Chapter 11: We Must Evolve!
Marucho's Home…
Ryder woke up in the large room provided to him in Marucho's home. It still felt odd sleeping in a different bed, especially since it was much more luxurious than his own. He felt so out of place there as he sat up and opened the blinds to the room.
The sun lit the room up as Ryder put his clothes back on and looked for Leonidas. His partner was on a lone pillow on the table, fast asleep. It was still odd to see a Bakugan sleep, as when looking at them from their ball form, you wouldn't think they would need sleep.
"Leonidas, it's time to get up," Ryder called as the Darkus Bakugan woke up.
"Hm? Oh yes, today is the day!" Leonidas exclaimed as he floated up to Ryder's level.
"Finally, we are going to battle another strong brawler! The last Battle Brawler was strong, so this will be fun!" Leonidas added.
"Don't forget we lost our battle against Dan, and Shun is supposed to be far better than him. We're in for a rough ride." Ryder reminded.
"True, but battling against strong Bakugan is fun regardless," Leonidas replied as Marucho's Butler entered the room.
The two followed the butler to the dining hall and joined Marucho and Julie for breakfast. The breakfast was nice, and it was just as fancy as everything else in the house, and when he was finished, Ryder knew it was time.
Today he would meet up with Shun at the park for training. It made him nervous as he didn't know if he could match up with Shun. He couldn't beat Dan, and the only reason he got so far against Masquerade was because of Leonidas absorbing his negative energy.
But if it is to get stronger, he was going to do it, and he was going to aim to win. He had to if he wanted to make it to the finals and to beat Marduk and Vladitor. They would eventually battle anyway as Marduk wanted revenge on him and Leonidas.
"Just how did they get so strong anyway? What happened to them in the Doom Dimension?" Ryder wondered.
He, Marucho, and Julie exited the house as the two Battle Brawlers left to do their own training. Ryder made his way to the park, having memorized the way yesterday. Soon he made it to the fountain where Shun stood waiting for him.
"Good you came. I was thinking you weren't going to show." Shun stated as Ryder approached him.
"What made you think that? Leonidas and I have been waiting for this!" Ryder smirked.
"Perfect, then let's begin. Are you ready?" Shun asked as Ryder stood before him.
"Yeah. As ready as I'll ever be." Ryder replied.
"Good because I won't be holding back," Shun stated.
"If you want to get stronger, you'll aim to win," Shun added.
"I always aim to win," Ryder smirked.
"There's no point in battling unless we do!" Leonidas agreed.
"Your fighting spirit is inspiring Leonidas, but it takes more than that to win." Skyress pointed out.
"Well, let's find out, shall we?" Shun asked as he pulled out his field card.
"Right." Ryder nodded as he pulled out his own field card.
"Field Open!" The Two shouted as time slowed to a stop.
"Gate Card Set!" The Two yelled as they tossed their gate cards onto the field.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Garganoid Stand!" Shun shouted as he threw the Bakugan onto his gate card.
"Ventus Garganoid G power 530 Gs." The bakupod announced as the Bakugan appeared on the field.
"Alright. Let's do this!" Ryder smirked as he grabbed onto one of his Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Mantris Stand!" Ryder yelled as he threw his Bakugan onto his own gate card.
"Darkus Mantris G power 510 Gs." The bakupod announced as Mantris took form.
"Now Ability Card Activate! Marionette!" Ryder declared. Mantris raised its arms which shot several strings that forced Garganoid to Ryder's gate card.
"Now then, Gate Card Open! Positive Delta!" Ryder revealed as the gate card glowed in activation.
"Ventus Garganoid G power decrease by 200 Gs. Ventus Garganoid G power 330 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Mantris sliced at Garganoid, who attempted to fly off, but the Darkus Bakugan knocked it down to the ground. As Garganoid hit the ground, Mantris cut at it with its blades. But just before the Darkus Bakugan could finish Garganoid off, Shun intervened.
"Not bad, but you'll have to do better!" Shun declared.
"Ability Card Activate! Rapid Storm!" Shun shouted, giving him the ability to add another Ventus Bakugan to the battle.
"Let's go, Skyress!" Shun smirked.
"I'm ready, Shun!" Skyress replied as Shun grabbed hold of her.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Skyress Stand!" Shun shouted as he threw Skyress onto the gate card.
"Ventus Skyress G power 600 Gs. Combined G power 930 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"He threw Skyress in now?!"Ryder gasped.
"I guess this way, he will still have her available for Leonidas." Ryder determined.
As Skyress took the field, Mantris was thrown off of Garganoid by the large storm Skyress created. The Darkus Bakugan was ultimately defeated when Skyress dove from the sky and landed on top of Mantris, defeating the Darkus Bakugan.
"When you're brawling, you always need a backup plan," Shun advised as he caught Garganoid and Skyress.
"I'll keep that in mind," Ryder replied as he picked up Mantris.
"Good because the game isn't over yet!" Shun shouted as he grabbed onto another Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Bee Striker Stand!" Shun yelled as he landed Bee Stricker on his gate card.
"Ventus Bee Striker G power 500 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"My turn then! Bakugan Brawl Darkus Hynoid Stand!" Ryder shouted as he threw his Bakugan onto Shun's gate card.
"Darkus Hynoid G power 500 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Now then, Gate Card Open! Level Down!" Shun declared.
"Darkus Hynoid G power decrease by 100 Gs. Darkus Hynoid G power 400 Gs." The bakupod announced.
With the G power in its favor, Bee Striker flew towards Hynoid, readying its stinger. But Hynoid managed to duck under the attack before grabbing onto Bee Striker. Hynoid attempted to pull Bee Striker down, but it wasn't strong enough.
"Ability Card Activate! Darkus Reverse!" Ryder countered, turning the decrease in G power into an increase.
"Darkus Hynoid G power returned to original parameters." The bakupod announced.
"Darkus Hynoid G power increase by 100 Gs. Darkus Hynoid G power 600 Gs." The bakupod added.
With its G power restored and then some Hynoid was able to pull Bee Stricker out of the sky and to the ground. Claws at the ready, Hynoid slashed at the prone Bee Stricker, keeping it on the ground.
"Ability Card Activate! Ventus Whirlwind!" Shun declared.
"Ventus Bee Striker G power increase by 100 Gs. Ventus Bee Striker G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Bee Striker struck Hynoid in the stomach forcing the Darkus Bakugan off of it now that the G powers were equal. The two Bakugan exchanged several blows, unable to gain an advantage over the other.
"Sorry, but I don't plan on losing two battles in a row! Ability Card Activate! Ability Counter!" Ryder countered, canceling out Shun's ability card.
"Ventus Bee Striker G power decrease by 100 Gs. Ventus Bee Striker G power 500 Gs." The bakupod announced.
