gate. He turned his head back towards the group, seeing Gustavo and Bruno giving a thumbs up (Brick was just looking around minding his business), and both the Pilots and Agents giving him a nod (Grayson’s being more stoic than the others). He even heard Xel say in his mind: You got this man!

Peppino turned back to the Gate with a gulp, and walked through, letting the familiar feeling of some sort of energy wash through him as he crossed the threshold.

Music Stops

His vision darkened for a few seconds, and when it returned, he found himself in a room with the same 3-D Wireframe pattern he saw on the Gate. Some spots looked solid as it resembled the same floor tiling and walls as the lobby. He jumped with a shout as the door shut behind him.

Peppino took a few breaths, trying to calm himself down. “Ok, I’m-a in.” he said to himself. “Now Ella mentioned something about-a drone. But I don’t-a see anything…”

“Hey! How ya doin’!” A semi-robotic voice sounded.

Peppino jumped with a short yell, whipping his head around. “Who said that!? W-who’s-a there!?”

“I did! Up here!”

A glass dome in the ceiling opened and descending from it was a round white beach ball sized machine with orange sides and orange handle-like appendages. Two panels opened to reveal a dark lens with an orange light with a black ring inside of it, almost like an eye.

And it was looking right at Peppino.

Picrew link: PORTAL 2 CORE CREATOR｜Picrew

Credit goes to the Picrew creator getwheatleycrabbed

“Seriously, calm down man!” He said with a male, teen sounding voice with a synthetic layer to it. “You look like you could have a heart attack any second!”

“Are… are you-a the drone from Columns Corp?”

“Oh hey, you’re with them! Although, you don’t have a uniform… so you must be a guest escort! What Agent or group are you with?”

“Uh, from-a Ironclad Resolve.”

The shutters were now fully open, as if the Drone’s ‘eye’ widened in shock. “Ironclad Resolve!? With Agent Virtue!? Daaaaamn! You’re in real good hands dude!” It then detached itself from its docking port and levitated towards the chef. “Oh, where are my manners! I’m what’s known as a Tutorial and Training Core assigned to this here CheddarSpice Tower! Name’s Aiden! What’s yours dude?”

“…I’m-a Peppino.”

“Pleased to meet ya, Peppino! Actually… that name sounds familiar, I’ve heard it before once… Oh right… now I remember.” A synthetic sounding sigh sounded from him as he rolled his ‘eye’. “I was given orders from the new big cheese Pizzahead to quote unquote: ‘Once Peppino Spaghetti comes in here, give him a refresher course. If I want to crush him, I don’t want him to be rusty!’ or some sh*t.” The top part of his shutters lowered, making it look like he had a bored expression as he imitated Pizzahead.

“Pizzahead has-a control over you?”

“Oh no, no, he doesn’t ‘control’ me. I do, however, have no choice but to follow his orders, with him being the Ruler and all. Unfortunately…” Aiden grumbled that last part, the shutters not fully closing his eye, making it look like he’s narrowing it.

The drone then hovered a bit closer to the chef as he continued. “Imma be real with ya, Peppino… I f*ckin’ hate that guy!” He admitted. “I only met with him for about thirty minutes, explaining my functions and purpose, all that jazz. I took four minutes to do that. He spends the remaining twenty-six ranting and raving about you !”

His voice was raising, sounding agitated as he continued. Floating around Peppino as if he was pacing around. “Twenty-six minutes of him saying that he’s gonna kill you, finally having the power to kill you, describing different ways on how he’s going to kill you, taking over Columns Corp… after he kills you! It’s enough to drive a guy insane!”

Despite him being a machine, Aiden took a breath to settle down before continuing. “But… it’s like I said earlier; you’re in good hands with Ironclad Resolve! That Pizza-prick,” Peppino chuckled at the nickname. “did mention that you were the one who did him in back in that other Tower of his. And Columns Corp assigned you to one of the best teams they have in order to stop the bastard that replaced PepperJack, my actual Boss. One that I actually like and not just tolerate, mind you!”

Peppino crossed his arms, nodding in agreement. “That’s-a the thing with Pizzahead. One encounter with him is enough-a to make you hate him.”

“I know right!” Aiden backed up a bit, also nodding his head, or rather his round body, in agreement. “So yeah, I’ll follow his order and give you a refresher on your skills, but on one condition. And I think you know what it is.” He waggled his upper shutters up and down like a person waggles their eyebrows.

Peppino smirked. “I have to kick his ass?”

“Bingo! I don’t care what you do to him, just shut his raving lunatic ass up! And save PepperJack, of course!”

The chef gave him a thumbs up. “You got it!” He said with a grin.

“Alright! Now let’s get this thing started! Lemme scan you real quick! Hold still please!” From his 'eye', an orange beam of light swept over Peppino's form a few times before shutting off. Aiden fully closed his shutters for a few seconds as he analyzed the information he received. "Let’s see…” He started. “According to my analysis, you've got... very high physical strength and endurance, so you can dish out damage and take it. High pain tolerance, so you have a natural resistance to most physical damage, preferably bludgeoning based damage. And despite your 'big boned' physique-"

Peppino was not amused, as he looked at the drone with a deadpan stare.

"-you’re pretty damn fast! Able to hit a max speed of Mach 4 with enough forward momentum! And you can use that forward momentum to jump pretty damn high. The only thing that can stop you is a ceiling.” He then muttered to himself. “I wonder if you could jump into space though… Meh, I’ll figure that out later."

Aiden then flew back into the dome he came from. "Ok, give me a minute and I'll make that level for ya! Sit tight!" He then fully closed his eye as the door opposite from the entrance started glowing with the same wireframe pattern.

It was at that time that Cinnamon's voice came through Peppino's earpiece. "Hey Peppino! Do you copy?"

"Yes, I-a hear you, Cinnamon."

"Good! Also, for future reference, call me by my codename Spice."

"Oh ok."

"So, how’s the tutorial going so far?

"I, uh, haven’t started yet."

"What!? Wait a minute... Did the drone scan you by any chance?"

"Yeah. It-a did."

"Oh ok, that’s why! Customized Training Levels take longer to prepare. Just wait a minute, you’ll get there."

"Alright. Although the drone, Aiden it said it was called, has... quite-a the personality.”

The Agent chuckled. "Yup, his drone model, called Cores, has various personalities depending on their function, but don’t worry. Tutorial Cores will always endeavor towards helping you, whether if it's their Boss' orders or not. So don't worry about it backstabbing you or anything."

"Good to know."

"So sit tight, Aiden will be ready with your Training Course, while we get any audio comms kinks ironed out on our end."

"Okie dokie! See-a you then."

And perfect timing, as the dome opened, and Aiden flew out. At the same time, the wireframe pattern covering the doorway fades away.

"Training Course Restructuring complete!" he announced. "Just step on through and we can get things started dude!" He then flies through the door.

With a deep breath, Peppino follows suit.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Funiculi Holiday (Tutorial)

Peppino stepped out and was greeted once again by Aiden as the door slammed shut. Looking around, the same walls of the lobby with various patches of wireframe data was seen. Looking to the wall opposite to the beginning of the course proper, he saw what resembles a smaller version of the ‘Waypoint’ back at the Columns Dimension. He kept that in mind before turning back to Aiden.

"Let's start with the basics!" The Core then hovered to a wall with an opening that goes from the floor to up to Peppino's waist. "I don't need to tell you how to walk or run, but I do need to remind you that there are small openings around the stages. Small enough for you to crouch down and crawl through."

Peppino did so with a groan, his knees were not the best, but he could deal with it. As he emerged from the other side he saw two things. First, he saw a multitude of six feet tall blocks, well blocking, his way. Second, closest to him, was a red and gold treasure chest. Peppino opened it and found a large gold coin, six inches in diameter, with a block of cheese and a pepper on it.

“In order to progress through this Tower, you need to collect what’s called, CheddarSpice Coins. There's four of those per room, and you need those to challenge the Floor Guardian. So be sure to collect them all!”

Aiden then hovered towards the blocks. "There are a few types of blocks that you'll encounter. The most common ones being Brick and Metal. With your strength, Brick Blocks can be broken down, no sweat. But with Metal Blocks, you need to be at Mach 3 in order to bust through."

Getting a running start, the chef mowed right through the brick ones, before gaining enough speed to reach Mach 3 to bust through the metal ones. He even had to body slam onto a metal block after climbing up a ladder to do so.

After Peppino arrived at a seemingly dead end, Aiden stopped him for a quick tip. "As you probably already know, there are a multitude of hidden areas. Check out any out of the ordinary blocks, they might be breakable." As he nudged his body towards the wall behind Peppino.

He looked behind himself, and Grab Dashed at the wall breaking through it, revealing a door to the next area. He walked in with Aiden following.

"With your movement, momentum is key! And with that momentum, your movement is greatly increased for horizontal..." He then flew up 20 feet above Peppino and towards a 50-foot-tall wall. " and vertical obstacles!"

Peppino ran forward, reaching Mach 2 and using a combination of his speed and his large hands gripping at the wall’s surface, scaled the wall in a matter of seconds. Then using a Dive Drop, dropped down breaking a few brick blocks in the process.

Aiden flew to meet him at the second wall. "But not all walls are straightaways.” He then gestured to the next wall which has parts of it lined with shock panels, electricity visibly sparking on its surface. “See if you can reach the top without getting shocked. Don’t worry, the voltage here is low enough to stun you, but not severely harm you."

The Italian’s no stranger to Wall Jumping, he could feel the electric currents as he jumped from one side of the vertical corridor to another, avoiding the panels. He reached the top, opened the chest at the end for the second Coin, and promptly entered the next area.

Immediately after exiting the door, he saw a downward slope, then a metal block 20 feet away. The Core made sure that his ‘eye’ was aimed at the slope. "Sometimes, you won’t have enough space to properly build up speed. I'm sure you have some tricks that'll help give you a quick start. Luckily there are plenty of slopes that'll assist you if you keep moving."

Running down the slope proved useful as Peppino reached Mach 3 much earlier than usual, busting through the metal block… then seeing a plethora of blocks, low passageways, and high walls.

"It's very clear that you can build up momentum, but can you keep it up? In order to really blaze through these rooms, you need to keep moving at top speed despite the various obstacles in your way. Metal blocks, low blocks, gaps, jumping to high places, even switching directions on the fly.” Aiden flew halfway through the mini course as if marking himself as a checkpoint.

“Mastering this Tower means mastering your own movements. Make it through here, and you’ll have one last area to do before the escape sequence."

It's a good thing that the previous rooms gave Peppino a proper warm up, because keeping his speed while maneuvering and ducking through walls and traps can be a bit exhausting. Cracking his neck, he Grab Dashed and ran forward picking up speed, and began his trek.

Long Jumping across gaps, diving and sliding to get through low areas, Super Jumping then switching directions in midair with his Shoulder Bash, drifting while bashing down every metal block in his way at Mach 3. Peppino was in his element as he cleared the area with no issues, was rewarded with the third Coin, and entered the final door.

The chef looked around as he entered. To his right, was another small deactivated 'Waypoint', however it was blocked off by actual blocks. These blocks are orange with a picture of a chili pepper on it.

To his left, was a large room with cardboard cutouts of cartoon caricatures of different types of peppers and cheeses littered about. Past them were a stack of metal blocks with a picture of a target on them.

Aiden floated in. "I bet you're wondering about the different blocks you're seeing here, right?"

"Not only-a that, but about that-a Waypoint thing past those blocks too."

The drone first hovered towards the orange blocks. "These are actually Tower exclusive blocks. Take a guess on what they're called."

"Um... Pepper Blocks?"

"Correct-a-mundo! Pretty obvious amirite? Those blocks are directly connected with the Pepper Pillar. I'll explain more on that once we get there. As for the thing past there, you're right about it looking like a Waypoint. It's a similar device called a Warp Point. Pretty straightforward on its purpose warps you to another location from its exit point. And since it's deactivated, that means it's also connected to the Pillar."

"As for those however" Aiden turned towards the other metal blocks. "You can’t bust through those Target Blocks with your speed. As the name implies, you need to hit a Target to deactivate them." He then hovered over the cutouts. "The targets will normally be out of your reach, and if it isn't, any melee attacks won’t work against it. But a well-placed projectile can help out, if you catch my drift."

Peppino picks up a cheese cutout that looks just like a Cheese Toppin, then punches it towards the target directly in front of the blocks. The target breaks and the blocks follow. Past there, he sees another set up of cutouts and Target Blocks, and the target this time is placed far above everything else. The chef repeats the process, this time aiming the pepper cutout upward with an uppercut, revealing the final chest with the Coin, and opening the way forward.

The final area is open, and the Italian could see more Pepper blocks. But they looked transparent, their outline still visible, but cannot be interacted with in any way. Looking forward, he sees a twelve-foot stone pillar in the shape of a pepper. Aiden floated forward, stopping right in front of it.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Meatophobia (Near Pillar John)

“And this right here is your main goal, the Pepper Pillar! The object that holds each and every one of these rooms together, and marks the end of the level. If this goes down, two things happen: One, all Pepper Blocks will switch their positions, either activating or deactivating depending on their initial state. And two, you now have a limited amount of time to escape the area. Failure to escape before that time’s up doesn’t mean that it’s game over, but it does mean that someone’s gonna arrive to chase you down.”

“Chase me down? Wait, does that-a mean… Pizzahead has Pizzaface back too!?”

“Pizza… face?” Aiden parroted, tilting himself sideways in confusion.

“A pizza shaped mech that Pizzahead used in-a his Tower. That’s the thing that chases me down-a whenever Pizza Time is up.”

“Well, since it’s my first-time hearing about this ‘Pizzaface’, I really don’t know. I only know about the ‘chaser’ of this Tower, and he damn sure doesn’t look like a pizza!” He turned back towards the Pillar. “But let’s not waste any more time! Break that Pillar and you’ll be one step closer to finally completing this course!”

Peppino took a runner’s stance placing his right hand on the floor, revs up for a couple of seconds, dashes forward at Mach 3, and slams his shoulder into the Pepper Pillar, shattering it in twain with his strength and momentum.

And as soon as he did so…

Music- Portal 2 - Volume 1 - Track 12 - The Friendly Faith Plate [Remix]

Sirens start to blare as the entire floor shakes. Looking behind him, Peppino saw the stacks of Pepper Blocks become solid.

“Congrats! You just triggered what we call in the Corps, a ‘Column Collapse’! I’m pretty sure you know what to do at this point, but just in case you forgot… GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE MAN!!!”

The chef wasted no time in racing back the way he came. If this course has some similarities to the Tutorial Area of the Pizza Tower, then that Warp Point at the beginning of this very room will take him back to the main entrance.

Climbing and scrambling over the now activated Pepper Blocks, Peppino ran full tilt at the now activated Warp Point and stood on top of it. With a quick flash of red light, he found himself back at the beginning of the course with the door now opened.

He wasted no time going through.

Stop Music

Out of breath, he stumbled back into the room where he first met Aiden. Speaking of the drone, he exited the room after Peppino and is now floating in front of him.

"Goddamn man! You're a natural at this!" he praised. "Then again, you did beat a former Tower Ruler and brought down his own damn Tower, so yeah you got experience dude!"

The chef stood up straightening and stretching his back. "Thanks." he groaned. "Not an experience that I-a want to go through again, but with-a Pizzahead still around, I don’t have-a choice."

"Sorry to hear that man. But hey, look on the bright side. You got help this time! Help that has a lot more experience in situations like this!" Aiden then hovered eye level with the Italian. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You’re in good hands. Ironclad Resolve are one of the best teams Columns Corp can send to assist you. You took down one Tower. You can, and will, do it again! Ya get me?"

Peppino couldn’t help but smile as he wistfully shook his head at the encouraging drone. "Yes, I-a get you."

"Great!" He then floated back to give him some more space. "Welp, I can officially say that you completed your Custom Training Course with a time of three minutes and fourteen seconds! You're free to come back at any time if you need a refresher or if you want to beat your record. And if you complete your course in under two minutes, I can unlock a special feature in each of the rooms."

"You mean Lap 2?"

Aiden’s eye then ‘widened’ once again. "Damn, you really know your stuff! But yeah, you’re right. I can unlock Lap 2 in all rooms if you can beat your course in under 2 minutes."

Peppino looked towards the door that he just exited from. "You know what?” He started. “Pizzahead was-a right, I am getting rusty. I know I can-a be faster than that.” He then turned back to the drone. “Can I try the course again, Aiden?"

One Minute and Fifty-Seven Seconds Later

“Aaaaaand done!” Aiden’s shutters opened as he finished activating a special feature within the Tower. “Lap 2 Portals are now activated for every room in this Tower!” He lowered himself, now hovering eye level to Peppino. “Gotta say, I’m impressed! You managed to beat the two-minute record on your second try! And with three seconds to spare! Looks like you’re getting in the swing of things now!”

Peppino looked a lot less winded compared to the first time he completed the course. “Yup! I still-a got it!” He had a confident grin on his face as he took some deep breaths to calm himself down from the adrenaline.

“Alright! Since you already cleared the course, the entrance to the first floor is now unlocked!” The Core announced. “The Training room is always open. So feel free to come back any time! And speaking of time,” He then started making his way back to the dome in the ceiling. “It’s best that you don’t waste anymore. Meet up with the group, kick Pizzahead’s ass, and sock him one for ya boy, will ya?”

Peppino laughed. “With-a pleasure! Thanks for the help, Aiden!”

“That’s what I’m programmed for dude!” He replied with a nod. “Now get going! I gotta recharge!” And with that Aiden’s eye and the glass dome fully closed, as Peppino exited the Gate.

Music Stops

Once again, his vision darkened for a few seconds, and he found himself back in the main lobby. As he was getting his bearings, the wireframe pattern on the first floor entrance disappeared.

“Nice! We’re in!” Xel cheered.

“Alright, everybody in!” Ella starts ushering everyone towards the door. “The sooner we can start preparing the better.”

When everyone passed through the entrance, the entire threshold was dark, everyone could barely see a foot around them other than the light coming from the lobby… Well everyone except Ella, Xanthe, Gustavo, and Breeze that is. “Is this-a place… some kind of temple?” the gnome asked.

Peppino swiveled his head to the direction of his friend’s voice. “You can-a see in this darkness!?”

“Yup! We gnomes have-a darkvision.”

“And he’s not the only one that can see in the dark.” Ella took a couple steps forward, looking around and being careful not to bump into anyone. “But Gustavo’s right, the first floor theme is Temple based. Good to see that Pizzahead didn’t change the Tower’s layout or anything.”

“So now what?” Ken asked.

And right on cue, a spotlight shined on the party, as a strong, female noble sounding voice sounded. "Begone from this place, interlopers!"

Everyone looked around trying to discern where the voice was coming from. Peppino jumped a bit, then reverted to his signature nervous stance as the voice boomed. Xanthe shouted back, “This is the Columns Corporation team Ironclad Resolve! Identify yourself!”

The voice ignored the High Elf’s demand as she continued. "Surrender the human who dares oppose Lord Pizzahead and return from whence you came! Only then will you leave with your lives intact."

"Wait, I remember that voice..." Ella whispered. Then raising her voice, she shouted. "Let us pass Gorgonzola! We have no quarrel with you!"

The voice, now identified as ‘Gorgonzola’, was taken aback. "W-what!? H-How do you know my name!?”

“I’ve been here a few weeks ago! I know you can see us! Don’t you recognize me? Agent Virtue?”

“I have never seen you or your lot before in my life!"

Ella was taken aback for a second, then frowned. "So that's how he took control of the Guardians.” She muttered, enough that only the party could hear. “He messed with their memories."

"No matter. As the blonde one somehow figured out, I am Gorgonzola. Queen of the Cheese Nagas and the First Floor Guardian of this Tower. I was told by my Lord, Pizzahead, that a Human will be the one to brave this Tower, so I must allow him to complete the challenge of clearing this floor in order to progress."

"Now, will the Human named Peppino Spaghetti step forward? I wish to properly see my opposition."

The said chef audibly gulped, then stepped forward ahead of the group, still in his nervous stance.

"Hm. Doesn't look like much. But I was told not to underestimate you. So my subjects and myself, if you can reach me that is, will not show you any mercy. Very well. I must take my leave so that I can prepare. But you, however, can begin your challenge."

And with that, the electrical lights and magical torches turned on revealing the group's surroundings and blinding them a bit.

La Mulana Remake Puzzle Solved SFX

"Welcome Interlopers, to the First Floor." And with that, Gorgonzola’s voice fades.

The floor was revealed to be like the inside of a Mayan temple. Large stone statues of what appears to be people with snake tails replacing their legs, armed with swords, shields, and spears. Stone carvings with strange runes and depictions of these ‘snake-people’. However, the largest carving depicts a tall female snake-person with a staff on one side, raising it towards a group of smaller snake-people placed on the other. The difference between the two groups is that the larger female has a bunch of smaller snakes on her head, as if it was her hair.

Throughout the area, 4 large doors, the same size as the Training Gate, were seen. Three of them were open, torches on each side, with their door frames made with the same bricks as the floor’s interior. On top of them was a sign showing what could be the name of the area each Gate leads to. On top of each of the signs was an empty diamond shaped indent, split into 4 quarters. The fourth Gate, however, was closed, with three whole diamond imprints, with more torches lining its sides, and the frame looking more ornate than the others.

An elevator was seen on the furthest wall, but there was a comically large golden lock keeping it shut. But directly in the middle, is a ten foot in diameter circular pattern of tiles, in the shape of the Columns Corp logo.

Xanthe's eyes lit up as he approached the tileset. "Perfect!" he exclaimed. "He still has it, even during the lockdown!"

"But does it still work though?" Xel asked, giving it a few stomps.

"What do you mean?" Gustavo asked. "Is it about-a this floor?"

Cinnamon and Ken walked up to the logo and set their equipment down upon it, opening the large briefcases and setting up. "You'll see why later on." Ken replied.

"But for now..." Cinnamon took out a black and gray basketball sized orb and set it down on the floor, opened a laptop, and started typing rapidly. "We got the audio communications going, now to get the visual tracking. Once we get this drone up and running, we can get started for real."

With a snap of her fingers, Ella summons her spellbook. “I wonder if I still have the sequence…” she mused. She then turned to the Peppino and the guests. “Give us a few minutes. When our Navigators are finished setting up, we can send you on your way Peppino.”

Peppino nods then meets up with the other Italians and Pilots. "Whic h on e fir st ?" asked Bruno.

"I honestly don’t-a know." Peppino took another look at the Gates. "They're all-a open, so whatever works I guess?"

Breeze piped up. "Might I make a suggestion?" she then pointed to the one nearest to the team. "Go from the farthest of the Boss Gate to the closest. Each floor is set up so that the first Gate introduces you to the Floor's gimmick. Then the rest, and possibly the Guardian themselves, will use that gimmick more often."

"A gimmick?"

Grayson then added. "With our Allied Towers, each floor has a specific mechanic that carries on for the other rooms. For example, a floor could introduce you to wielding a gun against certain enemies to progress. And that mechanic can carry on to the Guardian itself. Like using that said gun to damage the Guardian's armor before doing actual damage."

"Huh, the Pizza Tower didn't really have-a anything like that." Gustavo mused. "I think they have the right idea, Pep!"

“Alright, the furthest one it is. But what about those-a diamonds on top of the Gates?”

Breeze had a thoughtful look on her face as she took a better look at the gates. “I’ve never been inside this tower before, but if it’s like all the other Allied Towers, it’s probably an extra security measure. Guardians won’t just let you waltz in. You need to find their 'keys' in order to go through."

"And looking at those indents," Grayson added. "It seems that you need 4 'fragments' to make a full 'key'. So that means you can't miss even one, or you won’t be able to proceed. But if there's a 'fragment' that you can't find at first or it's out of reach, there's a chance that you have to activate Column Collapse in order to get it."

"Column Collapse?" Gus asked. Bruno even tilted his head in confusion at the term.

"It's-a basically Columns Corps’ version of Pizza Time." Peppino explained.

"Huh, that makes sense. Not all of these Towers are-a pizza themed."

"Yo Peppino!" The said chef turned around to see Ken jog up to him with something in his hand.

"Before we forget, we need to give you a couple more things." He then handed Peppino what was in his hands. The first object was an advanced looking smartwatch, while the other object was… a door?

Lo and behold, along with the watch, Ken handed our Italian Hero a miniature door the size of a playing card. Surrounded by a metal frame, was a dark blue wooden door with the Columns Corporation logo, with a gold metal doorknob.

"What… what are these?"

Ken gives him the watch. “This watch is called a Vital Tracker. Field Agents use these in order for the Navigators to track not only their location, but their vitals. Once it finishes syncing up with our equipment, we can see your heart rate, any abnormal statuses like poison or paralysis, how much health you have, and if you were able to know magic, how much mana you have. And once you activate Column Collapse, you can see how much time you have before the ‘Tower Chaser’ will come after you.”

Peppino puts the watch on his right wrist, looking at the screen which says ‘Synchronization in Progress’ with a progress bar at 57 percent and rising.

"And that thing,” Ken then points to the miniature door. “is called a Backdoor. Sometimes when exploring a Tower, there's a scenario when you have no way to escape the room you're in. But with the entrance closed and locked behind you and the Pillar still standing, it's impossible to get out. So whenever you need to leave early, tap it twice then toss this flat on the ground, and it will take you back to this hub floor."

Peppino took one more look at the tiny door before pocketing it. "Interesting... I'll-a keep that in mind. Thanks! Oh, I uh, didn’t get-a your codename."

"No problem! It may look weird, but that's the best 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card that any Agent should have. So don't lose it, ok! Oh, and my codename’s Soloist!"

“Soloist?”

“Long story, I’ll explain later.”

"Okay! Everything should be good to go!"

The group turned towards Cinnamon's voice as she was finished with her preparations. First, the watch on Peppino’s wrist starts to beep as the monitor now says, ‘Synchronization Complete’.

Next, everyone’s eyes then looked towards the orb she had placed down as it was beginning to move. The orb itself was jet black with silver accents with a patch of white on its front. Two panels on the front of it opened to reveal a lens like a singular eye.

On its sides, two slits opened and pushed out two thin parts which then started hovering on its sides like they're wings. When those makeshift wings appeared, the orb itself started to slowly float upward, then stopped to hover at about 5 feet.

Picture source from the game Skyforge

(Replace the white with black, the gold with silver, and the blue with white)

It looked around trying to get its bearings, until it found Cinnamon and started beeping as if it was happy, floating around her in circles.

The Engineer chuckled. "Good to see ya too buddy! But ya gotta focus, we got a job to do."

The Orb stopped circling and nodded. She then pointed at Peppino. “See the taller guy with the chef hat?” The Orb looked at the said guy and nodded again. “He’s your target!”

The Drone beeped in acknowledgement and hovered to Peppino, circling him once, looking him over, the chef stood still, following the machine with his eyes.

"Everyone, say hello to the Surveillance Camera Drone! Or SurCam for short!" Cinnamon gestured to it with a proud grin. The Drone did a happy little twirl at the introduction.

"This little guy will be monitoring Peppino as he traverses the different levels here. And will be giving us a live feed on our monitors. With that Vital Tracker, we can track your location and vitals, and you get to see how much time you have during a Column Collapse. Along with your earpiece, we now have communication up and running smoothly. And with that Backdoor, you have a way to escape in case things really go south. We’ll have eyes and ears on you throughout the mission!"

"Alright! He's geared up and ready to go!" Xel announced. "You need to get going now, Peppino! We can't waste any more time!"

"He's right." Xanthe agreed. "This is day three out of seven, per Pizzahead's deal. We need to be at the top by day seven."

"Spice will be your Navigator while I support her." Ken added. "Gustavo, Bruno, and anyone else will be able to watch too!"

“I’ll even pitch in from time to time.” Ella said. “I visited this Tower a few weeks ago. Pizzahead didn’t rule this Tower long enough to have the power to change it at will.”

"In the meantime,” Xanthe added. "I will try to activate a special feature on this floor that will greatly benefit us in the long run."

"Keep your eye on him SurCam!" Cinnamon ordered the Drone. SurCam nodded its little body and hovered near the Gate, waiting for Peppino.

Gustavo and Brick stood on one side of Peppino while Bruno stood on the other, pushing him closer to the Gate. "Welp, you heard them paisano!" Gus said.

"Can't waste time!" Bruno burbled.

"Okay, okay! You don’t have-a to push, dammit!" Peppino shook them off, and walked closer to his destination, stopping at the entrance. He took a closer look at the sign on top of the door that read ‘Temple of Amphisbaena’ . He doesn’t know what an ‘Amphisbaena’ is, but he has no time to ask the team.

Peppino took a deep breath, turned around to steal one last glance at the group...

Then entered the Gate, with SurCam following suit.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 7: Chapter 6- F1 S1- Temple of Amphisbaena

Summary:

The CheddarSpice Tower Raid begins proper, and Peppino begins to get into the swing of things. However, there’s something… different about this Gate.
Peppino doesn’t remember seeing any crystals in the tutorial.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 6- F1 S1- Temple of Amphisbaena

Once again, Peppino's vision darkened for a moment, as he emerged to the other side, with SurCam passing by. As his feet touched the temple floor...

The door slams shut with a resounding bang, making the chef jump.

SurCam then flew far away from Peppino, keeping its ‘eye’ on him.

"Mic check, mic check.” Cinnamon’s voice sounded from the communication device in Peppino’s ear. “Can you hear me, Peppino?"

"Loud and-a clear Cinna- er I mean Spice."

"Ok! I can see that SurCam is getting into position... Good. Syncing up with the Vital Tracker..."

Back at the Hub Floor, Cinnamon was typing on her keyboard. One of her screens showed the video feed and the other, after a few seconds of loading, showed statistics of Peppino’s current state of health. His heart rate, movement speed, his health at 100%, his mana at 0%, and a smaller window showing any status abnormalities, which is currently blank.

"Vitals are now shown on my end and you're in the green. And just to check… Peppino, do me a solid and wave at SurCam."

Peppino looked at the black drone floating 60 feet away from him and waved. SurCam waved one of its wings back with a cheerful beep.

"Nice! The footage I'm receiving is coming in clear and synced with no delay! We now have eyes and ears on your location in real time! And I’m currently projecting this so everyone else can see this."

"Nice-a! Now could you tell-a me where I am?"

The Italian looked around him and saw the same Temple layout as the Hub Floor, bricks and all. Near the door, was a large stone mural depicting a large snake, however instead of a tail, in its place was another head.

"This is the first area in Gorgonzola's domain called the Temple of Amphisbaena."

"Amp-this-what-a-now?"

Peppino could now hear Ella's voice come through. "Amphisbaena is the Cheese Nagas' deity. A giant two headed snake, with the other head substituting its tail, that has said to grant protection to its people."

“Go ahead and get going, Peppino!” Cinnamon said. “SurCam will follow and keep track of you.”

Ella added. “And stay vigilant! Not only do you have to deal with Gorgonzola’s servants, but her rooms are also littered with traps.”

“Got it!”

Music- La-Mulana: Fearless Challenger Arrangement

Peppino took a deep breath, and started walking further inside, slowly picking up speed. After a few seconds he reached Mach 2, but just as he was about to reach Mach 3, he encountered a small group of enemies stopping him in his tracks.

Four yellow and orange male snake people wearing light armor and helmets turned around to face the Italian. “Halt!” One speaks. “Who dares enters this sacred temple?”

“Wait a minute…” Another mutters, squinting at Peppino before pointing at him. “That’s him! That’s the human our Queen wants captured!”

At that warning, the guards took out their weapons. One was wielding a spear, two had a single scimitar, while the last one was dual wielding two scimitars. “Raise the alarms!” The first one, now armed with the spear, shouted. “This human must not reach the Pillar or our Queen’s chambers!”

Peppino took a step back, an expression of anxious fear on his face. “Uh…Ella- I mean-a uh, Virtue? Are these the servants that you mentioned?”

“Yup! These are the Cheese Nagas. There are multiple versions of them throughout this floor. Thankfully, those guards are just grunts, you can take them on easily.”

“Seize him!!!” The first guard, the captain shouted, pointing his spear tip at the chef. The other three charged forward at his command.

The fear was quickly replaced with anger as Peppino charged them with a Grab Dash. The unfortunate target was the dual wielding guard as he was grabbed before he could even raise his weapons to strike. Spinning him around a few times with a Giant Swing, Peppino tossed the guard back at the other two, knocking them down and unconscious.

The leader looked on in surprise, before steeling himself and charging forward with his spear with a battle cry. The first couple of thrusts against his opponent missed as Peppino dodged. The third however was deflected as the chef quickly struck a pose and at the very moment the spear was about to make contact with him…

“POW!!!”

A well-placed Parry nullified any damage that would have been inflicted on Peppino and disarmed the guard. His spear flew out of his hands and stuck into the ground, tip first, behind him. The Naga looked at the spear, then at the irate Italian in front of him. “Uhhh, heh heh.” The captain was sweating nervously. “Surely the mighty and merciful warrior will let me pass in peace?”

“Yeah, no.” And with a single punch, the leader was down.

With them out of the way, the chef continued his trek, taking down various Naga Guards and kicking away small Cheddar Cobras (as Ella called them) that scattered about. Until he came across an area with a treasure chest, but there was something different about it. In the Training Area, Peppino remembers the Chest being red with a gold metal frame. The chest he was currently looking at is purple with a silver frame.

Peppino relays the change to the Navigator before looking again, this time at the area itself. The chest was in an open area on a ledge, with a stone eye above it. In front of the chest was a stone slab with strange writing on it that Peppino has never seen before.

“Spice! There’s a sign here, but I can’t-a read this! It’s like it’s in-a completely different language.”

“Different language? I can help with that, gimme a moment. SurCam, zoom in on that tablet!”

On Cinnamon’s command, SurCam focuses on the tablet then with its lens, zooms in on it. The entire message on the tablet took up the entire screen on the Navigator’s end. “Scanning… Huh, this is written in Abyssal. Makes sense, it’s the main language for Nagas and Yuan-Ti. Give me a sec to translate this…” Another scan and the translation popped up a few seconds later. “Ok there we go. That slab says: ‘ Resist your desires, and you will obtain it .’”

“What?”

Ella sighs. “That’s right… This floor focused on the gimmick of riddles and puzzles. Some are straightforward, while others require you to think. But that’s just one of the gimmicks here.”

“One of-a them!?”

“You’ll see the actual gimmick soon enough.”

“But what does this mean? Resist your desire? What-a desire?”

“Lemme put it to you this way.” Ella explained. “You desire what’s in that chest, right?”

“Right.”

“And what are you doing to the chest right now?”

“I’m-a looking at it.”

“If you’re trying to resist something, be it an urge or whatever, what do you usually do?”

“Either try to stop-a thinking about it or...” He looked at the stone eye above the chest, and a lightbulb went off in his head. “Look away.”

Peppino turned around, his back facing the eye. He could hear Ella say, “Wait for it…”

After a few seconds…

A horn sounded, the stone eye closed, and a click was heard. Peppino turned around and saw that the chest opposite of him was opened. He looked inside… but instead of a large coin, like what Aiden showed, he found a purple jewel, or a corner of one.

Source from Warioland 4

“Huh? What is this?”

“That looks like a piece of what was on top of the Gate.” Cinnamon observed.

“But what-a happened to the CheddarSpice Coins?”

“We’ll find out later. If these things are replacing the Coins, there should be a total of four of them.”

“Alright, I’ll-a keep looking.”

After clearing a couple of rooms of enemies, he tried to pass through another, only for a large stone column as tall as he is, drop from the ceiling, stopping the chef in his tracks. Another dropped on top of it. And another. Two more. And one more, however this one is in the shape of a snake head, with orange jewels as its eyes, dropped on top of the other columns. Peppino is now looking at a twelve-foot-tall stone snake totem pole, completely blocking his way.

"What is this-a thing!?"

Cinnamon replied. "Peppino, say hello to the main gimmick of this floor: The Totems of Amphisbaena."

"How do I get-a rid of it?"

"Destroy its head, that’s the only spot that will take damage, but pay attention to its eye color. It’ll change as it moves.” Ella chipped in. “If it starts flashing red, it'll fire a projectile at you. But if it's yellow, look away, it'll try to petrify you!"

“Petrify me!?”

As if it heard Ella’s words, the snake head started to move downward, its eyes flashing as it changed from orange to yellow. As poor Peppino looked at the lowering head, it unleashed a bright yellow beam of light from its eyes, covering the chef from head to toe.

Peppino panicked and tried to turn away, but it was too late. His movements became sluggish as a coating of some sort of yellow substance covered his entire body, hardening into stone, and completely halting his movement.

Music Stops

Everyone watching from the Hub Floor gasped as they witnessed the creation of a Peppino Statue, shocked that Peppino’s journey had ended before it even began. Ella and Cinnamon however stayed calm. “Don’t count him out just yet y’all!” The Engineer told everyone. “This is just a minor setback.”

“I wouldn’t called being turned into a f*cking statue a ‘minor setback’!” Xel shouted.

Ella turned to the party, pointing at the Vital Tracker’s screen. “It is if the target is under a status condition.” True to her word, on Cinnamon’s screen, the Vital Tracker now shows under Peppino’s Status Abnormalities, Cheese Petrification.

The Agents and Pilots stopped, then sighed a breath of relief. The other Italians, however, were still worried. “What do you mean? What’s-a status condition?”

Ella turned to the guests. “We’ll explain that in a moment.” She then spoke into the mike. “Peppino, listen to me.” She said in a steady tone. “Don’t. Panic. You can still move underneath there. You can break out of there. You have the strength to do so.”

Underneath the yellow stone cocoon, the Italian in question found that he could still move and breathe, and the comm device is still working. He heard Ella’s voice and heeded her words. He starts with moving and flexing his arms, finding that little by little, he could physically move. The spectators could see cracks begin to form around the statue’s body as the captive thrashed around. Turning his panic into rage, Peppino gathered his strength and with one final flex of his powerful arms, broke free from his prison, ripping any remaining ‘stone’ from his body.

Music- La-Mulana: Fearless Challenger Arrangement

With a manic glare and snarl, the now enraged chef turned his attention to the totem pole, which thankfully had its eyes turn back to orange, getting rid of the petrifying light. Peppino ran forward and started pummeling the snake head with punches and kicks, cracks appearing with each blow. Once the moving column’s eyes started flashing red, he backed off as after a couple of seconds a bolt of red energy shot from its eyes. His snarl didn’t leave his face as, with a punch, he parried the bolt back at its sender, which thankfully was the final blow.

As the head was destroyed, it crumbled into rubble with the rest of the totem following suit. The way forward was now open and Peppino promptly, and angrily, power walked through. “What the hell just happened there?” he growled out, trying to calm his rage.

“You just fell under the effect of something called a ‘Status Condition’.” Cinnamon explained. “Think of it as a temporary debuff that affects you in a negative way. But not all Conditions are bad though, as some can be transformations that can assist you.”

Just like in the Pizza Tower . Peppino thought, remembering the various power ups and transformations there. If you count dying and turning into a ghost as a power up.

“What you experienced was a Status Condition exclusive to this floor called, Cheese Petrification . With those Totems, if you look directly in that yellow light, you will be entombed in cheese and well, petrified. As you just found out, you can break free from the effect. But be careful, if you’re petrified and there’s enemies nearby, you’ll be wide open until either you break out or when they attack you. And if you do get hit, you’ll take double damage. Thankfully, there’s only two of those Totems per room.”

“Oh thank God! Two doesn’t sound-a too bad!”

After dealing with more Guards, Cobras, and a new enemy; green pepper looking bats that Cinnamon identified as Batapeños, for a few more rooms, Peppino then finds himself in a very long corridor. At the entrance he came from were three things. In order, he saw another stone slab with something written in Abyssal. A device that looks similar to a Warp Point was seen, this one glowing with a yellow light. And a dais with a small metal cylinder weight on it.

"Uh oh." Peppino heard Ella mutter.

"What is it?"

"That device you're looking at is called a Recaller. And if you see one of those in an area, it means bad news."

"How so?"

Cinnamon explained. "A Recaller is basically a checkpoint with a secondary purpose. When stepping on it, it scans you, noting your exact condition during that time. Its real purpose happens after stepping off. If you take fatal damage or fall into a bottomless pit within the same room of its activation, it will send you back to it, in the exact state you were when you started."

"Ok. But why is it-a bad... Oh now I-a get it."

Peppino took a closer look at the corridor. On the floor, about ten feet from the Recaller, were cracks, as if that part of the floor is unstable. On the ceiling further down, was a series of spear tips pointing downward.

"That tablet reads: Prove thy agility. Cross this hall within 20 seconds then place the weight on the pedestal to gain passage. Fail and fall to your doom ."

"That trap will activate once you remove that weight. Take it with you, there should be another pedestal on the other side of here.” The Half Elf instructed.

Peppino first steps on the Recaller, a yellow flash of light enveloped him for a split second before it beeped. signifying that it's finished.

"That Recaller is now activated!” Announced Cinnamon. “If you fail and fall, you'll respawn at that Recaller, and the weight will return to the pedestal. There's no limit on how many times you respawn, so no pressure on your end."

The chef gulped. "Right..." He got into a ready stance, took a deep breath...

And removed the weight off the dais.

Music Stops

Peppino could hear ticking and he started running. He jumped over the cracks, slid forward keeping low to the ground as the ceiling spears came down. Unfortunately, he was too late to dodge as he was burned by flamethrowers stopping him for a few seconds as he put out the flames on his ass.

The ticking got faster as he then accidently stepped on a cracked tile, screaming in pain as it gave away and his foot landed on a bed of spikes.

The ticking is at its fastest as he sees a wall of holes for darts to start shooting at him, but...

The ticking stopped.

La-Mulana OST - 62 - Dead (SE)

And the entire floor of the corridor disappeared, sending Peppino into the deep abyss.

Black filled the chef's vision as he screamed...

Before he found himself back at the beginning of the corridor. His eyes were wide as he gasped for air, patting himself down making sure that he was in one piece.

"Peppino! Peppino respond!!!" Ella yelled through the comms.

"I'm... I'm alive!?” He then looked down at the device he was standing on and breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh right, the Recaller."

“It’s alright to panic, this is your first time using a Recaller.” The blonde agent comforted him. "I understand that you’re beyond shaken up, but you have to keep going."

"Right!” The chef took a few more deep breaths to calm himself. “Right..."

After a couple more tries, Peppino was beginning to understand this corridor’s pattern, and the exact spots to dodge and weave in.

On his fourth attempt, Peppino readied himself.

Breathe in... breathe out...

And snatched the weight of its pedestal.

The ticking began once again.

He jumped over the first set of cracked tiles, ducked and slid under the spears. The ticking sped up. He jumped and dived through the flamethrowers, jumped over a couple more cracked tiles. The ticking was at its fastest. He parried the darts away, and with one final dive...

Placed the weight on the pedestal.

La Mulana Remake Puzzle Solved SFX

Music- La-Mulana: Fearless Challenger Arrangement

As he succeeded, the horn sounded. A hidden wall next to him opened. Peppino rushed in thinking that this was the way forward… only to end up in a very small room with nothing but a column made up of the same crystal as the blocks. On a closer look, the column was hollow and looks like the crystal walls was about 2 inches thick. Also, Peppino and SurCam, as he followed inside, saw a dark humanoid shadow, but no one could see any other features due to how opaque the crystal is.

Peppino looked at SurCam as he asked. “How can I get them out of-a there?”

This time, Xel’s voice sounded through the Comms Device. “Try doing what you do best. Punch the f*ck out of it!”

The Italian squared up, gathered his strength, and threw a full-bodied punch at the column. It didn’t do much, but a deep crack appeared at the point of impact. Aiming at that spot, he threw a few more devastating punches before it shattered, revealing the figure.

A purple skinned, gray haired, sharply dressed male falls prone on the floor from the impact of the shattering crystal. Upon closer inspection, Peppino could see two dark blue jagged horns protruding from his head, pointed ears, and a long tail ending in a black spade. To the Italian, he easily looks like…

“A demon!?” he cried, backing up.

“No, that’s a Tiefling. Completely different.” Cinnamon assured. “They might look like it, but they’re not actual demons.”

The Tiefling looked around frantically before his piercing blue eyes landed on Peppino. “Aaah! Who are you!? Where am I!?” he yells, panicked.

A hatch opened on the top of SurCam’s body as a small speaker appears, with Cinnamon’s voice coming through. “It’s alright! He’s with us! This is Agent Spice from Columns Corp Team Ironclad Resolve! You’re in one of the First Floor rooms!”

The Tiefling sigh in relief. “Oh thank the Gods! Someone’s here to save us!”

“Are there others?”

“Yes! The one who dethroned PepperJack trapped me and the rest of my Staff in these crystals! I don’t know where the others are though!”

“Your Staff?”

“Yes! My name is Ozleus (pronounced oz-lay-us)! I’m the Staff Manager for this Tower!”

“Meet us at the First Floor Hub, Mr. Ozleus, and we’ll talk more there!”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to get out of here in one piece. I exhausted all of my Mana, trying and failing to escape that blasted prison! Those Naga Guards might catch me!”

“Peppino! Remember that Backdoor that Soloist gave you?”

The said man took it out of his pocket. “Yeah.”

“Tap it twice then toss it flat on the floor!”

Peppino did so, with the tapping from his finger making a knocking sound, and the door stood up straight then expanded to the size of an actual door and opened up.

“Go on through sir! It’ll take you to the First Floor Hub!”

“Thank you! Please find the others!” As Ozleus walked through, the door closed, then shrunk back down into its playing card size, clattering to the ground.

Peppino picked it up and put it back in his pocket, then exited the small room, with SurCam keeping his eye and distance with the former, and after backtracking to a previously sealed off room, found the way forward…

Only to be sealed in, once he entered a larger open room.

Quickly looking around the room, Peppino could see not one, but two purple treasure chests in the background, both guarded by a singular enemy. This enemy, unlike the guards, was female and was dressed completely different from them. Wearing a circlet and white robes with gold trimmings and holding a staff with an orange crystal ball at its tip, this Naga has a more holy appearance.

“Brace yourself Peppino,” Ella warned. “That’s a Cheese Naga Priestess. She’s an expert in magic, but thankfully, most of the spells she casts are projectile based. You should be able to Parry them back at her.”

“So you are the intruder defiling this sacred temple.” The Priestess snarled. “By the glory of Amphisbaena and the order of my Queen, you will not pass!” She then raised her staff and the crystal ball glowed. With it she casts the spell Magic Missile , launching half a dozen small balls of energy at the chef.

Peppino dodged a few, got hit a couple of times, but landed a perfect Parry at the last Missile, redirecting it to its sender. The Priestess flinched at the impact and was shocked at the last action, even more so as the chef barreled towards her at full speed, colliding at her with a Shoulder Charge. She quickly casts Misty Step to appear at the other end of the room and held her ground as she fires a Fire Bolt .

As it turns out, despite the variety of spells at her disposal, the Priestess has two flaws. One, while she is resistant to her own spells, a few parried Magic Missiles and Fire Bolts stunned her long enough for Peppino to rush in to land a hit. And second, she’s a glass cannon. With the cycle of three parried spells and a punch, Peppino had to repeat this song and dance three times in order to put her down.

With the fall of the Priestess, the horn sounded, and two clicks were heard. In the first chest, Peppino found the second Crystal Fragment. In the second, he found a stone slab, just like the ones with Abyssal written on them, but this one was blank.

“Take that with you Peppino.” Cinnamon suggested. “Another gimmick of this Floor is that parts of a larger puzzle are hidden around here. Solving that Major Puzzle is the only way to get to the Pillar.”

“Thankfully, that slab is the only part needed for this Gate’s Major Puzzle.” Ella added. “Keep going forward and you’ll make it to that room soon enough.”

“Okie dokie! I’ll-a keep looking.”

True to Ella’s word, a few rooms and some backtracking due to Crystal Blocks, later, the Chef entered what seemed to be the largest room so far.

A blank mural, the same size as the ones shown in the Hub Floor, was the prominent focus. Underneath it was 14 smaller rounded holes the size of dinner plates. Below all of this, was a long stone table, with the middle of the table having an elevated part, looking like a stone lectern. On the table was 14 dinner plate sized rounded slabs, 7 on each side of the lectern, each with different symbols etched on them. The other side of the room, supposedly the exit, was sealed off.

All the other Spectators were in awe of this room. “This is the Major Puzzle of this Temple.” Ella announced. “Solve this, and Peppino will have full access to the Pillar.”

“Ok, but how can I-a do that?”

“Start off with putting that slab you found on that pedestal.”

As Peppino fished out the Blank Slab and placed it on its pedestal, the entire room lit up in an ethereal light. On the mural above the blank slab, words began to appear in Abyssal. With a quick scan, Cinnamon translated:

With the rising of the Sun,

Casting its Light upon the Earth,

Heaven itself blesses the walks of Life,

As the Day begins.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 8: Chapter 7- F1 S2- Cheese Naga Palace

Summary:

Peppino enters and tears up Gorgonzola’s Palace to knock down the Pillar. All of these involving trials by combat, striking poses, busting moves, and showing fanservice!
…
I’m not kidding on that last part.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 7- F1 S2- Cheese Naga Palace

As he passed through and the door slammed shut, Peppino found himself in a different environment than the previous Temple. While there are still stone blocks forming its infrastructure, compared to the Temple and Floor Hub these stones are much smoother. Further down, he could see carpet lining the hall and some gold metal candelabras and lanterns providing light.

"Welcome to the Cheese Naga Palace .” Cinnamon announced. “Or should I say Gorgonzola's Palace, since this is where she resides."

"That explains why this-a place looks a lot... neater than that-a temple."

"Makes sense, since Gorgonzola wants a place fit for a Queen.” Ella added. “She respects her God, so she keeps the Ruins in their current state. That doesn’t mean that she wants to live in it though."

"Since this is her palace, her highest-ranking guards will be here. So expect some Guard Captains and High Priestesses guarding some places. And as for Gorgonzola herself, I highly doubt that you’ll see her there. Her Boss Room also doubles as her 'Control Room', and she’ll remain there as long as there's an intruder still running around this Tower."

“So either way, I have to come to her.”

“Yes. But that wouldn’t be a problem for you, would it?” Peppino couldn’t see it, but he can imagine a sly smirk on Ella’s face as she said that.

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 29 - Closed Nidavellir (Extended)

Peppino cracked his neck, walking forward before he started gaining speed. “Nope. Not at all-a.” He said as he is now running at Mach 3.

As he was busy pummeling Guards and Servants alike, Ella filled Peppino in on what to expect for this Gate. “Peppino, I got some good news about the Major Puzzle here!”

“What is it?”

“This puzzle is split up in four sections. And they’re all straightforward, no riddles whatsoever. Two parts involve beating a specific enemy. One involves a ‘survival trial’, so it will have a Recaller at its entrance. And the last one will involve one of the Totems of Amphisbaena.”

“Really!? That doesn’t sound-a too bad!”

After a while, Peppino entered a large room, but before he could take a look at his surroundings, the entrance was sealed. Two Naga Guard Captains jumped down from the ceiling in front of him and brandished their weapons, one had a spear, the other, twin scimitars.

“HALT!!!” They both shouted.

“On our honor as heads of security for our glorious Queen…” One spoke.

“And in the honor of our guardian Amphisbaena…” The other added.

They then said in unison. “You will not pass, intruder!”

These Captains were tougher than the average Guard grunt, but after a couple of minutes (and one Captain taking an especially brutal piledriver after poking Peppino’s ass with his spear, making the other one cringe in pain from seeing it), they were both down for the count.

The horn sounded off, but the walls sealing both remained closed. However, a once blank mural now had a picture and a message on the top and bottom of it in Abyssal. In the middle of said picture, a platform materialized. Now that he’s not in any danger, the chef took a better look at his location.

On each side of the mural were two enormous marble pillars each having an equally enormous marble snake coiled around them. One head has red jeweled eyes, while the other has yellow. However, at the base of these pillars, the two snakes’ bodies were connected to each other. Not by their tails, in fact they didn’t even have a tail, but by one singular body.

“I take it that-a this is what Amphisbaena looks-a like?”

“Yup!” Ella confirmed. “And what those Totems are modeled after. That’s why there’s two per Gate.”

On the mural, the carving depicts two Cheese Nagas, Guard Captains judging by their attire, both posing as if they were flexing their muscles. The platform that appeared was positioned in between the two figures.

SurCam scanned the mural and Cinnamon translated the message. “Says here: ‘ Under Amphisbaena’s Twin Gaze… Perform the Stance of Strength. ’ But what does it mean by ‘Stance’?”

“Basically, striking a pose. And for Cheese Nagas, each pose has a different meaning.” Ella said. “Stand on that platform and copy the pose it’s showing.”

“Copy its pose, huh?” Peppino had a smirk on his face as he understood what he had to do. “No problem at all-a!” Standing on the platform, he turned his back to SurCam and struck a taunt, doing the exact pose as the murals depicted.

The outline of the now three flexing figures flashed for a second before the horn sounded. The treasure chest appeared underneath the platform Peppino was standing on, revealing the first fragment. As a bonus, on the spot where Peppino taunted, a glowing outline of said taunt remained.

“That right there is the equivalent of spraying graffiti on ancient ruins!” Ken cackled. “Gorgonzola won’t be so happy when she sees proof that a Human has more style than her or her people!”

The Italian couldn’t help but chuckle at the comment and ‘graffiti’ before moving forward. As he exited, he found a stone slab, this one having a much smaller message. A scan and translation said three words in Abyssal: ‘Knock Left Twice’ .

“Keep that in mind for later.” Ella instructed. “There’s two more clues to find, but they’ll only be of use when you get close to the Pillar in Gorgonzola’s Throne Room.”

“Okey dokey! I’ll-a keep looking!”

Taking another look around the area, Peppino found a part of the floor with Crystal Blocks replacing the tile. He made a mental note to come back here during the Columns Collapse.

After taking down multiple squads of Guard Grunts and some Cheddar Cobras, Peppino found himself at his next destination. Another sealed ‘Posing Room’ as the Navigators decided to call it, this time with a Naga Priestess waiting for him. But compared to the last one he encountered, this one has different colored garments and a more ornate staff and circlet.

“That’s a Naga High Priestess!” Cinnamon warned. “Be careful Peppino, she has different spells than the other Priestesses you fought, and they can’t be parried.”

“Insolent Outsider!” she snarled. “You already defiled our temple, and now you wish to do the same with our Queen’s Palace!?” She brandished her scepter. “You must be stopped!”

Like Cinnamon said, one had a completely different set of spells then the last Priestess. While the first one had all projectiles, this one had beam-based spells. Scorching Ray , a beam of concentrated fire, and Ray of Sickness , which caused Peppino to be temporarily poisoned and sick to his stomach. Not enough to make him vomit but slowing him down for a few moments until it passed.

Thankfully she still has one projectile based spell, that being Firebolt , that Peppino could Parry to stun her then get a punch in before she used Misty Step to escape his range.

After 3 punches to knock her out, the horn sounded and the mural revealed, with the platform in the middle. The image was at the bottom this time with the message at the top. The image depicted a female Naga in a promiscuous top in the classic ‘draw me like one of your French Girls’ pose.

Cinnamon translated, “‘ Under Amphisbaena’s Twin Gaze… Perform the Stance of Seduction. ’”

Peppino paled as he realized multiple things. One, the taunt requires his shirt off. The good news, thanks to Toon Physics, the shirt comes off and on in just a second. The bad news is two, with SurCam, everyone is watching. And even worse news is that; three, Ella is watching.

With the Spectators, Gustavo started chuckling. “Well, what are ya waiting for Peppino?” he shouted, Cinnamon’s mic picking up his voice. “Do the taunt!”

" Devo farlo? (Do I have to?)" Peppino groaned in Italian as he climbed up onto the platform. " Non voglio mostrare... il mio girovita. (I don’t want to show... my waistline.)"

" Vuoi salvare il tuo ristorante o no? (Do you want to save your restaurant or not?)"

" Certo, lo faccio!!! (Of course, I do!!!)" The chef was glaring at SurCam as he said that, making sure that Gustavo saw his face. The drone in question was shaking in fear at the intense gaze. While he didn't understand what the Human was saying, he understood that he wasn’t talking to him directly, but was still scared, nonetheless.

Peppino saw the innocent drone shaking and softened his gaze, turning away in shame. " Rendilo veloce, ok? Sono sicuro che non giudicheranno. (Just make it quick, ok? I'm sure they won’t judge.)" Gus gently assured.

No one knew what the two were saying, but they can understand by their tone that it’s not something good. "Is something wrong?" Ella asked the Italians.

"Not-a really. Peppino's just a bit... hesitant." the Gnome answered, turning back to the projection. "You’ll understand why in a moment."

The taller Italian sighed, turned to the camera...

And taunted, performing the exact pose on the mural. Shirtless and a rose in between his teeth.

The outline for both figures flashed for a second before the horn sounded, the second Fragment Chest revealed and both entrances unblocked. Peppino quickly got back up, miraculously fully clothed, nabbed the Fragment and left without a word.

Needless to say, there were multiple mixed reactions amongst the spectators.

"Damn!” Ken was stupefied at the split-second swagger from the Italian Chef before turning to Xel. “I’m surprised he doesn’t have a girlfriend yet!"

The Dragonborn agreed. "I know right!? Even if he's 'big boned', he's gotta have at least some bitches after doing a pose like that!"

Grayson was looking back and forth between the projection and Breeze. "How did he get dressed so damn fast!?” He asked out loud. “How did he even take off his shirt that fast!?"

The Air Genasi shrugged. "Maybe that's an Italian thing too?"

Ozleus and Xanthe took a quick break from their endeavor when they heard the foreign ‘argument’, witnessing the seductive taunt. "That didn’t look like magic.” The Tiefling observed before asking the Agent. “Is that an... ability of his?"

"Yes, it is, according to our records.” Xanthe then had a thoughtful look on his face as he continued. “Does he have Toon Physics as well? That might explain the... 'strange' phenomena at the Pizza Tower."

Even Cinnamon was kind of impressed. "Huh. Despite his figure, he doesn’t look half bad. What do you think, Virtue?... Virtue?"

When the Engineer turned to face her friend, she saw that the Half Elf’s face was redder than a tomato. She looked like she was in a trance as she stared ahead almost blankly.

“(That’s kinda hot…)” she muttered in Elven.

Cinnamon held back a short as she nudged the blonde, snapping her out of her daze. “Huhwhathappened!?” she whipped her head as she gained consciousness.

The Human said in Elven, “(Drool over the hot plate of Spaghetti later! We got a job to do!)”

“(I wasn’t drooling! Oh Gods, was I!? I mean, no I wasn’t!)” Cinnamon’s smug grin grew wider at the flustered blonde’s words. “(Shut the hell up!)” she snarled, then quickly switched to English as she said to the mic, “Find anything Peppino?”

As this unraveled, Gustavo and Brick looked on with knowing grins on their faces. Their grins grew wider as they saw the exchange between Ella and Cinnamon. They don’t know Elven, but seeing the two ladies’ expressions, they have a gist on what was said. Bruno might not look like it, but even he knows what’s going on. Gustavo looked at his two companions. “ Ne parleremo più avanti , (We’ll discuss this later,)” He whispered, making sure he’s not being heard on the mic. “ Ma saranno insieme quando finiremo tutto questo. (But they will be together when we finish all this.)”

The Rat and Clone gave a singular nod in agreement.

Peppino couldn’t help but blush as he heard the pandemonium through his earpiece. Surprisingly, no one was disgusted by his flab, especially after hearing Ken, Xel, and Cinnamon’s comments. He didn't know what Ella and Cinnamon said to each other, but the former sounded… flustered for some reason.

Speaking of the Half Elf, he jolted out of his thoughts as she addressed him through the comms. "Oh um, I, uh, think I found-a the next clue." he stuttered, pointing at the stone slab for SurCam to scan.

Cinnamon translated the clue as, 'Stomp Front Thrice' . As she did so, Peppino noticed above the clue, was a bunch of Crystal Pillar Blocks on the ceiling. He made a mental note of that area, should he need to go back during the Column Collapse.

He did find a cracked part of the floor partially covered up by a rug. One Body Slam and a few powerful punches later, he found himself in a secret room and freed the Employee from their prison.

An male Minotaur named Ferdinand, who is the Head of Security gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

Before entering the next room, Peppino could see a stone slab with writing on it, and a Recaller. "I'm-a guessing this is the 'survival trial' you-a mentioned, Virtue?"

"Yup, this is it."

With a quick scan, Cinnamon translated:

For generations, this palace has been faithfully guarded.

To this day it remains under their watch even from beyond the grave.

The spirits of the fallen guards will return to this realm for 1 minute,

and will siphon your vitality with each strike.

Survive and you will receive passage.

Fail and your soul will join the other intruders.

"So that's-a why this Recaller is-a needed."

"Let me give you a few pointers before going in." Ella explained as Peppino stepped on the Recaller to be scanned. "These 'spirits' will not have any form other than a Wisp, or a ball of spiritual energy, so you don’t have to worry about dodging a lot of Naga sized targets. Those Wisps will always move in the same pattern even after you respawn. Learn their pattern and use that knowledge to your advantage."

"And with that Vital Tracker, we can see how much damage you're taking too." Cinnamon said. “However, since you don’t have any magic resistances, you’ll take more damage from these Wisps.”

“How much more damage?”

“We're about to find out.”

Peppino gulped and stepped inside. The entrance sealed shut, but unlike the other Posing Rooms, the lights then dimmed. In the middle of the room, a cluster of four blue, glowing, basketball sized balls of light, each a foot in diameter, appeared one by one.

Everyone could hear a ticking noise as the Wisps started to move, swirling in a circular pattern expanding outward, then moving back inward after reaching the walls. Peppino easily jumped through the gap in the pattern as it repeated. But another group of five more Wisps appeared, drifting down from the ceiling in a zigzag pattern, adding on to the first one. He got grazed by the second group as he felt a quick but painful electric zap surge through his body.

On Cinnamon’s screen, the HUD showed Peppino’s health drop from 100% to 75%. “Damn! He really can’t take magic damage from these things!” she exclaimed. “Peppino can only take four hits before he’s downed!”

“That can’t be right.” Ella mused. “I don’t have lightning resistance, and since that room blocks off magic, I couldn’t cast any spells that grants me magic resistance. I went down in five hits.”

“So you’re saying that these Wisps got stronger or something!?” Xel asked.

“Possibly. That and the fact that Peppino never dealt with magic before might be the problem here.”

“Speaking of problems,” Cinnamon chimed in, pointing at the screen with the Italian’s vitals. “We got a major one with Peppino’s health!”

As they were talking, Peppino took two more hits with his health now in the danger zone at 25%. The entire room was swarming with what the party could count, 20 Wisps appearing and disappearing in multiple overlapping patterns. The ticking in the background was at its fastest at ten seconds left…

But the final pattern did him in. When the ticking sped up, all the Wisps converged into the middle and without warning fanned out in a circle, swirling around so fast that there were no gaps for Peppino to move in between, landing the final blow. His body convulsed with electricity as he passed out, his vision darkening…

La-Mulana OST - 62 - Dead (SE)

…As he reappeared at the Recaller, gasping for air. And rubbing his eyes due to the change of brightness.

“…I’ll… never… get-a used to that.” He wheezed out.

“That was actually a good first attempt though!” Ella praised. “And you were at the last pattern too!”

“But how can I get-a through that part though? There was nowhere for-a me to dodge!”

“Want me to give you a tip?”

Peppino heaved an exhausted sigh. “Yes please. Anything to get-a through this!”

“When those Wisps start that final pattern, run and crouch in one of the room’s corners. That’s the only safe spot during that time.”

Peppino nodded, “Alright, got it.”

“Also, quick reminder. All the patterns will remain the same when you walk back in.”

With another nod and after taking a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart, he walked back in for a second attempt.

True to Ella’s word, the first four Wisps appeared after the room darkened, and began the same pattern over again. Now that the chef has some knowledge on what to expect, he is now abusing the hell out of his taunts to give him some split-second protection from these attackers. He did however take a couple of hits, leaving him at 50% health.

The ticking was once again at its fastest, signifying the final pattern as the Wisps all met in the center of the room. Heeding the Half Elf’s advice, Peppino dashed to the corner closest to the room’s entrance and crouched down as low as he could. The Wisps circled around at high speeds, encompassing the room… but stopped short at the four corners, giving Peppino enough space in its blind spot.

They swirled back towards the center converging in one spot… and disappeared. The horn sounded and the lights turned on fully, revealing the two Amphisbaena statues, the mural with a longer Abyssal message on the top and bottom, and the platform, however this one is now located directly underneath the mural. The mural depicts a group of Naga Guards walled off from a single figure, this being a much smaller one with two legs instead of a Naga tail. The smaller humanoid figure was running away with what looked like a jewel in its hands.

