Overload Vs Overload...
The few minutes before the matches passed with silence lingering around the whole stadium. Merely few whispers between the spectators, making guesses on the winners.
Ban and the others waited frantically for the next match to start. It will be between both Arata and Hiro's teams. Both sides were strong, and both wanted to get to the finals no matter what. Though for their mission, it was enough for one of them to reach the finals, but as LBX players, they weren't giving up on winning.
Evangeline : " it will be a fierce battle."
Ban nodded at her comment. He would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to the match.
Both Arata and Hiro were doing last minute repairs and tuning for their robots since they both received some kind of damage in the last match.
Hiro heaved out a sigh as he placed the screw down and pulled up his red and yellow LBX, depositing him on his feet.
Hiro: " that should do it."
Yuuya: " finally we can battle against Arata-kun and Muraku-kun."
Hiro: " my heart is racing with excitement, I can't wait to battle them!"
Yuuya blinked at the blunette and then spoke calmly.
Yuuya: " Hiro-kun, we need a plan."
Hiro merely blinked at his friend.
A little far away, Arata as well had finished off with Dot Blastrizer.
Arata: " bringing some spare parts was really a good idea, thanks Muraku."
Muraku merely nodded his head as he was diving in his own thought.
Arata: " what's the matter?"
Muraku sighed deeply before cocking his head in Arata's direction.
Muraku: " we need a good plan."
The last few minutes passed on while both teams were discussing their strategies. When the MC made the call, they stepped into the light of the arena, taking their places on both sides of the diorama.
MC : " Ready!"
Clasping their CCMs tightly, the players made their LBXs descend to the field.
Elie: " the castle Diorama."...
Back at Kamui daimon, all the pupils shifted closer to the screens in the lobby, each trying to get a better look of the upcoming battle.
Yuno balled her hand and placed it on her chest as her eyes landed on the red head on the screen.
Yuno: " do your best, Arata."...
" Battle Start!"
Dot Blastrizer started off by shooting at their opponents. Liu Bei quickly brought up the shield to protect themselves. Magna Orthus kicked the ground at that and lunged forward, flanging his sword to the side in order to attack them.
Muraku was surprised when a shadow was casted upon Magna Orthus as it made his way through the Diorama. He was surprised to see Perseus running above the fences of the castle and towards Dot Blastrizer.
Arata saw him and began shooting. Muraku tried to chase after him but he was stopped with a swing from Yuuya's sword. He had to block Liu Bei's attack before it dealt any sever damage.
The blasts of Dot Blastrizer bounced off Perseus swords as he used them to shield himself. He made it to the other robot and leaped forward, readying the swords for a round sway.
Arata clicked his tongue, shifting his guns to two swords, and so he was saved from the blades of Perseus as his blocked them.
MC : " as you see everyone! They're launching mercilessly at each other!"
It was quite impossible to take your eyes from their diorama. The other teams who were fighting right next to them didn't get that much attention from the crowd.
Muraku and Yuuya were engaged in a sword fight, each trying to brush the other off and finish him.
Muraku clicked his tongue as he couldn't escape Liu Bei's quick swings. His LBX received quite the damage.
Muraku: " strong..."
Yuuya on the other hand as well had his HP gage drop a little. He felt his lips pulling up into a small smirk.
Yuuya: " he's really good."
On the other hand, dot Blastrizer and Perseus were racing along the fences, each trying to direct a hit at the other, but their defense was so good they barely managed to scratch each other.
The other matchs had finished, so all the attention then was on the left four. All the screen broadcasted their fight. The sounds of metal hitting against metal with each attack echoed through the area.
Ruri: " they're almost even."
Ken: " you can't predict who will be the winner."
Sendou: " doubt so."
He was about to draw a card when Asuka clasped his wrist, preventing him from doing so.
Asuka: " don't you ruin it now! Just enjoy the battle!"
He let a groan but eventually heeded her advice and lowered his arm. He tried his best to ignore the teasing nudges coming from Gouda on his other side.
Wataru: " Muraku-senpai overpowered Liu Bei!"
The purple LBX managed to push the other one back and tried to get to his teammate.
Yuuya: " not so fast!"
He rushed after the purple aircraft.
Yuuya: " I know what you're thinking."
His dark black eyes narrowed as his typing sped up, Liu Bei almost catching up with Magna Orthus.
Muraku made a 'tsk' sound before his LBX skidded to a halt and whirled around to face Liu Bei.
Yuuya: " you wanted to aim for Hiro first, dragging him into a 2 vs 1 fight."
Liu Bei swiped his sword down on Magna Orthus, who barely managed to impede it. The swords shook with the force each one put on them to cut down the other.
Liu Bei held up his leg, kicking the other LBX squarely in the chest. They both were pushed away from each other, which was their chance.
Yuuya& Muraku: " Hissatsu Function!"