With that last move, Hynoid was able to finish Bee Striker beating the Ventus Bakugan with a swift blow. Bee Stiker fell at Shun's feet as Ryder caught Hynoid, giving both brawlers a win under their belts.
"Not bad. But the real match starts now." Shun stated as he held up a gate card.
"Right. Sounds like fun." Ryder smiled as he took out a gate card of his own.
"Yes, but that is not the point of this battle!" Shun shouted.
"If you wish to get stronger, you must aim to win and nothing else!" Shun declared.
"Is that all he thinks about?" Ryder questioned.
"Gate Card Set!" The two yelled as they threw their gate cards.
"The time has come, Skyress!" Shun stated.
"Good, it's about time for me to battle Leonidas!" Skyress exclaimed as Shun grabbed hold of her.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Skyress Stand!" Shun shouted as he threw Skyress onto his gate card.
"Ventus Skyress G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced as Skyress appeared on the field.
"Come and face me!" Skyress demanded.
"Are you ready, Leo?" Ryder asked.
"I was born ready, partner!" Leonidas smirked as Ryder grabbed onto him.
"Then let's go! Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Leonidas Stand!" Ryder shouted as he threw Leonidas on his own gate card.
"Darkus Leonidas G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"I see. So you're trying to use the same move you did against Dan." Shun noted.
"But it won't work!" Shun declared.
"Ability Card Activate! Ventus Vaccum!" Shun shouted.
"Now Leonidas is forced to come onto my Gate Card!" Shun explained as strong winds forced Leonidas to move off Ryder's gate card to Shun's.
"This battle will be on our terms, Leonidas!" Skyress declared.
"Very well, but it won't be easy for you!" Leonidas replied.
"Gate Card Open! Skyress Flight!" Shun shouted, activating Skyress's gate card.
"Ventus Skyress G power increase by 400 Gs. Ventus Skyress G power 1000 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Skyress spread her wings as she took to the sky, creating large gusts of wind below. Leonidas struggled to stay put as Skyress dove down, crashing into Leonidas. The Darkus Bakugan was completely unable to fight back as Skyress continued to assault him.
"Double Ability Activate! Alpha Blaster and Darkus Twister!" Ryder countered.
"Darkus Leonidas G power increase by 450 Gs. Darkus Leonidas G power 1050 Gs." The bakupod announced.
As Skyress dove down towards Leonidas, the Darkus Bakugan took flight, slamming into Skyress. Leonidas knocked Skyress out of the sky as he spun around with a dark spiral made of energy he fired. He dove down and crashed into Skyress.
"Double Ability Activate! Green Nobility and Ventus Hurricane!" Shun yelled.
"Ventus Skyress G power increase by 450 Gs. Ventus Skyress G power 1450 Gs." The bakupod announced.
A large green twister blasted Leonidas away as Skyress recovered from his attack. Skyress flew back up and met Leonidas in the sky territory of Ventus Bakugan. With a loud cry Skyress released an enormous torrent of wind knocking Leonidas away.
"Ability Card Activate! Rapid Darkness!" Ryder declared, allowing him to throw in another Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Hynoid Stand!" Ryder shouted.
"Darkus Hynoid G power 500 Gs. Combined G power 1550 Gs." The bakupod annoucned.
Once Hynoid was on the field, it jumped up and caught Leonidas stopping Skyress from pushing the Darkus Bakugan any further. Leonidas grabbed onto Hynoid, and the two Darkus Bakugan took off towards Skyress.
"Not bad, but I still have the edge!" Shun declared.
"Ability Card Activate! Rapid Storm!" Shun yelled, allowing him to add another Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Garganoid Stand!" Shun shouted as he threw his Bakugan onto the field.
"Ventus Garganoid G power 530 Gs. Combined G power 1980 Gs." The bakupod annoucned.
Garganoid took flight as it appeared, joining Skyress in the sky. The two Ventus Bakugan joined forces and created an enormous maelstrom that split Leonidas and Hynoid. It was so great that neither Darkus Bakugan could handle it and were defeated.
"Leonidas!" Ryder cried as the battlefield disappeared and time resumed.
"We lost," Ryder murmured as he picked up Leonidas.
"It was a well-fought battle, but in the end, you are still not ready," Shun stated.
"If Marduk does come for you as you are now, you'd be better off letting someone else battle him," Shun advised.
"I can't. He's got a vendetta against me." Ryder replied.
"Then you'd better step up some more. I can tell you have potential to become better, but you seem too focused on having fun than winning." Shun stated.
"But what's the point of brawling if I don't have fun?" Ryder inquired.
"What's the point if you don't win?" Shun questioned as he turned around.
"Meet me here again at noon. Take a break and think things over." Shun requested as he lept off into the trees, much to Ryder's surprise.
"He makes a good point that winning is important," Leonidas commented.
"Well yeah, and it's not like I don't want to win. I always do. But is having fun really such a bad thing?" Ryder wondered.
"Shun can be hard at times. Don't think about his words too seriously." Alice advised as she approached Ryder.
"Alice? Where you watching?" Ryder questioned, surprised that Alice was there.
"Only what I could," Alice responded, blushing slightly.
"I know that Shun can be really intimidating, but he only said that as a way to push you further. That's just how he does things." Alice explained.
"So he didn't really mean what he said?" Ryder inquired.
"Well, yes and no. I do think he believes that winning is more important than having fun but only when he has to win." Alice began.
"Like if you're battling someone who is using the Doom Card, it's better to focus on winning than having fun." Alice finished.
"That makes sense," Ryder replied.
"I also came to see if you wanted any help with beating Shun. It's best if we all work together." Alice said with a blush as she also just wanted to see Ryder.
"Really? Thanks…but I think I want to try beating Shun on my own." Ryder thanked.
"You do?" Alice gasped.
"Yeah. While I would love your help, Alice, I want to grow on my own as well. So that when I do work together with the others. I don't hold anyone back." Ryder explained.
"I feel that if Leonidas and I can work together better, we can do it. We still need to figure out the strength of this connection we have." Ryder added.
"The connection? But I thought you and Leonidas still didn't know what it was?" Alice questioned.
"True, but I feel that whatever it may be, we can use it to understand each other better and somehow advance. I know we can." Ryder determined.
"I don't know how we'll do it either. But I can feel what Ryder is feeling now, and I know there is something there we can use!" Leonidas replied as Alice looked at the two, surprised.
"You two seem more motivated now." Alice laughed.
"Yeah. At first, I was a little down about losing, but now I want to go again!" Ryder smirked.
"I don't know why but when you're around, I just feel better," Ryder added, causing both him and Alice to blush.
"I…well…thank you, Ryder." Alice thanked.
"I think that's a great goal Ryder. I think you'll definitely be able to do it. Just don't forget it's okay to ask for help." Alice smiled.