Cinnamon scanned the mural and translated:

“’The Thief has stolen the Palace Ruler’s treasure and succeeded in escaping the loyal guards. When they finally found refuge, the Thief celebrated their endeavor in joyous glee.

‘Under Amphisbaena’s Twin Gaze… Celebrate your triumph by performing a Dance of Victory .’”

“Dance of-a Victory huh? Can any dance work?” the chef asked.

“Anything better than my horrible dance skills will do…” Ella deadpanned. Cinnamon snickered at the comment.

“Good!” Peppino did some stretches with an eager grin on his face. “Time to put-a my dance skills to good use!”

With the Spectators, Gustavo chuckled, knowing what Peppino was going to do. “You guys are gonna enjoy this!” he said out loud.

Xanthe tilted his head in confusion. “How so?”

Turning towards the projection, everyone saw the plus sized Italian… breakdancing like a pro! He even had a small radio appear out of nowhere with music accompanying his performance.

The Spectators, minus Gustavo, Brick, and Bruno were impressed by his sick dance skills, to say the least. Despite his physique, he truly had the skill (and upper body strength) to pull it off perfectly. Most of the group nodded in approval, while others were more vocal.

Ella’s eyes widened at the performance. “Wow! He really is a man of many talents!”

“Damn! Break it down, Peppino!” Cinnamon cheered.

Ken gestured at the projection in sheer amazement. “Why doesn’t this man have a girlfriend yet!?” he yelled, turning towards the other Italians. “Why!? Just why!?”

“Hell, why doesn’t he have a partner in general!?” Xel added.

All three of them shrugged. “We’re-a stumped about that ourselves.” Gustavo answered.

After about 5 seconds, the outline of the humanoid figure and Peppino in mid breakdance flashed and the horn sounded. Opening both exits, the third Fragment Chest was revealed, and he grabbed the treasure within, leaving the room.

A scan of the stone slab outside the exit revealed the final clue: ‘ Knock Right Once’ . A couple of rooms later in a hall of marble statues, a keen eye on Peppino’s part saw an elevated tile in between two of the statues. After stepping on it, a panel in the ceiling opened revealing a long shaft upwards. With a Super Jump, he made it to a Secret Room and freed the Employee.

An male Human named Bob Roberts, who is the First Floor Janitor gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

At long last, Peppino has entered the final Posing Room. As it closed behind him, he could see the exit now only sealed off, but blocked by a Totem of Amphisbaena. However, its jeweled eyes were darkened, showing that it was inactive.

Unlike the other rooms, the mural was already revealed, with the platform in the middle of the room, and the Abyssal message on the top and bottom of it. This one depicts a Naga in the middle, surrounded by enemies on all sides. The Naga was holding up a staff with a crystal on its tip with both hands. Lines were coming out from the figure, showing some sort of force emanating from them, pushing the group of enemies back.

Cinnamon scanned and translated the mural: “ ‘Under Amphisbaena’s Twin Gaze… Perform the Stance of Obliteration.’ ”

“Obliteration?” Peppino parroted. “What does it mean by that?”

"This trial involves doing a spell or attack that involves, like the mural says, obliterating the target.” Ella explained.

"Then what's that Totem for? A target?" Xel asked.

"Pretty much. This Totem is different from the others. You need to do a powerful attack that can one shot it. It’s also there in case you need something to hit to build up power or something."

"Super Taunt?" Bruno suggested.

"Bruno's got-a the right idea! And Peppino could use that Totem to its fullest!" Gustavo agreed.

"Really? How so?" Cinnamon asked.

"In order to use-a Super Taunt, I need to build up a combo.” Peppino explained. “Basically, the more attacks I can-a land during a certain amount of time, the more power I can build up. And once I reach-a my limit, I can release it."

"So that's how that works!” Cinnamon nodded in understanding. “I thought it involved a time limit."

"In order to get started, that Totem needs to be activated. There's a switch on that platform, step on it.” Ella instructed. “Once that Super taunt is ready, stand on the platform again to use it."

Jumping up to the platform, Peppino saw an elevated tile in the middle and stepped on it. The Totem’s eyes lit up orange and the head started to move. The chef started wailing on its weak point, steadily building up power, but he needed to be careful. One hit or one Cheese Petrification can break his concentration or leave him idle for too long to lose that build up.

It took a few attempts, (he really hates that Cheese Petrification) but he finally gained enough power as white electricity gathered around his body. Scrambling back to the platform before the Totem could hit him with any bullsh*t, Peppino gathered his pent-up power and performed his signature Super Taunt, doing the Sonic Adventure pose.

Both Peppino's and the Naga Figure's outline flashed and glowed as the horn sounded. At that moment, the Totem of Amphisbaena was destroyed, and the way forward was opened. The final chest was revealed and opened, and the final Fragment was obtained.

"The throne room is just up ahead Peppino!" Cinnamon announced. "You'll find the Pillar there."

Peppino moved forward entering the throne room. Everyone could see multiple golden torches lining the red velvet carpet leading to the throne itself. A large golden ornate throne, encrusted with numerous jewels and plush red padded seats stood front and center.

But there was one problem…

"I don’t-a see the Pillar anywhere!" Peppino exclaimed.

"This Pillar is hidden behind a wall. And that throne is the switch." Ella said. "That's where those clues come in."

"And what were those-a clues again?"

Cinnamon looked over her notes. "In order by how you found them: Knock Left Twice, Stomp Front Thrice, and Knock Right Once."

Peppino stepped up to the front of the throne looking it over. On the armrests there were small flat metal panels matching the gold frame. He rapped his knuckles twice on the panel to his left, stomped his foot three times, then knocked on the armrest on his right once...

“Peppino wait!” Ella shouted.

La-Mulana OST - 62 - Dead (SE)

Only to get zapped by the throne itself as his body was ravaged by electricity, then knocking him back 15 feet. And according to Cinnamon, his health is now down from 50% to 20%.

"What happened!?" Peppino staggered to his feet. "I did what the clues-a said!"

"There's one thing that the clues never specified." Ella said. "You need to do all of that... while sitting on the throne!"

"Seriously!?"

"Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, it just came to me." the Half Elf's voice, and her face as Cinnamon could see, had a shameful tone to it.

"It's-a fine. I'm-a still alive." Peppino dusted himself off and stepped up to the throne. "And like you said, those clues didn’t say anything about sitting on the throne at all." With that, the Italian sat upon Gorgonzola's throne, ready to complete this puzzle.

He knocked twice on the left armrest.

Stomped his foot three times.

And knocked on the right armrest once.

After a few seconds…

La Mulana Remake Puzzle Solved SFX

The horn sounded, and the wall behind the throne and Peppino moved and opened to reveal a hidden hallway.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Meatophobia (Near Pillar John)

"Get in there and knock it down, Peppino!" Cinnamon ordered. "Naga Guards are rapidly approaching your location."

Peppino wasted no time in entering the hallway running full tilt. And even at Mach 3, he didn’t stop until he collided with the Pillar. (And the wall behind it)

Music- It's Pizza Time! ~ 1 Minute Left - Pizza Tower OST Extended | Mr. Sauceman

Chasedown in: 2 Minutes and 10 Seconds

When the Italian emerged from the hallway and reentered the throne room, he could see a large squad of Naga Guard Captains with their weapons brandished.

"Stop right there Human!" One yelled. "You are under-"

Unfortunately for them, Peppino gained enough speed to once again reach Mach 3. And that Captain in particular couldn't finish his sentence as he was the first of many victims of the chef's mad dash to the exit.

Thankfully due to clearing the four Posing Rooms, going back is a lot easier. Even if there's still respawning enemies still in his way, Peppino mowed them down without a second thought.

Chasedown in: 1 Minute and 34 Seconds

He reached the spot where he found the first Throne Room clue and saw the Crystal Blocks are now gone and revealed a hidden room. He entered, broke the Prison and freed the Employee before going on his way.

An male Air Genasi named Stratos, who is the Airport Beta Manager gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

Chasedown in: 30 Seconds

Peppino was only a few rooms away from freedom, until the second Totem of Amphisbaena decided to drop down to block him.

"Goddammit! Not now!"

And to add insult to injury, it started off with petrifying him in the middle of his distress, wasting precious seconds to his already low time limit to break out. He put everything he had into breaking this damn Totem as fast as he could.

Chasedown in: 3 seconds

But just as he landed the final blow...

Emerging from the shroud of shadows appearing directly behind the chef, the Pepper Reaper has arrived.

The second the Totem crumbled into rubble, Peppino wasted no time in dashing out of the room and into the next, ramming into anyone standing in his way with (not literal) Death at his heels. When he entered the final room and was 100 feet away from the exit, he spared a glance over his shoulder...

Only to see The Reaper quickly approaching and once he was in melee range, he pulled his scythe back ready to swing.

Thankfully, thanks to the enemies he mowed down, Peppino gained a high enough combo and enough pent-up energy to unleash a panicked Super Taunt right in the Reaper's face.

With a shout, the Reaper reeled back, covering his eyes from the bright flash. Despite it not being magical, it still hurts. After he recovered in a few seconds, the last thing he saw was Peppino striking a few quick taunts before diving through the gate.

Music Stops

"CURSE YOU!!!" He shook a bony fist in the Italian's former direction before warping out of the area.

Peppino and SurCam emerged from the Gate with the former out of breath. And rightfully so, since he just escaped a brush with (not really) Death. He plopped down on his ass on the floor with Gustavo, Brick, and Bruno comforting him.

"Another Gate down! You’re making pretty good progress Peppino!" Cinnamon praised.

“Doing goo d !” Bruno gave his progenitor a thumbs up.

Ella looked towards the winded Italian before digging into one of the pouches on her utility belt. She then pulled out an 8-ounce bottle of water and approached him. "Here!" she said, handing Peppino the bottle. "Sorry it’s not cold, but it's the best I can do."

Peppino took it with a grateful smile. "It's-a fine. Better than nothing!" He opened it, then chugged half of its contents before taking a breath. "Grazie Virtue! I needed that!"

Ella smiled before turning towards Xanthe and Ozleus, who are both kneeling at the Columns Corp logo on the floor. "Any progress on unlocking 'that', you two?" She asked them.

Ozleus stood up, smoothing out his clothes. "Not much, but we got something." He reported. "There's another level of magical security that not even I could break with my clearance."

"We are currently figuring out what or who that security is connected to." Xanthe added. "But there's a high chance that Gorgonzola might be involved."

"Figures." Ella sighed. "We have to reach and knock some sense into her first before we can continue this.”

"Exactly. We'll see what we can do for now." The High Elf agreed. "Although I must say," Xanthe then turned to Gustavo. "It seems that Gustavo was right! Peppino's Super Taunt was enough to keep the Reaper at bay for a few seconds."

Peppino looked at his friend in gratitude. "Thanks for the idea amico! It-a really saved my ass back there!"

The Gnome gave a thumbs up in response. "Nessun problema, amico mio! (No problem my friend!)"

After finishing his water, and resting for a few minutes, he was ready to go again.

"This is the last Gate before taking on Gorgonzola." Cinnamon reported. "Find all 4 of those Crystal Fragments in there, and her Boss Gate will be accessible."

"And since this floor hasn't been modified outside of those Fragments, I can tell you what to expect for the third area." Ella added. "You're going to have to fight her most trusted Guardian and her personal pet in order to get to the Pillar. So be prepared for a miniboss fight."

"Got it! So, what is-a this pet of hers?" Peppino asked.

Ella had a sly smirk on her face. "It's better that you find out for yourself." she said. "You'll get the same surprise I got when I first encountered them."

Peppino was a bit confused but went along with it. "Okey dokey... I'll-a keep an eye out." He stood up, stretching and cracking his back. Heaving a breath, he walked over to the third Gate, standing in front of it.

SurCam hovered over to the chef, beeping in a tone as if saying, 'Are you ready?'

Peppino looked at the drone and nodded, as they both walked through the Gate. Above that Gate, its sign says; “Guardian Rat's Chamber” .

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 9: Chapter 8- F1 S3- Guardian Rat’s Chamber

Summary:

Peppino is one step closer to fighting Gorgonzola. But in order to get to her, he has to go through… a rat so huge and vicious that they make Brick look normal by comparison.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 8- F1 S3- Guardian Rat's Chamber

As the chef and drone emerged from the entrance with it closing behind them, they instantly found that this place is similar but different from the Temple of Amphisbaena's infrastructure.

Just like the Temple, the stone walls were rough in texture, but instead of an orangish brown, the stones were a dark gray. The very air itself felt gloomier as Peppino took a moment to adjust his eyes to the dimness around him.

"Your current location is actually a different section of the Temple of Amphisbaena located deep underground.” Cinnamon explained. “This section is called the Guardian Rat's Chamber."

Ella added on. "According to Gorgonzola, the reason this place received its name is because of a now endangered race of Giant Rats who swore to protect the treasures and relics of Amphisbaena and their worshippers."

"Giant Rats!?" Peppino shouted. The spectators could see both Gustavo and Brick perk up at the mention of the said creatures.

"Ironic due to the food chain, I know. But long story short, according to a legend, a rat proved their bravery to Amphisbaena, and in turn, they rewarded the rat with a more powerful body, then created multiple others in its image. Their numbers dwindled down throughout the centuries."

"...And I'm-a guessing that Gorgonzola's pet is-a one of these rats?"

"Bingo!” The half Elf confirmed. “In order to get one of the Fragments and open the way to the Pillar, you need to defeat her pet. The last existing Guardian Rat in her world, Totaratskr."

At that moment, a familiar royal voice sounded through the intercom. "And with both Totaratskr's and my subjects' might, you cannot hope to even make it to the Pillar!"

Peppino and all the Spectators jumped as they heard Gorgonzola's voice in both the Chamber and First Floor Lobby respectfully. "That's right..." Cinnamon sighed. "She's the Guardian. Of course, she'll be watching us."

Everyone could hear the snarl in her voice as she continued. "I don't know how you managed to know the legends of my people, the Guardian Rat race and Totaratskr. Or know the layout of this Floor, or even know about me! But I will have my answers once I take down this lowly Human and bring him to Lord Pizzahead!”

Her voice lowered in a growl. “And when I do, you and your Columns Corp ilk will be next, Half Elf!" As the intercom shuts off.

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 21 - Shake the Prophecy (Extended)

Ella's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn’t even have the chance." she said with a serious tone. "Peppino, continue forward." She instructed the chef. "Find the Fragments and we can face her head on."

“Roger that!”

In the next room, a stone slab and a regular looking brown wooden chest was seen. With a quick scan, Cinnamon translated. "'To open passage to the Guardian's Sanctum and the treasure within, activate the six switches.'"

Peppino opened the chest and found six metal cylinders the size of a (normal person's, his are much larger) fist. "Remember that hallway trap back at the Temple? Most of the switches you're looking for are just like the one you used before.” Ella explained. “However, they're going to be hidden throughout this level. And some switches will be completely different than what you’re looking for. Look for anything out of place."

“Got it!” He put the weights in his pocket and moved on.

Immediately in the room after, Peppino found a Fragment Chest next to a stone slab. He was surprised, but didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth as he reached towards it...

"PEPPINO DON’T TOUCH THAT!!!" Ella suddenly screamed.

...And jumped back in fear, falling on his ass as his ear was ringing. Even the Spectators jumped at the blonde's outburst.

Ella cleared her throat, took a deep breath, then explained in a normal volume. "Sorry for scaring you there. But do not, I repeat DO NOT! Touch that chest!"

The poor chef was shaking like a leaf. "O-ok. But why?"

Cinnamon scanned the slab as Ella calmed down. "She has the right idea to stop you, Peppino. That slab says, 'Death comes instantly to the thief who dares touch this treasure without the Guardian Rat's blessing.'"

"Translation: Open that chest without beating Totaratskr, and you will die. And that's for the intruders that she wants dead! But if she or PepperJack, and presently Pizzahead, wants the intruder alive, you will be kicked out of the level by Pepper Reaper and locked out of it for 24 hours."

Peppino paled as he realized why Ella had screamed. "So if I touched-a that... I would have wasted time."

"Exactly! And we can’t afford that backup!"

"Okey dokey!" Peppino stood up, trying to keep his breathing even to prevent a heart attack. "I'll keep going."

Unlike the Temple, there were a lot more Batapenos than usual, along with the ever-typical Naga Guard Grunt here and there. But this area introduces a new enemy; yellow, housecat sized cheese/rat hybrids called Cheddarats. And Peppino was already sick of them biting at his ankles and pouncing on him, having a constant snarl on his face as he kicked and yeeted them away.

After a while, he came across a barren room and started looking around. He could see the second Fragment Chest tucked away in the upper corner of the room, but it was closed off by a thick wall.

Around the room were three large blocks as tall as he is. Two tucked side by side in the corner diagonal to the chest. The other was placed on a platform above him near the entrance. The chef's eyes widened at the large bottomless gap smack in the middle of the room, thankfully with a platform above it to get across, ten feet away from the nearest block in the corner. Nearest to Peppino, was a small pedestal, just like the one at the Temple's Timed Hallway, and further from there on the floor near the gap was a foot wide slightly elevated tile.

"Feel free to do some trial-and-error Peppino." Ella said. "The only danger in this room is that pit."

Peppino took out a weight and placed it on the pedestal. As the switch was pressed, he heard a loud clang above him, where the chest is. But after asking Cinnamon if anything changed from her view, she said no, but confirmed where the noise came from.

He took the weight off, hearing the clang again, then stepped on the larger switch on the floor. He could see the wall blocking the chest rise up. But metal bars remained where the wall originally was, still barring the treasure. Stepping off, the wall lowered back down

Peppino looked to the block atop of the platform, then to the switch, then the wall. Jumping up to that block he easily pushed it off the platform, despite it weighing more than him, making it land on the switch. After the wall rose, he stepped off, then placed the weight on the pedestal.

The horn sounded as both obstacles were cleared, and the chest was fully exposed. The exit to the room was also revealed as a wall furthest away from the room slid up. As Peppino grabbed the first Fragment, one of the two blocks that was closest to the far corner of the room, sank into the floor while the other wasn't affected.

With a bird's eye view, the Italian could see that he now has space to interact with the second block, since he couldn’t get a good enough grip to pull it. Then he noticed that the bottomless pit was the same width as those blocks. "I wonder..." he mused.

Peppino moved to the other block and pushed it into the pit. As it fell into the abyss a loud thud was heard...

La Mulana Puzzle Solved

... as the darkness underneath the 'pit' dissipated, revealing a hidden room and the block at the bottom, possibly on a hidden switch. Peppino jumped down, entered the room, and freed the Employee.

A male Kobold named Loo’koutt, who is the Surveillance Officer gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

He exited the room and moved on... only to get ambushed by a squad of six Naga Guards led by a Captain. "Capture him!" the Captain ordered as his lackeys charged forward with their weapons pointed at the Italian.

Peppino jumped back to dodge the spears wielded by 3 of the grunts. They quickly slithered forward to strike again, this time with all 3 spearheads conveniently converging on one point of contact...

"POW!!!"

One well-placed Parry was enough to disarm and knock them back. The other two, armed with single simatars, rushed forward to slash at the chef. Peppino dodged the swings, and when he had an opening, rushed past them and towards the Captain with a shoulder charge.

The Captain panicked and brought his spear in a shielding stance, only to be knocked off his tail by the overwhelming force as the said force rammed into him. But that wasn’t all, while the Naga was in midair, Peppino grabbed him by the end of his tail, and started swinging him around. After two rotations, the Italian released his target, knocking down all 5 other guards. And with the force he exerted, he knocked them all unconscious. He didn’t give them a second glance before running off.

“Damn that’s sick!” Xel complemented, impressed by the split-second maneuver that the chef pulled off.

As he was running, Peppino passed by two statues that caught his attention. Making sure that he wasn’t chased, he took a closer look at it. Before him were stone statues of two female Cheese Nagas in the 'Blind Justice' pose, wearing a blindfold, a sword in one hand, and a balanced scale in the other. In between them was a larger brass scale like the ones they were holding, but it's as large as a dinner table. However, it was tipping to one side, with four metal shot put-sized balls on one plate, and three on the other.

Peppino raised an eyebrow at the display then took out a weight from his pocket. "This look-a like it might-a be important." he muttered. He then looked at the size of the metal spheres compared to the (normal person) fist sized cylinder in his hand. "Yeah, this might work." He placed it on the side of the scale with 3 balls on it. That plate lowered while the other rose, evening out on both ends.

The horn sounded and an ominous rumbling could be heard throughout the entire temple. "What’s-a happening!?" he shouted. "What was that!?

"You just unlocked an area of this temple that will take you to where Totaratskr is." Ella explained. "But as of now, it’s still blocked off. You still need to find two more switches before you can make it up there.

"What about the other two?"

"One will be to enter Totaratskr's chamber proper. The other will be for the Pillar."

After a while, Peppino entered another sealed off room with the entrance closing behind him. His eyes lit up as he saw the Fragment Chest but was confused when he saw three of them. In front of these chests was a small, elevated tile, probably to place a weight on. On the back wall were five unlit stone torches. Further away in front of them was a pedestal with a stone slab next to it.

Cinnamon scanned the slab and translated:

"Want to steal a Mimic's hoard?

Play our game, we're feeling bored!

Test your sight and memory,

Beat our tricks, best of three.

Win the game, receive your prize.

Lose and we drop our disguise."

"'Test your sight and memory'?" Gustavo repeated. "Is this-a memory game?"

"That's right." Ella said. "In order to get the next Fragment, Peppino has to play Shell Game with those Mimics.”

“Mimics?” The Spectators could almost hear Peppino's knees knocking in fear. "You-a mean those fake treasure chests with a lot of teeth?" He asked. "Like-a in video games?"

"Yup." Cinnamon confirmed. "And they actually exist in some worlds."

The Spectators could clearly hear the very audible gulp coming from the chef.

"Peppino, here's what you have to do." the blonde started to explain. "Place one weight on that pedestal and the room will activate. The Mimics will start their little Shell Game with the Fragment. Once they finish, place another weight in front of the one with the Fragment. If it's correct, it'll open itself up and reveal it. If it's wrong, it'll be empty. After they close, remove the weight and they will continue the game.

"You need to get three out of five attempts right in order to pass. Get three wrong, and the Mimics will attack and call Pepper Reaper to your location. And just like that chest near the Gate, you'll be locked out for 24 hours."

Peppino was trying his best not to hyperventilate. "Mama Mia! This is-a lot of pressure!"

"I know it is. Just take a deep breath and focus." Ella comforted him. "Take a moment between attempts to collect yourself if you need to, there's no time limit to this."

Taking the Half Elf's advice, he took a deep breath to calm down. "Okay." He made his way to the pedestal with a weight in his hand. "Here we go." He placed it on the pedestal.

The five torches on the back wall lit up with a white flame. And the three chests morphed into twisted versions of itself with rows upon rows of teeth and a long-pointed tongue. They hissed at the chef before morphing back into normal Fragment Chests and closing back up. Peppino yelped as the Mimics briefly revealed their true forms.

The 'chest' in the middle opened up to reveal the second Fragment for a few seconds before closing. All three 'chests' floated up a couple of feet, and began shifting around, switching their positions. Peppino kept his eyes glued on the one that he knows has the Fragment. After about five seconds, the Mimics floated back down to their original positions. The elevated tiles in front of each of them glowed, signifying the Italian to make his choice.

Peppino was glad that he paid attention, as he put the weight in front of 'chest' on the far left. The 'chest' opened...

...And revealed the Fragment. At the back of the room, the first torch's flame color changed from white to green.

"Huh. Looks easy enough." Ken said

"It's going to get harder as this goes on." Ella warned. "Stay vigilant Peppino."

"Got it." Peppino took a deep breath, removed the weight, and stepped back.

The left 'chest' closed, and the middle one opened again to show the Fragment. The Mimics started switching around, much faster than last time. Fast enough for Peppino to lose track a couple times. They once again floated back down.

Peppino was a bit less confident in his choice. But mentally crossed his fingers as he picked the middle one. The 'chest' opened...

...And snapped its jaws at the chef, revealing itself as a Mimic. Peppino yelped at the wrong choice as the second torch's flame changed from white to red. The ‘chest’ on the far right opened and revealed the Fragment.

"Sorry, I lost-a track of it. It was-a going so fast."

"It's ok. You still got a few more tries left." Ella consoled

"You got this amico!" Gustavo shouted.

"Focus!" Bruno added.

Peppino took a few more moments to ground himself, then removed the weight.

This time, the 'chests' floated up immediately. The one in the middle opened to show the Fragment and closed itself... only for the one on the right to open to reveal it, before quickly closing and all three of them started swapping places with each other. Peppino caught on and kept his focus with the second chest as it was moving around before all of them floated back down.

"Clever little bastards." Xel grumbled.

Peppino shared the same sentiment but picked the one on the far right. The chest opened...

...And revealed the Fragment, as the third torch changed its flame to green.

"Think you can get the next one right Peppino?" Ken called out. "This is getting kinda long!"

"Yeah, I agree. Let's-a finish this." The chef steeled his nerves and snatched the weight

The 'chests' floated back up. This time, the rightmost one revealed the Fragment, before the left one now had it, then switched back to the right. They then shuffled themselves, even reversing their pattern at times to throw off the Italian. After what felt like minutes, they finally stopped. Peppino had his eye on the left one as they floated back down, knowing that's the correct one. But just as they were about to land down on the ground…

The middle one shakes for a second, before all three settled and the tiles glowed.

"Are those damn Mimics trying to psych him out?" Xel asked.

"They're getting smarter since last time I came here." Ella said. "They've never done this before."

"Dammit!" Cinnamon cursed. "We don't even know if it switched at the last second or not!"

Gustavo looked at his friend. He was expecting Peppino to start freaking out about that chest possibly faking him out. But he saw the plus sized Human stand in front of the middle and far left 'chests', close his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Everyone quiet down!" The Gnome shouted. The Spectators (Xanthe and Ozleus even stopped their work and looked up) looked at him as they did so. Gus put a finger to his lips then pointed at the projection with a confident smirk. "Let-a him cook."

Everyone was confused by this, but kept their collective mouths shut as they turned towards the projection and observed the chef.

To everyone watching, Peppino looked like he was at his most focused. Keeping his eyes closed, he turned towards the 2 possible choices, gauging how strongly his intuition was feeling between the two. He noticed that last second shake when he knew the left one was the correct choice. Cinnamon had a very good point. After seeing what they did after the second attempt before they kept swapping places, there's a chance that they swapped the Fragment at the last second.

And his gut feeling grew stronger as he turned towards the middle ‘chest’.

His eyes snapped open as he placed the weight in front of it.

Everyone waited with bated breath as the 'chest' opened...

...

...This Mimic did a good job at keeping everyone in suspense...

...As the Fragment was revealed.

And the fourth torch's flame changed to green.

Everyone burst into cheers and sighs of relief. "How-" Ella choked out. "How did he know where the right one is!?"

Gustavo had a very smug 'I told you so' expression on his face. "Let-a this be a lesson to all of you!" The Gnome grinned. "Peppino's Gut Feelings are-a never wrong!"

All three Mimics revealed their true selves and lowly growled at Peppino, as if accepting their loss. And in three puffs of smoke, they disappeared. The horn sounded and the true Fragment Chest appeared next to the pedestal. The weight in front of where the middle Mimic once was, was still glowing.

"Keep that weight there, that's where the switch is." Ella instructed. “You still need the other one though.”

Peppino popped open the Fragment Chest, grabbed the weight on the pedestal, and moved on.

Of course, after a couple of rooms, the first Totem of Amphisbaena decided to show itself.

"If it decided to show up now," Cinnamon mused as Peppino started whaling at his target. "Then you should be getting close to the area that was unlocked earlier."

Eventually, the Totem crumbled underneath the powerful Italian's fists, and he continued forward. He then arrived at a large stone staircase leading upwards. As he climbed, Peppino passed by multiple Naga Guard statues, each with a spear and shield. He made it to the top, but a wall was in the way. And it didn't look like there was a switch anywhere.

Peppino checked his pockets, finding three weights left. "Virtue, I'm-a missing a switch."

"Yes, but there's some good news," she said. "The last switch is in this corridor! And you just passed it."

Peppino instantly backtracked to the beginning of the stairs. One by one he checked the statues, seeing any differences. He counted a total of ten statues, and he found two on the second and seventh. While all the statues have their spears at their sides, the second one was raising theirs, pointing it at the ceiling. Looking up, Peppino saw a section of Crystal Blocks blocking a section of the ceiling. He kept that in mind for later.

All the statues have a round circle near the top of their shields. But statue number seven had a hollow indent where that circle should be on its shield. And that circle was the perfect size to fit the weight as he slotted it in.

The horn sounded and with a rumble, the wall lifted as the way forward was open. As the chef finally reached the top of the stairs, a yellow Warp Point was waiting for him.

"That Warp Point will take you straight to Totaratskr." Ella said. "It's also one-way, so there's no going back until Column Collapse starts."

Peppino gulped and stepped onto the mechanism. A bright flash blinded him as he now found himself in a different room. In front of him was a pedestal, a Recaller, and a closed Gate.

Peppino stepped on the Recaller as it began scanning him as Ella explained the situation. "Dealing with Totaratskr won't be the same as dealing with those 'Stupid Rats' at the Pizza Tower. They are much, much bigger and a lot more mobile and aggressive than Brick. And since they might be mind controlled like Gorgonzola, they're going to be even more aggressive. Stay on your toes, Peppino.”

"Understood-a."

The chef stepped off of the Recaller and placed the fifth weight on the pedestal. The heavy door opened with an ominous rumble, leading into darkness. He gulped as he peeked inside.

"And just in case," Cinnamon piped up. "SurCam! Activate cloak!”

Peppino turned towards the drone as, with a quick surge of energy covering its small body, slowly became invisible.

"We don’t want Totaratskr, or any boss for that matter, to target SurCam since he doesn't have any offensive abilities. Otherwise, we'll lose visual, and it'll take a long ass time to repair him."

"Ah, I see."

“Also, once he gets visual, SurCam will start scanning the target. That way, we’ll all know what we're dealing with.”

“Okey dokey.” With another gulp and shaky legs, he walked on in.

Music Stops

Peppino's footsteps echoed throughout the darkened chamber as he cautiously stepped forward. After a few feet, the door creaked closed with a resounding slam, making his jump. A spotlight shone on him as the intercom crackled to life.

" Most impressive !" Gorgonzola's voice rang out. " Very few people make it to this chamber, especially in one piece. I must commend you Human! However... "

A deep growl can be heard from seemingly everywhere as, in front of Peppino, two glowing, animalistic purple eyes appeared in the darkness.

" Your journey will end by my companion's hands. Or should I say, claws. "

The spotlight turns off and the torches lit up. Peppino was in an ornate room with two platforms above him.

In the background, a large mural of a group of Cheese Naga Guards with spears fighting alongside a very large rat, three times their size, walking on all fours.

And that very rat was right in front of him.

The owner of those glowing purple eyes was revealed as a golden yellow furred rat stood before the Italian. And compared to Brick, who is around six and a half feet, this rat is easily three times bigger.

A mane of white fur ran from its head down the length of its back, ending on the beginning of its white tail, which was adorned by two silver rings. On top of its head and going around the base of its neck was a silver headpiece with two purple gems, one on the forehead, the other on its chest. Sharp black claws, sharp but slightly yellow teeth, and thick sharp looking whiskers on top of its intimidating presence, made Peppino’s fear spike.

Source from Fallout Wikia Page

This was the best reference that I could find.

“ Ah! You have the perfect expression upon meeting your demise! ” Everyone could hear the sinister grin in Gorgonzola’s voice as she continued. “ Totaratskr here has been awfully bored without any intruders to entertain her. ”

Peppino’s eyes widened as he picked up on a key piece of information. “Wait… Did you just-a say…”

“ TOTARATSKR IS A GIRL!?” Gustavo, Bruno (in broken English), the entirety of Ironclad Resolve, sans Ella, and the two Pilots yelled in shock.

"Why didn’t you tell us that Virtue?" Cinnamon turned towards the Half Elf, knowing about her knowledge of this Tower.

Ella shrugged. "Does their gender really matter here!?" she said exasperated. "She's still a threat to our progress!”

" I actually agree with the Half Elf! And that's even saying something! " The Naga Queen muttered that last part as her mic still picked it up. " Who cares about my Guardian's gender! Only one thing matters here... "

Totaratskr let out a terrifying screech, enough to make Peppino cover his ears

" ...Is that your interloper friend will meet his end in this chamber! Then taken to Lord Pizzahead to receive his judgment! "

The colossal rat looked up to the ceiling and chittered, as if attempting to talk to Gorgonzola.

" Hm? No, keep him alive ." She responded. " Our Lord wishes him to be in one piece. ”

Cinnamon started typing rapidly. "Well, now's as good a time as any to activate the Battle HUD." She spoke. "And just in time too!"

While everyone was talking and he was still cloaked, SurCam used the spell Identify on Totaratskr, scanning her. He just finished and has transmitted the information to Cinnamon's computer.

Here's what she received:

Name: Totaratskr

Race: Giant Rat / Guardian Rat

Damage Immunities: Resistance to Fire

Damage Weaknesses: None

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Poisoned, Petrification

Spells Known/ Special Abilities: Firebolt

Status Effects:

Unidentified Status Effect- ???

“Activating Battle HUD.” On Cinnamon's screen, another panel was added below Peppino's status screen. This one, after a few seconds of loading, shows Totaratskr's current state of health. Her health at 100% and her mana at 0%. Which is strange. Despite knowing Fire Bolt which still uses mana, albeit very little, she should at least have some mana reserves. But on the Status Abnormalities window, it shows what's called an Unidentified Status Effect.

Cinnamon pointed this out to Ella. "We'll discuss that later." she said before addressing Peppino. "Ready yourself Peppino. This will be a proper warmup before taking on Gorgonzola!"

The said gorgon huffed. " As if you'll ever reach me. " Then ordered the Guardian Rat. " Take him down Totaratskr! "

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 8 - Ratatoskr (Extended)

Totaratskr gave another vicious screech in answer, before running forward and swiping a claw at Peppino. The chef dodged out of fear, diving out of the way, and backing up. "Guys? Any ideas?"

"Parrying is key for this fight." Ella explained. "Watch its eyes. If they flash, it's going to attempt to pounce on you. Once it does, parry and you'll be able to stun her. You can get a free hit in."

"And comparing its defense to your strength," Cinnamon added. "Four hits should be enough to bring it down."

With that advice, Peppino stayed on the defensive, carefully watching the Rat's movements. Totaratskr did the same, sizing up her prey. After a few seconds, just like Ella said, its eyes quickly flashed. Peppino braced himself as the golden rat dashed at him with the same blinding speed he has when ramming enemies.

Claws outstretched and mouth wide open to bite, ready to grab its prey. But once it was one foot away from chomping down on Peppino's face...

"POW!!!"

...It was stunned both figuratively and literally by the Italian's Parry. No other prey was able to do such a thing, and this one didn’t have a weapon on him! And the strength behind the punch to her side was nothing she had never felt from a being smaller than her.

Peppino jumped back, keeping his distance as he kept his guard up. Totaratskr snarled as she got back on her feet. She took a deep breath, and the chef could see a bright red glow forming from her mouth, as she breathed out a yoga ball sized fireball. He panicked from the new skill as he dived to the side once again.

"It can breathe fire!?" he shouted.

"Better question!" Ken added. "That's supposed to be a Firebolt !? That's more like a Fireball !"

"What's difference?" Bruno asked.

" Firebolt is more baseball sized." Xanthe explained. " Fireball is about the size of an average boulder. SurCam's Identify probably counts that ability as a Firebolt due to Totaratskr's size."

It fired a few more 'Fire Bolts' at the chef, making him dodge and weave, until after firing another in one direction, it dashed towards him in the opposite direction with a claw outstretched, finally landing a hit. Peppino's hip stung as the scratch was thankfully shallow, but his shirt and tank top took some damage as three gashes were seen.

Cinnamon checked her HUD, showing Peppino's health at 80%. "Looks like Peppino's on somewhat even ground here. He can only take 5 hits before being downed and Recalled."

Peppino's fear slowly turned into anger as he looked down at his torn clothes. The Guardian Rat was blissfully unaware about the beast it awoken as she spit out another fire blast at it. Only for her face to get burned as it was parried back by a now fuming Italian. Thank Amphisbaena for having Fire Resistance. It retaliated with a Pounce, only to get parried and stunned again, then receiving another hit, dropping down to 40% health.

Peppino’s teeth were fully bared as he was now seething. "I came to this goddammed Tower, with nothing but the clothes on my back..." he growled. "And you decided to RIP THEM UP!?"

Totaratskr's ears flattened on her head as the Human boomed. Her instincts are now getting a steadily rising sense of danger coming from this small, insignificant creature.

"Anyone else hearing boss music? And I don’t mean Totaratskr's?" Xel asked.

Peppino's eyes had their signature manic gaze as he roared out. "I'LL BEAT YOU INTO THE GROUND YOU RODITORE SPORCO E TROPPO CRESCIUTO !!!"

Gorgonzola, seeing this rage firsthand, was surprised to say the least. "Um... Translation please?" she shakenly asked.

Gus was happy to answer as he called out. "He called her a 'filthy, overgrown rodent'!"

And now it was the Queen's turn to be enraged. "FILTHY!?" she shrieked. "Totaratskr! END HIM!!!"

The Rat shook its head, pulling herself together, and screeched at the opponent as she performed another ability in her arsenal. Totaratskr's mane of white hair spiked up as she then rolls into a ball and starts revving up.

Peppino's eyes widened then looked up as he now realized what those platforms are for. Jumping up and using his uppercut to gain more height, he landed just in time as Totaratskr spindashes literally around the room using its spiky fur to cling to the walls and ceiling. After a few rotations, it stopped on the ceiling, in between the two platforms, and dropped down to the floor causing the chamber to quake.

Totaratskr emerged from her ball form, her mane flattening down, as she looked around for her injured prey. Only to be hit full force from above as Peppino performed a devastating elbow drop on the Rat's head. It didn’t do any damage, but the Rat was stunned for a couple of seconds, before shaking it off and Pouncing in retaliation. With Peppino too close to her to react quick enough, he suffered some damage and is now at 60%.

The Guardian Rat used this to her advantage as she swiped a few times to catch the target off guard, then Pounced again. This time, Peppino was ready and Parried back, swinging a large fist to her nose.

Totaratskr growled as she was on her last legs at 20% health and decided to go all out. She rolls up and revs up again, with Peppino quickly jumping to the platforms, then dashed forward. The golden furred rodent used her spikes to roll up to the ceiling... then stops above the platform Peppino was on. The Italian had little time to scramble to the other platform before the Guardian Rat dropped down.

Peppino didn’t even have time to fully turn around as, in one fluid motion, Totaratskr unfurled and started rapid firing multiple 'Fire Bolts' from her mouth. The chef screamed as he got burned, his health at 40%. But Totaratskr didn't relent, continuing its barrage and keeping its eyes on its prey. Peppino suffered another burn and is now in the red at 20%.

"Careful Peppino!" Ella warned. "Both of you will be downed in one more attack!"

Not wanting to do this entire battle a second time, Peppino recovered, planted his feet, and stood his ground.

Wanting this prey delivered at her Master's, then her master’s Master's feet, Totaratskr leaped back down onto the main floor, opposite of her prey, and crouched.

They both stood still, unblinking, for what seemed for an eternity...

Until Totaratskr did one final lightning-fast pounce, without giving away her usual telltale flash of her eyes.

Peppino kept still up until the giant rodent was a foot away...

Then parried, landing a powerful headbutt to the Guardian Rat's snout. Knocking it into the opposite wall dazed. Ignoring the recoiling headache, Peppino rushed at full speed and jumped, pulling a meaty fist back and landing the finishing blow on Totaratskr's noggin.

Totaratskr reeled from the impact with a deafening screech of pain, before falling flat on the ground, unconscious.

"TOTA NO!!!" Gorgonzola shrieked in a combination of surprise and, what sounded like, sorrow. "HOW DARE YOU, YOU BASTARD!!!" she then screamed at Peppino.

"Don’t worry." Cinnamon piped up. "I'm still detecting vital signs from Totaratskr. She's just unconscious."

"Oh thank Amphisbaena!" The Queen quietly muttered, unfortunately for her, her mic was still picking her up. She then cleared her throat and began to speak with an angry undertone. "Human. Once you make it to my chamber, you will pay a thousand-fold for what you have done to my dear Guardian." Her growl became more noticeable as she continued. "And when you fall by my gaze, I'll make sure that it's permanent." And with a click, the intercom shuts off.

The horn sounded and two things happened. The Fragment falls off of the comatose Totaratskr's headpiece, landing in front of Peppino's feet. And with a rumble, the sound of something heavy moving could be heard. SurCam decloaked as the Italian picked up the third Fragment and they both exited the chamber.

The large stone doors closed behind the Human and Drone as they exited. Looking around they saw a once hidden hallway open past the deactivated Warp Point. And with a much keener eye on Peppino's part, he could see a section of the wall above the said hallway, but he needs to build up enough speed in order to get to it.

"The Pillar is right down that hall, Peppino!" Ella said. "That Warp Point will reactivate once it's knocked down."

Peppino wasted no time in booking it down that hall, quickly picking up speed. At Mach 3, he made it to the Pillar in a matter of seconds before knocking it down.

(As the Author, I'll tell you right now, you don't need to play Meatophobia. At the speeds Peppino is going, you'll just hear a few seconds of it.)

La Mulana 2 OST - 2 - LA-MULANA (Extended)

Chasedown in: 3 Minutes and 20 Seconds

Peppino doubled back and once he exited, crouched down, waddled a bit to adjust his position, Super Jumped, then quickly Shoulder Bashed to ram himself into the fake wall. And good thing too, because he found the second Employee and freed them from their prison!

A male Yuan Ti named Yalassh, who is Totaratskr's Personal Groomer gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

Now that the Warp Point was reactivated, Peppino quickly dashed through, and reappeared in a flash back at the top of the long stairway with the Naga Guard Statues. Remembering the statue that was pointing upwards, he ran downstairs at Mach 3, crouched down in front of the statue in question, then Super Jumped to where the Crystal Block once were to enter the final secret room to set the trapped Employee free.

A female Human named Skye Hye, who is the Airport Delta Manager gratefully thanked him as she escaped through the Backdoor.

Chasedown in: 2 Minutes and 45 Seconds

He exited and continued his escape to the exit, still having to deal with the influx of respawning Guards, Batapenos, and Cheddarats. Despite the massive annoyance of cannon fodder in his way, the chef is actually making pretty good time…

Chasedown in: 2 Minutes

…Until the second Totem of Amphisbaena appeared. Just as he was one room away

With the realization that this will be the final Totem he has to deal with for this godforsaken Floor, Peppino destroyed it in record time. Although he still has to stop a few times due to its Cheese Petrification Beam, he managed to not get petrificated once.

Chasedown in: 1 Minute and 24 Seconds

Now that Totaratskr was properly defeated, the fourth and final Fragment can be collected with no risk. Peppino could see the exit as he ran top speed towards it, wanting to get to Gorgonzola as soon as he could.

But as he was 20 feet away...

The exit door slammed shut.

Peppino skidded to a halt; his rage was now mixed with his desperation to leave. "What's-a going on!?" he yelled. "Why can't I leave!?"

Gorgonzola's laughter could be heard over Peppino's signature escape theme. " You won’t be escaping that easily! " she cackled. " If you truly want to escape, run this course again with Death at your heels! Maybe then I’ll let you leave! Consider this revenge for Totaratskr! ”

"She's forcing a Lap 2!?" Cinnamon yelled. "That's just cheating!"

"She's just delaying the inevitable." Ella snarled. "There's no way around it, Peppino! Give her what she wants!"

"It's a good thing I unlocked Lap 2 for all of the Gates then!" Peppino passed the exit, and with a keen eye, saw a wall with some cracked tiles and Grab Dashed them, breaking through and finding himself in a small room with a Warp Point. This one however, was glowing the same shade of purple as those crystals with a glowing number 2 projecting from it. With almost a minute to spare he stepped on and it instantly teleported him...

Music- Pizza Tower OST - The Death That I Deservioli (Lap 2)

Back to where the Pillar once was.

Chasedown in: 1 Minute

Running down the hallway and taking the Warp Point again, Peppino wasted no time in hauling ass to the exit. Good news, with no more Totems or traps to deal with, it’s smooth sailing with only enemies to effortlessly deal with. Bad news, with under a minute left to escape, the Pepper Reaper is guaranteed to spawn here.

The Italian speedster mowed down enemies left and right at Mach 3, jumping and diving at some points to keep his momentum. Now that he has a memory of this temple’s layout, he’s running on pure instinct to get to his goal.

Chasedown in: 3 Seconds

But just as he expected…

Pepper Reaper announced his presence as Peppino exited the room that used to have the second Fragment.

Knowing that this red cloaked figure was their ally, the Naga Guards doubled their efforts to assist him to stop the intruder. And successfully failed as they’re all bowled over by the manic Italian. “ Pathetic, the lot of you. ” The Reaper sighed as he passed them, still pursuing his target.

Knowing that there’s a straightaway coming up, and seeing that the exit is now open, Peppino picked up his pace to Mach 4 gradually outrunning (not) Death. Even though he knows that he can’t catch up, the Reaper continues his chase, if only to coldly say one last message to the Human. “When we cross paths again, I will not be so merciful.” And looked on as Peppino ran through the exit.

Music Stops

The chef skidded to a stop and dropped to the ground on his knees, trying to calm down from the adrenaline rush. While SurCam hovered nearby, worried for his ally.

Gustavo, Brick, and Bruno rushed forward to help their friend. “Doing okay?” The Clone asked his progenitor.

“I’m-a fine.” Peppino wheezed out. “Just need-a few minutes.”

“Makes sense.” the Gnome agreed. “It’s-a been a while since you've done-a Lap 2 after all.”

“Guys!” Xel suddenly called out. “Look at the Gates!”

Everyone turned towards the three Gates as, on top of them, the three now whole purple Crystals glowed brightly. From each of them, an orb of purple light emitted from them as they traveled to the Boss Gate where Gorgonzola resides. Each of those lights entered the three diamond outlines on top of the Gate then faded away to reveal those outlines filled in with the same Crystals as the first three Gates.

The enormous door frame glowed as a shimmering white light rose from the bottom to the top, revealing a shadow from within. Everyone could see a large Naga figure with glowing purple eyes and an equally glowing purple crystal on her forehead. In their hands was a staff that looks like the head of a cobra with its eyes glowing purple as well.

But its most distinguishing feature are the multiple snakes on top of their head in place of hair, each with their own sets of purple eyes. Now adding from what Spectators could see, at least 8 sets of eyes atop of the figure’s head alone.

(Unfortunately Heroforge doesn't have any Gorgon Snake Hair on their site, and using horns in place of snakes just wasn't working out for me. So you’re gonna have to use your imagination on that part.)

Everyone gathered at the Boss Gate with the group of Italians up front.

“So that’s Gorgonzola?” Gustavo asked.

“That’s right.” Ella stepped forward. “She may be the first Guardian, but she’s no pushover. She will be relying on both magic, and her own natural abilities to fight Peppino.” She then turned towards the Italian in question. “As you can probably tell, she’s a Gorgon. But unlike gorgons that you heard from Greek mythology in your world, she is able to control her petrifying gaze. And just like the Totems, she can inflict Cheese Petrification on you herself. Just turn away whenever you see her eyes flash yellow.”

“So fight her like I’m-a dealing with-a the Totems. Got it.” Peppino nodded. “At least I don’t have-a to deal with those damn things.”

“Yeaaah, about that…”

His eyes widened. “You can’t-a be serious!?”

Grayson cleared his throat in order to get Peppino’s attention. “Lemme remind you about what I said earlier about how our Allied Towers work,” he said. “‘Each floor has a specific mechanic that carries on for the other rooms. And that mechanic can carry on to the Guardian itself.’”

“He's right.” Ella confirmed. “Gorgonzola will also be using the Totems to her advantage. And you have to destroy them during her fight.”

“Dammit!” Peppino heaved a sigh as he looked at the Gate entrance. “But that can’t-a be helped.”

Xanthe spoke up. “If you can defeat her and snap her out of this strange behavior of her’s, we can get her help to unlock this floor’s ‘special feature’ so to speak.”

In the Italians’ minds they can hear Xel’s voice say, ‘Pizzahead might be listening in. We can’t say much about this feature without him trying to stop or hijack it.’

They nodded in understanding before Peppino started stretching. “Alright. Let’s-a get this over with.”

“Hang on a sec!” Ella stepped up to Peppino and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let me fix that for you.” The man’s heart skipped a beat at the contact as he then noticed his shirt and tank top softly glowing. The tears from Totaratskr’s claws were mending, repairing the garments to their original state.

“What was-a that?” he asked, looking at his clothes then at the Agent.

“I used the spell Mending to fix your clothes.” she explained. “Don’t want them to get ripped any further during your fight.”

“Grazie, Virtue!”

Everyone stepped back to give him some space and some words for good luck, while Cinnamon and Ella took up post at the Navigator’s equipment. SurCam hovered next to Peppino as he took a deep breath…

And entered the first Boss Gate.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
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Chapter 10: Chapter 9- Floor 1 Boss- The Cheese Naga Queen, Gorgonzola

Summary:

Peppino has arrived at the domain of the First Floor Guardian. With magic and a petrifying gaze on his opponent’s side, he soon finds out that this is nothing like fighting Pepperman.
Ironclad Resolve soon finds out the reason behind Gorgonzola’s hostility and reveals the ‘special feature’ that they endeavored to unlock.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 9- Floor 1 Boss- The Cheese Naga Queen, Gorgonzola

As the Human and Drone emerged from the Gate, they found themselves in a dimly lit hallway lined with torches. The flames on the said torches were a dark purple but were not giving off any heat.

Looking onwards, Peppino could see a doorway with a glowing white light, just like the Gate he entered from. Speaking of which, the glowing light from the entrance behind him faded away.

"SurCam, cloak and start scanning the moment you see Gorgonzola!" Cinnamon ordered. The drone beeped then once again covered itself in energy and disappeared from Peppino's sight. The chef took this time to start power walking to the end of the hall.

Ella spoke up. "Aim to weaken then knock her unconscious Peppino. Once you do that, use the Backdoor to call me in. I'll see if I can do something with that amnesia of hers."

"Okey dokey." Peppino was a few feet away from the exit before he stopped. SurCam gave a quick beep, letting the chef know that he's nearby. The human took a deep breath…

And walked on through.

With a flash, he found himself in a different location, but it was dimly lit with the same torches seen in the hallway. An arena with large stone pillars at its corners. To his left, on the furthest wall with steps leading up to it, was an arch in the shape of a cobra's head, with a throne that looked less ornate than the one in Gorgonzola's throne room, underneath it.

Everyone was silent, afraid to break it by saying a word. And poor Peppino was shaking like a leaf as he gulped, stepped forward...

"You have caused so much damage to my domain Human."

… and jumped as he looked around frantically to find the source of the voice. But Gorgonzola's voice sounded like it was emanating from everywhere.

"You desecrated the holy temple of the God of my people."

The door behind the Italian slammed shut, causing him to jump again.

"Trashed my palace."

The chef heard a snake like hiss behind him, but when he whipped around, nothing was there.

"Desecrated the temple even further by going into a hidden section of it."

As Peppino stepped into the middle of the arena, he could have sworn that he saw a large snake tail slither off from one of the pillars.

"And of course, the pinnacle of your crimes..."

The voice now sounded that it was coming directly above him. Peppino (and SurCam since he was invisible) slowly looked up. The chef and now the Spectators could see multiple pairs of glowing purple eyes. One pair being larger than the rest, narrowed at Peppino.

"Incapacitating my dear companion and most trusted Guardian, Totaratskr."

The eyes disappeared, and a heavy thud was heard as a large shadow dropped down in front of Peppino, causing him to let out his signature scream, and loomed over him. Even with the very dim lighting, everyone could tell that this figure was a Naga, with those same eyes showing where their head would be.

"I told you that you will pay a thousand-fold for what you have done to her." Gorgonzola's voice was now fully centered on the figure. "And now..."

She snapped her fingers, and a staff appeared in her right hand. She raised it up...

"I will deliver that promise."

...Then slams the bottom tip down on the ground once. The sound resonated throughout the entire chamber.

All the torches in the room lit up, the flames changing from a gloomy purple to a normal orange. As the figure was finally revealed.

Rising 40 feet above him, was the largest Cheese Naga that Peppino has seen so far. Yellow scales covered her form with light blue and teal scales decorated in a Coral Snake pattern. A reddish orange underbelly came from the underside of her tail to her chest.

She looked like she was 10 feet tall from the waist up, wearing a royal blue skirt and top, a teal half cape with a blue underside, and silver wristbands, neckpiece, and buckle on her skirt each with a ruby embedded in them. On her head was a silver circlet with a glowing purple crystal.

But what really makes her stand out, was the one thing that really puts the 'Gorgon' in her name. Instead of hair, there were a dozen smaller snakes, each with the same glowing purple eyes as she does.

(Like I said in the last chapter, Heroforge doesn’t have any Gorgon Snake hair on their site, so use your imagination)

Music- Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!: Astral Knight Intro HD

"Lord Pizzahead was right when he said not to underestimate you, Peppino Spaghetti." she snarled. "I now understand the frustration he has to go through. And after what has transpired in my domain, it is only right that he gets the chance to destroy you!"

Peppino gathered his nerves and shouted back. "And after what has-a transpired over a month ago, he deserves what's-a coming to him. So get out of my way!"

Gorgonzola laughed at the response. "Who are you, a mere peasant, to give orders to a Queen? In fact, you, the Half Elf, and the rest of you Columns Corporation fools should be bowing down to my Lord." A mirthful chuckle escaped her lips. "Maybe he might be merciful and make you his slaves for the rest of your worthless lives."

From the invisible SurCam's speakers, Ella's voice rang out, coming from seemingly everywhere. "That's enough Gorgonzola! Stand down or we, and by that I mean Peppino per Pizzahead's terms, will be allowed to use force!"

Cinnamon then whispered to her leader. "Got the stats we need." Then pulled up the results from SurCam’s Identify:

Name: Queen Gorgonzola

Race: Half Cheese Naga and Half Cheese Gorgon

Damage Immunities: Poison

Damage Weaknesses: Cold

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Poisoned, Petrification

Spells Known/ Special Abilities: Thaumaturgy, Spectral Shield, Dispel Magic, Ray of Sickness, Magic Missile, Misty Step, Cheese Petrification

Status Effects:

Enlarged- The target is under the effect of the Enlarge effect of a Potion of Growth and is now twice their original size.

Unidentified Status Effect- ???

"There's that unknown status effect again." Ella muttered. "How is this affecting her?"

"I'm gonna damn well find out!" Cinnamon started typing. "SurCam, keep scanning. Search for any abnormalities in her Arcane Energy Signature."

SurCam beeped and kept his eye on the gorgon, starting a separate scan while transmitting the footage.

Gustavo turned to Xanthe asking. "What’s an Arcane Energy Signature?"

"All spellcasters have a special aura that is unique to each person." The High Elf answered. "Think of it like magical DNA. We have special technology that can detect and identify that aura. Whenever a spell is cast, it leaves behind what’s called Arcane Residue. We can use that residue like a DNA sample to identify the target's race, Class, and what type of magic was used at the time."

Cinnamon added. "And with that unknown status making Gorgonzola act differently, it'll make her Energy Signature different from normal. Like a foreign DNA strand trying to merge with her natural ‘magical’ DNA, but it's corrupting it. If we can find out what that 'foreign strand' is, we can figure out how and what's affecting her. And if there's a source of that 'corruption', like an item on her person."

The Queen laughed once again. "As I have said. Why would a peasant give orders to a Queen? But if you want to meet your end by my hands,” She once again slammed her staff on the ground. This time an energy field formed around the arena, trapping both combatants inside its boundaries.

“Then I will happily oblige!" she eagerly chuckled with a sinister fanged grin.

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 32 - Insane Sun (Extended)

She twirled the golden staff in her hand like a baton, before pointing it at her foe. "I'll make you a new addition to my statue collection after I bring you to Lord Pizzahead!"

"Enabling Battle HUD!" Now that Cinnamon has enough data on Peppino's power, plus the analysis of the enemy's defenses, she could now tell how many attacks each party could take before being downed. For this battle, Peppino can take 10 hits, while Gorgonzola takes 12, with each attack taking 8.5% of her health. Also, according to SurCam's analysis, if Gorgonzola reaches 50% or below, she will enter a second phase.

"Take her down, Peppino!" Ella ordered. "While you're at it, we'll see if we can find out if she's under any other spells."

The Italian squared up and glared at his opponent. "With-a pleasure." he snarled.

Gorgonzola started off with firing a volley of Magic Missiles from her staff at her opponent. Peppino started dodging and parrying a dozen golf ball sized projectiles, before running up and attempting to throw a punch at his opponent's upper tail. Only for his fist to hit an invisible wall as he was then forced back a few feet.

"What happened? I can’t-a touch her!"

"That's one of her spells that she has active." Ella explained. “She uses that to protect herself from any melee attacks in battle.”

On Cinnamon's monitor, another window appeared underneath Gorgonzola's Status window as it now shows what spells she has active.

Spectral Shield- A Cantrip that invokes a minor protective force field to ward away melee attacks and magical projectiles. Lasts for 10 minutes or until the user breaks concentration.

"Wait a minute... Hey Virtue!" Ken asked. "That only says 'wards away melee attacks and magical projectiles'. Can nonmagical projectiles get through?"

"Yes, they can!" Ella confirmed. "They can break the shield in one hit and give Peppino an opening."

"But I don’t-a have anything to throw!" Peppino shouted as he dodged yet another Magic Missile barrage.

"You will in a moment!"

Right after Ella said that Gorgonzola gripped her scepter with both hands and slammed it on the ground, this time causing a quake throughout the chamber. Peppino noticed a shadow forming around him, looked up, and yelped as he barely dodged a large stone block dropping above him. After getting to split second safety, he noticed 2 more blocks had fallen. They were conveniently a foot shorter than he is, and easier to pick up with his strength.

"Take one and chuck it at her Peppino!" Ella shouted. "Aim for her upper body!"

Peppino Grab Dashed at the block, hoisted it up, and after taking a quick second to aim, threw it at the Queen's humanoid midsection. She let out a shout as the pain made her drop her concentration as the shield shattered like glass and stunned her. The chef wasted no time in landing a powerful punch at the now unprotected underside of her tail. Making her health on Cinnamon's monitor drop to 91.5%.

"GAH!!!" Gorgonzola shook off the blow and reactivated her spell. "You dare strike royalty!?" she roared. The other two stone blocks crumble into dust as she then casts Misty Step to appear at the opposite side of the arena. "My turn." She raises her staff and casts Ray of Sickness , as a sickly green energy beam sweeps the battlefield. Peppino was unfortunately caught in it as he took 10% damage and was now poisoned for 5 seconds, weakening and slowing him down as he took another hit from a Magic Missile that he failed to dodge, dropping him down to 80%.

He quickly recovered and dodged at the large Naga once again, slammed her staff and let 3 stone blocks fall. He chucked the closest one to him, breaking her Spectral Shield then shoulder charged into her. After doing this song and dance for another hit without taking any more damage himself, Peppino had Gorgonzola down to 74.5% and forced her to Misty Step as she decided to add another attack to the fray.

The Queen's and her snakes' eyes started to glow a bright yellow. "Dodge this!" she hissed, her snakes doing so literally.

"Quick, look away!" Ella yelled.

Peppino did so just in time as a Cheese Petrification beam shone from his opponent's eyes, the heat from the stare covering his form. After a few seconds, the heat and light dissipated as Gorgonzola continued her assault. Another block shattered her shield and another punch to her abdomen putting her a 66%, was when she switched up her tactics.

Her eyes shone once again, forcing Peppino to turn the opposite direction... before Misty Stepping to the side of the arena he's facing, and successfully petrifying him.

With a wicked grin, she whipped her large muscular tail at the now prone chef as, due to the petrification, he is now free from the restraint but takes double damage from the hit. Peppino was sent flying at the barrier, colliding with it, and landed on his stomach at 60% health.

Gorgonzola laughed haughtily as she fired another barrage of Magic Missiles at the prone Italian, only for the Human to push himself back up and parry every single missile back at her. Due to them being magical projectiles, it didn’t do anything to her barrier, but she was surprised nonetheless. But she squashed that feeling as she sent the stone blocks to hopefully fall on Peppino's head.

After a scored hit from Peppino and another attempt at a Misty Step switch up, Peppino was starting to understand Gorgonzola's trick as he looked away from her petrifying gaze twice in a row to fully avoid it. She scowled at him knowing her pattern so quickly as she sent a Ray of Sickness his way, only for the chef to jump and uppercut the air to gain more height. A growl escaped the Queen's throat as she raised her staff in a deathgrip and slammed it down.

Peppino however, keeping track of how much damage he inflicted and knowing that this next attack will start Phase 2, stood still as the stone block was falling right on top of him. Unlike the Spectators, Gustavo and Bruno (Brick was just watching for the entertainment, but was still cheering for Peppino), could see a telltale vein pulse on Peppino's forehead as his rage was about to escalate.

"Peppino-" Ella started to warn.

"It's-a all right Virtue!" Gustavo called out.

"Let him cook!" Bruno added.

Everyone could see Peppino raise his right arm up and catch the block with one hand. He gritted his teeth as he wound up and pitched it at Gorgonzola's stomach full force. Her concentration and shield shattered as she bent over, clutching her midsection in pain. Peppino took this chance to run up, co*cking his fist back, gathering his strength and rage, and threw a full-bodied punch at her tail's underbelly. Dropping her health down to 49%...

And starting Phase 2.

Gorgonzola stumbled back with a cry of pain and rage. Heaving ragged labored breaths, she glared at the Italian with absolute hatred with the said Italian mirroring her. All the Spectators could now clearly see the manic look in Peppino's eyes, fists clenched, teeth gritted and bared for all to see.

"You're formidable, just like what Lord Pizzahead has warned me. But..." She stood up a bit straighter. "I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. I just need to take a breather." And with that, she Misty Steps , not to the other side of the arena, but outside of it, sitting on her throne in front of the Cobra Hood Arch.

"I need to recover. But while I do so, put on a performance for me." She then gripped her staff in both hands, raising it up. "Amphisbaena! Lend me your aid!" Then slams it down, quaking the chamber.

From both sides of the arena, Peppino could see the familiar stone blocks that made up the dreaded Totems stack up, this time the snake head at the middle instead of the top or bottom. However, there was still one problem.

"I HAVE TO DEAL-A WITH TWO OF-A THEM!?" Peppino yelled, frustrated exasperation was added to his rage, as he turned back and forth between the two new targets.

"Now only that, but she's Untargetable now." Cinnamon reported, as two new messages appeared on Gorgonzola's status conditions.

Untargetable - The Target cannot be attacked by any means. Reasons may include: The Target is out of any attack range, and/or a number of creatures and/or objects are protecting the Target. Remove obstacles to remove the condition.

Sentry Support- Connected to Untargetable Status. An object(s) is actively protecting the Target and must be eliminated to remove Untargetable Status.

"You need to destroy those Totems Peppino!" Ella ordered. "Otherwise, Gorgonzola will be completely out of your reach!"

"This is-a the last time I'm-a dealing with these damn things!" Peppino growled, his rage returning at full force as he ran to the Totem he was facing with all intents to destroy it.

Catching her breath, Gorgonzola could only watch as this insolent Human used his knowledge and experience of combating the sacred Totems to its fullest. With both heads alternating between one head firing red bolts of energy and the other using the yellow Cheese Petrification beam, he had little trouble adapting to the situation. She even joined in by firing Rays of Sickness to try and slow him down. And it worked at one point. Not only dropping him to 50%, but allowed one of the Totem Heads to Petrify him, and a following energy bolt to hit him for double damage.

"Watch yourself, Peppino," Ella warned. "You're at 30% right now."

Peppino was getting winded, but after landing a few more blows to the Totems' weak spots, one by one they crumbled into dust.

"Untargetable status has been dropped!" Cinnamon reported. "Finish her off!"

The Naga Queen growled, before she Misty Steps back to her original position. Immediately upon her arrival, she flashed her petrifying glare at the chef. Peppino had a Gut Feeling that this was going to happen, and quickly shielded his eyes, nullifying the cheap shot. "You truly are a thorn in both mine and my Lord's sides." she snarled as she deactivated her gaze and fired off a Ray of Sickness . She grew frustrated as Peppino jumped and uppercuts to dodge her spell. "Just fall already dammit!" She then let two stone blocks this time fall to the battlefield, as she was running out of physical ammo.

The Italian said nothing as he picked up a block and hurled it at her, following up with a punch. Gorgonzola was starting to panic a bit at 40.5% health. "How? Just how..." she snarled as she Misty Step Switched and failed to petrify her foe.

