A little breather to set things up for the future before we move on to the third bracket, which will end much faster since every chapter dedicated to it will have two fights.
With the Lyzer incident resolved, the Dodger Stadium could reenter in a state of peace, with the people only cause of concern being how entertaining the upcoming fights will be...sadly, that would have been too ideal for the hosts. The mass panic caused by Spinel's attack proved one mistake too many and the stadium saw its spectator number more than halved, making Jian's company pockets weep when the first day wasn't even finished yet.
None of this was much of a pressing issue for the Sacred Treasures, as they just finished hearing what happened over at Griffith Park, in a set of plastic tables without too much possible eavesdroppers walking around.
"So this Ron guy up and vanished on you like a magician?" Kyo asked. Ideally, he wanted to stay with Benimaru and ensure he was alright, but Chizuru convinced that addressing the New Hizoku problem was more important.
"Yeah, right after I told him to shove it. You don't want to know how many pedestrians I bumped into to get back here." Iori recounted annoyed.
"Something about this is making me feel deeply uneasy. Kyo, could you check the news on your phone?"
"On it." At Kagura's request, Kyo started scrolling down the various news outlets. "Not sure what you expect me to find here, Chiz. It's all about that ginger sicko these last few hours-wait, wait, wait...I found something different." He then turned around his phone so the others could see.
"Mass dissapperance at Griffith Park. 172 people missing." Kyo read out loud. "And under that...Five people found dead in gruesome ways inside a call center in Skid Row, thier bodies reduced to bloody pieces scattered around the reception."
Even the usually apathetic Iori gave some pause at the sheer lengths the New Hizoku is willing to go to cover thier tracks, which prompted Chizuru to slam on the table in frustration.
"Ron and his minions are already making thier first step and it's one step too many. I say we draw them out to end this madness before it blows out of proportion."
"Got some genius idea on how to do that? Ron made it clear that we would play directly into his hands trying to rat him out. Not to mention that even I could tell he's stupidly fucking strong for some reason." Iori argued.
"Well, we have something, or someone, that they want more than our Treasures status. Among the contestants, who is an Hizoku with a significant grudge against Ron?" Iori and Kyo already knew who she meant.
"Yeah, that could work. I bet they want Duo Lon dead too and would jump at the chance without thinking. His knowledge of the Hizoku could give us the edge we need." Kyo responded with conviction.
"Ahem...I didn't mean to get you this excited, but it's best not to get ahead of ourselves." Chizuru figured. "Our matches will arrive soon with still unknown opponents and Iori, by his own admission, is not in the most ideal mental condition to fight at his best after...whatever Ron did".
"Don't need to make me feel this bad about it." Yagami snarled.
"That's also true. Guess after a good night of rest, we can finally give those freaks their just desserts. I say we reorganize around the afternoon before the second round, how about it?" Kyo proposed.
"Fine by me. I'm itching to dislocate the jaws of those bastards."
With that settled, Kyo started marching towards the stands. All this talk about murderous assasins made him worry about Yuki. Iori, however, still had something to get off his chest.
"Hey Chizuru, there's something else that's been bothering me and I didn't want Kyo to mock me with his usual smartass remarks."
"Oh...well, you know you can always confide anything to me." Despite Kagura's reassurance, Iori was still a bit hesitant.
"When Ron put his fingers around my head, I saw...scary shit. Me, sitting in an empty field, staring at the sunrise without a care in the world. I had no idea where I was but somehow...I could feel I was the only person in that continent and I mean ENTIRE...continent. It keeps flashing every once in a while since I was at the park and it freaks me out. Ron babbled about something regarding true desires and what not...you don't think...?"
"I'm...afraid I have no idea, but I'm willing to bet it's Ron trying to sway you to his side. A pathetic attempt at suggestion or something along those lines. At least, that's what makes more sense to me."
"Screw that noise. That pretentious zombie knows nothing about me, I made that clear." The silence that followed was extremely unconfortable, with Chizuru trying to break it as best she could.
