OC: For the guest who asked the question, The Punisher is an OC I created for the story. He is the one of the two OC's right now.
The other one hasn't appear in person, but she was the one who gave the Commander his mission to find the dragons and find out what was going on.
Warning, the title has change because the prefinal battle was pretty long.
It was Sunday morning, the day where it was everything or nothing for Tasuku and Jackknife.
Gao wanted to give his friend all the chance he could have and for Jackknife. It was the right thing to do for them.
He watched Halberd ending the communication with The Punisher. He turned toward Gao and said, "I asked for The Punisher to come here. He won't take long before he's here," the dragon lowered his head for a few seconds before asking, "Have you warned your parents?"
"Yes. Dad and mom agreed with my decision, after I explained everything twice. Mom also said that she'll come with us," Gao replied. He felt better with his mother here, giving moral support and probably watching him.
Halberd nodded, "You know that you reached the point of no return now right?"
Gao nodded.
Drum walked down the stairs in his armor and grumbled, "Sorry. Had trouble sleeping. Everything is so...difficult to hold in me. I don't know what The Punisher will do once we explain it to him. He could arrest us immediately."
"I am not worried," Gao replied.
"We don't know him that well and especially you," Halberd warned.
Drum nodded and tried to reply something when a loud sound resonated outside. His mother said, "I'll open the door."
Suzumi opened the door and saw The Punisher in front of her, "Hello Punisher."
"Hello Miss Suzumi. Gao wanted to speak with me. Where is he?" The Punisher asked.
"He's in the Dojo, waiting for you," Suzumi said.
She followed the dragon in the dojo where Gao, Drum and Halberd were waiting for him, sitting on ground and bowing when he came.
"You wanted to speak with me?" The Punisher asked curiously.
"Yes. There is a lot I need to tell you. It's about Jackknife," Gao said.
The Punisher saw the hands of the boy lightly shaking. He lightly frowned and asked, "Tell me everything."
Gao, Drum and Halberd explained everything from the start, hoping that The Punisher will be understandable.
Chapter 29: Soon, We Fight For Freedom
The Punisher crossed his arms and said nothing when they finished explaining everything. The dragon had his eyes closed and said nothing for a while.
"Aren't you going to say something?" Drum asked curiously and also worried of The Punisher next action.
The Punisher opened his eyes and his tail whipped the ground. Gao flinched, but not Drum and Halberd who noticed it wasn't an aggressive act.
Suzumi walked near Gao, just in case he tried to hurt her son, "Do not hit the floor that way."
The Punisher replied, "I'm sorry Miss Suzumi. Gao. I've made my decision. Call Findar the 100th and his friend. We shall meet in the park in one hour. There is one thing to say and something extremely important to do."
Drum and Halberd wondered what he meant by that.
"You're going to help Jackknife?" Gao asked the dragon.
The Punisher didn't reply to the boy. He looked at him and saw his eyes asking for an answer, "I shall decide after I speak with Jackknife. You want me to use my influence to speak with Fang Slade Terrestrial XIII and give him pardon. I cannot immediately accept it."
Halberd looked at Gao and said, "He shall be the judge of that."
"As for you Halberd, you shall also be judge for your actions against the Dragon world. You betrayed your kind to protect Jackknife and hid everything for three years," The Punisher calmly said. He turned toward him and added, "I should arrest you right now... but depending on what I decide with Findar the 100th the punishment will depend on it."
Halberd nodded, ready to accept the consequences of his actions.
Drum was nervous about what would happen to him when The Punisher said, "You're father shall decide of your punishment."
Drum gulped, it was worse than he thought. He knew his father won't give him mercy.
The Punisher looked at the boy and said, "I shall wait at the park."
He left them alone.
"Why isn't Gao in trouble?" Drum asked curiously.
"He's not from our world. So he has no right to decide anything," Halberd replied.
"I'll call Tasuku and tell him what he said," Gao said walked toward the phone.
Suzumi lightly smiled and asked, "What's going to happen now?"
Drum and Halberd raised their shoulder.
"Don't know. I hope for them that the best will come," Suzumi said.
Tasuku hanged at Jackknife throat as they flew toward the park. The boy was nervous when he got Gao's call and heard that The Punisher wanted to meet them in the park.
"Are you nervous?" Jackknife asked.
Tasuku replied nervously, "Yeah. I cannot believe it might be your chance to be free."
Jackknife looked forward. His eyes were partially closed and he replied, "The chance is small, but we are ready to get I," he shook his head and put more convictions in his words, "Tasuku, we are going to take it."
"You're right Jack. I never see him before. What about you?"
"I saw him in the battlefield once. He was in his mini form and defeated many of his enemies by himself. Of course, they weren't strong, but their number should affect the fight, but it didn't. The Punisher is someone who can be merciless toward his enemies, but kind toward his friends and those who had nothing to do. This is why he was probably sent here to arrest me," he answered.
Tasuku gulped when he thought about an actual battle against him, if the Punisher was in his real form, "He must be extremely powerful if he gives all he has."