Peppino raised a brow at the question. "What do you-a mean, 'Your Highness'?" he snarked, as he dodged and parried a Magic Missile barrage.

"How are you this strong?" She slammed down her staff and from above, two stone blocks fell. "No Human can be this powerful!" And one of those blocks hit home at her midriff followed by a shoulder charge from the said Human, putting her at 32%.

"You have no magic! And no magical items as far as I can tell!" Another round with 2 Rays of Sickness and another attack from Peppino brought her in the red at 23.5%.

"A Human without any kind of magic, be it spells, weapons, or even any armor in your case, are weaklings!" She upcasted Magic Missile, increasing the amount but lessening the damage, now bombarding Peppino with what Xanthe counted (since he had the spell) 20 missiles doing 1% damage per hit. And Peppino got hit by 9 of them, bringing him down to 21%. "And yet here you are, fighting me with just your bare hands!" Two fallen blocks, one to the face (thankfully not literally for her), and a punch to her tail's underbelly and the Queen was down to 15%.

"What Class are you!? A Fighter? A Barbarian? An overweight Rogue!?" She casted Misty Step, switching sides with each question, then glaring at him with a petrifying gaze.

"That's the thing Gorgonzola!" Ella said as Peppino covered his eyes. "He’s not a part of any Class! No spells, no fighting discipline, no weapons training, nothing!”

The Queen's eyes widened as her snakes stood still at the answer, stopping the beam. "Impossible..." she breathed, before roaring out in anger. "Impossible! I'm getting my ass handed to me by a Classless Commoner!? This is bullsh*t!!!"

She was so dumbfounded that she accidentally broke her concentration on Spectral Shield. Her eyes widened as she hurriedly tried to recast it, only for Peppino to deliver a blow powerful enough to knock her down on her back and to drop her staff.

Gorgonzola was dangerously low 6.5% and is now lying prone. One more hit will do her in.

Cinnamon's eyes lit up. "SurCam found the anomaly!" She exclaimed, pulling up the results from the Drone's second scan. "The cause of that unknown status is in that purple gem in her circlet!"

"Good! Now I know what to aim at." Ella stood up from her spot, quickly speaking into the mic. "Peppino! Use that Backdoor! I'm going in!" She then turned to Ken and shouted. "Soloist, get yours ready!”

The Human and Halfling both had their doors out and were ready to activate them. But Peppino didn’t get a chance to do so as he was then petrified. Stopping her gaze as she propped herself up, Gorgonzola's tail whipped out and wrapped around the chef's arms and waist restraining him and squeezed, forcing him to drop his Backdoor. Due to being attacked, he was broken from petrification, but took double damage from the grab.

Cinnamon's computer was beeping rapidly as Peppino was in peril at 1% health.

"Dammit! He didn’t knock!" Ken shouted. "I can’t get a connection!"

"What's the EOP Sequence?" the blonde frantically asked.

"Uh...Three bangs then kick it down!”

"Set it up!" Ken tapped then tossed the miniature door on the floor. After a few seconds, it stood upright and grew to its full size.

"EOP?" Bruno asked, turning to Xanthe.

"Emergency Open Up Sequence. This is used when the one of paired Backdoors cannot be activated. One can force it to activate by a special sequence of knocks from the other door."

Meanwhile, Gorgonzola was standing upright and fuming as she held up her prey at eye level. Her eyes glowing brighter than ever. "You are the most powerful annoyance I have ever encountered." she lowly snarled, glaring at the weakened, struggling Italian. "I believe it's high time I held up my promise, you pathetic Classless filth!" She then activated her Cheese Petrification Gaze at maximum power.

With his arms restrained, Peppino could only squeeze his eyes shut, but he could still feel the cheese-like substance begin to cover him, restricting his movement even more.

"Forget about adding you to my collection!" The Queen raged as she kept up her optical onslaught, baring her fangs. "Lord Pizzahead will have my express permission to shatter you himself!!! And after that, Totaratskr will incinerate your remaining pieces to dust!!!"

"VIRTUE HURRY!!!" Cinnamon screamed.

Ella's face twisted into a vicious snarl as she witnessed what was happening to her ally. In a flash of light center at her right hand a mace appeared in her grasp. She banged at the now full sized Backdoor three times with her left fist, before stepping back. With another flash at her left forearm, a round, black and blue shield with a picture of a tower on it appeared. She wasted no time in brutally kicking the door open and running into the abyss, the door slamming shut behind her.

Everyone turned back to the projection as Peppino's body was halfway petrified, despite him keeping his eyes shut. But the Backdoor on the floor glowed and stood up on its own, growing into its full size and swinging open. Keeping her line of sight on the Italian, Gorgonzola tilted her head to see what was happening now.

From the void that the Naga was peering into, emerged a very angry and armed Agent Virtue before the door slammed shut behind her and shrunk back down. Using the angle of Peppino's elevated body as cover from the deadly gaze, Ella pointed her mace to the side, aiming at a spot in between the two targets. Appearing ten feet away from that point was a light blue Mage Hand with its finger pointed directly at Gorgonzola's face.

Gorgonzola made the grave mistake of taking her eyes off of Peppino as from the Hand's fingertip, a bolt of purple energy fired and struck the Naga's forehead. Getting a split second to get a good look at her target, Ella has used her Mage Hand to channel the spell Mind Sliver, aiming the psychic energy projectile directly at the center jewel on her circlet.

Mind Sliver- A cantrip that fires a disorienting spike of psychic energy into the mind of one creature the caster can see within range of 60 feet. The target takes light psychic damage. Due to breaching its mental defenses, the next magic attack that hits the target before 1 minute passes does 20% more damage.

The projectile struck true, inflicting 5 psychic damage, dropping Gorgonzola's health to a perilous 1.5%, and knocking that gem off her head and onto the ground. The Queen felt extremely weak as she loosened her grip on Peppino and fell forward on her stomach. Thankfully, her tail managed to cushion Peppino's fall as the cheese covering shattered, but he took no damage.

Music Stops

Ella dismissed the Mage Hand and her weapons in a quick flash of light, pocketed the Backdoor, then rushed towards the fallen Italian, immediately casting Healing Word on him, upcasting it to heal him back to 40%.

Healing Word- A creature of the caster's choice that they can see within 60 feet regains a light amount of health. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. This spell can be upcasted, increasing the healing by the amount of mana channeled.

Peppino groaned as he sat up. "Mama Mia! And I-a thought Pepperman was-a tough." He managed to get back on his feet, getting his bearings. "Is she taken care of?"

"Not quite yet." Ella pointed towards the purple gem that landed a few feet away from Peppino. "I knew that Gorgonzola wasn’t herself when we first arrived here. Now we found the reason why." She resummoned her Mage Hand to grab it, holding it up in front of them.

"That thing? But how?"

Ella was about to answer but was interrupted by pained groaning. The Agent and Chef whipped back around as they heard Gorgonzola stir. Sitting up and holding a hand to her forehead she groaned. "Ugh, what happened?" She then looked around, the snakes on her head doing the same. "Why am I in my Battle Chamber?"

Her eyes and the snakes then turn towards Peppino and Ella. However, the two could see that the gorgon's or her snakes’ eyes were no longer purple, but a dark orange.

Those eyes lit up in recognition. "A-agent Virtue? Is that-'' she then hissed as she clutched her head Ella's eyes widened at what the Queen said, then back at the crystal in front of them, which was now glowing. The look of surprise then faded to a snarl as she channeled the spell Shocking Grasp through the Mage Hand, shocking and crushing it in its grip. The shards that remained were vaporized by the electricity and the Hand then faded away.

Gorgonzola went still for a few seconds, before sighing in relief. "It’s gone…Oh thank Amphisbaena! That damned magic is gone!"

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 43 - Wise Men Who Died (Extended)

Ella began to approach the Guardian before Peppino stopped her. "Virtue wait!"

"It's alright Peppino. It's not a trick." she said. "She's back to normal."

SurCam uncloaked, appearing near Peppino. “She’s right!” Cinnamon’s voice sounded from the drone’s speakers. “Her Arcane Energy Signature is back to normal the moment that crystal was destroyed.”

The Italian relaxed then stepped back allowing the Agent to continue her approach. Gorgonzola relaxed as the Half Elf upcasted Healing Word to heal the Queen to 40.5%. She smiled at the familiar face as the smaller woman worked her magic. "I knew I wasn't seeing things when you and your lot entered this Tower. I saw bits and pieces from whatever trance I was in, but I couldn’t do anything."

"Do you remember how and when this all started?"

"It happened last week. A couple of days after your last visit here, some strange person strolled in here, saying that he's my new boss and that PepperJack was 'out of commission'. I attacked him, but he casted some kind of spell on me."

"Was he a humanoid with a pizza slice for a head?"

"Yes! That's him! How did you know?"

Ella pointed a thumb back at Peppino. "He has a history with that bastard. Pizzahead, the usurper, was a former Tower Ruler that threatened Peppino here with destroying his restaurant. So he destroyed his Tower in retaliation. We don’t know how Pizzahead got here, but he 'invited' Peppino here so he could test his newfound powers. Me and my team are here to assist him."

Gorgonzola looked back at the Human, who awkwardly waved back. "No magic spells or items, no armor, not a part of any Class discipline, and he still managed to defeat me." A gentle chuckle escaped her. "I must say, if you managed to stop that conniving fool with your own bare hands, then you truly are strong!"

As she stood up to her full height, her eyes remembered the major height difference she had to the other two. "Oh! One moment." With a wave of her hand, her staff disappeared then reappeared in that same hand. She then tapped the end of it on the ground casting a spell. Gorgonzola's large form glowed a light blue as it activated.

"Huh? Why is she casting Dispel Magic on herself?" Ken asked.

The Naga-Gorgon hybrid then began to shrink, going from a total body length of 60 feet to 30 feet. Now having a 5-foot-tall body from the waist up.

"That's right!" Cinnamon realized. "One of the status effects was that she was Enlarged due to a Potion of Growth."

"And Dispel Magic is one of the ways of ending it early." Xanthe added.

Gorgonzola had an ashamed expression on her face as she looked towards her saviors. “Agent Virtue. Sir Peppino.” She started. “I wish to apologize for my behavior, despite me not being in the right state of mind. It is very unbecoming of a ruler.” Her expression then changed to look more pleading. “But you must get to the other Guardians! There’s no doubt that Interloper, the real one, has brainwashed the others!”

“That was our plan from the start.” Ella agreed. “But there’s another matter we need to talk to you about.”

“What is it?”

“Do you have anything to do with The Haven being inaccessible?”

Peppino and the other three Italians all said the same thing. “The Haven?”

Both Ella and Cinnamon turned towards their respective parties. “We’ll explain in a moment.”

“Yes,” The Queen answered. “That was a new security protocol that PepperJack recently implemented. There’s an extra layer of security that only we Guardians can access in case of emergencies. And something not even he could control in case he gets attacked.”

With the Spectators, Ozleus nodded at that last part. “That explains why I couldn’t open it.” He spoke. “Makes sense as well. The Guardians hold more power than a manager after all.”

“But enough loitering! I wish to thank the rest of your allies, Agent Virtue!” Gorgonzola slammed her staff on the ground twice as, where the emergency Backdoor once stood, her Boss Gate appeared. Instead of a shadow of herself, it showed the inside of the Hub Floor and the entire team who then turned around to look at it.

"Oh and before I forget!" One more tap of her staff and dropping down from the ceiling in front of the duo, was a comically large key that's almost as big as Peppino.

Ella was taken aback from the object. "What the hell!? PepperJack doesn’t even use keys like that!"

The Queen rolled her eyes with a groan. "Ugh, I know. Yet another... quirk from the interloper." Gorgonzola sighed before regaining composure. "But you have beaten me fair and square, and freed me from his control." She then turned to Peppino with a smile. "And if this means that you will be one step closer to taking your revenge, I'll gladly hand it over to you."

Peppino grabbed the key from its middle with one hand, testing its weight, before it started to glow and shrink from 5 feet to 5 inches, fitting into the palm of his hand. He was surprised by what transpired but pocketed it anyway.

“Go on ahead,” Gorgonzola gestured to the exit. “I’ll come along to activate the First Floor Haven.”

Ella gave the Italian a smile as she passed him, “Amazing work out there Peppino!" she praised, giving his shoulder a quick pat, before going through the exit.

The chef blushed at the contact, and unfortunately for him the Gorgon noticed and chuckled at his expression, before whipping around and power walking through.

Music Stops

The sound of applause assaulted their ears as the two humanoids and Drone emerged from the Gate with the Cheese Naga Queen following behind. The Italians, Agents, Pilots, and all the Employees that Peppino have saved so far, are either giving him a standing ovation, cheering, or in Xel's case both, as they all witnessed the plus sized Human's battle prowess.

Peppino was red in the face as he never had this many eyes on him before. And cheering for him at that. With a sheepish grin, he waved at the masses with one hand while rubbing the back of his neck with the other.

"Well, well! Seems that you have quite the fan base here, Sir Peppino!" Gorgonzola chuckled, looking towards the crowd.

"He's becoming a symbol of hope for everyone here." Ella added. "The complete opposite of what Pizzahead wants."

Peppino nervously chuckled. "I've-a never had this much-a support back at the Pizza Tower," he said. "It's-a new experience for me."

Gorgonzola stamped her staff down a couple of times to get everyone's attention. "As much as I agree to celebrate his first step to his victory over the usurper," She started. "I wish to say a few words before activating the Haven." Everyone quieted down as the Queen continued.

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 43 - Wise Men Who Died (Extended)

She first turned towards Ozleus and the group of Employees. "While I was not in control of myself, I still wish to apologize for my actions. My duty as a Tower Guardian was sullied as I put you Employees in danger."

Next, she turned to Ella. "Agent Virtue," she said. "You, your team and allies,” she nodded at Ironclad Resolve and the other three Italians. “and Sir Peppino there," she then nodded at Peppino. "Have my deepest gratitude."

The Naga Queen dismissed her staff in a quick flash of light, stood up straight (her upper body anyway), and to everyone's surprise, bowed deeply, eyes closed in reverence. The snakes on top of her head mirrored her actions.

"On behalf of the Cheese Naga Race residing in these Tower walls, I humbly apologize for my actions, and I humbly thank you."

Everyone was surprised to see the once proud Queen humble herself to a lower-class group and a bunch of outsiders, slowly gaining some respect for her…

…Only for an unwelcome voice to pipe up from above them.

Music Stops with a Record Scratch

“Now I may not be royalty, but isn’t the commoner supposed to bow down to you and not the other way around?”

Everyone looked up as descending from the ceiling was another giant flat screen tv on a propeller, with the grinning visage of Pizzahead on its screen.

Music- Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!: Astral Knight Intro HD

Multiple reactions were happening the moment he appeared: The Employees huddled up, with the Pilots standing in front of them, pulling out their pistols and aiming at the screen. Xanthe and Xel joined the Pilots, the former having magic ready at his fingertips, while the latter was readying himself in a fighting stance.

Near the Navigation equipment, Cinnamon points her dual pistols and Ken pointing his fingers as fingerguns with two Firebolts at the ready. Gustavo and Brick took a fighting stance while Bruno snarled at the screen.

Near the Boss Gate, Peppino clenched his fists snarling at the screen with Ella aiming her pistol at it. Gorgonzola however, had her face twisted into a snarl as she figuratively hissed at the screen, with her snakes doing it literally. “YOU!!!”

The usurper raised a finger in a factual manner, not even caring about the multiple ranged weapons pointed in his direction. “Uh no, the name is Pizzahead, actually! Preferably Lord Pizzahead, since you had no problem calling me that, Gorgonzola!”

He then addressed the hostile reactions pointed towards him. “And what’s with all the guns and spells at the ready?” He said with a coy, innocent look on his face. "It's not like I'm gonna hurt anyone here! Except for Peppino of course!"

"With what you’ve done to these people," Ella nodded towards the Employees, as the grip on her pistol tightened. "We're not taking any chances."

Pizzahead sighed and turned towards Gorgonzola. "As I said, I'm not royalty, but I can tell that they should not act this way. It's one thing that you failed against Peppino, but bowing down to your inferiors, both figuratively and literally?” He shook his head, clicking his tongue in disappointment. “This is very unbecoming of you Gorgonzola! The royal must not be equal to the filth that should be dead at their feet. Or tail in your case.”

“You no longer have power over me usurper! I follow Lord PepperJack, and him alone!”

“Well, you can follow him to his grave once I finish off Peppino for good. And speaking of the Italian Devil himself…” He turns towards the man in question. “Quite the fight there! You really got me on the edge of my seat! Only to be disappointed when you’re still standing.”

Peppino snarled up at the screen. “If you think that this is all-a just one big show, then wait until I get to the finale!”

“You mean the part where I kill you!? Oh yeah, that’s gonna be the best part!”

Ella shouted from her position. “What’s with all these crystals? They weren’t here before, and you’re not associated with anything crystal related back at the Pizza Tower. What did you do to this Tower?”

"Oh, nothing much! Me and my benefactor just decided to redecorate it, that's all!"

"Who is this-a benefactor!?" Peppino asked.

"Sorry! Not allowed to say!" The toon waggled his finger. "They wish to stay anonymous. Buuuut, if you want to learn more about them, come on up to the fifth floor. You'll learn everything you need to know there."

If looks could kill, Pizzahead would be dead in his seat with the now deepened glare from Peppino. "But go ahead and activate this 'Haven' thingy or whatever you call it. I want to see what it is. I haven't seen anything about it in the Tower's mainframe..." he ponders for a second then shrugs. "Meh, I'll find out soon enough! But don't let me keep you guys!" his eyes narrow at the chef. "And don't keep me waiting, Peppino."

But just as he was about to cut the feed, Ella spoke up. "One more thing Pizzahead!”

"Hmm?" The toon raises a brow. "What is it, Miss Virtue? Want to say some parting words?"

"Yes, two actually." Ella smirked as she then yelled. "OPEN FIRE!!!"

Music Stops with a Record Scratch

“Wait wa-!”

Pizzahead couldn’t get a word out as Hell broke loose. Everyone except Peppino, Gustavo, Brick, Bruno, Xel, SurCam, and most of the Employees, fired off any projectile they could on their person up at the screen. Bullets and spells peppered the floating TV as even Ozleus and Gorgonzola, after re-summoning her staff, joined in the fray. After a few seconds, the TV was beyond destroyed, riddled with bullet holes, burned, electrocuted, frozen in some places, the works.

Peppino looked at the demolished television in awe as everyone calmed down from the bombardment. All that firepower was on his side. This team of Agents weren’t all talk, they have truly shown their expertise during this journey. And they were going to help him take down Pizzahead.

If he didn’t have any hope then, he does now.

Ella could hear a chuckle coming from the chef, then turned to face him as it slowly escalated into a full-on belly laugh. Even the other Italians were taken aback by this. They never heard Peppino laugh like that before!

Music- Lobby - Library of Ruina OST

"Santa Maria!" He wheezed. "That wasn’t actually Pizzahead, but goddamn did-a you stick it to him!" he took a deep breath to calm down. "Huh, after all that sh*t, I-a really actually needed that!”

Ella smiled. "I figured we all needed that catharsis, despite it being just a screen. And we had our weapons out, so that’s a bonus."

Everyone murmured in agreement, there was even a 'Yeah! f*ck that guy!' in the back from one of the Employees. Gorgonzola laughed at the statement. "How right you are, Agent Virtue!" she agreed as she slithered to the Columns Corp Seal on the floor. "Now, if you could move your equipment and stand back, I can reactivate the Haven.”

Cinnamon and Ken worked together to pack up their equipment. SurCam floated over to the female and beeped weakly. "Low power buddy?" she asked. The Drone nodded. "Go ahead and deactivate, we'll be in the Haven soon enough."

SurCam landed in Cinnamon's outstretched hands, looked at Peppino and happily waved one of its wings in farewell. Peppino waved back as the Drone retracted its wings and fully powered down, and the dark-skinned Human packed it away.

After moving everything, the two Navigators stepped back allowing Gorgonzola to work her magic. "This will take a minute for it to activate." she said. "I suggest starting to line up so you all can get in quickly." She tapped her staff on the edge of the seal, gripping it in both hands, as she closed her eyes and concentrated. The seal started to glow, responding to her magic.

Xanthe stepped forward to address the crowd. "You all heard her Highness!" He announced. "Everyone line up! Employees first, then the guests. We Agents will fall behind!”

As everyone scrambled to get into place, Peppino grouped up with his friends then turned towards Ella. "So what is-a this 'Haven'? Why is it so important?"

"The Haven is a Corp Allied Tower exclusive feature." She explained. "It's a pocket dimension that doubles as a Tower Employee break and rec room, along with living quarters. And the reason it's important to get this up and running..."

Gustavo's eyes lit up with hope. "It's a safe place from Pizzahead!"

"Exactly! And going off what Gorgonzola said, Pizzahead, and recently PepperJack before him, has no control over the Haven entry points. And since we're going to be in a different dimension, he won’t be able to see through the cameras there."

"We get break?" Bruno asked.

The blonde nodded. "Which is another reason why we needed to activate this. We all can rest up for the day and start fresh tomorrow!"

Peppino and Gustavo sighed in relief. "Good thing too!" The Gnome nudged the larger Human. "You really need-a to get a good night's sleep after this ordeal, Pep!"

In front of everyone, the seal glowed a bright blue light as Gorgonzola relaxed her stance. "Alright, you all should be good to go! I must stay here to increase the security of this floor from that Interloper and check on my people."

Ozleus then ushered his employees to the seal and after a couple of seconds, a flash of light surrounded them, and they disappeared. The Tiefling then turned to the Agents, Pilots, and Guests. "Go ahead and go on through." he said. "Once you cross over, I can grant you access to come and go as you please as guests to the teleportation system."

Cinnamon and Ken, with help from Xel and Grayson carrying their equipment, were next in line followed by Breeze.

Everyone else was about to walk through until Gorgonzola spoke up. "Sir Peppino," The man in question stopped to look at her. "I might not be able to help you out much, but I do wish you the best of luck on your endeavor. Make that usurper pay!"

Peppino grinned and gave a bow. "Oh I-a plan to, Your Highness!" The other Italians joined in.

She then turned to Ella. "And I will do everything in my power to assist you all, Agent Virtue. You have my word." She gave her a soft smile. "And my gratitude."

"Every little bit helps. Thanks Gorgonzola!" She gave a quick bow before turning to the others. "Let's get going. The sooner we get dinner and a shower, the better!"

And with that, the last group, including Ozleus, stepped on the seal. And with a bright flash of light, Peppino squeezed his eyes shut as he was teleported into what's known as 'The Haven'.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 11: Chapter 10- A Safe Haven

Summary:

Welcome to the Haven! A rec room, break room, and safe place from Pizzahead, all in one convenient pocket dimension! Peppino and the party rest and recharge for the next day, while Pizzahead gets a reminder of what should happen if he fails.
…And it seems that a third party wishes to help our Italian Hero.
All recipes can be found on the Everhearth Inn website at everhearthinn.com. I personally never tried them, but damn they sound good!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 10- A Safe Haven

The light died down behind Peppino's eyelids as he carefully opened them. Only for them to widen in awe of his surroundings. Looking around him he saw various buildings, behind him was a giant fountain with shimmering clear water flowing from it.

Looking up, he could see the sky was a shimmering dark purple, just like in the Columns Dimension. But with a bit more focus, he could see a crystalline, not unlike the ones he seen in the various gates, barrier far above the buildings.

Music- Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon OST - 19 "Absolved"

"Esteemed guests," Ozleus greeted, gesturing to the space around him. "Welcome to the CheddarSpice Tower Haven! A feature in each of our Columns Corp Allied Towers that functions as a break area, living quarters, and in case of emergencies, a hidden bunker from our enemies, for our employees."

"This is just like-a the Columns Dimension!" Gustavo exclaimed.

"That's right.” Ella confirmed. “The Haven is a pocket dimension on a much smaller scale than the Columns Dimension. Roughly the size of about a few city blocks."

"Come! Allow me to give you a tour while everyone else is getting settled. I'll end it at the living quarters, and everyone here can be assigned their own rooms. As well as access to the Haven itself."

The Tiefling started off with their current location, the fountain, called the Haven Heart due to it being in the exact center of this dimension. Not only is it the source of power for keeping the Haven active, but the center of a teleportation network throughout the Tower. Five round platforms surrounded the fountain base, each having the numbers 1 through 5 on them, with the number 1 softly glowing in activation.

Further out of the fountain boundary were eight smaller inactive platforms. Ozleus explained that this is a part of the Corps Tower Teleportation Network, allowing Employees and certain class of Agents and Executives to teleport directly here from either another Tower or the Columns Dimension. And due to Pizzahead invading, PepperJack disabled the feature until the lockdown is disabled.

Surrounding the enormous fountain is an area called Haven Park, filled with trees and flowerbeds that are surprisingly thriving despite the lack of sunlight here. Along with various tables, chairs, and benches scattered throughout the area, perfect for having a quiet moment whenever the Rec Hall was getting too noisy.

Speaking of the Rec Hall it was next in line for the tour. A two-floor building with various forms of entertainment, a medium sized kitchen, and a training room, a singular large room with various training weapons, not unlike the Training Gate.

The Mess Hall holds the largest kitchen here and was (used to be) manned by multiple chefs. Along with a dining area able to fit all forty employees with room to spare in case of guests. With knowledge of recipes from a multitude of worlds, their menu is the most diverse that any of the chefs has ever seen.

And finally, spread out between two apartment buildings, were the Employees' Living Quarters. One for the females, the other for males, both having a main kitchen, dining, and living area on their first floors.

Ozleus ended the tour by taking the Agents, Pilots, and Italians to the Male Building's main lobby and adding them to the Haven's teleportation system, allowing them to come and go as they please. The manager gave Peppino, Gustavo, and Bruno temporary keycards to both their rooms and for accessing the Haven Entry, acting as a key that the portal detects. Brick however, had a special band on one of his front paws that acts as a keycard.

For the Agents and Pilots, he used their badges as their registration and access to their rooms. He even took the added measure of adding the Agents by their codenames and not their actual names. Due to PepperJack's new security measure, Pizzahead has no control over the Haven itself, but he can still see who is crossing in between dimensions.

After completing everyone's registration, Ozleus showed everyone to their rooms on the top floor. "Gentlemen, your rooms will be on this floor. And the same goes for the ladies in the opposite building. Feel free to get acquainted with your new quarters and to wash up. The MagiStock Fridge is still operational if you want anything to eat."

Xanthe's eyes lit up. "Oh perfect!" He exclaimed. "I can make dinner for tonight! Anyone have any requests?"

Xel piped up. "Ooh! Something meaty!"

Ella nudges the Dragonborn. "How about we let our guests decide." she suggested. "Consider this a reward for liberating the first floor."

"You know what? Yeah, that's fair!" he agreed.

Xanthe turned towards the Italians. "Yes, she does have a point. Have any requests gentlemen? Soup, pasta, anything in particular?"

"Pasta sounds-a good!" Gustavo said, with Bruno nodding in agreement.

"Pasta's fine." Peppino agreed. "I'll take anything at this point. I'm-a starving!"

"Excellent! How about I treat you all with some recipes from my world? I have a feeling you might like them!" The High Elf then turned towards Ella, Cinnamon, and Breeze. "When you ladies are finished, come back here. I should have everything in their pots and cooking by the time everyone has arrived."

"Nice!" Cinnamon cheered, before addressing the Italians and Pilots. "You guys have no idea how good Xanthe's cooking is!"

"I will lead you ladies to your quarters. But before I do," He stepped in front of the room closest to his before turning towards Peppino. "Mr. Peppino, your room is right here. Can you open it for me please? There are some in-room features that I must show you all.

Music- ProjectMoon - Library Of Ruina / Malkuth Story 30m

Peppino takes out the keycard the Tiefling has given him and inserts it into the card reader by the doorknob. It beeps and flashes green as the door unlocks, and the chef opens the door and enters. The room itself looks just like a run-of-the-mill hotel room (the clean ones mind you), complete with a king-sized bed, nightstand, drawers, tv, the works.

Ozleus also enters with the rest of the Italians entering and everyone else looking from outside. "All rooms have the necessary amenities needed, and within the Haven, nothing runs out." He explained. "When it does, it will instantly refill, but it will not do so again after 4 hours."

He then moves to the closet. "But one of the best features is this." He opens the closet door, revealing it to be empty aside from 5 hangers, one of them having a set of black cotton scrubs. And a pair of black fuzzy slippers. "It may look like a normal closet, but there's more to it. This is a permanent cast of the spell Clothier's Closet . With a few alterations.”

He then explained the spell and how it works:

Clothier’s Copying Closet

When cast, a 3-inch-diameter wooden rod up to 10 feet long is conjured in between any two upright supports you choose. For example, you could summon the rod between two walls of a corridor or alcove. On the rod hangs up to ten plastic hangers, material can change depending on how heavy the clothes are. The number of outfits are determined by the Caster, each of a size and type specified when the spell is cast.

This spell has been altered as the Caster can now copy an outfit or make color, pattern, or material alterations on said outfit (this also applies to shoes and undergarments).

To make a copy of an article of clothing, hang your outfit on one of the hangers provided. For shoes, put them on the floor within the closet. Put how many hangers equal to how many copies you want one inch away from each other close to your outfit, then close the door. The copying process will be successful when you see light flashing from behind the door. Wait ten minutes and the flashing will stop, signifying that the process is complete.

Please note that the closet will copy shoes one pair at a time.

WARNING: This will copy your clothing in the exact state it was put in, damage, odor, and all. Please mend and wash your clothes before starting the copying process.

To make alterations to the copied clothes, hang the clothes you want altered on a hanger. While holding the said hanged clothes or pair of shoes in your hands, say out loud what alterations you want. This can be different color or pattern, size change, different material (the material must be fabric, it will not work with metal), or a very detailed description or picture of the outfit in question. Close the door and wait for the flashing behind the door to stop. Depending on the alteration(s), this could take 10 minutes to up to an hour.

Please note that when making size alterations, make sure that you also add what race you are. For example, say ‘Medium, Human Sized’ Or ‘Size 10 shoes, Orc Sized’. The process will not activate until you specify the Race Size.

The all clothing made from this spell is normal in all respects and does not radiate magic.

This spell will not activate if there is a living being or foreign construct inside the closet.

Everyone’s eyes widened as the Tiefling finished his explanation. “Damn that’s sick!” Ken exclaimed. “We can get silk pajamas from there!” Xel added, grinning in excitement.

“I haven’t stayed here long enough to know about that feature.” Ella mused. “This is new to me.”

“Allow me you give you all a demonstration.” He then turned towards Peppino. “Mr. Peppino, I don’t mean to sound rude or anything, but what size clothes do you wear? Large? Extra large?”

“Extra large.” He answered.

“And your shoe size?”

“Twelve.”

Ozleus grabbed the scrubs and spoke, “Extra large, Human sized.” The scrubs softly glowed a white light as he let go. He then grabbed the slippers, on in each hand and said, “Size twelve slippers, Human Male sized.” Like with the scrubs, the slippers started to softly glow when he placed them back down.

He then closed the door. After a few seconds, everyone looking in could see a bright light emanating from the cracks.

Peppino’s eyes widened in awe. “So that’s how that works.”

Ozleus smiled as he continued. “If anyone has any dirty clothes, please dump them in the hamper in your bathroom. It will take a while to get the Housekeeping Bots activated. But once they are, they will take care of it. They will even mend them if they detect any damage.”

“Now I believe it’s time that everyone else gets to their rooms!” He then led everyone but Peppino out of the room. “Feel free to get settled in Mr. Peppino.” He said to the Italian in question. “Agents, your names will appear on your room doors. Everyone else, your room numbers will be on your keycards, please do not lose them! Mr. Gustavo, as per your request, Misters Brick and Bruno will share your room.”

“Grazie, Mr. Ozleus!” The gnome leads his two friends to their room across the hall. “Come on Paisanos, let’s-a give Peppino some space.” He and Bruno waved at the chef as they left.

“Ladies, please follow me. I will escort you to your rooms!” This was the last thing Peppino heard before Ozleus shut the door behind himself.

Music Stops

Now all by himself, Peppino sat down on the side of the bed looking out the window. Seeing the dark purple sky, he thought back to what has transpired these past few hours.

Magic that exists and doesn't consist of pulling rabbits out of a hat. Extremely advanced technology that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. Different Towers that operate like the Pizza Tower. Different dimensions, species, and worlds!? If it wasn't for the multiple cuts and bruises that he sustained throughout this adventure, Peppino would think that he was dreaming.

But this is just like the Pizza Tower… it's real, his livelihood is at risk, and the person behind all of it is the same damn clown.

This is his first time that he has ever encountered magic that can possibly kill him. And if Gorgonzola is the first Guardian, he could only imagine how powerful the others are. And just how far his raw strength and speed alone could take him.

And then there's Pizzahead. Who somehow managed to get his hands on some kind of new power and control over a new Tower. What that power entails, no one knows for sure, but beating him a second time with this new factor will not be easy.

But I'm not alone , he thought. I have help.

Ella's words echoed in his mind as he got up from the bed. You've beaten Pizzahead before, and that's without our help, or even knowing that we even exist! What's stopping you from doing it again?

No, they're more than just help. They're professionals. I shouldn’t be worried in the slightest.

The Italian made his way to the bathroom and, after depositing his dried sweat scented clothes in the mentioned hamper, started his well-deserved shower.

15 Minutes Later

After he exited the bathroom and changed into the now properly size scrubs and slippers, Peppino left his room and made his way downstairs. As he did so, he passed by 2 robots on wheels and a maid outfit heading past him. He stopped and turned around, seeing one of them knock on the door to his room and say in a synthetic voice, “Housekeeping! I will enter the room in T-Minus ten seconds to begin cleaning!” The other went to the one next door to his room and repeated the action.

He shrugged and continued walking. Seeing robots not trying to kill him is a relief to him. Especially after going through Pizzahead’s factory in the Pizza Tower. Why did that clown decide to model those damn robots after me? He mentally asked.

As he headed down to the Living Room, he heard a voice shout. "Goddammit! I know PepperJack has to lockdown the Tower and all. But does he have to lockdown the TV reception too!?"

Music- My Homie - Persona 5 (Royal) Music Extended

As Peppino arrived, he saw the three male Agents all in casual lounge wear. Xel, who was shouting earlier, was sitting on the couch with Ken. While the Halfling was typing away on his laptop, the Dragonborn had the television remote in his hand and was angrily attempting to change the channel, only to receive more static for his troubles.

He saw Xanthe working away in the kitchen preparing multiple dishes. The chef could smell pasta, meat, and multiple seasonings as he passed by, as the High Elf nodded in greeting.

"I dunno what to tell ya man." Ken replied. "PepperJack had to cover all his bases for a lockdown like this. Including every single network for either this Tower, the Corps Database, or any outside Networks such as tv broadcasts."

"But there is a silver lining in this." Xanthe added from the kitchen. "Our equipment still works here thanks to our own private network."

Xel looked over at Ken's laptop. "Our own private network huh?"

Ken glared back. "And no, we can’t use mine or Cinnamon's equipment for streaming or internet access!" he chastised. "You know the Corps has a strict policy on Nav Equipment Access!" He sat down and angrily crossed his arms as he grumbled. "I already got a warning last month for logging on to Gulu."

Peppino chuckled at the conversation before turning to Xanthe. "Need any help in there?" he asked, also alerting the other two of his presence. "Pizza isn’t the only thing I can-a cook, you know!"

Xanthe chuckled. "I appreciate the gesture, but you deserve a break after your ordeal. Don't worry, this is not the first time I cooked for a large group." He then muttered, making sure that only the Italian could hear. "Or for someone with an appetite like Xel's."

"I heard that!" Said Dragonborn snapped.

It was Peppino's turn to start chuckling as Gustavo, Brick, and Bruno came down the stairs. While the latter two looked the same but smelled cleaner, Gus had on a brown pair of scrubs and matching slippers in his size. And all three of them looked refreshed.

"Ahh! Much-a better!" the Gnome sighed as Brick nodded in agreement.

Bruno smelled the food cooking and turned towards the source. "Need help?" he asked Xanthe.

The Elf shook his head. "I'm fine. Consider this both a break and a thank you for assisting us."

The clone nods and joins the others on the couches. Five minutes later, Grayson came down, while the three ladies came in through the main entrance, all in casualwear.

"Ah good, everyone's here!" Xanthe looked out from the kitchen. "Is Ozleus coming by?"

"No, he'll be busy with the other Employees." Breeze answered. "He has to reactivate the service bots, and since there wasn’t a Cook hidden on the first floor, he has to ritual cast Heroes' Feast for some of the cafeteria tables."

"Ah yes. A spell like that will keep him busy, but it will be worth it once he is finished."

"Heroes' Feast?" Peppino asked Ella, who (to his delight and shock) sat down beside him.

“Heroes’ Feast is a spell that allows the Caster to summon a table full of food and drinks.” She explained. “But this food is magical. Once it’s consumed, anyone that takes part regains health, is cured of any poisons or diseases, and becomes immune to poison and the Fear status effect for 24 hours.”

Peppino's eyes widened at that information. "That's a thing!?"

Ella nods. "It's an absolute godsend in case you run out of physical food or don't have any chefs in the kitchen. And speaking of the kitchen," she snapped her fingers and in her hand was the blue spellbook that she had at the pizzeria. "Do you want to check up on your pizzeria?"

"Ah yes! But I thought-a you said that it was safe because of that contract."

"It is. But I can still track who has tried to enter while the spell is still active.” She opened the book’s front cover and the pages turned by themselves to the place Ella wanted. “Anyone that has approached the front door will be cataloged here. And if anyone matches the names you wrote down on the contract, it will show up on there too."

On the first two pages of that section was the copy of the two contracts Peppino signed. At the bottom of the second one, was the still ticking timer.

The spell Protection from Bad Intentions is now active and will expire in:

161 Hours, 28 Minutes, and 4 Seconds

Peppino was surprised that only a few hours passed throughout this excursion. Then again with Columns Corps’ technology and magic made this trip a lot shorter. Time travels fast when you’re in a Tower apparently, he thought.

He looked at the pages that were structured to look like a spreadsheet. The time, name, gender, species, and a space having a short description of what happened during their short visit. Most of the space where the names are listed were question marks, showing that it was just most likely his regulars visiting, since he doesn’t know their full names.

She pointed to the first entry on the record. "Like here. An hour after we left, a Human male walked up to the door and left, didn’t even touch the door handle. Five minutes after that, a Human female did the same but tried the handle. Since she wasn’t trying to sabotage the building in any way, she didn’t get shocked."

However, he noticed that only one name shows up in that section. And it was popping up multiple times. And it's the only name he knows he wrote down that marks them as an intruder.

Theodore Noise

"Uh Ella," Peppino looked at the rest of the page, pointing at the gremlin’s name. "How many times has he popped up?"

"Theodore Noise? Let's see..." Ella turned the page, and the two of them could see Noise's numerous attempts, easily outnumbering the other guests' appearances. The blonde's eyes widened at how many times his name shows up in her records. "Forty two times!?"

Peppino sighed in exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of f*cking course, he would-a."

"Who is this guy and why does he have beef with you!?"

"He's-a one of the Guardians of the Pizza Tower. The one in yellow, calls himself ‘The Noise’." He glared at the nuisance's name, his frown deepening. "I actually knew-a him before the Tower. He makes it his life's mission to-a ruin my pizzeria, prank me directly, or just-a causes trouble in my general vicinity."

Looking closer at the record the Agent saw the descriptions of Noise's 'visits'. All of them describing various ways he attempted to damage the pizzeria. "It's a good thing you asked me about protecting your pizzeria. Look at this." She turned to the first page, to the Noise's first visit, as the two of them read what transpired during Peppino's trek through the first floor.

Music Stops

Flashback

Location: Peppino’s Pizza

Time: Monday 11:00 am- Two Hours After Departure

Theodore Noise, aka the mascot for Dominion's Pizza, The Noise, has but three goals in his life: Be rich. Be famous. And be an absolute pain in the ass of Peppino Spaghetti. And while the first two were accomplished, the third was ongoing, sometimes ending in having a pain in his own ass from the rage fueled beatdown from his favorite victim.

Imagine his excitement when he saw the sign on the pizzeria front door saying that the Italian Man will be away for a week due to a family emergency. Oh, the mayhem he could cause! He quickly raced back to his house to grab what he calls his 'Italian Disaster Kit', a box filled to the brim with any prank-related objects to ruin Peppino's day.

One hour later, after making sure that any disappointed customers were gone, he returned with the goods and was now searching for a way in. While he could pick the front door lock, he decided against it, he wants to be as discreet as possible. The main mess will be in his kitchen and living quarters upstairs where no one by him could see it.

He found a window near the back, while closed, that he could easily get open with the right tools or just break if nothing else works. Pushing the empty trashcans (he was disappointed by that; he was hoping to knock them down and stink up the place) up under the window he climbed up. But just as he put his hands on the wall to stabilize himself...

“NAAAAOAIYAO!!!!”

...a powerful electric shock ran through his body before knocking him back 10 feet on his ass.

And that was just the start of his many failed attempts.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - The Noise's Jam Packed Radical Anthem

Noise quickly found out the hard way that any kind of physical contact with the pizzeria hurts him. Wearing rubber gloves doesn’t stop it. Poking the wall with a wooden stick still shocks him (he thanked his lucky stars that he didn’t use a metal pole). He even threw one of his Noise Bombs at the wall in anger, which detonated on impact... and left no marks or damage on the wall.

He figured that it was only the back wall that did this freaky effect and moved to the front door... Only for the same thing to happen when he grabbed the door handle. Touching the windows- zap! Touching the other walls- zap! He said f*ck this, grabbed a hammer from his 'Italian Disaster Kit', and tried to smash the windows. The moment the hammer made contact...

Zap! With the bonus of the hammer ricocheting in the opposite direction landing ten feet away from the building.

With The Noise still attached to the handle.

For three hours and taking breaks to hide from passersby and to calm his nerves to think his next move carefully, he tried and failed to deal any damage to the building. Can’t touch the building either physically or with an object. No ranged weapons do any damage. He even tried to do graffiti, only for it to not leave any paint on the surface. And these cans have not been opened until now.

Hell, he even had to go to the bathroom at one point and out of anger decided to aim at the back wall of the pizzeria. His eyes widened as he felt warmth on his leg as he looked down... and saw his stream bounce off an invisible wall and be redirected back at him.

"WHAT THE f*ck KIND OF ITALIAN WITCHCRAFT DID THIS BASTARD DO!?!?!?" he shrieked in rage.

As he gave up and angrily stomped back home, he thought back to what he screamed. Did Peppino use magic? Like actual magic? No way! He may be strong, but he's too stupid to know magic! And he’s damn sure that his freaky-ass clone can’t do magic either. His short friend in brown might though, with him being a… what race was he again? Dwarf? Gnome? He’s definitely not a Halfling or Gremlin like he himself was. Meh, whatever race Italian Man #2 was, there’s a higher chance that he knew magic. And even if he doesn’t, there's no way in hell that Peppino knows someone with any magic knowledge.

But Theo does. With a sharp toothed grin, he decides to give his Pizzard lackey a call to explain his situation.

…After he changes out of his urine-soaked costume.

Music Stops

And now back to the squad...

“THAT GREMLIN BASTARD TRIED TO TAKE A PISS ON MY PIZZERIA!?!?!?”

Everyone jumped as Peppino shot up from his seat and boomed that sentence. Since everyone is within 60 feet from him, they could feel the ground and tables shake from the Italian's powerful voice. Thankfully, since he's near Ella and doesn’t want a repeat of what happened during the briefing, he held back most of his rage and power so that he doesn't blow her or anyone else away.

"C-calm down Peppino!" Ella pleaded, visibly shaking from the outburst. "That spell protects your shop from all forms of damage and defacement. Especially from any... bodily fluids."

While his face wasn’t red like last time, Peppino's teeth and fists were respectively bared and clenched tight from the news, and he was trying his damndest to calm down. While his friends jumped only from the shout, being accustomed to his rage, the Agents, sans Ella, and Pilots were the first to experience just a sample of the infamous Italian Rage. Xanthe had to snap out of his surprise before the dessert started to burn.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sat back down. "I'm-a sorry for the outburst." the Human sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in shame. "The Noise, the bastard trying to break-a in my shop, has both defaced it multiple times and-a played a lot of pranks on me for years. And that-a recent one that Ella reported, was the first time that I-a heard of him doing that."

"I never thought that he would-a stoop that low." Gustavo added. "Yeah, he does some malicious things to Peppino and the pizzeria, but-a that..."

"Really takes cake." Bruno, despite still having that lopsided smile, had a prominent frown on his face.

Silence reigned supreme for a few seconds before Cinnamon cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. "Well, while everyone's here and Xanthe isn’t finished yet,"

"Just putting the final touches! I'll be finished in about five minutes or so." he shouted from his post.

"I want to discuss what I discovered about the brainwashing Gorgonzola was under." She turned her laptop around so that everyone could see it as she continued.

"From our experience with Gorgonzola, what we know so far about that Unknown Status Effect is this." She points to the screen, showing multiple screenshots of the purple gem being shot from the Naga Queen's circlet, and the gem itself being held by Ella's Mage Hand.

"Initial scans of her Arcane Energy Signature shows up fine when it comes to her natural magical and physical abilities. Other than that Potion of Growth, she doesn’t have any extra spells in her repertoire, or any changed elemental strengths or weaknesses." The images were replaced with a full body wireframe of Gorgonzola rotating 360 degrees, showing a scan of her stature.

"But! A second scan, this time for any Magic Items on her person, yielded two results. Her staff and her circlet.” The items in question were highlighted on her person. “A little knowledge drop for the guests; an AES can’t just be on a spellcaster or any magical creatures, but also on items with magical properties."

Cinnamon pointed at the objects as she continued. "The staff is Gorgonzola's Arcane Focus, or what she uses to channel her spells. The circlet however, wasn’t magical at all. Just a mundane, but decorative headpiece."

"And the gem?" Xanthe asked from the kitchen.

At that question, the wireframe stopped rotating and zoomed in on Gorgonzola’s head, highlighting the gem on her circlet. "No archived information on our records, so it's not a normal magical item or artifact. And it can’t be another Arcane Focus since it emitted a different aura than the staff. But what that gem emitted was multiple Enchantment based spells, all of them dealing with mind control. Traces of spells like Dominate Person and Modify Memory can be detected, and they are heavily modified."

Ella then stepped in explaining to the Italians and Pilots. "Dominate Person allows the Caster to take full control of a humanoid, it won’t work on animals, and issue them commands, so long as they are both on the same plane of existence. Modify Memory does exactly what's in its name. The Caster can look into a Target's memories and choose which ones to change or erase, make them remember an event they have forgotten in full clarity, or even implant memories of their own creation."

"And this is where those modifications come in.” Cinnamon continued. “At base level, Dominate Person lasts for 1 minute minimum. It can be extended to up to 8 hours if upcasted. Modify Memory at base level, can only affect and alter any memories within 24 hours. If upcasted, depending on how much mana is used, it can affect memories from 7 days, a month, or even a year. But at maximum power, the caster can alter ANY memory in the target's past. And that takes a ludicrous amount of mana to do so!"

Ella’s eyes widened. "And the only way to cast it in that way is for a Wizard to be Level 17 to even gain access to that much mana!"

"Same issue with Bards, since they can use that spell too!" Ken added.

"There's no way in hell that Pizzahead is a Level 17 Wizard! Or a Level 17 anything!” Xel shouted. “Not within one month! That sh*t takes up to five to ten years to get to that level, sometimes longer depending on the Class!"

"You mentioned that these spells were heavily modified right?” Ella asked the Navigator, reigning in the conversation. “What other changes do they have?"

"Those spells now have no time limit and cannot be broken by either the one affected or by anyone else. Spells like Greater Restoration or Remove Curse have no effect. Concentration to keep these spells going is no longer needed by the Caster. As long as that crystal is still on their person, Pizzahead has total control over them. And the only way to break them out is to destroy that crystal."

Everyone was silent at the news. While the Italians and Pilots don’t fully understand the magical aspects of the situation, they do understand the severity of it. The Agents understood everything about the situation and are frankly shocked about the intricacies of it.

And the fact that a clown was able to pull it off.

"There's no damn way that Pizzahead can make something like that!” Ken uttered. “Not all on his own."

"You think it involves that 'benefactor' of his?" Ella suggested.

"That seems to be the most logical answer to all of this.” Cinnamon answered. “He must have sought out some powerful spellcaster to assist him."

"Or blackmailed them." The Halfling muttered.

"We don’t know that for sure, but we do know this. Peppino,” The chef perked up as the Engineer turned to him. “You did say that you never encountered any crystals in the Pizza Tower, right?"

"Right-a."

"But did you see any in the Training Gate?"

"No. I didn’t."

Ella’s eyes widened in realization. "Then that means that the crystals were nonnative to this Tower."

"Exactly! Training Cores base their specialized courses on the Tower's current infrastructure. If PepperJack wanted to add crystals as a part to the course, he would have told and programmed the Core to do so."

"So Aiden, that-a Core, doesn't know about them?" Peppino asked.

"If it did, it would have told you. And with that Core being a machine, it can't lie to you. And even if Pizzahead told it to withhold that information, it still has no choice to tell you, since it goes against its main function to teach you how to navigate this Tower."

"So we're dealing with not one, but possibly two enemies going against us?" Xel asked.

"Looks like it."

Everyone groaned at that realization.

Cinnamon typed something on her PC and showed the screen, revealing the Status Conditions Window for Gorgonzola’s status during the fight. "But now I've figured out what that Status Condition does, and I'll send it to your records later Ken." The Halfling gave a thumbs up. "So whenever we encounter someone with that status with what we'll call a 'Control Crystal' on their person, this ‘Unknown Status’ will show up as something I like to call 'Crystal Controlled'."

Unidentified Status Effect has been updated.

Crystal Controlled - The Target is under Pizzahead's control due to a Control Crystal on their person. Remove and destroy the crystal to dispel the status.

"Unfortunately, we can’t get rid of that crystal right off the bat. Peppino still has to weaken the Guardian in order to get it off easily."

"And for your safety Peppino, once you bring down the Guardian, call me in with the Backdoor.” Ella added. “It might not be safe to touch that gem with your bare hands, and it won’t be easily destroyed just by crushing it."

The chef nodded. "Got it!"

"Well then!” Xanthe steps out of the kitchen, taking off some oven mitts. “Now that we have a game plan on how to progress this Tower. Anyone want to progress with dinner?"

Music- Lobby Extended (1 hour version) - Library of Ruina Ost

The serious atmosphere immediately dissipated as everyone perked up at the mention of food.

"Hell yeah! I'm starving!" Xel bolted to the table.

“I’ll help you serve if you want.” Grayson calmly got up as he said that.

"I can help set the table!" Breeze piped up.

"I appreciate it! Thank you!"

Breeze set up the plates and cutlery as Xanthe, with Grayson's help brought out the dishes. As everyone sat down, the Italian chefs were beyond impressed with the spread. A large, succulent, carved roast beef as the main course, a fresh Caprese Salad with what looked like berries on top of it, pasta with what looked to be zebra spaghetti for the noodles, and a basket of breadsticks. The pitcher for their drinks had an eye pleasing color, sky blue at the top with a dark red at the bottom.

Xanthe cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "For tonight's menu," he announced. "We have the Roast Beef slow roasted with a multitude of seasonings," Xel was trying his hardest not to drool. "The Druid's Garden Caprese Salad with a balsamic glaze," Caprese salad was a staple Italian salad. Seeing fruit added to the mix piqued Peppino and Gustavo's interest. "The Chromatic Pasta with Breadsticks," It was rare to see zebra pasta being used for a dish, and everyone was interested to know what it tastes like. "And for drinks, the Prismatic Spray Potion co*cktail. With no alcohol." Ken and Xel grumbled at that last part.

"Dessert needs some time to cool down but will be served later. For now, please enjoy!" the High Elf concluded with a bow before taking his seat.

Everyone thanked the Elven chef as they served themselves and dug in, with Gustavo giving a plate to Brick. "Aside from the roast, I've-a never seen or heard of any of these-a dishes! They look and taste amazing, Xanthe!" the Gnome praised.

"Thank you! These are all from mine and Ella's home world."

Peppino picked up his glass and admired the colors of his drink. "And what's in-a this co*cktail?" he asked.

"That is the Prismatic Spray Potion, well the virgin version of it. This is made with grenadine, pineapple juice, coconut juice to substitute for coconut rum, blue citrus juice which is native to my world, lemon juice, and sugar around the glass rim."

Peppino took a sip, and his taste buds were immediately assaulted with the combination of citrus and a Pina Colada. "This is delicious!"

Xanthe fondly chuckled. "Glad you enjoy it."

"You know," Gustavo mused, turning to Peppino. "We might have to pay-a everyone back by making our pizzas here!”

"That's-a good idea, but we don’t have-a the ingredients to make them!"

"Yes, you do." Ella piped up.

"Huh?" The Italians turned towards her as she answered. "In the kitchen is a piece of Columns Corp tech called the MagiStock Fridge. A magic refrigerator that stocks itself up with ingredients without ever running out. And the best part is that the food stored can be added or changed."

Peppino and Gustavo looked at Ella then Xanthe with their eyes widened in shock as Bruno turned around at the last sentence. "It can do that!?" the chefs asked.

"Yes.” Xanthe confirmed. “Write down a list of what ingredients you need, stick it inside, close the door, and in one minute, you'll have everything you need as the fridge magically stocks itself."

The chefs’ minds were blown by the fact that such technology exists. " Mio Dio !" Gustavo breathed. "That's the fridge that any chef would-a kill for!" He excitedly turned towards his Human friend with an excited look in his eyes.

The said Human chuckled at the Gnome's excitement. "Imagine the costs we could save with-a fridge like-a that!”

"But hey, I'm down for trying their pizzas next time!" Xel agreed.

"Pizzahead had to go after him for some reason." Cinnamon added. "Maybe it's to steal Peppino's recipe?"

"So whaddya say, Pep? Should-a we give them a taste of your signature cooking?" Gus asked.

"Please?" Bruno looked on with a pleading expression with Brick joining in.

Peppino looked at his companions begging him to say yes. He fondly shook his head, knowing that they're trying to get access to this magic fridge so they can try it themselves. And he can't blame them, he wants a go at it too! "Of course-a!" He said with a chuckle. "Have to return the favor for this-a sorprendente (amazing) meal!"

Everyone cheered at the news and continued eating. After thirty minutes, Xanthe got up and went back to the kitchen to grab dessert. When he came back out, he served a tray of strudel pastries with a light purple glaze and sprinkles on top. Peppino looked over at Ella who’s eyes were widened in glee.

Xanthe cleared his throat again and announced. "This is another recipe from my world called Scanlan's Hand Pies. A strudel with blackberry filling, but this can be substituted with other berries if you so wish. For this batch, there are multiple added flavors such as strawberry, raspberry, and goodberry which is also native to my world. All of them will still have the blackberry glaze on top. See if you can guess what flavor you have before biting it!"

Everyone grabbed on and dug in. "Oh cool! I got raspberry!" Cinnamon cheered.

"I got strawberry!" Breeze piped up.

"Why is it that I always get blackberry first!?" Ken lamented. "It's good and all, but why!?"

Gus chewed on his while Brick nibbled on his and squeaked. "Brick and I got-a blackberry. What did you get, amicos ?"

Bruno popped the whole pastry in his mouth and chewed. "Strawberry!"

Peppino bit into his. While he did taste the blackberry glaze, he tasted something that he wasn’t familiar with. A sweet, tangy flavor assaulted his taste buds, ending with a tart aftertaste. "I... I don’t-a recognize this flavor."

"Looks like you got goodberry!" Ella had a hand to her cheek as she ate hers. "Just like I did."

Peppino could notice a blissful look in the Half Elf's eyes as she ate her dessert. "You look-a really happy eating those, Ella!"

"It's my favorite dessert! Reminds me of home."

All the more reason to ask for the recipe! He thought with a smile.

Ten minutes later, everyone's plates were cleared. "I take it that everyone enjoyed the food?" Xanthe had a prideful smile on his face as he asked. It grew as the table gave their complements.

"I'm glad!" His expression grew a bit stern as he reminded them of the situation. "But I must remind you all that time is of the essence."

"He's right." Ella agreed. "Everyone needs to rest up. Eight and a half hours from now, I want to see everyone up and dressed. During breakfast, we'll calibrate our equipment and do a quick briefing on what to expect for the next floor. Afterwards, we'll disembark, and Peppino will unlock the door to the next floor.

Everyone nodded in silent agreement.

"Get to bed everyone." The blonde rose from her seat. "The sooner we get to Pizzahead the better."

"I will take care of the dishes. I only need four hours of sleep to function." Xanthe started stacking up the dirty dishes.

And with that, everyone left for their rooms. The ladies left to head to the neighboring building, while the men headed up stairs. Peppino said goodnight to the Agents, then to Gustavo and Bruno before entering his room.

He saw his chef outfit clean and folded neatly on the foot of the bed, with the hat lying on top. He was thinking of using the closet to copy it, but with a full stomach and a long arduous day to deal with tomorrow, he decided to put it in the drawer.

He lied down on the bed, heaved a sigh, and giving in to his exhaustion drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

Music Stops

Meanwhile with Pizzahead...

The sounds of a rapidly typing keyboard filled the Tower Main Control Room as Pizzahead was trying and failing to bypass a program of PepperJack’s system lockdown. Frustration clouded his face as no matter what he did, he cannot do anything to this ‘Haven’. No shutdown, no security cameras since this ‘Haven’ is just a pocket dimension, and any admin requests to view any camera footage was either blocked or ignored by the security on that side.

He even ordered Pepper Reaper to tell him everything he knows about the Haven and how he could get in. The Reaper explained that employees are scanned upon Haven entry by their 'Arcane Energy Signature' if they have magic, and/or a special keycard that even the Tower Ruler should have. Pizzahead internally screamed in rage at that. This means that PepperJack has one on his person, and it’s beyond risky to let him go, even for a split second. Brainwashing won’t work on him either for some reason, adding on to the risk.

After the Reaper mentioned that he could not enter the Haven himself, due to being bound to the Tower's Material Plane, he thanked the Chaser and dismissed him with a strained grin. When he fully disappeared, the grin turned into a full-on snarl as he slammed his fist on the control panel in anger.

"Goddammit!" he seethed. "Is Columns Corp this damn technological with ALL of their Towers!? It's bad enough that I'm locked out of my own Tower, but not having my own damn minions be able to open the door!?"

It seemed that this special brainwashing spell was a double-edged sword for him. It’s main purpose was for the targets to forget everything about PepperJack. And it worked! The Guardians forgot everything about PepperJack… including any and all orders and protocols that he has issued to them. Which is why none of them can open the Haven. And since Reaper couldn’t even enter there in the first place, he only has the memories of the Haven existing and how it works, not on how to open it.

He started to pace around the room, glaring at the crystal statue of the Jester in the back of the room at some points. "You didn’t see this coming, and yet you were prepared." He growled. “You were resistant, if not immune to the brainwashing! You easily outclass me in magic due to experience, which is fair…” He stopped and fully turned to his captive. “But what the hell were those Gags!? And why couldn’t I do anything like that!?”

He then stomped up to the statue, getting all up in his face. “What kind of Toon are you? A Modern one? A hybrid even?” He rapid fired those questions expecting an answer, but understandably not getting one.

Pizzahead thought back to the battle between him and the former Tower Ruler, remembering the various tricks and gags not even he could do. It was surprising to see another Toon, an actual one, not someone who just looks Toon-like like Peppino or everyone in this world does, considering how rare they are. Especially one that has more mastery over their own zaniness than he does.

As a part of the Cartoon Race, he has abilities that no other Race could have unless they're actual gods. Hammerspace access, rubberlike bodies that can twist and bend beyond normal range, immunity to fall damage and diseases (other than allergies and the common cold), resistance to bludgeoning damage both magical and nonmagical.

But the most powerful ability that a Toon has in their arsenal, is their immortality. A Toon can be put down, but only temporarily. After a while, be it a few days or a few seconds, they can get back up with not a scratch on them. Nothing can kill them. Except for one thing...

Pizzahead shook that thought from his mind, as the Control Panel started beeping. A message on screen was saying that an audio only call was coming through. "Oh, that must be him!" he chirped as he rushed to his seat, sat down, and answered the call.

"You wanted to speak with me sir?" A male voice asked. This voice sounded a bit older, like late 20s early 30s, with a serious tone to it.

"Why yes I did! What took you so long? Um..." It's been a while since he spoke with this Guardian. Hell, he was actively avoiding this one due to finding out that, despite not having an accent, he was also Italian. And he has horrible experiences with Italians. "...Ricardo, was it?"

"It's Ricotta, Boss." he corrected. "Apologies for the wait. The Horde was getting out of control in one of the Gates. Had to trim the numbers down, and you called in the middle of it."

"Oh, my bad! My 'apolo-cheese' for the interruption." He giggled at the pun he made before switching to a more serious tone. "But now that you're available, I have a message- no, a warning, for you."

"Is it about that Peppino guy?"

"Yup. Gorgonzola's been defeated because of him."

"What!?"

"That damned Italian- er no offense to you of course!" He already pissed off one Italian, three if you count the Gnome and Bruno. He doesn't want to add another to the list. "Anyway, that villain has defeated Gorgonzola and brainwashed her. Now she thinks that I'm the bad guy!"

"Damn! And to think that magic would put him down since you said that he’s never dealt with it before." Ricotta mused before addressing Pizzahead. "Want me to… 'reign her in'?"

"No, don't bother. She walled herself into her Control Room and sealed her floor, and by proxy her world, off from my control.” That’ll be a major problem once Peppino gets to the top , he thought to himself. “I'll get to her eventually. Right now, we both need to focus on taking down Peppino before he gets to me!"

"Consider it done Boss! And I got the perfect way to do so."

"Oh? Do tell!"

"Long explanation, but here's the short of it." The usurper listened intently. "My floor is vastly different from the others, having a completely different set of rules for dealing with the enemies from my world. Simply put, he can’t bull rush these monsters down without getting himself killed. While my floor does have the weapons and equipment needed for properly dealing with those monsters, also coming from my world, it has a bit of a learning curve to properly use them. But by the time he does master said equipment," Pizzahead could hear the smirk in the Guardian's voice as he finished. "He'll waste too much time getting to you!"

Pizzahead's eyes lit up as he realized. "And even if he gets past you, he won’t have enough time to seal the deal! Your floor will end up stalling him!"

"Exactly!" Ricotta confirmed. "I would explain further, but it's better to show you than tell you. Best way to do so is to watch his sorry excuse of ‘progress’ once he arrives on my floor."

"Okey dokey! Looks like I have to wait until tomorrow to see the action then!"

"Understood!" A yawn was heard as Ricotta tried and failed to stifle it. "Welp, I'm turning in for the night. Damn Horde exhausted me. Buona notte (Good night), Boss!"

"Nighty night Ricotta!" The Ruler reciprocated as he ended the call.

Music Stops

As he did so, he slumped in his chair heaving a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. "Damn Italians..." he grumbled. "But at least this one is on my side."

He stood up and started pacing to stretch his legs. "But if his floor really is as confusing for outsiders as he says, he really could stall for time." He stopped and looked up for a few seconds as if expecting something.

"...Another problem?" He said out loud, as if talking to someone else in the room. But other than a petrified PepperJack, no one else is there. "Well yeah, those Agents!"

Another pause as he put a hand to his chin, then nodded in understanding. "...That's right! One of them has been here before! And recently too!"

He went back to his desk and pulled up the security footage from when the party first arrived at the Tower's front door. He paused and zoomed in on the team leader as she made her declaration of capture. "Yes... Agent Virtue... With her around, plus that equipment that was given to him, Peppino has a heads up on what to expect."

The usurper growled and banged a fist on the panel. "Dammit! This isn’t fair! And since none of them entered the Gates with him, they aren’t breaking my terms!"

He turned around and went back to pacing as this seemingly one-sided conversation continued. "...No! Peppino is still the number one problem here! Virtue is just the second one. And the rest are last." he gritted his teeth. "That fat*ss is the most dangerous threat in that group! I need to take care of him first and foremost!"

After a few seconds, Pizzahead's eyes widened as he said, gesturing in front of him. As if the second entity is in the room with him. "I'm not making the same mistake! I'm taking him seriously this time!" He pleaded, before having a growl in his voice as he continued. "And the sooner I crush him the better! Those Agents and his nobodies for friends are not a threat until he goes down!"