"Of course." Ryder nodded.
"But how are you going to start?" Alice inquired.
"Oh…" Ryder murmured.
"I uh….didn't think about that yet." Ryder chuckled.
Dan's Home…
"Alright, Drago, let's go! It's time to start training!" Dan smirked as he put his shoes on to head outside.
"Right! I feel more ready for battle than I've ever been!" Drago exclaimed as his body glowed red.
"Are you okay, Drago? You're glowing?" Dan asked as he touched Drago before pulling back his hand.
"And you're really hot!" Dan gasped as he blew on his fingers.
"I do feel a little off today," Drago replied.
"But I'm okay for battle!" Drago stated.
"Are you sure? Because I've never seen a Bakugan do this before?" Dan inquired.
"True, I don't know what's happening, but it shouldn't affect our training," Drago responded.
"If you say so, Drago, but don't push it alright. I don't know if Bakugan can get sick, but I don't want you risking anything." Dan insisted as he exited his house with his partner.
Dan hopped on his bike with Drago sitting in his jacket pocket as he disembarked. He rolled through the streets of his home town heading towards Runo's family restaurant. With a smile on his face, Dan arrived at the restaurant.
Once he arrived, he stopped his bike and locked it up before entering the restaurant. When he did, he was met with a busy sight as Runo was moving through several tables. It seemed Alice was out, and she was left to take orders from the crowd.
"Wow, I've never seen this place so busy," Dan commented as he watched Runo.
"Really, I didn't notice!" Runo snapped as she placed a customer's food down.
"I can't train yet, so how about you help out and take orders!" Runo insisted.
"Wha…but I've never done this before!" Dan complained as Runo pushed him to the back before being forced to put on an apron.
"Where's Alice? Isn't she helping out here?" Dan inquired as he walked back out front with Runo.
"She took the day off to see Ryder and Shun's training. If I'd known it would be this busy, I might have said no, but I can't say no to her." Runo explained.
"She must be really concerned for Ryder's training," Dan noted.
"That's only one part," Runo replied.
"What do you mean?" Dan inquired.
"I won't explain a woman's heart to you," Runo stated, confusing Dan.
With Ryder…
"So, how is this supposed to help us?" Leonidas questioned as he sat on Ryder's head.
"Honestly, I kind of forgot," Ryder responded as he sat crossed-legged on the grass.
"I thought some meditation or something would help, but I don't think it's working." Ryder sighed.
"There must be some secret or something behind this," Ryder murmured.
"If it was easy, we would have figured it out by now." Leonidas pointed out.
"Good point." Ryder agreed.
They had been sitting there for at least an hour doing nothing save attempting to feel out their mysterious connection to no avail. Though they could feel it, they couldn't understand it, nor could they use it.
It was as if they were missing something, or it could be they were going about it the wrong way. But both were determined to figure it out as they believed it was one of the only ways to advance.
The Battle Brawlers all had an understanding of their partner, but Ryder felt like he had yet to fully understand Leonidas. Ryder felt that once their intentions and feelings were one and the same, they could overcome anything.
"Maybe we can't do this by just sitting around," Leonidas said.
"Yeah, you're probably right." Ryder agreed as he stood up.
"But what else can we do?" Ryder wondered as Leonidas floated in front of him.
"We can battle!" Leonidas exclaimed.
"Well, we do have to battle Shun again soon," Ryder replied.
"Though we can probably find a good amount of people to battle since they don't know us," Ryder murmured.
"It's in a battle that we can figure this out!" Leonidas insisted.
"I know you just want to battle, but you may have a point." Ryder nodded.
"Let's try it, Leo," Ryder smirked as Alice approached the two.
"Did you guys finally get a breakthrough?" Alice inquired as she held a basket.
"Not really, but we have an idea," Ryder answered as he noticed the basket.
"What's that?" Ryder asked.
"I thought you'd be hungry, so I brought us lunch," Alice explained.
"Really? Thanks." Ryder thanked.
"Can't battle well on an empty stomach." Ryder chuckled.
As he and Alice began to eat, they were watched by Shun, who had been watching Ryder and Leonidas since their battle concluded. He was surprised at the boy's determination and that he declined Alice's offer.
Shun could tell that Ryder was on the precipice of a breakthrough to get stronger. He saw it in him, which is why he chose him to train. Ryder needed a push, and Shun was going to give him that push, and at the moment, things were looking well.
But to be sure, he would have to push him to his limit and see how much power Ryder and Leonidas can bring out. He was very eager to find out just what they could do once they could fully utilize each other's strength.
"Are you sure this was the only way to do this?" Skyress inquired.
"It's the only way I know how," Shun responded.
"Maybe you can learn something from the others," Skyress commented.
Elsewhere…
"So you're getting close?" Marduk inquired as he sat in a dark warehouse.
"Yes. The energy we've collected is pushing towards my evolution!" Vladitor answered as he glowed with dark energy.
"But I wish to hold it off until I've acquired the Silent Orb. With that, I can maximize my power once I evolve." Vladitor added.
"The finals are coming up, so once we beat Masquerade, we'll have what we need," Marduk smirked.
"True. With one more victory, we'll be in the finals." Vladitor stated.
"Yes, and I have just the person in mind to get that victory." Marduk chuckled as he looked at Ryder's rising rank.
"I just need to wait a little while longer." Marduk snickered.
Wardington Park…
Shun stood by the fountain waiting for Ryder's return, of which he didn't need to wait long as Ryder, along with Alice, arrived. Ryder looked a little scuffed as if he had battled more than Shun was expecting him to do when he left him.
"Are you still good for another battle?" Shun questioned.
"We're more than ready," Ryder smirked as Leonidas floated next to him.
"So, let's not waste any time!" Leonidas insisted.
Both Ryder and Leonidas seemed to radiate the same energy, and they felt like they weren't the same as they were earlier. This was a clear indicator that they had figured something out, and Shun was ready to see their progress.
"Good." Shun nodded as he looked at Alice.
"Are you going to be helping him?" Shun inquired.
"No. I'm just here to watch. Ryder insisted." Alice responded.
"Very well," Shun replied.
"Let's see what you've learned." Shun insisted as he, Ryder, and Alice took out their field cards.
"Field Open!" The Three shouted as time slowed to a stop.
"Gate Card Set!" The Two yelled as they tossed their gate cards.
"I'll be going first!" Ryder smirked as he grabbed onto one of his Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Hynoid Stand!" Ryder shouted as he landed Hynoid on Shun's gate card.
"Darkus Hynoid G power 500 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"He took the lead, but he still went to my Gate Card? What's he planning?" Shun wondered.
"Right then. Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Garganoid Stand!" Shun yelled as he landed Garganoid on his gate card.
