Columns Corp- Pizzahead's Revenge - Chapter 15 - SuperStarlena (2024)

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 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.

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…”

Music- [1 HOUR] Iron Green Intent Cover - Vampire Survivors: Boss Music Remixes

“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…”

Music- Persona 5 OST- Desire Extended

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.

Music- Persona 5 OST- Desire Extended

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.