Music- Persona 3 OST - Nyx

As soon as those words left Pizzahead's mouth, an unbearable headache struck him, as a booming otherworldly voice echoed in his mind, speaking in a language he normally wouldn’t understand before coming to this Tower. But thanks to his benefactor's connection, he knows exactly what they are is saying as his mind translates:

"Then cease this tunnel-visioned arrogance and take this situation seriously! Every one of those Agents and 'Nobodies' have a role, no matter how small it is, in your Enemy's success! Those 'Nobodies' may not have power or magic, but they can assist your Foe just like last time they faced you! And when they do, thanks to your limited experience with your magic, you will be overwhelmed."

The tremendous amount of mental, magical pressure brought Pizzahead to his knees as the Benefactor continued to verbally grill him.

"Those Agents may have knowledge of this Tower, its Guardians, and of your existence, but they know not of your power, the only advantage that you have. But that will not matter. As they have the magic, machinery, weapons, and the experience to take you down even at your strongest. You will be nothing but a... what is the term in your world?... Ah yes. A ‘Villain of the Week' to them."

A pit formed in the Toon's stomach. In his world, that terminology was somewhat of an insult. He would be treated as just a 'one-and-done' villain to the Columns Corporation's vast magical knowledge and technology.

He would be a nobody, if not dead, without his Benefactor's help, and they are reminding him of that fact.

"They might be in the background while your Foe traverses this Tower, but they will foil you, foil us, in some way. Keep your eyes on the Half Elf, the Gnome, and especially the Clone considering your history with him. Because if you dismiss them… "

While the Benefactor couldn't physically manifest anywhere in the Tower, Pizzahead could almost imagine them leaning over his prostrate form, as they reminded him of what will happen should he fail. Hell, their mental presence felt that way as if they were in the room in person.

"…You will repeat the same mistake with the Pizza Tower all over again..."

Their voice sounded closer, more in-person, as it was no longer in his head.

"...Along with facing the karma of your past due to your greed..."

Pizzahead's eyes widened in horror.

"...And facing the wrath of not just the one you scorned, but also one you let live and tortured."

And he knew that Peppino was not the only person that they were referring to.

The Voice's presence then leaned in closer, speaking directly into where his ear would be.

"Do you understand?"

The tyrant gulped and nodded. "...Yes, My Lady..."

"See that you do."

And with those final words, the pressure and presence faded away.

Music Stops

Now that the overwhelming pressure and weight of his sins were gone, Pizzahead tried to steady his breathing and calm his beating heart.

"Fine." He choked out. "I get it ...I understand."

Music- Persona 4 Who's There Extended

He slowly and shakily got back on his feet. "That Gnome and his Stupid Rat are threats. They've shown that in the Pizza Tower." He remembered the footage he saw of the duo traversing the 'Gnome Forest' and 'Pig City' levels of his former residence. "They helped Peppino multiple times where he couldn’t reach due to certain circ*mstances."

He hobbled over to his desk, using it to stabilize himself. "Those Agents, especially Virtue, are threats due to their knowledge and equipment. They proved that." He saw them giving the Italian the equipment he used to save those Employees, and that Drone they deployed with him. Not to mention the fact that Virtue has recently been to this Tower and knows exactly what Peppino must combat against. "Without them, Peppino wouldn’t be able to get past the second Gate."

The Toon finally managed to sit down. "Bruno..." he growled vehemently. A once possible trump card to take down and replace Peppino that he once reigned in. One that turned traitor due to his treatment towards him and the lesser clones.

"He was a threat back then..." He shook his head to get rid of those memories. "But not anymore. And yet, Peppino has a soft spot for that freak. Even now." His eyes narrowed. "Some things never change apparently..."

He cracked his neck and knuckles as he situated himself in front of the keyboard. "You want me to take everyone seriously!?" The usurper's determination to crush these pests was slowly returning to him. "Fine, I will!" Rapid typing could be heard as Pizzahead continued his arduous fight with the limited access to the Tower's system, trying to uncover more secrets and information that he could use against Peppino and Columns Corp.

A deranged smile crossed his face at the challenge of finally killing the cause of his misery.

"But that doesn’t mean that I can still have some fun along the way with torturing the bastard!"

Music Stops

Meanwhile in an undisclosed location

However, what Ricotta or Pizzahead doesn’t know is that another entity is watching them. Through their eyes, they could see the Human's point of view of the conversation between him and the tyrant, as if looking over his shoulder. This third party is using the spell Scrying to spy on Ricotta, using the Guardian as his location of focus.

Scrying- 5th Level Divination

After Ritual Casting for 10 minutes to prepare this spell, the Caster can see and hear a particular creature they choose that is on the same plane of existence as they are. The Target has a chance to resist the spell, but it is dependent on how well the Caster knows the Target, and the sort of physical connection they have to it. If a Target knows that this spell is being cast upon them, it can voluntarily stop resisting if it wants to be observed.

The more information the Caster knows about their Target, the more successful the spell will be, and the harder the spell will be to resist.

Secondhand (You know the Target's name)- Target has a +50% higher chance to resist.

Firsthand (You have seen what the Target looks like, whether in person or on a screen)- Target has no bonus to resist. The spell's success will be entirely dependent on the Caster's skill.

Familiar (You know the Target very well)- Target has a -50% lower chance to resist.

If the Caster has a physical object from the Target, this strengthens the spell and adds on to the Target's chance to resist.

A Physical Object of their Likeness or a Physical or Digital Picture- Target has an added -20% lower chance to resist.

A Possession or Garment that was once on their person- Target has an added -40% lower chance to resist.

A Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, or the like- The Target has an added -100% chance to resist, and the spell is guaranteed to pass through without detection.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 12: Chapter 11- F2 S1- Mad Forest Fever

Summary:

After breakfast and a briefing, the party sets off to the Second Floor. With a brief introduction from the Guardian, Ricotta, they meet the figure that has a connection to him, who offers to be Peppino’s guide for this Floor. Which he’ll need since this Floor is said to be the most complex in the Tower.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 11- F2 S1- Mad Forest Fever

A constant ringing assaulted Peppino's ears as his eyes snapped open. He sat up, quickly looked around, and was about to start panicking about the fact that he's not in his own bedroom before he stopped himself.

Oh right... The CheddarSpice Tower , he thought, as he turned over and looked at the culprit of the racket. He picked up the phone from its stand and held it up to his ear, but the ringing continued.

He then looked at the stand itself and saw a flashing red button blinking rapidly. Once he pressed it, the ringing finally stopped.

Heaving a sigh, the heavyset Human got up, quickly followed the instructions for copying his now clean Chef's “Outfit” and started washing up for the day.

Once he changed and grabbed the key to the elevator, he made his way downstairs, passing Xel, Gustavo, and Brick, saying their morning greetings. Everyone else, except for Xanthe who was in the kitchen, Grayson, and Breeze were already at the table.

An assortment of meats, a big bowl of scrambled eggs, a plate of toast with butter and jelly nearby, a plate of the Scanlan Hand Pies, and pitchers of orange juice and milk were laid out before the party.

“Good morning!” The High Elf greeted. "Grab a plate and help yourselves! Once everyone gets settled, we can start the briefing! We will embark in an hour so do not take too long to finish!"

Peppino eagerly piled on his plate, grabbed a glass of orange juice, sat down next to Gustavo and Bruno, and started eating. "Where are the Pilots?" he asked Xanthe.

"They are elsewhere with Ozleus at the moment. They have decided to stay in the Haven and help out wherever they can while we complete the mission."

The Italian nodded, grabbed two of the hand pies, and sat with the others, with Xanthe joining in a few minutes later. When ten minutes had passed and everyone was almost finished, that was when Ella got everyone's attention.

"Now that everyone's here, we can get started." The room got quiet as all eyes were on the team leader.

"Before I get to what to expect from the Second Floor itself, let me go over a synopsis of what I do know of this Tower." Everyone nodded as she took that as a sign to continue.

"As you've been told Peppino, each Floor has their own special gimmick that also carries over to the Guardian's fight. You experienced a prime example in Gorgonzola and the Totems of Amphisbaena. But the other four floors will be a lot different. And considering your speed, the next two Floors will severely hinder you from finishing it quickly."

"How so?"

"I'll explain the second floor in a moment, and so that you get too overwhelmed, I'll explain the third once we cross that bridge. However, there is an unknown factor with the Fourth Floor. Back when I visited, that entire floor was under construction since a new Guardian was being assigned. And the others, including PepperJack, were sworn to secrecy about it too, so I have no idea what to expect.

"But I will say that the fifth floor will be very short, since there are only two active Gates there. But I don’t know if that will change in any way due to Pizzahead's interference though."

Peppino hummed in understanding. "So what can I expect-a from the next Floor, since you said it will-a restrict my speed?"

"As you have experienced in both here and in the Pizza Tower, all the Gates here are connected to different worlds. Each of them having you to adapt to any changes that are not native to your homeworld. A prime example being those power ups and transformations you had to go through.” The chef winced at the reminder of the various cartoonish changes he had to go through in that hell. “For this floor, you have to play by the Guardian's homeworld’s rules. And in order to do so effectively, they have to even the odds. The reason why the second floor will be the most restricting is because, once you enter their domain… All of your abilities will be sealed as long as you're inside."

Everyone, especially the Agents, were shocked about that bit of information.

"I fear to ask this," Xanthe started, with a semi worried look on his face. "But what does that entail exactly?"

"All forms of magic, especially Class and Race Exclusive skills and any other natural abilities, along with any gear we bring, cannot be used. If we did this challenge, Xanthe and Ken can’t use their magic, Xel won’t be able to fly or use his breath weapon, Cinnamon can’t bring her guns, and we all can’t bring our weapons."

"What about Peppino?" Bruno asked.

Ella stared down at her plate as she gave the bad news. "Peppino will be completely powerless as he can’t use his natural speed and strength on that floor."

"WHAT!?" The said Italian yelled (not boomed thankfully, for the sake of everyone's eardrums) in shock. Gustavo understood Peppino's pain. The sheer power that his Human friend had shown in the past is what made him stand out amongst other Humans he met in his long lifetime. Take that uniqueness away from him, and he's just a normal, albeit anxious, unremarkable denizen of this world. "But what does-a Peppino even have to do there, if his-a natural power is sealed?"

"The gimmick for that floor involves you fighting through endless hordes of monsters, but they can only be defeated by special weapons that exist in the Guardian's homeworld, which will be provided to you. Even with Peppino's strength, a punch won’t be able to damage them. Hell, any contact damage against them will hurt you. And you will be in an inescapable, but very large area so your speed will be useless for running away. They will catch up."

"Can't he just hide from them?" Ken asked.

"Once he enters, all enemies will always know his location, so hiding is useless."

"Damn..."

"Like I said, combating this floor is very complex, so I'll explain more once we set up there." Ella gulped down some juice before continuing. "But I will explain more about the Guardian there;"

"According to him, in his world, multiple places are plagued with an enormous influx of monsters appearing out of nowhere, so enormous that it is nearly impossible to combat them, even by an army. That phenomenon is called a 'Horde Invasion', something that cannot be completely stopped by normal means, all people could do is survive until it passes on its own. To combat this, there are special monster hunters who call themselves 'Survivors', armed with special weapons that can eradicate those monsters, extending that limited time of peace before the Invasion starts again.

"The Second Floor Guardian is one of those Survivors. A human by the name of Ricotta Belpaese, who is the most recent member of his family to become a Survivor."

"Cheese?" Bruno burbled, followed by Gustavo chuckling. "Two cheeses at-a that!"

"What do you..." Cinnamon raised a brow in confusion. "Wait really!? Ricotta, I understand. But Belpaese? His family name is a type of cheese?"

"Yup! An Italian one at-a that!" The Gnome then turned to Ella. "Did he ever mention that-a he's Italian, Ella?"

"Yes, he did! He called me Signora multiple times."

"Heh, two cheeses as a full name?" Ken chuckled. "That kinda sounds unfortunate..."

Peppino gave the Halfling an indignant look. "My last name is-a literally 'Spaghetti'! Compared to mine, his name sounds-a normal!"

"That's enough everyone!" Xanthe chided to the group before turning to the blonde. "Continue Ella."

She does so after clearing her throat. "Explaining how to fight Ricotta will require Peppino to complete the first Gate, that way it'll be a lot easier to explain. When you do fight him, the only advantage he'll have over Peppino is, of course, experience, since it involves both of you using the Floor's gimmick against each other in a duel."

"That's all I can say without wasting precious hours on explaining the gimmick in depth. It's a lot better if you experience it firsthand Peppino."

The chef nods. "Okey dokey! I'll-a do my best!"

She nods back with a smile before turning to Ken and Cinnamon. "Any status updates on your equipment?"

"Just received the update for that crystal status effect, but that's it.” The Halfling reported. “Everything's prepared for both of us, in case we have to split up."

"Good!" She then stood up, wiping her hands. "Finish eating, wash up, and pack up everyone! We'll be leaving in ten minutes."

Music- Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon OST - 19 "Absolved"

Ten minutes later, the party was fully prepared and is currently enroute to the Haven Heart. They even happen to pass by Ozleus, who joined them. “I take it that you are all embarking to the next floor?”

“Yes, we are!” Ella answered. “Peppino has to learn the mechanics of the Second Floor in order to properly deal with Ricotta. The sooner we get there, the better.”

The Tiefling nods. “Ah yes! Mr. Belpaese’s Floor is the most complex in this Tower. But from what I heard, once you get the hang of it, it will be easy!”

Ken ran up to the front with something. “Now that you’re here Mr. Ozleus, here!” The Agent gives him a Backdoor. “That special Backdoor is a one way entrance for all the Employees that Peppino saves. Set this up near the Haven Heart, and they’ll be sent there no problem!”

He then turned to Peppino. “So now that you have 2 Backdoors connected to yours, the way they need to be activated will be different. Two knocks for sending someone to the Haven, three for getting back to the Floor Hub."

“Got it!”

Everyone has arrived at the Haven Heart and stood on the First Floor Warppoint. Ozleus stood at the terminal, pressing some buttons. "Good luck everyone! I'll see you all this evening!" he said as he activated the portal.

A bright flash blinded the party as they were warped from the Haven...

...and back to the first floor.

A quick look around revealed that the lights are still on, but all the Gates were closed. “It seems that Gorgonzola has put this Floor on lockdown.” Xanthe observed.

“And for good reason too!” Cinnamon added. “Speaking of lockdown…”

Everyone turns towards the golden, cartoonishly large lock in front of the elevator doors. "You still have that key, Peppino?" The Navigator asked.

The chef dug into his pockets and pulled out the normal sized key. "Got it!" Then looked at the comically large lock barring the elevator. "But how can that-a even fit?"

To answer his question, the key glowed, then floated away from his hand. Everyone witnesses the key growing back into its large size, lined itself up with the keyhole, inserted itself and turned. With a click, the lock was well, unlocked, as they both disappeared in a quick flash of light.

"Well that's convenient! Let's move!" Ella ordered, ushering everyone inside. Thankfully there was enough space for eight people and a giant rat as Gustavo, who was closest to the panel, pressed the button for Floor 2.

Music Stops

The trip was quiet as ten seconds later, the elevator stopped, and with a ‘ding’ opened up to a dimly lit room. Everyone carefully stepped outside as the doors closed, leaving them in dim lit darkness.

Ella, Xanthe, and Gustavo, the only members with darkvision, observed their surroundings. “Is-a this another temple?” The Gnome asked. “I’m-a seeing stone walls and torches here. And statues too!”

“No this isn't a temple.” Ella answered. “This floor is more modeled like a castle tower. A different aesthetic than Gorgonzola’s.”

Xel can’t see anything, but he’s frowning into the darkness. “So where’s this Ricotta guy at? Isn’t he supposed to greet us or something?”

Just like last time, a spotlight shined down on the party, as the intercoms crackled to life. This time, a serious male voice came through. "So, you're the intruders that my Boss has an eye on, huh?"

Everyone was on guard as the Guardian, Ricotta, announced himself. Despite Ella telling them that he was also an Italian, Peppino, Gustavo, and Bruno surprisingly didn’t hear an accent from him.

"I did hear some stuff about you Columns Corp people from him, and the fact that the blonde Signora there somehow has info on me and this Floor.” She gave him her codename during her last visit to this Tower, and Ricotta has taken to calling her ‘Signora Virtue’ out of respect . Ella’s eyes narrowed at the reminder of Pizzahead’s mental tampering of their former Ally. “But you lot aren’t not worth my time. My target is the ciccione who, somehow, took down Gorgonzola."

The Italians, Peppino especially, frowned at that last sentence. Xel asked in Gustavo’s mind. Hey, what did he say in Italian?

"He called Peppino a fat*ss." The Gnome whispered. Xanthe and Ella, who had very good hearing, and Ken and Cinnamon, who were nearby, heard and frowned at the translation. "Rude!" They all muttered.

"Peppino Spaghetti,” While he couldn’t see his face, the addressed Chef could feel the Guardian’s eyes gaze upon him from wherever he was. “While I respect you as a fellow Italiano, don’t expect me to show you any mercy. Especially under my Boss', Pizzahead's, orders. He really has it out for you, you know."

Xanthe and Ella, with their high perception, could see Peppino’s fists clenched and slightly shaking. Whether if it’s in nervous fear or suppressed rage they don’t know. But the chef swallowed his nerves and called out. “Well then! From-a one Italiano to another, let-a me give you a piece of advice.” His voice rose as he continued. "Your so-called ‘Boss’ is-a playing you for a damn fool! Along with the other Guardians in this Tower!"

"And you expect me to believe that? Whether if it’s a trick or not, doesn’t matter. What matters is that we Guardians do our job to stop you. And when we do, we’ll be sure to have Pizzahead be the one to kill you.” He chuckled before continuing. “Don’t underestimate me though. I may not be a sorcerer like Gorgonzola, hell, I don’t even know any magic, but I'm no pushover."

"Neither am I! Just-a wait until I reach you!"

"I know what to expect for this Floor, Ricotta.” Ella piped up. “And I'll tell you this, Peppino's a fast learner. It's not the matter of if he reaches your Boss Gate, it's when ."

"We'll see about that, Signora.” Everyone could hear the smirk in Ricotta’s tone. “However, I will warn you Spaghetti, my domain is vastly different from the rest. This Floor will put you through the wringer as you go up against multiple hordes of monsters coming at you from all sides. And your MO of running and punching sh*t won’t help you this time."

Peppino’s fists clenched harder at that reminder.

"But why explain when you can experience it yourself and fail miserably, huh?"

Multiple candelabras were magically lit aflame, and the electrical lights flickered on as the Second Floor was revealed.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - The Beginning [Extended]

"The name's Ricotta Belpaese. Welcome to the Second Floor. Let's see how long you can last before the Hordes overpower you." And with that, the intercom shuts off.

Dark blue brick walls surrounded the party as six stone statues stood, spaced out between the Gates and Boss Gate. The statues have a person wielding a weapon or using an object. A man with a whip, a woman with a wand, another woman holding a staff in one hand and some kind of diamond shaped stone in the other, a man with a dagger in each hand, a woman with a whip, and a man holding a sphere.

Unlike the first floor, the Gates here have different designs for their frames. Gates 1 and 3 have tree trunks with vines wrapped around them. Gate 2 had two metal poles with a more industrial look. While the Boss Gate had the stereotypical brick archway fit for an arena, complete with metal bars to bar entry.

Just like with the previous floor, an elevator was seen on the furthest wall opposite of the one they exited from, comically large lock and all. And the ten-foot diameter Columns Corp logo representing the Haven Entrance for this floor.

Gustavo and Xanthe took a closer look at the statues. “I wonder who these-a people are?” The Gnome asked.

“According to Ricotta,” Ella answered. “He said that the first five were his ancestors, while the sixth was someone calling himself ‘The Mentor’.”

“Ancestors?” Peppino asked.

“Apparently, this ‘Horde Survival’ is a both a family business and a popular occupation in his homeworld. And the Belpaese Family were the founders of that said occupation. And Ricotta is the most recent member of the family to be a part of it.”

“So what does that make anyone else who enters these Gates?” Xel asked. “Temporary interns?”

“Pretty much. Anyone can learn how to be a ‘Survivor’, but you have an advantage if you’re already from that world.”

“And this ‘Mentor’?” Xanthe asked.

“Ricotta said that his name was lost to time due to a curse inflicted on him, but as the title implies, he was the one who assisted the Belpaese Family with training others to their craft, including family descendants before his passing. Ricotta's mentor is a descendant to him."

Ken was looking at the dank and somewhat gloomy infrastructure of this Floor. “Is it just me? Or does anyone expect bats to swoop down on us?”

“No bats.” Bruno replied, pointing towards something. “Birds!”

Everyone followed the path of Bruno's outstretched finger as they now noticed two birds, a Dove and a Raven, perched on top of the Boss Gate. The two avians looked at the party, before turning their gaze to Peppino and Ella.

"Uh, are those birds supposed to be up there?" Xel asked.

Ella's eyes lit up in recognition. “Wait… I remember them! That’s Peachone and Ebony! They’re Ricotta's mentor’s familiars!”

The birds cooed and cawed respectively before that took off, swooping down to greet them. As they did so, everyone could see that they were both carrying a branch in their talons. However, they ignored everyone else and headed straight to Peppino and Ella, dropping the branches before landing at their feet.

The two birds looked at each other, nodded, and opened their beaks. To the party's shock, a male voice sounded from both of them. The Italians could even hear a faint, familiar accent from that voice.

"Peppino Spaghetti and the blonde Half Elf Agent… uh, apologies Signora, I don’t know your name! No time to explain, the spell Animal Messenger only lasts for 30 seconds! I'm a friend of Ricotta's that escaped that intruder's brainwashing. And I need you two to take these branches in order to communicate with me better, this is the best way that I can guide you through this Floor!"

The birds closed their beaks as the voice stopped and the message ended.

"Did they just talk!?" Xel was taken aback by what just happened. “I thought only parrots could do that!”

"Calm down," Xanthe said. "They're under the effects of the spell Animal Messenger. Now that they have said their peace, they're waiting on us."

"But can we even trust this guy?" Ken questioned. "What if he's lying and actually works for Pizzahead?"

"We can trust him." The leader gestured towards the birds. "I know these birds and they’re a lot smarter than they look. And the fact that they’re here means that they know that Ricotta’s not himself." They both nodded in agreement. The dove, Peachone, nudged the branch with its beak, pushing it closer to Ella. The raven, Ebony, did the same with Peppino.

They both picked it up. "So do we just say something while holding these?" she asked the birds. They both nodded in confirmation.

"Hello?" she spoke. "This is Agent Virtue of Ironclad Resolve. I'm the blond Half Elf you mentioned."

The voice spoke once again, this time originating from the branch. "Oh good, they made it!" he sighed in relief. "And I got a connection with the other branch too!" Now it's emanating from the branch that the chef is holding. "Is this Peppino Spaghetti that I’m speaking with?"

"Uh, y-yes?" he stuttered.

"Perfetto (Perfect)! Now I don’t have to waste any mana trying to converse with you all!"

Ella looked at her branch with a raised eyebrow. "Who even are you? I don’t seem to recognize you."

The voice sighed. “Apologies for the rushed message, but like I said, that spell only lasts 30 seconds so I had to cut out some info. But now that I established a private connection, I can properly introduce myself!”

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - Dust Elementals [Extended]

"You can call me, Arborverde! And as I mentioned in that message, I'm a friend of Ricotta's.” The source of this ‘Arborverde’s’ voice then switched to Ella’s branch . “We unfortunately haven't met Signora, but I know that you and Ricky did. Long story short, I was on vacation when you arrived a week ago. And when I scryed on Ricky to check up on him, I saw the two of you doing a Co-op Session at the second Gate."

"And how do we know that he isn’t an enemy?" Xanthe asked.

"Because what I also didn’t have time to mention, is the fact that I'm a 'Co-Guardian' for this floor. Ricky's usually in the spotlight while I only step in if he's in real danger. And if you still don't believe me Signora Virtue, then I can properly prove it!”

“Oh really?” The blonde raised a brow.

“Really! Remember, I caught a glimpse of you when I scryed on Ricky. So I can tell you what weapons you were using at that time! Unfortunately, I can't tell what Passives or Arcanas you used at a glance. But I do remember you using...” He hummed in thought as he tried to remember. “Fire Wand, Lightning Ring, and... You know what, I can recognize one Passive had on your person!"

"And that is?"

"Spellbinder! Because you had the Unholy Vespers evolution for your third Weapon!”

"That's... that's right! I'm surprised you even remembered that!"

Clear confusion could be seen on everyone's faces during the exchange. Even the two birds look amused with their expressions. “Anyone understanding what the hell they're talking about?" Stepping up to the plate, Xel asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

Ella turned to the perplexed party and gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Sorry for the confusion! But everyone will get a better understanding of all this once I give Peppino a tutorial of this floor."

"No need for that Signora Virtue! I can help him navigate this floor. That's another reason for these branches.” Arborverde’s voice switched over to Peppino’s branch. “Peppino has to keep his on his person so I can track and communicate with him from beyond the Gate.” It then switched back to Ella’s. “And with yours Signora, you and your team can track and listen in as well. I can even give your Navigator the codes that they need for their Heads Up Display for this floor."

"That'll be appreciated, thanks!" Cinnamon situated herself on top of the defunct Haven entrance and started setting up with Ken’s help. “It’s going to take a while to update this. Gimme a few minutes!”

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - The Beginning [Extended]

The two Navigators started setting up the equipment, with Ella joining them with the branch once they finished. While Cinnamon asked for the codes she needed from Arborverde for their system, Peachone and Ebony decided to use the Half Elf's shoulders as their perch, who didn't mind the extra company. Everyone else wandered around taking a better look at their surroundings, especially at the statues.

The Italians found that each statue had a nameplate at their base and read them aloud. “Antonio Belpaese, Master of the Whip... Imelda Belpaese, Master of the Wand... Pasqualina Belpaese, Master of the Runetracer...” Gustavo read the first three.

While Peppino, with Bruno following him, read the rest. “Gennaro Belpaese, Master of the Knives... Zi’Assunta Belpaese, Wielder of the Vento Sacro, Mother and Founder of the Survivors... and… wait a minute!”

“Missing!”

True to Bruno’s word, the one for the Mentor didn’t even have a nameplate at all, as there was an empty slot to where it should be. "Well it was mentioned that his name was 'lost to time'," Xanthe recalled. "They could have at least put a plaque that had his title."

"Didn’t he also mention that he was cursed too?" Xel asked. "I'm not an expert in Arcane stuff, but couldn’t a spell get rid of that?"

"Multiple actually, depending on how powerful the curse is. But remember, not all worlds have magic." The team Wizard was deep in thought. "Either it cannot be cured by any conventional means or not at all. Or if it was possible to cure it, Ricotta's world did not have the means to do so. And that is only a mere few factors due to what we currently know."

But his train of thought was interrupted by Cinnamon shouting, "Alright we're ready!"

With Arborverde's help, Cinnamon has successfully updated her system, the Vital Tracker, and SurCam, who is now operational, with the information and HUD needed for navigating the Gates connected to this Floor.

The Drone floated over to Peppino chirping happily as its Navigator gave the chef the Tracker and the Backdoor. "Looks like SurCam's taking a liking to you!" Cinnamon observed with a chuckle. "He's never like this with any of our outside guests."

"Well, I never had-a robot of any kind help me before." Peppino looked at the excited Drone in amusem*nt. "So this is-a new experience!

"And so is this Floor." Ella added. "But it's a good thing Arborverde is on our side! He can explain the mechanics here better than I can." Peachone and Ebony, who were still on her shoulders, nodded in agreement.

From Ella's branch, which was near Cinnamon's laptop, Arborverde piped up, "That I can, Signora Virtue! Also, could you two give the Signora her space!" This was addressed to the birds as they perked up. "She can't help out with her peripheral vision full of feathers!"

"I can watch over them if you wish!" Xanthe volunteered. "I'm a dual class Ranger, so I have pretty decent animal handling." The Dove and Raven looked at each other, (somehow) shrugged, then flitted off of the Half Elf's shoulders and onto the High Elf's, unfamiliar with the latter, but content.

"That's better!" The Co-Guardian's voice then switched to Peppino's branch. "Can't afford to waste any time Paisano! Step inside and I can start the tutorial!"

Remembering Breeze's advice from the First Floor, Peppino made his way in front of the farthest Gate while pocketing the branch. Flanked by the statues of Antonio and Imelda Belpaese, and framed by two tree trunks, with the sign at the top saying 'The Mad Forest', he took one last look at the group, and passed through.

Music Stops

When the flash died down, Peppino found himself in what could be described as a chapel, or at least a hallway of one. White bricked walls and colorful stained mosaic glass windows surrounded him as the door shut behind him. Looking behind him, was a wall of Crystal Blocks, possibly hiding the Lap 2 portal. Looking in front of him, four marble pedestals stood before him, each with an item floating on top of them. Further ahead were two large wooden doors with an iron frame and no handles or anything to open it. A closer look at the door reveals a yellow translucent forcefield covering the door’s frame.

"Peppino,” Arborverde’s voice now had a serious tone to it. “I need you to listen closely. Signora Virtue mentioned to have given you a rundown for the basics for this floor, but there is much, much more to it. Let me explain what you have to do, before you enter that door:"

"That forcefield is connected to those Weapons on the pedestals. Since you're not from the world that this floor is connected to, where you are assigned a 'signature weapon', you will have to pick one from what is shown before you. And the selection will always be randomized, not just between the different Gates here, but whenever you enter. Once you made your decision, the forcefield will fall, and that door will be open. And here's where the action begins."

"The instant you walk through, you will be teleported to what is called a Horde Zone, a wide expanse of land that is magically cut off from the rest of the world. In that Zone, monsters will appear and will be continuously chasing you to your current location. When you enter, you have 30 minutes to find those fragments, which will show up on the map added to your device."

"SurCam can also point you to the right direction for those Fragments." Cinnamon added. The Drone beeps and nods in confirmation.

"Perfetto! Anyway, those monsters will start off weak, but every few minutes they will grow stronger, and more variety will be added. Also depending on the Gate, an ‘Wave Event’ will also take effect during that time. You'll know it when you see it. Once you have collected all those Fragments and/or those Employees trapped there, the Exit will show up back at your 'spawn point', which will take you to the Pillar proper."

"When the Pillar falls, you have to go back through that door and back into the Zone. Once you do so, you have five minutes to defeat a certain number of monsters before the Exit reveals itself again. Failure to escape before those 5 minutes are up, or not getting to the Pillar before the initial 30 minutes, will be Game Over for you, as the Pepper Reaper will immediately catch and kick you out."

The disembodied voice sighed, giving his voice a quick break . "There's more to all of this, but I can properly explain it once you enter that door. I know that this is a massive info dump for ya, but did you get all that?"

"Um... a bit?" Arborverde wasn’t lying about this being an Info Dump, as Peppino's mind was having a somewhat difficult time processing this. And there's more to it apparently!

"I warned you that this Floor will be complex, but Arborverde does have a good point." Ella said. "The best way to fully understand it, is to get into the thick of it."

"She's right Paisano." The new ally added. "For my world, getting into the action is the best way to learn how to survive against these Hordes. If it worked for Signora Virtue, it can and will work for you!”

"Okey dokey. I'll-a try my best!”

"Great! Now, choose your starting Weapon."

Peppino stepped closer to the pedestals, getting a closer look at the Weapons before him.

The first one was a gray diamond cut stone. Peppino couldn't imagine how this could be a weapon, until his Vital Tracker showed a short description of what it is called and what it does.

The second was a silver wand with a glowing blue crystal at its tip. Peppino could feel a magical energy about it as he got close.

The third has a silver ring with a red stone at its center. But what really caught his attention was the fact that streaks of electricity were crackling around it.

The fourth however, was the one that really baffled him. As the final weapon he could choose from...

Was a bulb of Garlic.

Peppino took another look at the four weapons, before making his decision, picking up the Magic Wand. As he did so, the other three weapons disappeared, and with an ominous creak, the wooden doors opened.

The Weapon then glowed before escaping his grip and started to slowly orbit around him. “Wha!? What’s-a happening to it!?”

"Don't worry, it's normal!" Arborverde assured. "Besides, you have to carry up to 3 Weapons in order to survive anyway. And the best thing about these Weapons is the fact that you don’t even have to hold them! You just need to have them on your person. So it's easier for your Weapons to do their own thing once you enter."

"And speaking of entering," Added Ella. "Go ahead and go on through. Arborverde can continue his tutorial there."

Peppino and SurCam looked at each other, then at the glowing entrance, and passed through.

A bright flash forced the Italian to cover his eyes for a few moments as took a few steps. When the light dies down, he finds himself in a new location. A lush green forest surrounded the Human and Drone as there were trees as far as the eye can see. The door that was still behind him slammed shut, startling the former. He turned around and witnessed the door fade away before his eyes.

“This is one of the more common Horde Zones in our world which also doubles as a training ground for new recruits.” Arborverde explained. “We Survivors call this place, the Mad Forest! A forest where bats, zombies, skeletons, and living plants thrive. And don’t worry about running out of space. All Horde Zones on this floor are pretty expansive, having a 30-mile radius centering from your current ‘spawn point’.”

"Brace yourself, Peppino!" Cinnamon warned. "Because in a few moments, the Horde will head to your current location!" A beep from her computer also prompted her to add, "And it looks like the laws of that world are kicking in too!" As she then read three new messages that popped up in the Status Abnormalities window of Peppino's status.

Horde Zone- An inescapable forcefield surrounding the Target(s) in a 30-mile radius is now active. This area is now a concentration point for enemy monsters originating from this world. Special Weapons originating from this world are now active within this area.

Horde Swarm- Monsters will be coming for the affected Target(s) from all sides of the Horde Zone. All enemies will always know your location and will deal damage via physical contact and/or energy projectiles. They can only be combated by special Weapons originating from this world.

Horde Survival- All Magic Based and Special Abilities are disabled within the Horde Field. All Targets can only fight by using special Weapons and Relics from the Floor Guardian's home world.

Peppino didn’t feel any different, but the fact that his speed and strength, or Ella’s magic, does nothing in this world kind of scared him. Without these ‘Weapons’, he would be completely powerless! “Dammit!” he groaned. “I really can’t-a just punch those monsters and call it a day, can I?”

"Sorry Paisano." The Co-Guardian apologized. "But these monsters can't be beat conventionally. To pass this Floor, you need to follow my world's rules. That's how it's always been even before that cheesy bastardo showed up."

"It's true.” Ella added. “Remember, I even had my magic sealed while doing this Floor."

Cinnamon's computer started beeping with an alert. "Incoming Horde in T Minus 10 seconds!" She announced. Peppino looked at his Vital Tracker which was counting down from 10.

"Look alive Peppino!” Arborverde said. “And remember, let the Weapons do the work! All you have to do is move!"

The countdown on the Vital Tracker reached zero as it beeped a few times. The Magic Wand orbiting Peppino then pointed its tip in front of him. He followed its direction to see a few bats flapping towards him, fangs bared.

Music- Vampire Survivor OST - Forest Night Fever [Extended]

The Italian jumped as the Wand fired a small blue energy bolt at one of the bats, immediately disintegrating it. Peppino’s expression changed from fear to awe as the Wand repeated this with the now slowly increasing number of bats attempting to swarm him.

“See what I mean by ‘letting the Weapons do the work’?” Arborverde asked.

“Si… this is amazing!”

“But you can’t stay in one place for too long! Keep moving, Paisano! You don't want to get surrounded!”

Since Peppino has no access to his natural speed in this world, he broke off in a brisk jog to avoid these enemies, while the Magic Wand was blasting left and right. As he did so, he noticed small blue crystals appearing where the monsters were slain. As he moved closer to better examine them, the crystals floated towards Peppino, more specifically the Vital Tracker on his wrist, and was seemingly… absorbed into it.

“Now that you're getting a feel of what to expect, I can start part two of the tutorial! ” Arborverde said. “ Let’s start with those crystals you just picked up. We Survivors call those, EXP Crystals. Weapons start off weak, but those can be used to strengthen them. Collect enough and you can level up the current Weapon you're using or have a chance to add another to your arsenal.”

“Your Vital Tracker has been upgraded to collect those EXP Crystals.” Cinnamon added. “It also tracks what level you and your Weapons are, how many Weapons you can have on your person, and how much time you have left to find those fragments.”

Peppino took a look at the device and saw five things on the screen: From top to bottom, he saw a timer which currently has 1:15 on it and counting. A red bar showing his health at 100%. The second bar with half of it filled in blue and the words ‘LV 0’ on the far-right side of it. Below them were six squares, with an icon of the Magic Wand in the first one. And a rectangle at the bottom with an icon of a map.

“Collect a few more EXP Crystals, and I’ll explain the next step.” Arborverde instructed.

Five more EXP Crystals later and the Vital Tracker beeped, and a holographic screen appeared above the device. Peppino was surprised that the device was able to do that as he saw this:

“Whenever you level up, this screen will appear!” Arborverde explained. “As I mentioned before, you have a choice to level up your starting Weapon or add another to your arsenal. But if you’re doing the latter, choose wisely. You can only carry a maximum of three.”

Peppino looked at the main screen at the six squares below the blue bar. “But what about-a the other three spots?” he asked.

“I’ll explain those when you level up again. Leveling up Weapons above Level 1 will add more abilities to them, strengthening them as the monsters grow stronger over time. Using the Magic Wand as an example, each additional level will add more projectiles every time it fires. Or it will sometimes lower its cooldown time, meaning it will fire more often.”

“Each Weapon has its own bonuses every time they level up, so feel free to experiment, see which Weapon works for you.”

Keeping an eye on his surroundings while the Wand kept firing, Peppino took a look at his selection, and tapped on the screen, choosing the ‘Vento Sacro’.

In a flash of light, a whip with a brown handle and a white, almost glowing, leather cord appears in front of him. A few of the Bats were getting too close for the Chef's comfort but were conveniently right in the new Weapon's range as the Vento Sacro's cord lashed out in front of Peppino. Its lightning-fast movements striking everything directly in front of the Chef, disintegrating the enemies.

"Ah, the Vento Sacro! One of Ricky's favorites!" Arborverde sounded pleased by the choice. "Be careful though, its range only hits anything in front of you in the direction you're facing. And it's faster the more you keep moving, so don't stay still for too long and turn around if you need to."

Heeding his guide's advice, Peppino kept moving with his head on a swivel. Thankfully, SurCam was there to assist him as it beeped whenever an enemy got too close to any of the Italian's blind spots, warning him to turn around and let the Vento Sacro do its work. A few more Crystals later and another screen popped up.

"Weapons aren’t the only things you can obtain here." The Guide explained. "Those last three spaces that you mentioned are for items called 'Passives'. Passives are non-weapon items that gives you stat bonuses, kinda like a power up. They can boost your defense, your movement speed, the damage output of your weapons, and so much more!”

On the screen, the item called 'Empty Tome' was highlighted.

"But with the right synergy, a specific Weapon and Passive will work wonders together! Do me a favor and pick the Empty Tome!”

Peppino was taken aback by the backseating. "W-Why!?"

"I'll give you a proper explanation once 10 minutes has passed. I know I'm letting you make your own choices, but there's a good reason for this! Trust me!"

Ella added. "I know what that reason is, and you're gonna love it! Go ahead and choose it, Peppino. Once it's past 10 minutes, you'll see why."

While Peppino doesn't have full trust in Arborverde, he at least has some confirmation from Ella, who has experienced this Floor before. At their behest, he chose the Empty Tome. Once he did so, a red and gold ornate book appeared in front of him for a few seconds before disappearing. The Magic Wand and Vento Sacro glowed for a split second, before firing slightly faster than before.

"Unlike Weapons, Passives can't really be physically seen on your person, but they're there! Now one more thing before I give you full reign. Open your Map on your device."

"Just touch that button on your Tracker's screen." Cinnamon instructed.

The Italian did so, and just like the Level Up screen, a holograph of a top-down view of the forest was shown with some symbols on some spots. A blinking yellow dot near the middle was showing his current location. In each of the four cardinal directions were purple triangles, symbolizing the Fragments. But in random locations were three question marks scattered around the area

“I take it that those are the ‘Crystal Fragments’ that Signora Spice mentioned?” The Guide asked.

“That’s right.” The said Navigator confirmed. “Just like the CheddarSpice Coins, Peppino needs to collect all four of them in order to escape.”

"But what about those-a question marks?" Peppino asked.

"If I had to take a guess, those must mark the locations of the Employees." Ella suggested.

"I fear that you're right, Signora Virtue." Arborverde's voice turned stern. "There's normally one of those question marks on the Map before that bastardo showed up. And that's normally a Weapon or Passive that you can add to your arsenal."

"Peppino, check those areas." Ella ordered. "But power up your Weapons first. If it's like before, you might have to fight a group of monsters guarding that area."

"Got it!"

"When you're getting close to that area or to a Fragment, SurCam will guide you in the right direction," Cinnamon added as the said Drone chirped in agreement.

"Okey dokey! Let's-a start... that way!"

Peppino faced north and started jogging. Since there was a question mark closest to that Fragment, he decided to grab that one first, then check that mystery area out. After a couple more minutes, he started to see more types of enemies attempting to attack him.

Blue skinned Zombies, Skeletons, and misty blue Ghosts started to join the fray. The Bats even grouped up in swarms to swoop down at the chef from time to time. Nothing too serious as he was not overwhelmed or anything, but he now understands why needs to get more Weapons and power up the ones he currently has. The skeletons were a bit tanky compared to the current firepower that he has, and he's even taken some damage, as his Vital Tracker shows that he's currently at 78%.

It was then that Arborverde introduced our Hero to the reason why various Torches are showing up in multiple locations. Destroying them will have a chance to drop one of six items, or power ups, that can greatly help him survive the Horde.

So far, Peppino has discovered two of those items. The common one being a singular EXP Crystal, nothing too grand, but every little bit helps. The other however...

"Why is there-a whole chicken here!?"

That's right! The second power up that Peppino found from those torches... was a whole roasted chicken! And if he thought that was strange, as he got closer to examine it, the chicken dissolved into green sparkles that was absorbed by the Vital Tracker. Peppino felt a bit healthier as that chicken healed him back to 100%.

"Did that chicken just-a heal me!?"

"Apparently it did..." Cinnamon muttered.

Ella was snickering at the expressions on everyone's faces at that world's choice of a healing item. "I know it's weird, but it helps!" She assured. "That chicken is magical, so don't worry about it being unsanitary or anything."

"But don't dwell too much on that, amico!" Arborverde piped up. "It's almost 5 minutes! The first Wave Event will be active in a few moments!"

In less than five minutes and multiple levels up later, not only is the Italian getting closer to his first destination, but he has obtained his third Weapon and his second and third Passives. Once all six slots on his Vital Tracker were filled, he was now able to start strengthening his arsenal.

Along with the Magic Wand, Vento Sacro, and Empty Tome, he also added:

The Santa Water, a vial full of holy water, that appeared near Peppino's shoulder opposite of the Wand. Periodically, a vial would fall from the sky and land in a random area near him, breaking upon impact with the ground, leaving puddles of water and blue flames. He couldn't control its trajectory so none of them landed on the monsters, but he could still lure them to those puddles.

The Spellbinder, a book-sized obsidian tablet with an ornate golden frame, that makes Weapon effects last longer, and is best used for Weapons that deal area-based damage, such as the Santa Water. Peppino could see the difference as the flaming puddles lasted seconds longer than usual.

And the Pummarola, a smooth red heart-shaped gem, that grants health regeneration. Its regen rate is slow, but still helpful, even more so when it's at max level. Peppino saw this as a godsend since not all of those torches had chicken within them.

As he looked over his arsenal, the Tracker beeped as five minutes was shown on the timer. Peppino looked around him and saw a large ring of living flowers growing out of the ground and surrounding him in a 20-foot radius. However, these were not the kind of flowers that normally stand at ankle level, these plants were tall enough to reach Peppino's chin!

And he’s 5’10’’.

"You're about to deal with is what's called a Wave Event." Arborverde explained. "Every five minutes, the Horde will spawn specific monsters to either surround you, spawn more than usual, or just cause more chaos."

"Not only that, but they will also spawn a Boss Monster." Ella added. "These monsters are triple the size of the others, with more health and defense. But if you defeat one, you'll be able to have one Weapon or Passive at random be leveled up."

"How long does this-a last?"

"The Event lasts one minute, but the Boss Monster won’t go away until you defeat it! Speaking of which, is on its way too!"

Ella wasn't joking about the Boss Monster being hard to miss. Because entering the Plant Wall and joining in with what looked like green humanoid mud monsters, was a giant 12 foot tall Praying Mantis

"Get ready, Peppino!” Arborverde warned. “Because that Mantis will take a lotta hits, even after that Flower Wall goes down!"

With his Weapons still firing, Peppino braced himself, and started his evasive maneuvers.

As the Author of this here story, I don't want to bore you all with 20 minute commentary of "If Peppino Spaghetti was in Vampire Survivors", so let's head back to the rest of the crew until something of note happens to our Hero.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - The Beginning [Extended]

Everyone stayed quiet as Arborverde started his explanation both outside and inside of this ‘Horde Zone’. Ella did warn them time and time again that this floor would be complex, now they understood why.

“Goddamn!” Ken exclaimed. “You sure this Floor doesn't come with an instruction manual!? Cuz it needs one!”

Xanthe was stroking his chin in thought, careful of the birds on his shoulders. “Those Weapons are quite interesting. That Wand Peppino selected acts similarly to the spell Magic Missile. And those ‘Passives’... Is this how Ricotta’s world handles magic?”

“I dunno?” Xel added. “But it sucks that we can’t use our natural abilities in any of those ‘Horde Zones’! It would be so much easier if we could tho!”

“So many monsters!” Bruno may not look or sound like it, but he was a bit worried for his progenitor. “Can’t fight all.”

Gustavo gently nudged the clone. “Don’t worry amico! This may be a new experience for Peppino, but he can get through this! He always does!”

Everyone watched the Italian’s progress for a minute or so until…

"Excuse me!"

Everyone turned around as a male voice announced themselves. Making their way through the Floor Entrance, was a Cheese Naga Guard with their weapons sheathed. "Apologies for interrupting," he said with a quick bow. "But I have a message from Queen Gorgonzola to the one named 'Agent Virtue'. May I speak with them?"

"Uh, sure thing!" Ella got up then turned to Cinnamon. "Spice, could you-"

"Go ahead! I'll fill them in!"

“Thanks!” The blonde then approaches the Guard, with Xanthe and Xel keeping an eye on the Cheese Naga in case there’s any funny business. "What does she need me for?" she asked.

"It's about Totaratskr." This piqued her interest. "She is... not herself at the moment, and it is getting worse ever since you and your group left the floor! She's getting a lot more hostile, even attacking the Queen whenever she got too close!"

Ella thought back to when Peppino first encountered the Guardian Rat. When SurCam first scanned her, she remembered that Unidentified Status Effect. And since Cinnamon has updated that Status and only Gorgonzola was freed from Pizzahead’s control...

"Does Totaratskr have anything on her that resembles a purple crystal?" she asked.

"Yes, she does! It is in her harness! The Queen ordered it to be removed, but Totaratskr wouldn’t let anyone get near her!"

"Is she quarantined?"

"Yes, we have her trapped within her sacred chamber. Which leads me to the message that I was ordered to deliver." He then takes out a notepad and flips to a page. "My Queen requests the presence of one Peppino Spaghetti to assist her in taming Totaratskr. And she requires him immediately. We do not know how long we can keep Totaratskr contained."

"Unfortunately, Peppino is in the middle of a mission right now. As well as on a major time limit to complete this Tower as a whole. And if we wait until he's finished, it might be too late. Can we send someone else in his stead?" The Half Elf jerked a thumb towards the rest of the group. "I'm not the only Agent here you know."

"Hmm... One moment." The notepad was then replaced with a handheld, beige ear-shaped stone, an item that Ella recognizes as a Sending Stone. The Guard speaks into it in Abyssal, with Gorgonzola's voice replying in kind. Ella couldn't understand them, but she did hear her Codename and Peppino's name be mentioned. After a short while, the Guard then offers the stone to the Agent. "My Queen wishes to speak with you."

Ella takes the Sending Stone and speaks into it. "Gorgonzola? This is Virtue."

"Agent Virtue!" The Naga Queen sounded frantic as she replied. "I understand that Sir Peppino is busy getting to that damned Usurper-" She was interrupted by a loud slam in the background. "-but you must send him my way! I need all the help I can get for stopping Totaratskr, and he was the only one strong enough to do so!"

"I know, but are you sure I can't send someone else?" Her eyes darted to Xel as she suggested. "How about Agent Protean, the Dragonborn? He can make himself resistant to fire, and he's a Monk, so he's proficient in close quarter combat."

"Is that so? Hmm, that could work..." SLAM! "But just in case, can you send someone else as a Plan B?"

"Well..." She was about to volunteer herself when...

"May we volunteer?"

Gustavo approached the pair with Brick at his heels. "Brick and I overheard the situation. We can-a be your Plan B if you want!" He then gestured to his companion. "Even Brick is very eager to-a help out." The mentioned Rat whipped his head towards his friend in a 'Dude, what the hell!?' manner. He should have known that Gus knows the real reason why he's volunteering.

"And who is this volunteer?"

"Two of Peppino's friends." Ella answered. "Gustavo, a Forest Gnome, and Brick, his giant Rat companion. They helped him before in a previous Tower."

"I'm-a not as fast or strong as Peppino, but I'm-a pretty tough." The former piped up. "Who knows, maybe Brick might-a be able to calm down Totaratskr if he-a talks to her." Brick narrowed his eyes at the Gnome as he looked back with a sly side eye.

"Well, that's better than nothing! Send as many as you are able!" SLAM! "And don’t worry about the Usurper watching, I disabled the security cameras on the First Floor!" Another slam, accompanied with some background shouts and grunts, were heard as Gorgonzola shouted. "Please hurry!!!" And cut the connection.

"Please gather your group," The Guard instructed, taking back the Stone. "I will escort them to Totaratskr's Chamber."

Ella nodded, then called over her shoulder. "Protean! Soloist!"

The Dragonborn and Halfling approached and stood at attention. "Whaddya need Boss?" The latter asked.

"Gorgonzola's got an emergency! Take Gustavo and Brick and head down to the First Floor! He," she nods to the Guard. "will explain why on the way." She then turned to Ken. "And be sure to hook up Gustavo with a Vital Tracker, just in case."

"Alright!" Ken nods. "I got my gear prepared! I'll contact Spice once we all get situated.”

Xel turns toward the Guard. "Lead the way!"

The Guard quickly bows in gratitude. "Thank you all for your assistance! Right this way!" He then leads the quartet into the elevator back down to the First Floor.

As she rejoined the group, Ella noticed Bruno looking at the departing team up until the elevator doors closed. She gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, they'll be fine." She assured. "Protean is an extremely capable fighter, and Soloist has more than enough spells to provide backup."

"Don't forget that Gustavo and Brick can also hold their own." Xanthe reminded the Clone. “We have seen the footage from the Pizza Tower.”

Bruno nods. "Not too worried." He burbled. " Trust them. They can fight."

"That's the spirit!" Ella cheered as she returned to her post next to Cinnamon. "Expect an alert from Soloist. Gustavo will have an active Tracker on him soon."

"Got it! I'll keep an eye out."

The Half Elf smiled as she turned to the monitor feed of Peppino's progress. "So, what did I miss?"

Music- Vampire Survivor OST - Forest Night Fever [Extended]

Meanwhile, back with our Italian Hero, he's been making some good progress. It took him a long while, but a couple of minutes after that Flower Wall was down, he managed to defeat that Giant Mantis, which dropped a small brown treasure chest where it once stood. When he opened it, a beam of light shot out and as a fanfare played, Peppino could see a multitude of images flash by, like some kind of roulette.

After a few seconds it stopped on the image of the Santa Water before the corresponding weapon briefly glowed, and the now empty chest faded away. Arborverde explained that these Chests can be obtained not only through Boss Monsters, but by two special types of Bats; a normal black one with a blue glowing aura, and a silver one with the same aura, both with the same health and defense as a Boss Monster.

One minute later, at the current time of 6 minutes 48 seconds, he has obtained one of the four Crystal Fragments and is currently enroute to that 'Mystery Area' he passed by. It was also then where Cinnamon told the Chef that Ella will be right back, as one of Gorgonzola’s guards needed to speak with her.

Peppino is really getting into the swing of things as he was holding his own against these monsters. He did take some damage here and there, but nothing that the Pummarola and a lucky Floor Chicken didn't fix.

With SurCam's guidance, he made it to the proximity of where this first Mystery Area was located. Looking at the map and in front of him, and repeating it a couple of times, Peppino found that the question mark on the map was marking the location of...

"A coffin!?" He asked in disbelief, as he came across a black coffin with red markings on its lid. The disbelief then switched to fear as he asked. "Is there-a Vampire in there-a!?"

"Surprisingly no, but there is a weapon or passive in there!" Arborverde answered. "At least... there should- DON'T GET TOO CLOSE!!!" he then yelled as Peppino took a few steps towards the coffin, standing a few feet away.

But the Guide was too late as, coming out of nowhere, a group of monsters appeared surrounding the target. And since he got too close, the Italian took contact damage, dropping him to below half before backing off. "What was-a that!?"

" That's the group of monsters that Signora Virtue mentioned. Those 'Coffin Guardians', these particular ones called Skelewings, are only here to guard what's in that coffin. And the only way to open it, is to defeat all of them. Be careful though, these monsters have a lot of health and defense, and can hit hard if you get too close! "

A closer look at the monsters in question reveals them as 12 six-foot tall skeletons. All of them armed with spears and having skeletal wings allowing them to, somehow, float a foot above the ground.

"Might as well get started, Peppino!" Cinnamon said. "If Virtue’s hunch was right, that might not be a Weapon or a Passive, but a person in there."

"Right!"

The Co-Guardian was right about those 'Skelewings' being tanky, as even with Peppino's loadout, plus the various other Monsters joining the fray, and no torches nearby for a chance to get Floor Chicken, the Chef was in for a challenge.

Speaking of loadout, here are the current levels for his Weapons and Passives:

It took a few minutes of dodging and weaving through enemies, but the last Skelewing fell. With no more Coffin Guardians around, the red markings on the coffin's surface glowed.

"Alright, it's unlocked!" Arborverde cheered. "Now for the moment of truth! Open it, Peppino!"

Peppino quickly made it to the coffin, but when he got close...

He jumped back with a shriek as the coffin lid busted open, shooting itself into the air. From within the coffin, a beam of purple light emerged shooting into the sky for a few seconds before fading away with the coffin. In its place was the same Crystal Prison that he freed the First Floor Employees from.

"Yup, she was right..." Cinnamon muttered. “Pizzahead had to trap them somehow.”

Peppino tried punching it open, only to be reminded about this Floor's restrictions, as his fists hurt from the recoil. Before he could ask how to damage it, the Vento Sacro was rapidly striking the crystalline surface as the Italian was currently facing it. After a few attacks, the Prison shattered, revealing the Employee.

A female Forest Gnome named Demi Wildwander, who is the Haven Sous Chef gratefully thanked him as she escaped through the Backdoor.

As Peppino continued to the east for the next Fragment, it was then when Ella returned. "So, what did I miss?" she asked.

The Navigator filled her in. "Peppino got the first Fragment, and just rescued one of the Employees. And he also confirmed what those three areas are."

"Was there a coffin in that area?"

"Yeah! You were right, Pizzahead hid the Employees there."

The blonde gave a frustrated sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Of course he would."

"I don't like this either, Signora Virtue." Arborverde sighed. "Imagine coming back from vacation, and not only is your Boss kidnapped and your workplace seized... but your own student is brainwashed and doesn’t even remember who you are."

"Wait..." Peppino was busy leveling up a weapon when he heard a very important detail in the Guide's statement. "Student? Didn’t you say that-a Ricotta was a friend of yours?"

Arborverde gave a choking gasp as he realized his blunder but sighed in defeat. "I was hoping not to tell you this till later, but my tongue just had to slip. But yes, I'm not just a friend to Ricotta, I'm his mentor."

"So you're the mentor he mentioned when I came here!" Ella realized. "He didn’t give a name though."

"We both agreed to keep my name unmentioned, which is why he's the Floor Guardian. We did this mostly for an element of surprise in case an enemy manages to beat him. So that way I can step in."

He gave a frustrated sigh before continuing. "But now, since that damn Pizzahead has managed to brainwash all us Guardians except me, I don’t even know if Ricky even remembers me, since no one doesn’t remember PepperJack. That's why I kept my identity scarce, so I can keep that element of surprise."

"We honestly don't know how much that crystal is affecting him past not remembering PepperJack," Ella said. "But we do know how to get rid of it! We need to have Peppino fight Ricotta, but with his help we can bring him back to his senses!"

The disembodied Guide sighed in relief. "Grazi mille! Thank you so much! And in return, I'll do my best to guide this Paisano to him." He then spoke to Peppino. "I heard that you fought this stronzo (asshole) before, Peppino. So I'll do whatever I can to get you him. And I'm 100% sure that Ricky will do the same once he's freed!"

The chef smiled. "Grazie Arborverde! I need-a all the help I can get!"

One minute later, the Italian had obtained the second Fragment and was on his way to the third, along with a nearby Coffin Area, when Cinnamon announced. "Incoming Wave Event in T minus twenty seconds!"

"Great! This will bring us to the next step. But first, prepare yourself!" Arborverde warned. "After this next Flower Wall, there's going to be a massive influx of monsters!"

Peppino stood his ground as once again, the 20 by 20-foot wall of living flowers sprouted around him. Gray and green Mudmen, along with another Giant Mantis, joined the fray. During this tussle was when Arborverde started his explanation.

"Remember when I told you to pick the Empty Tome, then said that I'll explain why after 10 minutes?"

"Yes..."

"To recap what I also said earlier, 'With the right synergy, a specific Weapon and Passive will work wonders together'. After ten minutes has passed, if you have a correct pair of a Weapon and Passive, and you max out both of them, the Chests you find will have a chance of giving you an 'Evolution', making that Weapon even stronger!"

"You can do that!?"

"And there's a reason why he gave you the Empty Tome," Ella added. "It's part of the Evolution for the Magic Wand! So beat that Mantis and you might be able to get it!"

That 'Evolution' and the fact that the Wand can be even stronger, was all the reason Peppino needed to squash a Mantis, even if it’s triple his size. Forty-eight seconds later, the Boss Monster was felled, and a Chest appeared where it once stood. Remembering the warning of the incoming 'massive influx', he quickly opened the chest.

Just like the last few chests, a beam of light shot up and showed a multitude of weapons scrolling up like a roulette. However, Peppino noticed something different this time around. The last few chests had the Weapons he already or could have had scrolling through, the Weapons in this Chest looked completely different. After a few seconds, the roulette stopped, and Peppino received:

On his right shoulder, the Magic Wand floated in front of him and was enveloped in a flash of light. When it died down, its new form was revealed. The blue jewel on its tip was larger and glowing with an arcane energy, there were even sparkles floating around it.

"Congrats on getting your first Evolution, Peppino!" Ella cheered.

"And just in time too!" Cinnamon added. "Here comes that massive influx that Arborverde mentioned!"

Just as the Flower Wall dissipated, everyone could see an extremely massive group of skeletons closing in on Peppino, surrounding him from all sides. So many that on the Spectators’ end, other than Peppino, 50% of the screen was nothing but Skeletons.

And it was rapidly increasing.

“By the Gods!” Xanthe shouted. “You were not kidding about a massive influx!”

"It's a good thing Peppino has two Weapons that can carve him a path through that Horde!" Everyone could hear the mirth in Arborverde's voice. "And he just received one of them!"

Peppino looked at the Holy Wand as it returned to his shoulder, pointed forward, and started firing a volley of magic missiles. The skeletons in its path were immediately decimated as it continued firing without stopping.

“Incredible!” The group Wizard, who has the spell Magic Missile, has a look of awe at the new weapon along with Bruno. “And it keeps going!?”

"That's the power of the Holy Wand! " Arborverde boomed. " This Weapon will never stop firing at the cost of only firing forward. So just like with the Vento Sacro, keep turning!"

"You might need to hurry and find those Fragments and the Employees!" Ella warned. "From here on out, the Hordes will get a lot tougher as time goes on."

"One step ahead of you, Virtue!" Peppino managed to reach the second Coffin Area and began fighting the Skelewings along with the legion of skeletons. Thanks to the new Evolution, it took less time to deal with the guardians. When the last one fell, Peppino quickly approached the coffin as it transformed into the Crystal Prison, destroying it, and freeing the captive.

A male Centaur named Garrick Swifthoof, who is the Haven Watchman gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

Thankfully, he made it to the third Fragment fairly quickly, with a few problems. Good news, the massive skeleton Hoard has passed. Bad news, Ella was right when she said that the Hordes after the skeletons will be harder, as there was now an influx of Werewolves. More bad news, due to bumping into the new, tankier Monsters, Peppino's health was getting dangerously low at 20%.

As he made his way through the pack of Werewolves, with the addition of Ghost Swarms and Giant Bats, to the final Fragment, Arborverde noticed something. When the Werewolves first came in, even with an Evolution, it took Peppino longer to defeat even one. Now that he was at low health, the Monsters were dropping faster than usual. But when he managed to get lucky with finding some Floor Chicken, it once again took more hits to defeat these mobs.

Not only that, after he opened the first coffin, he noticed that Peppino was gradually moving faster after every few levels, and he didn’t have the Passive that can give him that ability. Very interesting , he thought to himself. He's already adapting to this world. Or this world is adapting to his natural abilities.

It's now 15 minutes into this trek and Peppino has to go through another Wave Event with a Flower Wall and a 12-foot Werewolf as the Boss Monster. After taking it down, and grabbing the Chest, he now has all of his Weapons and Passives maxed out. And he made it to the final Fragment.

"That's all four!" Cinnamon announced. "SurCam, point him towards the exit!"

SurCam beeped and casted Mage Hand a few feet in front of Peppino to point him towards the middle of the Zone.

"I'm-a not heading there yet!" Peppino said. "I still need to find-a that last Employee!" He opened the map and found the third question mark northeast from where he got the last Fragment. Once he heads there, he has a clear shot to the exit, which was marked by a symbol of a door.

"Go ahead Peppino, you still got time!" Ella encouraged.

"While you make your way there," Added Arborverde. "Let me tell you what happens after you knock down that Pillar."

"After getting all those Fragments, the exit will reappear right where you started, in the middle of the Horde Zone. Once you go through, the Pillar will be right there. But the timer will still be going, so knock it down and don't dawdle! When you go back into the Zone, the exit will disappear, you will be dumped to a random location within the Zone, and you will have 5 minutes to kill a certain number of monsters to properly get out, or the Reaper will instantly find you. "

He continued as Peppino reached the last coffin and is now fighting the Skelewings, gray and green Mudmen, and the addition of 8-foot Mummies. "But be warned though, bringing down that Pillar is basically skipping to the final 5 minutes of this stage! You will immediately start back into a Wave Event, the monsters will be stronger and spawn rates will be doubled. Good news though, you can still collect EXP! And if you're full, you get a free Floor Chicken for every level you gain!"

"Nice!" The Guide finished his explanation just in time, as Peppino fended off the guardians and freed the final Employee.

A female Human named Pugnala Provola, who is a Horde Survival Specialist gratefully thanked him as she escaped through the Backdoor... But not before giving him her weapons.

Peppino looked at the red and blue pistols in place of the escaped woman. "W-wait! Are these Weapons!?"

"Yup! Pugnala, the woman you rescued, is also from this world!" Said Arborverde. "She wasn’t under my tutelage, so I don't know her very well. But her guns are now yours to use for the rest of this stage! Unfortunately, you don't have the Passive needed for its Evolution."

"It's-a fine! I just need to get out of here!" When Peppino picked up the red and blue pistols, they glowed before both splitting into 2 copies of themselves, floated around the Chef, and started firing bullets in four different directions.

Following SurCam's guidance, the Chef made a beeline to the center of the Zone, finally finding the same large wooden door he entered from and passed through.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Meatophobia (Near Pillar John)

Peppino and SurCam once again entered the chapel hallway, this time however, there wasn’t anything in the room except for the Crystal Pillar.

"You still have no access to your natural power here," Arborverde reminded. "But your Weapons can still get the job done!"

"Get started Peppino! You don’t want to waste time here!" Ella added.

"Right-a!" As he got closer to the Pillar, he decided to let the Holy Wand do the work as he faced his target, letting it be bombarded by Magic Missiles until...

Music- It's Pizza Time! ~ 1 Minute Left - Pizza Tower OST Extended | Mr. Sauceman

The Pillar fell and Peppino’s Vital Tracker immediately beeped with this message in place of the Timer:

Death Approaches in: 5 Minutes

Enemies Slain: 0/200

"Get moving Paisano!" Yelled Arborverde. "Time's a-ticking!" The Human and Drone quickly turned tail and exited the door in a bright flash...