"Ventus Garganoid G power 530 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Garganoid immediately flew towards Hynoid gripping the Darkus Bakugan by its shoulders and picking it up and taking to the sky. Once high enough, Garganoid released its grip on Hynoid, causing the Darkus Bakugan to fall to the ground hard. Thankfully Hynoid was unbeaten.
"Now then, it's time I used this!" Ryder declared before Shun could activate his gate card.
"Ability Card Activate! Gate Swap!" Ryder yelled as he tossed the ability card.
"Thanks to this because I landed on the gate card first. I can switch it out with one of my own!" Ryder explained.
"So here comes my Gate Card Wall Lock!" Ryder declared as the gate card below the two opposing Bakugan changed.
Shun was surprised at the move as he was prevented from using any ability cards, basically ensuring Ryder's victory for this battle. In one move, he stopped Shun from activating his gate card and using abilities.
"He's focused on the win," Shun noted as he cracked a small smile.
"Now then Ability Card Activate! Darkus Wave!" Ryder shouted.
"Darkus Hynoid G power increase by 50 Gs. Darkus Hynoid G power 550 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Hynoid got back onto its feet and broke into a sprint as it ran in a circle. Once it gained enough speed, it jumped into the air until it grabbed onto the airborne Garganoid's leg. Using all its strength, it pulled Garganoid out of the sky before slamming it down on the ground.
"Not bad you're far more focused on winning than you were this morning," Shun commented as Garganoid fell at his feet.
"Well yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to have fun," Ryder smirked.
"Leonidas and I both love battling. It's something I haven't realized we have fully in common." Ryder began.
"I did know Leonidas was more obsessed with it, but this is something I've finally can understand for him." Ryder continued.
"We love battling because it's fun, but we also like to win, so we'll put our all into winning." Ryder declared.
During Ryder and Leonidas's battles, they had gotten in before their next match against Shun. They had realized this key emotion from both of them. Through that, they could better feel out their strange connection and further understand one another.
"Now, we can battle far better than before. Focused on one goal together will make us unstoppable." Ryder thought.
"I see," Shun murmured.
"Let's continue, shall we?" Ryder smirked as he took out his next Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Mantris Stand!" Ryder yelled as he threw his Bakugan onto his gate card.
"Darkus Mantris G power 510 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"My turn," Shun said as he took out a Bakugan of his own.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Bee Striker Stand!" Shun shouted as he threw his Bakugan onto Ryder's gate card.
"Ventus Bee Striker G power 500 Gs." The bakupod annoucned.
When Bee Striker appeared, Mantris went on the attack, slicing at the Ventus Bakugan that flew out of Mantris's reach. It then fired beams from its stinger at Mantris as it was pushed back inch by inch.
"Gate Card Open! Positive Delta!" Ryder declared as the gate card opened up.
"Ventus Bee Striker G power decrease by 200 Gs. Ventus Bee Striker G power 300 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Ability Card Activate! Shadowscratch!" Shun countered, negating the gate card.
"Ventus Bee Striker G power returned to normal parameters." The bakupod announced.
"I'm not done yet! Ability Card Activate! Ventus Vortex!" Shun yelled.
"Ventus Bee Striker G power increase by 50 Gs. Ventus Bee Striker G power 550 Gs." The bakupod announced.
With its power increase, Bee Striker flew down and crashed into Mantris, knocking the Darkus Bakugan to the ground. Before Mantris could get back up, Bee Striker came back down for another attack.
"Ability Card Activate! Darkus Shockwave!" Ryder shouted as he tossed the ability card into his Bakugan.
"Darkus Mantris G power increase by 100 Gs. Darkus Mantris G power 610 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Mantris quickly got back to its feet and swung its claws at Bee Striker, cutting into the Ventus Bakugan. The attack knocked Bee Striker away from Mantris, who followed to continue its assault on the Bakugan.
"Ability Card Activate! Rapid Storm!" Shun yelled.
"Sorry, but I'm not letting that happen! Ability Card Activate! Ability Counter!" Ryder countered, preventing Shun from bringing Skyress into the battle, giving Ryder another win.
"Not bad, but this is where you're real test begins!" Shun stated.
"Good because Leonidas and I have been eager for this rematch," Ryder smirked.
"So let us not waste any more time!" Leonidas insisted.
"They really are in sync with one another. More so than any other Bakugan and partner I've seen." Skyress commented.
"They did talk about exploring their unique connection, perhaps their unified love for battling. Maybe that really did draw something out." Shun replied.
"This battle will definitely be far different this time around." Skyress pointed out.
"I know. Which is why we're going to go all out." Shun smirked.
"Gate Card Set!" The Two shouted as they tossed their gate cards onto the field.
"Let's go, Leo!" Ryder exclaimed.
"I'm ready!" Leonidas replied as Ryder grabbed onto him.
"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Leonidas Stand!" Ryder yelled as he threw Leonidas onto his gate card.
"Darkus Leonidas G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
As Leonidas appeared on the gate card, he let out a loud roar as his body radiated large amounts of energy. Shun and Skyress both were taken by surprise, but it wasn't anything they hadn't encountered before.
"It's time to get to work, Skyress," Shun stated as he grabbed onto his partner.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Skyress Stand!" Shun shouted as Skyress landed on his gate card.
"Ventus Skyress G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"What's wrong? Not ready for a rematch?" Leonidas questioned.
"Oh, I am. But first, we must even the odds!" Skyress responded.
"Exactly, I'm not going in, so you can bring in more Bakugan to take down Skyress," Shun announced.
"I see," Ryder murmured as he rubbed his chin.
"Either I use my other two Bakugan to battle against Skyress, or I use Leap String to have Leonidas and Skyress to fight." Ryder thought.
"Or…" Ryder smirked.
"I'll do this!" Ryder shouted as he pulled out an ability card.
"Ability Card Activate! Darkus Attract!" Ryder declared.
"This is going to force Skyress onto the same Gate Card as Leonidas," Ryder explained, surprising Shun.
"Impressive." Shun complimented as he readied to battle.
"Now then, Gate Card Open! Leonidas Strike!" Ryder yelled as he activated Leonidas's character card.
"Darkus Leonidas G power increase by 400 Gs. Darkus Leonidas G power 1000 Gs." The bakupod annoucned.
Leonidas got straight to the point as he charged at Skyress, crashing into the Ventus Bakugan, who fought back against the Darkus Bakugan's power. Eventually, Leonidas was able to push Skyress to the ground as he went to finish her off.
"Double Ability Activate! Green Nobility and Ventus Hurricane!" Shun countered.
"Ventus Skyress G power increase by 450 Gs. Ventus Skyress G power 1050 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Skyress spread her wings, blowing Leonidas off of her as she took to the sky where Leonidas met her. The two being at nearly equal power, clashed several times as Skyress slowly gained the advantage over Leonidas.
