The long, tall corridor echoed with the sound of someone making haste. With panting breaths, a swift figure with blonde hair zoomed ahead. As he went on with his swift trek towards the end of the corridor, Shawn was hurrying along, the feeling of dread continuing to climb up his back with every minute passing.

"Verias, tell me we're almost there!" he shouted.

"It's gotta be up ahead!" the Haos Bakugan announced. "I can feel a strong negative energy."

This served to make Shawn quicken his pace. "Better hope we're not too late!" As he hurried along, he couldn't help but feel a little comedy arise from the predicament. "I knew bad things would happen if Luke and Esther went off alone."

"You make it sound like it's fortune within misfortune." Verias interjected.

Shawn grinned. "Nah, just didn't peg Luke to get others than myself into his messes. Esther's gonna have a hard time keeping up with him."

"What makes you say that?"

He turned towards Verias, a weak but noticeable smirk of satisfaction showing. "…not sure. Just a thought."

"HEY! WAIT UP!" a voice called from far back.

Shawn's ears pick up on the sound, ringing more than a few bells in his mind. "That voice…" He slowly turned to look over his left shoulder, seeing the figure that called out to him.

"You're going too fast!" the petite girl cried out, hurrying in the pace that her heels could carry.

"You're not very sportive in keeping us waiting back there!" a taller man in uniform called out in a mock.

Shawn's eyes widened. "Maggie! Jase!"

"You guys alright?" Verias called out.

Shawn slowed down his pace to allow them to catch up. Maggie and Jase followed beside him in the passage towards the location of the negative energy.

"We're fine, but worry is appreciative." Atmos answered.

Jelldon held onto Maggie's shoulder tightly. "Oiii~, don't even get me started on what we went through." He nervously followed up.

"We weren't. You just did." Atmos pointed out.

Jase chose to carry along. "Shawn, where is Luke and Esther?"

"They went on ahead while I had to put up with that Ariella chick from before." He answered. "She was no slouch…but that isn't the point! If she was so arrogant as to let us pass, then that means this was a trap all along!"

Jase's face began to intensify. "This isn't what I accounted for. So then the others are in knots of their own, ones that the enemy weaved for us no doubt."

"But just who is the enemy?" Maggie inquired. "We've been going at this for a while now, but we don't even know how many of them there are."

"Well I say we keep it that way!" Jelldon chirped.

"Valid reasoning, Jelldon." Jase hummed. "But he is right. Focus on the ones we know for now. So far, what we are able to tell is that there is one that Shuji is quarreling, Hendrix, and Ariella. That makes three." He listed off the top his head. "All very powerful, and with forbidden cards."

"But who do you think is calling the shots then?" Atmos inquired.

Shawn glared ahead, seeing something in the very far distance ahead. It looked a lot like a black wall. "My guess…that's just the kind of trouble Luke got into. Typical…" he sighed.

Maggie's face grew in resolve. "Hey now, Luke and Esther by themselves? I knew something was up with those two!"

Jelldon turned towards her. "Wait, what's that mean?" he asked.

"And Earth thing, perhaps." Verias figured.

"Human males and females, what a world." Atmos mused.

"Well that world's in for a crashin'!" Shawn shouted as he darted ahead of the group. 'Luke, why do you always have to make such big fusses? First me, now you drag others into this. God, you're hopeless.'

Inside the core chamber, the illuminated atmosphere by the green network flowing around was giving a more ominous appeal than it did before. Luke was glaring off with Maximus, the latter having a beseeching grin that mocked the redhead's ego. Esther, on the other hand, glared off in defiance against Xander, who smirked with slight impatience growing.

"You're a joke." The Pyrus battler taunted.

"What?!" an offended Luke snapped.

"Did you really think that a pack of humans and some lowbrow Bakugan could just waltz in like special ops? You should've known that Bakugan like that with no more abilities than street rats can liberate an entire world."

Maximus folded his arms. "As offensive and crude as his words are, my cohort isn't wrong. You have guts, I'll say that much, but foolishness isn't what I overlook either. You weren't very smart in staying out of our hair."

Luke's anger began to boil. "Gnngh, shut up!"

"An animal that barks has little bite." Maximus said. "If you're truly intended on stopping us, then bite. Sink those fangs…" he smirked. "It'll be fun to see you try."

Esther's fists balled slowly. "You've got a lot of expectations running on this, or so it seems. You find this amusing? Like some sort of game?"

Maximus shook his head. "Not at all. Though to a degree, you aren't wrong. This is fun, in a way?"

"Because you enjoy seeing others try and fail, or is it because you like seeing your side kick us in the dirt?"

"You saying there's no difference between the two?"

Xander shrugged. "Sounds like more bark if you ask me."

Luke was starting to get even more impatient. "You…we'll show you! Just wait and see!" he snapped.

Maximus looked towards him. "You really want to go some more?" he repositioned himself to stand upright, holding his Goblinball between two fingers. "Fine by me, but let's see where this little boasting competition leads to. It's your move."

Abis Omega turned towards Luke to see his enraged face. He stayed quiet as he inspected his battler's motives.

"This is out of hand." Atchibee said.

Esther nodded. "We're in dark waters. If we're to get out of this, we need a strategy." She and Atchibee then turned towards Luke, the Aquos battler soon to pick up on some leers aimed for him. Turning, he gave them all an estrange look.

"What are you looking at?" he challenged.

Esther closed in a little, dialing down her voice to a meek whisper. "Luke, be careful. We don't know what other kinds of tricks they have. Make sure that this next card counts. We need to shut them down."

Luke looked away, his nose stuck up towards the sky. "I know that! Tell me something I don't know!"

"We're badly overpowered, how about that for starters." Abis Omega answered.

"Whose side are you on?!" Luke barked. Abis lowered his head with a deep groan.

"How did I wind up with such a childish human?" he whispered to himself.

Luke groaned and rubbed his head of thick red hair. He looked down at the ground in winder of what to do, his brain cells working as he tried to process what was going on. 'These weirdos we're up against sure aren't playing fair game. Their Bakugan are so hyped that my water serpent and Esther's purple bug thing can't keep up. Gah, this bites!' He faced ahead at Maximus and Xander; the latter's patience looking to be drying out as his was. 'Maybe I can get them to let their guard down. But how do I get them to do that? This isn't like my sword fighting practice against Master Riaan, and this isn't chess either.'

"Luke?" Esther wondered.

"You have a plan?" Abis inquired.

Shaking his head, Luke reaffirmed himself, staring dead ahead. "Alright, no time fooling around!" he exclaimed as he made for a few steps forward. Once positioned, he held his ground. "I got just the thing to stop you dead in your tracks!"

Maximus scoffed. "This should be entertaining."

"You sure you know what you're doing, Luke?" Esther asked.

Luke pulled his arm back. "Don't worry, this has to work! Just try and weaken or distract them, okay? Gate Card, set!" He went and shot the Gate Card out towards the battlefield. It slid to a stop in the center of the two teams, where it faded into the battlefield. Luke turned to face his Bakugan. "Alright, time to get back out there!"

Abis Omega closed. "If you say so, let's try again!"

Luke grabbed him tightly and threw him out. "Alright, here goes nothing! Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Go, Aquos Abis Omega!"

Abis Omega's ball opened and summoned forth his massive form. His massively long body curved as his head arose, flexing his two fins and baring his fangs. Once again, he stood at 350.

Maximus held up his Goblinball with a smirk. "Don't get too excited. Bakugan, brawl! Goblinball, stand!" Like for Abis Omega, Goblinball once again arose onto the battlefield, giving out a bloodcurdling bellow with strong winds. Abis grunted as he tried to hold his ground within the bat-like creature's screech. He stood once more at 500.

"Esther." Atchibee said.

The Darkus battler furrowed her brow. "Right, let's be in pursuit!" She seized Atchibee and threw her in. "Bakugan, brawl!"

Maximus drew his arm back. "Allow me to parry that! Bakugan, brawl!" He threw his Hyper Dragonoid onto the battlefield, where he and the Atchibee's ball forms popped open at the same time.

"Bakugan, stand!" both yelled.

A purple light emerged, arising Atchibee taking to the air. Meanwhile, a cyclone of fire swirled upwards, shooting out a spinning Hyper Dragonoid. The dragon-like Bakugan slowly stopped and bellowed down in intimidation. Atchibee stood at 400, while Hyper Dragonoid was at 500.

Luke held up a clutched fist with feigned determination. "We got it this time! Get them, Abis!" he encouraged. In response, the serpent bared his fangs again.

Maximus, however, saw through Luke's façade. "Playing tough guy, are we?" He mocked as he held up his Bakumeter on his left wrist. "Let's see how tough you are when I do this. Ability, activate! Irate Eye!"

Globlinball's eye glowed a bright purple, signaling his attack. The mouth widened a little as a dense, purple ray at Abis Omega first. It traveled across the ground, making small purple streaks flow on either side.

Goblinball: 500 Abis Omega: 350 (-200) = 150

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 Atchibee: 400 (-200) = 200

Luke's eyes narrowed. 'Gotta nullify that.' "Ability, activate! Coil Guard!" Abis Omega followed the command thoroughly and began to tighten into thick coils. His body tensed as the sinister ray enveloped him. The attack was like a bright flash that made the serpent grunt loudly as he endured its anguish.

Goblinball: 500 Abis Omega: 150 (+200 +100) = 450

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 Atchibee: 200 (+200) = 400

Seeing his adversary on defense, Maximus continued to grin. "So defense is your game then?"

"Well we're not done!" Luke defended. "Ability, activate! Sea Helix!"

Abis Omega continued to endure the ray, until a thin but effective helix of water began to surround him. The attack began to repel the blast away from him, giving him time to arise and face his opponents again.

Goblinball: 500 (-100) = 400 Abis Omega: 450 (+100) = 550

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 Atchibee: 400

With Abis shielded for the time being, Luke looked a little more reassured. "There, that should hold up."

"Atchibee, let's go for offense then!" Esther encouraged.

The moth nodded. "Gladly."

She raised her left wrist, showing her ability. "Ability, activate! Lavender Shock!" Atchibee gave a loud howl as her tail's end began to emit a wave of purple static. The static unleashed a weak blast at Hyper Dragonoid, while her power level went from 400 to 600.

Xander raised his left wrist, showing his ability next. "Like it'll be that easy! Ability, activate! Interlock Dragon!" Hyper Dragonoid responded thoroughly to the command by lurching his head back to gather swirling fiery aura. Once charged, he lurched back forward, sending a swirling fireball straight ahead at the electric shock. The two attacks met in the middle, where there was a brief clash between the two. Static and embers discharged for an instant before the last wave at last dissipated between the two attacks.

Goblinball: 400 Abis Omega: 550

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 (+200) = 700 Atchibee: 600 (-200) = 400

"Is that all you've got?" Xander challenged.

Esther leered daggers back in defiance. "We're not down yet. As long as Shuji and the others are doing their job, we'll stop at nothing to see this through to the end. That's what the Bakugan deserve."

Atchibee nodded and readied her scythes at her words. "Well said, Esther!"

"How very noble of you, defending creatures that you've only met yesterday. Is that even a worthy enough reason?" Maximus challenged.

"It is for me." She rebuffed.

Maximus smirked. "Well, such spirits…for a human."

Luke's fists began to ball once again. He was starting to get very tired of his opponent, and as big of a disadvantage he was at, he had to push through. He wanted to get home. He needed to. Being somewhere where he wasn't comfortable nor amazed with wasn't for his liking. This nightmare had to end, and now. Master Riaan would at least be happy to know he saved some Bakugan at the very least, he wasn't going to forget that obligation anytime soon. He had to dig deep.

He swiped his arm in front. "Go, Abis Omega!"

The Aquos Bakugan raised his head, giving out a large roar throughout the undisclosed chamber.

The cheers of the audience, the clapping of their joy, the names being called out; this was definitely not helping Shuji right now. In fact, it's starting to get on his nerves. Not only was he starting to grow weary of his opponent, but he can't seem to get room to get around the points made.

Killian stood with arms crossed, looking at Shuji with a serious expression.

"This is getting to be a very intense battle, ladies and gentlemen! I don't think I can even contain myself up here!" the announcer exclaimed. He was in the booth, clutching his head tightly as he smiled wildly. "This has come to the finals, between the unlikely ties of two fellows and their macho insects just beefing each other into submission! Just who in the heck do we root for?! The mosquito, or do you vote for the beetle?! Horn against needle, but which can break who?!"

"I'll give you three options here, buddy." Killian said. "One; be beaten in painful fashion. Two; be beaten in painful fashion. Or three; be beaten in painful merciless fashion!"

"That's all the same thing!" Shuji interjected.

"Then you get my point." Killian held up his Bakugan. "If your peeps had gotten pass Hendrix and Ariella, then kudos there. But that last leg just won't cut it, not against Rogue Zero that is."

Shuji's teeth gritted as he held up Fly Beetle. "Oh yeah? Well we'll just have to see about that, won't we? Fly Beetle, let's kick it up a notch!"

"Got it!" the Subterra Bakugan replied.

Killian threw his Gate Card out first. "Gate Card, set!" The field was set in a green shockwave through the ground. "Bakugan, brawl! Ventus Moskeeto, stand!"

In a green flash, something with a gust emerged. As Shuji again covered up, the black and green insectoid Bakugan shot up into the air. He slowly arched around in a full circle, stopping right above Killian's head. His power level was shown to be at 450.

"We've gotta drag out this battle for as long as we can, that is the plan, right?" Fly Beetle reminded.

"Yeah…" Shuji's eyes narrowed. "But now I really wanna beat this guy. If he thinks he can get under my skin, well too bad, because we're gonna get that energy going, and get the heck out of here!"

"Then I guess we better try harder, right?"

Shuji snickered. "This dweeb is so going down this round." He drew his arm back. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand!"

In a brown light, a horn arose from the earth. Following that was Fly Beetle, who remained on the ground and stood at 350.

'Maximus, everyone, hang in there.' The Ventus battler thought. He raised his left wrist, showing an ability. "Moskeeto, let's go again! Ability, activate! Parasite Claw!" The Ventus Bakugan's claws began to glow a green light, in which dense rays went beaming down at Fly beetle.

Shuji, however, already had his Bakumeter show another ability. "Right back at ya, punk. Ability, activate! Subterra Seeker!" The dense brown markings on the back of the external wings of Fly Beetle started to glow a lava-like color, and it lifted to face the incoming attacks. The green laser beams made contact with the wings, in which they rippled into thin air, or so it seemed. After the lasers stopped, the lava-like substance rippled again, sending the lasers back at Moskeeto.

