Chapter 9
THE NYX TOURNAMENT
Black Dragon base, morning…
It had taken a lot of work, but the Black Dragon Team had managed to train rigorously and make the deadline to enter the Nyx Division Zoid Cup Tournament. Shiva had spent time training in piloting her Zoid with Kali, while the others honed their piloting skills with their Redlers. What was waiting for them would be the biggest test they'd faced yet, and Shiva had no intention of letting Anubis get away with all he'd done to her.
Plowing through several teams had given them plenty of prize money to keep going, and Shiva had treated them to a big breakfast they'd undoubtedly need for what awaited.
"We've come too far, we're not gonna lose!" Cooper said proudly.
"So have all the others." James replied. "No doubt all of them are going to be playing pretty rough to win this." He seemed slightly worried, which earned him a glare from Shiva.
The purple-haired girl sat in her chair, finishing her breakfast. James' comment couldn't be truer. There'd be plenty of opponents out there, all of them anxious to meet the same goal. Indeed, this would be their greatest challenge yet...
Nyx Battlefield, day…
Shiva sat within the cockpit of her Gunguyarados, joined by three Redlers, with Kali on her lap. All around her she could see numerous teams with Zoids of various types. They were… EVERYWHERE!
"Where is he…?" Shiva inquired rather impatiently. Her team had gotten there early to beat some of the crowd. She'd also heard that the Zoid Cup Tournament on Europa was commencing as well, but she could only guess at how that was going. But that didn't really matter. What mattered right now was all right here…
At this time, the Judge Capsule landed, and opened wide, revealing the small white robot.
"Scanning area…" the Judge said calmly. "Welcome, Zoid teams, to the Nyx Division Royal Zoid Cup Tournament! This will be the final test to see who reaches the honored rank of Class S. The rules are simple, What ever teams reach the finish line first are the winners! The finish point will remain hidden from each team until that team has completed 5 wins. Area Scanned! Battle Mode 1001! Ready…… FIGHT!"
Then total chaos ensued.
Nyx Battlefield, 30 minutes later…
The battle was more intense then anything the team had ever faced before. Enemy Zoids just came in at all corners and the Black Dragon Team was taking them out left and right, doing all they could to avoid sustaining too much damage. Shiva had just now received the information on the location of the finish line for her and her team managing to take out 5 teams, and opened communication with all of them. "I've got the location of the finish line down. We're gonna plow through these guys and make it there. Whatever happens, DON'T lose track of one-another. Understood?"
"It's gonna be tough, the air is packed with enemies!" James started.
"That's an ORDER, James." Shiva answered sternly.
"Well, let's do this, then!" James shouted as they fought off some more enemies.
Shiva nodded, then turned her Gunguyarados to face west and flew off. The three Redlers piloted by James, Cooper, and Axel swerved around and followed.
Elsewhere on the battlefield…
"Mayday! Mayday!" We need backup!" a ZBC Gojulas pilot shouted through his intercom as he battled a Zoid that seemed like something from a nightmare.
"Look around you…" the enemy pilot's voice answered cruelly. "All your friends are… shall we say… detained?" The enemy pilot laughed maniacally. He was right. Surrounding them was what looked like a graveyard. Gojulas, Godos, and a few other Zoids, all brutally dismembered or facing system freezes. Standing around them, as though feasting off fresh kills, were three black König Wolves.
"By order of the Nyx Backdraft Group, we're taking this game to a whole new level…" The enemy pilot taunted as his Zoid approached. All the ZBC official saw before his Zoid went down was a flash of scythe-like blades…
The pilot let out another merciless laugh. "Alright, boys. MOVE OUT!" The nightmare Zoid took to the air and sped off, followed by the three black König Wolves.
Nyx Battlefield, afternoon…
Clouds began to gather as Shiva's team relentlessly plowed forward, taking out every enemy Zoid they came across. The finish was only a few miles ahead, and about a mile up from there. Suddenly, the group got an unexpected welcome from four enemy Zoids. Shiva parked her Zoid, recognizing them right away.
"Ha-ha!" Dan taunted in an unnervingly shiny blue Blade Liger. A pink Snipe Master was at his side, along with a familiar Red Horn and Iron Kong. Shiva shook her head in disbelief. Did they use up their parents' credit cards to buy those new Zoids? Shiva didn't want to know. It was as mind-numbing a question as how the hell these 4 stooges could have possibly reached Class A.
"Face the might of the Hip Team!" Jess taunted, charging her Snipe Master forward.
The Zoid never made it. It was suddenly bombarded by what looked like a bright red charged particle beam. The girl's terrified scream filled everyone's communications as all the Zoids turned to face the source of the attack, but there was nothing there.
Suddenly, a large black shape landed between the Red Horn, Iron Kong, and Blade Liger. Then, the black Zoid turned to face Shiva.
It was terrifying. Jet-black in color, with glowing red eyes. It stood on its T-Rexlike hind legs, and also had T-Rexlike arms as well, though they were longer then a Geno Saurer's or a Geno Breaker's. Its torso was somewhat sleek, with two fin thrusters of some kind on its back. It had a long neck, and a dragon's tail, with a sharp silvery blade at the end of it. Its head was triangular, like a pterodactyl's head, but with three silvery bladelike horns on its head. It had several guns on its chest, and two on each leg. On its shoulders were two long, slender arms, which ended in sadistic-looking scythe blades. Both of which were aimed at Shiva's Zoid.
The remaining Hip Team members attempted to battle the intruder, but it was no use. The black zoid impaled the Red Horn, then blasted the Iron Kong relentlessly, and finished it by impaling the Blade liger through the chest with its scythe arms. Then, the scythes spread themselves and unfolded, forming large, bladelike wings, slashing the Zoid clean in half. Shiva could only stare in shock at the brutal display, and already knew perfectly well who the owner of that Zoid was.
A voice Shiva knew all too well laughed sadistically from the intercom of the Zoid. "Like the demonstration?" The communication window opened, revealing Anubis, who looked more then eager to start the fight. "I'd like to introduce you to my new Zoid, the Geno Reaper, a product of my genius and some state-of-the-art Backdraft technology on my downed Geno Breaker. I see you've got some new tricks too; your lizard isn't as dead as I hoped she'd be. I've heard about those things. Anizoids, I believe. It won't do you any good, though. If you plan to reach that finish line, you'll have to go through us first!"
At this time three familiar black König Wolves joined the Geno Reaper, growling at the Black Dragon Team's Zoids. Anubis smirked sadistically. "I'm gonna take such sweet, sweet pleasure in putting you in your place, little girl!"
Shiva glared at the smirking young man. He'd taken so much from her. Shiva got her Zoid ready to take to the air. Anubis would pay for all that he's done. Her Zoid crouched down, and then leapt into the air. Anubis' Zoid followed, and at that moment, the ultimate battle between the two rivals begun…
TO BE CONTINUED….