The former delinquent Yuske Shouada had done it. He was going to attend High School two train stops away from his old Junior High. Sure the commute would be hard sometimes, but a fresh start is what he needed. He was once the most feared fighter in his school. The teenager even died his hair gray to stick out. They used to call him the Metal Fiend. At least until he was a breath away from killing a rival delinquent. The rage he felt that night was all consuming and intoxicating. To put it simply it scared him straight, but the damage was already done. His negative reputation followed him everywhere.

Now however, he was enjoying a pastry in his favorite sweet shop. His hair was its natural black color. His past was safely hidden, at least that's what he thought. A girl around his age was watching the counter. She kept looking at him as if she recognized something. It made him nervous and he was considering just paying his bill and leaving. That was when she decided to approach his table.

Mihaya Kakei had seen many customers enter her shop, but this one stirred a memory. A gray haired boy that saved her from some bullies when she was mourning her father. That guy had seen her frowning and got a dark look on his face. The next thing she knew the four mean boys were unconscious on the ground. She adopted a neutral expression as her savior put a pair of hands on her shoulders gently. He said something she never forgot.

"It's okay to shed tears for those we lose. Just don't let villan's like that see you sweat okay." Then he proudly proclaimed himself the Metal Fiend.

She started crying then as he held her, because he didn't know what else to do. After a little while Mihaya felt drained and thanked him with a small smile. He stuck his hands in his pockets looking embarrassed. Then he walked away and didn't look back trying to be cool.

When she got to his table she quietly spoke. "Metal Fiend?"

He looked terrified at her words. Then gestured for her to sit. "That's no longer who I am. Yuske Shouada is my name."

She responded with her own in turn. "Mihaya Kakei. You helped me once. Tell me would you like to accelerate beyond this world?"

The boy laughed at what he thought was a joke. Then he realized she was serious. "Sometimes, I wonder if there is any place better than reality." He looked hard at her neutral face and came up blank. I'm sorry I don't remember you at all Kakei. Though I'm glad I could help you when I did."

"K, I have a gift." Then she pulled out a short link cable. After, connecting it to herself she held out the other end then attached it to him. Thru their link she explained more. "If you accept Brain Burst you will accelerate beyond this world."

When he saw the program he looked in her red eyes. Then he allowed access to her gift, because he wanted a major change in his life.

Then she smiled openly. "Good, you will dream tonight then come see me. Stay off outside net until we talk tomorrow." Then she got up from the table after disconnecting the link cable. Her parting expression seemed happy with a touch of sadness. She was back behind the counter again shortly.

He wondered why her emotional response was mixed like that. Yuske shrugged and sent his payment with the local store net. Then he stood and headed home making sure his auto connection was turned off. He wanted to make sure he didn't accidentally hop on the area server.

That night he dreamed he was lost in a dark forest. Yet something was following him agressively. He kept running knowing a terrifying creature was getting closer. Alarmingly, he came to a river that looked like flowing gray metal. That was when it caught him. A fearsome roar seemed to echo off the trees. The last thing he saw was a huge shadow that leaped at him. He woke covered in sweat and breathing heavy. His heart was racing as the dream faded from memory. At least it was Sunday so he didn't have his first day of school till tomorrow.

His usual route to the sweet shop was really busy today. Couldn't be helped he supposed Sunday's were always busy. He felt a little weird today must have been that nightmare. He usually slept in today, but Kakei was pretty insistent He didn't want to disappoint her for some reason. When he got there he was surprised to see they were closed until later. The sign indicated to check the net for hour changes. He did so having forgotten he wasn't supposed to in his early morning confusion.

"Prepare for battle!" The sudden words that appeared in front of his eyes surprised him. The city street he was on became a forest before his eyes. He felt strange heavy, yet strong.

"Steel Bear a metal color huh, kinda rare. Can't complain you are in red legion territory. So it's up to me to make sure your welcome newbie. Names Pomegranate Cannon, nice to meet you. Let's get this show on the road shall we?" A red armored person stepped into the view of his opponent

Yuske took a moment to check his own body. It was made of gray metal and muscular. He felt the need to check his move list since from what he could tell this was a fighting game of some kind. His move was a claw attack and his special was questions marks. Great looks like he'll have to figure it out. At least he knew how to fight in real life. "Okay Pomegranate Cannon Let's see what you got."

"Well I'll give you this you got spunk." Suddenly a pair of small pistols appeared in the red Burst Linker's hands. Then he started running and firing at his steel opponent. The shots were precise as they hit while Bear held his arms up defensively. The life bar was going down slowly, Cannon figured it was because he was a metal color. Then the enemy started moving they were faster than the metal avatar looked.

Yuske new he couldn't stay put like a sitting duck. Those force bullets stung. He realized his speed was greater than he expected then dashed at his target. Claws came out of his hands and he started slicing up his opponent. He could see his face now reflected in his opponent's face mask. It was covered in a dark black triangle visor facing downward.

"Now my special move gadge is full, Underworld blast!" Cannon was annoyed that Bear was still standing when his range weapon popped out of his chest cavity. 'Shoot he took that and still has half his life, metal types!' The mental words were loud. He noticed his foe's special gauge was full now too.

Yuske noticed as well and attempted to unleash his own special. Suddenly his own face altered to a bears that roared menacing. Words appeared before his eyes. "Entering beserk mode!" Immediately his life bar started dropping so he began attacking and noticed the lower his hit points dropped the greater his damage output. Pomegranate Cannon was defeated in a few seconds. Then he released his beserker mode and his life stopped dropping. Soon Steel Bear heard clapping from an audience he hadn't noticed before.