Moskeeto: 450 (-200) = 250 Fly Beetle: 350 (+100) = 450

The Moskeeto hissed as the reflections in his lenses. He didn't move, and instead readied to attack.

"Ability, activate! Clear Compound!" Killian shouted. Moskeeto's lenses began to emit a powerful green light. As the laser beams drew closer, the attacking rays were enveloped in a green outline before dissipating completely.

Moskeeto: 250 (+200 +200) = 650 Fly Beetle: 450 (-100) = 350

Shuji growled beneath his teeth. "Grr, he nullified all the abilities at once." He grunted.

"That's what Clear Compound stands for, you know." Killian emphasized the point made. "Now to clear you!" He reached out in front. "Moskeeto!"

The insectoid Bakugan gave out a large hiss. He dove down to attack Fly Beetle, but as he dropped, Fly Beetle's wings began to beat profusely. He went repulsing skyward, just in time to evade Moskeeto, whose claws slammed in the spot where he was and kicked up dust. The dust faded as quickly as it came, allowing Moskeeto to look up and see Fly Beetle flying overhead. The Subterra Bakugan turned his body with his glide and went in an arch around the atmosphere, waving up and down as he did. Unwilling to stay down, Moskeeto's spread his clear wings, making a powerful vibration gust kick up even more dust. The Ventus Bakugan shot back into the air in a lunge at Fly Beetle, cutting him off from his course.

"Woah!" the Subterra insect watched Moskeeto pass him, barely grazing his horn. "You mind where you fly?!"

The Moskeeto gave a large his in retort. He followed with the arch and somersaulted skywards into a dive down towards Fly Beetle. The insect barely missed by tilting on his axis again, but the draft created from the harsh dive, threw him off balance for a moment, hurdling him about threw the air until he stopped to shake his head of the dizziness.

"Hey, pull it together up there!" Shuji shouted.

"Moskeeto, attack!" Killian ordered.

When Fly Beetle looked down, he saw that his opponent was already gone. He looked left and right, his many red eyes trying to get a good all-around view. "Where did he go…?" With his guard down, this was the chance to strike. A sudden force dropped from above, claws digging into the thorax as Fly Beetle went shooting into the ground by Moskeeto's surprise drop. The drop to ground made a loud dust bang, making Shuji gap while Killian seriously frowned.

The audience cheered loudly at the surprise. They seemed to be enjoying the show.

With the dust cleared, revealing Fly Beetle underneath Moskeeto. The insectoid grunted in distress while the tainted Bakugan anchored him with his claws, the four sharp legs edged into the back to keep a tight grip. He hissed loudly at his prey's turmoil.

"Nice job, Moskeeto. Now finish him." Killian ordered. The mosquito raised his huge needle-like nose, the tip shimmering in the waning sunlight in the sky.

"Uh-oh!" Fly Beetle panicked.

Shuji's brow furrowed. "Oh no you don't. Ability, activate! Infestation Stigma!" Fly Beetle's open wings began to hum weakly, getting Moskeeto to cease his finishing blow. The insect noticed something itching up his legs, making him very uncomfortable. When he looked back, he was growling low as a small swarm of orange comets engulfed his legs up. The small swarm buzzed and made Moskeeto momentarily forget Fly Beetle, enabling him to throw him off like a bull bucking of its rider. Moskeeto landed with a thud on his back a ways in front, again stirring up the ground.

Moskeeto: 650 (-200) = 450 Fly Beetle: 350

"Heh, bet ya like that, right?" Shuji asked while his opponent began to stand began. "Now you can't activate abilities now that ants are n your pants." He smirked.

Killian half-grinned. "Not bad, not bad at all. But don't count me out just yet. Luckily I planned for something like this."

Shuji's eyes widened. "You have?"

"Now…Gate Card, open! Evil Clear!" The Gate Card opened upon command. The light from below activated, focusing energy onto Moskeeto. The Bakugan in distress began to slowly ease up as his body was feeling relieved. The orange swarm around him dissipated slowly, and his power level bumped back to 650.

"Damnit." Shuji cursed quietly.

"He's blocking everything he throw." Fly Beetle said.

"Just because you think I'm some 'big, scary bad guy', that doesn't mean I still try and pay attention." Killian reasoned. "Now…Moskeeto!" The Bakugan heard his call, beginning to flow skywards once again to attack.

Fly Beetle tilted his head to look back at his master. "Got any other ideas?"

Shuji went silent as he tried to think. As he did, his fists began to ball. 'C'mon. Gotta think here! This guy's just playing defense and wearing us out, is this some sort of twisted joke? Man, how the heck am I supposed to beat him when all he's doing is hitting and running away…?' He took a moment to process his thoughts, and thought back to the attributes Fly Beetle had. He had a tough body, though not that fast. That could've worked. He once again looked up, seeing what was at stake within the white orb. He looked down again and faced his adversary with a fist still up. "So you just planning on breaking us first?" he taunted.

Killian shrugged. "Honestly, I'm just here to crush you completely…no offense." He apologized.

Shuji smirked. "Thanks, oh, and speaking of offense, how's about we change dynamics?" He challenged. "Ability, activate! Cast-Iron Carapace!"

Fly Beetle's eyes glinted briefly before his body began to stiffen. His joints hardened, and he began to layer within an orange, metallic coating around his body. His hisses became muffled once they reached his small face and horn.

Moskeeto: 650 Fly Beetle: 350 (+200) = 550

"How's that for defense?" he taunted.

Killian didn't look impressed. "We'll see. Moskeeto, let's shake things up a little! Ability, activate! Frequency Shaker!" Moskeeto did as told, and his body released a loud frequency. Green soundwaves projected from his body, heading downwards towards Fly Beetle. The attack, no matter how loud or what kind of a magnitude it carried, it wasn't budging Fly Beetle. Killian looked surprised, just as Moskeeto finally let up. "What?"

Shuji snickered.

Killian's brow furrowed. "Alright then…ability, activate! Needle Diffuse!"

Shuji's brow furrowed. 'This is it!'

The insect went shooting down for Fly Beetle in a steep dive. The wings folded, increasing the intensity of the acceleration. Moskeeto was a high-speed bullet with the nose pointed dead at the thorax. Before anyone could even see it coming, the attack made contact, creating a powerful clang through the atmosphere. However, the velocity backfired, making Moskeeto recoil back a few meters in a loud hiss. The loud shrill from that powerful sting reverberated outwards, but Fly Beetle was undeterred.

"Dang!" Killian cursed.

"Amazing! Fly Beetle was able to shut out all of those attacks!" the announcer exclaimed. "It's vividly insane! Cast-Iron Carapace completely blocked out all those attacks! That makes Fly Beetle untouchable!"

Killian's eyes narrowed. "Maybe, but the power level difference is still there. It won't last long like that."

Moskeeto's nose shimmered in the dimming sky once more. He chose to stay close as his position was fixed on the head.

Shuji smirked. "Perfect, he's lured in."

"He's what?" Killian parroted. When he looked at the battlefield, he saw how close Moskeeto was to Fly Beetle. The insect was readying another strike, making him realize the problem. "…oh no! Moskeeto, get out of there!" But his caution ran too late. Moskeeto went diving down onto Fly Beetle once again. That was his biggest mistake.

"Now, Fusion Ability, activate!" Shuji followed up. "Terra Surge!"

The metallic filament began to envelop in an orange aura. The aura began to intensify in gravity, making the scattered dust condense into streams around the beetle. Pebbles joined also, and some debris. Once Moskeeto went to close the gap, the needle made contact with the shield, making a forcefield of the dust, rock, and fragments of the scattered shell expand out. Shockwaves dilated everywhere, pushing Moskeeto back in a loud hiss of pain.

Moskeeto: 650 (-200) = 450 Fly Beetle: 550 (+200) = 750

The shockwaves dissipated outwards, but Moskeeto was still recoiling. The insect's lenses were blocked by dirt, leaving him to only catch a horn that swung from the side. He hissed as the yellow spikes punctured his side and threw him to the wall with a turn of Fly Beetle's head. Moskeeto went slamming into the stadium wall with a loud bang on his side. As he bounced off the wall, he glowed in midair and swirled back into ball form. He flew back to Killian's feet, much to his annoyance.

Killian: 40%

Fly Beetle morphed back to ball form, having caught by a grinning Shuji. "Oh yeah!" He then looked up with a proud expression. He seemed pleased seeing the white orb absorb all that battle energy that Fly Beetle managed to expel.

Killian's brows furrowed as he knelt to pick up Moskeeto. "I see. So he used defense to lure us in and get us at our most vulnerable. That wasn't a bad play…" He then stood back up. "But now I'm annoyed!"

"That makes two of us then." Shuji held Fly Beetle out. "We've got news for you, pal. We ain't going nowhere, until our job gets done!"

Killian began to bare annoyance. "Strong confidence there. Let's see you back that up!"

"Bring it!"

"Ability, activate!" Maximus held up his wrist to show an ability. "Darkus Impact!" His Goblinball opened the mouth a little wider, generating a dark purple hemisphere in front. It gradually expanded, soon to compress once more into a dense laser shot across the ground towards Atchibee. It had much more force than the previous attack as the whole room shuddered.

Goblinball: 400 (+300) = 700 Abis Omega: 550

Hyper Dragonoid: 700 Atchibee: 600

"Atchibee, watch out!" Esther warned.

Luke held up his wrist next to show his ability. "Abis, block it!"

The serpent complied as he started to head between Atchibee and the blast, still enveloped in the Sea Helix. "Wait up!" he exclaimed.

"Ability, activate! Fin Melee!"

As Abis Omega's power level went up to 750, his long body made it in front of Atchibee, his tail backslash around in a blue streak flowing with the water. The tailfin within the spinning water wall met the laser, but the impact was still tremendous. Abis' tail was holding the best it could in defending against the attack. He grunted loudly as the attack was pushing him back a few inches every couple of seconds, his aching heard loud and clear.

"Abis Omega!" Atchibee exclaimed.

Abis Omega grunted and yelped every so often as the watery shield around him finally burst, and with it, the blast finally let up. Barely holding on, his tail dropped, but the force was leaving him a little hazy. "That…was insane…" he huffed. Even as a result, his tail was scraped and bruised.

Luke took in a deep breath and sighed. "That was a close one."

Esther looked towards Luke, seeing the slight anxiety on his face. "Thanks for the save…but was that necessary?" she questioned.

Luke looked towards her like she had lost her mind. "Huh?"

"Abis blocked the attack for us, and I think he's injured. That wasn't very wise to do, Luke, but as long as it was okay with Abis I guess."

Luke turned his head towards the battle, giving a small huff of defiance. "It's fine, right?" He turned towards Abis Omega, who grunted at the attack that took a lot out of him. Even if it wasn't visible, Luke knew the limits were being set. It was reckless of him, but what else was he to do? If Atchibee was taken out, he'd be screwed having just Abis Omega. He needed support, or rather, he was being support. He had to play defense if possible to catch them off guard at some point, but he was still having trouble how.

Esther just sighed in grief over Luke's inexperience. She could let it slide for now, they were desperate anyway.

"Are you done playing married couple already?" Maximus huffed.

The joke made Esther and Luke turn towards them. "W-what?!" Luke exclaimed. "What are you saying?!"

"Enough scolding and bickering, geez. It's disgusting." Xander chided.

Esther kept a straight face. "That's absurd. The very foundation you set up for this joke is just crude."

"Suite yourself." Maximus glanced at his cohort. "Xander, stop that snake." He ordered tiredly.

"No problem." He responded. "Hyper Dragonoid!"

The Pyrus Bakugan let out a loud howl as he sprung into the air, the wings spread once he had reached a peak. Everyone looked up to see the skyward foe.

"Ability, activate! Blitz Sparta!" The Hyper Dragonoid gave a loud shriek as he balled his fists and ignited in a searing blaze around his body. He crossed his forearms and went diving at a steep angle targeted for Abis Omega.

Goblinball: 700 Abis Omega: 750 (-200) = 550

Hyper Dragonoid: 700 (+200) = 900 Atchibee: 600

"Abis Omega, look out!" Luke yelled. Before he could make another attempt at an ability, a hand reached out in front of him, cutting him off.

"Wait, Luke. Let me handle this one." Esther volunteered. She glared ahead, giving a dominant atmosphere. "Atchibee, up!"

The moth-like creature spread her wings and took to the air. She ascended over Abis Omega's head, now returning the favor in defending him.

"Ability, activate! Scan Blaze!" Atchibee gave a loud shriek as she looked up. Her opponent was coming down quite fast, but that was working for her as her eyes glowed red. The red waves emitted from the red lenses were expanding like heat waves. The energy waves reached Hyper Dragonoid, making him turn away and the fire around him dissipate.

Goblinball: 700 Abis Omega: 550 (+200) = 750

Hyper Dragonoid: 900 (-200) = 700 Atchibee: 600 (+200) = 800

With Hyper Dragonoid distracted for a brief moment, Atchibee closed the gap. When he looked back, he saw red eyes and a scythe. "Take this!" Atchibee raked with one of her scythes, cutting into the Pyrus Bakugan. He wearied away upon recoil, but recovered when Atchibee slashed again. He blocked by crossing the forearms, but the slash repelled him towards the ground. He descended onto the ground beside Goblinball, who did little but grunt.

'Now!' Luke told himself. "Gate Card, open! Silent Land!" The Gate Card thus opened and glowed. The two opponent Bakugan were unable to move as a powerful gravity weighed them in. They grunted heavily as they tried to get aloud, but all they did was groan like mindless beast would.

Maximus grunted. "Hngh!"

"They set a trap?" Xander gasped.

Luke pumped a fist. "Alright! Now they won't be able to activate abilities now! We can do it!"

"Don't get too excited yet. We still have to win." Esther reminded. She pulled out another ability. "Ability, activate! Night Wave!"

Atchibee looked down at both Bakugan and gave a vivid shriek. Her wings began to flap profusely, sending a blast whirlwind that enveloped them both. The tempest was strong, but only enough to make Hyper Dragonoid step back once. Meanwhile, Goblinball flapped in place, unyielding to movement. As both were unable to see, both power levels of the Bakugan returned to their base 500.

Maximus held his ground with a frown, as to where Xander was covering up the best he could. They watched as the whirlwind slowly stopped, allowing all of them to look ahead.

Luke reached out. "Abis, attack!"