"We're not done yet!" Ryder declared.
"Do it, partner!" Leonidas insisted.
"Right! Double Ability Activate! Alpha Blaster and Darkus Twister!" Ryder shouted.
"Darkus Leonidas G power increase by 450 Gs. Darkus Leonidas G power 1450 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Not good!" Skyress commented as Leonidas spun around, covering himself in the energy of his Alpha Blaster.
"I can't believe it." Alice thought as she watched the battle continue.
"Just this morning, Ryder was saddened at his udder defeat by Shun, but now he's overpowering him," Alice noted.
"He really is special. After watching all the battles, he had before this, I've seen him and Leonidas become closer." Alice remembered.
"But once they've finally understood their common love for battling, it seems that whatever wall was holding them back is gone." Alice smiled as she looked at Ryder.
"Don't worry, Skyress!" Shun assured as he pulled out another ability card.
"Ability Card Activate! Ventus Calm!" Shun declared.
"What does that do?" Ryder questioned.
"This takes all the G power you've given Leonidas and takes it away, returning his G power to normal," Shun explained.
"Oh no!" Ryder gasped as Leonidas's energy was drained.
"Darkus Leonidas G power returned to normal parameters." The bakupod annoucned.
"Leonidas!" Ryder cried as Skyress knocked him out of the sky, and the Darkus Bakugan hit the ground.
"Are you okay, Leo?" Ryder asked.
"I'm fine. This battle isn't over yet." Leonidas answered.
"Right you are." Ryder nodded as he pulled out an ability card.
"Ability Card Activate! Rapid Darkness!" Ryder countered as he took hold of one of his Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Hynoid Stand!" Ryder shouted.
"Darkus Hynoid G power 500 Gs. Combined G power 1100 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Getting back up, Leonidas grabbed onto the newly appeared Hynoid and flew up to meet Skyress. The Ventus Bakugan attempted to blow the two out of the sky, but Leonidas managed to keep away from each attack.
Eventually, Leonidas flew above Skyress and dropped Hynoid, who dove down and flipped several times before kicking Skyress in the head. As Hynoid fell to the ground, Leonidas dove and knocked Skyress towards the ground.
"Hang on, Skyress!" Shun called as he readied another ability card.
"It's too late!" Ryder declared.
"This battle is ours!" Leonidas added as he glowed with purple energy.
"Darkus Leonidas G power increasing to unmeasurable levels." The bakupod announced as Leonidas finished Skyress off, ending the battle and claiming he and Ryder the win.
"I lost?" Shun gasped as his eyes were wide with surprise until he closed them and smiled.
"Not bad." Shun complimented as he picked up Skyress.
"We did it, Leo!" Ryder exclaimed.
"Yes! And what a battle it was!" Leonidas agreed.
"That last power burst was unexpected, though," Alice commented, getting their attention.
"It was far different from the previous ones where Leonidas exerted negative energy," Alice noted.
"Huh, I didn't really realize that. I was too focused on the battle." Ryder replied.
"What do you think, Leonidas?" Ryder asked.
"Well, it did feel very different, but I can't say what it was. However, it felt similar to Drago's power boost during our battle." Leonidas answered.
"Well, Dan has no idea what causes that, so it doesn't answer much," Shun stated.
"Do you have any ideas, Skyress?" Shun inquired.
"Well, it is said that when Bakugan battle enough, they will grow stronger, so perhaps this was just that," Skyress responded.
"Leonidas can grow stronger just by battling enough times?" Ryder questioned.
"In lamen terms, yes," Skyress answered.
"I've never seen it happen too much save for Drago, who's had it happen many times," Skyress explained.
"In that case, Skyress, we'll be battling much more," Shun stated.
"Of course, though, I don't know if we're at that point just yet," Skyress replied.
"If Leonidas and Drago are already at this point, then we can't be too far behind. So get ready, Ryder. Our next battle starts now." Shun declared.
"Wha…already?" Ryder questioned.
"Of course. Your training isn't ending just because you've beaten me once." Shun answered.
"Well. I guess it can't hurt." Ryder sighed as the two opened the battlefield.
Runo's Restaurant…
Hours had past and eventually, the rush that had exhausted them ended, allowing Runo and Dan to rest. Both were tired from keeping the restaurant operatable while their Bakugan watched their hard work.
"Finally. Half of the day is already gone, which means we have a lot of training to catch up on!" Dan exclaimed.
"I can't believe you can still think about training after all of that." Runo groaned.
"To be fair, Runo, we need to be ready for the tournament finals." Tigrerra reminded.
"Plus, I just have this unbearable itch for battle!" Drago exclaimed as he glowed red.
"Drago, you're glowing again. Are you okay?" Dan inquired.
"I..uh..yeah. Sorry I felt an odd sensation flow over me." Drago apologized.
"I think I know how Leonidas feels all the time," Drago added.
"Maybe you should rest," Dan murmured.
"Says the boy who kept complaining that you couldn't train," Runo commented.
"Just let him battle. It should get whatever this is out of him." Runo suggested.
"Good point," Dan replied.
"Then let's go to the park. I'm sure the others must be training there as well." Runo stated as the two picked up their partners and left the restaurant.
As they did, they were watched by two pairs of eyes which slowly followed the two. Runo and Dan made their way towards the park as they prepared to battle one another and train. Little did they know their training was going to be very different.
"Do you think the others will be done with training?" Dan asked.
"Well, Marucho and Julie might be, but as for Shun and Ryder, I don't think so. Shun won't end training until he is satisfied." Runo answered.
"Yeah, that sounds about right." Dan agreed as two figures blocked their path.
"Sorry, losers, but if you want to go anywhere, you'll have to beat us first!" Julio declared as he and Komba blocked their path.
"You two! Did Masquerade send you?" Dan questioned.
"Yes and no," Komba responded.
"He ordered us to interfere with you guys whenever possible, which is why we chose to come here now," Komba added.
"Just how many times do we have to beat you guys until you've learned your lesson?!" Runo asked.
"Tsk, we'll never back down!" Komba shouted.
"We'll keep coming back until you drop!" Harpus cackled.
"If you want a battle, then let's do it!" Dan shouted.
"Yes!" Drago agreed as he glowed once more.
"This is going to be a little more interesting than normal training," Runo commented as she and the other pulled out their field cards.
"Field Open!" The Four shouted.
"Doom Card Set!" Julio and Komba said as they dropped the cards into the ground.
"Gate Card Set!" The Four continued as they tossed their gate cards onto the field.
"I'll go first!" Dan stated.
"Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Falconeer Stand!" Dan yelled as he threw his Bakugan onto his gate card.