...When it died down, they were immediately surrounded by a Flower Wall. "At least I’ll-a deal with this sh*t one last-a time.” Peppino muttered. A quick look at the map revealed that he was teleported in the northwest area from the center. SurCam casted another Mage Hand to point him to where the Exit will spawn.

Not only that, but a new type of Monster was also revealed, as blue, Peppino-sized, bulbous flowers were shambling past the Wall and after him. With a much larger one as the Boss Monster. According to Arborverde, these plants are called Venus, man-eating plants whose bulb wasn't just for show as they tried to take a bite out of the Pizza Chef.

And true to his Guide's word, there were a lot more monsters on the field at once, and the Flower Wall did not help with its limited space, even if it's temporary. Thankfully, the Holy Wand and the maxed-out Santa Water and Vento Sacro did wonders in carving a path in front of him and around him, giving Peppino some breathing room and adding on to his goal.

Death Approaches in: 3 Minutes 42 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 62/200

A few levels, a dissipated Wall, and a treasure chest later, the two guns were both level five as Peppino started blasting his way through the Horde.

"Damn! Seeing this chaos from a different point of view, really hammers home how wild this Floor can be." Ella said, looking at so many monsters that the grass could barely be seen. "It's even worse when you're experiencing it firsthand."

"That it is, Signora." Arborverde looked on at the Hero's progress to escaping. "But just like you did, Peppino's adapting to my world's mechanics very well!" No one could see him, but they could hear the proud smile on his face. "He'll make it to Ricky in no time!"

Death Approaches in: 2 Minutes 14 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 104/200

Unfortunately, Peppino's health was dropping fast as there were now multiple flocks of Giant, Swooping, and Glowing variants of Bats surrounding him, dealing so much damage that the max leveled Pummarola couldn’t mitigate. But there was a silver lining in all this, the Bats were dropping faster when Peppino's health was dangerously low. A fact that Xanthe noticed and brought up.

"You noticed that too, huh?" Arborverde said. "I do have an explanation for that, but this needs to wait until Peppino escapes."

SurCam looked at his charge with concern, well as much as a Drone could show anyway. Peppino was trying his damndest to get to the rendezvous point, and by the look of determined rage on his face, he's not giving up.

Especially since he's very close to finishing this ordeal.

Death Approaches in: 1 Minute

Enemies Slain: 183/200

"Seventeen enemies left and he's near the Spawn Point!" Cinnamon announced.

"You're almost there Peppino!" Ella encouraged. "Keep at it!"

With the addition of Silver Bats to the mix, plus the high enemy spawn rates, the screen on the Navigation's end was saturated with these tanky, flying mammals, with Peppino at its center. The Chef was turning around every so often so that his front firing Weapons would be more effective. With the now maxed out Phiera Der Tuphello and Eight the Sparrow, the red and blue pistols were firing at all cylinders, piercing through multiple enemies.

And it all paid off as the Tracker beeped...

Death Approaches in: 21 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 200/200

Exit Point Is Now Active

And the now open door appeared ten feet behind Peppino.

Low health be damned, the Italian dashed towards the door as it enveloped him in a flash, with SurCam following closely behind him. As he found himself making a mad dash back through the chapel hallway he started from, the Weapons stopped firing and faded away, with the Passives following suit.

And with 4 seconds to spare and no intention of doing a Lap 2, he escaped.

Music Stops

Peppino stumbled out with SurCam behind him. As he was catching his breath, he looked around and saw that the group was missing a few people. “Where’s-a Gustavo? And everyone else?”

Ella explained what happened when one of Gorgonzola’s guards arrived with the message, and how Xel, Ken, Gustavo, and Brick stepped up to help in Peppino’s stead.

“So that’s-a why you stepped away,” he said. “But you made a good decision in-a bringing Gustavo with them, he’s-a tough fighter like I am.”

“Yeah, the sooner they can get that Control Crystal off of Totaratskr, the better!” Cinnamon added. “And both Protean and Soloist have ways to destroy it from a distance, so we got our bases covered.”

“Good to hear!” Arborverde approved. “However, there is something I must discuss with you all while you all are resting.”

Everyone quieted down as the Guide spoke. “ One of you noticed something about Peppino’s damage output whenever he’s at low health. And you would be correct! ”

“In order to traverse mine and Ricotta’s world the same way we Survivors do, you needed to be stripped of all your natural powers and weapons. But in turn, and with enough exposure from our world, you will be gifted with a special ability unique only to you. We call that ability, a ‘Passive Bonus’. Let’s take one of Ricky’s ancestors, Gennaro, for example.” Everyone turned to Peachone and Ebony as they flew off of Xanthe’s shoulders and on the statue of the shirtless man duel-wielding daggers.

“If anyone uses his signature weapon, the Knife, they would only start with throwing one knife at a time, until it levels up. But, Gennaro’s Passive Bonus allows him to start with two projectiles right off the bat for not just his Weapon, but for all projectile based Weapons!”

“So you are saying that Peppino has one of those Bonuses?” Xanthe asked.

“Si! An outsider’s Passive Bonus will be as close to their natural abilities as possible. But it takes a while for it to fully manifest, some longer than others. But the fact that Peppino’s showed up during the first Gate here, is very interesting!”

“So that explains that shield that I always get whenever I level up.” Ella mused.

“So what’s-a my Passive Bonus?” Peppino asked.

The disembodied Guide chuckles. “Not Bonus amico, Bonuses!”

“What!?”

“One of those Bonuses involves Peppino to be at critical health in order to have his damage output doubled. That was how he survived the last five minutes of the Mad Forest. And the other… involves his movement speed.”

“Not that you mention it, I did-a feel like I was moving a bit faster at times…”

“It seems that every few levels, his movement speed slowly increases. But by how much? I’ll need time to figure that out with Signora Spice’s help so that she can add that to her records.”

Cinnamon turned to Ella. “So I take it we’ll be taking a break ‘til we sort this out Virtue?”

The Half Elf nods. “Of course! Is ten minutes enough for everyone?”

“More than enough! Shall we get started, Signora Spice?"

And with that, the party took a breather as Ella left her branch with the female Human letting her and the Guide discuss the new addition to Peppino’s abilities for this Floor.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 13: Chapter 12- F2 S2- Minotaur Dairy Plant

Summary:

Arborverde gives a deeper explanation on the different abilities of his world and introduces a new mechanic to the floor as Peppino enters the next Gate.
Meanwhile, the B Team assists Gorgonzola in taming a mind controlled Totaratskr. And Gustavo reveals a hidden, powerful talent against them.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 12- F2 S2- Minotaur Dairy Plant

For twenty minutes the party was taking a load off. Cinnamon was busy typing with some verbal assistance from Arborverde, whose branch was sitting near her laptop. Right next to her was SurCam, sitting in his case on Standby Mode to preserve power.

Peachone and Ebony were still with Xanthe, as he was now talking to them, with the birds chirping back at him in response. At Peppino’s and Bruno’s curious looks, Ella explained that the High Elf was using the spell Speak with Animals to communicate with them. (“Probably out of boredom.” Ella teased. “When we Rangers, or Bards in Soloist’s case, have the chance to use this spell, we take it dammit!” Xanthe indignantly defended, with the former chuckling.)

"Alright, we're done!" The party of four (six if you count the birds) turned towards the Navigator as she shouted that.

"It took a while, but I managed to give Signora Spice access to something that will allow us to view Peppino's Passive Bonus along with Ricky's once he encounters him," Arborverde explained. "Not only that, but now we can view Peppino's statistics as if he was native to my world!"

"His statistics?" Xanthe asked. “What do you mean by that?”

"Here, let me pull it up!" With a few taps of her keyboard, Cinnamon projected what looked like a database with tabs labeled: ‘Horde Bestiary’, ‘Survivor Statistics’, and others.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - Dust Elementals [Extended]

"What you're seeing here is a special database accessible only to us Survivors of our world; the Morbane Archive!" Arborverde said. "This holds information about our world spanning multiple generations. A bestiary of the various monsters from the Horde, a record of every Survivor in history, a catalog of the multiple weapons they have used, and so much more!

"And with the right clearance, information on the guests that have trekked this floor can be temporarily added. This includes their Passive Bonus and their statistics. And to better answer your question Signor,” he addressed Xanthe. “A Survivor's statistics are what attributes that they have. Some Survivors are speed based, others are strength based, and so forth. In our world, stats are classified by 19 different categories! But for simplicity’s sake, I'll only go over what stats are naturally modified."

"Let's give them a visual example, Signora Spice! Could you go to the Survivor Statistics and select 'Pugnala Provola' please?"

With a few clicks, Cinnamon followed the Guide's instructions, and a profile of a familiar woman loaded in.

“Wait… that’s the woman that Peppino saved.” Ella remembered. “The one with those pistols!”

“That’s right! Like I mentioned, she’s native to my world.” Arborverde said. “She may be employed to PepperJack, but she’s a Survivor first and foremost! And because of that, her record is in our database. Have a look!”

Name- Pugnala Provola

Starting Weapon- PHIERA DER TUPHELLO and EIGHT THE SPARROW

Passive Bonus- Gains +1% Might every level.

Stats

Max Health- +20%

Might- +0%

"Taking a look at her stats, Pugnala here starts with not only two Signature Weapons, but having 20% more health than the average person. A health pool of 120 if you could give it a number. The reason that it shows 0% Might or Attack Power, is because of her Passive Bonus. Every time she gains a level of experience, she gains 1% Might and will continue to do so with no limitations."

"So if she makes it to Level 100, she would get 100% Might?" Ella asked.

"Exactly! Which doubles all forms of damage she inflicts! But there's a reason I chose her as an example. Signora Spice, look under 'Tower Guest Survivors' and open Peppino's profile."

Once again, Cinnamon navigated the Archive and found the list Arborverde mentioned, clicking on Peppino's name, which was the only one on file, and opening his profile.

Name- Peppino Spaghetti

Starting Weapon- None

Passive Bonus- Starts with one extra level. Starting weapon is dependent on choice pool. Gains 2% MoveSpeed every level. Deals double damage on critical (25% and lower) health.

Stats

Max Health- +50%

MoveSpeed- +0%

Might- +50%

"Like all guests, Peppino doesn't have a Signature Weapon, so whatever is available at the Gates, is what he has to choose from in order to proceed. He, like some Might based Survivors, starts off with more Health and Might. But his Passive Bonus functions similarly like Pugnala's. His Movement Speed starts off normal, then gradually becomes faster with each level he gains, with no limitations."

"Then that means, his speed would be doubled at 200% at Level 100!” Ella was taken aback at the revelation. “And he can grow higher past that!?"

"Yup!” Arborverde confirmed. “And as a bonus, whenever his health is below 25%, his damage output is doubled until he heals above it."

Xanthe chuckled. "High speed and the equivalent of a Barbarian’s Rage ability. Very befitting for him!"

Both Italians had to nod in agreement to that statement. "Yeah, that-a really does fit me to-a T." Peppino muttered.

"Well Guest's Passive Bonuses do match their natural abilities to make up for temporarily losing them." The Guide chuckled. “It’s not an exact match, but it’s very close!”

Cinnamon went back to the guest list page. "That's weird. Peppino was the only one on that list. I don't see Virtue's name anywhere!"

"That's because Tower Guests have a temporary profile that automatically gets deleted after one week." Arborverde answered. "And Signora Virtue was here over a week ago, so it tracks."

Xanthe turned to his leader. "So what was your Passive Bonus, Virtue?"

"I was able to get a free Shield every level that protects me from one attack." She answered. "But it doesn’t stack, so if I lose one, I don't get another until I level up."

Cinnamon nods. "You use a shield and know the spell Shield, so yeah, that does make sense." She then turned towards the Italian. "But I'm sure you're all rested by now, Peppino. Ready to go back in?" SurCam perked up and beeped in anticipation, his optics looking towards his charge.

Peppino got up, stretching his body. "Might as well. The sooner I-a finish this floor, the sooner I-a can beat that clown!"

"That's the spirit, Paisano!" Arborverde cheered. "Get in there and we'll get started!"

Bruno gave his progenitor a thumbs up with his lopsided smile as Peppino nodded at him with a grateful smile. SurCam reactivated its wings and flew to the Chef's side as he reached the Gate Entrance. Looking at its frame, this one had a metallic frame compared to the first and third Gate’s wooden frames.

With one last look to the now smaller party, Both Human and Drone entered the Second Gate.

As they did so, an alert popped up on the Navigator's screen. Cinnamon perked up and immediately started typing. Ella, who was nearest to her, looked over her shoulder. "What is it?”

"Just got a signal on Soloist's end." Cinnamon reported. "Protean's and another Vital Tracker is online. And he just assigned it to Gustavo!"

"Good. Let me know if they need any more help." The Half Elf ordered. "Either one of them can connect their Backdoors to mine if they need to."

"Roger that!" Cinnamon then switched over to SurCam's live feed. "Now let's see how our Italian Hero's doing!"

Music Stops

A flash and a slam of the door, Peppino found himself once again in the chapel hall with the four pedestals. He was reminded that all Weapons will be randomized as he saw a couple more that he didn’t recognize or never used. But what's different this time is that beside each Weapon was a blank floating card.

"Now that you're getting a feel for this place, there is one more factor that I need to introduce to you: The Arcanas!" Arborverde began. "But first, lemme activate that ability for you!" He cleared his throat and yelled: "Randomazzo!"

Suddenly, the four blank cards glowed in a purple light, before fading away and revealing different pictures for each card.

"Arcanas, represented by those Tarot Cards, are special abilities that can greatly strengthen your Arsenal giving you an edge, but certain Arcanas only work on specific Weapons and Passives. For this Gate, when you choose an Arcana, your first Weapon will be the one that works alongside it. We normally have guests have up to three Arcanas during their run, but for simplicity's sake, you'll be stuck with one until you leave."

"So take a look at those cards and the Weapon alongside it, then make your choice."

One by one, Peppino took stock of his choices:

XVI- SLASH

Enables critical hits for listed weapons. Doubles overall critical damage

XI- WALTZ OF PEARLS

Listed weapon projectiles gain up to 3 bounces.

III- TRAGIC PRINCESS

The cooldown of the listed weapons reduces when moving.

XIV- JAIL OF CRYSTAL

Listed weapons have a chance to freeze enemies

"Let's-a try... this one!" Peppino grabbed the Whip from its pedestal, as it then levitated out of his grip and slowly started to orbit around him. The Tarot Card then faded away before the Whip glowed for a few seconds.

"The Arcana 'Slash' is now active with the Whip! And it will also be applied if you have the Knife, Axe, or Vento Sacro in your Arsenal. Now head on inside so we can get this started!"

The forcefield dropped, the wooden doors opened, and the chef walked through.

As the light died down and the door faded away, Peppino and SurCam looked around at their surroundings. They appear to be in some sort of factory as various machinery could be seen. Conveyor belts, multiple metal storage buildings, crates, and barrels. Peppino's footsteps clanged as he noticed that he wasn't walking on concrete but on a stamped metal floor.

"Horde Invasions are not limited to just forest or rural areas, they can also happen in industrial areas!” Arborverde explained. “And this Dairy Plant is a prime example. This place used to have a name, but since it's constantly overrun with enemies, particularly Minotaurs, we Survivors called this place the 'Minotaur Dairy Plant'! But Minotaurs aren’t the only things you'll be dealing with. Fishmen, Skeletons, Lizardmen, Golems, and so much more!"

"Due to the strange magic here, this Factory is surprisingly expansive, but unlike the Forest, there are walls and corners that you can get trapped in if you're not careful. And speaking of traps, if you see any brass circles on the ground, avoid stepping on them. They can send in more monsters to trap you or add on to their numbers. And it will be more chaotic if this happens during a Wave Event, so be careful!"

"Got it!"

"Incoming Horde in ten seconds!" Cinnamon announced as her monitor and Peppino's Vital Tracker flashed with the countdown.

"Same process as last time, Peppino!" Ella added. "The Fragment locations will be the same, but the Coffin locations will be randomized!"

"Understood!" The Whip stopped orbiting the Italian as it situated itself in front of him. Peppino looked beyond it to find multiple 6-foot tall blue Fishmen shambling towards him.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - It's Raining Minotaurs [Extended]

With a crack, the Whip lashed out towards the enemy, instantly destroying it. The chef then noticed that to his right, on top of a barrel, was a green EXP Crystal. “ Ah you noticed! Good eye! ” Arborverde praised as the crystal was absorbed into the Tracker, and Peppino immediately leveled up.

Peppino went with the Lightning Ring as, in a flash, a metal band with a red stone appeared on his left wrist. The metal was crackling with harmless electricity. “Ah, the Lightning Ring! Which is kind of a misnomer due to it being a bracelet instead of an actual ring. It starts off by striking down two random enemies at a time. But level it up and you can truly bring the storm! You don’t have a fear of thunder, do you Paisano?” The Guide asked.

“N-no. I just don’t-a like loud noises.” He didn’t want anyone outside of Gustavo and Bruno to know about one of the few phobias connected to his time in service. He jumped as he saw a lightning bolt crash down onto a Fishman ten feet away from him, disintegrating it.

“Well, thankfully, the original owner of this Weapon enchanted it so that if any other wielders have astraphobia, the noise it makes during a strike isn’t as loud as it normally is. Especially for its Evolution.”

The chef breathed a silent sigh of relief at that bit of information, before opening his map. Like Ella had said, the four Fragments are still in the four cardinal directions, and the three question marks are now in different locations than in the Forest. However, there was another object marked on the map.

Cinnamon noticed this as well. "What are those blue things on the map?"

"That's another power up that Peppino can collect called a Magnet." Ella explained. "It draws in all Exp Crystals that Peppino didn't collect to his current location, no matter the distance. But it's best used whenever there’s a lot of them lying around throughout the Zone so you can level up faster."

"You do have a chance to find more in any breakable light sources, but there's four of these in this level naturally. So, use them wisely!" Arborverde added.

Peppino nodded and continued, this time making his way south to the Fragment, planning to go towards the one to the east to get to the coffin in between the two points. Two minutes later, he leveled up the Whip, then received a Passive.

Taking heed of the traps and the upcoming Wave Event, the Italian decided to increase his defense and chose the Armor. An iron breastplate briefly appeared in front of him before fading away. Continuing his southward trek, he encountered sword wielding Lizardmen, and white half-melted mud creatures called Milk Elementals, adding on to the Horde's ranks with the Fishmen. But that's not all that he saw...

"Why are there minecarts here?"

At some points in the factory, Peppino came upon minecart tracks, complete with the cart, that only went 20 feet forward and ended there.

"We believed that those were used to transport milk bottles and other supplies throughout the factory." Arborverde explained. "But with this place being exposed to the Horde Zone for so long, it really screwed up the building's layout. So these tracks don’t even go anywhere but forward. And at a very short distance. You can't ride them, but they can be used to your advantage!"

And just in time too! The Wave Event has started and an increase of Lizardmen and Milk Elementals were closing in. Along with the enemy influx, Peppino was now surrounded by a ring of what looked like two blue snake skulls stacked atop of each other. Arborverde called this Event the 'Pile Assault' where groups of those immobile creatures, called Twin Snakes, form a ring around their target and start firing energy bullets at them.

Peppino was directly in the middle of this Pile Assault and a giant glowing Minotaur as a Boss Monster as energy bullets were fired from all sides, forcing him to dodge. In his panic, the Whip accidentally hit the minecart. The cart skidded forward in a shower of sparks and rammed into multiple enemies who just happened to be standing on the tracks, instantly destroying them.

"Huh. I see what you mean by-a that!"

"One of the most important rules of Horde Survival; Use the environment to your advantage!"

It was then that Peppino was close to one of those 'Vacuums'. After noticing that there were multiple Exp Crystals lying around, he reached out to touch it. The blue orb was absorbed into the Vital Tracker causing it to glow blue. Peppino's eyes widened as he witnessed every single crystal gravitate towards him and get absorbed into the device immediately causing a level up. After picking an upgrade for the Whip, another screen popped up for another choice, this time picking the Armor upgrade.

"Keep moving amico! You still have a Boss Monster to deal with!"

Seeing the Giant Minotaur approaching him, tanking a few lightning strikes, the Chef pushed on and began combat against the Boss.

Meanwhile at the Guardian Rat’s Chamber

Music- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind - il vento d'oro (feat. Rena) 【Intense Symphonic Metal Cover】

During the main party’s break, Ken, Xel, Gustavo, and Brick were back on the First Floor traversing the third Gate. With the Naga Guard guiding them and all the puzzles and traps deactivated, the quartet made it to Totaratskr’s Boss Chamber in record time. When they arrived, they saw Gorgonzola with a squadron of Guards and three High Priestesses gathered in front of the door.

The High Priestesses were channeling magic into a large rune, sealing the giant stone doors shut. It was doing its work, but not fully as time-to-time, every time Totaratskr slammed their body at the doors, they opened it a crack, forcing the spellcasters to put in more effort. Which led the Guards to put in the elbow grease to hold back the doors to assist.

Gorgonzola stood by with her staff at the ready, prepared to assist if needed, until the calvary came in.

"Oh, thank Amphisbaena you're here!" The Queen breathed a sigh of relief. "I understand that Agent Virtue or Sir Peppino couldn't make it, but any kind of help is appreciated."

“Not a problem, Your Highness!” Ken greeted her. "I'm Agent Soloist, and he's Protean." He jerked a thumb towards Xel then to the Gnome and Rat. "These two are Peppino's friends, Gustavo and Brick the Rat. We were told that Totaratskr still has a Control Crystal on them."

"You mean that glowing crystal? Yes, she does! My servants and I have tried multiple times to get her harness off, but nothing's working!"

"Not even magic?" Xel asked.

"No, she resisted almost instantly!"

"Then we can't waste any more time!" Ken put down his case and opened it, revealing a monitor. "Lemme get set up, and I'll send these three inside!" He then set down another box and a Vital Tracker before typing rapidly on his keyboard.

Xel stepped up to Gorgonzola. "We saw the footage of the fight Peppino had with Totaratskr. Anything new we should look out for?"

"Nothing that I know of, but she is a lot more aggressive. More... feral. And if by any chance your plan is to let your Rat talk to mine to solve this peacefully," She gestures to Brick. "you're out of luck. Nothing can get through to her as long as that damn Crystal is still on her person."

"Well, there-a goes that idea." Gustavo shrugs as Brick looks disappointed.

"Alright, he should be ready to go!"

As Ken exclaimed, the black case shook a bit before something emerged from it. A round, black, soccer ball-sized orb with three small tail wings at its back floated up out of its case. Unlike SurCam, who has shutters for its 'eye', this one has an 'unblinking' optic glowing green, matching its accents.

Replace the white with black and the blue with green

Source from Free3D.com

"You have-a drone too!?" Gustavo exclaimed.

"All Navigators have to have a drone with their gear. And I'm no different!" The drone was floating at Ken’s eye level, so he gave it a pat on its head. "This is Seeker! A different model from SurCam, but he can still get the job done!" The drone beeped tilting its head downward in a nod, greeting them.

"And while I'm at it, put these on Gustavo!" The Halfling then gave the Gnome an earpiece and a Vital Tracker that was currently synchronizing. "I don't have anything that I can put on Brick for surveillance."

"It’s-a fine, we can manage." Gus put the device on his wrist as Ken then ordered Seeker to start cloaking. The drone turned invisible as Xel activated his own Tracker and earpiece. "Alright! We're ready to go, Your Highness!" The Dragonborn reported.

"Excellent! Give me a moment." Gorgonzola slithered closer to the door pointing her staff at it. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she cast Thaumaturgy, a different version of Prestidigitation .

Using her knowledge of what the interior of the Chamber looks like, she aims it at the furthest back corner of the room to make some noise. From behind the door, a loud THUD could be heard. The banging on the door stopped for a few moments.

"I'll keep Totaratskr distracted.” She first turned to the three High Priestesses. “Lower the shield.” They lowered their staffs, stopping the flow of magic, and letting the seal fade away.

“The rest of you," she commanded her guards, pointing at the challengers. "See that these three are able to get inside! Quickly!"

The Guards quickly salute and prepare to open the doors. Another THUD could be heard, now joined by Totaratskr's screeching, this time sounding farther away.

"Now! Let them in!"

The enormous doors were opened by a three-foot-wide crack, allowing the Dragonborn, Gnome, and Rat passage, before slamming shut.

Music Stops

Unlike with the fight against Peppino, where the chamber started off pitch dark, the lights were left on. And once the trio stepped inside, they could clearly see a now feral looking Guardian Rat with their back turned, scratching at the wall where they thought they heard an intruder. Only to immediately turn around the moment the doors slammed shut, snarling at them with bright glowing purple eyes.

Through Seeker's 'eye', Ken was seeing this as well. “Only chance we can get. Seeker, start scanning!”

Still cloaked, the drone commenced scanning the enemy, having its findings transmitted to the Navigator's monitor. Thanks to the update that Cinnamon provided, Ken can now see ALL the information on the target.

Name: Totaratskr

Race: Giant Rat, Guardian Rat

Damage Immunities: Resistant to Fire

Damage Weaknesses: None

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Poisoned, Petrification

Spells Known/ Special Abilities: Fire Bolt

Status Effects:

Crystal Controlled- The Target is under Pizzahead's control due to a Control Crystal on their person. Remove and destroy the crystal to dispel the status.

“Damn! She looks bigger in person!” The Agent lowered himself in a battle stance and his clawed hands were enveloped in a bright glow. Gustavo recognized that glow when Ella barged in to help Peppino against Gorgonzola. But instead of a shield and mace, a pair of armored fingerless gloves appeared covering his hands. He flashed a grin towards his allies. “Nothing we can’t handle, right?”

The shorter Chef nods back, also getting into a stance. “Right! If Peppino can-a take her on, so can we!”

Brick however was shaking in his nonexistent boots at the sight. Gustavo petted his friend. "Calm down amico ! We need your help for-a this! Besides, you volunteered."

The Rat wildly gestured to the enraged Totaratskr squeaking. Gustavo used his innate magic to quickly cast Speak with Animals to understand him. He managed to catch the tail end of the squeaking as he heard in his mind; '-I just wanted to talk to her! I didn’t volunteer for this sh*t!' .

"Look alive boys!" Xel called. "Here she comes!"

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 8 - Ratatoskr (Extended)

With a terrible screech, Totaratskr pounced on the first target that caught her eye... a bright green Dragonborn that pushed the small brown Gnome and a large, but lesser, Rat out of the way of her charge.

"Split up! She can't get all of us at once!" Xel yelled, as he dashed away to get some distance.

Gus climbed up on Brick's back and made him dash the other way. "Let's-a go Brick!" he ordered. Brick gulped in fear but charged forward on his friend's command.

"Anything different about her stats, Soloist?" Xel asked.

"Looks like that Control Crystal is empowering her. She’s got double the health than she had with that fight against Peppino. And her offense and defense has increased!" The Halfling looked at his teammates’ status, comparing their power to the opponent's. "Gustavo! I don’t have a read on your power compared to Peppino, but it looks like you can take five hits minimum before being downed. I don't know if it's the same for Brick, but I'll keep an eye on him just in case. Seeker can heal you two if needed, just say the word."

"Grazie!"

Both Gnome and Rat then heard Xel's voice in their minds; I’ll keep quiet on my end. They both looked towards the Dragonborn. We don't know how intelligent Totaratskr can be to try to make a counter to our attacks. Remember, you can’t respond to me telepathically, so just nod or shake your head. Don't say anything aloud unless you have to or if it doesn’t deal with our plan of attack.

The duo nodded before standing their ground, as Totaratskr turned her attention to them.

Focusing his Ki, Xel's claws were now crackling with electricity as he shot a barrage of energy blasts from his palms at the enormous Rat. Totaratskr staggered from the impact as she took 10% damage from her maximum of 200% health and was now stunned. The Dragonborn snarled as he launched himself towards his target, readying a palm strike...

...only for Totaratskr to dodge at the last second, shaking off the paralysis.

What the hell!? He jumped back as the Rat swung a claw at him. How did she recover so fast? Is it the Crystal? It seems that Totaratskr is tunnel visioned to the green scaled fighter as she's still swiping away at him and missing every time.

I got her attention! Now's your chance for a sneak attack! Xel transmitted to his allies before saying aloud. "Your fight's with me, furball! Bring it!" Channeling his Ki, he let out a shout as two large, green spectral wings appeared on his back as he spread them wide. With lightning still crackling in his claws, flapped his wings, launching himself forward once again, dodging and weaving in combat with the giant Rat.

Admit the chaos, Gustavo realized that Speak with Animals was still active, as he was hearing a growling, female voice in his mind.

Gorgonzola Enemy. Master Pizzahead Ally. Serve Master Pizzahead. Kill All Intruders.

The Gnome looked on at Totaratskr as Xel held her off. Those growls and snarls were her repeating those thoughts transmitted from the Control Crystal, over and over. His frown deepened at that revelation. Gorgonzola didn’t know how right she was when she said that the Guardian Rat was becoming more feral.

Y-you’re hearing that too, right? Brick asked.

“Si." He whispered back. "Let’s-a snap her out of it.” Gustavo stood behind him as he raised a foot to kick him. “Get in there! I’m-a right behind you!”

Brick rolled up into a ball and braced himself as he was then launched by the force of the Italian’s kick. Launching him like a cannonball as Gustavo ran in with a punch at the ready. During his tussle with the enemy Rat, Xel dealt a total of 15% damage (not counting his first strike) with his melee attacks. Now with the collision of Cannonball Brick striking her back, Totaratskr was knocked back a bit, taking another 15%. She now turned her attention to another 10% added on as Gustavo struck a Forward Aerial punch to her noggin.

Totaratskr was at 150% in a short amount of time. And other than dropping Xel's health to 180% out of a max of 200%, she barely did any damage. She decided to change that by blasting each of them with 'Fire Bolt'.

Three boulder sized fireballs were shot from Totaratskr's maw, one for each target. Gustavo had no problem Parrying the flaming projectile, returning it to sender but not doing much damage due to her Fire Resistance. The sparks on Xel's fists were replaced with fire as he used one of his Sub-Class Abilities:

Draconic Strike- A Technique of the Ascendant Dragon Monk Tradition. A Monk can change the element of their unarmed attacks to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison.

The Dragonborn took the Fire Bolt head on, as his [Hidden Ability] activates, granting him Fire Resistance as he takes half damage, dropping him to 170%.

Brick was the closest as, unfortunately, the attack struck true. Ken had Seeker quickly scan the Rat to see how hurt he was. "Bad news Gus!" He reported. "Brick can only take two more hits before he's downed!"

Worry was seen on the Forest Gnome's face as he heard the news. But he kept going as it was his turn to take on the Guardian Rat . I'll keep a lookout for Brick. Xel 'said'. I can give myself Fire Resistance, so I can take some hits for him.

Gustavo nodded in gratitude as he ran forward to begin his assault. Totaratskr met his charge with a vicious pounce, only for the Italian to slide under him, to appear behind her. While he threw some powerful punches to her side, Xel assisted by using Draconic Strike to switch his element to Cold and firing blue colored Ki Blasts to slow her down.

Totaratskr noticed that she was feeling colder and more sluggish as her claw swipes were getting slower, making it easier for Gus to dodge and retaliate. So, she switched to Plan B and started firing Fire Bolt wildly, sometimes aiming at her own feet to try to warm herself up. A few of those 'bolts' were aimed at a panicking Brick as he ran for cover, but thankfully missed. Xel used his wings to fly upwards, being careful not to hit the ceiling, to dodge the blasts and continue firing.

Ken could see the Giant Rat's health and movement speed drop slowly from the accumulating frost enveloping her body. While the rapid-fire Fire Bolts were helping to thaw her out, the now flying Dragonborn was barraging her with Cold Ki Blasts to counter the process. And he was successful as Totaratskr was too frozen to barely move, and she had exhausted herself by overusing her fire. The Guardian Rat was now frozen and prone at 100% health, half of her new maximum.

Music Stops

"She's wide open! Get that harness off!" Ken shouted.

"There should be two clasps near her neck that can be undone!" Instructed Gorgonzola.

Xel landed and made his way in front of Brick's hiding spot, keeping his eyes on Gustavo and his blue glowing hands at the ready. Go ahead Gus! I'll keep watch.

The Gnome nodded and made his way towards the frozen Rat. He could see the clasps that Gorgonzola mentioned, and carefully reached towards them...

…Only for the Control Crystal to glow brighter along with Totaratskr's eyes.

An alert beeped on Ken's monitor as he took a look. His eyes widened in fear as he saw Totaratskr’s power rapidly rise. “Oh f*ck…” he breathed before screaming out. "GUS GET AWAY FROM THERE NOW!!!"

But it was too late.

Music- Persona 3 OST - Calamity

Totaratskr let out a deafening screech, stunning everyone in the chamber and forcing them to cover their ears, as she immediately broke free from the frost and swiped at Gustavo. Due to his stunned status the Gnome couldn’t react in time and took the full brunt of the swipe, sending him crashing into a wall.

Gustavo, who took no damage in the fight until now, took a critical hit... and was at 40% health.

The Cheese Nagas gasped in shock at the savagery of their Guardian. As was a still stunned Xel as he shouted, “Soloist! What the f*ck is going on!?”

Ken was typing his fingers off, trying to assess the situation. “I don’t know! But my best guess is that the Control Crystal is empowering Totaratskr even further, like a Barbarian’s Rage! Must be some kind of failsafe since we tried to remove it too early!”

“Dammit!”

Totaratskr snarled then pounced, bringing back a claw, aiming at the now prone Gnome with a savage snarl. Gustavo tried with all his might to at least move an arm to try and parry it, but he couldn't even move a finger. Xel finally resisted the paralysis and was about to dash forward, but he wasn’t fast enough to intercept the charge. But just as the attack was about to make contact...

GUS!!!

A gray blur dashed in between them with a shout, and took the hit.

Gustavo's eyes widened in shock as Brick took the blow, sending him to the far wall and colliding with it back first. As the Rat crumbled down to the floor, shallow cracks could be seen from the point of impact. Brick had taken a critical hit and was knocked unconscious.

Even though Gorgonzola has explained to her people that Pizzahead has brainwashed Totaratskr, the other Nagas couldn’t believe what their Guardian has done. "Oh sh*t..." Ken breathed out as Brick was quickly scanned to check his condition. "Seeker, stabilize Brick! He's in critical condition!"

Still cloaked, the drone quickly flies to the downed target and scans him, casting a modified version of Healing Word, called Healing Scan, as the green light slowly heals Brick.

Everything became white noise as Gustavo couldn’t hear anything but his own slowly increasing heartbeat. But he could feel something else increase within him. Something he hasn't felt in literal decades.

Rage.

Totaratskr still has her eyes on Brick, having heard and understood what Ken had shouted, and slowly started to approach him charging a Fire Bolt to its maximum power, intent on finishing the job before he gets revived. Xel unfurled his wings, quickly switched to Fire to activate the corresponding Resistance, and dashed in front of the Guardian Rat, ready to protect his ally. "I said..." The Agent takes a deep breath. "Your fight's with ME!!!"

At that last word, he unleashed his Dragon Breath. Due to his Emerald Gem Subspecies, instead of fire, he let out a scream dealing heavy Psychic damage directly into Totaratskr's mind, causing her to reel in pain, but didn’t do much damage as she’s down to 95%.

Her attack was fully charged as she unleashed a massive fireball at the Dragonborn, intent to incinerate him. Xel stood his ground and, keeping his promise, took the blow for Brick to buy Seeker time to heal him. But even with his Fire Resistance, he took major damage, leaving him at 140%, as the power was doubled due to the Control Crystal empowering the Rat even further.

Shaken but undeterred, he threw a few punches causing her to back away from Brick. However, since he's dealing Fire damage with those attacks, he's inflicting scratch damage. Totaratskr retaliated with a flurry of more powerful claw swipes that Xel couldn’t dodge in time, dropping him to 60% in a few hits.

And it's getting worse as the rodent then bit down hard on Xel's arm, making him scream in pain. While his scales absorbed most of the damage, the fangs broke through his skin, and his health took a major hit, putting him in the red. Totaratskr shook him around as if he was a chew toy, aggravating his injury, before throwing him to the wall closest to Gustavo.

Xel slumped down to the ground, making sure to land on his non injured arm, his health now at a perilous 10%. Wincing, he took a deep breath and channeled what's left of his ki to his wounds, slowly recovering his health.

Gus...

The Gnome was breathing heavily but made no movement to acknowledge the Agent.

Xel reached into his utility belt and pulled out his Backdoor, tossing it to him. Take my Backdoor, grab Brick, and get out of here. He ordered. I'll stall for time so that-

"No."

The Dragonborn's eyes widened as Gustavo tossed the miniature door back to him.

Outside, all the Nagas were mobilizing to barge into the chamber. "Gustavo! Hang in there!" Ken typed rapidly, about to send a distress signal to the rest of the team. "Gorgonzola's about to send her guards in-"

"NO!!!" The Gnome boomed.

Music Stops

Now it's the Spectators’ turn to be taken aback as the Navigator and Queen were both one action away to send in help. Everyone watched as Gustavo slowly stood up. Xel, being the closest to him, could see his fists clenched and shaking.

And it's not from fear.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Meatophobia (Near Pillar John)

Gustavo's normally soft, kind, brown eyes were glaring daggers at the Guardian Rat. A vicious snarl could be seen underneath his bushy mustache. "You hurt-a my ally." he started, his tone becoming deathly serious.

Xel could see a faint, but familiar aura starting to envelop his short partner.

"You hurt one of my best friends when-a he first came here." His growl became deeper.

The Spectators felt a shiver go up their spines. "W-why am I hearing boss music?" Gorgonzola shakily asked, as the snakes on her head also quivered in fear.

"I was about to ask the same thing." Ken replied, also visibly shaking.

"And now..." Gus completely dropped his Italian accent as the aura intensified, turning a bright gold. "You hurt. My. Companion."

Once again, Totaratskr is getting a sense of deja vu as, despite the brainwashing, her instincts are screaming at her to get away from this even smaller, insignificant creature.

"Congratulations.” His fists tightened as he continued, his anger reaching a boiling point. “You did the one thing that no one, not even Pizzahead, has ever done to me in a long, long time..."

Xel finally realized why that aura feels familiar. Gus was radiating Ki, but it felt different. Like a mixture of a Monk's Ki, and a Barbarian's Rage. Using his comms, he quickly said something in Draconic to Ken, hoping that he got the message. And just in time, as Gustavo's rage escalated.

"You. Pissed. Me. OFF!!!"

Note: Start this at 3:45. And yes, it’s that part!

The golden aura ignited around the irate Gnome as he screamed the last word in rage. The force of the aura cratered the tiled floor beneath his feet as he full on snarled at his opponent. Through Seeker's camera, the Spectators saw Gustavo's eyes glow with the same golden hue of his unleashed power. They also saw Xel muttering something with an extremely shocked expression on his face but was unable to hear him over the sound of the Italian powering up DBZ style.

Gustavo took a step, then blasted himself towards Totaratskr at Mach 3, winding up for a devastating punch. Despite being under Pizzahead's enthrall, the Guardian Rat could see her life flash before her eyes before she threw herself out of the way of the mad Gnome's charge. For a split second, the two figures locked eyes, rage in one pair and fear in the other, as Gustavo missed by a hair.

Only for the Italian to disappear...

And reappear on Totaratskr's opposite side to deliver the punch proper, sending her flying from the impact. But before she was even remotely close to colliding with the wall, Gustavo repeated the action. With a single step he, somehow, teleported to where his foe was going to be, and struck with terrifying power. Over, and over, and over.

Everyone's eyes were the size of dinner plates as they saw the one-sided beatdown that this short, Italian Forest Gnome was dishing out to a Rat that's about ten times his size. Gorgonzola was wincing with each impact, silently praying to Amphisbaena that Totaratskr would be knocked unconscious and not dead after this massacre.

After that savage combo, Gustavo finished it off by doing one final attack. When Totaratskr was being thrown around and was about to collide with Xel, he appeared in front of the Dragonborn and landed a palm strike at her side, stunning her in midair. Quite literally as sparks were dancing around her prone form, frozen mid-flight. Xel recognized that attack as the Stunning Strike, a technique that Monks like himself can learn.

Gustavo turned his back to his midair enemy, eyes shadowed from Xel's point of view, as he darkly uttered:

"Arrivederci."

And the delayed force from his final attack took effect, sending Totaratskr careening into the wall twenty feet away from where Brick was lying against, knocking her unconscious. Her harness shattered from the impact and the Control Crystal clattered and rolled to the front of the victor’s feet.

Music Stops

As he raised and stomped his boot on top of the purple stone destroying it, Xel felt extremely outclassed. Why?

Because from his initial charge to the destruction of the Crystal, Gustavo Giunta has just defeated Totaratskr in 20 seconds flat.

The chamber doors creaked open as the Nagas rushed in with Gorgonzola barking orders. A few of the Guards stood at the entrance keeping watch, while the rest gathered around pointing their spears at Totaratskr in case she decides to attack again. Ken ran to a now kneeling, exhausted Gustavo, grabbing his shoulders and casting Cure Wounds, a touch activated healing spell. The three High Priestesses split up and slithered to the other Agent and the two Rats, healing them with their magic.

The Queen however, came up to Ken and Gustavo, looking at the shattered remains of the Crystal. “Is it over?” she asked. “Is she finally free?”

“Yup! Since that Control Crystal is now destroyed, Totaratskr is now free from Pizzahead’s influence!” Ken reported, then winced at the collateral damage of the Chamber and the Rat’s current state. “Uh, sorry for the mess and the injuries, though.”

Music- La Mulana 2 OST - 43 - Wise Men Who Died (Extended)

She lets out a sigh of relief. “It’s fine. This chamber can be repaired, and Tota can be healed.” She then turned to Gustavo with a sympathetic look on her face. “I understand your anger Sir Gustavo, truly I do. The damage was… a bit overboard, but justified.”

“I apologize, Your Highness.” The Gnome looked ashamed of his actions. “I got-a lost in my own rage, then my body went on-a autopilot. I know it wasn't fully her fault, but-”

Gorgonzola raised a hand to stop him. “I would have done the same thing if I was in your place. And as you said; it was not entirely her fault.” She had a frown on her face as she continued as anger saturated her tone. “That goddamn Usurper is to blame! If anyone truly deserves your fury, it’s him!”

She took a breath to calm down. “But please, do not apologize anymore. Due to the situation and its reasons, one apology is enough.”

“My Queen!” The Priestess tending to Brick called out. “Totaratskr and this Rat have been stabilized and are awake!”

After the Queen ordered her soldiers to stand down, Gorgonzola and Gustavo rushed to their respective Rats, kneeling down to their level. Like with the former back when she was brainwashed, Totaratskr’s eyes opened revealing dark orange eyes. First looking around slowly to get her bearings, before panickingly turning her head looking around the room and at the unfamiliar people. Since Speak with Animals was still active for Gustavo, the Gnome’s mind translated the scared squeaking as: What happened!? Where am I!? And who are they!? Are they enemies!?

Gorgonzola put her hands up in a placating manner. “Calm down Tota! Don’t move so much!” she calmly said. “You were brainwashed and these guests, our allies, have freed you. You remember these Columns Corporation Agents that I told you about? Allies of us and PepperJack?”

She nods. We are… safe?

“Yes, we are.” The Queen smiled. “I will explain what happened later. Please, rest for now.”

As the Guardian Rat relaxed, Gustavo smoothed down the fur on his friend’s head as he spoke. “Why did you-a do that, Brick? You didn’t have to.”

I… don’t know. He answered as his ears lowered. I didn’t want to lose you. I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing! And then…My paws just moved on their own.

Gus was taken aback by the answer for a few seconds. Then threw his arms around him, burning his face in the Rat’s neck. “Grazie mille, mio caro compagno. (Thank you so much, my dear companion.)” He said, holding back tears. To anyone that could hear him, while they cannot understand Italian, they can hear the gratefulness in the Gnome’s voice as he hugged his friend.

“He’s a brave one, ya know that?”

Joining Ken was a limping Xel, rolling and flexing his formerly injured arm. The Priestess that healed him then assisted in healing Totaratskr. “Managed to beat me to the punch on taking that hit. That’s a real friend ya got there Gus!”

The Italian chuckled. “I’m-a lucky to have him.” he replied with a smile.

But…

The Halfling and Gnome perked up as they then heard his voice in their minds.

You got a lotta explaining to do. The Dragonborn’s raised an eyeridge at the latter with a smirk. After all, it takes a Monk to know another.

Ken nods before turning to Gustavo. “We’ll stop by the Haven before going back if ya want.” He suggested. “That way Pizzahead or any one else from the team won’t listen in.”

Gustavo looked ashamed, but nodded. With his secret out, he might as well tell someone who was familiar with his techniques. And now that he was exposed to magic and the concept of Classes, he has to tell Peppino at some point as well. He heaved a tired sigh as Ken continued to heal his wounds.

Back at the Second Floor

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - It's Raining Minotaurs [Extended]

Ten minutes have passed as we checked on the progress of our Italian Hero. Now thirteen minutes into his trek, Peppino has managed quite a lot. First being that he filled out his arsenal for this run. Along with the Whip, Lightning Ring, and Armor, Peppino has also acquired:

The Garlic, which is a literal bulb of garlic that floated above his head, that he mostly picked out of curiosity. It emitted a circular aura around the chef that damaged any enemy that entered its radius, one shotting any weaker monsters and pushing back others that Peppino walked into. And it didn’t give off any odor! (“ That was a constant complaint to Poe, the original owner of this Weapon, ” Arborverde had explained. “ So he begrudgingly had it enchanted it so it doesn’t give off its scent. ”)

The Spinach, a literal leaf of spinach, that can increase the damage output of all weapons. Its starting bonus is small but can be increased by a maximum of 50% at max level, which is extremely useful as the Horde Invasion goes on.

And the Hollow Heart, a glass, empty, heart-shaped container, that increased Peppino’s maximum health by 20%. The only downside is that the extra 20% isn’t healed. Thankfully, Floor Chicken can still be found to fix that.

This is Peppino’s current arsenal:

At around 7 minutes, he also managed to grab the Southernmost Fragment and made it to the Coffin in the southwest sector of the Zone and dealt with a group of 10 Coffin Guardians. Instead of winged skeletons like in the Mad Forest, these guardians were 8 foot tall animated knight's armor wielding a greatsword, appropriately named Sword Guardians, according to Arborverde.

After a couple of minutes, they were cleared out and the Employee was freed.

A female Minotaur named Fernanda, who is the Haven Security Guard gratefully thanked him as she escaped through the Backdoor.

Peppino dealt with the 10 Minute Mark Wave Event and is currently almost at the Coffin in the Southeast Sector and is planning to go to the Eastern Fragment afterwards.

But it was then when he learned about those brass circles on the floor as he accidently stepped on one.

The trap let out a loud noise and Peppino immediately heard rapid stomping coming his way. Off in the distance he saw a herd of Minotaurs charging straight towards his direction!

"Minotaur Rush! Evasive maneuvers!" Arborverde yelled.

Peppino screamed his signature scream as he bolted away from the stampede, taking some scrapes from the surrounding mob of enemies. Unfortunately, as the Minotaurs rushed by, they didn’t trample over any other monsters, but shoved them aside in their charge.

Good news: They completely missed Peppino.

Bad news: He took damage from the mobs pushed towards him.

More bad news: In his rush to move out of the way, the Chef got too close to the Coffin to awaken the Sword Guardians and was shoved into them before getting out of their range.

"What the hell was-a that!?" He shouted, now fighting the Guardians at 30% health.

"Just one of the six possible traps you could set off if you don't watch your step!" Arborverde chastised. "Be glad you didn’t set that off during a Wave Event!"

"Speaking of Wave Event," Cinnamon announced. "Another one is about to start in one minute!"

The Italian switched his focus to the Sword Guardians, trying to cut down their numbers or, even better, get rid of them all before the Wave Event started. Unfortunately, he managed to defeat 5 before the Event started.

Now adding on to the task of defeating the remaining Guardians, for the 15 Minute Mark Wave Event, a 10-foot radius ring of 20 brown Jellyfish converged around Peppino, not necessarily trapping him, but restricting his movement options. Which isn’t all that bad, but it got a bit more annoying as every ten seconds another Jellyfish Wall pops up circling the Chef's current location, even overlapping the other rings. Plus, there was also the Boss Monster, a blond merman holding a trident called a King Triton, to deal with.

But thankfully, the minute was up, and the 5 ‘walls’ disappeared. And at the same time, Peppino defeated the last Guardian and opened the Coffin.

A female Human named Poppea Pecorina, who is a Horde Survival Specialist gratefully thanked him as she escaped through the Backdoor... But not before giving him her Weapon.

A glowing, visibly sparkling, sheet of paper with indecipherable writing on it orbited Peppino as those said sparkles gathered around in a one-foot radius circle underneath his feet. The sparkles began to glow then shoot off in a two-foot-wide line north and south of him, disintegrating enemies and striking the final blow to the Boss Monster, leaving a chest where it once stood.

"That's perfect!" Arborverde cheered. "The Song of Mana will help you cut a path north and south of you! You don’t have the passive for its evolution, but it will be useful at higher levels."

After opening the chest and leveling up the Whip, Peppino moved on, grateful for the extra firepower. Thanks to his discovered Passive Bonus, he could feel himself moving faster, at least double his normal (Mach 0) speed. In just three minutes, he collected the second Fragment and was halfway to the third located up north.

It was then that Cinnamon announced; "I just got word back from Soloist! Totaratskr is freed from Pizzahead's control, and the boys will be on their way back here!"

"Nice-a!" Peppino perked up at the news. "They're not-a hurt or anything, are they?" he asked worriedly.

"They were, but Gorgonzola's Priestesses healed them once they finished."

Ella nodded in response. "Good. They might be back by the time Peppino gets the last Fragment."

Speaking of Fragments, Peppino just retrieved the third one and was enroute to the fourth, planning to get to the third Coffin on his way to the Pillar Entrance. With his current time of a little over 18 minutes, he was hoping he could make it before the next Wave Event.

And made it just in time as the Pillar Entrance had appeared back at the middle of the Zone, and the next Wave Event started. Another Pile Assault started, however just like those Jellyfish at the last Event, another ring of Twin Piles popped up at Peppino's current location every 10 seconds. And this was also the time when the more tankier Monsters began to roam, as 10-foot-tall gray stone Golems joined the chaos. Along with a 12 foot copper metal one that Arborverde called a 'Colossus', that served as the Boss Monster.

It took the Chef three minutes to make it to the Coffin, defeat the Sword Guardians, have all his Passives, the Whip, and the Garlic leveled up to max, and free the final Employee in this area.

A male Goblin named Vaxs, who is the Second Floor Janitor gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

With no other secondary objectives, Peppino now has a clear shot to the exit... but not before felling the Boss Monster, having everything in his arsenal maxed out, opening the chest left behind, and finally receiving his Evolution.

The Whip levitated in front of the Italian as it glowed a bright red, its handle and cord turning into a dark blood red color. Even the tip of the cord was slowly dripping blood, but the drops didn’t even leave any marks on the ground once they made contact.

"That is the Bloody Tear, the Evolution of the Whip and Hollow Heart!" Arborverde explained. "While it still packs the attack power of the max level Whip, it has the added bonus to slightly heal you whenever you inflict a critical hit. And since you have the Slash Arcana, which is also compatible with it, that critical damage is now quadrupled, for quadruple the healing on a crit!"

As the Monsters, now adding what looked like Skeleton Ninjas to the mix, charged towards the chef, the Bloody Tear whipped itself around, striking in front and behind Peppino. It's crimson cord striking through multiple enemies in its path, doing enough damage to weaken them for the other Weapons to finish the job. He even scored a couple of critical hits as he saw green sparkles envelop his body for a split second, healing him for a small amount.

"It's a good thing that you maxed out all the Weapons before getting to the Pillar, Peppino." Ella said. "Because with this last Wave Event and these high defense Monsters, you will need those free Floor Chickens whenever you level up."

"She's right paisano." Arborverde added. "The final Event will be a Minotaur Rush, one that'll last the full minute too! You'll need all the healing you can get!"

“Got it!” With the Exit Door in sight and a full powered Arsenal for the Wave Event about to happen, Peppino opened the door and walked through, disappearing in a flash.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Meatophobia (Near Pillar John)

As the light died down, finding himself back in the chapel hall with the Crystal Pillar in sight, Peppino stepped closer, letting the Weapons do the work. The Song of Mana couldn't do anything since it only fires north and south no matter what direction Peppino is facing, so its line of fire is parallel to the Pillar. But the Bloody Tear, Lightning Ring, and Garlic picked up the slack as the Pillar shattered in a matter of seconds.

Music- It's Pizza Time! ~ 1 Minute Left - Pizza Tower OST Extended | Mr. Sauceman

Death Approaches in: 5 Minutes

Enemies Slain: 0/250

The Italian wasted no time leaving the hall...

...Only to dive out of the way of a stampede of Minotaurs as the final Wave Event was now active. A Minotaur Rush was happening every five seconds pushing the stone Golems and smaller versions of the Sword Guardians around. Ella and Arborverde were right about getting as much healing as possible, the constant contact damage from these mobs were really taking a toll on the Chef's health. Cinnamon has never seen anyone's health meter fluctuate as much as Peppino's, as he was constantly switching between below 25% and activating his 'Rage', to being healed to almost 50% to nullify the said 'Rage'.

Death Approaches in: 2 Minutes 40 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 148/250

It was then when the secondary party returned to the Second Floor Hub. "Hey guys!" Ken greeted, as the quartet saw Peppino's progress. "How much did we- Jesus Christ! That's a lot of sh*t going on!"

Xel and Gustavo's eyes widened in disbelief at the sheer amount of giant armored Knights, Minotaurs, and now co*ckatrices filling up the screen with Peppino in the middle. Brick however, was more interested in lightning, sparkles, and pretty colors emanating from his Human friend.

"You all arrived just in time!" Xanthe updated them. "Peppino is halfway through Column Collapse."

"Although it's a lot different than in that forest!" Cinnamon added. "I think I prefer the sh*tton of bats instead of all... that!"

"You got all this recorded right?" Xel asked her.

"Sure do!"

Gustavo was taken aback by that statement. "You record all of-a these!?"

"Yup!” The Human female nodded. “For Corp records and our viewing pleasure!"

"Ever got so much satisfaction from beating a Boss and you want to see that again from a third person point of view? Or want to run a Gate again, but need to figure out the best way to speed through it or where to find any missing collectables?" The Dragonborn asked. "That's part of the reason why we record our missions!"

“And for training purposes.” Xanthe added. “That is the main reason we record our excursions.”

Bruno took a look at the screen and gasped, pointing at it. "Peppino in trouble!" Cinnamon's monitor started beeping as she realized why the clone was so worried. Peppino's health was reaching a perilous 15% and was dropping fast, and from his current location he’s halfway to where the exit should show up.

Death Approaches in: 1 Minute 22 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 203/250

The co*ckitrices and Sword Guardians were gone, but replaced with much stronger Mermen and glowing Minotaurs. Peppino's Rage, both the Passive Ability and the actual emotion, were keeping the mobs at bay, but only for so long. A quick glance at the Vital Tracker shows his health at a dangerous 10% and he’s not even close to leveling up for a free heal. This looked like the end for him...

Until he managed to break a torch for an item he didn't know he collected until it activated. Peppino felt his body becoming hotter as a burning sensation rose from his gut to his throat, as if he's about to throw up. That feeling was now in his mouth as he opened it to scream in pain...

...And flames erupted outward.

Anyone who is not Ella, had their jaw drop to the floor at what they were witnessing, as they saw the now panicking Italian breath fire. And those flames were decimating the Monsters in his line of... well, fire...at an alarming rate.

"What the f*ck just happened to him!?" Xel yelled.

"I'll explain later!" Ella said before frantically addressing the chef. "Peppino! Keep turning! That lasts for 10 seconds!"

Seeing the devastation he's breathing out, the Chef heeded the Guide's words and started turning 360 degrees, racking up multiple kills and carving a path for his way out.

Death Approaches in: 56 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 250/250

Exit Point Is Now Active

The use of his new ‘power’ was rewarded with the Exit Door appearing 30 feet south from his location. The flames from his mouth died down, but Peppino ignored the fading pain on his taste buds as he dashed forward to freedom and passed through the Exit.

He didn’t skip a beat as he dashed through the chapel hall past the four pedestals, the Weapons and Passives fading away, and out the Exit proper.

Music Stops

Peppino stumbled out, gasping for air. Thankfully, the slight burning on his tongue had subsided and he took a deep breath and angrily yelled; "Arborverde! Che cazzo è successo per farmi sputare fuoco, cazzo!? (What the f*ck just happened to make me breathe f*cking fire!?)"

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - The Beginning [Extended]

Gustavo translated for the confused Agents, before the Guide spoke up. "I understand that you want an explanation. But I'll do you one better. Signora Spice, could you go to the Items page of the Archive please?"

Cinnamon went to the Archive homepage and clicked on the mentioned page. "I know what item Peppino had!" Ella said, pointing at an icon on the projected list. "It's the 7th one down!"

The Navigator clicked on that item and opened a page with a picture and name of the said item. A picture of what looked like a rectangular piece of bread with some kind of spread on top of it. It would look mundane, if it wasn’t glowing a bright red, as if it was radiating magic.

"What you all are seeing, is the reason why Peppino was impersonating a Red Dragon." Arborverde explained. "This magical piece of bread is what we Survivors call the Nduja Fritta Tanto! Or the NFT for short."

"The only good NFT in any world!" Ella added, with most of the group chuckling at the joke.

"Wait a minute!" Gustavo, with his chef knowledge, realized something. "You don't-a mean nduja as in-a the pork spread right?"

"The exact same! For all you non-Italians out there, nduja is a spicy pork sausage that is made in a spread and is usually served with bread or cheese." Arborverde explained. "The NFT is made the same way; however, it’s a magical food, just like the Floor Chicken. But its spice levels are turned up to eleven, as it is infused with Fire Magic, granting temporary fire breath to whoever eats it."

"And it can be obtained by breaking torches." Ella added before turning towards Peppino. "You probably broke one during the chaos and got lucky to find one, considering how rare they are."

Peppino breathed a sigh of relief, not believing his luck. "Yeah, I-a needed that thing too!" He plopped down onto the floor taking the load off. "Any longer and I'd be done for!"

Gustavo smiled and joined his friend, sitting down next to him. Brick and Bruno followed suit. "Wanna take a break while we tell you about the fight against Totaratskr?"

“I had that fight recorded too!” Ken added. “But nothing wrong with telling a preview right?”

"That's a good idea." The Half Elf nodded. "Another 10 minutes sounds good, Peppino?"

"Si, It does!" The Chef relaxed as he listened to the result of the fight, with Ken and Xel interjecting at some moments.

Music Stops

Meanwhile in his hiding spot, Arborverde was pondering about the inevitable fight against his pupil. Peppino’s progressing faster than I expected. Signora Virtue was right, he really is a fast learner!

He then heaved a silent sigh. Ricotta still has much to learn, but compared to Peppino, he easily has the upper hand experience-wise. I would assist him, but I just had to be rooted down. Literally.

No, I shouldn’t doubt him! He’s already proved himself capable. If he can survive Il Molise, then he can take on Ricky!

A more wistful sigh escaped him this time.

…And hopefully agree to break my curse.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 14: Chapter 13-F2 S3- Il Molise Overgrowth

Summary:

The party regroups as there is one more Gate to clear. One that takes place in a forest that Arborverde is very familiar with. With a difficulty spike halfway into his trek, Peppino will truly understand the stress that a Survivor goes through.
With the addition of another problem involving Ricotta’s brainwashing.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 13- F2 S3- Il Molise Overgrowth

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - The Beginning [Extended]

As the party took another break, they were told of the epic showdown against the Crystal Controlled Guardian Rat. Well, as much they could be told without spoiling a very interesting surprise about a certain Forest Gnome.

Ken, being both the overseeing Navigator and the charismatic Bard that he is, provided the most detail and flair he could without giving away too much info that would need to be seen to believe later. Xel also added his own account on what he experienced in person, while he couldn't speak for Gustavo or Brick, they also backed up his claims.

"So, Gus landed the final blow huh?" Peppino chuckled, smiling at his friend. "Not-a surprising, considering how much-a stronger he is compared to me."

"Stronger!?" The Gnome was taken aback by that statement. "I'm-a not the one who's able to bust-a through metal walls or run fast enough to break-a the sound barrier!"

"You're able to carry heavy packages in one hand that takes me two! And besides, aren't-a Gnomes naturally stronger than Humans?"

"Well, si. But that's not the point!"

"He's right!” Xel said. “The point of all this was the fact that he kicked ass, took names, and avenged Brick! And not in that order."

"And speaking of Brick..." Ken gave a sly side eye to the rodent in question. "Totaratskr herself thanked him in a very special way." It was then that Brick perked up in a 'Dude WTH!' expression, squeaking in a somewhat panicked manner. Ken, Gustavo, and Xanthe who all had Speak with Animals active instead heard ‘ Hey! Don't tell them that!’.

Ken ignored the message as he continued. "Just like Gorgonzola, Totaratskr saw bits and pieces of what happened while she was controlled. And she just so happens to see Brick take that fatal blow for Gus! So once we were all healed, she commended him for being a 'Brave Protector for his Master'!"

"Brick was also modest in calling Gus, and I quote, 'Not a Master, but a Friend'." Xel added. "He gained so much respect from her that she nuzzled him! Which is like the equivalent of a kiss on the cheek."

"Awwww!" Everyone, Arborverde included, was touched by the gesture as they looked towards the now blushing Brick.

Gustavo gave his companion a hardy pat on the back with a proud grin. "Congrats on the future girlfriend ratto !"

Said Ratto then covered his face with his paws in embarrassment. Guuuuuus!!!

While only three people could hear what Brick was actually saying, everyone else lightheartedly laughed at the body language he was giving off.

"Alright back to business! We can see the whole fight at dinner." Ella reigned in the team before turning to the Chef. "Ready to go, Peppino?"

"Yup!" The heavyweight Human got to his feet and stretched. "Let's-a finish this so I can see Gustavo's finishing blow with my own eyes, eh?" He gave his Gnome friend a grin as he patted his shoulder, passing him on his way to the Gate.

When Peppino passed by, Gustavo had a grin on his face. But once he was out of line of sight, that grin became more nervous, as if he was dreading something.

He'll have to find out eventually. He thought to himself. Here's hoping he doesn't get too angry at me.

He shook that thought from his mind as he witnessed Peppino and SurCam walk through the Gate.

Music Stops

A flash and a slammed door later, Peppino and SurCam were once again back at the chapel hall. Just like with the last Gate, blank Tarot cards were by the empty pedestals.

"Same deal as last time Peppino! Pick an Arcana, get the Weapon." Arborverde said before shouting; "Randomazzo!"

Once again, the blank cards glowed purple before showing an image, followed by the various Weapons appearing. Peppino walked up and gauged his choices.

XI- WALTZ OF PEARLS

Listed weapon projectiles gain up to 3 bounces.

III- TRAGIC PRINCESS

Listed weapon projectiles generate explosions when they expire. Explosions damage is affected by Curse.

XXI- BLOOD ASTRONOMIA

Listed weapons also emit special damaging zones affected by Amount and Magnet. Enemies within Magnet range take damage based on Amount.

XIV- JAIL OF CRYSTAL

Listed weapons have a chance to freeze enemies

Curious about the new Weapon, the Chef chose the King Bible as the others faded away. The blue, leather-bound Bible levitated out of his hand and slowly started to orbit around him. The Tarot Card then faded away before the book glowed for a few seconds.

"The Arcana 'Twilight Requiem' is now active with the King Bible! It also applies to the Lightning Ring and Runetracer once you get them. And if the Survivor you'll find here is who I think it is, their Weapon also works with that Arcana.”

“Oh and a quick note, don’t worry about the Curse part of the description. Curse is a stat that determines the enemy's movement speed, health, and spawn rate. All Survivors and Guests start with 100% Curse, which is normal, with a select few starting with more, upping the difficulty. Some Passives and an Arcana can raise that stat, but thankfully, they're not active."

"Oh thank the Gods!" Ella exclaimed as Peppino sighed a breath of relief at the news. "It was already hell at 25 minutes! Peppino won't be able to handle that, times two!"

"One more Gate before finishing this floor." Peppino took a deep breath to mentally prepare himself. "Can't-a spend too much time here."

"Right! Now head on through, Paisano! No doubt that Ricky's watching your progress, so let's give him a show, eh?"

Peppino chuckled and walked through the now unlocked entrance with the drone following behind him.

The Italian had to cover his eyes as bright sunlight invaded his vision. Blinking hard to get his senses, he looks around to find himself in another forest. Compared to the Mad Forest, more variety of trees and various (Hopefully harmless,he thought to himself) flora could be seen. There was a more, dare he say, magical air about this place.