Abis Omega did as told and slithered onwards. With Goblinball deterred a little, Abis Omega swiftly coiled his body around, constricting the Bakugan in place. The devilish creature did little frantic as Hyper Dragonoid looked up, only to be slashed in the face by a downward scythe. The Bakugan recoiled again, stepping back once more.

Abis Omega turned his body and the Goblinball over. He used up what momentum possible to do what he did to Fly Beetle a while back and hurl Goblinball into Hyper Dragonoid. The toss was dead into the side of the bipedal beast, making him falter away yet again. Goblinball and Hyper Dragonoid were momentarily dazed from the impact, enabling Atchibee and Abis Omega to head-on ran them. The double-up assault was Abis Omega diving at Goblinball, and Atchibee ramming into Hyper Dragonoid's abdomen. Both Bakugan went sliding back, the two finally retreating into ball form

Maximus: 50%

Xander: 40%

Xander looked down at his Hyper Dragonoid with growing shock. "No way…"

Abis Omega and Atchibee morphed back into ball forms and retreated back to Luke and Esther's sides. Luke had a bright smile on his face, while Esther had that same headstrong look as before.

Maximus knelt and slowly grabbed Goblinball. "Well played. You laid down a Gate Card that would stop us from intercepting." Even from that one round lost, he wasn't at all deterred. In fact, he looked pleased. "But now it's time we really seal the deal."

Xander recollected and stared ahead with a sense of seriousness growing on him as well. "You won't trip us up again. This I can personally guarantee." In spite of his quest to get back, Maximus only sneered at his ally's emotions.

Esther leaned into Luke, getting a whisper again. "Listen, Luke."

"Huh?"

"We've got to find an opening this round. This could be our one last shot in getting to that core and reversing its charge."

Luke blinked. "Okay, but what do you want me to do about it?"

Esther glanced at the opponents from the corner of her eye. "If we can distract them long enough, we can get around them, but the other will have to stay behind and be a distraction. You think that's a good enough plan?"

Luke got away from her, glaring at the opponents ahead with an irritated look. "Well it's not like we have a lot of options anyways I guess…" he turned towards her. "Alright, let's just get this done!"

"I'm all for that!" Abis huffed. "I'm getting sick of these guys pushing us around. Time we strike them back. What about you, Atchibee?"

The Bakugan turned in Esther's hand. "Undoubtedly. Since you played defense for us, I say you and Luke can go on offense. We can hold them off for a window to open, right Esther?"

Esther nodded. "Sure, but we'll need to be quick. These people…" her brow furrowed in seriousness. "They're not pushovers."

Luke looked ahead, following where she was getting at. "You're not wrong…"

Maximus reached out beside him, dangling a Gate Card in his hand. "Gate Card, set." He dropped the card from his fingers, where it fell to the ground and plopped to its back. It faded into a dark purple ripple across the ground, spreading to every corner.

"Bakugan, brawl!" everyone yelled out, throwing out their Bakugan to the battlefield.

They all came out and entered battle once more, with their respective cries and entries.

Goblinball: 500 Abis Omega: 350

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 Atchibee: 400

Abis Omega hunched over, his body slinking up a bit to try and intimidate. "You're gonna pay for what you did to us." He threatened.

"Oh really?" Maximus challenged. "Well then come on."

Luke spread his legs apart. "Right! Let's hit him hard!" An ability showed in his Bakumeter. "Ability, activate! Dry World!" Abis Omega raised his head and gave an intimidating glare down at Goblinball. Suddenly, a burst of mist erupted from him, spreading all over the battlefield. As the mist went on, the air began to grow dry. The mist soon receded. Revealing Abis Omega in a giant globe of water. Coiled inside it, he went shooting for Goblinball.

Goblinball: 500 (-200) = 300 Abis Omega: 350 (+200) = 550

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 Atchibee: 400

"GO!" Luke enforced. Abis served to keep going, his roar loud.

Even with the power difference, Maximus looked nonchalant. "Xander, why don't you have a little fun with that one." He asked. "He's being really annoying."

Xander smirked wildly. "I couldn't agree more." He reached out with his left wrist, showing an ability. "Hyper Dragonoid, let's make some steamed fish! Ability, activate! Interlock Dragon!"

Hyper Dragonoid spread his wings and appeared in front of Goblinball. Taking in another large breath, an array of fire swirled into his mouth. Once charged up, he lurched forward and released the swirling fireball at the incoming attack. Abis continued in bravery, but he charged straight into the fire. Upon impact, there was a massive burst of steam and humid air all throughout the area between the Bakugan. After a few moments of mist boiling in midair, Abis Omega fell straight below in a mess, grunting with a body steaming.

Goblinball: 300 (+200) = 500 Abis Omega: 550 (-200) = 350

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 (+200) = 700 Atchibee: 400

"And we're not even close to done! Ability, activate! Pyrus Volting!" Hyper Dragonoid shot up on command, his large wings expanding to take action and carry him overhead.

"Heh?" Still hazed from that last blow, Abis Omega looked up, a bleak figure opening its maw.

As Hyper Dragonoid's power level went up to 1000, he unleashed a pressurized blast of fire downwards. The beam seared with molten intensity, but from the heat already given off, that was a given. Abis Omega hissed loudly as he tried to dodge. He barely managed, evading laser-like flames unleashed by shifting to his right.

Xander swiped his arm in an arch. "Nice try!"

Hyper Dragonoid moved his head, turning the Pyrus Volting with his maw. As it swept in another direction, Abis Omega, heavily alarmed, slithered out of the way. He slipped and slid around the searing blast in a few infinity symbols, eventually getting a chance to gain distance and slipped along the ground. Hyper Dragonoid took action and flew over the chamber airspace, turning his head constantly to fire below. Blasts of the attack shot constantly, some being to block Abis' path, some being to intercept his turns. When Abis was cornered when a straight line of fire was shot in his path, he was cut off from an escape route. The water serpent looked back up, only to see an expanding beam of incinerating fire heading his way.

"Abis, get out of the way!" Luke cried out.

The Aquos Bakugan arched in a panic away, barely missing the Pyrus Volting aimed for him. He slipped and slid along the ground once again, away from the wall of dissipating fire. He serpentine along, while Hyper Dragonoid altered course and hovered high overhead, the maw opened once again.

"Luke, you gotta get away!" Esther told him. "Atchibee, help him!"

Atchibee flapped her wings to get rid of the fire that was blocking her path. With each flap, it was ridding more and more, but she was unable to do anymore than that.

Luke grunted as he knew time was running short. "Crap…we gotta get out of sight!" he snapped. "Double ability, activate! Osmosis plus Sea Helix!"

Abis Omega glanced up to see embers starting to expel from Hyper Dragonoid's mouth, and his own diamonds started to camouflage into the surroundings. Slowly, his own body vanished from sight, causing the maw of the Bakugan overhead to shut.

Hyper Dragonoid looked around, but saw his adversary nowhere. He descended slowly, but still continued soaring overhead to stay on the move. His dull eyes were looking everywhere, but as he flew in a straight line, he was unaware of a coiled camouflage straight below. Once the shadow was overhead, an aquatic helix spiraled straight up. It twisted and spun into Hyper Dragonoid's chest, the cool water and its pressure causing him to back into the air and flap once to remain airborne.

Goblinball: 500 (-200) = 300 Abis Omega: 350 (+100) = 450

Hyper Dragonoid: 1000 (-200 -100) = 700 Atchibee: 400

The spray of swirling water went about everywhere, even coming down as droplets in the waning embers in front of Atchibee. They began to steam and dissipate into thin air, enabling the moth to see what was happening.

"Good move. That erased the fire." Esther said. "Now it's our turn."

Maximus held up his Bakumeter next. "Hah, don't sell us out just yet, girl. Goblinball! Aim for the base of that water helix!" he ordered. "Ability, activate! Darkus Force!" Goblinball groaned as he faced the visible blue water helix. He aimed for its base, where it was where Abis Omega was. The mouth began to open wider, a dark sphere with crackling black static surging.

Goblinball: 300 (+300) = 600 Abis Omega: 450

Hyper Dragonoid: 700 Atchibee: 400

The blast went towards the helix's base, but as it traveled, Atchibee went flying in, hurrying with gusto. "Abis Omega, hang on!" she cried out.

"Double ability, activate! Vermilion Jet Black plus Fusion Ability, Chaos Turnover!"

As she hurried through the air, Atchibee flapped her wings, generating a gathered mist of darkness that spread around here. From her glowing red eyes, bright purple energy was fired, and from her mouth, a glossy, white and purple, violet form of energy. Both fired at the same time, starting to converge a few meters ahead of Atchibee into glossy, thickened lightning that bolted in front of Abis Omega. It intercepted the dark hemisphere in a bright purple flash, blinding everything and everyone around her. Maximus and Xander both covered up as the glossy attack provided for a searing block.

Goblinball: 600 (-300) = 300 Abis Omega: 450

Hyper Dragonoid: 700 Atchibee: 400 (+200) = 600

The shockwaves were close, but the black mist created from Atchibee's interception was prime cover. With the black mist still around, the moth floated in front of Abis Omega, who slowly faded into view. "Atchibee?" he inquired.

The mouth looked behind. "You okay? This should be good cover for you two. I'd take advantage of this if I were you."

Luke looked shock. "Y-you would?"

Esther turned towards him. "Hurry! Get to the controls!"

Luke gave a serious expression. "Right!" He turned on his heels, beginning his way around the battlegrounds set. He had to hurry, no matter what. He dashed around the Bakugan, that were still shrouded in the mist, the blackened blanket his only cover.

Xander shook his head to relieve him of his momentary blindness. "Using a blindside attack like that…those impudent-!" He stopped to hear the sound of feet against the ground on the far left. He had a bad feeling growing. "What's that…?"

As if undeterred from the darkness itself, Maximus was looking in the line of sight Luke's bleak silhouette was heading. He could see he was moving to fast for his own good. "I live in darkness. You just walked right into our web. Xander."

The Pyrus battler looked towards his master.

"Ten o'clock. That Aquos battler's making a break for it. Care to oblige?"

Xander appreciated the sight, as such, he reached out where Maximus referred to. "Hyper Dragonoid, stop that moron!"

The howling dragon in the air gave a shriek in response. He spread his wings, beginning to flap profusely like a bat. The gusts kicked up by the flapping made the haze all around dissipate, as well as leave Atchibee and Abis Omega to hold their ground from the shockwaves. Luke stopped in place and used his forearms to cover up from the waves unleashed. He held his ground, but the coast was too clear for him to pass by. The winds receded to enable him to be seen by all.

"Found you." Maximus smirked.

Luke grunted in distress. "Drats…" he took a step back, trying to find a backway out of his predicament. "Ability, activate! Fin Melee!"

Abis Omega's power level shot up to 650, while he took a massive leap from the springs he made from his coils. He shot towards the air, hissing loudly as he met Hyper Dragonoid at eye level. "Hey ugly, you're dealing with us!" He slashed his tailfin, leaving a blue streak to follow. However, it was caught by one hand before contact, leaving him in his hold. Hyper Dragonoid then swiped his arm, sending Abis Omega flying.

"Abis Omega!" Luke shouted.

"Ability, activate! Blitz Sparta!" Xander ordered with gusto. Hyper Dragonoid cloaked himself in searing flames once more and went lunging in a comet towards Abis Omega in midair. As he closed the gap, Abis Omega's power level dropped to 450 while Hyper Dragonoid's shot up to 900.

Panicking, Luke tried to find the right ability. "Abis! Uh…ability, activate! Coil Guard!"

Goblinball: 300 Abis Omega: 450 (+200 +100) = 750

Hyper Dragonoid: 900 (-200) = 700 Atchibee: 600

As he flew back, Abis Omega tried to coil over, tightening like a human cannonball. Hyper Dragonoid's flaming comet collided with him, sending him flying downwards. He went sailing at an alarming rate at Luke, getting the amateur's panic to kick into overdrive. In a rush, he turned and ran off back in the direction he came from, only making it so far until Abis Omega collided in the ground. His coils untightened immediately upon impact, his head craning outwards and falling towards Luke. Luke made one more lunge ahead and fell onto his shoulder, tumbling away in agony as Abis Omega's head thudded, the serpent laying down in the same aching state he was in.

"Luke!" Esther cried out.

"Are they okay?" Atchibee worried. She hovered over them, looking over the groaning serpent and his partner. From what she could tell, they were okay, but it looked like they were suffering tragically.

"You surprised?" Maximus inquired. "It doesn't matter what kind of power level you've got. Your power doesn't even begin to compare to the likes of what we did to our Bakugan."

Esther looked back at Maximus with her teeth gritting beneath her lips.

"You wanna play the tough guy all day? Fine, but at the risk of witnessing the power these forbidden cards can do." He said as he held up his left wrist. "This is the power of a true Bakugan. Double ability, activate! Darkus Force, plus Irate Eye!"

The feral eye of Goblinball glowed a dark purple, while a hemisphere of darkness that crackled began to form in front of him. The hemisphere gradually compressed until the size of a bowling ball, where the dense purple ray enveloped it. Acting as a catalyst, the dark purple sphere suddenly erupted forwards, expanding to almost twice the size and beaming at Atchibee and Abis Omega alike.

Goblinball: 300 (+300) = 600 Abis Omega: 750 (-200) = 550

Hyper Dragonoid: 700 Atchibee: 600 (-200) = 400

The intensified beam roared as it traveled over the ground after Atchibee, but the moth did not waver from her spot. She turned around and faced it with what gusto possible. She knew that the best way to deal with this was to nullify it.

"Ability, activate! Scare Flash!" Esther countered. Atchibee's wings expanded a little to show the eyeballs of the wings glowing. Several light rays expelled from them, beaming incredulously to a blinding degree. Like her Scan Blaze, the incoming blast of darkness dissipated into thin air, but more so, the bright and searing rays enveloped Hyper Dragonoid and Goblinball, making them cover up.

Goblinball: 600 (-300 -200) = 100 Abis Omega: 550 (+200) = 750

Hyper Dragonoid: 700 (-200) = 500 Atchibee: 400 (+200 +200) = 800

As Atchibee's blinding light dissipated, Esther looked back to see Luke's condition. For both man and Bakugan, they were stirring. Luke groaned louder, slowly sitting back up while clutching his shoulder from the blow. "Luke, are you okay?" she asked.

Luke looked up with a wincing eye. "Gnnngh, man that hurt…"

Esther looked back ahead, her brows furrowed as Atchibee's light fully dissipated. She and Luke watched as Atchibee screeched out, while Abis Omega was hazily stirring back up. 'This is getting worse by the minute. The longer we fight, the greater our danger is. Shuji, you need to keep your part up. You just have to.'