"Pyrus Falconeer G power 520 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Not bad, but I can do better!" Komba smirked.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Monarus Stand!" Komba shouted as he landed his Bakugan on Dan's gate card.
"Ventus Monarus G power 550 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Gate Card Open! Double Battle!" Dan declared as he grabbed onto another Bakugan.
"Now we both have to add another Bakugan into the battle!" Dan smirked.
"Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Robotallion Stand!" Dan shouted as he landed Robotallion onto his gate card.
"Pyrus Robotallion G power 540 Gs. Combined G power 1060 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Fine then! Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Ravenoid Stand!" Komba yelled.
"Ventus Ravenoid G power 500 Gs. Combined G power 1050 Gs." The bakupod announced.
The four Bakugan engaged in battle immediately as Robotallion fired lasers from its chest to keep the two Ventus Bakugan at a distance. While it did this, Falconeer flew above to keep the two on the ground, though but was unable as it was outnumbered in the air.
Robotallion attempted to aid its partner, but due to its inability to fly, all it could do was shoot at the Ventus Bakugan. That is until Falconeer spun around and knocked Monarus down towards the ground, allowing Robotallion to jump up and kick it in its back.
"Grrggh, I'm not losing two Bakugan already!" Komba shouted.
"Ability Card Activate! Ventus Squall!" Komba declared.
"Combined G power of Ventus Monarus and Revenoid increase by 120 Gs. Combined G power 1170 Gs." The bakupod announced.
With new power, the two Ventus Bakugan created a large storm with their two sets of wings pushing Falconeer away and forcing Robotallion to cling to the ground. Eventually, the two Ventus Bakugan separated and attacked Falconeer and Robotallion.
"I'm not going down that easily! Ability Card Activate! Flame Node!" Dan countered.
"Because I have two Pyrus Bakugan in battle, I can add 200 Gs the combined power!" Dan explained.
"Combined G power of Pyrus Falconeer and Robotallion increase by 200 Gs. Combined G power 1260 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"No way!" Komba cried as the two Pyrus Bakugan were surrounded by flames.
Both Robotallion and Falconeer knocked the Ventus Bakugan away before gathering flames to finish them off. When their attacks landed, it resulted in a large explosion before both of Komba's Bakugan fell to his feet.
"But how?!" Komba questioned.
"You just can't beat me, I guess." Dan snickered.
"Don't get too full of yourself, Dan. It's not good for you." Runo sighed.
"Hey!" Dan complained.
"Either way, it's my turn now," Runo smirked.
"Bakugan Brawl! Haos Saurus Stand!" Runo shouted as she landed her Bakugan on Julio's gate card.
"Haos Saurus G power 530 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Deliberately walking into the lion's den, huh? Fine by me." Julio commented.
"Bakugan Brawl! Haos Siege Stand!" Julio yelled as he landed the Haos Bakugan onto his gate card.
"Haos Siege G power 530 Gs." The bakupod announced.
The two Haos Bakugan clashed at the center of the gate card, giving neither an inch as their power was equal. Breaking their lock, Seige spun its spear before driving it into Saurus's stomach, knocking the Haos Bakugan back.
"Gate Card Open! Haos Lightning!" Julio declared.
"Haos Siege G power increase by 80 Gs. Haos Siege G power 610 Gs." The bakupod announced.
With its newfound power, Seige towered over Saurus and drove its spear towards the Haos Bakugan's chest. Just before it was impaled, Saurus managed to roll out of the way, avoiding the spear as it hit the ground.
"Ability Card Activate! Haos Flash!" Runo countered.
"Haos Saurus G power increase by 100 Gs. Haos Saurus G power 630 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Saurus jumped to its feet, knocking Seige back before slamming its fist into its fellow Haos Bakugan's face. Dragging its feet on the ground, Saurus began to run and tackle Seige to the ground with a loud thud defeating the Bakugan.
"And that's a win for me!" Runo smirked as she caught Saurus.
"You just got lucky. Next time it won't be so easy." Julio stated as he picked up his Siege.
"Oh please, we've basically outgrown you guys!" Dan chuckled.
"So how about telling Masquerade to stop hiding and come out!" Dan insisted.
"Masquerade doesn't need to bother himself with your sorry excuses for brawlers!" Komba shouted.
"Look who's talking!" Runo countered.
"Let's show them how it's done, Drago!" Dan smirked.
"I'm ready!" Drago exclaimed as he glowed red.
"Right then! Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Dragonoid Stand!" Dan shouted as he tossed Drago onto Komba's gate card.
"RRRAAAGGGHHHH!" Drago roared as he appeared on the field.
"Pyrus Dragonoid G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Something's off with Drago," Harpus commented as she looked at the glowing Dragonoid.
"What do you mean?" Komba questioned.
"His energy is really wild and strong. I don't think I should battle him alone." Harpus explained.
"Then we won't," Komba replied as he grabbed hold of Harpus.
"Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Harpus Stand!" Komba yelled as he tossed Harpus onto his gate card.
"Ventus Harpus G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Bring it on, Harpus!" Drago demanded as he glowed with red energy.
"Maybe if you calmed down first, you overgrown lizard!" Harpus replied.
"Gate Card Open! Team Battle!" Komba declared as his gate card activated.
"Let's take them down," Julio smirked as he grabbed onto Tentaclear.
"Bakugan Brawl! Haos Tentaclear Stand!" Julio shouted.
"Haos Tentaclear G power 600 Gs. Combined G power of Haos Tentaclear and Ventus Harpus 1200 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Now that's more like it!" Harpus smirked.
"Guess it's time to show them what we've got, Tigrerra!" Runo exclaimed.
"Let's do this!" Tigrerra replied as Runo grabbed hold of her.
"Bakugan Brawl! Haos Tigrerra Stand!" Runo yelled as she landed Tigrerra onto the Komba's gate card.
"Haos Tigrerra G power 600 Gs. Combined G power of Haos Tigrerra and Pyrus Dragonoid 1200 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Let's put them down, Drago!" Tigrerra exclaimed.
"With pleasure!" Drago replied.
The four Bakugan clashed as their equal power prevented any of them from overpowering the other. Drago kept Harpus and Tentaclear close to the ground to allow Tigrerra to be able to attack the two Bakugan.
"Ability Card Activate! Feather Storm!" Komba shouted as he raised up the ability card.
"Ventus Harpus G power increase by 200 Gs. Combined G power 1400 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Harpus spread her wings before firing off several feathers that blew around Drago and Tigrerra catching the two off guard. As Harpus kept them at bay, Tentaclear went on the offensive knocking Drago down towards the ground.
"Ability Card Activate! Crystal Fangs!" Runo countered as she tossed her ability card into Tigrerra.
"Haos Tigrerra G power increase by 200 Gs. Combined G power 1400 Gs." The bakupod announced.