"Welcome to my humble abode, the Magical Forest of Il Molise! One of the most famous sacred forests in my world! " Arborverde sounded happy as he announced that but dialed down the excitement as he continued. " But just because it's sacred, doesn’t mean that it's entirely safe. Horde Zones frequently pop up around here, where Bats and various plant-based Monsters roam during that time."

"And that's not all. Unlike the first two Gates, this one has a unique gimmick. Every five minutes, the day cycle will change from Day to Night, each with different types of Monsters roaming around. No matter the time of day, this forest is not safe in a Horde Zone. Then again, nowhere is safe during that time."

"Incoming Horde in 10!" Cinnamon's monitor and Peppino's Vital Tracker beeped with the countdown showing on their respective screens.

"One last push, Peppino!" Ella encouraged. "After this, you'll be able to take on Ricotta!"

"Right!" The King Bible then floated in front of Peppino... before disappearing. "Wha-!? What happened to it!?"

"Give it a moment..." Ella said.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - Vempair Survaivors [Extended]

As he saw Bats slowly approaching him, the King Bible reappeared, orbiting the chef in a 5-foot radius, hitting a few, before disappearing again. "Huh. So that’s how it works."

"The King Bible will orbit around you every few seconds." Arborverde explained. "So, in order to properly use it, timing and position is key! It can be a bit tricky for beginners, but once you level it up, it’s easier to manage."

"So, this is your home, Arborverde?" Ella asked. "It looks beautiful! Reminds me of the forests back in my homeworld."

"Si Signora! If you can ignore the Bats, Mudmen, living plants and such, it's a nice place to live in if you're into nature. Especially if you're the Guardian of this here forest like I am!"

"A Guardian?" Gustavo, being a former denizen of the forests, perked up in interest. "What do you have to guard the forest from?"

"Animal poachers, campers that don't douse their campfires, loggers that don't have express permission from me or any other Druids to cut down any trees, any dark, destructive magic or creatures, the list goes on."

"And the fact that you know nature-based spells like Animal Messenger ," Xanthe mused. "Are you a Druid as well?"

The Guide laughed. "Leave it to a Columns Corps Agent to know their Classes! But yes, you're correct."

"A Druid?" Peppino asked, as he leveled up and decided to focus on the King Bible, giving him an extra projectile to orbit around him.

"Druids are spellcasters that draw upon the power of Nature for their magic." The High Elf explained. "They are normally dwellers to a specific biome where they draw upon their power. The most common being grasslands and forests."

"Being a Druid’s a given since I'm one with nature." Ella, Xanthe, Gustavo, and Peppino managed to pick up this next part, but only the latter two could understand it. As Arborverde muttered under his breath. "Letteralmente nel mio caso… (Quite literally in my case...)"

But before Peppino could ask about that, a screen popped up in front of him and he leveled up.

Intrigued by its description, the Chef made his decision as a stereotypical golden Crown appeared in front of him before fading. Arborverde approved of this choice. "The Crown is a very good Passive to have if you want to finish this Gate quickly. With the ability to gain 40% more experience at max level, you'll have a max level arsenal in no time!"

Peppino looked at the map, seeing that the nearest coffin was west of his current direction, and if he kept going, he'd reach the Fragment. As he made his way there and gained a few more levels for a new Passive choice, he realized something as he looked at the description on a Passive that he used before.

If it says, 'Increases duration of weapon effects'... can that mean?

Arborverde was impressed as the Chef chose the Spellbinder once again. " Wow, you're really getting the hang of these Evolution combos, Paisano! "

"Why do you say that-a?" Peppino asked in confusion.

"Because you just got the Passive needed to evolve the King Bible!" Ella added.

"Really!? I-I just picked that because of-a its ability!"

"You had the right idea Amico!" The Druid started to explain. " Some Passives synergize well with some Weapons, but not all of them. Best example would be the Spellbinder. It works best with Area of Effect Weapons like the King Bible or Santa Water. But does nothing for projectile based ones like the Magic Wand or Whip. "

"Be sure to keep that in mind, because it will help you greatly against Ricky. I’ll tell you why once we cross that bridge."

Peppino kept focusing on leveling up his current arsenal, planning to receive a new Weapon once he got closer to the first coffin. As he did so, everyone took a look at the timer, which was currently at 4:40.

"It's almost 5 minutes! Didn’t you say that the day changes during that time, Arborverde?" Cinnamon asked.

"Si! Nighttime creatures are completely different than in the day, but no less dangerous. And on top of that, Peppino still has to deal with both the Boss Monster and the Wave Event."

"He better brace himself then! Because it's gonna be nighttime in 10 seconds!"

During those last ten seconds, Peppino managed to gain one more level...

And chose the Fire Wand, as a red wooden rod with a black leather grip and its tip on fire, appeared on his right shoulder. It pointed itself in a direction and fired three bolts of flames at the nearest group of enemies.

Everyone could see the sunset turn darker as the timer hit 5 minutes, the forest was under nightfall. Any remaining Monsters faded away as new types were now closing in on Peppino's location.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - When The Cloud Drowns [Extended]

In the daytime, he started off with Bats, now Peppino's dealing with glowing Jellyfish in their place. And to add even more stress to it, the Wave Event was what Arborverde calls a 'Jelly Wall'. Just like at the Dairy Plant, a ten-foot circle of Jellyfish surrounded the Chef, and every 15 seconds, a new one spawns at Peppino's current location.

"Ugh, this sh*t again." he angrily muttered as he (at his own volition this time) awakened the Coffin Guardians which are once again 12 six-foot tall Skelewings. And to add on to the madness, the Boss Monster, a 12-foot tall dark purple, living Venus Flytrap called a Moon Nightshade, has also appeared.

Peppino decided to put his full focus on the Guardians as the Coffin was top priority. Thankfully a minute has passed, and the Wave Event ended, but floating green medusa heads, called 'Sneaky Heads' joined the free roaming Jellyfish. With both aforementioned Monsters floating in unpredictable patterns along with dealing with the much tankier ones, Peppino's health took a major hit, now sitting at around 40%.

It took around three minutes, but the last Skelewing fell, allowing full passage to the Coffin, breaking the Prison, and freeing the Employee...

"Bark bark!"

Who happened to be a white dog?

"Why was there-a dog in there!?" Peppino asked the million-dollar question and everyone, even Ella, was confused.

Arborverde however was unfazed. "I figured he would be in one of them! Peppino, get him outta there!" The Druid instructed.

"What!?"

"Just do it!"

Peppino scrambled to get the Backdoor activated as Arborverde addressed the dog. "O'Sole!" He perked up at his name being called. "Go through that door, you'll be safe there! And give this man your Weapon too!"

"WEAPON!?" Everyone exclaimed.

A male Dog named O'Sole Meeo, who is a Horde Survival Specialist (and Resident Good Boy) barked happily as he escaped through the Backdoor... But not before leaving his Weapon at Peppino's feet.

Peppino picked up a colorful bouquet of flowers that was left at his feet, which then levitated in front of him and disappeared in a small cloud of petals. Those petals then started swirling around Peppino's feet as they now have a faint aura from the ankle down.

But his awe was interrupted as a shrill beep from SurCam alerted him to the Boss Monster getting too close for comfort, getting past the ring of Bibles. Peppino turned around and dashed away to get some space, then turned back around to face it. Only to find a Chest in its place and flowers on the ground where he once stood, slowly fading away.

"Did that Boss just get its ass beaten by flowers !?" Xel asked.

"Really!? That's-a what happened!?" The Italian turned towards SurCam for confirmation and the Drone nodded.

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true!" Arborverde added. "Celestial Dusting is a Weapon that only works when you're moving. But when you are, it leaves a trail of flowers behind you, which then shed their petals in an explosion to deal damage to enemies near the flower trail. Not only that, it's also compatible with the Arcana you've chosen!"

"Can it be Evolved?" Ella asked.

"Nope! Well, at least not in the usual way. It can be evolved, but only O'Sole himself could do so. However..." Arborverde noticed something about Peppino's current Weapons as he continued towards the Fragment. "It seems that you have a bit of a dilemma for your Arsenal, Peppino."

"What do you mean-a?”

"I'm afraid you found O'Sole too early. Because now, you now have 3 Weapons, and are now unable to get more!"

"What!? But I had-a four Weapons at the other Gates! Why can't I get-a any more?"

"I think I understand what's going on here!" Ella began to explain. "When I first came to this Tower, there were Weapons and Passives lying around the stage like they were Power Ups. Some of them even had Guardians, like with the coffins. If you find them, you can collect them, but there's a catch. Get them too early while you still have Arsenal space, and you'll miss the chance of getting any more items or lock yourself out of an Evolution!"

"But if you wait until your Arsenal is full, then grab those items, you can get extra Weapons and Passives, along with the Arsenal you chose!"

"Exactly Signora Virtue! Collecting Stage Items, as Survivors call them, is basically cheating the system if you collect them at the right time. And with enough planning, you could even get multiple Evolutions in a single run!"

"Yeah...That makes sense!" Peppino pondered, as he collected the first Fragment. "I've always found the Survivors last."

"Looks like you got lucky those couple of times, huh?" Cinnamon said.

"Heh. Looks like I did!" Peppino collected the first Fragment then took another look at the Vital Tracker. "But hey, I have room for one more Passive!"

"That you do, amico!" Everyone can't see it, but they could hear the proud smile in Arborverde's tone. "We'll see what your choice is soon enough!"

Meanwhile, with the Spectators…

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - Vempair Survaivors [Extended]

As the timer reached 10 minutes, the sun rose, restarting the day cycle, and introducing Peppino to the next Boss Monster, a Giant Mantis, along with the blue Venus flowers from the Mad Forest. As he decides to go north for the next Fragment, the Spectators are having their own discussion.

"Damn! Imagine getting your ass kicked by some goddamn flowers!" Xel couldn’t help but chuckle at that statement. "Now that would be humiliating as all hell!"

"I still can’t get over the fact that a freaking dog even has a Weapon!" Ken said. "And he's a Survivor too?"

"Yes, he is! Surprising huh?" Arborverde said. "Survivors don't have to be limited to Humans or Humanoid Races. We accept all who wish to fight and protect innocents within our ranks! Along with the O'Sole the Dog, we have a Panda, some Ghosts, a Bone Serpent, a three headed Dragon about twice the size of your Dragonborn friend there, and more!"

"But we don't stop there! We even have allies from faraway lands in my world, with some non-Humanoids such as a Tanuki, and a giant Caterpillar. Even a race of cute, but suspicious looking Bean People from space wanted to join in on the action!"

Looking back at her team and the guests, Ella saw them interested in that bit of information and enraptured by the action on screen. However, she noticed someone deep in thought about something. "Something the matter, Merlin?" She asked the High Elf as he perked up in response.

"Oh! My apologies, I did not mean to look uninterested or anything. It's just that I have a... premonition about something."

"Like what?"

"A certain pattern we might have to deal with as we continue onward."

At Ella's confusion, Xanthe chuckled. "Maybe this will better explain it." As then spoke up for everyone to hear. "Arborverde! A question if you will?"

"Si! What is it, Signor?"

"What is the process of completing a Lap 2?" Everyone else's eyes lit up in realization. "If it is going to be just like with Gorgonzola, there is a high chance that Ricotta might lock Peppino in as a last-ditch effort to make him fail. It is best that we cover all of our bases at this point."

"Damn that's-a right!" Peppino also caught on with the inquiry and was also curious about the answer. "How does Lap 2 work on this floor?"

"Well, it's a good thing that you two asked now and not later! " The Druid chuckled. " Once again, this will be a long explanation. So, listen carefully!"

Back with Peppino…

"Peppino, I'm sure you noticed that crystal wall on your left whenever you entered the Gates, right?"

"Si."

"That's where the Lap 2 Portal is, and it can only be unlocked once the Pillar is down. But there is some good news and bad news once you go through there. There are multiple parts on both ends, so which would you like to hear first?"

"The good news."

"Okey dokey!" Arborverde cleared his throat before starting. "Number 1. When Lap 2 starts, the timer will reset back to 5 minutes, and you'll keep your Weapons and Passives at the current level you had before starting. Number 2. You'll be at the same distance, but a different area away from the Exit Point. Number 3. The number of Monsters you need to defeat in order to escape will be halved. But that's where the good news stops."

"The Bad News is that; Number 4. The cycle will once again start on what would spawn at the 25 Minute Mark. But all enemies will now have 50% more health. Which also includes the Boss Monster’s! And speaking of the Boss Monster, Number 5. Even if you made quota, so to speak, you NEED to defeat that Boss in order to leave!"

"All that for a Lap 2!" Xel exclaimed. "Damn! That's harsh!"

"Oh, but there's more!" The Guide continued. "Number 6. Any Exp Crystals collected during that time, will give you 50% less experience! That means you can't abuse the 'Free Healing Per Extra Level' strategy very often. But thankfully power ups and Floor Chicken are still fair game, and you’ll have a 50% higher chance of getting them. And finally, Number 7. Don't get too reliant on your Arcana… because they'll be deactivated during that time!"

Peppino's eyes widened in shock at the information. "Mama Mia! That's-a harsh for a Lap 2!"

"I know right!" The Dragonborn shouted.

"So it is shorter, but the enemies are stronger. And the experience collected is halved, but the Power Ups have a chance to show up more often." Xanthe observed. "This floor's Lap 2 gives a challenge, but balances out the difficulty with the boons."

"Precisely! You won't believe how many times Ricky and I had to tweak this process in order to make it both fair and challenging to our guests!"

As he defeated the Boss Monster and made it to the second Fragment, it was then that Peppino had made his decision on his final Passive.

"Yup! Peppino's got the hang of Weapon and Passive synergy alright!" Arborverde exclaimed. "The Duplicator is perfect for the three Weapons you have! While it can only be increased to level 2, this will add a maximum of 2 more projectiles to certain Weapons."

While it was hard to notice for the King Bible and Celestial Dusting, especially since the former and himself were constantly moving, Peppino did notice the Fire Wand shoot out one extra fire bolt, for a total of 4, at the enemies.

Vampire Survivors OST - When The Cloud Drowns [Extended]

With the timer at 15 minutes, the sun sets and night falls. One look at his map and the chef decides to go to the easternmost Fragment with the coffin on the way there, while dealing with plant based mobs along the way. The Boss Monster however, looked out of place, as it was a cloaked figure wearing a moon shaped mask that Arborverde called a 'Moon Guardian'.

With Peppino at a high enough level, his speed was now noticeably increased as he reached the Coffin and began dealing with the guardians. Keeping his distance between them and the Moon Guardian using the King Bible and Celestial Dusting to their fullest while the Fire Wand snipes enemies from afar, he manages to defeat all of them then the Boss. He first freed the Employee...

A male Wood Elf named Ardreth Duskgrove, who is the Haven Head Chef gratefully thanked him as he escaped through the Backdoor.

Then netted the chest that was dropped.

One of King Bibles floated in front of Peppino before being enveloped in a red flash. The blue leatherbound book was transformed into a darker brown one, with the white cross on the cover turned into a red V.

As it faded away, the blue bibles circling him started to move faster, with the pages flying out, their white color darkening into a pitch black. The bibles themselves faded away, turning into red demonic looking symbols encircling the Chef in a flurry of black pages. Any enemies that got too close were battered by those symbols, a few of them exploding and dealing heavy damage.

"Ah! This was the Evolution I saw Signora Virtue use when I first Scryed Ricky, the Unholy Vespers!" Arborverde said. "The Evolution of the King Bible and Spellbinder, and for good reason, since those symbols will never stop spinning! And as you can see from the explosions, it's also compatible with the Twilight Requiem Arcana."

Enemy Spawn Rates was beginning to climb as it was 1 minute away from the next daytime cycle. But so was Peppino's Level and Movement Speed as his Arsenal was fully maxed out.

With that increased speed, he was able to make it to the third Fragment and double time to the final one, deciding to reach the third Coffin after he did so.

Vampire Survivors OST - Vempair Survaivors [Extended]

One minute later, dawn breaks, and the Italian is now swarmed by what Arborverde calls, 'Forest Knights'. Green and Red variants of what looked like living knight armor possessed by trees, and a larger darker green version as the Boss Monster, tried and failed to get past the Unholy Vespers as Peppino finally reached the last Fragment needed.

SurCam pointed the way back to the entrance, but Peppino wasn't done yet as he had one more Employee to save. One mile later, he encountered and slayed the guardians in record time, freeing their captive from the Coffin and the Crystal Prison.

A female Human named Emma Woods, who is the Haven Gardener gratefully thanked him as she escaped through the Backdoor.

"All Fragments collected, and all Employees rescued!" Cinnamon announced. "The Pillar's now open!"

"Getting that Crown was a good idea to save time!" Ella added. "Your Arsenal was maxed out way earlier than usual!"

"Indeed." Xanthe agreed. "But Peppino must finish this Gate quickly, lest Ricotta attempts to hinder him."

"Right." Mowing down any mobs in his way, Peppino reached the door and entered in a flash.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Meatophobia (Near Pillar John)

As the light died down, he walked down the chapel hall and approached the Crystal Pillar. Celestial Dusting is useless in this situation, and while the Fire Wand can do damage from a distance, the Unholy Vespers was the way to go. Stepping close enough so that the border of profane symbols was battering the Pillar, it was the Fire Wand that landed the final blow.

Death Approaches in: 5 Minutes

Enemies Slain: 0/200

Turning right back around and exiting the chapel, Peppino found that it was still nighttime in Il Molise, with the full moon on display. Looking around, swarms of blue and green Ghosts were closing in, until a beep from SurCam warned him of a glowing blue circle underneath the Chef's feet.

"Peppino! Move away from there!" Ella shouted in alarm. However, the warning came too late as a bolt of energy from the sky struck down at that circle while Peppino was halfway out, reducing his health to 40%.

"What was that!?" He shouted.

"That was the Wave Event, Shooting Stars." Arborverde explained. "Whenever you see that circle, you have a few seconds to get out of its range before a Star lands in that area. But that's not all,"

SurCam beeped more urgently as it pointed the Mage Hand towards one of the Monsters approaching them. Following the direction, Peppino found what looked like a Boss Monster-sized green spectral deer, a Stag judging by the size and shape of its horns, slowly walking towards him.

"Those Shooting Stars are also a part of that Boss' attack." the Druid finished.

"What is that creature?" Xanthe, the Ranger that he is, looks mystified by this spectral Stag, as Peppino tries to avoid it and head to the Exit. "Just by looking at it, you can tell that it looks like a guardian of the forest."

"And you would be right, Signor! That is the Avatar of Gaea, a creature from my world that shows up in magical forests every full moon."

"I'm-a not wasting my time on it! I'm-a getting out of here!" The Italian pushed forward, mowing down Ghosts and dodging stars.

Death Approaches in: 3 Minutes

Enemies Slain: 96/200

The Unholy Vespers was extremely helpful as almost half of the 'quota' was reached. But Peppino ultimately decided to ignore the Avatar of Gaea since, as Xanthe pointed out earlier, there's a chance that he might have to complete a Lap 2.

And the Stag took that personally as it rapidly fired Shooting Stars, spreading out in multiple spots at Peppino's general vicinity. All while he had to deal with a massive surplus of red, blue, and green 'Moon Snakes', replacing the ghosts.

"Goddamn!" Ken exclaimed, looking at the screen full of Snakes and the Boss Monster with Peppino and SurCam in the middle. "It's like those Bats all over again!"

"But at least Peppino's having less hassle with them!" Xel added. "That Weapon's doing work!"

Arborverde chuckled. "Indeed it is! Unholy Vespers is a great Evolution that works best against big crowds. Especially if you're surrounded by all sides."

"And he's almost done too!" Cinnamon reported, looking at the counter. And true to her word, Peppino took down a few more enemies until...

Death Approaches in: 1 Minute 56 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 200/200

Exit Point Is Now Active

Good timing too, as Peppino was 10 feet from the door as it reappeared. Dodging a few more Stars, he ran inside, enveloped in a flash. As the light died down, he returned to the chapel hall with the Weapons, Passives, and Arcana fading away, and made a mad dash to the exit.

But just as he reached the door...

SLAM!!!

"Dannazione! (Goddammit!)" Peppino cursed as the exit slammed shut, forcing himself to a stop. "I knew it was-a too good to be true!"

"Ricotta!" Arborverde yelled, anger and frustration could be heard in his disembodied voice. "What is the meaning of this!?"

The intercoms crackled as the Floor Guardian's voice could be heard amongst the chaos. "I think you know exactly the meaning of this." He spoke. Peppino growled in frustration before Ricotta continued. "Spaghetti, you proven to understand the ways of Surviving my world." A smirk could be heard in his tone. "But can you handle the Horde Zone at its worst? Do a second lap and experience the hell that a Survivor truly goes through!" And with that, the intercom shuts off.

Xanthe sighed as he spoke up. "Now do you see why I asked how Lap 2 works?"

"I do now!" The Guide then addressed the Chef. "Get to the portal Peppino! Show Ricky that you can handle the pressure!"

With the crystal wall down, the Lap 2 Portal, now activated and glowing purple, could be seen. As Peppino stepped on, the Arcana Card 'Twilight Requiem' appeared in front of him then shattered as if it was made of glass with the shards fading away, before he himself was whisked away in a purple flash.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - The Death That I Deservioli (Lap 2)

Peppino found himself back at Il Molise during the nighttime cycle with the complete Arsenal that he chose. A look at the Vital Tracker shows more messages popping up as Lap 2 officially starts.

Death Approaches in: 5 Minutes

Experience Gain has Decreased by 50%

Enemy And Boss Monster Health Has Increased by 50%

Enemies Slain: 0/100

Boss Monster Slain: 0/1

Once again, he's swarmed by the Ghosts, followed by a more active Avatar of Gaea as multiple glowing blue spots on the ground could be seen. Dodging the cluster of Shooting Stars, Peppino was starting to truly see the difficulty spike, as some of those Ghosts were beginning to pass through Unholy Vespers' boundary.

"Remember Peppino, you must defeat that Avatar to escape!" Arborverde reminded. "Keep moving and find some torches! You also have a higher chance to get power ups!"

The Spectators are beginning to see the struggle that the Pizza Chef was going through. Stronger enemies taking longer to slay. Less Experience to gain, making it longer to level up and heal. And with no Arcana, Peppino's damage output is significantly lower, unless he 'Rages'.

Death Approaches in: 3 Minutes 42 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 43/100

Boss Monster Slain: 0/1

Case in point, it's been over a minute and Peppino was almost halfway with the first escape requirement. But he's been lucky to find Floor Chicken and a Magnet in some torches, healing him back to almost full. The main problem is getting rid of the Avatar and its now increased health and durability as it could easily get past the rapidly spinning barrier and closer to Peppino. With the addition of those Moon Snakes joining in with the Ghosts. And with him running out of room to move at full speed, Celestial Dusting was now not as useful as it has once been.

Until Ella noticed something drop from a torch that would greatly help him. "Peppino, grab that stopwatch there! Hurry!"

Peppino's head was on a swivel as he saw the yellow and blue flashing stopwatch on the ground, making his way to it. As he got close enough, it got absorbed into the Vital Tracker. A blue flash enveloped the entire forest as all the Monsters were now tinted blue and frozen in place. Peppino however, could still move as his Weapons were still active.

Arborverde gasped as he saw it as well. "That's perfect! That Orologion or the Stopwatch can stop time for 10 seconds! Hurry Paisano, get some free hits in!"

Heeding the Druid's advice, and noticing that he's not taking any contact damage, Peppino weaved through the Horde and around the Avatar using the time stop and Celestial Dusting to its advantage. Looking at the Tracker and seeing four seconds left on the Stopwatch's duration, he quickly moved to a safe spot where Unholy Vespers could reach the spectral stag at its maximum distance.

When the watch's timer reached zero...

Color returned to the world and multiple Monsters, except for the Avatar of Gaea, were slain. More than enough to complete the quota.

Death Approaches in: 1 Minutes 24 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 100/100

Boss Monster Slain: 0/1

The Spectators cheered as the Italian Hero was one step closer to freedom. "That Boss Monster has be on its last legs right about now." Xel said.

"You're also close to the Exit Point too!" Cinnamon reported. "Hold the line, Peppino!"

It seemed that the number of Shooting Stars rained down upon the Chef were doubled as so many blue circles popped up around Peppino's general vicinity. Even with his now 200% Movement Speed, he couldn't dodge them all. And without his natural powers, he can't Parry any of them.

But there was something he could do, as his health was now at 20%.

As he kept his distance, he used Unholy Vespers at its fullest as his Rage Passive Bonus kicks in. Ghosts and Moon Snakes were disappearing left and right as Peppino's damage output was doubled. And it finally paid off as the Avatar of Gaea faded away, leaving a treasure chest in its place.

Death Approaches in: 26 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 100/100

Boss Monster Slain: 1/1

Exit Point Is Now Active

That chest was ignored in favor of the Exit Door appearing a foot in front of Peppino. Without skipping a beat, he burst through with SurCam at his heels.

As he was back in the chapel hall he dashed towards the door, the Weapons and Passives fading away. For good this time. But just as he was a foot from the exit, a familiar voice rang out.

"You have done well to not summon me to your demise, Peppino Spaghetti. May we meet again on the third floor."

Pepper Reaper's voice fades as Peppino exited the Gate with 10 seconds to spare.

Music Stops

Peppino stumbled out onto the Hub Floor, falling to a knee trying to catch his breath. Gustavo and Bruno rushed to him to check on him. "You had us-a worried there for-a sec, amico!" Gustavo said, patting his friend's back in encouragement.

"Really cutting close." Bruno carefully helped his Progenitor on his feet.

Xel whistled. "Man, we didn't hear a peep from you! Musta been really focused there!"

"I was!" Peppino took a deep breath to steady his breathing before continuing. "Had to do some-a careful positioning in order to do the most damage to that-a Boss Monster."

"Well all that 'careful positioning' really paid off, Paisano!" Arborverde boomed. "Because now, you're right at Ricky's doorstep! He's got no choice but to let you in!"

Everyone perked up as the intercom crackled once more. "Well damn." Ricotta said, slight disappointment in his voice. "And I thought that would buy time for the Reaper to catch you. Oh well."

Music- [1 HOUR] Iron Green Intent Cover - Vampire Survivors: Boss Music Remixes

"I warned you about this outcome, Ricotta!" Ella retorted.

“That you did Signora.” He chuckled a bit before continuing. "But it looks like she was also right about you Spaghetti, you really are a fast learner. What took me years to master, you did it in less than two hours."

Peppino had a proud smirk on his face. "What can I say, I had-a damn good teacher!" He responded. "And considering that you're-a his protege, there's no doubt that you're-a gonna be-a real challenge."

Ricotta was taken aback. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked, confusion laced in his tone. "My father was the one who taught me how to be a Survivor, and he's been dead for 10 years." The tone then turned annoyed. "And I'm not anyone's 'protege' other than my own! So unless my dad's ghost is still around, I don't know who the hell's been guiding you other than you Columns Corp Agents!"

Everyone, except the birds, slowly turned towards the branch on Cinnamon’s equipment. "Arborverde..." Ella started.

"And before you all ask, no, I'm not his father! I did know him before his passing, though." The Druid then raised his voice to address the Guardian in an angry tone. "Ricotta, if this is some sort of f*cking joke, it isn't funny! Or did that Pizza sh*t really f*ck up your head that badly to forget your own Mentor!?"

The Guardian huffs. "I'm not even gonna dignify that with an answer." Arborverde was (verbally) taken aback by the response before Ricotta addressed Peppino. "But I'll admit Spaghetti, while I'm pissed that you managed to master the art of Surviving in mere hours, you still managed to reach me. And I'm kinda glad that you did." He let out a sinister chuckle. "Because those Agents and that nessuno of a guide that you have won't save you from the beatdown that I'm gonna give you!"

Arborverde couldn’t believe his (nonexistent) ears. "Nessuno? A nobody?" he whispered.

"Head on into the Arena. Don’t keep me waiting." The Survivor curtly finished before shutting off the intercom.

At that moment, the three crystals atop of the Gates glowed before the three above the Boss Gate glowed in kind. The Gladiator Arena-like door slowly creaked open as the metal gate rose and a wave of light slowly moved upwards from the floor, covering the entrance. That light revealed a humanoid shadow having five Weapons in their possession; the Whip and Vento Sacro at their hips, the Magic Wand in one hand, a gray diamond shaped stone that Peppino remembered was called the Runetracer in the other, and stabbed into the ground near them is a Knife.

Just like with Gorgonzola, while everything but the Weapons were covered in shadow, two glowing purple eyes could be seen, along with a purple crystal around their neck.

"That Ricotta?" Bruno asked.

"Doesn't look like much though." Xel added. "Unless... He doesn't start off with those 5 Weapons right off the bat or something, does he Arborverde?"

" ... "

No response. Even the birds on Xanthe's shoulders looked worried for their friend.

"Arborverde?" Cinnamon called out, looking at the enchanted branch near her. "Are you still there?"

"…He forgot about me..."

Everyone went silent as they heard the hurt in Arborverde's voice. But that hurt evolved into anger as he growled out. "That bastardo made Ricotta forget about me!"

"It seems that Ebony and Peachone are not happy about that as well." Xanthe added as the two birds' feathers ruffled in their own version of anger.

"Why would Pizzahead even do that!?" Ella asked. "Making Ricotta forget about PepperJack I understand, but why Arborverde too?"

"There's-a only one way to find out." Turning towards the entrance, Peppino cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, loosening himself up. "Beat that mind control outta him!"

But just as he was about to take a step...

"Peppino, wait!"

Music Stops

He stopped as Arborverde called out. The Druid's tone was dead serious as he continued. "I suggest that you take a break. Because the fight against Ricotta will be taxing to both the body and the mind."

"He's right." Ella added. "This fight is basically what you've been doing on this floor, but against another person. And Ricotta has a lot more experience and knowledge on what Weapons and Passives work best together."

"Not to mention that you're running ragged yourself!" Cinnamon piped up with SurCam nodding and looking worried for his charge. "Take a 10-minute breather. Ricotta won't be going anywhere."

The chef closed his eyes and took a deep breath, accessing the situation. The Navigator was right, he's exhausted and wanted to rush in just to get it over with. And he doesn’t know what he's about to deal with and how to deal with him. I'm getting impatient, reckless. He thought to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. Peppino you maledetto idiota (f*cking idiot)! You should know better not to rush into unknown territory blind!

Another breath and he relaxed, turning to the party. "You're-a right." he relented. "Sorry about that. I was-a about to bite off more than I could chew there."

Arborverde chuckled. "Glad you came back to your senses there!" he joked, his voice returning to his normal, more jovial tone. "Because you were about to face Ricky without knowing how his fight works or any special abilities he has!"

Peppino's eyes widened in realization. "Special abilities?"

"Of course! Remember, he's a Survivor, one that's under my tutelage! So I know about his Passive Ability, statistics, and then some! It's also in the Morbane Database under his name as well, if you want to look him up."

As Cinnamon started typing, he continued. "It's best to use this time to discuss your opponent and the Arena you're about to enter. Boss Rash is no ordinary Arena or Stadium that you all are familiar with, since it has its own set of rules for the battles held there."

"Boss Rash!?" Everyone except Ella and Brick, who tilted his head in confusion, parroted.

"The hell kind of arena name is that!?" Ken asked as Ella, Peachone and Ebony, who were still on Xanthe's shoulders, silently giggled at everyone's reaction.

"Well, that's as good a spot as any to start explaining then."

Peppino joined the group and sat down next to Gustavo and Bruno, listening in. He's glad to have allies to keep him in line lest he does something stupid like what he almost did. I need to take my time with this damn Tower. One wrong mistake and Pizzahead will capitalize on it. His mind flashed back to the recording, seeing the Toon's glowing purple pupils glare directly into his soul.

“I’m ready for you.”

You'll be ready for me, you say? We'll see about that. One of his fists clenched as he reignited his resolve. Just you wait…

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 15: Chapter 14- F2 Boss- Descendant of the Survivors, Ricotta Belpaese

Summary:

The time has come for Peppino to step into the ring and attempt to beat Ricotta at his own game. But both he and Pizzahead pulls another scheme to not only get the upper hand, but slander the Chef in the process.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 14- F2 Boss- Descendant of the Survivors, Ricotta Belpaese

"Boss Rash!?" Everyone except Ella and Brick, who tilted his head in confusion, parroted.

"The hell kind of arena name is that!?" Ken asked as Ella, Peachone and Ebony, who were still on Xanthe's shoulders, silently giggled at everyone's reaction.

"Well, that's as good a spot as any to start explaining then." Arborverde cleared his throat and began to explain.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - The Beginning [Extended]

"Centuries ago, a group of architects decided to build a Colosseum to promote Arena Fights. Only to find out that it was smack dab in the middle of a Horde Zone. And a more powerful one at that, as that specific Zone, while smaller than the others, can spawn more Boss Monsters than usual."

"Figuring that that could profit off of this, the arena was restructured to surround that Zone so all Monsters could spawn inside the arena area proper. Then throughout the ages, upgraded that area providing more control over it thanks to technology. As for the name, it was supposed to be called 'Boss Rush', but some idiota had it misspelled, and the name just stuck!"

Everyone chuckled at that.

"Now here's how Boss Rash works. The rules will change depending on whether the fighters are Survivors or Guests. But if you pick a fight with the Champion, they will make the rules, so long as it's reasonable. Thankfully Ricotta has his own set of rules more suited towards Guests and based off of one of his Passive Bonuses."

"Bonuses?" Ella asked. "He has more than one too?"

"Si! Have a look!"

Cinnamon pulled up Ricotta’s profile in the Morbane Archive, projecting it to the party.

Name- Ricotta Belpaese

Starting Weapon- Has a choice of 5: WHIP, MAGIC WAND, KNIFE, RUNETRACER, or VENTO SACRO

Passive Bonus- Starts with one extra level. Has a choice of 5 possible weapons as his starting weapon. Has one free revive on death and will recover 100% of his health.

Stats

Might- +20%

Revival- +1

"Ricotta has stats befitting his stubborn nature, as he starts with a higher Attack and a free Revive once he's been downed. It may not look like much, but his multiple choices for Starting Weapons make up for it. And he applies that to his Arena Rules.

"Since Peppino doesn't have a Weapon of his own, he has the same choice of 5 Weapons that Ricky naturally has. The Whip, Magic Wand, Knife, Runetracer, and Vento Sacro. Weapons used by previous members of the Belpaese Family. Peppino as the Challenger has first pick, then Ricky follows suit.

"The two of you will be fighting both the Horde and each other. But, as I mentioned earlier, you will be fighting more Boss Monsters than usual. The Bosses there are different from the previous ones you encountered. Some will have less health but still tanky, others with less defense but still has high health.

"How combat will work is that you each will have a maximum of three Weapons and Passives, and no more. All Arcanas are disabled. And since treasure chests will no longer drop from Boss Monsters, you cannot have Evolutions unless you naturally start with one. But defeating a Boss will get you a lot of EXP.

“Just like in the Dairy Plant, there will also be traps that will summon other mobs, such as Bat swarms or more Boss Monsters. The locations of these traps will switch randomly every minute, so be sure to watch your step!

"But there's a twist! Both of you will be building your Arsenal from the same item pool, so neither of you will have the same Weapon or Passive. So your best strategy is to snag anything that will give Ricky an advantage and lock him out of it!”

“But you need to act fast, Peppino. Ricky's known to land some free hits whenever his opponent gets too distracted. So don't overthink your options. Remember your Weapon-Passive synergy and go with your gut! Er, no offense!"

Peppino shrugged. "None taken. At least you didn't-a mean that in-a negative way."

The Druid chuckled a bit before continuing. "Unlike the other Gates, you will have 15 Minutes to take Ricky down. Failure to do so will be an automatic win for him, as he is the champion. And don't waste too much time on his 'First Phase' so to speak, you need to down him twice to make it count as a victory."

"Got it."

Ella looked at the opened Gate. "Can't keep Ricotta waiting too long." She said before turning to Peppino. "Ready to head in?"

With a stern nod he stood up, stretching to loosen up his muscles. "Si. I'm ready." SurCam followed his charge as he made his way to the entrance. But just as Peppino was a few feet away...

"One more thing, Peppino!"

The Chef turned around as Arborverde called out, his tone serious as he said his last piece of advice.

"Do not hold back on Ricotta. In the off chance that you have to literally punch the brainwash outta him, do it."

Peppino gave a nod, before turning back to the Gate and walking through with SurCam following behind.

Music- Arena Crowd | Layer Ambience | 1 Hour

When the two of them emerged, they were greeted with a more brightly lit hallway than the one leading to Gorgonzola. Torches lined the walls, illuminating the way forward. But if anyone listened closely, they could hear what could be described as yelling, but the thick stone walls muffled it.

"Anyone else-a hearing that?" Peppino asked.

"Don't worry, that's normal." Answered Arborverde. "Remember, Boss Rash is an arena. And what do you usually hear in arenas?"

"...People cheering."

"Exactly!"

"And if they're cheering right now," Ella pondered. "Then they know that Peppino's here!"

"That's right! This Boss Gate leads directly to one of the fighter's entrances of the arena. And the moment that Peppino stepped through, Ricky was alerted to his presence. Which would mean that he already told the Announcer to, well, announce you once you enter the Arena proper."

"So now what do I do?" The Chef asks.

"Wait by the gate until the Announcer finishes, then it will open."

"Then let's start prepping!" Cinnamon said. "SurCam, cloak!"

As the Drone casts Invisibility on itself, the Druid spoke up. "I suggest that you keep your drone as far away from Peppino as possible. You can still watch him from afar but be warned. The Announcer has the ability to see invisible creatures and objects, and if that drone gets too close to the action, Peppino will be accused of cheating."

"Got it! Hear all that, SurCam?" The drone beeped in acknowledgement.

"Go ahead and get ready, Peppino." Ella said. "Keep your wits, and you can beat Ricotta at his own game."

The Italian nodded before taking a deep breath and walking forward. As he did so, the cheering became more clearer as he heard another voice amongst the noise speaking loudly.

"-for the delay, everyone! But we now have confirmation that our Challenger has arrived and is awaiting his challenge against our reigning champion!"

Looking through the grating, Peppino has a direct view of the Arena floor, where all the battles take place. Right in the middle, standing in a grassy tiled area was a person clad in a red outfit with a blue cape. He couldn't see much else, until he noticed the massive tv screens on the opposite wing of the colosseum, giving a close up on the person in red.

This person, most likely the announcer since he was carrying a microphone, was a much older male. His hair, bushy mustache, eyebrows, and goatee was a peppered white. A prominent pointy nose, elf-like ears similar to Xanthe's, and bright red eyes filled the screen as he continued with a bombastic voice.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and everyone in between! Welcome!” He quickly casted Mage Hand to have it grab the mic and hold it to his mouth. Then spread out his now free arms as he shouted. “To the Boss Rash Survival Arena!"

The Crowd roared; the Arena now alive with energy. Peppino could hear those cheers through his very bones. He gulped, shaking in fear of having all those eyes on him.

"I'm Big Trouser! Your Announcer Extraordinaire of this here glorious Arena! And it is time for the moment that you people have been waiting for! It's time for...THE EXHIBITION!!!"

Turn down the music until it’s barely audible

As the crowd roared once again, SurCam turned towards his charge. The party could now see Peppino's steadily increasing anxiety. His palms and forehead were sweating profusely. His breathing was starting to get faster, almost to the point of hyperventilation. Gustavo and Bruno could see the very familiar expression of fear in their friend's eyes. "Peppino!" The Gnome called out. "Calm down amico ! Deep breaths!"

"Try to tune out everyone else!" Ella suggested. "Focus on the announcer and Ricotta once you see him!"

In Arborverde's hiding spot, the Druid also noticed the Chef's stage fright and could hear his rapid breathing. He’s just like Ricky at his first Boss Rash match. He thought to himself. He could see the words of his allies get through to him . But he needs more than words. And since none of us can be there in person... Through the branch on Peppino's person, he focused more of his power through it, casting a cantrip.

Peppino jumped a bit as he felt a warm feeling in his pocket and on his shoulder. He and SurCam found a light green Mage Hand , firmly grasping the Italian's right shoulder. Reaching into his pocket, Peppino pulled out the golden branch, which was glowing the same green light as the Hand.

"Heed their words, Peppino." The Guide's tone was more comforting than usual as he continued. "While we cannot be at your side, we can still see you. We can still cheer for you. Take Signora Virtue's advice, but don't just focus on Ricotta or the announcer. Focus on us as well."

The Chef's breathing began to slow as he then took Gustavo's advice and took some deep breaths, closing his eyes.

"Tune out everything in the stands and keep your eyes on the challenge in front of you. Literally. Remember why you are here and use that to strengthen your resolve."

Peppino took one last breath, exhaling slowly. He clenched his fists, remembering the clown that lured him to this Tower, imprisoned these innocent people, and corrupted their Guardians. That familiar spike of rage broke through his anxiety, giving him the clarity he needed to compose himself. As he opened his eyes, the Spectators could now see that fear gone, as focused determination could be seen.

The Mage Hand gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, as Arborverde's voice emanated from the branch. "Ready to settle this Paisano?"

SurCam beeped in concern as the Chef looked at the branch, then, since it made enough noise to pinpoint its location, directly at the Drone. From the Spectators point of view, Peppino was staring everyone dead in the eyes as he made sure that everyone heard him. "Let's-a go."

Everyone on the Hub Floor cheered as the Mage Hand gave him a pat on the shoulder before disappearing. The branch lost its glow as Peppino then put it away.

Set the music back to your original volume.

"And now, without further ado,” Big Trouser spread his arms, gesturing to the two opposing iron gates. “Let’s open the gates and meet our competitors!"

The gate rumbled before rising up, giving Peppino an exit and a full, unblocked view of the Arena before him. He tentatively walked out, shielding his eyes from the blinding sun. The noise of the cheering crowd roared in his ears and the sound vibrations could be felt in his very bones.

“Don’t just stand there amico!” Since Peppino still has the enchanted branch on him, Arborverde’s voice could be heard loud and clear despite the uproar. “Head on to the middle where Trouser is!”

Music- Side B- Vampire Survivors (Make sure this repeats, I can’t find an extension.)

The Chef gulped as he made his way to the center of the Arena, as Trouser began his introduction. "Our Challenger today is an Outsider! A pizza chef with incredible speed and strength, and a temper as powerful as the Italian blood that runs through his veins! Too bad that power of his won’t be much useonce the Horde Zone is activated! But despite his Outsider status and being exposed to a Horde Attack for less than 2 hours, he's no slouch to Surviving! Give it up for the Powerful Pizzaiolo! PEPPINO SPAGHETTI!!!"

Gustavo chuckled at the title given to his friend. "Heh. 'Powerful Pizzaiolo'. It-a really fits him!"

The Agents however looked confused. "What does ‘Pizzaiolo’ mean anyway?" Xel asked.

"Pizza chef!" Bruno answered.

The Agent's eyes lit up as they understood the meaning of the new moniker. "Damn! That Trouser guy really knows how to make an intro!" Ken commented.

"Big Trouser's a High Elf with 150 years of announcer experience under his belt. As well as an old friend of mine." Arborverde added. "He's picked up multiple tricks on how to introduce others and hype up a crowd!"

Trouser then gestured to the figure walking calmly towards him and Peppino. "And our current reigning Champion! He is the most recent descendant of the great Belpaese Family! His multifaceted skill with not one, but five Starting Weapons is unmatched! And his determination passed down from generation to generation makes him near impossible to put down!”

Now that he’s closer, Peppino can now get a better look at his opponent. Wearing brown, black, and teal leather armor and boots, was a man that looked around 25 years old, with purple hair and stubble on his chin. The armor was sleeveless, showing off lean, muscular arms littered with old scars. But the main focus was a necklace with a very familiar purple crystal adorning it, its glow matching the young man's matching purple eyes.

“Make some noise for the Survivor Prodigy and our Arena Champion! RICOTTA BELPAESE!!!"

Music Stops

As the crowd cheered, Ricotta stopped a few feet in front of Peppino, folding his arms. "About time you stepped foot here." He sneered. "I thought you chickened out."

"I'm-a not chickening out on a chance to piledrive that-a cheesy bastardo a second time!" Peppino retorted. "And if I have to go through you to do so, so be it."

The Guardian scoffed but said nothing more.

"Now, I know all of you are ready for the smackdown!" Trouser said to the audience. "But before we start, I need to discuss something with them really quick! One moment please!"

He then turned off his microphone before turning to Peppino and crossing his arms. The Chef was taken aback by the now serious frown on the Announcer's face. "Signor, I can see that invisible drone right behind you in the distance ever since you stepped foot here." He said in a disapproving tone. "We do not allow outside equipment of any kind in this Arena. So give me a good reason why I shouldn’t disqualify you here and now."

Before Peppino could stammer out a response, Ricotta stepped in. "It's fine, Trouser." he said. "Both myself and our Sponsor kept an eye on him in the other Zones. That Drone is only for surveillance and communication with an outside party."

At the Hub Floor, Cinnamon smirked. "Good, Pizzahead doesn't know the other features that our Drones have. But to make it fair, we won't use them on Peppino during this fight."

Trouser nodded in understanding. Being one of the few natives in this world that knows about the CheddarSpice Tower's existence, he knows about Ricotta's role as one of the Guardians. "I see..." he turned to Peppino. "And will this 'outside party' try to give you advice?" he asked.

"N-no. They-a only told me what I-a needed to know before coming here."

Trouser kept his gaze on his for a few more seconds before his face softened. "Okie dokey!" He then cast a look at the location of where SurCam is. "But if that Drone does anything besides observe, I will end the match in Ricotta's favor. Capire? (Understand?)"

"Si."

He turned to the Guardian. "And we’re gonna be using your Rules, right?"

"Si "

"Bene! (Good!) Hm?" He paused for a second before holding a hand to an ear. "Yes?" His eyes then widened in surprise. "He's watching!?... Right away!" Clearing his throat and turning his mic back on, Trouser then addressed the crowd. "Apologies for that, everyone! But I also have word that our new Sponsor is watching this showdown as well!"

"New Sponsor!?" Ironclad Resolve (and Guests) parroted.

"It-a better not be who I think it is..." Peppino muttered.

"So let's give a warm Boss Rash Welcome to the one! The only!" Trouser grandly gestured to the giant main stadium screen as he announced the name of the unwanted face that popped up on there. "PIZZAHEAD!!!"

"ARE YOU f*ckING KIDDING ME!?" Ricotta chuckled at his opponent's reaction as he roared out that sentence.

Music- Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!: Astral Knight Intro HD

Pizzahead himself also managed to see and hear Peppino's yell and gave a quick giggle before greeting the crowd. "Why hello there, Ladies and Gentlemen!" The audience cheered louder. "I heard that a very special fight was about to go down! So I wanted to see this with my own two eyes!" He then leaned in, setting his sights on the heavyweight Human. "Especially since I'm well acquainted with the Challenger there!"

"Is that so!?" Trouser perked up, before turning to said Challenger. "Friend of yours, Signor Spaghetti?”

Peppino snarled. "Enemy is more like it!"

The 'Sponsor' giggled once more, dismissively waving a hand. "Oh he's just exaggerating! If anything, we're more like Rivals!”

"That's-a lie and you know it!" he angrily shouted at the screen in response.

"But don't let little ol’ me keep you! Let's get this show on the road!" He then turned towards the Survivor. "Ricotta! Take care of him for me if you would!"

Ricotta smirked and gave a thumbs up. "You got it Boss!"

Pizzahead gave one last wave before the feed switched back to Trouser. "Well then! Now that we got the business part out of the way, let's get into the pleasure! Your VIEWING PLEASURE!!!"

The crowd roared then quieted down as he began to explain the rules.

"You all know the song and dance! Fifteen Minutes! Three Weapons! Three Passives! No Arcanas! And with all items under a shared choice pool, there will also be no duplicates!"

"But for this battle, we will also be using Belpaese's own Custom Rules! As an Outsider, Spaghetti does not have his own Weapon. So he will share the same First Choice Pool as Ricotta's Passive Bonus! Once they have made their decision, we can begin the carnage!"

With a very audible snap of Trouser’s fingers, five glowing circles appeared behind the podium. When the light died down, five pedestals appeared, each with a Weapon on top. The Whip, Magic Wand, Knife, Runetracer, and Vento Sacro.

"Since you are the Challenger Signor Spaghetti, you get first pick! Head on up and take the Weapon of your choice!"

Peppino stepped up and evaluated his choices. He's never used the Knife or Runetracer, and with the high stakes of this battle, this was not the best time to test them out. He was about to reach for the Magic Wand, for familiarity’s sake, until he remembered something that Arborverde mentioned about one of the other Weapons.

"Ah, the Vento Sacro! One of Ricky's favorites!"

And since opponents cannot have the same Weapon, he can lock Ricotta out of one of his best Weapons. Peppino changed his mind and made his decision, taking the glowing whip off its pedestal.

"Spaghetti takes the Vento Sacro!" The whip glowed and started orbiting the Chef as he made his way back to Trouser's side.

Ricotta growled at his opponent's decision, a prominent snarl on his face. "Dammit!" He huffed before composing himself. "Fine, take it! Nothing will change anyway." Before the Announcer could say anything, the Survivor strode up to the Weapons and snatched the Whip.

"And Belpaese chooses the Whip!" Once they were both back in the middle with their Weapons at the ready, he continued. "Now before we get things started, anything you two want to say to each other?"

"I do." Said Ricotta. "But this is only for Spaghetti's ears."

Trouser sighed. "Very well. Give us a moment yet again everyone!" He turned off his mic and signaled the man to continue.

"You've given my Boss hell for far too long ciccione (fat*ss). And since Gorgonzola can’t do her damn job, I have to pick up the slack. Heh, if the Horde doesn’t beat me to it, that is." His purple eyes narrowed. "I don't know who this Guide of your group is, but I've been given orders to end him when I find him. So once you and those Agents are dead, he's next."

The Announcer gulped at the severity of the purple haired man's tone, before turning to Peppino. "Anything you want to add, Signor?”

Peppino narrowed his eyes in kind. "Let's-a just get this over with. The sooner I beat him at-a his own game, the sooner I can-a get to his so-called Boss."

"Okay then..." Trouser composed himself, returning to his more showman like tone as he turned on his mic. "Unfortunately, those fighting words had to be private. But now that we got that part out of the way, we can finally prepare for the main event!" Another snap, and the Weapons disappeared. This time, two white glowing circles appeared twenty feet behind the fighters. "Gentlemen, take your spots at those zones and we will begin shortly!"

The men turned around and made their way to their designated spots. As they did so, Peppino and the Tower Spectators took a look at their surroundings. The perimeter of the arena wasn't round like most people expected, but square. In each of its four corners, was a grassy tiled area just like in the middle. And right above it all, was the audience. Races and creatures of all kinds cheering and eating various snacks, ready for the action to begin.

As he stood in the glowing zone and turned around to face Ricotta, Peppino remembered Arborverde's advice. Tune out the audience. Focus on the challenge in front of me. Focus on my allies.

Using the spell Misty Step , Trouser disappeared and reappeared in the Announcer's Booth facing the north side of the Arena, giving him a bird's eye view of the battleground. He spent a few moments typing into a control panel before speaking into his mic. "This is it everyone! One more countdown and we can finally begin! Initiating the Horde Zone... now!" And with that he pushed the button needed to begin the process.

Music Stops

An alarm blared throughout the stadium as an automated voice announced. "Artificial Horde Zone is now activated. Incoming Horde in T Minus, 60 seconds."

Around the Arena perimeter, a glowing white screen rose into the air forming a protective dome shaped force field covering it. Another glowing screen, this one colored a bright red, rose up in a thirty-foot-tall wall, surrounding the four Arena walls.

"What's with the light show there?" Xel asked.

"That force field is to keep all Monsters inside the arena walls, also preventing any stray attacks from Monster and Survivor alike from hitting the audience." Arborverde explained, with Peppino listening in. "That red wall is called a Spawn Boundary, a gateway where Monsters will be entering the arena from."

Cinnamon was typing on her laptop. "I had SurCam scan Ricotta just in case he had anything on him that he could use to cheat." She spoke. "Nothing out of the ordinary aside from the Crystal, but the info we have matches his Passive Bonus."

Name: Ricotta Belpaese

Race: Human

Damage Immunities- None

Damage Weaknesses- None

Condition Immunities- None

Spells Known: None

Special Abilities:

Belpaese Bloodline- Before starting a battle, Ricotta can choose one of five weapons based on the signature weapons of his ancestors as a Starting Weapon: Whip, Runetracer, Knife, Magic Wand, or Vento Sacro

Will To Survive- While within a Horde Zone, after falling to 0% Health once, Ricotta will be revived back to 100% after a few seconds. Can be used once per day.

Status Effects:

Horde Zone- An inescapable forcefield surrounding the Target(s) in a 500-foot radius is now active. This area is now a concentration point for enemy monsters originating from this world. Special Weapons originating from this world are now active within this area.

Horde Survival- All Magic Based and Special Abilities are disabled within the Horde Field. All Targets can only fight by using special Weapons and Relics from the Floor Guardian's home world.

Crystal Controlled- Under Pizzahead's control due to a Control Crystal on the target's person. Remove and destroy the crystal to dispel the status.

"Incoming Horde in T Minus, 30 seconds."

In the middle of each of the five grassy areas, a lit stone brazier appeared in a flash of light.

"Be sure to use those braziers sparingly, Peppino.” Arborverde advised. “They will not always have a power up in them. And once they're broken, they will not respawn until the next minute passes."

"Got it!"

"Buona fortuna, amico! (Good luck, amico!) Show Ricotta why that title fits you to a T!"

"Incoming Horde in T Minus, 20 seconds."

Looking ahead at his opponent, Peppino could see Ricotta looking him dead in the eye as he did the infamous 'throat slitting gesture'. The Chef merely frowned at the gesture as he mentally readied himself.

"This is it everybody!" Trouser boomed. "Let's begin the final countdown!"

"Incoming Horde in T Minus..." At this point, the entire stadium starts counting along with the automated message. "10... 9... 8..."

The red-light screen turned darker as the Vento Sacro and Whip were now at the ready.

"7... 6..."

In the Tower's Main Control Room, Pizzahead watched the broadcast with bated breath for his enemy's downfall.

And an oversized bucket of popcorn.

"5... 4..."

"Fighters at the ready!!!" The glowing circles underneath Peppino and Ricotta's feet faded away as they both took a ready stance.

Music- Vampire Survivor OST - Needs More Fighting [Extended]

"3...”

“Ready…

“2..."

"Set..."

"1..."

The countdown hit zero and was replaced with fifteen minutes, as Trouser boomed:

"SURVIVE!!!"

Coming out of the red wall from all sides were multiple red-eyed bats, along with not one but two Boss Monsters. A Giant Bat coming from the north side of the arena, and a Giant Mummy from the south. Ricotta wasted no time in approaching the Mummy, while whipping any smaller Bats in his way. Peppino followed suit and approached the larger Bat, turning every so often to allow the Vento Sacro to strike.

"Belpaese shows no hesitation as he challenges the Mummy Lord, preparing to build up his Arsenal in the process!" Trouser commentated. "Spaghetti has no choice but to deal with the Bat Lord so he can start his preparations! And he needs to act fast, because Belpaese already chose his second Weapon!"

"ALREADY!?" Peppino and his squad exclaimed.

A quick glance at the screens shows the timer currently at 14:45. On each side were pictures of the two combatants (Peppino's picture was a snapshot of him in the Hub Floor) with their names underneath. Underneath there were their respective Arsenals, with Peppino having one Weapon, and Ricotta currently having two.

"Looks like Ricotta chose the Knife as his second Weapon." Ella observed. "That means Peppino is unable to get for himself."

Arborverde groaned. "Dammit! Not only that, but he now has a ranged Weapon to snipe Peppino with!"

A couple of seconds later, Peppino finally leveled up and quickly looked at his choices.

But as he chose the Garlic, he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, knocking his Health down to 90%. Looking around, he didn't see any Bats nearby, but dodged a projectile that whizzed by his head and embedded itself on the ground. The Chef's eyes widened as he recognized the object as a knife.

"Ooh, and Belpaese draws first blood! Tossing a Knife at an unaware Spaghetti!"

Looking back at his opponent, Peppino saw a Knife floating in front of Ricotta, its sharp blade pointing directly at the Chef as another one was fired at him. He lunged forward to dodge it, feeling a cut on the back of his shirt as the blade grazed him. "Cheap shot bastardo!" he roared over the crowd, shaking a fist at Ricotta.

Ricotta had a smug smirk on his face as he shrugged. "All's fair in love and Boss Rash, ciccione!"

"Thirty seconds have passed, so that means the Traps are now active! Watch your step, Gentlemen!"

On the ground, two brass circles, just like in the Dairy Plant, appeared in two random places. Peppino didn't have time to look around to locate them as he leveled up again…

And immediately chose the Pummarola.

"Son of a bitch!" Peppino smirked as he heard Ricotta yell that over the crowd's cheering, as he locked the Survivor out of a healing item.

Amongst the chaos, Peppino's strategic mind worked overtime. I shouldn't worry about strengthening what I have now. I need to fill my Arsenal quickly, and lock Ricotta out on anything powerful.

One minute has passed and the next wave emerges from the boundary. Two Giant Werewolves, a Giant Mantis, and a Giant Venus Plant were followed by more Bats. And since the first two Boss Monsters were still not defeated, a total of six Bosses were on the field. The combatants had the right idea of dealing with their respective Giant Bat and Mummy first, eventually defeating them and gaining enough experience to increase their Arsenal.

"Belpaese has slain the Giant Bat and chosen the Spinach to increase his attack! Pardon the rhyme! Oh, Spaghetti has followed suit, taking the defensive route with the Armor in exchange for the Mummy Lord's existence! And with another thirty seconds passing, the Traps have been randomly relocated!"

Almost two minutes into the fight and Peppino already feels overwhelmed. Now having to deal with a minimum of 2 Boss Monsters and a person that could attack him at any time from a distance, he could already feel his stress and rage building. And it just got worse as he felt his foot press down on something metal.

"And it seems that one of those Traps has relocated itself underneath Spaghetti's feet! He’s got himself a Bat Swarm coming his way!"

Coming from the East Boundary, a large swarm of Bats flew in heading straight for Peppino... only to be completely decimated as they all ran into the barrier of Garlic fumes courtesy of his second Weapon. Turning into a cluster of EXP Crystals for a free level up.

"Correction. Had a Bat Swarm coming his way." Ken was cracking up at both the anticlimactic moment and Trouser's delivery of that sentence.

Peppino's next set of choices was all Passives again. He tried to get a closer look at one of them, only to have another sharp pain at his back as Ricotta threw another Knife at him. Because of that jolt, Peppino selected a Passive on accident, and didn't see what it was.

He could hear Arborverde laugh in what sounded like triumph. "Once again, you had an accidental Synergy Moment amico!"

"What do you mean!? What did I even pick!?"

"Seems that Spaghetti also took a course on Weapon-Passive Synergy 101 with his choice of the Candelabrador, a Passive that pairs perfectly with both the Garlic and Vento Sacro!"

Taking a quick look at his Vital Tracker, he looked at the new icon for his recent Passive, which looked like a candelabra.

"The Candelabrador increases the area-of-effect of Weapons, making them cover more ground!" The Guide explained. "It may have been an accident; you still chose correctly since you have two Weapons that can benefit from it!"

"But you need to hurry and get another Weapon, Peppino!” Ella added. “Preferably a ranged one!"

"Belpaese has felled two more Bosses and gained two more Passives! Uh oh! He's going to be leveling up a storm as he has chosen the Crown to increase his Experience gain! And with taking the Hollow Heart and not having the Pummarola, he's taking the risk of not being able to regenerate health but is able to have a higher health pool!"

It's now three minutes and the Bats were replaced with the floating 'Sneaky Heads', with a Colossal one as one of the Bosses. Joining it was a spectral Witch on a broom, a female Naga with snakes for hair (No relation to Gorgonzola), and an undead Wizard that Arborverde called a 'Nesufritto'.

"With another minute going by, both fighters need one more Weapon to complete their Arsenal! Which will they choose?"

Peppino finally slayed the Giant Mantis and Flower and made his final Weapon choice.

"And Spaghetti is the first to finish his Arsenal with the Lightning Ring!"

A few seconds later, Ricotta felled another Boss Monster and chose his last Weapon and moved on to the next Boss.

"Belpaese follows suit with the Fire Wand to complete his! Giving him two ranged Weapons!"

The Tower Spectators watched as the fighters began strengthening their Arsenals. While only a few Boss Monsters were appearing at a time, more lesser Monsters were spawning and becoming more diverse as time went on. With the two Italians fighting the Hordes, and each other.

"Damn! Looks like a warzone out there!" Cinnamon commented before turning to her leader. "And you had to go through that Virtue!?"

"That's right." The Half Elf kept her eyes on Peppino as she answered. "Calling Boss Rash a warzone is pretty much accurate. You need to have your head on a swivel in order to survive!"

"And did you defeat Ricotta by any chance?" Xanthe asked.

She lowered her head in shame. "Unfortunately, no. But damn was I close! One more hit and I would've beaten him!"

"Oh, don't be too discouraged, Signora Virtue." Arborverde said. "The fact that you had Ricky on the ropes was impressive enough!"

"This battle is about to get really heated!" Trouser shouted. "But now that our competitors have completed their Arsenals, let's go over what they have chosen, and how well their synergy is!" The screens now displayed a close up on the Italians' Arsenals.

"Spaghetti's choice of the Candelabrador really rounds out all 3 of his Weapon choices, increasing their Area of Effect. With the bonus of slow health regen and added defense on the side, he's looking to tough it out until the time to strike is right!"

"Belpaese however, is focusing on increasing his attack thanks to the Spinach. And with the Crown, he's gonna be leveling up at a rapid pace as well as increasing his maximum health. He's really looking to finish this, and fast!"

"Something's not right..." Arborverde muttered.

"What makes you say that?" Gustavo asked.

"Allow me to enlighten you all on Ricky's playstyle. He loves a challenge. He is the kind of person who will go for pot shots if necessary, but will take the time to analyze his opponent, intentionally falling behind to see what they would pick, then figure out a counter."

"But why would you be so worried then?" Xanthe asked.

"For two reasons. One, he's taking more cheap shots than usual, and not always paying attention while doing so. Ricky's got incredible situational awareness and knows the perfect window of opportunity to strike from afar if he has the chance."

"And two: Ricky almost never picks the Crown. And if he does, he either wants to end this quickly, or make sure that the opponent doesn't get it. And even then, it will stay at level 1 until the rest of his Arsenal is maxed out. Now is not the case since it’s his highest leveled Item as of now."

“So either he’s desperate, or it’s just part of Pizzahead’s influence.” Ella pondered.

“Precisely. Although… Peppino might be able to use that to his advantage.”

And once again, I'm saving everyone's time and this chapter's word count by fast forwarding this 'fight scene' to the halfway point. You're welcome!

Four Minutes Later

"We are now entering the seven-minute mark of this show down! Close to halfway into the time limit and both competitors’' health bars are halfway gone!"

True to Big Trouser's word, Peppino and Ricotta are both under 50% health as they were at each other’s throats (at a distance of course). With their Arsenals significantly leveled at around five minutes, they began closing in on each other. Ricotta kept sniping the Chef with Knives and the Fire Wand, sometimes using the Weapons by hand to properly aim, a skill that Peppino couldn't do for the life of him. Must be because he's a Survivor , he thought.

Peppino however, since he had the Lightning Ring as his projectile Weapon, has to be in a certain distance to the Guardian for a chance for the ring's namesake to strike him. Which is why he mostly focused on leveling it and the Candelabrador to increase the damage and distance.

The two Italians were zeroed in on each other, so much that they received more damage from the Horde than their opposing Weapons, further proving Arborverde right for Ricotta. Thankfully, the Pizza Chef had the slight advantage of slow health regen, having to back off to attempt to recover his stamina, provided that the Hordes don't overpower him.

And with the currently six Boss Monsters in the Arena, they have to alternate between fighting each other, culling the Bosses, avoiding traps, and get any spare Floor Chicken before the other does. Not to mention the time limit in play as, according to Arborverde, Ricotta has another phase.

Peppino had overheard Arborverde's observation of his controlled pupil, and after getting lucky with a Floor Chicken, decided to put his advice into action. Facing his opponent, he marched his way to him, with a determined scowl on his face.

Even Trouser was surprised about this maneuver. "Oh ho! What's this!? Spaghetti's approaching Belpaese, Horde be damned!"

In his Control Room, Pizzahead stopped munching and leaned forward, intrigued. "What is the fat*ss planning now?"