"Gate Card, set!" Shuji swiped his arm, sending out his Gate Card to the middle of the battle area. Once it faded, both he and Killian held out their Bakugan.

"Bakugan, brawl!" Both threw their Bakugan out once more. Moskeeto arose first, while Fly Beetle followed. Both Bakugan immediately took flight for the next round.

Killian went first. "Take him down! Ability, activate! Aero Slim!" Moskeeto aimed his massive claws at Fly Beetle and unleashed a barrage of green energy diamonds like missiles.

"Ability, activate! Exo-Shield!" Shuji countered. A brown-orange shield appeared around Fly Beetle. He held his position in the air as the green diamonds shattered upon impact with the shield. The shield then dissipated, revealing Fly Beetle without much harm. "Now we're cooking with gas!" Shuji smirked.

"We're not down yet!" Fly Beetle assured.

Killian's eyes squinted beneath his glasses. "Now this is getting annoying. Moskeeto!" Upon his call to arms, Moskeeto raised his needle-like nose and flapped higher. He ascertained a few more meters of elevation until he was well above Fly Beetle.

The Ventus battler pulled out another ability. "Screw him! Ability, activate! Frequency Shaker!"

For the umpteenth time, Moskeeto began to emit ultrasonic green shockwaves from his body. The energy poured out, and the screeching again reached Fly Beetle. The Subterra Bakugan hollered out in pain as his insides trembled within the energy waves. He wasn't sure if he could think straight with how he was shaking his head left to right constantly as his power level dropped to 50.

"Hang on, Fly Beetle!" Shuji encouraged.

Killian swiped his arm. "Don't let it, Moskeeto! Keep the pressure on!"

The superior insect gave a loud hiss in compliance. The green soundwaves did far more than just increase in thickness, for it began to intensify in range as well. The vibrations Fly Beetle felt were growing to unbearable levels. He shook about violently in midair, trying to get room to battle. Unfortunately, however, he couldn't seem to focus nor get a good shot in.

Shuji's own patience was thinning. He had to quicken before he could lose. "Ability, activate! Horn Buster, plus Sonic Wing!"

Fly Beetle continued struggling within the shrieking soundwaves, but he made do with going random. From his horn, a brownish energy blast went in a streaky fashion in an arch to the side. Moskeeto didn't bother moving as it went right beneath. But then Fly Beetle unleashed another blast of energy at a higher steep angle, this time wearing. The attack managed to stop Moskeeto, forcing him to dodge the brown energy. With the soundwaves momentarily cut off, Fly Beetle looked up with the senses now fully intact. He glared up, hissing loudly in retort.

Moskeeto: 450 Fly Beetle: 50 (+200) = 250

"Don't let them get away! Go!" Shuji enforced.

Fly Beetle flapped his wings, shooting right up towards his opponent. The Moskeeto glared down at Fly Beetle as he closed in, and he also shot straight down. Both Bakugan shot right into each other, needle and horn colliding in the center. The shock from the attacks eventually evened out, but the one to bounce back was Fly Beetle. He shot towards the ground, while Moskeeto remained in position.

"Fly Beetle, straighten out!" Shuji encouraged. "Keep going!"

"You know, you shout too much." Killian reached out towards the falling Fly Beetle. "Moskeeto!" Upon command once again, Moskeeto folded his body and aimed downwards. With a hiss, he poised for the visible underside of the falling beetle. His lenses shimmered in the sunlight for a brief moment before he dove in a green blur. The rate on which he dove alarmed a number of people. As Fly Beetle struggled to find his landing, his underside was open to he pierced for a certain Ventus Bakugan's nose.

Shuji's eyes narrowed. "Oh no you don't." He raised a balled fist. "Gate Card, open up now! Enemy Down!"

As both Bakugan descended to the ground, the Gate Card opened beneath. The white glow brightened the ground, and a white aura enveloped Moskeeto as he closed in. His body began to deter, with his power level dropping from 450 to 150.

"He brought my power level down?" Killian gasped.

Moskeeto faltered for a moment, only to lose the timing and get his nose literally hammered by Fly Beetle's horn when he flipped over vertically. The shock went through the nose towards Moskeeto's head. The Bakugan did a nosedive onto the Gate Card, tilted just enough to slam and not break it. Fly Beetle, however, landed on the ground a ways away, his bulky body panting up and down. He was getting more than a little exhausted, and there wasn't much otherwise.

Shuji's fist balled tighter as he smirked. "That's more like it."

Fly Beetle staggered to the right, his claws digging into the battlefield. He steadied himself and glared forward to ready another attack.

As Moskeeto attempted to get up once more, the Bakugan was on his four legs, glaring dull daggers at Fly Beetle. The two were at a standoff, their individual lenses having their own wager.

Killian glared daggers, his own patience as thin as paper. "Okay then…you wanna play that way, then so be it."

High above, the white orb was glowing brightly.

Atchibee slashed her blades in diagonal fashion to wear away Goblinball and Hyper Dragonoid. Both Bakugan backed off, but they gave off menacing growls and opened wide, emitting a foul breath from either maw. As they all fought and fended, the green network around them was transmitting battle energy so intensely that it was illuminating some.

"Hey, Max." Xander asked.

"Yes, Xander?"

"Can we eliminate them now? They've wasted enough of our time."

Maximus smirked in delight. "Well that would be cutting our fun short, wouldn't it? But I guess you have a point." He slowly reached down towards the ground. "Gate Card, open. Power Pressure…"

Abis Omega had finally shook himself awake, glaring ahead. "Gngh…" He wanted to emit a retort, but before he could say such a thing, the field beneath him started to glow. Looking down, both Abis Omega and Atchibee could feel their nerves tighten, and the lower-half of the sea serpent began to slowly sink into the ground.

"What the-?!" the Aquos Bakugan nudged his head around, but found it fruitless.

Atchibee began to tense up and felt the wings give out. Her lower-half began to slowly plunge into the ground like it was quicksand, preventing her mobility. "They…got me!" she gasped.

"Atchibee!" Esther shouted.

Luke groaned as he started getting up again. "These guys…!" His eyes widened upon seeing his Bakugan stuck in the ground. "What the-Abis Omega?!"

Both Bakugan struggled, but it only made their predicament worse. They couldn't even move right without another inch of their lower bodies sinking further.

"Command Card, Power Pressure, prevents opponent whose power level exceeds 400 Gs from activating abilities." Maximus explained. "And I can safely say that includes stopping you in your tracks."

"You wouldn't!" Esther growled.

"Oh, I would." He glanced at Xander. "Now, if you would."

Xander held up his wrist, his red Bakumeter showing two abilities on top of one another. "With pleasure…" The two abilities shown began to glow. "Maybe this will knock some sense into those thick heads. Double ability, activate! Dual Dragon, plus Item Core!"

Hyper Dragonoid stood completely still as he growled. He let out a swift shout to the air above before quelling. Suddenly, his body began to grow translucent, and began to slowly divide. In that instance, two exact copies stood side-by-side, fist clutched.

Luke's eyes were as wide as gold balls. "You're kidding!"

"They…cloned?" Esther gasped.

"And that's not all." Xander smirked.

Appearing as a large ember above both Bakugan was a red, rigid shield. The shield had silver curved spikes on its sides, giving it impermeable defense. Sliding from its top was a sheathed weapon that bulged out two small red axe blades from a red center with a yellow diamond. Both weapons dropped to either Hyper Dragonoid. The shield dropped to a left hand, while the axe dropped to the clone's right.

"No way! Now they're armed?!" Luke panicked.

Esther's brow furrowed. "This is bad…"

Goblinball: 100 Abis Omega: 750

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 (+100) = 600/Hyper Dragonoid: 500 (+100) = 600 = 1200 Atchibee: 800

"Their power levels combined make that much?!" Luke shouted. He looked angrily ahead with a fist raised. "Hey, how is that even fair?"

Maximus smirked. "Sorry pal, that's just the game. There are winners, and there are losers. If you don't have what it takes to be the most powerful on the battlefield, then consider yourself a stepping stone for the winner. Now watch, go!"

Xander reached out towards the battlefield with a devilish look on his face. "You heard him, get to it!"

Both Hyper Dragonoid raised their weapons and went towards the incapacitated Abis Omega and Atchibee. Both Bakugan looked ahead in deep shock as the opponents drew ever further, gliding off the ground at an alarming speed. At sonic speeds they traveled, everything – even sound – was dead.

"GET AWAY!" Luke cried loudly.

A pair of lips moved in a frown. "Ability activate…"

The muffled sound got Esther's attention. "Huh?"

"Storm Chase!" the voice finished.

Suddenly, the black wall behind them began to vibrate profusely. Luke and Esther looked back to see what was happening now. The door suddenly flung open, releasing a massively strong wind that brushed against their faces. They covered up and stepped towards the Gate Card.

The wall suddenly got a dent, and then another, until the third dent finally bashed it in. Pieces and chunks went flying, but were instantly picked up by a swirling green cyclone followed by a large green blur diving ahead. It was heading over Luke and Esther, but the latter was too into questioning to pick up the dilemma.

"Get down!" Luke suddenly grabbed her by the arm and dragged Esther to the ground. Both hunched over as the shockwave passed over their heads.

The green blur bypassed the trapped Bakugan narrowly, both grunting hard at the winds that followed. The green blur even spun and bypassed the two Hyper Dragonoid, making them stop in place. Soon, the shockwaves finally caught up to the Bakugan altogether, and they braced themselves at the thick breakthrough shattered the Gate Card beneath them. The shockwaves even forced a bewildered Maximus and Xander to cover up as they also slid back some feet. The two Hyper Dragonoid on either side were covering up from the shockwaves, but the clone couldn't take it and vanished, along with both the shield and ace.

As the winds subsided, slowly ceasing the spin, the green winged avian revealed himself, flying overhead with a vivid caw back over towards Luke's side of the battlefield.

"Is that…?" Luke trailed off.

"It can't be…" Esther blinked.

"I apologize for coming in on such circumstances." Both turned around, seeing that it was Jase walking towards them with a smirk. "But bypassing the passcode was rather…cumbersome."

"Jase!" Luke exclaimed.

"And he isn't the only one."

Luke looked up behind Jase. On either side, having entered the now open chamber was Shawn on Verias' shoulder, and Maggie, riding Jelldon's top like a vehicle. He was at a loss for words completely.

Verias knelt and reached his arm down onto the ground. Once the hand pressed, Shawn ran from the shoulder down the furry slant with both arms out for balance. He soon jumped off, landing in front of Luke and Esther.

"Alley-op!" With a small bounce, Maggie bounce off Jelldon's top and screaming playfully until she hit the ground on her bent heels. She straightened out and smiled. "Wow, that was fun!"

Shawn put a hand to his hip. "Sorry we're late. The others took some…complications." He reasoned.

Luke, however, gave him a deadpanned expression. "Seriously, must you always make an entrance like that?"

"That depends, can you stop hooking up when we're not watching?" he retorted.

"Huh?" Wondering what he meant by the implication, he looked towards Esther, who shared the same questioning look. When they looked down, they noticed how their hands were still overlapping. In a panic, Luke and Esther retracted them, though Luke's was more forced. "Gah! What the-?!"

Esther held her gloved hand with a modest frown. "S-sorry…"

Shawn chuckled at Luke's sheepishness. "Well talk about a coincidence. Should've known things get out of hand when I'm not around."

Luke looked back up, completely embarrassed. "W-wait a minute-"

"Ohhh? Wait, it was just the two of you?" Maggie mused. "The two of you, all by yourselves? What were you doing while we were doing our jobs, really?"

Luke waved his hands in front dismissively. "Maggie!"

Esther stood back up stoically. "It wasn't what you think." She sighed coldly. "He just pulled me down when you arrived, that was coincidence."

Jase adjusted his glasses and folded his arms behind his back. "Are you sure it wasn't that much?" he teased.

"Jase~! Not you too!" Luke whined. "C'mon guys, seriously?!"

Jase cleared his throat. "Couldn't be helped. Now then…" he trailed off as he looked ahead of them seeing Maximus and Xander on the other side of the chamber walls. "I think that we may have arrived a little too late."

"Well better late than never, I suppose." Shawn said. Even he was picking up a serious tone and frown. "So these are the other guys that have been giving us trouble…"

"They sure look the part!" Maggie chirped with a pumped fist. "Don't worry, guys! We've got your back this time!"

Esther nodded. "Thank you, everyone."

Around the exhausted Abis Omega and Atchibee, Atmos slowly descended and hovered above. Coming up from each side was Verias and Jelldon, both ready for battle.

"Are you two alright?" the Atmos asked.

Abis Omega looked up. "Been better."

"Thank you all for making it." Atchibee said.

"Don't mention it." Verias twirled his staff in front, showing off and clutching it when it ceased. "Now then, what do you we all take care of this?"

Abis Omega looked ahead. "You said it."

Jelldon tensed up, raising his four tentacles. "Right! We got this!" he yelled readily.

Atmos looked down. "Are you saying that because we're fighting as a group now?" He didn't mean it in a mean tone, but more of pure inquiry. Even he picked up on Jelldon's quirks quickly.

Jelldon's bravery went south for fluster to take its place. "Duh…well…I mean…"

"Anyways, that doesn't matter." Atchibee drove them back to the main objective. "We have to finish this battle and stop this core!"

"Yeah!" everyone exclaimed.

Abis Omega: 750/Atchibee: 800/Verias: 350/Atmos: 400/Jelldon: 350 = 2650

Goblinball: 100

Hyper Dragonoid: 500

Looking at the team up of the opponents, Maximus only served to raise a brow. "Well, well, the plot serves to twist." He smirked with a snicker. "Looks like we have ourselves some more Bakugan to play with, huh, Goblinball?"

The Darkus Bakugan grunted low in response.

Xander smirked. "Their numbers won't matter, and we'll prove it! Ready, Hyper Dragonoid!" He reached out ahead, his Pyrus Bakugan howling out.

Maggie stepped up, ready to take action. "Alright, Jelldon! It's payback time!"

Jelldon readied himself by squirming in place. "Ready!"

"Ability, activate! Sting Ray!"

"Come get some!" the jellyfish shot his stinger forward, sending a weak, red, streaky blast of electricity at the opponents, his power shooting up to 550.

"Hmph! Ability, activate! Darkus Impact!" Goblinball opened his mouth slightly larger than before, gathering more dark energy that compressed into a hemisphere. Once it shrunk to its lowest settings, it was unleashed in a straight beam that ran right through the red electricity.