Tigrerra's fangs began to glow as she pushed through the storm and ran towards Harpus. Jumping up, she chomped down onto Harpus's leg dragging the Ventus Bakugan down to the ground ending the storm.
"Hang on, I've got this!" Dan shouted.
"Ability Card Activate!" Dan began.
"BOOSTED DRAGON!" Drago finished as he burst into flames knocking Tentaclear out of the way.
"Pyrus Dragonoid G power increase by 200 Gs. Combined G power 1600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Not done yet! Ability Card Activate! Solar Ray!" Julio countered.
"Haos Tentaclear G power increase by 200 Gs. Combined G power 1600 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Great, all of that for nothing!" Runo complained.
Once again, with the power equalized, the four Bakugan were stuck in a stalemate with neither side giving an inch. As the battle raged on, Drago began to extrude more power and began to glow brighter and brighter.
"RRRAAAGGHHHH!" Drago roared as his body was eclipsed by a bright red light.
"Drago!? What's happening?!" Dan questioned.
"Drago! What are you doing?" Tigrerra questioned.
"Pyrus Dragonoid G power increasing at rapid rate." The bakupod announced.
"This doesn't look good!" Komba commented.
"You're telling me!" Julio gasped.
"Evolution detected." The bakupod announced.
"Pyrus Dragonoid evolution to Pyrus Delta Dragonoid." The bakupod announced as the energy that covered Drago's body solidified into stone.
Before long, the stone broke open, and Drago emerged looking very different as his wings were retractable, and he grew a few more horns. On his underbelly, he had metallic armor that covered his stomach.
"Woah, Drago, what did you do?" Dan questioned as he looked at the bakupod.
"He evolved!" Runo gasped.
"Pyrus Delta Dragonoid base G power 700 Gs. Combined G power 1700 Gs." The bakupod annoucned.
"I feel amazing! This must be why I've been acting odd!" Drago exclaimed as he spread his wings.
"It can't be! He evolved!" Julio cried.
"We need to do something before they beat us!" Komba insisted.
"Right! Ability Card Activate! Rapid Haos!" Julio declared as he grabbed onto his last Bakugan.
"Bakugan Brawl! Haos Laserman Stand!" Julio shouted as he threw his Laserman into battle.
"Haos Laserman G power 500 Gs. Combined G power 2100 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"Does Drago have some new moves he can use?" Runo inquired as an ability card appeared in Dan's hand.
"Oh yeah!" Dan smirked.
"Let's see what you can do, Drago!" Dan exclaimed.
"I'm ready when you are, Dan!" Drago replied.
"Ability Card Activate! Delta Dragonoid!" Dan declared.
"Pyrus Delta Dragonoid G power increase by 300 Gs. Combined G power 2000 Gs." The bakupod announced as Drago rained down a hail of fireballs.
"That's not enough!" Runo pointed out as they were still 100 Gs short.
"Then how about this! Ability Card Activate! Pyrus Spark!" Dan shouted as he tossed his ability card at Drago.
"Pyrus Delta Dragonoid G power increase by 350 Gs. Combined G power 2350 Gs." The bakupod announced.
"That's more like it!" Drago exclaimed as his body burst into flames.
Expelling the flames, Drago shot it towards the three opposing Bakugan, hitting them dead on and damaging them greatly. As Laserman was defeated, Tigrerra and Drago teamed up to finish off Tentaclear and Harpus.
"No way!" Julio shouted.
"Not fair!" Komba cried as the battlefield disappeared and time resumed.
"Just so you know, this isn't over!" Komba yelled as he and Julio ran off.
"They really just run off whenever we beat them, don't they?" Runo chuckled.
"Well, if we battle again, the outcome probably wouldn't change," Dan replied.
"But enough about that! Drago, that was amazing! I didn't know you could do that!" Dan exclaimed as he held up the new Drago like a trophy.
"Yes, it was quite the surprise for me as well," Drago replied.
"I knew Bakugan could evolve, but I've never seen one occur. It is said that Bakugan only evolve after battling other strong Bakugan." Drago began.
"I suppose I evolved because ever since I came to Earth, I've been battling strong Bakugan nonstop." Drago finished.
"If that's the case, then why haven't Tigrerra or the others evolved yet?" Runo questioned.
"I don't know. Perhaps there are other criteria for evolving that are still unknown." Drago responded.
"If that's the case, then we should figure it out." Tigrerra pointed out.
"True. It could be something specific between Dan and I, so observing us could unveil the reason." Drago agreed.
"Well, in the meantime, I think it's best to get on with our training as we've had enough delays." Runo insisted.
"Plus, if Tigrerra battles Drago now, then maybe she'll evolve too," Runo smirked.
"Maybe. Plus, if everyone's there, I want to show off Drago!" Dan replied.
Later…
"Please tell me…that's all for today," Ryder begged as he laid on his back.
"Yes, that will be all," Shun replied as he stood above Ryder.
They had been battling for hours, with both winning and losing though Shun had more wins than Ryder. The boy was exhausted as he felt like he had enough battling for one day and could use a long rest.
"It seems you two had a successful training session today," Marucho commented as he and Julie approached.
"There was pretty good improvement on Ryder's part. He even managed to beat me a few times." Shun replied.
"Wow, you must have worked really hard, Ryder!" Julie smiled.
"I try." Ryder chuckled as he sat up with Alice's help.
"He's been battling all day. Now he and Leonidas have an even better understanding of one another." Alice commented.
"Did you also help Alice?" Julie inquired.
"No, I was just observing. Ryder wanted to use his own strength." Alice responded.
"I see, which means Ryder has grown as a brawler," Marucho noted.
"And soon he'll be able to get into the finals," Shun stated.
"I'm still too far down the rankings to say that just yet, though." Ryder pointed out.
"You may want to double-check that," Shun replied as he taped his bakupod.
Ryder quickly unlocked the bakupod and looked at his current ranking worldwide. When Ryder looked at his ranking, his eyes widened in shock when he noticed it had jumped very high. Not a few days ago, he was in the mid two hundreds, but now he was ranked one hundred.
"I'm ranked one hundred," Ryder murmured, too surprised to do anything.
"Way to go, Ryder!" Julie congratulated.
"With a few weeks left, you just may get in the finals." Marucho smiled.
"Yeah," Ryder smirked.
"If we make it to the finals, just think of the battles we'll have!" Leonidas exclaimed.
"At the moment, I don't want to think about any more battles until I get some rest." Ryder sighed as Dan and Runo ran up.
"Hey, guys!" Dan waved.
"We've been looking for you!" Dan smirked as he and Runo joined the group.
"Did you just finish your training?" Julie inquired.
"What little we had." Runo sighed.
"What happened?" Alice asked.