"Yes. Only a few dragons bested him and Drum's father was one of them," Jackknife looked at the ground and said, "We are here. I can see them waiting for us."
"Let's go," Tasuku said, trying to have a stern face.
Jackknife flew down and landed on the grass. Tasuku climbed down and looked at everyone. He saw Gao with his friends, the dragons and a tall woman he never met before. For the dragons, Ironchain was far from Halberd and was ignoring that dragon existence. Near Drum was another blue one who tried to cuddle him, but Drum maintained a distance. He then recognised Zanya and Tsukikage, who were accompanied by a young boy dressed like a ninja. Near him was a boy with strange banana haircut and a pink demon smirking.
In front of them raised The Punisher with his massive body.
"He's in his mini form," Jackknife whispered.
Tasuku internally gasped when he saw that he was around Drum's size, but knowing it was his mini form, it would mean that his real form must be much bigger.
The Punisher looked right in the eyes of Jackknife and said nothing. He was watching the dragons and reading in his eyes.
Tasuku was lightly nervous as he turned toward the others. He was surprised to see Zanya, who wasn't trying to attack him this time.
"This is really quiet yo," Tetsuya commented.
"The Punisher is evaluating Jackknife," Halberd replied.
Asmodai smirked, "Are you sure it's that and not something else?" he implied.
Drum grumbled, "No. There's nothing else."
Zanya turned toward Gao and asked, "You really believe that Jackknife isn't a dangerous criminal?"
Gao turned toward him and said, "Yes. He didn't deny he killed other dragons, but it was the only thing he could do."
"What do you think Tsukikage?" Zanya asked.
"Nin!" He took out a scroll written: Let's leave that to The Punisher.
Zanya nodded and crossed his arms.
"Do you think the bad guys are around here?" Akatsuki asked looking around.
It was Suzumi who replied, "Of course. There are many of us here. If they try anything, they'll face my wrath," she said with a smirk.
"You cannot hurt a monster yo," Tetsuya commented.
"She beaten Drum once," Gao said.
Drum color faded from his scales while everyone else looked at him in disbelief.
"He's about to speak," Kuguru warned when The Punisher whipped the ground with his tail.
The Punisher said, "It is possible that I speak with Fang Slade Terrestrial the XIII."
Tasuku smiled while Jackknife wasn't.
The Punisher tail suddenly hit the ground, "However, I cannot waste his time for guess. I do not know a lot about you Jackknife and it's possible that you managed to manipulate everyone."
"He didn't!" Tasuku yelled.
The Punisher replied calmly, "I cannot believe words alone young boy. Lies can always come from the mouth of everyone, for bad or good reasons. You are a criminal Jackknife and the accusations against you demands caution. I've seen criminals trying this before Findar the 100th. For their survival and freedom, they are ready to try anything."
"He's not lying and didn't manipulate everyone! He saved me, took care of me and he's always here for me!" Tasuku yelled again, glaring at the dragon.
The Punisher remained calm, "There is an old saying about the dragons," At those words, Jackknife started stretching his body, surprising Tasuku until he heard The Punisher saying, "That the only way to know the true, it's through a battle. A fight where lies evaporated and the true of the heart reveal itself. You understand Jackknife. If you want me to believe your words, we will have to fight, no spellcards, no weapons, only our fang, claw and tails."
Jackknife took out his metal plates and his blade helmet and stepped forward. He turned toward Tasuku and said, "Put the deck down please."
Tasuku hesitated, knowing how powerful the Punisher was. He saw insistence in the eyes of the green dragon and put it on the ground.
The Punisher suddenly asked, "Is there anyone who truly believes Jackknife words and wants to stand by his side? Except for you Halberd, as you are another criminal."
Gao turned toward Drum who knew what he was silently asking.
Do I really believe Jackknife? Yes. Drum told himself. Jackknife was ready to fight the punisher and risked everything right now. He took off his armor and put the drill on the ground and walked forward while Gao let his deck on the ground. "I shall stand by his side. Gao and I truly believe him."
The Punisher looked at Drum and nodded. He turned toward everyone else and ordered, "We need some spaces."
Axia jumped by surprised and hugged Drum.
"Let me go!" Drum yelled.
"This is a lucky hug Drum-kin," Axia replied with a smile before releasing him.
Everyone walked until they were near the trees. Jackknife and Drum were on one side while The Punisher was at the other side. The air suddenly turned heavier as the dragons muscles expended, waiting to be released and beginning a great and intense battle.
Their muscles suddenly released their energy as the three dragons charged, preparing their claws for the first strike.
AC: This is the end of chapter 29.
The next chapter is the final battle of this Arc before we reach the beginning of the end. You'll know when the Arc ends because the next Arc will be foreshadowed.
Chapter 30: Freedom Fight.
Just one part focusing on it and after the fight.
Chapter 31: ?. I won't show it now.
After this, around one or two chapters to conclude the Arc.