"In any case, know that both me and Kyo are here in case it keeps happening. And in my personal opinion...your mental fortitude will always be much stronger than the will of some megalomaniac like Ron."
"That's a very roundabout way to compliment me but...thanks, I guess?"
"Now, let us return to the others. It won't take long before it's our turn on the ring."
Yagami was indeed ready to follow right behind her, but was stopped by that burning vision, his mind felt like it waa set on fire every time. Even so, Iori's stubborness made him bite down his tongue to distract his brain to a different kind of pain. He could only hope it doesn't get worse over time.
VIP AREA, INTERROGATION ROOM
In a dingy square illuminated by a constantly blinking lamp, both the assigned employees and the hosts were taking turns to entertain their lovely guest. Right now, Iwao was practicing his love taps with Misty boredly watching right behind him.
"I'm sick and tired of repeating myself, you freak! How did you get inside Los Angeles?! Who are your benefactors?!"
"Keep torturing me all you want, it doesn't make it any less quaint." Freeman quietly retorted, receiving another lovetap to the face for his trouble.
"As much as I enjoy watching this scum getting pummeled, we really aren't going anywhere, my dear Iwao.
"I've bented all of his fingers in the opposite direction and he still doesn't talk. Seriously, wish I had that kind of anatomy." Iwao snarked.
Before going for another session, someone knocked on the door rather hurriedly, with Misty hoping it better be a most urgent matter.
"Oh, quite the gift you brought me, my dear Mitchell." Misty exclamied, referring to Lyzer's unconcious body.
"Yeah, she won't try anymore funny business now, hopefully. Make sure to tie up her hands real tight." He said, before unceremoniously dropping her on the floor, calling it a job well done. The hosts proceeded to do as suggested and gave a triple knot around her wrists.
"Hm...seems she'll be relaxing in Dreamland for a while. Call me as soon as she wakes up. I trust you have everything handled here?"
"Don't worry about a thing. I'm nowhere near the end of my bag of tricks." Iwao grinned, cracking his fingers in anticipation.
"Good to know. Keep having fun, then." Misty chirply saluted as she walked out.
Iwao seemed ready to keep his track record of broken bones going, when...he goes to inspect the door, making sure no one's around or barges in out of nowhere. He picks up a third chair in the room and sits in front of the deranged Freeman.
"Yeah, sorry about the beatdown. Had to keep up appearances in front of her, you know?"
"I'm...not sure what is going on here."
"Oh, I'll explain it to you when we get there. But first, I wanted to understand something a little better. What is this business about "saving corpses" you were yammering on about?"
"I told you before. It is my mission to free from this cage this shallow parody of sentient beings you call "humans" and send them to our true paradise."
"Riiiiiiiiiiight...b-but what if I told you, there's some specific corpses that are even more rotten than normal?"
"Would they happen to be people you personally don't like?"
"Ah, look at that. You can ran your mouth when you want to." Iwao leaned in, getting close to Freeman's ear. "You have no idea how lucky I felt we you decided to come here at New Horizon. The perfect trump card to finally get rid of Gato and Domino. Stamp these names into your brain, accept to dispose of them for me and I'll ensure no one will notice you slipping out of Los Angeles."
"Another hit, huh? This endless repetition is getting unbearably dull...but I have no intention of rotting in here, unable to finish my mission. I accept."
Yes, yes, finally things are going my way. Oh, but I'll need to resume the torture porn. Can't let anyone getting suspicious, you understand? So I need you to play along until Red here wakes up."
"I was already doing that"
"Oh...well, great! Two steps ahead!"
Satisfied beyond belief, Iwao continued to beat on the chained up Freeman, picturing Gato in his place and in the exact same position. Utterly defenseless in the face of what he deserves, a slow, agonizing death for being an ungrateful piece of shit.
NEXT TIME: The last hope of Team Korea, Chang Koehan, gives his all against the eternal rookie Shingo Yabuki. After that, a true battle of the opposites between the mirror keeper Chizuru Kagura and veteran army man Clark Still.