"Well, besides a big rush at the restaurant causing us to start late…." Runo began as Alice stared at the ground feeling guilty that she took the day off to be with Ryder.
"But there was also the fact that the remaining two of Masquerade's goons that are still on his side." Runo finished.
"You did!" Julie gasped.
"Yeah, but we beat them pretty easily," Runo assured.
"Especially when Drago evolved!" Dan announced, shocking everyone.
"Did you say Drago evolved?!" Marucho questioned as Dan presented Drago.
"Wow Drago, you look so different!" Preyas commented as everyone looked at Drago.
"You said it. Look at him!" Julie gawked.
"How did this happen?" Marucho inquired.
"We don't know, actually. Drago was acting odd all day until the battle." Dan responded.
"I felt so energized that I couldn't hold it in. When I was finally in a battle, it released, and I evolved." Drago stated.
"Beyond that, I don't know exactly how this occurred beyond what is already known about evolution," Drago added.
"I just wish I could have seen it myself," Skyress commented.
"So Bakugan can evolve. I guess Masquerade was right about it." Ryder noted.
"Masquerade mentioned something about evolution?" Shun questioned as attention turned to Ryder.
"Yeah, during our battle. I forgot to mention it because I was concerned about Alice." Ryder responded as Alice blushed.
"I guess that means Masquerade is trying to evolve too." Runo determined.
"If it is true that Bakugan evolve after fighting strong opponents, I would say Masquerade would be close since he is the number one brawler in the world." Marucho theorized.
"That just means we're going to have to beat him in the finals before he evolves!" Dan smirked.
"Maybe Drago could be strong enough to take on Hydranoid now." Julie pointed out.
"Unless Hydranoid evolves too," Alice commented as a visage of Masquerade's mask appeared on her face for a brief second.
"We'll just to get strong enough for any evolution Masquerade can get won't matter," Shun stated.
"Please tell me it can wait for tomorrow." Ryder groaned.
"It can. For now, we should rest." Shun replied.
"Oh, thank god." Ryder sighed as he got to his feet.
"How about we go get something to eat! I think we can all use it!" Julie suggested.
"Sounds good to me!" Dan smirked as the group left the park.
Masquerade's Mansion…
"So still no sign of the Infinity Core?" Hal-G inquired.
"No. If the one who is in possession of the Infinity Core is participating in the tournament, they are keeping a low profile." Masquerade responded.
"It could be they aren't participating at all." Masquerade stated.
"I see. In any case, you can use this tournament to further increase Hydranoid's power." Hal-G replied.
"That being said, we have a small problem. It seems Drago has evolved, meaning that at the moment, he is stronger than Hydranoid." Masquerade informed.
"In that case, focus on evolving Hydranoid and keep the Silent Orb safe. Naga doesn't want it falling into Vladitor's hands." Hal-G ordered.
"He won't make a move on it until the finals. After all, I did promise it to him." Masquerade replied.
"But I'll make sure he gets sent back to the Doom Dimension instead, where he won't escape again." Masquerade stated.
"Good see to it that you do," Hal-G smirked.
"There's…something else to note," Masquerade said.
"What is it?" Hal-G asked.
"Alice seems to be gaining more control. I believe that Ryder Shade is having an influence on her. While I can make myself immune from Leonidas, this is another problem." Masquerade explained.
"I see. Then have him taken care of so that Alice can not gain any more ground." Hal-G ordered.
"Understood," Masquerade replied as Hal-G disappeared.
"Things sure are getting interesting," Hydranoid commented.
"Yes. We'll need to make sure that Ryder Shade is taken care of." Masquerade murmured.
"Will we be battling him again?" Hydranoid inquired.
"No, not yet," Masquerade responded as he looked at Ryder's ranking.
"But soon, his time will come." Masquerade stated.
Next Time Ryder goes around Wardington to battle as many people as he can to increase his rank. But after being joined by Alice, the two find a boy on the brink of quitting the game altogether!
After stopping him from throwing away his Bakugan, Ryder and Alice help him get better at the game as Ryder sees himself in the boy. Meanwhile, Masquerade purges the traitors on his team in an effort to evolve Hydranoid.
Next Time on Bakugan Doom World: Rising Above
Author's Note:
Sorry for the wait, but we're finally back with some more Bakugan Doom World! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. It took me a while to write the battles, but I finally managed to get it done.
My favorite parts to write was the second battle between Ryder and Shun and Drago's evolution. Now about the whole thing between Ryder and Leonidas understanding each other better, if it wasn't obvious enough, let me explain.
Before now, Ryder hadn't realized that both he and Leonidas enjoyed battling. Sure he knew that Leonidas was obsessed with battling, which is what he was focused on. But now, after his first battle with Shun and battling several others, his eyes were opened to their shared love of brawling.
Through that shared feeling, their unknown bond was understood a bit better by them and using that, they were able to better brawl with one another and beat Shun. Now onto other things like Drago's evolution.
I believe I was near when Drago evolved in the show when I started this story, so it was only a matter of time. He was the first to evolve, and he won't be the last as eventually, the others will evolve, even Leonidas.
But that won't happen for a little while longer as certain events need to happen before then. Anyway, Ryder is inching closer and closer to being eligible for the tournament finals, but he's going to find it harder than he would think to get there.
Before I get to the reviews, I want to thank everyone for 100 favorites and follows to this fic. It makes me happy to see so many people enjoy my fic, and it encourages me to keep writing this story!
Either way, hopefully, I can get the next chapter out soon and not have a whole month or two like it took to get this one out. So let's get on to the reviews:
JayGordonPrime – Thanks hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Final Pharaoh – Glad you liked how I brought Leonidas to Earth as it wasn't really explained in the game, so I decided to make my own. As for the pacing, sorry about that. I hope to do better with it in the future.
I try my best with the battles, but there is only so much I can do with them lengthwise. Every battle, I try to make it as long and entertaining as I can, but sometimes they come up pretty short, and unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about it.
Thinking back on it, real battles in the game were pretty fast in the physical game and the video game, and the only reason they were so long in the show was because of visuals. Since I can't really translate that too well, I can't make them too long.
But I do hope to do my best. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
RokenDarkly – Don't know how you managed to review twice, but I'm happy you enjoyed the chapter.
Johannvanguard – Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and it was fun writing Ryder's reaction to Alice as I felt it would be appropriate for him to react as such, lol. Yeah, at the moment, Marduk is unbeatable with Vladitor, so Marucho and Julie were doomed from the start.
Hope you enjoyed Ryder's battles with Shun as they trained, especially since Shun is the best at pushing people forward in my mind. Dan and Runo had a pretty easy time against Julio and Komba, as at this point, I think they are above them in strength.
Plus, Drago evolved, so no way they were losing that battle, lol.
That's all for today. See you guys next time!