"HYAH!" Jelldon panicked.

"Ability, activate!" Shawn countered. "Heaven Solace!"

Verias leaped in front and slammed his staff bottom on the ground. "Not so fast!" A radiant, angelic light glimmered in front of him, becoming a thick shield that blocked the attack that was absorbed into the light. The act made Maximus scoff in annoyance.

"Ability, activate! Pyrus Volting!" Hyper Dragonoid opened his maw and gathered embers. Once he got a target for Atmos, he fired a shrilling, pressurized fire at the avian.

Jase gave a serious expression as he moved his wrist in front. "Ability, activate…Winding Winds!" He swept his arm forward, prompting Atmos to caw loudly as he flapped his wings. The green whirlwind blew profusely, dissipating the Pyrus Volting to nothing.

Abis Omega: 750/Atchibee: 800/Verias: 350/Atmos: 400 (+200) = 600/Jelldon: 550 = 3050

Goblinball: 100

Hyper Dragonoid: 500

"Crap!" Xander grunted.

"Yes! Now we're talking!" Luke shouted.

Shawn turned towards him. "They're on the ropes. I say we finish this."

Luke pumped a fist. "Yeah!"

Both looked ahead, lifting their Bakumeters at the same time. "Ability, activate!"

Abis Omega let out a massive roar to the air. "Fin Melee!" He sprung into the air.

Verias let out his own massive cry next. "Verias Siba!" The simian jumped as well.

Both Bakugan were seen high in the air over their opponents. Abis Omega was over Goblinball, while Verias was twirling his staff over his head down towards Hyper Dragonoid. Blue streaks followed Abis' tail as he vertically flipped, and yellow energy surrounded the twirling staff of Verias. Both Bakugan unleashed powerful cries as they came down on both opponents, hitting them hard across the chest and the top of their heads. The impact made both Bakugan recoil back several feet, even making Hyper Dragonoid fall onto his back with a thud, and Goblinball soon following.

Abis Omega: 750 (+200) = 950/Atchibee: 800/Verias: 350 (+200) = 550/Atmos: 600/Jelldon: 550 = 3350

Goblinball: 100

Hyper Dragonoid: 500

Both malevolent figures covered up as their Bakugan fell over, much to the pleased looks on their adversaries. "No way!" Xander snapped.

"Yeah! Way to kick butt!" Maggie cheered.

Esther nodded. "This has gotten much easier."

"Probably because we're now fighting in a group." Jase explained. "As it is in warfare, there is strength in numbers."

"I'll say, this is surprisingly easy." Shawn grinned.

Luke gave him a blank stare from the corner of his eyes. "Only because we softened him up for you." He huffed.

All five Bakugan stared down at their fallen adversaries. They watched as they slowly got back up for more, their bodies showing no visible signs of pain, but the aura each giving off was beginning to emit a grand pressure. They could feel the air thinning between them all, making all the ally Bakugan feel unnerved, especially Jelldon. Some of the air was coming from Maximus and Xander as well. All their patience was as thin as paper.

"Well, I think I can say I'm really mad now…" Xander growled angrily.

A dark, wily smirk was on Maximus' face. "You aren't alone. I think we may have overstayed our chances some, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah. These guys are getting annoying."

Maximus' sharp teeth could've been seen from the corners of his lips. "…very well then." He slowly began to raise his wrist.

"Hm?" Luke blinked.

"What is it?" Shawn asked.

Esther looked ahead, a small gasp emitting. "Look ahead of you."

"Huh?" Everyone who wasn't aware looked dead ahead. They saw Maximus and Xander slowly raise their arms to show off their Bakumeters, but from them, they could've felt something off that was bound to erupt.

Maggie's eyes squinted. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, it would appear so." Jase frowned. "Looks like we've pushed them over the edge."

"Better brace ourselves." Shawn said.

"Atchibee, stay on your guard!" Esther warned.

Luke looked at Abis Omega. "Uh, right! You too!"

All the Bakugan stayed close to one another as they braced for the energy. They could feel and actually see a malevolent flare of darkness build up from Hyper Dragonoid and Goblinball alike. Both Bakugan grunted low with their esteems shattered. Even though they temporarily lost their wills, they could still feel something itch inside that was telling them to break their attackers.

"Can you feel that?" Maximus inquired.

"Yup. Sounds like they're ready to let loose." Xander said.

"Just for the sake of anticipation, I think I'll start off this time. You can follow suite just fine. Nothing to say there, right?" Maximus waited for a response without looking, getting a confirmed nod from Xander. "Then let's begin this test run! Goblinball!"

Goblinball let out another shrilled cry as a dark aura thickened around his body.

"Ability, activate! Phantom-X!"

The forbidden ability revealed itself to everyone on the Bakumeter. As it glowed and vanished, the bizarre core appeared on Goblinball's forehead. The core shined a bright light before it began to reach its chords all over the body. It wrapped around the arms, claws, even the wings. The Bakugan groaned weakly as everyone looked at him like he was growing a second head. The Bakugan's chords and the core soon dissipated into the body, but then they felt it.

BA-DUMP!

The heartbeat was felt not just in Goblinball, but the pulse went through everyone. Luke started tensing up as the energy of evil flowed through the air. He gasped in place as a black vacuum suddenly picked up around them. Everyone was feeling their nerves crawl as the air around them began to blacken and thick to a grim hue. The silhouette of Goblinball was evident in a flaming purple aura, the only other thing visible about him being his dull eyeball, which looked more feral than ever.

Jase stepped back in caution. "This power…"

"GRRAAHHH!" Unleashing a devilish screech throughout the room, the black and purple sonic waves echoed and reverberated forward. All the Bakugan ahead of them were looking at black waves with wide eyes, unable to move. They were all petrified as the black ripples passed them, making all of their spines tingle; Jelldon squirmed in this case in petrified despair.

Luke's heartbeat suddenly escalated as the black waves passed him. "This…" He began to flash back to when he fought Ariella and Hendrix. "No…" He saw their Bakugan releasing all that energy, making his nerves go out of control. "No…!"

Maggie fell on her bottom. She sat up with a shocked look. "W-what is this?"

Shawn stepped back, his nerves crawling to no end. "This is bad. I can feel my legs getting numb."

Jase and Esther looked ahead in seriousness, both severely deterred, but showed no fear, unlike the crippling Luke in the face of fear.

Abis Omega: 750 (-500) = 250/Atchibee: 800 (-500) = 300/Verias: 550 (-500) = 50/Atmos: 600 (-500) = 100/Jelldon: 550 (-500) = 50 = 750

Goblinball: 100

Hyper Dragonoid: 500

The black waves went wild everywhere, yet Hyper Dragonoid didn't seem bothered at all. In fact, it made him look even more riled up. He roared up to the ceiling as the wavy black energy made the air almost insufferable to take in.

Maximus watched as his Bakugan expelled blackening energy forward. Even as some of the energy went back towards him, he wasn't moved by it. "Not bad." He said. "But it can be better. Now it's your turn!"

Xander smirked as his forbidden ability showed itself. "Ability, activate! Fire Blazing-X!"

The core also appeared on Hyper Dragonoid. The Bakugan stayed still as his body tightened from the chords that began to sprout from around his body. The energy continued to erode all about, but once it touched Hyper Dragonoid, it began to intensify in heat. Once the core faded, the Bakugan gave off his own strong pulse.

BA-DUMP!

Once again, the pulse ran through everyone. For the second time now, Luke could feel his heart stop. He fell on his bottom and shakily remained there.

Shawn's fists balled tighter than before. "This is bad."

Maggie was looking ahead with her own heels unable to move. No shaking like Luke, but she was unable to move or get up regardless. She was no different from her partner, who was on the battlefield as stiff as ice with a flabbergasted look on his face.

The cold, dark air was suddenly enveloped in a searing, soaring heat that resonated from Hyper Dragonoid. An intense, roaring inferno appeared around his body, the inner blaze from within him brought out and exceeding all the temperatures around. The Bakugan roared out in hostility, his pain and his anger looking like it was worth it.

"What's happening?!" Abis Omega panicked.

Atmos flapped in place with a stoned expression. "I'm not sure…but everyone look out!"

"GRAAAAHHHH!" Like Goblinball, heated soundwaves resonated and expanded out from the maw. It was an intense heat waves that was as radiant as the sun. Everyone who was there could've mistaken it to be the actual sun for how molten the chamber was feeling.

Abis Omega: 250 (-150) = 100/Atchibee: 300 (-150) = 150/Verias: 50/Atmos: 100 (-50) = 50/Jelldon: 50 = 400

Goblinball: 100

Hyper Dragonoid: 500 (+500) = 1000

Jase looked down at his Bakumeter, his eyes widening some. "His power level has doubled!"

"And everyone's has been reduced to minimum capacity." Esther deduced. "Just what did they do?"

Luke was looking ahead with he was seeing two ghosts side by side. The bright one had a dark draconic silhouette inside, while the black and purple side had a purple silhouette of Goblinball, but the eyeball was dilating like a madman. His green eyes were dilating at the two faces begin, which hovered overhead like two maniacal puppeteers observing their works with malicious satisfaction.

"What…what kind of a game is this…? What have I got myself into?"

On the ground above, Moskeeto and Fly Beetle were going back and forth, each trying to push the other by using their horns or noses. It was back and forth, but slowly, Moskeeto was twiddling one leg behind the other, losing ground to the mighty horn of Fly Beetle.

"Yeah! That's it! Take it to that creepezoid!" Shuji encouraged.

Killian was watching as his Bakugan was losing ground against a wannabe insect. It was baffling, if not crazy. His Bakugan's capabilities were maxed out already, but Shuji's Fly Beetle was matching that, despite his weakness. 'I didn't think it'd be like this at all.' He admitted to his thoughts. 'I heard that organic Bakugan can evolve through battle, but I didn't think it'd be this fast! His Fly Beetle is actually picking up on my Moskeeto and fighting back harder because of his battle partner. It's actually making him stronger. Is that how he's keeping up? Are New Vestroia Bakugan able to evolve through harder battles fought?'

Fly Beetle gave a loud grunt as he dug in his heels and lifted his horn. He sent Moskeeto into the air, where the Bakugan twisted about until he caught himself before landing.

"Yeah, just like that!" Shuji encouraged. "Now…" He trailed off when the air suddenly began to grow a little cold. "Huh?"

Fly Beetle ceased his advances and looked around. "What? Hey…does anybody else feel that?"

"Yeah…I do, actually…" Shuji looked puzzled at this odd and cold pressure he was feeling. When he looked down, he noticed how his palms were starting to shake. He was trembling. "What the-? I-I can't stop shaking!"

Killian's body jerked to the side, but he caught himself. He hunched over with wide eyes at the ground. He looked as though he knew what the energy was all about. "…this pressure. No doubt about it…" he muttered quietly. He slowly looked back up to Moskeeto, seeing his Bakugan unshaken by the energy. He slowly positioned himself upright, trying to stay stable. "Well I guess Maximus and Xander are finally getting serious down there with your friends." He told from afar.

Shuji looked ahead with wide eyes. "Wait…what?!"

"Looks like there's only one thing to do now. Since the others are unleashing their battle guns, might as well step it myself, or the others are gonna have my head." He raised his left wrist, revealing his Bakumeter. An ability card revealed itself, but the card wasn't like the other ones.

Stopping his turning for a moment, Fly Beetle looked at the card. "Is that…?"

"He wouldn't!" Shuji exclaimed.

"Oh really? Then just watch me." Killian lifted his arm high, raising his chin as the ability shined. "Ability, activate! Infestation-X!"

The core appeared on Moskeeto's armored underside, right where a chest would be. Upon there, chords began to slowly circulate around his body, moving along the claws, to the legs, and even to the wings. The nose had also obtained some interesting chords, and they only made Fly Beetle ad Shuji all the more unnerved.

The audience was dead silence over the effects of the chaos ability.

"W-WOAH!" the announcer enthusiastically exclaimed. "What the heck is this?! It looks like Killian just pulled out a secret weapon!"

The Moskeeto's chords slowly faded away, leaving the pulse to emit around the body. The head raised as a dark green aur suddenly enveloped him. He hissed loudly as the massive energy surge poured deeply into his body, the veins scrunching beside each other beneath the armor. They crackled and vibrated, and the energy expelled only intensified.

Fly Beetle took a step back. "Shuji!" He looked back, seeing Shuji equally as freaked out at the energy flow as he was. The Subterra Bakugan looked back with an unsound expression growing.

Moskeeto's dark green aura suddenly exploded into a green, flamboyant shockwave all around. The energy hurried towards Fly Beetle, quickly enveloping him in the green aura. Shuji covered up as the green energy flowed over him like water, making his skin crawl. He grunted heavily as he tried to hold his position, even if it was making him falter an inch back. He looked through his arms with one eye open, seeing the energy continue to expel.

Killian had no words to say as he watched with an expectant look ahead of him.

High above, the energy was making the white orb flash profusely. The surge of power was flowing into it like it had no other business.

The energy soon diminished, and Fly Beetle's body was seen covered in a green, reflective energy all around him. He was grunting heavily as his entire carapace and thorax were itching bad, and the energy was like it was some sort of parasite, feasting on him. It was aching, but ironically, it wasn't dissolving him.

"Fly Beetle, what's wrong?!" Shuji cried out.

"Moskeeto's ability." Killian answered. He watched as his Moskeeto was still within a small veil of the dark green energy still. The Bakugan was grunting and groaning from a mix of exhaustion of energy and the battle damage, yet he was still trying to hang on. 'So this is the power of those cards in person…'

Moskeeto: 150 Fly Beetle: 250 (-150) = 100

Shuji looked down as he saw the power level being erratic. "My power dropped to 100 Gs?" He looked back up in wonder, seeing his Bakugan continue to ache within the green energy was hummed like a bee swarm would. "Hey, get up!"

"Gngh!" Shaking himself, Fly Beetle stepped off to the side again, grunting as the feeling was making it hard to concentrate. "What…did they do to me?!"

Though he seemed fatigued, the Moskeeto went back into the air, looking down at his aching opponent. His battle partner folded his arms and craned his head to the side. "You done?"

Shuji gritted his teeth in frustration. "You…!"

"Rogue Zero ain't no pushovers, you know." His eyes narrowed. "The moment you chose to enter here, you chose to challenge us. So enlighten me bud, were you satisfied?"