" Attack Function: Byakko Shou Hazan!"
" Attack Function: Catastrophe Drive!"
Both LBXs surged at each other, their swords thrusted forward. It was hard to follow what happened that split second. All they were able to see next were both LBXs standing away, each with its back to the other and having sparks flying out of them.
Magna Orthus had his side damaged, Liu Bei had his leg.
The HP gages was decreasing over the time, but both players weren't giving up yet. They launched on again, swinging the swords and attacking despite their handicaps.
It didn't take long before both fell to the ground, HP completely drained and broken over.
Wataru: " senpai..."
Muraku: " sorry Arata."
He murmured to the red head next to him who shook his head without looking away of his CCM.
Yuuya: " it's up to you, Hiro."
The blunette's head nobbed at that.
Both opponent locked eyes and the next moment, they each had a circle of light glistening around their pupils.
Ban: " they're using it!"
He actually had to stop himself from shouting that one comment out loud and jumping up to his feet.
Dot Blastrizer's form enlarged as the armor pieces shifted, taking the form of the Ragnarok phase. Hiro's once red Perseus was bathed in a blue glow and his CCM enlarged, allowing him more flexibility with the control.
There was a moment of silence in the diorama, then both LBXs were gone. With a high speed, they launched forward, and appeared again when they locked swords.
They pushed away and attacked again, over and over, chasing each other neck to neck around the diorama. Only when they would attack would they be visible to the ones following their battle.
They locked swords again, holding each other down. Perseus managed to overpower Dot Blastrizer, snatching one of his swords and used the opening in his defense to strike him on the side.
Dot Blastrizer's boosters went on, flying him away of danger. Perseus flung his swords to the sides as he chased after him, eventually leaving afterimages behind him.
When Dot Blastrizer landed on the ground, he tossed away his blade, switching to use the claws from his knuckles.
He blocked one of Hiro's sword with one and grabbed the other one tightly, stopping them in that position.
Hiro bit his lip as he scrambled to free Perseus, but to no avail. He hardly could pull back the sword he had grasped.
Finally Perseus let go of that sword and backed, and it was Arata's cue to move. He threw away the sword and made his LBX lean forward for an attack.
But before that Perseus dropped down, sweeping Dot Blastrizer's feet from under him, making him lose balance.
He used the chance to grasp his sword again and face the other robot, ready to unleash his move.
Hiro: " Hissatsu Function!"
" Attack Function: Cosmo Slash!"
The wave of blue energy cut its way towards Dot Blastrizer who barely had time to dodge. So Arata bit his lip and chose to shield himself, holding both arms in front of his head, the LBX took on the attack.
Hiro waited for the dust to clear and his eyes went wide as Dot Blastrizer's outline was visible. Though his arms were seriously damaged, still the glow of his visors made it clear that he wasn't done yet.
Momona: " go! Senpai!"
Arata's eyes blinked wide open as he typed on the screen of the white and red CCM.
Arata: " Hissatsu Function!"
" Attack Function: Kousokuken Issen!"
Golden energy formed around Dot Blastrizer's knuckles, his boosters pushed him forward and his claw thrusted through Perseus armor. Just as he passed him and landed, Perseus broke over in the familiar explosion of lights.
The spectators rooted as the MC declared Arata's team the winner, Momona and Wataru being the loudest. Arata let out a sigh at that and cocked his head to Muraku who offered him a smile.
After they retrieved their LBXs, they proceeded to shake both Hiro and Yuuya's hands.
Arata: " Hiro-san, that was an amazing battle! I've never had the chance to battle against someone with overload this way!"
Hiro: " same here, though you made me realize I need to work more on it if I ever want to master it."
Yuuya fixed his eyes on the black haired boy before addressing him.
Yuuya: " Muraku-kun, you should have had a back up plan with you. I know that as one with overload you wanted to finish Hiro first, but once your plan was figured out there was little to how much you could help."
Muraku's head moved in a nod as he listened carefully to Yuuya's explanation.
Muraku: " it was really my mistake. I couldn't see any other way to win the battle but taking Hiro-san first. Both you and Hiro-san predicted our plan so you decided to split up from the start and use it against us. Keeping us away made it harder to fall back and replan our strategy."
A weight was placed on his shoulder and he looked at the older man who patted his shoulder and offered him a smile...
There were loud cheers of joy as the battle ended.
Kiyoka: " now making it to the finals is a given for them."
Catherin: " at least Kamui Daimon will have some students who managed to proceed to the finals."
Haruki: " should I remind you that they had entered on their own and they're not representing us."
Yuno: " even though, their victory will be considered the same as ours, right?"
She said facing Hanako with a smile. The pinkette nodded her head shyly with a small one.
Kagetora nudged next to Haruki who didn't take his eyes of the screen. He spoke in a low voice, making sure no one eavesdrop on what they were talking about.