Peppino's intimidating stomp quickened to a full (but not Mach) speed sprint towards Ricotta, Vento Sacro swinging.

And for good reason too. Since Ricotta is fully facing Peppino, his Knifes has a direct line of fire at him. The Survivor instead grabbed the Fire Rod, letting the Whip operate on its own, and started blasting, adding on to the projectile barrage.

Unfortunately, Ricotta was so tunnel-visioned on his target, that he forgot that one of Peppino's Weapons can nullify projectiles. The protective fumes from the Garlic dissipated the fire bolts 5 feet before reaching the Chef. And since he was moving, the Vento Sacro was working double time, batting away any Knives heading his way.

The Survivor's eyes widened as he saw Peppino no sell his barrage and was rapidly approaching his current location. Ricotta had no choice but to run before he closed in the distance with the Vento Sacro and the Lightning Ring. And just like Arborverde predicted, Ricotta wasn't paying attention as he bumped into a Boss Monster, taking away around 20% of his Health.

"Looks like that game of Chicken worked in Spaghetti's favor as he now has Belpaese on the run!"

He tried his best to hide it, but Ricotta was panicking. With under 30% HP, no Floor Chicken in sight, tankier Lesser Monsters spawning in with more Bosses, and the fat*ss slowly catching up with him, he knows that he's in trouble. Constantly saying 'sh*t!' under his breath, he ran like hell to avoid both the Monsters, and a Speed Demon wearing a Chef's Hat.

" Perché stai scappando? (Why are you running!?)" Peppino (verbally) taunted, closing the distance as his Passive Bonus was beginning to kick in, slowly increasing his Movement Speed. " Perché stai scappando!? (Why are you running!?)"

And since he was close enough, lightning was striking the blue haired man more often as he was in proximity of Peppino's Lightning Ring's range. Peppino was mowing down the Monsters that Ricotta weakened during his mad dash and he's getting close enough for the Vento Sacro to do melee damage to his opponent.

"Spaghetti's taking some scratch damage, but he's locked onto his target and going in for the kill! Unless he can keep dodging for seven minutes, this might be it for Belpaese!"

Trouser was right and Ricotta knows it, as his health was perilously low. No other choice, he thought. Time for Plan B.

And with one last lightning strike...

…Ricotta staggered in pain, before dropping to a knee, his Health at 0%.

Music Stops

Trouser quickly typed on the control panel, pausing the timer, now showing seven minutes remaining, and the Horde Zone. The monsters disappeared as the red clad Elf announced, "Belpaese is down for the count!" Big Trouser announced. The crowd roared, impressed by the Outsider defeating the Champion. "But you all know that doesn't mean that he's out! Let's give him a few moments to recollect himself!"

The Survivor's Weapons deactivated as he took a few deep breaths. Peppino stood his ground as his Weapons did the same. A red glow covered his body as a growl formed in Ricotta's throat, his shoulders shaking in rage. His head snapped up, glaring at his opponent with his now glowing purple eyes. With an enraged shout he stood up straight, and looking at the screen at his stats, his Health is back at 100%.

"And there's the second part of his Passive Bonus kicking in! Belpaese's Will to Survive is unmatched as, hoo boy, he is not happy for that loss!"

It was at that time, Pizzahead decided to show himself once more on the big screen, looking somewhat disappointed. "Come on Ricotta!" he chided. "What happened there? You're the one with the homefield advantage!"

Ricotta snarled, keeping his hate filled gaze at Peppino while addressing the screen. "Sorry Boss," he growled out. "I underestimated him."

"Heh, I know the feeling. But..." A grin slowly crossed the Toon's face. "We did discuss a Plan B, didn't we?"

The blue haired man's face mirrored Pizzahead's as he sinisterly chuckled. "Yeah... we did..."

Peppino had a Gut Feeling that whatever was about to happen, it meant nothing good. "What the hell are you talking about!?" he asked. "What-a Plan B!?"

Pizzahead cackled. "Oh, you're about to find out!" He then turned to his subordinate. “Do it Ricotta!”

Ricotta chuckled as he held out a hand and shouted; “Randomazzo!”

A familiar purple glow formed in his outstretched hand, as a foot wide purple treasure chest appeared in its place.

The crowd gasped as Big Trouser was even taken aback. "A Randomazzo Chest!? But I thought Arcanas were banned for this fight!?"

"Not anymore!" Pizzahead said. "He has my permission to use it!"

"Lemme tell you a little fact about this arena, Spaghetti." The Survivor began to explain. "Hidden within its walls, inaccessible to anyone, are multiple Passives. It's been said that they were hidden as a backup plan in case this Horde Zone becomes uncontrollable for any reason. And it’s for that reason that whenever Arcanas are allowed in fights in Boss Rash, there is always one that is forever banned. That Arcana, being this!"

Opening the purple chest, he reaches in and pulls out a Tarot Card, raising it high so that the cameras (and SurCam) could focus on it.

Trouser blanched as he saw which one it was. "No..." he muttered. "He wouldn't..."

Arborverde however was furious. "How dare he!?” He roared. “Pizzahead is going as far as making Ricotta break sacred tradition just to make sure that Peppino dies!?"

"What does that Arcana even do?" Ella asked. "I never seen that one before."

"That Arcana is the one of the most powerful of them all!" Cinnamon was pulling it up on the Morbane Archive as the Druid explained. "Having the ability to 'cheat the system' so to speak. Once it activates, thanks to those hidden Passives that he mentioned, Ricotta will be near impossible to defeat, even if Peppino had the standard 6 Weapon and Passive Arsenal!"

Ricotta grinned victoriously as he activated the Arcana: "Mad Groove!"

VII- MAD GROOVE

Every 2 minutes attracts all standard stage items, pickups, and light sources towards the character.

The card glowed purple before fading away. A flash of light enveloped Ricotta as coming from various walls outside of the Arena, multiple balls of light converged into him.

"Oh sh*t!" Ken yelled. "Look at Ricotta's Arsenal!"

Music- Persona 3 - Crisis (Extended)

On the Arena monitors, Ricotta's Arsenal was shown to have an extra Passive added for every ball of light absorbed into him. Peppino could see Passives that he collected before such as the Empty Tome and Duplicator, others he had never seen before, and some that he himself had in his current Arsenal.

When the light died down, Ricotta had collected a total of fourteen more Passives. Adding eleven to his Arsenal, with three of them being duplicates to what he had, maxing out the Crown, Hollow Heart, and Spinach.

“He f*cking cheated!?” Xel roared.

“Ricotta now has access to every single Passive that we allow in this Tower!” Despite the situation the Druid was thankful for one thing. “Thank the Gods that I didn’t bring in every single Passive known in our world when we first started! He would have been unstoppable otherwise!”

The crowd was in an uproar at this display of obvious cheating, even booing Ricotta as he did all of this without a care in the world. The Champion had a savage grin on his face, ready to crush the Chef with his increased firepower.

If there was one thing that Bisognosi 'Big Trouser' Pantalone, truly despises, it's cheating. And in all of his years working in the Arena, Trouser has never seen so much blatant cheating in one singular match. And coming from the Champion at that!

He really should have listened when a crow with the voice of an old friend gave the cryptic warning of: 'The Tower has been compromised. The new Sponsor is a liar. Ricotta Belpaese will not be himself. An Outsider will right this wrong. I will step in if this goes overboard. Play along and act natural until then.’

Now he understands the meaning of the message. But he needs to hear this from the 'liar' himself. "OK! Now this is beyond wrong!!!" He angrily shouted, turning towards the screen with Pizzahead's grinning mug projected on it. "What is the meaning of this Pizzahead!?"

The 'Sponsor' grinned a nasty grin. "Why, I'm allowing Ricotta to use everything at his disposal to kill that damn villain!"

"Kill the Villain!?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Pizzahead spoke up to address the entire stadium. "The reason that I know Peppino so very well, is that he's trying to destroy my empire, and the Survivors along with it!"

The crowd gasped at the news. Peppino and Ricotta, who have both backed up and have their Weapons on standby, stopped and looked up at the main screen. The former had a look of incredulous shock, while the latter grin became larger at the notion of the Outsider's dirty deeds being told to the masses.

The Toon pointed an accusing finger at the Chef as he continued. "That monster has destroyed a Tower that was once mine out of sheer jealousy! All because I have more money and fame than he'll ever get in his entire life! He even did the same thing to my predecessor, PepperJack!"

Trouser knew that his friend wasn't a liar, especially since he was the one to set up connections to that Tower and the Arena. He knew that PepperJack would never condone this catastrophe. But he needed to play along. Feigning shock, he pretended to be taken aback. "PepperJack too!?"

The crowd was murmuring amongst each other, unsure with what's going on.

Pizzahead inwardly cackled at how gullible the audience is. They came for a show, after all. And I'll give 'em one! He thought to himself. With the addition of an execution! "So I have hired the Survivors to defeat him, before he reaches the current Tower that I own!" He faked a sad expression on his face. "But unfortunately, he managed to defeat them all..."

He gestured towards the corrupted champion as he continued. "Ricotta is my last line of defense between me and that villain! And even if he has to lie, cheat, and steal to do so,"

Pizzahead leaned forward, his malicious grin filling the screen. "He has my express permission to end Peppino Spaghetti's life, by any means necessary!"

The crowd gasped even louder, before following it with boos, jeers, and thrown foodstuffs towards the condemned chef. Peppino's face fell as he, the Agents and Guests, and Trouser now understood what Pizzahead had just done.

"Of course, that cheesy bastard has to have a silver tongue." Ken growled. A silver tongue and the talent of gaslighting and deceiving your foes is a necessary skill for Bards. Seeing that talent used to turn the masses against one wronged person, really rubbed him the wrong way.

"And since Peppino is considered an 'Outsider' to that world, nothing he could say or do can prove his innocence." Xanthe added.

Ricotta looked on in amusem*nt as Peppino shielded himself from various foods thrown at him. "Don’t-a listen to him!!!" He shouted to the crowd in vain. "He's the one that-a threatened my life and livelihood! He's the one that-a stole PepperJack's Tower! I've never even met him before!"

He staggered backwards as his cheek was stung by Ricotta's Whip. Looking at the Survivor, Peppino could see his purple eyes and the Control Crystal around his neck glowing brightly. "Shut the hell up!" He barked, pulling the cord of the Whip in his hands. "I've got my orders, and now I have the official go ahead!" His Weapons glowed brightly as they began to reactivate. "This Arena is gonna be your damn grave!"

Pizzahead then typed something on his keyboard. "Sorry Big Trouser," he said. "But I'm taking over this show until that villain is dead!"

Trouser was confused, until he looked at the alert on his control panel. "What the hell? ‘Arena Control Access Revoked’!? For 24 hours!?"

"Arena Access is finally mine!" The Toon's typing sped up as a victorious grin spread across his cheesy face. "And now for a little tweaking..."

The Agents' eyes widened in shock. "Oh sh*t..." Ella muttered.

“He already managed to get into the Tower’s System already!?” Cinnamon exclaimed.

"I don’t know about the Tower as a whole," Arborverde said. "But Pizzahead now has full control over the Horde Zone there! He must have found a backdoor through Trouser's access! Oh no…” His tone was filled with dread as he continued. “That means he now has access to not just the Zone itself… But of the Items of anyone within that Zone as well!”

“Let’s see here…” Pizzahead felt like a kid in a candy store with the newfound power that he obtained as he was typing like mad. "...Monster Spawn Rates have been set to Low... No Boss Monsters will spawn... Experience Lock activated for Challenger... Oh! What's this!? Item Banishment!? Apply to Challenger! ... Aaaaaand done!"

With a press of a button, the screens then switched back to the Fighters' Arsenals as the changes were put into effect. On Peppino's side, one by one a red X appeared on his Weapons and Passives. As that happened, Peppino's Weapons disappeared, along with his Passives. "Wha!? My Weapons!" The Chef turned angrily at the main monitor. "What did you do, you bastard!?" he roared.

Ricotta was laughing his ass off as he knew exactly what his 'Boss' was doing. "Your entire Arsenal has been Sealed asshole!" he explained. "That means you have no access to any Weapons or Passives of the Boss' choosing. And he chose all of them! And since you're also under Experience Lock, you can't collect any EXP Crystals to even get any other Weapons!"

"sh*t, he's right!" Looking at Peppino's Status, Cinnamon could see the following debuffs affecting the Italian.

Experience Lock- Target cannot collect EXP Crystals or Level Up in any way until the Horde Zone expires.

Item Banishment- A maximum of 10 Weapons, Passives, and/or Power Ups are banned within a Horde Zone. If a Target was using a Weapon, Evolution, and/or Passive before it was Sealed, it will no longer activate until the Horde Zone expires.

Items Banned:

Vento Sacro, Pummarola, Garlic, Armor, Candelabrador, Lightning Ring, Floor Chicken, Magnet, Nduja Fritta Tanto, and Orologion.

Pizzahead’s visage returned on the screens. "And since the Horde Zone is still active, you still can't use your speed, strength, or even your taunts! So give it up, Peppino…”

Peppino’s face and heart dropped as he now felt the true dread of the next two words out of the Usurper’s mouth, hit him harder than one of his own punches to the face.

“You’re powerless.”

And with that, Ricotta rushed in for the kill.

Back at the Second Floor Hub

Meanwhile, the Agents and Italians were both appalled and freaking out about the situation, and what the Villainous Clown has pulled. They all had no choice but to watch as Peppino dodged the corrupted Survivor's attacks and a significantly smaller number of Monsters spawning in. Thankfully, Ricotta was mowing down said Monsters, but was still able to level up, making it even harder for the Chef to dodge.

Xel was fuming as he growled out. "This is absolute bullsh*t! It's the second damn floor and Pizzahead has gone too f*cking far!”

"Can't Peppino call-a Virtue in there!?" Gustavo asked.

Ella had a frustrated look on her face. "He can. But once he does, I'll be powerless since that Horde Zone is still up!" She then turned towards the branch near Cinnamon's laptop. "Arborverde! You're a Guardian, can't you do something about this!?"

"...Yes. There is." Arborverde's tone was low and serious as he said that. "It seems the time has come to truly fulfill my duty as a Tower Guardian."

He then spoke louder . "Everyone! Listen to me! Peppino, I need you to survive Ricotta's onslaught for a couple of minutes! During that time, Signora Spice, you will begin to receive system permissions from me! Block Pizzahead's access completely and, if you can, return it to Trouser!"

Ken had a determined look on his face as he took out his laptop, setting beside the Human. "Send those codes to me too, Spice!" he said. "We don't know how good Pizzahead's hacking skills are, so you'll need all the help you can get!"

Cinnamon nods. "Roger that!"

Above the audience's jeers, Peppino heard the plan loud and clear. "This is gonna be hard to do without-a my speed," He narrowly dodged a barrage of Knives aimed at his head. "But I'll do my best!"

"And speaking of Trouser, he knows about the Tower and that Pizzahead is not in charge! Use your drone and tell him that you're from Columns Corp and that I sent you, and he'll understand! I can turn this around in your favor, but I need time! Please!" he pleaded. "You all have to trust me!"

Ironclad Resolve looked to their leader for the go ahead. Ella nods in silent agreement before addressing the Druid. "We trust you! Go for it!"

"Thank you!" Arborverde was grateful beyond words for these Outsiders but composed himself as said one last thing. "Give me two minutes and I can stop this! Hang in there, Peppino!"

And with that, there was silence as, at his end, Arborverde cast Plane Shift . Warping in between dimensions, disappearing from his hiding spot and reappearing somewhere in the Tower that would be impossible for anyone else, except him and Ricotta, to access.

Back at Boss Rash

Music- Persona 3 - Calamity (Extended)

With this new imbalance of power, the tables were turned as Ricotta was the one chasing down Peppino. The Tower Spectators could only watch in horror as the Chef was dodging Knives, Whip lashes, and small but hard-hitting fireballs with no way to defend himself.

While Arborverde was typing like mad with just one Mage Hand (he was mentally cursing whoever created the spell to make it impossible to have two at once), Cinnamon ordered SurCam to deliver the Druid's message to Trouser. With his ability to see any form of invisibility, the High Elf was a bit scared as he saw the Drone approaching him.

SurCam activated his speaker letting Cinnamon's voice, speaking in Elven to make sure that Pizzahead wouldn't listen in, address the announcer.

"Big Trouser! I'm Agent Spice from the Columns Corporation! Me and my team are sent here to assist Peppino in taking down Pizzahead and saving PepperJack!" The Announcer's eyes lit up as the Agent continued. "We were also told by Arborverde that you knew about the Corporation and the CheddarSpice Tower!"

He responds in Elven, "You know Arborverde!?"

"Yes! He's currently trying to give me system permissions for the Arena to lock Pizzahead out. I don't know what he's going to do specifically, but he needs a few minutes to complete his work.”

"Thank you so much!" He breathed a sigh of relief, before looking out onto the field. A glance at the board showed Peppino’s health below half. "I don't fully know what's going on with Ricotta, but Arborverde did warn me about this happening beforehand. I just didn't think it would be this f*cking crazy!" Pretending to listen on his earpiece so that Pizzahead wouldn't notice anything off, Trouser continued. "Do whatever you can to help out! But if it involves your Drone, keep it invisible!”

"Thanks! My Drone can heal Peppino while staying cloaked. It doesn't have any attack capabilities."

"Go ahead, I'll turn a blind eye."

Pizzahead however, could care less about anything else but his plan finally coming together. Switching his gaze between the one-sided fight in the Arena and Peppino's health bar on the Heads Up Display, he couldn't help but feel giddy about being one step closer to his victory.

He was glad that he asked Ricotta to tell him more about how this 'Surviving' thing works in his world, and any ideas to take the fat*ss down should he reach Boss Rash. After he explained the hidden Passives, that Arena Forbidden Arcana, and the Announcer having access to the Arena Controls, Plan B was realized.

Get the Passives and boost Ricotta. Get control of the Arena. Seal Peppino's Arsenal. Keep the Horde Zone active to seal Peppino's power. Profit from his death.

The Toon was grinning like the Cheshire Cat at his enemy's suffering. The nigh unstoppable Tower destroying Human, was now just an ordinary Joe Schmoe Human. Without his natural power, Peppino was weak. Without any use of the Weapons of this world, Peppino was defenseless. Without any way to heal himself, Peppino was back at full health…

Wait what!?

Pizzahead could have sworn that Peppino's health bar was at around 20% a few seconds ago. Now he's back at 100% then taken a hit dropping him at 90%. How was that possible!? I didn’t see him use anything! The grin disappeared as he angrily thought to himself. How was he healed!?

With Trouser's permission, Cinnamon ordered SurCam to stay close to Peppino and heal him if he gets too low. And just in time too, as the Drone quickly used Healing Scan to save Peppino from a fatal blow, healing him to full.

"Grazie!" Peppino breathed a sigh of relief before realizing who healed him. "Wait! I thought-"

"Trouser gave me the go ahead considering that he now knows what's really going on!" The Navigator quickly explained. "SurCam will heal you if needed, but his Healing Scan has a 30 second cooldown. Use it wisely!"

Peppino didn't have a chance to respond as he dived out of the way of a barrage of Knives. Ricotta's face was nothing less of murderous intent as he dashed towards the Chef. And thanks to the Wings Passive that he's currently leveling up, he's slowly bridging the gap between him and his target. "Why won't you die!?" he roared, Whip in hand and lashing wildly.

"Hang in there! I should be given access- Yes! I got it!" An alert popped up on her screen saying that Arena Control Access has been granted. She quickly accepted and passed the codes to Ken.

Arborverde, Cinnamon, and now Ken were all typing for their lives as the trio was now in the Arena system. "I'm set up on my end!" The Druid reported. "How about you two?"

"Ready to start blocking the bastard!" Ken replied.

"Good! Signora Spice, I've also given you partial control over the Arena Screens. Feel free to shut him up if the clown gets too rowdy!"

"Will do!"

"Alright, let's do this! I'll revoke his access and then you two can start."

"Right!" Both Navigators had their fingers at the ready.

And with that, Arborverde typed in one last command before sending it through with a single button press.

Music Stops

Suddenly all of the screens except for one shut off, showing static. The screen on the Southmost side of the stadium still showed Pizzahead, who was looking at his monitor in confusion. "What's going on!?" he said, typing rapidly on his keyboard. "Why am I locked out!?" He then looked at a different monitor that showed the reason. "’Arena Master Controls Override’!?... ‘Arena Control Access Revoked’!?... For 24 hours!? Who the hell is doing this!?"

Ricotta stopped as his Weapons were now deactivated. “What the hell!? Who’s f*cking with the controls!?”

The two Italians stopped to see what was going on. But hope filled Peppino’s entire being as a familiar voice rang out.

"That would be my doing!"

"Wait a minute!?" Trouser's eyes lit up as he recognized that voice. "Arborverde!? Is that you amico?"

"What the hell is going on here!?" Pizzahead was livid. "Who are you!?"

Music- P5 OST 87 Restlessness

All the other screens then showed the Arcana Card picture for Mad Groove as Arborverde's voice rang out. "People of Boss Rash! I am Arborverde! Guardian Druid of Il Molise, Ally of the Survivors, and the Mentor of Ricotta Belpaese! Do not believe the words of this false Sponsor! Peppino Spaghetti is not the Enemy of the Survivors! That title belongs to the one known as Pizzahead!" The said Toon rigidly perked up as the audience looked at him. "Our True Sponsor and Ally, PepperJack has been kidnapped by that impostor, and has brainwashed our Champion!"

Pizzahead's eyes widened in shock as he recognized that voice. "Wait… It's you..." Before his face morphed into a snarl. "You're the one who’s been guiding Peppino through the Tower, aren't you!?"

Trouser laughed uproariously, not caring that his mic was still on. "About damn time you showed up, 'Verde!" He said, before addressing the crowd . "You've heard it here Ladies and Gentlemen! The Great Druid Arborverde has come to enlighten us with the truth!" He pointed at the screen that still showed Pizzahead's face. "That Pizza Headed Freak is a phony! Because if PepperJack had to resign or be absent for any reason, I would be the first to know! Oh, I wanted to say it to everyone so damn badly, but I had orders to keep my mouth shut until this very moment!"

The Liar's head snapped towards Trouser as the crowd murmured in confusion. "You knew about this!?"

"Yes, he does. Because I’m the one that told him!" Arborverde replied, before speaking to the audience. "As I have said before, Ricotta Belpaese has been brainwashed by Pizzahead! You all have seen his previous fights, he has the Belpaese Family’s sense of honor in his veins! Honor that has been tainted by this Usurper!"

"You are better than this Ricotta!" Said man looked at the screen in rage and confusion. "I taught you better than this! Accepting this imposter's lies, cheating in a fight, throwing away everything that your Family, and the Survivors as a whole, have stood for! That bastardo really messed with your head beyond recognition if you're willing to stoop that low for a victory!"

"Shut up!" Ricotta shrieked. "I don't know who the f*ck you are, but you don’t know me! I’m the Champion here! I'm in control of this Arena!"

The Druid chuckled. "That's where you're wrong, Ricotta. You or Pizzahead are not in control. I am." And with a final button press on the Master Control Panel that he was using, Arborverde applied the changes he made to the Horde Zone.

The Northern monitor switched back to the Italians' Arsenals, correcting its display accordingly due to the changes made. All the red X's over Peppino's Weapons and Passives disappeared as they all reappeared on his person. Ricotta’s however now had eight X's over his Passives: Armor, Pummarola, Empty Tome, Candelabrador, Bracer, Duplicator, Wings, and Tirajisu.

After a quick scan of both fighters, the Tower Spectators cheered as the debuffs that Peppino once had were nullified...

"What the actual f*ck!?!?!?"

...and transferred to Ricotta, who screamed that last sentence as the screen showed him under Experience Lock, the new Items that are now banned, his now trimmed down Arsenal and a new debuff.

Arcana Lock- All Arcanas are banned. If any Arcanas are active before it was Sealed, it will no longer activate until the Horde Zone expires.

Items Banned:

Armor, Pummarola, Empty Tome, Candelabrador, Bracer, Duplicator, Wings, Tirajisu, Nduja Fritta Tanto, and Orologion.

The Usurper and his Subordinate both shouted. "YOU DAMN CHEATER!!!"

"Calling the kettle black there, huh you two! But hey, you said it best Ricotta! 'All's fair in love and Boss Rash' !" The Survivor growled at the screen. "But if you think that's unfair, then let's add on to it! Peachone! Ebony! Assist Peppino!"

From the Arena Gate that Peppino exited from, two small streaks of black and white flew out as the Dove and Raven flapped over to the pizza chef, hovering over his head.

“Birds?” Pizzahead was confused by the 'assistance' Arborverde summoned. "I don't get it. How will birds be able to assist him?"

Ricotta was seething as he answered. "Because he now has two more Weapons in his Arsenal!!!"

Peppino, Gustavo, Bruno, Ironclad Resolve, and Pizzahead all shouted, in rage for the Toon and in astonishment for everyone else: "THEY'RE WEAPONS!?!?!?"

"That's right!" Trouser announced as the avian Weapons were added to the screen. "With Arborverde's blessing, Spaghetti now has two more Weapons at his beck and call! Bringing him up to five!"

Music Stops

But the audience didn't respond in any way, as they were still confused about what's going on. Trouser noticed this, cleared his throat, and continued in a serious tone . "Everyone, I understand that this is so much to take in," he gestured to the Northern screen. "But Arborverde speaks the truth. And I can vouch for him!"

Pizzahead was about to angrily interject, but Cinnamon quickly muted him. Once he realized that no one could hear him, he furiously screamed and flailed around in forced silence. ("Good timing!" Ella approved as the Navigator gave her a thumbs up.)

"As I have said before, if PepperJack had to resign or be absent for any reason, I am the first to know! And I have not heard word from PepperJack ever since the last match. And that was over a week ago!"

The murmuring grew louder, but the masses were still skeptical.

"Here's a better idea!" Arborverde suggested . "How about we let this Outsider prove it for us." All eyes turned to Peppino, who started nervously sweating from the attention, as the Druid continued. "Let Peppino Spaghetti prove his innocence and expose Pizzahead's wicked ways, by breaking Ricotta free from the mind control that the imposter has set upon him!"

"Like hell he would beat me!" Ricotta shouted but was ignored.

"A brilliant idea, 'Verde!" Trouser Misty Stepped back into the ring as he then addressed the masses, having a Mage Hand hold the mic . “So what say you, fellow people? Do you all want the truth? Do you want your Champion to return to his senses?”

The Crowd murmuring intensified.

“Still undecided? Well, here’s a better question… Do you all want a goddamn fight or not!? Because despite the situation, that’s what you all came and paid for!”

That was when the crowd roared in response, wanting the mayhem to continue.

“Now that’s more like it!!!” Trouser grinned as he teleported back to the Announcer’s Booth. “Now before we continue," He spared a glance at the Southern screen as Pizzahead was still mutely screaming his head off . "How about a quick word from our ‘Sponsor’?” He made sure to add very obvious air quotes for emphasis.

Cinnamon took her que as she unmuted Pizzahead...

"YOU-"

...and immediately muted him again.

Pizzahead screamed in silent rage, while the Spectators, Peppino (with Ricotta glaring at him), Arborverde, and even Trouser himself laughed their asses off at what the Navigator did. "What? He said a quick word!" She said with a smug grin. "Emphasis on 'word'!"

"Now that we have that quick, singular , word, let's continue the carnage!" Pizzahead grumpily crossed his arms and kept his mouth shut with a furious scowl aimed at Peppino. Trouser then gestured towards the Northern screen. "Arborverde, this Zone is now in your capable hands! Feel free to start whenever you're ready!"

“Very well!” The Druid started typing again on his end, preparing to reactivate the Zone. “Traps are disabled. Monster Spawn Rates have been raised back to Normal, but Boss Monsters will still not be spawned. Best to have less distractions during your bout!”

Ricotta growled in frustration. “f*cking whatever!” He shrieked at the screen. “Hurry up and start this so I can kill this bastard and then you!!!”

The crowd let out a terrified gasp at the last few words, before they started booing at Ricotta who didn’t even react. Even Trouser was shaken, but quickly shook it off. He sadly shook his head as he solemnly stated. “Now if that, ladies and gentlemen, was not proof enough of Pizzahead’s mind control over Belpaese, I don’t know what is.”

“You heard him Arborverde!” Peppino shouted before turning to his foe. “Give him what he wants.”

“...Fine.” The Druid has a spectral finger on the button. “The match will resume with seven minutes on the clock! In 5… 4…”

“3…”

The Italians’ Weapons and Passives reactivated.

“2…”

They took a ready stance. The two Birds flapping above Peppino’s head started to glow.

“1…”

Their faces were set in determination as both Arborverde and Trouser shouted:

“SURVIVE!!!”

As the stage was beginning to swarm with familiar white living blobs called ‘Milk Elementals’, Ricotta immediately dashed towards Peppino with the intent of finishing this farce quickly. As much as he didn’t want to, Peppino retreated to gain some distance and figure out the burning question on his and his Friends’ minds.

“How do you two work as Weapons?” He asked Peachone and Ebony.

They responded by glowing brighter as ten feet in front of the Chef, two glowing circles, one moving clockwise the other counterclockwise, circled around him. Peppino’s eyes widened as from each of the Birds, four energy bolts fired, aimed for a spot in the moving zones' path.

Ricotta growled but kept his distance, switching out the Whip for manually using the Knife, chucking them at his opponent. Peppino's Garlic may be able to nullify the Fire Wand, but the Knives can pierce through his protection, so long as the Vento Sacro wasn't in the way.

"Seems like Belpaese is at an impasse! With so much close quarters coverage, approaching Spaghetti head on will be a Herculean task!" Trouser announced. "And with the addition of being unable to collect Experience, Belpaese is crippled even further! Because even if his Arsenal was maxed out, he can't even abuse the Free Floor Chicken mechanic."

"Nor can he abuse any other abilities he would have received before my intervention." Arborverde added. " Health Regeneration, faster Movement Speed, shorter Weapon Cooldown, even a maximum of two more free Revives if he kept the Tirajisu. Now all he has left other than his original Arsenal, are Passives that are now useless to him thanks to Experience Lock being active!"

Pizzahead's eyes widened at the explanation as he now had no choice but to listen, as he gave up trying to hack back into the Arena system. With his limited Tower Ruler access, it was impossible to override a Master Key if he wasn't the master.

Arborverde noticed the Usurper's angered, but inquisitive gaze as he sent a private message to Cinnamon via the branch. "Let Pizzahead have his speaking privileges back. It'll give him something to do other than watch."

As the Agent reluctantly obliged, Arborverde coldly said to the Toon. "You look like you want to say something, Imposter. You are allowed to speak. But if you start screaming like a child again, we will cut you off."

Pizzahead huffed but spoke in a level tone. "Don't think that limiting Ricotta or giving Peppino more weapons would change the outcome. Whether if it's by Ricotta’s hands or by another Guardian," his brow furrowed in restrained anger. "That bastard will die before he gets to me!"

Arborverde chuckled, amused for some reason. "You know, you truly are all bark and no bite!"

"Excuse me!?" The Toon growled out.

"You're so confident in Ricotta's skills and experience, and yet you made him cheat! You're quick to turn the masses against your enemy with the eloquence of a wronged Nobleman, then dissolve into, thankfully muted, screaming when things don't go your way... like a wronged Nobleman!"

The Crowd, Spectators, Trouser and Peppino all laughed at the comparison. Ricotta could care less as he focused on his foe, tuning everything else out.

"So don't be surprised if you lose yet again. All because you couldn't fully take the situation seriously!"

"Say what you want, Peppino will die regardless! And besides, you may have banned Ricotta's more powerful Passives or whatever," He had a wicked, victorious grin on his face. "but that Floor Chicken wasn't banned! So he still has a chance to heal! He'll bounce back soon enough!"

"True. But that healing won't last long as he will still take damage just by Peppino being in proximity of him, thanks to the Candelabrador and the Lightning Ring!"

True to the Druid's word, the blue haired Survivor was periodically zapped by lightning, dropping his Health to around 65%. And no matter how far he ran, Peppino could easily catch up thanks to his increased speed from his Passive Bonus.

But that was something that he used to his advantage.

With the Garlic, getting up close and personal to Peppino was suicide. Even more so with the Lightning Ring. And don't get him started on the Vento Sacro!

But Peachone and Ebony have a certain weakness that he could exploit. All he has to do is wait until they're a high enough level.

Here, have another Time Skip!

"Over three minutes in and Spaghetti now has both of the Birds at max level, completing his Arsenal once again!" It was now ten minutes into the fight and the audience was back to their normal hyped energy, as even Trouser was getting back into his groove. "Not only does he have near impenetrable coverage for close range, but now every three levels he gains he gets a free Floor Chicken!"

"Wait a minute, I thought it was for every level that Peppino gains!" Gustavo said.

"That rule was changed in Boss Rash to better space it out." Ella replied. "Otherwise, the match wouldn't be as impactful if both sides were healing every thirty seconds."

Ricotta's eyes widened in shock as he looked up on one of the screens. Three and a half minutes passed and he's at 50% while the fat*ss was sitting on 75% (he got a few lucky shots in) and has maxed out the Birds. And he remembers how dangerous they could be at maximum level... if you didn't watch your footing that is.

The moment that Ebony and Peachone stopped their barrage to recharge, Ricotta dashed towards Peppino, grabbing the Whip for manual use and dodging the mobs.

"What's this!? Now Belpaese is the one approaching Spaghetti!" Trouser exclaimed as he himself was in shock of the risky maneuver. " What is he planning?"

Ricotta made a sharp right turn keeping at a certain distance, tanking some lightning bolts, and started whipping. Only this time, his aim was more methodical. The Garlic can nullify most projectiles, but not melee attacks. And with Peppino not expecting the turn, his body wasn't facing him, so the Vento Sacro wasn't in the way. And to further add on to Ricotta's plan, in his confusion, Peppino was now standing still.

The Chef felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as the Whip made impact. When he turned around to face him, the Survivor made another turn in the opposite direction, tagging him in the back. Ella, seeing what Ricotta was planning shouted, "Peppino, keep moving! He's using the Birds' blind spot!"

His eyes widened in realization as he quickly ran away. A quick look at the Vital Tracker shows him at under 50%, but slowly recovering... only to drop at 35% as another lash hit his back. And to add insult to injury, while the Birds were attacking, one of their blasts hit a brazier, revealing a Floor Chicken that Ricotta collected. Healing him back to 80%.

"What happened!?" Xel shouted. "How is Ricotta doing all that damage!?"

Trouser supplied the answer . "Uh oh! Looks like Belpaese is exploiting Peachone and Ebony Wings' weakness, their attack spacing! The higher their level, the further their attack pattern will be from their ally! And with all of Spaghetti's Weapons maxed out, there's now a blind spot in between the Garlic's radius and the Birds' barrage path. And with the more tankier Monsters closing in, there's a lower chance of lightning hitting a now healed Belpaese should he walk in there!"

Pizzahead crowed in laughter. "I told you he'd bounce back!" he roared in victory. "I told you!!!"

Peppino was about to despair, until he remembered that someone was nearby. "SurCam help!"

With a beep the Drone quickly used Healing Scan to put Peppino back on 70%. "Thirty seconds till recharge!" Cinnamon reminded him.

Ricotta saw the Chef being healed and realized who or what was the culprit. He switched to the Knives and after careful aim above Peppino's head...

...managed to hit SurCam, knocking him hard enough to break its concentration for his invisibility. Causing him to uncloak with a big gash in its chassis. His cover blown; he hid behind the heavyset Italian like a scared child.

"AHA!!! I KNEW IT!!!" Everyone could almost see Pizzahead's fingerprint through his glove as he was excitedly pointing at the screen, presumably at Peppino. "I knew Peppino was cheating the entire time! Call the match, Trouser!"

"Nope." The Announcer nonchalantly said.

"WHAT!? WHY!?"

He then turned to face the Imposter's screen. "Why should I listen to the one who doesn't pay my checks? And after all the sh*t you pulled, and the allies that Spaghetti has in his corner, I'm letting that Drone slide! The match continues!"

The Toon growled in frustration. So those Agents got to him too, huh? he thought. Must be because of that drone of theirs. But hey! That's one less source of healing for the bastard!

A quick diagnostic scan from Cinnamon showed the critical damage that SurCam sustained. Since he’s not an attack drone, he doesn’t have much defense or health as its durability was in the red. "Sorry Peppino, but SurCam’s unable to heal you anymore, he took too much damage and needs to conserve power!"

"It's ok! I need to finish this-a quick anyway! And I’ve-a got one shot at it." He then grabbed the Drone out of the air and tucked it under his arm. The Drone, understanding what his charge was doing, retracted his wings. "Stay close SurCam! I'm-a about to do something crazy, and I don't want-a you in the line of fire!" The Drone weakly beeps in acknowledgement.

With only one more level before his free heal, SurCam down for the count, four minutes remaining, all the braziers broken and unable to regenerate until the next minute, and more tankier monsters spawning in. Peppino, at 80% thanks to the Pummarola's regen...

Walked into the Horde, taking massive contact damage as he did so.

The Crowd and Agents gasped at the action. Pizzahead and Ricotta however were laughing victoriously. "What's the matter, Spaghetti? Can't handle the pressure?" The Survivor taunted.

Pizzahead's grin widened as he saw his enemy's Health drop below half. "Giving up already, Peppino? Shame. I’d thought you’d last longer."

"Wait for it..." Arborverde said, knowing what the Chef was about to do.

Trouser smirked as he remembered a key fact about the Outsider's Passive Bonus and understood the challenger’s plan. "Don't be alarmed, everyone!” He reassured them. “Spaghetti has a reason for doing this!"

"So that's his plan..." Xanthe muttered.

"What do you mean!?" Ken asked. “Why is he-”

Gustavo smirked as he and Bruno realized what Peppino's plan was. "Let him cook!" They both said.

Peppino kept his eyes on his opponent as his Health ticked down to 30%...

He took a deep breath as he tightened his grip on SurCam.

20%...

Ricotta co*cked a brow as a fiery red aura surrounded the Chef as he took a Runner's Stance. His and Pizzahead’s eyes then widened...

10%.

As Peppino then took off like a bullet towards Ricotta before he could even turn tail to run. The Monsters may be in the way, but the enraged chef plus a now powered up Vento Sacro and Garlic made mincemeat out of them as he was now making a beeline to Ricotta.

"The second part of Spaghetti's Passive Bonus kicks in! If he's under 25% Max Health, all damage he deals will be doubled as his burning Rage kicks in! And with his Movement Speed at 275%, there's no escape for Belpaese! This might be it for him!"

Trouser didn’t know how right he was. Peppino had the Survivor cornered as he is now close enough to be in the Garlic’s fumes and struck multiple times by lightning.

And with one final strike…

Ricotta’s Health dropped to 0% as he drops to his knees and falls to the floor.

Music Stops

As Arborverde quickly deactivated the Horde Zone dismissing the Monsters, Peppino took some steps back to keep his distance, just in case Ricotta has yet another trick up his sleeve. "Is it over?" he asked, keeping an eye on the downed Survivor.

Silence filled the Arena for a few seconds until Big Trouser broke it. "Ladies, Gentlemen, and everyone in between..." He said in a level tone. "While I highly doubt that he'll accept it..."

Before booming, "WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!!!"

The masses followed in kind as they roared in celebration for the Outsider. Even the Spectators were cheering for their friend's victory. Arborverde not only felt pride swell up within him as he looked on from the Control Room, but another emotion...

Hope.

He’s perfect! He’s more than skilled enough to help me break my curse!... If he accepts that is…

However, not everyone was happy with this battle's outcome.

Pizzahead was uncharacteristically silent, but his expression on screen showed him with his teeth gritted and bared, seething with rage.

"Simmer down everyone!" Arborverde decided to rub it in the Usurper's face as he reigned in the cheering crowd. "How about we let our victor say a few words to his adversary! And I don't mean Ricotta."

The masses obliged, as Peppino, battered, bruised, and one hit away from a KO, stood tall. With SurCam under his arm, he faced the screen still showing the clown's face as he shouted.

"You know-a damn well that I'm-a not a quitter, Pizzahead! I went through the hellhole that is your-a Pizza Tower, and the one you stole from PepperJack won’t-a be any different! So send in your brainwashed Guardians... they won't protect you from me for long!"

Everyone could hear the Toon's teeth grinding as he closed his eyes and let out a sharp exhale through his nose. "Send in my Guardians you say..." He then opened them, now showing glowing purple pupils. "Fine then!" As he snapped his fingers.

The chef stood on guard as SurCam reactivated his wings and wriggled out of Peppino’s grip, floating above his shoulder. Peachone and Ebony, still airborne, even looked around for anything out of the ordinary.

“You bastard…”

Peppino turned around to see Ricotta slowly stand up, growling. A sharp eye could see his eyes and the Control Crystal around his neck glowing brighter.

“sh*t!” Ken cursed. “Peppino, send Virtue in! Ricotta’s about to go berserk!”

As Ella scrambled to get her Backdoor ready, Peppino took his out of his pocket, tapping it twice and tossing it behind him.

“You think you could come in here,” The Guardian stood up shakily, but upright. “Take my title… humiliate me…” Peppino could hear the door growing to its full size. “And get away Scot free!?” He heard it opening as, with a quick look over his shoulder, he saw Ella exit with mace and shield in hand.

The Weapons and Horde Zone may be deactivated, but in the hands of a Survivor, Weapons are still tangible, but powerless, objects. Ricotta grabbed the Knife before it fully disappeared and made a mad dash to the Chef. His eyes were wild as he raised the Knife above his head screaming; “I’LL KILL YOUUUUU!!!”

Ella was about to dash in to shield the blow before Peppino raised an arm to block her. With his other arm, he reeled it back, waited until he could see the whites of the mad Survivor’s eyes before…

“POW!!!”

…Parrying it with a backhand, knocking the Knife out of his hand and the Survivor on his ass.

Before he could get back up, Ella casted Hold Person on him so he stays prone. “Get that Crystal off him! Don’t touch it though!”

Peppino stomped to the fallen Ricotta, grabbing the chain of the necklace, careful not to touch the glowing gem, and yanked it off his person, tossing it away.

Ella dropped concentration on the spell just as Ricotta was holding his head in pain, screaming in agony. She then fired a Fire Bolt at the damned gem destroying it.

“NOOOOOOOO!!!” Pizzahead let out an enraged wail at the loss of yet another subservient puppet.

Music Stops

Ricotta's flailing stopped a few seconds after the Control Crystal's destruction, as he was now taking deep breaths, still clutching his head. He got to his knees groaning as he looked around. "Am I... Am I free?"

He then looked up at the Human who had beaten him and a familiar Half Elf. Looking at them with his blue, no longer purple, eyes in confusion.

"Signora Virtue!?... Why are you here!?" But that confusion was replaced with rage as he now had a clear view of the one who started this mess in the first place. "YOU!!!" he roared as glared at Pizzahead.

"Calm yourself Ricotta!" A familiar voice sounded. "I know you want to tear that stronzo apart, but that right belongs to someone else."

"Pep- uh, Arborverde!" Ricotta stumbled over his words a bit, remembering where he was and the large number of people listening. Peppino and the Spectators noticed this slip up but didn't say anything about it.

"After what you've been through, you really need rest. But could you do us all a favor real quick?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Everyone could hear the smirk in the Druid’s tone. "Enlighten the good people here who Pizzahead really is!"

Said Usurper's face dropped in dread.

The Survivor's eyes lit up in surprise before a wicked grin spread across his face as he attempted to stand up. "With pleasure!"

Trouser took that as a cue to teleport to the Arena and make his way to the liberated Guardian. Due to his injuries, Ricotta couldn't stand up straight. Peppino rushed forward to catch and support him as he stumbled. "Grazie." he muttered, before grabbing the microphone that the Announcer handed him.

"People of Boss Rash! That Pizza Headed Freak is an absolute phony! I was tricked, then brainwashed to believe that he was my new Boss, that PepperJack ran from his duties, and that Arborverde, my own Mentor, was an enemy!"

Pizzahead was mashing his keyboard as he tried to cut the feed. Only to fail as he remembered that he's locked out of the Arena's system.

“I saw everything while I was under his control… but I couldn’t move! I couldn’t speak! I kept hearing his goddamned voice spouting orders as I broke both Survivor and Family Tradition! That asshole ruined the honor my family had stood for!"

The Audience could hear the pain and anger in their (former) Champion's voice as he tried his damndest to stay strong for their sake. The Usurper rolled his eyes at the 'family' and 'honor' that his former puppet was spouting.

"Don't listen to anything that comes out of his filthy mouth! What Arborverde said was true! Peppino Spaghetti is an ally to the Survivors!" Leaning on the said man for support, he then pointed a finger at the screen. “Pizzahead is the enemy!!!”

All eyes turned towards the Southernmost Screen at Pizzahead in anger before...

"BOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

A cacophony of boos, jeers, curses in various languages (mostly in Italian), erupted from the masses. Foodstuffs peppered the screen as even Trouser winced from the brutality. "I feel sorry for the cleaning crew!" he quipped, before taking the mic. "And there you have it, everyone! The Imposter has been truly revealed and we have our new Champion!” He turned to the said Champion. “Unless he accepts the title that is."

Peppino shook his head then glared at Pizzahead. "Sorry, but I have to decline. I have a pizza that needs to be put in the trash!" The Pizza glared back in response.

The Elf chuckled. "Understood! Change of plans, while Belpaese still lost, he will keep his title! But for now, as early as it may be, we are closing the Arena due to an emergency while our competitors heal and we clean up this mess!" He then glares at the Imposter as he glares back at the group in kind. "I would ask for any final words from our Sponsor, but he's not here right now." he lowly added.

"YES I AM YOU-"

Cinnamon cut the Toon's feed entirely, as the crowd cheered in gratitude of not having to look or listen to him anymore. ("Truly doing the work of the Gods', Spice!" Xanthe complemented.)

Trouser turned to the Northern screen. "Thank you so much for your assistance Arborverde! Without your help and warning, a murder would have occurred within these walls!"

"But of course!” the Druid replied. “A Survivor's duty is to protect the people! And not just from the Hordes either! But I must leave, I wish to speak with Ricotta and Peppino in private once they have been healed!" And with that, the image of the Mad Groove Arcana card was replaced with the live feed.

"And speaking of Peppino!" He then turned to the Chef, holding up the blue haired Survivor. "On behalf of all of us here in Boss Rash! We thank you Peppino Spaghetti, for saving our Champion!" The audience cheered in agreement as Trouser bowed in respect.

Peppino rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, still not used to having so much attention to him. Ella and Ricotta lightheartedly chuckled at his bashfulness.

He then covered his mic as he said. "Now get going you lot! Don't want to keep Arborverde waiting!"

"He's right!" Ella said. "We're on a time limit here!"

The two men nodded as Peachone and Ebony settled on the Agent's shoulders, finally giving their wings a rest. Peppino helped Ricotta to the exit, SurCam floating nearby, as they could hear Big Trouser's voice fading away as he was closing off the show.

As they were finally out of earshot of the noise outside, the group came across three figures in bright green hooded robes waiting for them. Peppino and Ella stiffened before Ricotta groaned out. "It's alright, they're Healers."

The figure up front took off their hood, revealing an older, black-haired man underneath. "We are the Druids of the Circle of Il Molise." He introduced. "We have received word from our leader, Arborverde about what is happening at the Tower."

Ella perked up. "Wait! So you know about..."

"Yes. We are aware of both the CheddarSpice Tower and Columns Corporation's existence. Allow us to heal you and we will explain more."

The three Druids raised their hands, now glowing with magic, as they cast Healing Word on the heroes, bringing their health back to maximum. For Ella and Peppino that is, Ricotta was still limping as only his surface injuries were healed.

"Apologies, Ricotta. We only healed enough to patch you up. With the greater extent of your injuries, plus the mental and physical stress that brainwashing has added on, you need a full examination.

He waved them off. "That's fine. At least I'll be able to walk.”

The leader motioned to the party. "Come with us to the Medical Ward. Arborverde wishes to speak with you all privately."

As they made the walk, Ricotta spoke up. "Signora Virtue, Spaghetti. Thanks again for bringing me back."

Ella co*cked a brow. "Are you sure you're not saying that because you still get to keep your title?" she slyly asked.

The Survivor chuckled. "No, I'm serious! Hell, if he did want the Champion title, I would have given it to him, no questions asked." At Peppino's surprise he explained. "I'm the kind of guy that believes that power, respect, and all that jazz, needs to be earned. If I want to beat someone, it has to be a fair fight. And the fact that I wasn't even in control over myself means that I technically wasn't even fighting. That and it's basically cheating."

The Agent and Chef nodded in agreement. "Yeah that's-a fair."

He then turned to Peppino. "You'd make one hell of a Survivor though, Spaghetti! Shame you still have to deal with Pizza sh*t. But once you do, you better beat his ass!" A challenging grin spread across his face. "Because I want a rematch once you do!"

Peppino now had a smirk on his face as he answered, "It's-a deal!”

Ella was hesitant to say something, but once she was going to say something, the group had arrived at the Medical Ward.

"Arborverde is waiting inside for you all. I have business elsewhere,” The leader gestured to his companions. “but they will wait outside and stand watch until you are finished inside." The Druid then turned to Peppino and Ella. "And thank you both for your help!" All three of them bowed to them in gratitude before the leader left. The other two stayed behind standing on opposite sides of the door.

The trio, drone, and two birds turned towards it. "Well, this is it." Ella said. "Now we'll meet our guide face to face!"

Ricotta was taken aback, looking back and forth at the two of them. "Wait, you haven't met him yet!?"

"No, we haven’t."

At that answer, the Survivor started chuckling. "Oh, you’re in for one hell of a surprise!" he said. "Go on in and find out why!"

The party was confused, but complied as Peppino opened the door and with Ella's help, brought Ricotta inside. The three of them took a few steps inside, only to find something severely out of place...

As an eight-foot-tall Columnar shaped fruit tree was standing in the middle of the medical ward.

From SurCam's speakers, Ella and Peppino heard multiple exclamations from the Spectators.

"What the hell!?"

"Is that a tree!? Inside of a building!"

"I don't-a see a pot or anything underneath it! That tree doesn't belong there!"

" Where Arborverde?"

All of the hubbub stopped with Xanthe shouting, "Don't just stand there you two! Get him inside!"

The duo snapped out of their confusion with the shout and Ricotta's laughter, which was cut short to him wincing in pain from his internal injuries, carefully putting him down on a chair. Peachone and Ebony flew off of Ella’s shoulders to perch on some of the tree’s branches.

The Survivor let off one last chuckle before looking at the tree... and speaking to it. "Yup, I figured that you didn't tell them everything!" he said. "Or did you just decide to withhold information just to see their expressions upon your big reveal?"

"..."

The party was dead quiet as the confusion was a few seconds away from turning into the speculation of Ricotta taking too many blows to the head.

Ricotta sighed in annoyance, shaking his head at the tree. "Cut the silent treatment Peppino, that joke's getting old even for you!"

The said man looked at the Survivor in confusion. "What-a silent treatment? I'm-a not making a damn joke about any of-a this!"

"Wha- what do you-?" He looked at Peppino. Then at the tree. Then went back and forth two more times before laughing. "Woooow! You really didn't tell those Agents the whole story huh!?" He addressed the tree once more as he calmed down. "Now are you gonna introduce yourself or am I gonna have to do it for you?"

"..." The silence continued for a couple of seconds before a sigh and an all too familiar voice spoke. "No, I'll do it. They deserve to know my true identity."

Peppino, Ella, and even SurCam perked up and looked around the room. "Wait... Arborverde!?" Peppino called out. "Where even are you?"

"Right in front of you amico ."

The three of them slowly turned around to the plant, with the birds not even phased, as the Druid's voice emanated from there. And to further prove it, a familiar green Mage Hand appeared in front of him, giving a little wave.

"Holy sh*t, it is you..." The two of them said in unison, before looking at each other in surprise.

Arborverde chuckled at the synchronized reaction. "I would say that this is me 'in the flesh', but that wouldn't fit my current appearance." Before anyone could get a word out, the Hand was held up in a 'stop' gesture. "But before you all bombard me with questions, how about I introduce myself fully this time."

The guests, and SurCam representing the Spectators, slowly nodded as the Mage Hand dissipated.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - Extinguished Flames [Extended]

"My full name is Peppino Arborverde, and like the High Elf has figured out and what I have mentioned, I'm a Druid Guardian of the forest, Il Molise."

Peppino's eyes widened, surprised that he and the Druid shared the same name.

And to avoid confusion between the two, Peppino Spaghetti will still be called by his first name, while Peppino Arborverde will still be called by his last name. Ricotta will be the exception as the rules will be reversed whenever he addresses them.

"But I am much more than that. I was the one who mentored not only Ricotta, but the entire Belpaese bloodline ever since Zi'Assunta, Founder of the Survivors and Ricotta's five times great grandmother."

Ella thought back to the statue and Ricotta's story of him before he was brainwashed. "You were the one known as 'The Mentor', not related to him! The one that was...” Her eyes widened in realization. “cursed."

Arborverde's 'body' leaned forward, as if the tree itself was slouching in shame. "And what you see now is the curse that I was afflicted with."

"Sorry for lying to you, Signora Virtue." Ricotta said. "But I couldn't straight up tell you, or anyone for that matter, that my mentor is a living tree. You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

The blonde chuckled. "You're right, I wouldn't! But now I understand why. And since the denizens here only know him by his last name, I'm guessing that you were also protecting his identity?"

"Si." Arborverde answered. "The Circle of Il Molise has many enemies. And if they find out about my current state..." He lets out a sigh. "Well… let’s just say that chaos will ensue."

"So what were you, before your curse?" Peppino nervously asked. "Er, your-a race I mean?"

Arborverde straightened up as he answered. "Three hundred years ago, I was originally a Wood Elf, assisting warriors in driving back the unending Hordes of monsters. Zi’Assunta, myself, and others were one day sent in a group to slay a Vampire Lord terrorizing our land, one that may be a cause of these Horde Zones. To say that didn't go very well is an understatement."

"The entire group was killed save for us two. But that Vampire wanted to be... sad*stic. So he crippled Zi'Assunta, sparing her so that she could 'spread the word of his existence'. Apparently, he knew who I was as the Il Molise Guardian, and cursed me by forever trapping me into my Wild Shape , a Fruit tree that only exists in my world."

"'Wild Shape?'" Peppino repeated in confusion.

"It's a Druid exclusive ability that allows them to transform themselves into animals and beasts." Ella explained.

"And because of my Subclass, the Druid Circle of the Forest , I can turn into plants instead of beasts with that ability." The Druid's voice had a more serious undertone as everyone could hear the restrained anger accompanying it. "But that damn Vampire made sure that the damned curse could not be broken by any normal or magical means. It's not as easy as killing that bastard or casting spells like Remove Curse or Wish . He just had to make it so f*cking complicated!"

Xanthe cleared his throat and spoke up. "May I ask how this curse can be broken?"

"The process requires two people to break it, so I cannot fully do it myself. But there is one key requirement. The second person..."

Peppino had a feeling that, despite not having any, Arborverde's eyes were right on him.

"Has to share my name."

That got everyone's, including the chef's, attention. "Wait, so that-a means..."

"Peppino. I helped you, not just to save Ricotta and PepperJack, but because you are the only one who can break my curse!"

"Not to sound rude," Ella interjected. "But why couldn’t you find someone named 'Peppino' in your world to do it for you? Or a family member?"

"And that's the problem! When that Vampire set the rules of the Curse, he made sure that it was near impossible to break it! He even killed everyone that could even be remotely related to me, making me the last of my family name."

"But 'Peppino' or even 'Guiseppe' is-a common name in Italy!" The Chef put in his two cents. "I'm sure you could find-a someone!"

"That name may be common in your world, but not in mine." Arborverde growled the next part darkly. "That bastard made sure of it."

Ricotta solemnly nodded. "It's true."

"But I didn't let that stop me." Everyone heard the resolve in the Druid's voice grow stronger. "That Vampire made a grave mistake in letting me live. Because with Zi'Assunta's help, I helped foster a slowly growing army of Survivors to combat the Hordes and protect the people. For three hundred years I have helped from the shadows to protect my world!"

The tree slumped forward once again, his voice more somber. "And for three hundred years I have waited for someone to break this damn curse."

Silence reigned supreme as the party now understood as the gravity of their Guide's curse settled in. Until...

"You can stop waiting."

Music- Alleycat - Persona 5 OST [Extended]

A gasp sounded from Arborverde as he and Ricotta were taken aback as Peppino stood up and uttered that sentence.

"You helped me where the Agents were unable to. You bent the rules in-a my favor back in the Arena so you could give me a fighting chance. You wanted to take down Pizzahead, just like-a I did, even if it's for different reasons. You did so much to help me progress this floor, it's-a only fair if I returned the favor. And besides," He walked up to the tree and extended a hand with a smile. "We Italianos need to stick together, si ?"

A chuckle, then a good-natured laugh emanated from Arborverde as his leaves rustled. He conjures his Mage Hand , using it to shake Peppino's. "On that we can agree!"

Ricotta heaved a sigh, rolling his eyes. "Alright! That's enough buddy-buddy sh*t!" he said, sitting up. "Don't you have a Pizza Headed Bastardo to deal with, Spaghetti?"

Now it was Arborverde's turn to sigh. "Always have to ruin a touching moment, eh Ricky?" He chuckled at the brash interruption, having the Mage Hand break the handshake before addressing Peppino. "But he's right. You said you have a time limit to get to him. So let's not waste anymore!"

"Wait a sec!" Ricotta rummaged through his pockets before pulling out a pencil-sized golden key. I didn't have something like this before all this sh*t went down. Guessing you would have a better use for this." He then tossed it to Peppino, who caught it. "Consider that your prize."

The Chef pockets the key as Arborverde’s Hand snapped its fingers before dissipating, as a green magic circle appeared opposite of where Ricotta was sitting. A stone archway appeared in its place before it glowed and an image of the Hub Floor appeared, with Agents and Italians looking towards the opening. "Head on through you two! I will follow you shortly." Arborverde said. "Ricky, let in the Druids. And once you're healed, head back to the Tower and lock down the Floor. Turn off the cameras too in case the stronzo still has security access."

The Survivor nods. "Got it! I take it that you're reactivating the Haven?"

"Si! I’ll explain more about this situation once I get back!"

Peachone and Ebony flew through first, while Ella followed with Peppino close behind, as they stepped through, vanishing in a flash.

Music Stops

The Agent and Chef emerged from the Boss Gate and back to the Hub Floor. The light from the Gate faded as the iron grating was lowered, closing it off with a resounding clang.

"Another floor finished, Paisano!" Gustavo cheered.

"Yeah, but where's Arborverde?" Ken asked.

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - The Beginning [Extended]

And on cue, a green magic circle appeared in between Peppino and Ella, and the rest of the team, as with a flash, the tree in question appeared.

Xanthe, who once again has the birds on his shoulders, perked up as he recognized the magic used. "You know Plane Shift ?"

" Si! As a tree, I'm literally rooted in one spot! Misty Step can only get me so far." The Druid answered. "And even when I'm able to move during a Horde Zone, a snail could beat me in a race!”

Seeing Peppino's confusion Ella explained, " Plane Shift allows the caster and up to eight people of their choice to teleport to another Plane of Existence. But they can only travel in between Planes that they have physically been at least once."

No one else could see it, but Arborverde casts his gaze to the party before him, sans Peppino, Ella, and SurCam. "It's good to finally see you all in person! Er, somewhat in my case." He then leaned forward as if bowing, his 'body' pointing towards Xanthe. "And I thank you for giving my feathered friends some company, Signor..."

"Agent Merlin," he greeted, giving the tree a nod and glancing at the said birds. "And it is a pleasure to accompany them! They were no trouble at all!" The Dove and Raven crooned proudly at the praise.

The Druid chuckled, before setting his sights on all of the statues before stopping at the one closest to the Boss Gate, more specifically the one of The Mentor. "Before I open the Haven, may I ask you all a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?" Ella asked.

"Can you please fix my statue? You wouldn't believe how shocked I was to find it like that when I returned from vacation!" A growl could be heard in his voice. "And how pissed I was when I found security footage of that stronzo ruining it!"

Xel nodded in agreement. "Yup, sounds like him!"

"Do you know what he did to the nameplate?" Ken asked. "It was missing when we got here."

"Si!" He resummoned his Mage Hand , pointing it above the Boss Gate. "Bastard broke it in two then tossed the pieces above the Gate. I would get it, but it's just out of my Mage Hand 's range. And it's too heavy for Peachone and Ebony to push."

"Say no more!" Xel said as he summoned his spectral wings and flew to the top of the Boss Gate. He grabbed the two pieces then flew back down, showing the party two worn pieces of metal, each with a jagged edge where it was split.

"Give it here, I'll fix it!" Cinnamon motioned to Xel to hand her the metal pieces. The Dragonborn obliged as the Human made her way to the broken statue.

Casting the spell Mending, Cinnamon put the two halves of the plague together, molding them together into one piece and restoring any dents and wear on it. She did another cast of that spell to attach it back to its base. Now whole once again, the message can be fully seen as the Navigator began restoring the rest of the statue.

Peppino's eyes widened as he read: "Peppino Arborverde, Wielder of the Soul Eater, Guardian Druid of Il Molise, Mentor of the Survivors" He looked at what was in one of the statue's hands as the repairs were made. "I'm-a guessing that ‘Soul Eater’ is that orb you're holding."

"Yup! It's my Signature Weapon." He took a breath before continuing. "But now that you all know my full name, I believe I should tell you what my theory is about why Ricky's memories of me were tampered with."

"And the same reason why he trashed-a your statue and not the others…" The Chef's brow furrowed. "It's because we share the same name."

"Exactly as I was thinking."

Everyone was taken aback at the guess, but solemnly nodded as the reasoning made sense. "Seriously!?" Xel yelled. "Is he that f*ckin' petty!?”

Xanthe shook his head in disappointment of the situation. "Apparently so. A Druid of Arborverde's power and renown could easily give Pizzahead an edge. Possibly a Plan B or C if Ricotta failed. Truly a missed opportunity on his part."

Arborverde chuckled bitterly. "That it is. Despite me being a literal tree, I still have access to my magic. Powerful magic too, since I was a high-level Druid even before this curse." Disgust could be heard in his voice as he continued. "But no. The maledetto idiota (f*cking idiot) had his mind stuck on the fact that anyone named 'Peppino', even if it's an ally under his control, is still an enemy to him!"

"And you would be right!" A familiar, unwelcome voice replied from above the group.

Everyone frowned as once again, a giant flat screen tv on a propeller descended from the ceiling. This time Pizzahead's face has a more serious glare on the screen. And it was aimed at Arborverde.

"You know, sometime after Ricotta finally succumbed to my control, he mentioned you." A tone fitting his now serious visage could be heard. With no trace of humor whatsoever. "A powerful Druid that can assist me in protecting this Tower. Now, I don't know much about Druids, but I do understand that their nature magic is nothing to sneeze at! I was onboard with this idea at the time..."

The glare became more venomous as it was aimed at both Peppinos. "Only to find out that he shares the same, f*cking name of my nemesis!"

Everyone groaned as Peppino's prediction was correct. "Yup, he called it." Ken pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "This pizza's petty as f*ck!"

Pizzahead's eye twitched at the reaction and the comment but ignored them to continue his rant. "So yes! I was the one who trashed that statue! And after I did so, I ordered Ricotta to bring you to me once you came back from your little vay-cay, just for you to slip through my fingers! And when I found out that you started to help the Peppino that I knew,"

A sinister chuckle escaped him. "Ooooh-ho-ho-ho, was I livid! But Ricotta clearly looked up to you, and you mentioned how much you cared for him. So even if I couldn't find you, I can hurt you in the worst way possible."

Now, a sinister grin stretches across his face, as a hint of sad*stic glee could be heard in his voice. "While the fat bastard was in that Factory area, I took the liberty of wiping any and all memories of you from Ricotta's mind. With the bonus order of cutting you down on sight. Hell, I should've added the order to grab an axe and do that literally!"

Everyone glared at the television in anger at the further tampering of Ricotta. For Peppino, he was angrier at the fact at the underhanded tactics that this Clown has gone to inflict psychological damage to someone just because he shares the same name that he does. But just as he was about to open his mouth to curse him out...

Music Stops

A chuckle was heard from Arborverde before it evolved into full blown laughter, his leaves and branches rustling in mirth.

Pizzahead's normally closed eyes were shot open in anger. A snarling glare aimed at the cursed Druid. "What's so damn funny, Plant!?" He demanded.

Arborverde calmed down from his laughing fit. "You know, I have lived for a total of over 600 years, half of those years as a tree due to this curse." he said. "And never in my life have I encountered someone as STUPID as you are!"

"EXCUSE ME!?!?!?" The Usurper roared, leaning into the screen and amplifying the glare with his now bloodshot eyes.