Moskeeto hissed loudly s he went down, stabbing his long, rigid nose into Fly Beetle's back. The insectoid in distress yelled out in pain.

"Fly Beetle!" Shuji panicked. He balled his fists tighter than before. He was clutching them so tight that they were starting shake, but out of a mix of fear, and slightly of pondering. "This isn't good. If I don't think of something soon…everyone's gonna think I'm a failure…" he shut his eyes tightly. "No, I can't think that! Gotta find a way out of this, but how…?"

Fly Beetle grunted in distress, but he continued to hang in there. His pain could be seen as clear as day, his neck turning, the horn tilting left and right. He still struggled, no matter what. He wasn't giving up either, not yet at least. They both had to persevere, if not for a little bit longer.

The shockwaves of both fire and darkness pulsated throughout the chamber with no need to stop. If it wasn't for Verias anchoring his staff down to the ground, or Atchibee slamming her scythes into the ground as well, they would've been blown away. The humans were without much anchorage, but they were a safe distance as to not be blown away, but the goosebumps crawling up their skins left their beating hearts with bitter chances. Their opponents were releasing so much power at such an alarming rate, and it looked like they were stable for the most part.

"How is this even possible?" Esther asked low. Her own light brown hair was shifting in the shockwaves thrown at her.

Maximus saw all the fear on their faces, or in the case, all but Jase, but that didn't mean much for a brave at heart. "Well, humans, I say it's been fun while it lasted, but now I think it's time we wrap this one up." He reached out ahead of himself. "Go, Goblinball! Let these intruders know the power of Rogue Zero is not to be tempted!"

The black Bakugan emitted another, more insidious shriek throughout the airspace. The shriek made the walls tremble, the entire underground corridor echoing with the sounds of what could've been mistaken for a banshee.

Shawn stood in place, trying to keep his composure through his frown. "Guys, we gotta fall back, now!"

"You really think we can outrun them?" Maggie worriedly questioned.

Jase adjusted his glasses again. "No, it's impossible."

Luke looked up towards him with a gasp.

"This power we're facing is overwhelming. In our current conditions, there's no way we can take this head on. We have to get around it. Remember, our prime objective is the core, not to win this battle."

"But if that's the case, do you have any ideas?" Shawn questioned.

Jase frowned. "If we can divert their attention for just a split second, there's a good chance we can get cover and get one of us over to the other side and malfunction the system's controls."

"You mean like beat it up?" Maggie interpreted.

"Yes, 'beat it up'."

Luke looked back ahead with a shocked expression still plastered on his face. He was by all means terrified by what he was feeling and seeing alike. The Bakugan, the power, the life-threatening battle being waged on them. Now it made sense, why his mother and father were more or less declined to Bakugan. They were large creatures that could seriously harm or otherwise kill if trained to do so. But it hit him; if they could do that much in potential, that same potential could be used against them. When he looked back at Abis Omega trying to hold his ground, he could see that the Bakugan was barely holding his own. In fact, he looked like he was ready to fly away at any given second. His Bakugan can't hold onto this level, exactly like him. Both were low-classed, second rate amateur fighters who got lucky the first couple times. Even now, they had no chance other than cheap shots.

But if cheap shots got them this far ahead, then why stop now.

Shakily rising back up to his feet, he tried to find a good ground within the mind-blowing shockwaves. He did what was possible in shaking himself awake and looking ahead with a still-distraught look. In spite of the rapid heart beating, he knew he came this far. He wouldn't be able to face Master Riaan again if he cowered in the face of fear. He had to at least keep the confidence to push through for one last blow.

"L-Let me do it!" Luke insisted.

"Luke?" Esther looked at him with surprise.

Luke's fists balled tight. "My Bakugan can camouflage with one of his abilities. I can get there!"

"That's very brave of you to act, Luke." Jase said. "But have you thought as to how you'll be able to do that act?"

Luke looked ahead once more, his fists continuing to ball. "Gnnngh…"

Maggie stood still as she thought in place with a hum. Her wide, brown eyes flung open with a hitch in her breath. "Oh! I got one!" she chirped. "Jelldon!"

"D'uh?! H-what?! Where?! Who's that?!" Jelldon was completely out of it. Hearing Maggie call out made him look around briefly before Maggie called again.

"Jelldon!"

He turned around, facing Maggie again. "Uh, y-yes?"

"Hurry, get in front of everyone!" she commanded.

"Maggie?" Esther gasped.

Jelldon looked back ahead with his face contorting. His many eyes dangling from his brows were looking somewhat cross-eyes, but in conjunction with his nervous cackling. Nevertheless, he slowly slipped in front of everyone. Once he stood between them and the devilish Bakugan, he lightly squealed like a small mouse. "…ddiiiooiiii…." He cowered.

Maggie gave a thumbs up. "You got this, Jelldon!"

Maximus smirked. "So, you volunteered to get annihilated first, did you?" He lifted his wrist, showing two abilities layered atop one another. "Who am I to deny the request of such a brave warrior? Double ability, activate! Darkus Force, plus Darkus Impact!"

As Goblinball's power level shot all the way up to 700, the energy he was packing around him compressed into a swirling mesh of darkness with violet, black, and white energy. The compressing energy swirled into a bright hemisphere with a bright inside and black core. Once compressed into a solid figure, a dark purple laser fired from point-blank. It propelled it towards Jelldon, shaking and ripping up the metallic plating on the ground.

"Gyaaahahahaaah!" Jelldon flinched.

Maggie held up her left wrist. "Ability, activate! Morphed Deflect!"

As the attack drew towards Jelldon, it made contact with his body, only for it to bounce off him like it were a trampoline. As the laser and hemisphere combo deflected off his rippling body, he removed a tentacle from one of his many eyes to see that he wasn't being blown a hole straight through. The attack went flying into Hyper Dragonoid instead, hitting him square in the chest. The Bakugan emitted a pained shriek of anguish as he was enveloped in a massive eruption of bright purple energy.

"What the-?!" Maximus was caught completely off guard as a smoke blast zipped pass him, making him and Xander cover up from the surprise attack.

The entire area ahead was covered by nothing but a billowing smoke, giving the enemy intense shock from what transpired. Jelldon looked back with a surprised look on his face, his eyes beaming with relief. "Oh…"

"Haha! Wait a go, Jelldon!" Maggie jumped up and down in joy.

Jase looked at her with a grin. "Well done, Maggie. Clever."

Maggie sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Oh stop, you're gonna make me blush!"

Jase turned towards Luke, giving him a serious expression. "Now Luke, this might be your chance."

"It is?" he looked towards Abis Omega, who looked at him in confusion.

"Luke, you and Abis Omega go! Now!" Esther enforced.

Taken back by her insistence, he didn't have time to offer a retort. He had to hurry, and that's what he did. "Abis, aim for the control panels! Got it?!"

The serpent nodded. "Sure thing!"

"Alright, ability activate! Osmosis!" Abis Omega thus began to vanish from view. With the other Bakugan around him supplying cover, the Aquos serpent silently serpentine pass Jelldon and dove into the dissipating smoke cloud.

Maximus was still covering up from the winds generated from the attack. With his guard slowly uncovering, he looked back up to see Hyper Dragonoid's aura was gone, and he was slouched forward with steam and smoke coming off his chest. The Pyrus Bakugan grunted as he was caught completely off guard.

"Damnit." Xander grunted. "They got us off guard!"

"So it would seem…" Maximus looked back ahead towards the shaken opponents. He took a long look to notice something was off. "Huh?"

"What's wrong?" Xander looked at the opponent's clustered together. When he pieced it, his vision squinted. "Wait a minute…where's that Abis Omega?!"

Maximus gritted his teeth and pivoted to get a view of something camouflaged in front of the panels. Xander followed in his eyesight to see Abis Omega reappearing behind them, facing the controls before him.

"No!" Xander panicked.

"Those punks blindsided us…" Maximus grunted for the umpteenth time. He couldn't believe that he was duped, thinking they would come for the Bakugan when in reality they were after the panels to Thermosphere's core. He was so stupid that it was ridiculous. He angrily faced his Goblinball. "Goblinball, stop that snake! Now!"

Goblinball turned around to glare at Abis Omega. His eye dilated in dull rage, making the Aquos serpent's orange eyes glance back.

"Ability, activate! Shadow Snatch!" Goblinball's shadow began to blacken into a dense void that sent string of shadows up towards Abis Omega. Once they reached him, they sprung up from the ground as tendrils ready to snatch him up. "You aren't going anywhere!"

"Ability, activate!" Esther countered. "Scan Blaze!" Atchibee flew above everyone, giving a loud shriek as her red eyes glowed brightly. Energy waves began to emit and fade down towards Abis Omega, searing all the tendrils around him into thin air.

"Do it, Abis Omega!" Atchibee shouted.

"You wouldn't!" Maximus challenged.

With what courage he could muster, Luke balled a fist tightly and punched forward. "Now!"

Abis Omega gave a loud shriek as he reeled his head back. His long tail and tailfin alike went sweeping from the side, attacking the control panels in one fell swing. The weight behind the whiplash dented in some buttons, as well as shattered some small screens. Maximus and Xander both had stupefied expressions plastered on their faces when they watched the horrific worked they planned for so long was broken into by a standard, weak Bakugan. While Luke's group gave expectant looks, Luke looked with his own shocked expression as the plan actually worked. Abis Omega retracted a few feet as the dented panels began to emit static, eventually billowing smoke.

"Those were the primary controls! But that means…" Xander's eyes traced back to the ground. He watched as the core's green network that was brightening everything was beginning to diminish. The energy transmitted from the glowing bright green generator was fading into black.

The battle was still going, but Moskeeto was slashing at Fly Beetle like there was no tomorrow. The Subterra beetle enveloped in the green filament was itching profusely, but he had no room to attack either. He had to hurry and find a countermeasure and fast.

Shuji clutched his fists tight. There was only one option that was coming to mind. "Alright then…" He held up his left wrist like before. "There's only one choice left. You hear that, Fly Beetle?! Time to get crazy!"

Killian's brows furrowed. "Give me a break!"

Moskeeto slashed again, but shockingly this time, Fly Beetle nudged his horn into the claws. The spikes on the ends were gripped by the claws, enabling a parry. Moskeeto grunted as he tried to push, but Fly Beetle opened his wings again and flapped, propelling himself forward. The momentum made him glide along the ground, pushing Moskeeto back so far and so fast that he eventually let go. He recoiled in the air, giving Fly Beetle his room.

"Do it!" he urged.

Shuji revealed two ability cards. "Ahhhh! Double ability, activate! Horn Buster, but Fly Arrow!"

Standing his ground, Fly beetle emitted a powerful cry as he unleashed a streaky brown bolt from his horn, with two similar projectile beams following on either side. They went closing in on Moskeeto with so much force, eventually scoring a clean blow on the underside.

Moskeeto: 150 (-100) = 50 Fly Beetle: 100 (+200 +200) = 500

"MY GOODNESS! FLY BEETLE IS MAKING ANOTHER COUNTERATTACK!" the announcer exclaimed in sheer joy. He was so enthused with the battle that his fingers were twitching. "It looks like Moskeeto's getting worn out folks. Will it hold?!"

Moskeeto held on as the attacks continue to strike the underside, but Killian adjusted his glasses with a tempered look on his face. "Oh no you don't, buddy." He growled. "Try this on for size! Ability, activate! Max Sonic!"

Moskeeto nudged his head a few times, trying to move about and get aim set up. Once he found momentum, his wings began to beat profusely. The eyes glimmered brightly before another loud shriek resonated from the Bakugan. The frequency he gave off, it sounded like a cannon charging up once more. Once charged, a green-ringed cyclone sent shockwaves down towards the attack. The shrieking funnel repulsed the streak and projectiles alike, overpowering slowly.

Moskeeto: 50 (+300) = 350 Fly Beetle: 500 (-300) = 200

All around them, the air and land shuddered at an alarming rate. The shockwaves from their combined attacks were generating a powerful wave of rippling energy across the battlefield, said ripples battering the sides of the stadium boundaries. The energy release was alarming so many that they could barely sit still as the two Bakugan were giving it everything they had to push through. Green funnel against brown lasers, with neither side willing to give up.

Fly Beetle began to falter, one of his legs starting to cave in from all the pressure he was exerting.

"Go, Moskeeto!" Killian enforced.

Shuji gritted his teeth angrily. "Oh no you don't! Fusion Ability, activate…Terra Surge!" Fly Beetle gave a loud roar as his body was surrounded in a mud brown aura, his power only serving to further boost.

Moskeeto: 350 (-200) = 150 Fly Beetle: 200 (+200) = 400

All around Fly Beetle, the dust that was blowing from the shockwaves began to circulate and spiral into the horn. The attacking dust compressed into a stream that carried debris and dust with it. As it traveled and funneled up the horn and tusks, the compressed rock, dust, and the energy of the attacks combined into a similar cyclone of brown and orange that pulsated into the green funnel. The two funnels pushed against one another violently, making the battlefield shake violently to no ends. Both Fly Beetle and Moskeeto fought hard to keep themselves stable, but eventually, a side was to fall.

As the white orb high above was glowing brightly, Shuji punched forward. "GET 'EM!"

With a loud shout, Fly Beetle mustered up everything he had in him and screamed violently. The energy he was releasing was gradually pushing back against the screeching cyclone. The attack slowly overpowered the soundwaves, running straight through towards Moskeeto. The tornado of combined attacks struck Moskeeto dead in the gut, sending him blitzing backwards into the wall behind Killian. The man stood in shock as his Bakugan passed him, slamming hard into the wall. The wall dented inwards, making a powerful shudder rattle about. After a moment had passed and the rocks and dust began to settle within the atmosphere, Fly Beetle's brown aura began to fade, leaving him to shakily stand. He looked like he was about to fall over, but thankfully for them, Moskeeto dislodged from the wall first, groaning weakly before thudding against the ground. He morphed into ball form, shooting back in front of Killian as the Ventus battler snapped his fingers in distress.

Killian: 0%

The announcer was at a loss for words for a few seconds before he realized what happened. "…it…it…IT'S ALL OVER!" he shrieked. The audience shared his own cheers, wide smiles on their faces and pumping fists in shock and awe over the battle. "THE WINNER IS DECIDED! THE WINNER OF THIS WEEK'S TWB IS SHUJI~!"

Shuji raised a fist, smiling wide. "Oh yeah~!"

Fly Beetle weakly raised his horn, signaling his close victory.