Kagetora: " there is something bothering me."
Haruki: " same here."
The fact that he didn't take his eyes of the screen even if there was no battles at the moment supported that.
Haruki: " there is something about this year's Artemis. Else I doubt they would take place at this."
Kagetora: " exactly. You think they're expecting infected LBXs to show up?"
Haruki shook his head. There was no way he could know of what was happening with them. As much as it frustrates him, he can't be of help. Two of his platoons members were out there, fighting for each breath he was taking in his safe place, but he could do nothing for them.
Unconsciously, his fists balled as rage build up inside him. He was angry with himself for being useless as a captain, again.
When he noticed he didn't give a proper answer to Kagetora, his fists relaxed as he whirled his head towards the other boy.
Haruki: " whatever was happening there, let's just believe that they will be able to deal with it."
Kagetora's mouth opened but closed again, there was nothing he could say which can relieve their worries. He pursed his lips and gave a curt nod before he turned to follow again as the final match started...
The volume's level went down until it was barely audible. The man handling the remote placed it on the table before turning to the others seated there.
Closing his eyes, he bent forward with an exhausted sigh. He knitted his hands together above the wooden table and propped his forehead on them, trying to gather his thoughts. There was a lot that he had been through the few last months.
" I doubt you've just asked for a gathering so we can watch Artemis together."
One of the presented there spoke up, to which his shoulder tensed slightly. That's right. That wasn't what he gathered them for.
He looked up at the man, he was young with pinkish hair and dark grey eyes with dark skin. He was wearing a white tux over a red shirt and a black tie. He seemed so young that he doubted he was even fit to take the political role he had taken in his country. But one look at his eyes, one look at those dark eyes who were almost like those belonging to the wildest wolves made it clear as crystal that he wasn't someone to be missed with.
" Indeed, that wasn't my intention Mr Daigo. What I gathered you for today is far more important than Artemis."
" Don't tell me that it has something to do with those World Savers? We didn't hear of them in months."
The woman at the far end of the table spoke up this time. Her crimson eyes glimmering in the light, encircled by red markings below and blue eyeshadow. Her long black hair was curly, decorated by two blue and pink feathers next to her left ear. She was wearing a marron suit and a white shirt that failed to hide her built up form.
" That's for another day, Eva."
The woman merely shrugged with a smirk, continuing sipping her tea.
" Then hurry up and clear your reasons, I don't have time. I have to get to my plane if I ever want to make it to the meeting."
A short, Chinese man with plump face spoke this time, checking his clock every two seconds. His brown narrow eyes barely held any light to them, rather dull and cold. He had pointed black long moustaches that were moving downwards and a goatee. His black hair was braided up on top of his head till it bent to the side. He was wearing a long red jacket with golden lines with black pants and shoes. His face had always that malicious smirk of his, one that most of them there wished to wipe away as soon as possible.
" My apologies for that, Zaoh. Then I shall waste no more time. First of all..."
His head moved up, his eyes barely could be seen from behind his sunglasses which he would never take even indoors as they were covering a part of the burned scar on the right side of his face.
" We're under scrutiny."
Whatever they were doing back then, they had stopped and looked back at the white long haired man with their faces as pale as they could be.
Eva: " so the rumors were true, that someone had leaked out informations about us, Reiji."
He leaned back on his comfortable chair, rubbing his white beard in thoughts.
Reiji: " where did we went wrong. We made sure that everyone who knew of our identities were disposed of as soon as possible."
Zaoh: " maybe it was that Hiyama woman! She is the only one who may have leaked such information! I've told you we should dispose of her as well!"
Reiji: " that can't be as well. Hiyama Mami never had that much information from the start. And last I checked, she was still refusing to talk about anything since Gardyne was silenced."
Eva: " so who could it be?"
The man stood up, now his light blue tux coming into sight, beneath it was a white shirt and a black tie. He walked over to the window and slightly peeked through the small opening between the curtains and down at the street where a grey car was parked. With a sneer, he pulled the curtains so there was no more openings.
Reiji: " I'm not sure what caused such thing. But we've been followed for so long now. I've decided to gather you today because there would be less doubts about us meeting in the day Artemis is held."
Daigo was tapping his fingers on the wooding surface of the long table in a rythmique way, his look directed down all the time before he finally decided to speak.
Daigo: " how much does they know?"
The man resumed his seat and flattened his hands on the table.
Reiji: " depends on the one who let out those information."
As soon as he finished his sentence, applause could be heard from the TV, though they could barely hear them. The screen showed the two boys who exchanged high fives with wide grins on their faces.
Eva: " seems the finalists of B Block were decided."
Reiji narrowed his eyes at the two boys on the screen before whirling back to the others.
Reiji: " the other thing that I must bring up as well is... Kazama Jinn's suspicious acts."...