Music- Tension - Persona 5 (Royal) Music Extended

"Signor Merlin spoke the truth when he said that I was a 'missed opportunity for you'. With me in your corner, I could have easily sabotaged these Agents, been a mole for you, swooped in the exact moment Ricotta fell and finished the job. And I don't know if you know this," He casted Mage Hand, manipulating it to point its thumb at himself.

"But I'M a Tower Guardian as well! I have access to manipulating these Horde Zones in this Tower, and the people who enter them in ways that not even Ricotta is able to do! I can buff him in the Arena and give him extra Weapons!" The Hand points at Peppino. "I can debuff Peppino at any time, putting him under Experience Lock and block him out of certain Weapons, Passives, and even Evolutions! I have the power to make this Floor damn near impossible for him to pass!"

Pizzahead backed away from the screen at that information, shock and realization in his eyes.

“I can do all of this and more while I'm under your control! But no. I share the same name as your enemy. So I'm useless to you in your eyes."

The shock was replaced with a slowly growing anger, one pointed towards the Tree and himself. Boss Lady is never gonna let me live this down! Pizzahead thought. Well at least it can't get worse than-

"And that's not even the funniest part about all of this! Oh no, Sir!" The mirth could be heard in the Druid's voice as he wags a finger at the screen before dismissing the Hand. "The punchline to this absolutely ironic, moronic comedy..."

"...Is that I cannot be mind controlled in any fashion due to my current state."

And it's about to get worse. The glare came back with a vengeance as he said aloud. "Explain yourself Weed."

"I can help with that!" This time Ken stepped up. "Thanks to the fight against Totaratskr, I now have more data about your Control Crystals. Like the fact that the spell Dominate Beast were also weaved into them! Which is like Dominate Person , but the caster has direct control over animals instead."

"Get to the point Gremlin!"

"One, I'm a Halfling, there's a difference dumbass!" He retorted without skipping a beat. "And two, the reason that your Crystals won’t work on Arborverde is... well look at him!" He gestured towards the living tree.

"Because of that curse, he's no longer a Humanoid. Trees and other living plants don't count as Beasts, and even then, there’re very few exceptions. And since he's not a Treant or any plant-based monster, even if you also had Dominate Monster in those Crystals, it won't work on him."

"So in conclusion Pizzahead," Arborverde landed the final blow to Pizzahead's regret. "My current Race is a Plant. And Plants, unless they are a Monster, count towards being Objects. And no matter what you do… you cannot mind control Objects."

It was at this moment, that Pizzahead knew.

He f*cked up.

Arborverde chuckled darkly. “And judging by that look on your face, it seems that you now understand the gravity of your folly.”

Music- Persona 5 OST - Blood of Villain [Extended]

That look of despair, slowly turned to rage as the Toon growled. "You slippery, leafy-green, BASTARD!!!" he yelled, slamming his fists on the console for emphasis. "That right there is the reason I hate you, you f*cking plant! You may be different to that tub o’ Italian lard," Peppino snarled at that insult. "But you! You've been a major pain in my ass, even in the shadows! AND you're immune to mind control!? This just proves my point! ANY Italian named 'Peppino' is bad f*cking news!"

"Wow, that's racist." The four Italians deadpanned, as all of them, even Arborverde somehow, anime sweatdropped.

Meanwhile, the Agents were watching this exchange in amusem*nt. "Damn! This guy's coping, seething, and malding all at the same time!" Xel snarked.

“I didn’t even think that was possible to do until now!” Ella joined in, with the others snickering.

Pizzahead looked a few seconds away from foaming at the mouth. "I can't wait for you to come to the top, Peppino!" He snarled. "Because I'll have an unfathomable amount of joy in tearing you apart! And once I deal with him, PepperJack, and the rest of you Columns Corp Agents, as well as regain control over the Guardians," He turned his rabid glare to Arborverde. "I'll be sure to have Ricotta chop you into firewood, burn you to ashes, and piss on them!"

The Druid chuckled darkly. "You can damn well try.” He challenged. “Because Peppino isn't the only powerful threat in this Tower."

"Ha, please! No one can stand up to my power! I'm much more dangerous that the first time Peppino and I tussled!"

"Don't listen to him." Ella said. "He just got that power because of a 'benefactor' of his. The major reason that Peppino is even here is that he has the chance to flaunt it."

A hum of understanding could be heard from the tree. "I see. That explains a lot actually!" He then addressed the Toon. "As a mentor and spellcaster for literal centuries, I know a novice when I see one." The Druid's tone then turned serious. "I don't know what Class or Level you are, but you don't stand a chance against me, boy!"

"BOY!?!?!?" Steam erupted from the Toon's ears as he shrieked, a manic look that not even Peppino could pull off, filled the screen.

"Because you have just earned the ire of a Level 20 Druid, the highest level that anyone can achieve. And if you dare try to hurt me, Ricotta, my new friends here, hell anyone in this damn Tower..."

The Mage Hand reappeared, palm facing and aimed at the screen, as a bright ball of energy was being charged.

Arborverde's voice was furious as he said his final words to the Usurper as he roared. "Then I'll show you why, despite me being a near immobile tree, I'm still known as the most powerful damn Druid in my world, you Pizza Headed Motherf*cker!!!"

The energy gathered in the Hand's palm was then fired, as the Druid casts the spell Sunbeam . Pizzahead's face dropped once again as a blindly bright lightbeam was shot towards the tv screen, putting a large hole in the middle of it, and forcibly ending the transmission.

Sunbeam- 6th level Evocation

A beam of brilliant light flashes out from the caster's hand in a 5-foot-wide, 60-foot-line in a direction that they can see. Each creature in range takes heavy Radiant damage with a 50% chance of being blinded unless they are resistant or immune. Any Undead creatures and oozes are instantly blinded and take double Radiant damage .

Music Stops

With the damage done and his point across, the light died down, with the Mage Hand remaining. Arborverde heaved a sigh as the tree slumped forward. "Whew! That took a lot of mana..." he gasped, before standing up straight. "But goddamn did he deserve that! Even if that wasn't the real him!"

Everyone else, however, was slack jawed. "Wow..." Ken uttered. "Now I understand why you don't f*ck with Druids…"

"Yeah..." Cinnamon added. "Sixth level spells ain't no joke!"

Arborverde chuckled. With the Mage Hand turning around to face the party, it signaled that the tree was facing them proper. "I wasn’t lying when I said Pizzahead have two powerful threats named 'Peppino' in this Tower." he said. "And I trust that you," The Hand pointed a finger at the Chef. "Would prove me right by kicking his ass a second time!"

The Chef gave a proud smirk. "I plan to amico! I'll-a be sure to plant him like-a dumbass tree again in your name!"

Music- Lobby Extended (1 hour version) - Library of Ruina Ost

The Mage Hand disappeared as Arborverde broke concentration, as he has now focused on laughing his nonexistent ass off, his leaves and branches shaking heavily. "I would kill to see that happen!" He took a breath as he calmed down and addressed everyone else. "But I bet you all are tired from that hell of an ordeal! So give me a minute, and I'll get this Haven open!" He then called out. "Peachone! Ebony! Your assistance please!"

The Dove and Raven perked up, then flew off Xanthe's shoulders landing on opposite sides of the Columns Corps logo. After positioning himself near the logo, Arborverde's Mage Hand reappeared facing its palm forward, and started to glow, with the birds glowing in kind. They flew about five feet up off the ground, before flying around the circle keeping themselves on opposite sides of each other.

As Cinnamon and Ken packed up their equipment, Ella went to Peppino with a solemn expression on her face. "I'm sorry we couldn’t do anything to help you, Peppino." she apologized. "With that Horde Zone active, we wouldn't be able to do much."

"It's-a fine." The Chef reassured. "No one saw that coming. I didn't even think that-a Pizzahead could even pull that off! So please, don't apologize!" He wanted to hold her hands so badly as he said that last sentence but fought the urge by clasping his own hands.

Ella sighed but nodded. "And to think that he would do something so diabolical this early. And were not even halfway through this Tower!"

"He's-a taking this more seriously than at the Pizza Tower. I saw it ever since that video Signora Sterngaze showed us." Peppino crossed his arms with a thoughtful expression on his face. "I don't know if it's-a this 'benefactor' of his or that he just straight up-a snapped that he lost against me," His mind went back to near the end of the transmission.

“I made a grave mistake in underestimating you, and I’m not making the same mistake twice."

"But he's different now, more focused. More... unhinged… when something goes wrong. It's-a kind of remind me of... me a bit! And I know what it feels to completely lose it!"

Everyone was taken aback by that comparison, Gustavo and Bruno especially.

"If Pizzahead's taking this seriously, then I need to be more cautious. One misstep and he will use it to his advantage."

Everyone silently agreed with the Italian's claim, especially the Agents. He technically knows more about the enemy than the Corps does. One encounter was more than zero after all.

"Alright, it's ready!"

The Second Floor Haven Entrance was now restored, glowing faintly with blue light. Satisfied with their work, the two bird Weapons fluttered over to Arborverde, each of them landing on a branch as they stopped glowing.

"Thank you all again for bringing Ricotta back to his senses!" He may not have a face, but the party could tell that the Druid was beaming. "If there's anything you need, anything at all, let us know! After what you all have done for me and Ricky, we owe you big time! And I'm damn sure that he would agree!" Peachone and Ebony nodded, also agreeing with the statement.

Ella smiled. "Thanks Arborverde! We'll keep that in mind!"

Xanthe tapped his temple. "And if it does come to that, I do know Sending." he added. "But with you being in a different plane of existence, there is a slim chance that it might fail."

"Is that so? Well, now that you know my full name, Send to me whenever you need to!"

"Well..." All eyes turned towards Peppino as he spoke up. With the attention on him he was a bit bashful but said his piece. "There is-a something that I didn't get a chance to ask."

"Hmm?" To portray the tree's curiosity and their own, the birds tilted their heads to the side. "What is it, amico?" Arborverde asked.

"How can I break your curse?"

Peppino Arborverde thanked every God in his world that he didn't have a face at that moment. Otherwise, his jaw would be on the floor.

Notes:

Pizza Tower Characters are owned by Tour de Pizza
All Original Characters and HeroForge figures are owned by me
All music used belongs to their respective owners and composers
Want to see stuff from Behind the Scenes, ask a question, or see upcoming news about the series? Follow me on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/superstarlena

Chapter 16: Chapter 15- Arborverde's Curse and Spaghetti’s Special

Summary:

After a quick rest, an explanation of Gustavo’s abilities, Peppino sets off to assist in breaking Arborverde’s curse. How does he do so? By travelling to another world… within another world.
More Noise shenanigans ensue and Pizzahead plans for the next floor… And the one after.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 15- Arborverde's Curse and Spaghetti’s Special

After finding his voice and fervently thanking the Chef, Arborverde discussed an idea with Ella and Peppino. Since he has to help Ricotta beef up the Floor’s security against Pizzahead, and the Chef has gone through an ordeal or four, the party agreed on having their well-deserved rest for a couple of hours before returning to the Hub. “The means of breaking this curse are within these Tower walls, we just need to set up the right conditions.” The Druid explained. “Once you’re all rested up, I’ll explain further and help you prepare.”

With the agreement made, everyone bid farewell to the tree as they entered the now unlocked Haven.

Music- Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon OST - 19 "Absolved"

As the party made their way to the Living Quarters, the various Employees that the group had passed by started shouting praises to them. Or more specifically, to Peppino.

"Yo! That was a sick match there man!"

"Way to stick it to that pizza bastard!"

"I've never seen such a hyped match against Ricotta before! You did amazing!"

Peppino was both shocked and confused about how they could have known about the battle. Thankfully, the group has received an answer in the form of Ozleus waiting for them at the Male Only building. "Congratulations on liberating the Second Floor! And on the fight against Ricotta, Mr. Peppino!" At the multiple confused expressions, he then added. "Due to popular demand, all matches in Boss Rash are televised through a private network that PepperJack has set up."

"So everyone here saw-a what happened!?"

"Yes we did! No one has ever been so excited for a match such as yours, especially due to the circ*mstances behind it."

Ella spoke up. "We'll be staying here for a few hours, but a few of us will be heading out. Peppino has some unfinished business with the Floor and with Arborverde."

The Tiefling perked up at the name. "Arborverde's still around!?" He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Gods he's alright!" He then cleared his throat as he composed himself and walked inside the Male Building. "Well do not let me keep you all from your rest. You all deserve it!"

As the Manager left, Ken gave a quick glance to Gustavo. The gnome looked back and gave a singular nod. "How about this?" The Halfling spoke up. "Give me about ten minutes, and I'll set up the tv to show the Totaratskr fight!"

Peppino's eyes lit up before turning to Gustavo. "That's-a right! I want to see that 'epic comeback' you had that-a Ken mentioned!"

The shorter Italian chuckled nervously. "Oh heh heh. Oh that? It's-a nothing."

"For avenging Brick!? I wouldn't call that-a 'nothing'!"

“How about we come back in thirty minutes?” Xanthe suggested. "This will give us ample time to freshen up a bit while Ken makes his preparations. And in the meantime, I can prepare some snacks while preparing for dinner once Peppino returns!"

“Sounds like a plan!” Xel took a whiff of his underarms and grimaced. “I’m still musty after that fight with Totaratskr! I need a shower!”

“And I need to repair SurCam too!” Cinnamon added.

Ella nodded and made her way to the Female Commons. “Alright, see you all in 30!”

With that, everyone went their separate ways…

But not before a certain Forest Gnome grabbed Xanthe’s attention and whispered something to him.

Thirty Minutes Later

Music- ProjectMoon - Library Of Ruina / Malkuth Story 30m

With everyone freshened up and in their casual clothes, except for Ella, Cinnamon, and Peppino who were in clean copies of their uniforms and chef ‘outfit’ respectively, the party was now gathered in the living room of the Male Commons. As Ken was connecting his Navigator’s equipment to the living room screen, Xanthe had set out two bowls of popcorn and two bowls of golf ball sized morsels of oats, nuts, cranberries, and dark chocolate on the table. At Bruno’s inquiry, the High Elf shared the recipe of these ‘Chocolate Cranberry Travel Bites’ and invited him and the other Italians to try it, with positive results.

"You know," Cinnamon started as she watched the Halfling set up. "We haven't seen a whole lot of footage of Gustavo at the Pizza Tower. This is the first time most of us will see him actually fight!"

Ella’s eyes widened in realization. "That's right! This'll be interesting to see!"

Peppino chuckled. "I've-a seen Gustavo throw some punches at The Noise-a few times before.” He smirked at the Gnome. “He's no slouch when it-a comes to fighting!"

"Alright it's ready!" Ken announced as the tv displayed what was on his laptop screen. Everyone scrambled to grab a seat and a few of the Travel Bites.

“But!” The Halfling turned to face everyone, speaking in a surprisingly serious tone. "Before we get started, I have a quick request for all of you."

Everyone, minus Gus and Xel, looked confused. "Hm? What is it?" Xanthe asked.

"I'll tell you all right now, there's a certain point where you'll have a lotta questions. Save them till the end."

The party didn’t understand why Ken would request this of them but agreed nonetheless as the Navigator pressed play.

Music Stops

Twelve Minutes Later

“How are you-a able to do that!?

“What Class are you!?”

“Did you use Misty Step multiple times?”

At least they respected Ken’s request to save the questions till the end.

“One at a time everyone!” Xanthe tried to reign everyone in as Peppino and the two ladies were firing off questions. “How about we allow Gustavo to explain himself.”

The Gnome took a deep breath as he stood up and walked to the front where Ken is. “I know you all have questions about my abilities.” He started. “But I can answer all of that with this…”

“Yes, I have a Class. I’m-a Monk of the Tradition, Way of the Frenzy . Like with Ella who can-a use two Class abilities while staying in one, I can use both-a Monk and Barbarian abilities. What you saw against Totaratskr was me using both-a Ki and Rage from their respective Classes.”

Xel cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “That’s why Ken and I didn’t say much about this. Gus wanted to keep this secret so he could tell everyone without repeating himself.”

Xanthe hummed in thought as everyone else stayed silent, unsure what to say or react.

Until Ella asked, “What Level are you?”

Gustavo’s eyes widened for a second before Ken turned to him and asked. “Permission to show them?”

The Gnome sighed. “Go ahead.”

The Halfling nods then starts typing on his laptop. “With Gus’ permission, I had Seeker scan him after we were healed. What you’re all about to see are just a few of his abilities.” With a final button press, the Drone’s analysis of the shorter Italian was presented for all to see.

Name: Gustavo Giunta

Race: Forest Gnome

Class: Level 20 Monk, Way of the Frenzy

Damage Immunities: Non-Magical Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing (Only while Raging)

Damage Weaknesses: None

Condition Immunities: Poisoned, Disease (except allergies)

Spells Known: Minor Illusion, Speak with Animals, Animal Friendship

Special Abilities: None

Class Abilities:

Ki Mastery- Can harness the mystic energy of Ki, used for multiple Monk based abilities.

Rage- Can enter a Barbarian's Rage that lasts for 1 minute. Can activate up to 10 times in one day and regains all uses after an 8-hour rest.

Ki-Empowered Strikes- All unarmed strikes count as magical physical damage for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Status Effects: None

"LEVEL 20!?!?!?" Ella, Cinnamon, and Xanthe exclaimed in incredulous shock.

"That is the highest level any one can attain in any Class!" The High Elf elaborated.

Peppino and Bruno were confused about the information. "What this mean?" Bruno asked.

"That means Gustavo is the strongest person in this room.” Xel explained. “As a Monk myself, I can tell you that we’re skilled fighters. And we’re even stronger with experience.” He then glanced at the Gnome. “And with his experience plus his strength…”

“He could possibly solo all of us if he wanted to."

Silence reigned supreme as the Dragonborn let that last sentence sink in. No one knew how to respond or react to it. Gustavo looked down in shame, preparing himself for the upcoming anger from a certain chef.

"So you mean to tell me..." Peppino lowly started. "that you had-a all of this power... and you didn't even try to stop-a Pizzahead when he decided to threaten me!?"

“Peppino…”

“I was burned by lava, shot at, temporarily dead,” The Human stood up and slowly stomped towards the Gnome, anger growing with each word. Gustavo scrambled to his feet, stepping back as Peppino approached. “Stuffed into-a pizza box, fought multiple clones and-a robots of myself, had to, once again, go through the horrors of War!”

The shorter one found himself cornered as he was backed into the dining room table. “Only to find out that it was all for nothing because that damn laser was-a f*cking fake!” The Agents didn’t dare intervene, not wishing to incur the Italian’s wrath further.

Peppino’s voice was a deep growl as he was trying to hold back his vocal power to avoid blowing his friend away. “And you could have dealt with that damn Tower yourself!?”

“Peppino, I know you’re upset. But-”

“All that power… And aside from-a helping me a few times, you did nothing! You had-a higher chance to live through those horrors! And I wouldn’t have to-a deal with the threat of either dying, having my business and home destroyed, or both!”

“If you’re-a saying that this is because of laziness, it wasn’t!”

"Then why didn't you take down that Tower!?" He roared.

Gustavo roared with the same intensity. "Because I wanted to give you a chance!!!"

Music Stops

Peppino’s eyes widened in surprise at what he just heard. “A… chance?”

Music- Alleycat - Persona 5 OST [Extended]

Gustavo took a deep breath and began to explain. "I knew you were fast and strong before the Tower, but I have-a never seen you use that power of yours to its fullest. Mostly because you-a never had a reason to. But your chance came when-aPizzahead, under the guise of Pizzaface first showed up. And when he did,"

He jabbed a finger in Peppino's chest, specifically where his heart is. "You didn’t hide, you didn't cower, you ran towards that Tower. You were willing to put-a your life on the line! You finally had-a chance, a reason, to use every ounce of your being, your heart and soul, to save your livelihood!"

Gus lowered his hand and stepped around his friend, continuing. "As a Monk, I can sense the Ki, the life energy, of-a people around me. But when I saw-a glimpse of yours in that Tower, Peppino..."

He turned around, looking the Human in the eyes with a piercing gaze. "I have never seen anyone's Ki burn as bright as yours! Not just against Pizzahead, but throughout-a the entire Tower. It burns not just out of rage and desperation, but out of passion! Passion of-a saving the one thing that gave you joy despite the low sales or the pain in your past. You didn't see that-a pizzeria as a job or a hobby, you saw it as a way of life. A life you wanted for yourself. And if you were willing to move heaven and earth to protect your pride and joy…

"Then who am I to get in your way?"

Peppino looked down in shame as he understood the Gnome's logic. "...You're right." He admitted. Gustavo and the others perked up at his confession. "That Tower had-a more than enough open space for me to run at-a my fastest. Enough enemies to test my strength and reflexes. And so many dangerous obstacles to test-a my durability, that even I was surprised that I could survive them!"

He looked down at his large hands. "Despite my fear, the impending doom of-a my restaurant being destroyed, and the pure rage I felt towards Pizzahead and the Guardians..." He clenched them into fists at that part. "I couldn't help but feel... excited."

"Exactly!" Gustavo gently lowered the Human's fists to his sides. “If I just-a dealt with the Tower, what would be the point? I wouldn’t gain anything from it. Your sales would still be low. And most importantly, you wouldn’t be able to-a hone your power.” He gave Peppino a pat on the arm since he couldn't reach his shoulder. “Gnomes have-a much longer lifespan than Humans. And I’ve had over 200 years’ worth of adventures throughout this world. I wanted to pass on that thrill to someone else."

Peppino heaved a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck in shame. "I'm-a sorry for snapping at you."

"It's okay, Pep! You had every right." Gustavo then turns towards the Agents. "And I want-a to apologize to all of you as well, for withholding this information."

"It's fine Gustavo," Ella replied. "You were a great help against Totaratskr. And from what we saw, without your abilities, Gorgonzola and her forces might not have a chance to stop her!"

"And to properly make it up to you all," The shorter Italian then grabbed Peppino, dragging him closer to Bruno. "How about we-a treat you to our specialty pizzas?"

Music- My Homie - Persona 5 (Royal) Music Extended

The Agents', except Xanthe's who smiled, eyes widened in surprise. "For real!?" Xel shouted in joy.

"You know what, why not!" Peppino chuckled. "I did promise to-a make some for next time after all! Why not cash that in!"

"Gustavo spoke to me after we parted ways and requested to set up the kitchen for pizza making." Xanthe spoke up. "All the ingredients are all set out, and if you need more, I can assist you with the MagiStock Fridge. And with some help from Ozleus, a brick oven is now available!"

Peppino and Bruno looked at each other in shock, before turning to the Agent. "Really!?"

"Of course! Have a look!" The High Elf gestured towards the kitchen.

"Actually, I have-a better idea," The Chef turned to his partners. "You two wash up and get ready!" Before taking out a notepad and pen from his pockets with an excited grin. "I'll-a take everyone's orders!"

After a few minutes, the Agents made their orders, and the three Italians began their preparations. The trio were in their element as they were working like a well-oiled machine, shouting things to each other in Italian, as they passed ingredients around.

While four of the Agents were watching the process unfold from outside of the kitchen, Xanthe stood a ways away as he summoned his spellbook. Writing the name ‘Peppino Arborverde’ on a blank page, he prepared himself to use the spell Sending to send his message.

Sending- 3rd-level evocation

You send a short message that is up to twenty-five seconds long to a creature with which you are familiar. The creature hears the message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a similar manner immediately. The spell also works on creatures with enough Intelligence to understand basic speech.

You can send the message across any distance and even to other planes of existence, but if the target is on a different plane than you, there is a 5% chance that the message doesn't arrive.

Holding his spellbook, the High Elf closed his eyes and focused as he said his message under his breath. "Arborverde, this is Merlin! Peppino is sufficiently rested and says that he is ready to assist you. We will also send in Agents Spice and Virtue for surveillance and backup. They will rendezvous at the Haven Entrance whenever you are ready!"

As he said it, the message was magically written on the page word for word. As he opened his eyes, he then received a response in his mind. Looking down in the book, Arborverde’s words were being written in time with his ‘voice’. "Perfetto! Ricky just finished the lockdown of the floor and is currently keeping watch! You are now able to come and go as you need without Pizza sh*t finding out. Go ahead and send them my way, I’ll be waiting!”

With a smile, Xanthe closed his book and passed on the message. “Arborverde is waiting for you three! I would suggest that you all head out posthaste.”

Ella nods before standing up. “Right! Let’s go, you two!”

“Okey dokey!” Peppino follows suit. “By the time we finish, the pizzas will-a be ready and cooled down!”

“We’ll keep watch over them!” Gustavo called from the kitchen, with Bruno giving a thumbs up. “Good luck !”

The Chef gives them a nod before following the two ladies out of the Commons.

Once they arrived back at the fountain, the three of them stepped onto the Second Floor Warp Point and were whisked away in a bright flash.

Music Stops

As the light died down, the trio finds themselves back on the Second Floor Hub. They didn't have time to even look around as they heard a familiar voice call to them, "Ah there you all are!"

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - Dust Elementals [Extended]

Looking in that direction, the quartet saw Arborverde standing next to the Il Molise Gate. "I cannot thank you enough for doing this for me!" Sheer gratitude could be heard in his voice as the heroes approached him. "If we can get started as soon as possible, we can finish this in about 30 minutes."

“Sweet! I'll start setting up.” Cinnamon set down her briefcase and opened it, preparing her gear.

"How's Ricotta doing?" Ella asked.

"He still needs to recover but doing well! He's taking it easy by watching the security for this floor."

Peppino nods before asking. "So what do I need to do?"

"Let me first start with explaining how this curse works." The Tree cleared his metaphorical throat before continuing. "In order for that Vampire to even place a curse of that magnitude, he needs to first bind it to a physical object of great power. And the object he chose was my Arcane Focus, an object that I use to strengthen my spells.

“He then warped my Focus in a different random dimension, so that not even he knows where it is! Then trapped me in my Wild Shape, not just to make me immobile, but to make my magic even weaker! It took almost a century, but with some help from multiple Wizards and Clerics, I tracked down its location, the Holy Forbidden, a sacred Plane of Existence that connects to mine and Ricotta's world.”

“But there's a major problem... it cannot be entered in any way. You cannot use spells like Teleport, Plane Shift, or even Wish! It's been said that there are physical connections from there from our Material Plane, but we cannot find it for the life of us! Until a discovery was made. In my research, my team and I found that there is only one entrance to the Holy Forbidden... And it's in Il Molise."

The Chef nodded in understanding. "So I'm-a not done with this floor yet, huh?"

“Since you decided to do this sidequest, no." Arborverde quipped as Peppino chuckled in amusem*nt. "But like I said, do this quick, and we’ll be done in 30 minutes or less.”

"So treat this like-a one of my pizza deliveries, got it!"

This time, Ella joined in on the chuckling before asking. "Does Peppino have to do anything different to get into this Holy Forbidden?"

"Si. But those steps will come later. I will explain further once the time is right."

"Alright, I'm ready!" Cinnamon had her laptop and SurCam up and running as the Drone used Mage Hand to, well, hand the now active Vital Tracker back to the Chef.

"Unfortunately, in order to save power, everyone else watching in the Haven will see the action, but we won't hear them." The Navigator explained as Peppino thanked the Drone and strapped the device to his wrist. "If Peppino's gonna be going to another world and in a different dimension, SurCam needs all the energy he could spare in order to keep up."

"Makes sense. Especially after what-a happened in Boss Rash." The Drone shook in fear remembering the near fatal blow it took from Ricotta.

"Then let's get started so no time or energy is wasted." Ella said.

"She's right, amico! Finish this, and you'll finally be done with this Floor and its mechanics." Arborverde added. "I'm sure you want to go back to running like the wind again huh?"

"Si, I do!" Peppino cracked his neck and knuckles before readying himself. "Let's-a get that curse off of you, Arborverde!"

All geared up and ready to go, Peppino stepped through the Il Molise Gate with SurCam at his side.

Music Stops

When he walked through, he immediately saw a change in the chapel room. Instead of four pedestals, there was only one with a blank Arcana Card.

Through the enchanted branch on Peppino’s person, Arborverde started to explain. " After years of trial and error, I found out how to open the way to the Holy Forbidden in Il Molise, but there is a certain requirement to do so. That Plane has multiple branching paths, so if you enter normally, you'll end up in a random place with no way out! In order to open the path that has my Arcane Focus, you need to have my Signature Weapon on hand, the Soul Eater."

"You mean that-a orb that your statue has?"

"Si! But it's not an ordinary Weapon. It's an Evolution!"

"An Evolution!?” Ella exclaimed. “Survivors can start with those!?"

"Yes they can, but it's rare. And because of this curse, I can enter, but I can't move since I'm a f*cking tree! And even with the Wings, a Passive that increases your Movement Speed, I can't move fast enough to get some distance before I'm kicked out from there due to a time limit!

"That's where you come in, Peppino! With you sharing my name, having my Weapon, and being able to move quickly, you can traverse the Holy Forbidden without a problem!"

Peppino nodded in understanding. “Okay, I get it! So how do I get-a your Weapon?"

"By starting with this!" As the Druid then shouted. "Randomazzo!"

The card revealed itself in a purple flash as the Garlic appeared on the pedestal.

XXI- BLOOD ASTRONOMIA

Listed weapons also emit special damaging zones affected by Amount and Magnet. Enemies within Magnet range take damage based on Amount.

"The Soul Eater is the Evolution of the Garlic and the Pummarola. Once you get that, start the Column Collapse, then complete a Lap 2. Do that and the way to the Holy Forbidden will reveal itself!"

"But what about the Crystal Fragments? And the Pillar?” Cinnamon asked. “Peppino already collected everything and knocked it down."

"Good point. But thankfully we have a solution for that! If it's just like before that bastardo came here, then any Fragments, or CheddarSpice Coins back then, will be replaced with glass versions of them. You can just ignore these in other stages as you don't gain anything, but for this floor, you need to collect them to get to the, now glass, Pillar."

“Oh yeah, I remember that!” Said Ella. "And since those Employees were saved, we don't have to worry about those coffins, right?"

"That's right!"

The Chef breathed a sigh of relief. "Bene! One less step to deal with!"

"But let's not waste any more time.” With the only Weapon selected, the door to the entrance proper opened. “Head on in whenever you're ready!"

With SurCam behind him, Peppino stepped into Il Molise one more time.

Flashback

Location: Peppino’s Pizza

Time: Tuesday 12:20 pm- While Peppino was in the Minotaur Dairy Plant

“Goddammit Jones! Can’t you do your magic sh*t faster!?”

“Please quiet down and wait, Your Loudness! I need to maintain my concentration.”

After dealing with the bullsh*t that Noise calls 'Italian Witchcraft' yesterday, (and narrowly avoiding Noisette in explaining why he wet himself), he has called for help in the form of a Pizzard that was under his command back at the Pizza Tower.

Source from the Pizza Tower Wiki

Music- Yo Noise - Pizza Tower OST REHEATED

Dougie Jones was confused about his former 'Lord's' request (read: demand), of him coming to Peppino's Pizza to investigate a strange magic surrounding the building. After Noise described the spell as best he could, Jones chalked it up to be some sort of barrier spell. No big deal! One Dispel Magic should do the trick right?

Wrong.

No matter how many times he tried, or how long he Ritual Casted to increase its power, Dispel Magic did nothing to this barrier. And he did all of this after first casting Identify on the said spell, which came up with no information except for one thing: Unknown Abjuration Spell. Not even a name, just that.

Jones was at a loss. Under Noise's orders, and his reluctance, he has casted multiple offensive spells at the building, all of which were reflected back at him. Thankfully he just casted Cantrips like Eldritch Blast and Fire Bolt multiple times and not something extremely destructive like Fireball . Otherwise, he wouldn't be alive for his Plan B, which he was preparing for now.

Believe it or not, the name for Dougie's Race, 'Pizzards' was a misnomer, as not all of them are part of the Wizard Class. While a majority were Wizards, some were Sorcerers, or in Jones' case, Warlocks; spellcasters with the support of an entity called a ‘Patron’, as the source of their power.

We now come to The Noise as he was leaning on a tree, arms crossed with an impatient grimace on his face, forced to wait for 10 minutes as Jones was sitting cross legged holding his book in his lap and 'Ritual Casting'. According to his lackey, Dougie was a Warlock with an Archmage Patron, whatever that means, and he needs 10 minutes to cast some spell to contact that Patron guy. Jones was even nice enough to show him a page in his spellbook that describes the spell he’s currently preparing.

Commune- 5th-level divination

After Ritual Casting for 10 minutes to prepare this spell, the Caster can contact a Patron deity or a divine proxy and ask up to three questions that can be answered with either “yes” or “no”. The Caster is guaranteed to receive a correct answer for each question.

Divine beings aren’t necessarily omniscient, so there is a chance to receive “unclear” as an answer if a question pertains to information that lies beyond the deity’s knowledge. In a case where a one-word answer could be misleading or contrary to the deity’s interests, they might offer a short phrase as an answer instead.

If the spell is cast two or more times before 8 hours has passed, there is a cumulative 25% chance for each casting after the first that you get no answer.

Theodore doesn’t fully understand this magic mumbo jumbo, but trusts Jones enough to do his own thing. He is a Pizzard after all, they love casting spells! However, there was one problem...

He had to stand still and shut up for 10 whole minutes, and any interruptions meant Dougie redoing the process. And for someone named 'The Noise' who is supposed to be loud, being quiet is absolute torture for him.

As he waited for the long boring magic sh*t, Noise leveled a glare at the building in question. I don't know what the hell you did to your joint and how you did it, He thought to himself. But you are NOT denying me my fun of ruining that sh*thole you call a restaurant, Italian Man! Just be glad that I respect you enough to at least keep it in one piece after I’m finished with it.

He was brought back to reality by a shout from the Pizzard. "Yes! It's ready!" The spellbook in Dougie's lap started to glow as it opened itself up with its pages turning rapidly.

Noise immediately jumped up. "f*cking finally!" he shouted in relief, before looking at the glowing book. "Uh, is that supposed to-"

He was cut off as a blinding flash burst forth before dimming down. Once the two of them blinked the spots away from their eyes, another figure was before them.

A floating pizza, similar to Pizzaface, appeared. However, this one has white gloves and boots, but since he has no limbs, they were just floating in place. A purple Wizard cape fluttered behind him, with a pizza patterned Wizard hat like Jones’ atop of its head.

Source from the Pizza Tower Reddit

Music- Trine OST #02 Academy Hallways

"Greetings fellow Apprentice!" The Wizard Pizza boomed to Jones. "I am the Pizzamancer! I understand that you wish to Commune with me?"

Noise did a double take at who Jones had summoned. "Who the hell is this!? Pizzaface's grandpa?" He exclaimed. " This is who you wanted to contact!?"

"Sir, calm down! Let me handle this." The Pizzard hissed at the Gremlin, before clearing his throat and addressing his Patron. "Yes Great Pizzamancer! My questions pertain to a spell covering that building over there." Dougie pointed towards Peppino's as the Archmage's gaze followed. "We need more information on how to break that spell as Dispel Magic doesn't work."

The Pizzamancer stroked his jalapeno goatee in thought as he observed the magic surrounding the pizzeria. "I see." He nods and turns to Dougie. "Very well! You have three questions. Ask away!"

"Ask!?" Noise snapped at the Patron. "Why the hell couldn't you break that spell yourself!?"

"I only answer questions from my Apprentices, not Outsiders." The Gremlin growled at the Pizza’s nonchalant response as he said to Dougie. "Now ask."

Dougie began his questioning. "Question One. Was that spell cast by either the one named 'Peppino Spaghetti' or anyone associated with him?"

The Pizzamancer closed his pepperoni eyes in thought for a couple seconds before answering. "...No."

"Then who did!?" Noise shouted.

The pepperonis opened up in a glare. "I said, only my Apprentices can ask me questions! Hold your tongue, Outsider!"

Jones snapped at the mascot. "Sir! Be quiet!" He took a quick breath to calm down as he continued. "Question Two. Is this spell bound to an object?"

"...Yes."

Theodore tilted his head in confusion. "What does that even mean?"

"That can mean one of two things.” Jones pondered. “Either whoever casted that barrier used an object to cast that spell. Or is using an object as an Arcane Focus to keep powering it."

Jones sighed as his boss’ confused expression deepened. "Just let me ask my last question and I'll clear it up." Turning to his Patron he continued. "Question Three. Is that object inside Peppino's Pizza?"

"...Yes."

Dougie’s eyes widened underneath his hat in realization. "Then that means the caster has an object, like a battery, keeping that spell going. And the only way to break the spell is to break the battery!"

"And how can we break it if it's inside Peppino's and we're stuck out here? Answer me that Grandpa Pizza!" Noise snapped.

The Pizzamancer ignored the rude Gremlin as he addressed Jones. "I have answered your questions three! This Communion is over!"

"Like hell it is! You did jack sh*t!" Noise’s sharp teeth were in full display as he snarled at the Archmage.

"Sir Noise!"

"I bet this guy isn't even a real wizard! He's just pulling answers out of his ass, if he has one that is!"

"SIR NOISE!!!" Said man jumped in fear as the Pizzard roared in anger. Something he never heard him do.

Music Stops

"I get that you don't understand magic, but understand this.” Dougie looked dead in Theo’s eyes as he warned. “Never piss off a Warlock's Patron! You are being disrespectful to not just a deity, lesser or otherwise, but to my Boss! And they can and will curse you if you do!"

The Noise rolled his eyes and scoffed. "And what's Mr. ‘Pizzaface The Wizard’ gonna do to me? Turn me into a pizza?"

"A tempting suggestion..." A sinister chuckle escaped the Patron as his gloved hands crackled with magic. "But I have a better idea."

He aimed his hands at the disrespectful mascot as Noise was now being zapped by a spell. However, while the screaming Theodore felt electricity coursing through his body, the only part where he felt pain was his tongue.

“A curse upon ye!” Pizzamancer boomed, stopping the flow of energy. When Noise dropped to the ground, Jones was at his side checking to see if he was still alive. The spell target looked up to the magical pizza, dazed as he said. "For seven days and seven nights, any food and drink that you consume will taste like the most disgusting, repugnant thing you have ever tasted in your life!"

The Gremlin rolled his eyes as he stood up and shoved off the Pizzard. "Pff! That's it? Like I'm gonna believe that!" He scoffed, taking out a pack of breath mints. "In fact, let's test that little fake ass magic trick!" He popped a mint into his mouth…

Music- Wicked Plan - Persona 5 OST [Extended]

And spit it out a couple of seconds later. "What the hell!?" He shouted in disgust. "Why does this mint taste like pizza!?" Theo quickly took out a water bottle and gulped some down to wash out his mouth.

And immediately did a spit take (thankfully away from Dougie). "The water too!?" With a snarl, he wheeled around to glare at the Archmage. "What did you do!?" he roared.

"Teaching you a lesson, fool." Pizzamancer coldly replied. "Because what my Apprentice said is correct. Insult them, and a Patron Deity can either curse you at best or erase you from existence at worst! That curse was an act of mercy compared to what I have truly done." His frown deepened as he issued a warning. "Disrespect me again and it will be your last words you will utter!"

Noise growled as the Patron then faced Dougie. "Now then. I have answered your questions three. This Communion is over!" Sparkles surrounded the pizza as he started to fade away. "Farewell my Apprentice! And my sincere condolences for dealing with that ignorant fool." Pizzamancer gave Theo one last glare before fading away completely.

Dougie heaved a sigh as he started to gather his belongings. "Well, I got the answers I needed. Now I need to start my research for that spell."

He then yelped as The Noise grabbed the Pizzard's shoulders, yanking him to his face. "He's joking right, Jones?" Pleaded the mascot. "He didn't mean that curse thing, right? I can't be tasting pizza in everything I eat, RIGHT!?"

"No Sir, that curse is real. I tried to warn you, but you didn't listen." He pushed himself away from his boss, as he continued to pack up. "I'll be back tomorrow if that spell still holds up. In the meantime, I'll brainstorm what to do and what other questions to ask the Pizzamancer for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!? You're calling him again!?"

"Yes, Commune works best if it's used once a day. Otherwise, it'll have a higher chance to fail and I won’t get any answers." He then glared at Noise as he said this next part. "And in order to prevent you from possibly dying next time, I'll be sure to do it at home, away from you!"

The Pizzard now had all of his stuff and was ready to go, as a magic circle appeared underneath him. "I'll be taking my leave now. See you tomorrow, Sir." And with those words, Dougie casts Teleportation Circle to send himself home in a flash.

Music Stops

Now alone, Theodore was now free to fully vent his frustration. A growl grew louder in his throat before he pounded a fist at the tree he was leaning on. “Goddammit! I’m getting nowhere!” He yelled in frustration. "Jones wasted so much of my time to get answers, not results! And even then, he still can't get that damn barrier down!” He took another lick at a mint, still tasting savory meat and cheese, before spitting it out and yeeting the package in a random direction.

“And now, because of that bootleg Pizzaface, I'm gonna be tasting pizza for the next week! Which is even worse than Hazel’s cooking!" His face fell as he realized something horrible. "Wait... If I eat her cooking... and it tastes like pizza... Oh God!"

Theo fell to his knees; absolute dread filled his entire being as he screamed to the heavens;

Music- Pizza Tower OST - Your Fat Ass Slows You Down (Time's Up)

"THIS IS A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH!!!"

Back to the Tower. In Il Molise

Flashback

5 minutes before Column Collapse

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - When The Cloud Drowns [Extended]

With the knowledge and experience he gained from traversing this floor, plus Arborverde's guidance, Peppino was downright crushing the various mobs even before Column Collapse.

Along with the Garlic, the Chef decided to stick with Weapons with Area of Effect such as the King Bible and the Santa Water, since ranged Weapons would not be truly effective, especially since he could not aim any projectiles. And along with the Pummarola, he decided to prioritize Attack and increasing the said Area of Effect with the Spinach and Candelabrador respectively.

But the main source of damage was from the Arcana, Blood Astronomia. Paired with the Garlic, red energy zones in the shape and size of the Weapon's fumes were created on the ground whenever Peppino moved. And whenever a Monster steps onto them, they take damage as if stepping on a trap. Thanks to the maxed-out Garlic and Candelabrador, the 'traps' took a large amount of space and dealt a lot more damage with help from the Spinach.

Sometime before the Collapse, Arborverde explained to the small group, and by proxy the Spectators back at the Haven, about what to expect in the Holy Forbidden.

"The Holy Forbidden is known in my world to be a sacred realm, a place that your soul passes by on its way to Heaven. But, in reality, it is a twisted maze, disguised to be a holy ground, spanning layers upon layers of those said mazes. Many cursed items and artifacts of power were placed there, intentionally or otherwise. And the only way to gain entrance to a specific item, is to have an object on your person with a similar property of the item you seek."

Peppino glanced at the floating orb above his head that’s emitting a dark protective zone of energy around him, similar to the Garlic. "So that's-a why I have to bring the Soul Eater?"

"That's right. Which is why there is another stipulation for entering a specific section. You can ONLY bring that similar object."

"Then that means... Peppino can't bring any other Weapons or Passives with him, right?" Ella realized.

"Si." Before Peppino could protest, Arborverde added. "But don't worry amico! The Soul Eater is more for protection if anything. Your main goal is not to defeat a number of Monsters, but to get to the end of the maze.

"As for the maze itself, I unfortunately don't know if it’s semi straight forward or complex as hell. But I do know this. You, Peppino, have a very short window of time to stay there before you're ejected by force. And once you do, or if you fall unconscious in that realm, you have to do this all over again."

“Then to save time, I better get this first try.”

A few minutes later, thanks to a treasure chest dropped from a Boss Monster, Peppino obtained the Evolution that is Arborverde's Signature Weapon.

And as of Column Collapse, his entire Arsenal was maxed out.

Current Time

Two Minutes into Column Collapse

Music- Vampire Survivors OST Extended - Before Concession / Forbidden Holy - 2 Hours

Death Approaches in: 3 Minutes 45 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 101/200

“That's step one finished, now that you have the Soul Eater on you." Said Arborverde. "Now for step two! Completing this Column Collapse!"

"Easier said than done!" Peppino yelled as he was now running from a stream of Shooting Stars fired from the Avatar of Gaea.

"Remember Peppino," Ella piped up. "You can just ignore the Avatar until Lap 2."

"I know! But with this-a being the second time dealing with that thing, it's-a not getting easier!"

“Actually…” Arborverde piped up. “You won’t be dealing with the Avatar on Lap 2!”

“Huh!?”

“One more thing that I didn’t mention is yet another requirement for the Holy Forbidden. Now that you have the Soul Eater, Lap 2 will be completely different! Not only will Peppino encounter new Monsters, but a new Boss Monster that he must defeat in order for the Entrance to appear.”

“What kind of new Monsters?” Ella asked.

“…Before I answer that question, let me ask one for all of you. Do any of you have ommetaphobia or scopophobia?”

“What are those fears of?”

“Eyes and being stared at, respectively.”

The two women looked at each other and replied, “Nope!”

“No… Although I can chalk up that-a latter fear to anxiety.” Peppino answered sheepishly.

“Good! Because even if you didn’t have those fears, the Monsters that will be encountered will still be… unsettling to say the least. As for the answer to your question Peppino, those new Monsters are literal floating giant eyeballs.”

“EYEBALLS!?” The Chef shouted.

“Si. But the good news is that the new Boss Monster is not a Giant Eyeball!”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“Bad news, it’s something a bit more… unsettling.”

Everyone then cringed in fear.

“And we’re all about to see it in a moment!”

Death Approaches in: 1 Minute 27 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 200/200

Exit Point Is Now Open

With the Exit Door materializing, Peppino wasted no time dashing to it, and going through. Now back at the chapel hall, he ran and entered the now activated Lap 2 Portal. As he stepped on, the Arcana Card 'Blood Astronomia' appeared before him before shattering into pieces and disappearing, before being warped away in a flash of purple light.

Music- Pizza Tower OST - The Death That I Deservioli (Lap 2)

Death Approaches in: 5 Minutes

Experience Gain has Decreased by 50%

Enemy And Boss Monster Health Has Increased by 50%

Enemies Slain: 0/100

Boss Monster Slain: 0/1

Peppino re-entered the forest and immediately saw a difference. Instead of a full moon and a clear starry night, he came back to an eclipse, bathing the magical forest in a blood red light. But that's not all...

Instead of hordes of Ghosts, true to Arborverde's word, floating Eyeballs of various sizes, each with glowing golden iris, started to surround the Chef. Most were the size of beach balls, others were basketball sized, but they were not the true target as SurCam was currently beeping at it.

"What the hell!?” Cinnamon yelled. “That's the Boss Monster!?"

Following SurCam's gaze, Peppino turned around, and his own eyes, along with the Spectators, widened in shock at what he was looking at.

A giant winged female head, with glowing blood red eyes, approached the Chef. A few green snakes coiled around her long hair underneath a golden headpiece. But what really stood out was the three legs rotating behind her like a propeller.

"What the actual HELL is that!?" Peppino and multiple people at the Haven exclaimed.

"That unholy abomination…" The rustling of leaves could be heard as even Arborverde was cringing in disgust. "is called a Moon Trinacria. Doubling as both a Boss Monster and the Guardian of this specific entrance of the Holy Forbidden."

"How ironic." Xanthe commented from the Haven. "A creature that looks somewhat demonic, hailing from a supposedly 'holy' domain."

"But there’s a problem. Like the Avatar, it can also fire Shooting Stars!"

And right on cue, multiple blue glowing zones appeared under Peppino's feet as he scrambled away falling projectiles.

"But the good news is, it's a Boss Monster. And since you're on Lap 2, that thing needs to be slain in order to activate the entrance. So do us all a favor Peppino, and kill it with fire! Even if you don't have the Fire Wand!"

"With pleasure!"

Just like with the Avatar of Gaea, Peppino kept his distance as he let the Soul Eater and King Bible do most of the work, while the Santa Water did its own thing, drenching the mobs in holy water.

But for time's sake let's skip forward to the end as the Moon Trinacria was finally destroyed.

Death Approaches in: 60 Seconds

Enemies Slain: 100/100

Boss Monster Slain: 1/1

Exit Point Is-

Suddenly, on both Cinnamon’s monitor and Peppino’s Vital Tracker, the alert text glitched as various characters and numbers flooded the screen, changing rapidly.

“What the f*ck!?” The Navigator was typing like mad as she saw this.

“Spice!? What’s-a happening with my Tracker?”

“You too Peppino!?” Ella exclaimed. “Spice!?”

“I dunno what’s going on! I-“

“It’s alright you three!” Arborverde cut in. “Give it a moment.”

True to his word, after a few seconds, the letters stopped glitching and formed coherent words again. However, aside from a couple of words which are still cycling through multiple characters, the message was different as it now reads:

Soul Eater Detected

H$*& F@*&*^&$* Entrance Is Now Active

Instead of the normal large wooden doors that marks the Exit, everyone could see a glowing white portal appear in its place.

“There it is! That portal leads to the Holy Forbidden!” The Druid said. “And apologies for the technical difficulties! The energies radiating from there can cause glitches in electronic devices. Even more so if the entrance is connected to a specific area of that realm.”

"Oh thank God!” The Navigator breathed a sigh of relief. “Cuz’ it's too damn late to do a recalibration of my equipment!"

"Head on through, Peppino! And remember, you’ll keep the Soul Eater, but everything else in your Arsenal will be lost once you cross into that realm!"

With a gulp and a quick silent prayer, the chef, seeing the Monsters beginning to converge on him, ran into the swirling mass of energy with SurCam following suit, and disappeared in a blinding flash.

Music Stops

As the light died down, Peppino looked around, trying to let his eyes adjust to the brightness as he found himself...

Back at the Chapel Hall at the Gate Entrance.

"I'm... I'm back at the Tower?"

"No, you can't be!" Cinnamon looked in between the live feed and the now glitching second monitor. "I'm not getting yours or SurCam's location within the Gate!"

"That's because they're not in the Tower." Said Arborverde. "They're now in the Holy Forbidden."

Looking through the stained-glass window, the Chef could see nothing but a bright blue sky. White fluffy clouds slowly passed by as nothing that could pass as ground could be seen below. "But... Why does it look like that-a hall where I choose-a Weapon?" He asked.

"Because that area, plus some churches back in my world, were modeled from depictions and eyewitnesses' accounts of this realm. But, like I said, you are no longer in the Tower, or in the Material Plane of my homeworld where the Horde Zones are."

Everyone stiffened as an ominous, otherworldly chuckle was heard, as if it was emanating from everywhere at once. The blue sky turned blood red as all of Peppino's Weapons and Passives appeared before him and started to glow. Only for all of them, except for the Soul Eater, to disappear.

"sh*t!" The Druid cursed. "They know you're here! Remember Peppino, don't worry about the Monsters, just get to the end!"

"Alright, but how much time do I have?"

The Vital Tracker beeped as that syntax glitch happened again, cycling through multiple letters and numbers before displaying.

Intruder Detected

Soul Eater Detected

Path to Chaos Amber Open

Forced Realm Ejection in: 2 Minutes 15 Seconds

Small, bat sized Angels started to spawn in around Peppino as the entire area seemed to glow brighter. SurCam however, turned to look behind the Chef and started to beep rapidly, as if warning Peppino to look behind him.

"What the- What is that thing!?”

Ella's exclamation and a Gut Feeling of approaching danger prompted Peppino to turn around, and gaze upon a strange sight.

A huge golden ring with a large golden bell at the bottom descended from the heavens. White wings flapping on its sides, holding it aloft. And in the middle of the floating ring, was a spherical dark purple gem fitted in a smaller golden ring, rotating like a gyroscope.

"Peppino, start running!" Arborverde shouted, panic in his voice. "Now!"

The Soul Eater reactivated, emitting its dark field of energy, now noticeably smaller now that Peppino is no longer in possession of the Candelabrador. With his 200% Movement Speed, Peppino heeded the Tree's advice and started running down the hall.

As the smaller bell-carrying Angels started swarming the Chef, the giant Winged Ring started circling him far beyond his reach, seemingly not doing anything. Going in one direction for a few rotations, then going the opposite way repeating the process. "What even is that-a thing!?"

"That's the problem, no one knows what it is!" Said Arborverde. "There are multiple types of angelic creatures in this realm, some still undiscovered to this day! And since this entire Plane is still technically a Horde Zone, no Spells or other magical items can be used here to Identify it!"

Peppino had to do multiple turns to keep on track, despite being a seemingly endless hallway, there were no branching paths that he could see. But it seems that every few turns he made, the Monsters spawning in started to grow stronger, strong enough to enter the Soul Eater's field. Thankfully there were multiple gold Candelabras that he could break for a chance to get items and managed to get a lucky Floor Chicken.

The 'Angel Ring', as Ella and Cinnamon decided to call it, was not doing anything besides flying around Peppino, as if observing him.

But at the moment 45 seconds have passed…

Forced Realm Ejection in: 1 Minute 30 Seconds

With every rotation, the Angel Ring was now summoning tiny Angels, flying high speed towards the Chef with the intent to ram into him. Peppino dodged the winged projectiles, only to see one of those Angels keep going, hitting the wall and exploding on contact.

"If those Monsters are getting stronger, then you must be getting close!” The Druid observed. “Watch yourself, Peppino!"

Forced Realm Ejection in: 1 Minute

The Italian picked up the pace as he was slowly losing room to maneuver around these mobs as the little Angels were being replaced with the same giant Eyeballs in Il Molise. The Angel Ring stopped revolving, then positioned itself behind Peppino to shoot even more Eyeballs from its gem in the middle. The Soul Eater was able to stop those floating eyes for a couple of seconds, keeping them at bay. But the Monsters were getting tankier, getting further into Peppino's safe space.

"Am I even getting closer to that-a thing, Arborverde!?"

"I can't tell! There has to be an end to this damn maze!"

"You have under a minute left, Peppino!" Cinnamon announced. “Keep moving!”

"Guys!” Ella brought something to everyone’s attention. “What is that Ring doing?"

Forced Realm Ejection in: 30 Seconds

Looking behind his shoulder, Peppino could see the Angel Ring still positioned directly behind him. The gem in its middle has stopped revolving, and as if functioning as an ‘eye’, kept affixed to its target as it slowly started to approach him.

"Is that-a thing getting closer?"

"Do NOT let that thing touch you, Peppino! We don't know what it can do!" Cinnamon warned.

And it's about to get worse as the Eyeballs were now replaced with a horde of the Moon Trinacria back in the forest. And they were slowly pushing through the Soul Eater's field.

And the icing on the cake...

"A dead end!?"

Peppino's feet screeched to a halt as 20 feet in front of him was the end of the hall, with no door or anything resembling an important magical item. Except for a floating necklace with a Cross on it.

"Peppino! Hurry and grab that Rosary!" Arborverde shouted. "It'll destroy all the Monsters!"

Forced Realm Ejection in: 15 Seconds

The Trinacrias and the Angel Ring were closing in as Peppino made a mad dash to the Rosary, closing the distance in a matter of seconds.

He reached out a hand to grab it.

And once he did so...

Music Stops

A bright flash assaulted Peppino's senses as a loud shatter was heard. Even Cinnamon's, Ken's, and the television used at the Haven flashed white for a few seconds before dimming down. Once it did, the Chef blinked away the spots in his vision and saw that the dead-end wall was gone and the stained-glass windows shattered. Looking on, he saw a path of the said glass make a path forward to... something floating in the distance.

"What happened?" Peppino frantically looked around in case this was a trap. "Where are all the Monsters?"

Even Ella looked worried. "That Rosary destroyed them, but... Why aren’t any more spawning in?"

SurCam looked behind Peppino and beeped in alarm. The Italian whipped around to see what the commotion was about. "Wait, what's that!?"

Everyone was expecting the Angel Ring to either still be behind Peppino or destroyed in the massive flash like the rest of the Mobs. What they didn’t expect was something else entirely, as in the place of the Angel Ring...

Was a golden robed Reaper, clutching a double ended scepter in its bony hands.

"A Reaper!?" Ella exclaimed. "But that doesn't look like Pepper Reaper though!"

"That's because this Reaper is native to my world, and in this case, this realm." Arborverde explained. "That particular one is called The Maddener, a master of illusions who can cause insanity to those who succumb to its tricks."

“So that maze was all one big illusion?” Cinnamon asked.

"Si. And now that it’s broken… Peppino!" Said man perked up. "Show the Reaper that branch!"

"Oh! Ok." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the enchanted branch and held it out of the robed figure to see.

"Hey!" The Druid called out. "Are you the Guardian of this path?"

The Maddener nods.

"Then that means my Charge here matches the criteria of breaking my Curse and is able to reach the Chaos Amber. He has proven himself worthy of it by shattering your illusion."

At the mention of the Curse, the Reaper took a pondering stance as if remembering the purpose of this specific maze, before nodding in a 'Oh, I see!' manner.

"May he pass?"

The Maddener nods again, before pointing forward.

"Welp, you now have the go ahead! Keep moving forward Peppino!"

Peppino looked towards the stained-glass pathway, back to the now pointing Maddener, then back at the pathway before power walking forward. When he got to the end, he could now see the object clearly as it floated down into his outstretched hand. An egg-shaped Amber with a glowing spark of light in its core, warm to the touch.

He jumped as the sound of a church bell rang out, echoing throughout the empty space. "Looks like time's up." Said Arborverde. "Hold on to your Drone and brace yourself Peppino! You're about to be ejected from this dimension!"

"Ejected!? How!?"

The ringing continued as the holy surroundings started to fade away. Heeding the Druid's advice, SurCam flew into Peppino's arms as the Chef held on to it, as they were both surrounded in black nothingness.

And started to fall.

Back at the Tower

Cinnamon's, and Ken's back at the Haven, monitors showed static once the Italian fell into the abyss. "Peppino!?" Ella frantically called out. "Peppino, respond!"

The Navigator was typing like mad, trying to get a signal. "I'm not getting any readings from him!"

"Give it a moment ladies." The two women turned to Arborverde who, despite what happened to the Chef, was calm. "Good thing you decided to set up your equipment near the middle of this floor."

Before they could ask why, near the Il Molise Gate, at the top a black portal appeared before a still screaming Peppino fell through, landing on his back with SurCam in his arms. The portal closed as the ladies and tree rushed (or teleported in the latter's case) over to the prone chef.

SurCam escaped his grip and hovered over everyone, giving Cinnamon a few beeps as if communicating to her. The Navigator breathed a sigh of relief. "SurCam said that Peppino's all right, just a little dazed."

Music- Vampire Survivors OST - Dust Elementals [Extended]

Everyone watching in the Haven also sighed in relief. The heavyset chef slowly rose to his feet, clutching his head. "Uggghh! Is it over?" he slurred.

Ella rushed to his side and started casting Healing Word to patch up any injuries from the fall. "Yup! You're back at the Hub Floor."

Hearing the Half Elf's voice near him, Peppino perked up and shook the fog out of his head. And saw that, yes he's back at the Hub.

And that Ella was near him.

But before he could start blushing, Arborverde boomed. "Congrats on being the first Outsider to traverse the Holy Forbidden and survive in one piece, Paisano!"

Peppino perked up again as he checked his pockets and sighed with relief. "Good, I still-a have it!" He said as he pulled out the amber egg at the end of that maze.

Arborverde's leaves and branches rustled as he laughed victoriously. "Peppino Spaghetti, you are an absolute blessing from the Gods!" He summoned a Mage Hand and the chef gave the amber to him. The Druid held it up as if he was admiring it. "This is my Arcane Focus, the Chaos Amber. One in a collection of powerful gems in my world. Wielders of these gems are granted a special power, a powerful transformation in their greatest time of need, so long as that need is for a noble cause."

The Hand lowered as Peppino felt that he was being watched. "Thank you, Peppino." Everyone could hear the sincerity in the Druid's voice. "With your help, I'm one step closer to breaking this curse."

Peppino was confused. “But I-a thought getting that Amber back breaks your curse.”

“Oh no, that's just half of the process. Remember, this is a two-person task! To break the curse completely, I need to do the next step. By Surviving for a full 30 minutes in Il Molise. This will give the Amber time to resonate with me again.”

“So you really meant it when you-a said that you’re ‘one step closer’.”

“Si!” In a green flash, the Mage Hand and Chaos Amber disappeared. “It took a little over thirty minutes, but now you’re finished with this floor for real this time!” A sigh was heard before Arborverde spoke again, gratitude radiating from his voice. “You all helped me and Ricotta out so, so much! And my offer still stands. If you need any help from us, Signor Merlin has our names to use Sending to message us.”

"On behalf of Ironclad Resolve," Ella slightly bowed in respect with a smile. “Thank you so much for your help, Arborverde!”

“No." Everyone could hear the smile in his voice as he said. "Thank you! All of you!”

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a 300-year-old curse to break!" A green magic circle appeared underneath the tree as Arborverde readied Plane Shift. "Go ahead and get some rest amicos! You all deserve it!”

And with a flash, the Druid casts his spell, sending him to Il Molise. Leaving the trio and drone on the Hub Floor.

With a tired smile, Peppino sighed in relief. “Finally I’m-a done!” he cheered. “While I wish the best for Arborverde, I really miss being able to run again!”

“Well, the Haven is open enough to run laps around.” Ella said. “And there are barriers that prevent anything falling into the abyss, and domes so nothing flies into infinity.”

“Oh good! I can run a few laps before checking on the pizzas!”

“Well, lemme pack up and we’ll head back! SurCam needs to recharge anyway!” Cinnamon closed her laptop as her Drone flew into her arms with a few tired sounding beeps.

The Navigator packed up her equipment, and the trio returned to the Haven. The exact moment they arrived, Peppino revved up with a shout of, “See you at the Commons in-a few minutes!” before taking off at Mach 3.

The ladies giggled at the Italian Speedster’s freedom of movement before walking back to the Commons Area. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he beats us there!” Ella chuckled.

Music Stops

Flashback, after Arborverde's Speech

"Then I'll show you why, despite me being a near immobile tree, I'm still known as the most powerful damn Druid in my world, you Pizza Headed Motherf*cker!" The Tree screamed before firing some kind of energy at the screen, destroying the camera and ending the transmission.

"GODDAMMIT!!!" The enraged Toon screamed in turn before he slammed his fists on the desk. The audacity of that damn Plant! Being immune to mind control like PepperJack. Turning the gullible masses back on him. Helping Peppino through the Second Floor along with the Agents. Both him and the fat*ss sharing the same. f*cking. Name.

"That damn Arbor...whatever! Plant-pino... has really been f*cking me over!" He angrily muttered. "I thought that erasing Ricotta's memories of him would break his resolve or lure him out. And it worked! AGAINST ME!!!"

His eyes widened in fear as the presence in his mind returned. "I did take them seriously! Just like you said!" he pleaded after a few seconds of silence. "I even had Ricotta search for him before I erased his memories, and even he came up short!"

...

"What about what that Elf said? The only opportunity I missed was finding and cutting down that damn tree myself!"

...

Silence filled the room for a few seconds until, translated and heard only in his mind, the voice spoke.

"And yet, you did not."

"I told you I couldn't since I never-" Pizzahead was cut off by a splitting headache as the voice boomed.

Music- Persona 3 OST - Nyx

"Because of your childish pettiness, you have lost not one, but two valuable resources for this Tower's control! And for what? All because they share the same name?"

Pizzahead went from sitting in a chair to knelt on the floor as the Benefactor exerted her mental presence.

"Both the Agent and the Druid have mentioned the boons you would gain if the latter was in your thrall, or in this case due to his immunity, out of the picture entirely." The pressure lessened as she then muttered. "Although, the tree was wise to hide his presence, even before your arrival..."

"S-see! It wasn't entirely-"

The mental pressure returned with a vengeance, wracking the Toon's mind. "Which does not change the fact that once again you have failed to take this situation seriously!"

She figured that the fool had enough mental damage and stopped the exertion completely.

"While I commend you on using the Second Guardian's abilities and knowledge in his world to render your Foe powerless, with the addition of turning the masses against him, it will not be enough going forward."

Pizzahead sat up and rubbed his temples. It may not look like it, but the Benefactor could tell that he is listening intently.

"You have done well to plan ahead before that fight, but now that you know that his victory is inevitable, you must also do so afterwards. You have the resources and knowledge needed. Use them, for the time before your Foe's arrival is running short."

"I will." He sat up and typed something on the computer. "Speaking of which, I'm about to call the next Guardian. Maybe he has something he can use against the bastard."

The Benefactor hummed in acknowledgement. “Very well. And remember Pizzahead.”

A sharp pain in his temple stopped the typing as he held his head in pain.

“Do not fail me. You do understand the dire consequences should you do so, correct?”

He could hear and feel the weight of the threat, no, a promise, of death should the next Guardian fall to Peppino's fists. With a gulp, he replied. "...Yes, My Lady."

The Benefactor left without a word as her presence could no longer be felt.