The white orb glowed so brightly overhead that it could've been seen all over Thermosphere. The battle energy released was absolutely shocking, even the folks outside the stadium were in disbelief over what they could've mistaken for an artificial sun. The energy traced from the conductor towards the circuits and networks underground. They were moving at incredible speeds that no one could've matched.

They soon reached the core, but with the core having been cut off, the energy was forced to repel upwards. It shot back up to the conductor in a massive force. With the clog unable to be fixed and so much energy released, the white conductor showed a crack once, then another, until it finally burst into thin fragments that fell like glass.

Shuji looked up at what he did. A smile on his face. "No that's what I'm talking about."

Killian looked up at the conductor, seeing it shatter. "You've gotta be…"

Suddenly, the entire began to shake a little. Everyone inside the colosseum was hanging on tight to the rumbling that quaked them in their various shoes and boots.

"W-what's going on?!" a spectator questioned.

"I don't know!" another one answered.

"Is the stadium breaking apart?!"

The shuddering reached even the arena itself. Shuji was moving his arms in circles to maintain his clumsy balance, but he eventually fell backwards. "Oof!" he grunted. He looked around with wide eyes, seeing the whole stadium shudder. "What the…? Is this supposed to happen?"

Fly Beetle went back into ball form, racing back onto Shuji's lap. "I don't know, but if I were you, I'd keep an eye on that exit if I were you."

Killian was on a knee, looking up at Shuji with a furrowed, twisted brow of frustration. "Crap. What's going on now?"

Shuji was looking around for answers, but suddenly his Bakumeter began to beep loudly. He hastily looked at it, pressing a button to reveal Jase on the screen. "Shuji, can you hear me?" he asked.

"Huh, you?" he answered. "What's happening?"

"I'll have to keep it brief. We've managed to malfunction the core and cause and energy feedback. It didn't work exactly as intended, but it seems we've cut off the energy supply. Now the city only has the energy it has left." The screen shook some with the magnitude, causing Jase and Shuji to wobble some. "Shuji, you need to get out of there. If I were you, I'd make for the exit."

"That's exactly what I said!" Fly Beetle exclaimed.

Shuji raised a twisted brow. "You serious?"

Jase smirked. "Sorry if you were looking forward to an award ceremony. Hurry over towards the watch tower, we'll meet up there as soon as possible!" With that, the communication between the two was cut off, leaving the objective clear.

"Okay, time to book it!" Shuji turned on his heels and ran down the stairs. It was fun while it lasted, but he had more important matters to get by. "Aw~, this bites!" he sniped as he ran into the dark tunnel.

In the center of Thermosphere, the tower was tall and wide. In the security room high above, the guard watching everything was noticing how the energy patterns were completely shutting down. The room's lights were beginning to flicker, meaning the power was going to fade. In a rush, he rushed out of his seat and reached for the engraved panel on the wall. He punched in a prolonged code with various sequences before pulling a red lever downwards on the left side. A loud siren went off in the air, one that was to give out a message for all through in and out of Thermosphere.

"Warning: Energy deficiency protocol 0-0099! Low power circulation evident! Initiating failsafe jump! I repeat, Thermosphere emergency failsafe jump in t-minus 10 minutes!" the intercoms everywhere throughout the city.

The message even made it to the underground battle. There, the crew still engaged in battle looked around to notice that the floor and the network channels were starting to glow yellow instead of green. They could see the core behind them was also beginning to glow yellow.

"What's happening now?!" Maggie chirped.

Jase's eyes remained stationed as he processed the repeating message through the intercoms. "Failsafe jump…" When he pieced it together, he turned towards everyone. "Everyone, the city is going to emergency warp!"

"What?!" Luke snapped.

"But where is it going to warp to?" Esther questioned.

Shawn began to step away. "I don't know, but it's best that we don't find out."

Xander continued to look at the core with a distasteful look in his eyes. His teeth gritted in frustration. "What the hell is this all about?!" he yelled.

"The city was programmed with a failsafe emergency function when we made the modifications to the warp gate." Maximus explained. "If it's power source is cut off, then the whole system goes into emergency shutdown mode and uses the current power for a single jump back to home."

"Warning: Failsafe jump to activated in t-minus 9 minutes, 30 seconds." The intercoms repeated.

Maximus growled low at the circumstances. He turned back towards the weary group in front of him, his glare as sharp as knives. He reached down to his Bakumeter and began to speak. "Killian, are you there?"

"Yeah, something went wrong."

"Get back to the base this instant, that goes for Hendrix and Ariella as well. No excuses!" He ordered swiftly. He cut off the communication and faced the group. "This isn't over." He snapped his fingers loudly, forcing his Bakugan into ball form and cutting off the battle. Goblinball went back to his hand, clutched tight.

Xander angrily followed suit, snapping his fingers to call Hyper Dragonoid. The Bakugan morphed back into ball form and retreated. All the other Bakugan out morphed into ball form and went back to their owners as well.

"What do we do now?!" Luke shouted.

"We need to get out while we still can." Esther answered.

Maggie looked back to the open exit, sulking forward. "But if we go that long way back, it'll take forever~!"

"Agreed." Jase adjusted his glasses. "We need to find another way, and fast as possible."

"Any ideas, guys?" Shawn asked.

While the group was stumped for answers, the countdown continued ticking. The group was unable to realize that behind them, Maximus and Xander were looking at them with deep frowns. Maximus looked down to his Bakumeter and nonchalantly pressed in a code. Once he made the last touch, he was beginning to teleport away, soon followed by his associate. "This isn't the last you've heard of Rogue Zero." Maximus' last words were those exactly, before he and his associate were gone.

Luke looked back, seeing them teleporting away. "Hey!" he reached out, but it was too late. "They're…gone…?"

Esther and the others looked back to find their adversaries gone. "They teleported." Esther confirmed.

"Teleport?" Luke parroted. "So then they got a head start before us!"

"That doesn't matter now." Jase said. "What matters is us getting out of this mess…" he smirked. "And I think I just realized what we can do to accomplish that."

Maggie's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Hold on." Jase reached for his Bakumeter again, getting out yet another call. Once the code was launch, the screen brightened. "Shuji, do you copy?"

"Yeah, yeah! I'm here!" he yelled. "I'm just out of the stadium, what is it?"

"Listen very carefully. I need you to throw down a Gate Card right there. But not just any kind, it needs to be the Warp Gate."

"…what?"

Luke crossed his arms with a confused look. "A 'Warp Gate'? What's that?"

"It's a type of Gate Card that enables teleportation from one Warp Gate to another." Esther answered.

Shawn grinned. "I see, so then we can escape much faster. Not bad."

"So can you do it?" Jase asked Shuji.

In the screen, Shuji was seen with an irritated look. "Alright, just keep your pants on! Yeesh, you guys just ask too much."

"My apologies." Jase grinned. Clearly he was being sarcastic about the hard work, but salt rubbed into the wound only served to make Shuji grow a tick mark on the other end.

Upside, Shuji turned towards the vacant street. He saw many people beginning to stir and start a flood. The odds were that many were going to run a mock in panic any second. In a hurry, he got his Gaye Card out. "Gate Card, set!" he threw it out, fading into orange throughout the street.

"Let's pray this works…Gate Card, set!" Jase threw down his Gate Card in front of the group, fading into a green ripple through the dark chamber. "Bakugan, brawl! Atmos, stand!"

Atmos arose on the Gate Card, giving a large caw as he took flight. "Hurry on, everyone!" he exclaimed. Everyone ran up towards Atmos, where the avian settled into the ground. The five humans made it on his back, where they held on tight. One fastened, everyone was picked up and set for takeoff.

"Warning: 7 minutes until failsafe warp. I repeat! Failsafe warp detonation in 7 minutes."

"Now, Shuji!" Jase shouted.

"Got it!" he yelled on his end.

In unison, both their brows furrowed. "Gate Card, open! Warp Gate!"

The Gate Card revealed itself beneath Atmos. The Bakugan remained completely still as he suddenly teleported away in a rainbow glow. Once the glow faded, Atmos and the crew was gone, leaving the chamber vacant once more.

On the other end, Shuji covered up as winds arose from Atmos and the guys slowly rising from the Gate Card's glow. The avian cawed loudly, causing an alarm in the nearby citizens. They all made way as Atmos began to fly overhead, yet Shuji looked up with a bright face.

"Alright, it totally worked!"

"Nice job, Shuji!" Jase shouted from Atmos' back. "Now let's be on our way! Atmos!"

The Ventus Bakugan cawed again as he reached his talons down for Shuji. The battler looked confused and scared as the talons closed in on him, making him whimper and try to run away. "H-hey! Wait-!" But he had no chance, not while Atmos clutched him in his talons and carried him up into the atmosphere. "Woah-waaaaah!"

"Everyone, hang on tight! This is going to be a fast ride!" Atmos warned. He turned in the air and went flying over the street. He kept climbing and flapping, until at last he was over the city airspace. For the umpteenth time, he cawed loudly, with Shuji screaming with comical tears spreading on either side of his eyes.

"AAAH! Not so fast! I didn't sign up for this!" he yelled frantically. "WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE SO CRAZY~?!"

"Warning: Failsafe warp jump to detonate in 5 minutes." The intercoms to the lab said. The lab door slid open, revealing Maximus and Xander having taken the elevator. Both stepped out and into the white basement chamber. There, they were walking dead ahead in equally dead silence. They had frowns plastered on their faces from the unfortunate turns of events, they all did. Coming into view on either side, Hendrix began walking with heavy strides, with Ariella with a sassy sway in her hips from the opposite. And following behind was Killian in the back with a serious stride.

They had no room to talk, they didn't have the time to do so. Maximus lead Rogue Zero through another set of double sliding doors to the room where they were in front of the chambers where the Bakugan were mutated. They all stayed silent as Maximus reached over at the screen and inserted a conjunction of keys into the buttons. Once the code was fixed, the space behind them opened into a circle in the ground. Rising up from the platform skyward to their elevation were six glass tubes. They all turned around and faced the tubes with readiness and proceeded into one at a time. They all entered tubes corresponding to the elemental circle, with Maximus on the southern end, and with Xander on the north, with Hendrix and Ariella diagonal, and Killian being just above Ariella.

Once ready, all the tubes closed. The energy began to charge beneath them until the plates beneath them shined brightly, transporting them all away from the lab.

Atmos sailed over towards Thermosphere's walls, where the group had entered. He began to descend lower, much to Shuji's squealing relief.

"There's our exit!" Maggie chimed.

Atmos descended lower and lower, making sure not to fall on people. Once he reached the small trees where the group looked out of yesterday, he let go of Shuji, making him land on his face with an "oomf!"

"Ow." He muffled.

Atmos landed on the ground behind, where everyone hopped off his back. They all landed on their feet and Jase turned towards Atmos, sending him back to ball form. The green sphere was caught in his glove as if it was a raindrop.

Shuji got up in the Ventus battler's face with comical anger. "HEY, YOU JERK! YOU COULD'VE AT LEAST WARNED ME WHEN YOU PLUCKED ME LIKE A FLOWER! WHAT AM I, A ROCK?!" he yelled.

"Sorry, there wasn't any time to prepare." Jase explained.

Luke looked towards the huge square entrance in the wall beyond the trees. "I see the way out!"

"Me too! That's way we came in!" Abis Omega shouted.

"Then let's go!" Shawn urged. Everyone around him nodded and proceeded.

"Warning: t-minus 3 minutes until failsafe warp detonates. Everyone to their stations and homes immediately. This is not a drill!"

With pants, the group hurried with all their might towards the exit. They hurried down the filthy ventilation with the same directions they took, thanks to Jase having memorized the road they had taken. They paced remarkably fast down the tunnels taking them to the exit. Within the given time, they were able to see a dinted light in the distance.

Luke's eyes flashed wide. "Is that it?!"

"Yes! We're there!" Esther shouted.

As they continued to travel down the runway, the ventilation was beginning glow green, like it was becoming radioactive. The glow around them was starting to vibrate as well.

"What now?!" Shuji panted.

"I don't know…but my body's feeling light." Shawn hesitated.

Jase's eyes narrowed. "We're being caught up in the transport! Everyone, move now!"

"T-minus 10…9…8…"

Everyone was 10 feet from the massive vent, closing in fast on the open way they entered.

"7…6…5…"

The glow intensified into a sheer brightness around them. Behind them, a beam of light was beginning to make its way down the ventilation system. Everything within the light faded, getting closer to the group as Maggie jumped out first, followed by Shuji.

"4…3…2…"

Shawn and Jase made it out next. They all fumbled to the ground while Luke was next. When he looked back, he saw Esther a little farther back, and the light was just grazing her back. As Esther was feeling her body starting to fade, Luke's eyes widened as he reached out to her. He grabbed her hand in shock and yanked her out as fast as possible."

"1…0."

Esther yelped as she fell out of the ventilation system in time. She fell onto Luke and onto the ground. Both thudded incredulously as the entire Thermosphere, even its walls, were glowing a bright green. The green light was like a beacon that was magnetizing everything around, leaving Shawn, Maggie, Shuji, and Jase too all look up with mixed shock as the tower of green light that beamed skywards. Like a shooting star, it vanished into a glint in the sky, leaving behind something to make it memorable – a humungous crater.

It took a while before anyone could've processed what just happened. They all just sat there with perplexed looks, barely able to comprehend or let alone tell what was going on.

"Uh, guys…?" Maggie sounded nervous. "Did…that just…?"

"Yeah, it happened." Shawn said, eyes equally as wide. He and the others were starting to get up. Once on their feet, they looked out at the enormous crater that stretched for miles on end, and was so deep the they couldn't even see the bottom.

Shuji bent over, peering into the darkness. "Woah…"

"The entire city just…vanished." Maggie said, looking down right beside him.

Jase peered down with a frown. "…no, not quite."

"Explain, please." Atmos insisted.

"An entire city can't exactly 'vanish' under circumstances such as these. There's another reason. Remember, it kept saying a failsafe warp, meaning it teleported." He looked up towards the sky. "And if what I believe is certain, it must have been teleported back to wherever it came from."

"Nnnngh…"

A moan got everyone's attention. They all turned around to face the sound, coming towards the ground where Luke was lying on his back, groaning. Esther laid on her stomach, groaning as that pull and thud left her with a hazy mind.

Shawn looked at the sight, a hand to his hip. "Good grief."

"Well isn't this a treat." Jase teased.

Maggie snickered with her hand covering her mouth. "A little early for a cuddle, now isn't it?" she cooed.

Esther began opening her eyes, blinking a few times before realizing she was on something hard. "Mmmm…hm?" She looked down, seeing Luke come around as well. Her cheeks bared a weak pink. "Luke!" Before he had time to come around, she scooted off him frantically.

"Owww, my head…" Were the first words that came out of his mouth. He sat up, rubbing his hair and cranium. She looked towards Esther, seeing her with hands up. "Hey, that was kind of hard, you know?"

"Sorry…" she apologized. A grin then formed on her face. "But thank you, Luke. You saved me."

Luke sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, looking away nonchalantly. "Don't mention it…" Once again, the two were caught in silence. Esther looked down at her – abundant – chest, while Luke kept rubbing his head and looking away.

"Are you two done making a scene?" Both looked up, seeing Shawn with a smirk. "As fruitful as it is, I think we had enough eye candy for one afternoon."

Both Luke and Esther zipped to their feet, both giving him furious glares. "It's not like that!" Luke yelled.

"I just fell on him, that's all!" Esther sniped.

Shawn sweat-dropped at their denial, but went on with it. "Okay, okay! No need to burn me!" he nervously smiled.

Luke turned towards the crater, his eyes widening from shock. "Huh?!" He raced towards the edge, looking down at it with shock on the rise. "Wait a minute, what happened to Thermosphere? Wasn't it here a minute ago?"

Abis Omega popped open beside him. "Where did you think it went?"

Esther looked down at the ground, same as her Atchibee on her shoulder. "I hope all those people weren't hurt within that warp."

"Me too." Atchibee said.

Shuji, however, beamed with pride. "Heh! Well if you ask me, the only ones who don't deserve sympathy are those punks who tried to get in our way."

"Hey, yeah! You're right!" Maggie exclaimed. "Did this mean you won, Shuji?"

Shuji rubbed his nose with his finger. "You bet I did." He laughed.

"Sounds like you had some kind of battle then. Better than us, I hope." Shawn smirked.

"Yeah, that guy wasn't so tough, right Fly Beetle?" Shuji looked down at his Subterra Fly Beetle, but the Bakugan was still in ball form and hardly responding. "Hm? Hey, you there? Fly Beetle…?"

The Bakugan remained in ball form, stirring. "Uuuugh…I think…we need to dial it back a bit. Sorry." He apologized tiredly. It was enough he had to fight alone, but facing a Mystic Elico and then a tainted Moskeeto back to back really did a number on him. It was a miracle he was still conscious.

Shuji realized the toll taken, but he turned away sheepishly. "Hey, don't mention it." He huffed. "I guess I overdid a little back there. Sorry…"

Jase looked at Shuji with a smile. "Well now, this is a surprise, Shuji."

"What?"

"You're being rather humble for your Bakugan. Well aren't you such a peach."

Shuji's face flustered in pink. "S-shut up!"

"While we're on the subject…" Esther got the group's attention, her hand to her chin. "Those opponents we've all faced. It looks like we've found the ones responsible for this whole organization. They called themselves…Rogue Zero, was it?"

"That's what they were yammering on about." Luke nonchalantly answered.

"It sounds like these guys mean business if they were able to do all that to fellow Bakugan." Verias said.

"D-dooiii…" Jelldon was lying in Maggie's palm, though popped open, he was facing the sky and twitching. "So dark…so very, very dark…so scary…" he squealed in a high pitch.

Atmos looked down. "I hate to say this, but if that battle prolonged further, I'm not sure we would have made it out in one piece."

"The facts are in. It's clear that these opponents who we're up against are far beyond our level of expertise." Jase said as he adjusted his glasses. "At least, those two we fought were. I believe their names were Maximus and Xander, right?"

Esther nodded. "Right, their Bakugan were really powerful. The energy spikes they gave off were much greater than the ones we felt when we fought Hendrix and Ariella. If it weren't for you stepping in, we wouldn't have won. Thank you again."

Shuji fell onto his bottom in a pain groan. "Uuugh! Maaan, I feel like I'm gonna die…"

Jase chuckled. "Well of curse you would. You and Maggie played a very vital spot to this operation. Your cooperation was worth it. But still, Shuji, I must apologize for such a burden placed on you. I understand if you're not exactly up to speed with all this debriefing."

Luke sat down cross-legged as well, resting his chin on his right palm. "Hey, I'm with the big guy over there. After something as scary as that, I'd rather lay low for a day."

Abis Omega curled over, closing into ball form. "Those guys we ought, they're tough…"

"Maybe, but that won't be the last of them I suspect." Atchibee replied.

"Do you think they're still on New Vestroia?"

Verias turned towards them. "Let's hope for all our sakes no."

"No, it can't be that simple." Jase said, getting everyone to look at him. "These people we've come across, them and their Bakugan alike, they are indeed powerful. They are without a doubt tremendous peril to our objective. I'm afraid that unless we try and see this through, home won't be within our sight for a very long time."

Hearing this, Luke snapped up to his feet. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm serious."

"Then there has to be some way to figure all this out!" Luke reasoned. "Isn't there like another teleportation grid or something, or maybe another place here that can help us solve all this?"

Abis Omega popped open again. "Wait, wasn't there another city you said was here?"

The reminder caught everyone's attention.

"That's right!" Esther exclaimed. "There was another city!"

"And that city was the polar opposite of here, right?" Shawn asked the group.

Jase again adjusted his sunglasses, making the sunset's rays deflect off them. "Correct." He folded his arms behind his back and started walking. "We may have won this round, but the battle is far from over for us. We still have one link left that we can surmise will be our next point of interest. And if my theory is certain…we may find Rogue Zero there as well, waiting for us."

"I sure don't like the sound of that." Verias admitted.

"Maybe, but if it's for the Bakugan race, then it's up to us for the time being to at least try." Atmos said.

Luke faced the sunset, his eyes fixated on the prize at hand. He wasn't liking at all where this was going, but he didn't have an option. He had to keep fighting, even if he had trouble once. He looked down at his clutched fist. It was balled, but not tightly. He frowned deeply at his lack of determination and bravery, remaining silent. 'If I want to get home again…I have to get stronger.'

"We should get some rest for now. We've had a long day." Esther said.

Jase nodded. "Agreed. We'll rest up for the night in the Trailer and pick up from where we left off. We have a lot of rethinking to do."

The group turned and walked away from the crater towards the hills, where their beloved transportation laid resting. As they drew away, Esther noticed that Luke was still lagging. "Luke!"

Hearing her, he snapped back from the sunset. "Right!" Hurrying long, he and the others went towards the Trailer. Behind Luke, Abis Omega floated along.

Inside another lab, the settings were similar to the ones back in Thermosphere. For the most part, it was all the same, only with a little more space in it. There was proper lighting included, illuminating everything in the white lab with a clean, fresh light.

Sitting about idly in the white lobby, Killian, Hendrix, and Ariella were looking more than a little exasperated; Ariella more so than the rest of the flock. She walked a ways away and swiftly turned back towards the others. "You incompetent fools." She mocked. "This is all your faults! If it weren't for your guards being let down, none of this wouldn't have happened!"

Hendrix leaned against the wall with arms crossed. He frowned with a placid expression.

"What are you looking at? You let a miserly child get the drop on you, and this is how you act?" she barked.

Hendrix narrowed his eyes towards her. "I can take fault for my part…but yours is unjustified, Ariella." He rebuffed.

"You're just...a lapdog!" she snapped. "Don't talk back to someone if you can't even look them in the eye you mutt!"

Killian snorted and kept his eyes shut. A cruel blow indeed has been brought to him.

Ariella grunted. She hated being pointed out her faults, but she chose to dismiss and turn towards Killian, who had one leg up and resting his tired expression on his palm. "And what about you? I thought you could handle that fat dweeb. You stopped that silly little girl, so what was the problem this time, huh?"

The doors to the lab opened, reveling Maximus and Xander entering. Maximus had a half-grin, while Xander was deeply annoyed.

"And look who decided to show up." Ariella huffed. "Supposed you two failed to do your job, too?"

Maximus smirked. "My, my, Ariella, seems you're fairly worked up. What's this defaulting Hendrix and Killian. They were doing really well on their parts if you ask me."

The older woman crossed her arms. "And yet we still failed."

"Tch, shut up, hag." Xander mocked. "You really are a sore loser."

A tick mark appeared on Ariella's head. "Excuse me?!"

"You heard me, hag. At least Hendrix had a good reason a tried. And Killian's a good and reasonable person. Give them a break. If anything, you should be more careful with what you say around your equals."

The woman near her thirties was blowing her top. She turned away with a scoff, unwilling to deal with the others and their rebuffs.

"And here you say we're the immature ones." Maximus chimed as he passed the group. "Oh well, what's done is done. Still, we've lost Thermosphere. Something tells me we won't get a treat anytime soon because of this mishap." He stood in front of a regular-sized doorway, seeing that it was still locked up tight. He knew someone was on the inside and hard at work. He stared long and hard as his hood was over his head once more, shrouding him in his evil mystery.

"He's been in there this whole time." Hendrix explained.

"Is he still at work?" Xander questioned.

Killian shrugged. "Knowing him, probably. I'm surprised he doesn't get migraines from being in there so long."

On a panel just on the right-hand side of the closed door, the screen flickered, revealing a man in the darkness and giving a cackling laugh. His laughter got everyone's attention as they stood up and closed in on the screen.

"Cesar." Maximus greeted.

The shrouded scientist subsided in his laughter, smiling. "Ah~! My friends." He cooed. "I see you've all put on quite the show back there." He snickered again, which turned into a laughter.

"Sounds like you're having fun." Xander sniped. "Something you'd like to share?"

Cesar wiped a tear from his eyes. "It's just as I hoped. The Chaos Ability Amplification was indeed a success! All these data tests, and all these statistics, they're exactly what I've been looking for! Your Bakugan's bodies have indeed grown from these forbidden card blueprints that I customized and originated from my genius. Without a doubt, my tests have reached the exact levels of where the Bakugan should be right now!"

"Well we're glad you're happy…but for us, that level just isn't good enough. Apparently someone wasn't able to harness it well." Ariella shot a look at Killian. He shrugged it off.

Cesar's smirk could've been seen through the darkness of the other side. "And if I serve right from the research videos, the same implied to you as well, Ariella." His rebuff earned him narrowed eyes from the Aquos battler. "Oh well, you know what they say, can't win them all."

Maximus frowned. "Cesar."

"Hm?"

"Tell me, how has that secondary project you've been meaning to work on?"

The scientist's eyes widened. "Ah! Finally, now we're getting somewhere!" he meekly cheered. "Finally, some attention to my research and development, oh, Maximus, you caring dog you." He turned around in his huge seat, facing the darkness. "If you must know, I've actually started the project early this morning. The attention is well worth it, and the results are so far sublime sort of speak."

"Have you been able to achieve the requests?"

Cesar adjusted his glasses. "Well naturally. Picky as you are nothing can run pass my genius. You should all have your little play toys within a few days' time."

"Good. See to it that progress stays on schedule."

Cesar sighed. "Well of course, but you know, a little appreciation does come a long way. It would be a lot of meaning if someone happened to recognize my talents."

Ariella looked down in annoyance at his need of attention. "You really are full of exaggeration, I swear."

Killian shrugged. "You're good with us, Doc. Thanks again for the help."

Cesar smiled once again as he turned towards the screen. "That's what I like to see. Thank you, Killian! At least someone knows how to be humble around those who do all the work." He raised a brow towards Ariella, but all she did was remain silent.

"Are the organic ones in your set as well?" Hendrix questioned.

"Patience, my good Hendrix. In good time."

"Well time isn't our ally I'm afraid." Xander reported. "So if it doesn't kill you, you can get back to your work then." His eyes narrowed. "Just make sure they are work right."

Cesar whipped a lock from his hair, again cackling a laugh. "Again challenging my genius? Well allow me to oblige to that…" He folded his fingers atop of the other as he watched as Rogue Zero was starting to diverge. With the screen seeing just Maximus some ways away and getting further, something went off in the scientist's mind. "Maximus, a word, if you would?"

Hearing his name, the Rogue Zero leader stopped in place while his colleagues went out of the lobby.

"I've been rather curious about these little misfits that were picked up in this skirmish. They seem to be giving you quite the amusement, right?"

Beneath his hood, Maximus' half-grin could be seen. "You can say that."

"Really? Such slippery eels managing to test your wits. You don't suppose that I could abide to my own curiosities, would you?" he insinuated with a coquettish smirk.

Maximus knew where this was going. By all accounts he would love nothing more than see them squashed, but the fact they beat Killian one-on-one proved something else. This was no laughing matter, for now that is. He smirked wily. "See to it then. Just don't make it delay your progress too long."

Cesar bowed. "Gladly, sir."

With that, the screen turned off. On the opposite side of the locked lab, everything was essentially dark around the mad genius. He turned on his chair onto the other armrest and smirked. Nonchalantly, he began to press buttons on the armrest, getting a miniature holographic screen to project in front. Various screenshots showed Luke's group and their various Bakugan. "These humans and their Bakugan are very interesting, wouldn't you say?" In his other hand, in a ball form, there was a closed Bakugan that was essentially black all over with a purple top and white underside. Like the other Bakugan, he gave off a malevolent energy, making Killian chuckle yet again. "I think it's time that we start running your own tests. Let the experimenting begin…"

As he cackled maniacally all throughout his lab like the stereotypical madman, the exaggerated genius was zoomed out, revealing more of the dark room. For the most part, everything was in darkness, but in six cylindrical tubes that were as tall as full-grown trees, there were two figures looking dormant, while the blue tube had water or some sort of liquid inside. Tendrils were bubbling as pieces and broken body parts of some Bakugan were held in place, and in the spots of the tubes where the Darkus, Pyrus, and Haos symbol would be, there were blueprints on holographic screens of the finished products. They all looked mechanical, with parts still missing.

The first few tests were a success for Cesar's liking, and now it was his turn to meddle with their cumbersome foes.

Boom! Moments out before February ended! So sorry the update took so long, I sincerely didn't mean for it to take such a prolonged time, but January was my laptop issues, and all of February, I have been working endlessly to finish my One's Road to Remembrance fanfic. Now that I got that done and out of the way, I can now get back to this story. But don't think this is all that I'll be working on. As it turns out, starting March, I shall be working on my newest project in conjunction with this one, and for those who have been following me since the very beginning of my writing hobby, you know that it's final installment to my OCxErza Pokémon/Fairy Tail crossover!

So anyways, do hope this update was worth it. Let me know if you enjoyed the interactions, the tough battles that Luke and everyone had to participate in, and anything else that caught your attention! Until next time!