From Depths We Rise

by Insane Dominator

1 year has passed since Dan and the Battle Brawlers saved the universe, and when things were serene, a new group of Bakugan players are sent to New Vestroia when a dimensional interference forces them to meet each other. Caught in the crossfire with aliens seeking resources, Luke, Abis Omega, and new friends must fight using unlikely odds if they're to save all from extinction.

45. Down Under

Twin Destructor and Zukanator Battlegear were locked and loaded, all personnel representing Riaan's influence at the ready with some form of weapon in hand. They ranged from small polearmars, to even swords and archers. Some even had firearms strapped to their bodies for heavy artillery. They looked deadly serious as they could see the enemies at the base of the chasms afar, assembled and ready to fight.

Racing towards the fray, everyone was darting along with Bakugan, forces following Ren as he led the charge, with Linehalt flapping his wings once to get airborne and skyrocket above. "Linehalt, keep them occupied!" Ren shouted.

Down below, cannon barrels took aim and fired at Linehalt. They ranged in a large variety of all the attributes, but Twin Destructor Battlegear was like rain that went in reverse that Linehalt barrel rolled and maneuvered around.

"Ren, let's get some cover fire going!" Linehalt insisted, craning his neck to escape a headshot.

"On it, Linehalt!" Ren held up his Bakumeter high. "Ability, activate! Darkness Blizzard!" Linehalt hastily flapped his wings, summoning a black snowstorm concentrated from his cold temperature body. The whirlwind blew apart the barrage heading up for him, masking those who adorned the Twin Destructor.

Ren showed a meek smirk of confidence, but it was soon broken by several growing lights that illuminated their blizzard cover. The winds burst open, showing Zukanator cannons in dozens aiming for him as well as other aerial Bakugan.

"Linehalt, watch out!"

Ren called out for him to evade, but the beams were all blocked by a green, spiraling whirlwind that appeared in front of them. The dozens of Bakugan were spared and were allowed to gain height while their cover dissipated, revealing their savior to be Atmos, with Jase on top.

Ren was momentarily surprised by his arrival. "Jase!"

The military personnel calmly turned to Ren. "I trust that you have a new strategy to compensate from last time?" he looked down at the incoming beams. "If so, I suggest you'd make haste than just provide your numbers as open fire." As beams were incoming, he activated his ability. "Atmos, shall we?"

"Absolutely!" Gale Atmos spread his four wings. "Tailwind!" He flapped all fours wings, unleashing a strong blast of wind that was spreading rapidly throughout the area. The whirlwind was enough to hold back the vanguard's assault while those in the sky around Jase were feeling much lighter.

"I would advise going on offense now, if I were you." Jase stoically imposed.

Ren didn't take the opportunity for granted. "You got it!" He activated another ability. "Ability, activate! Bolting Vibra!" Linehalt's horns crackled with purple static before he discharged the electrical blast downwards. Due to Jase's ability, the lightning followed the winds that increased their speed and range. They traced down all the distilled beams in midair and traced into the Battlegear-equipped Bakugan. They all screamed as they were electrocuted by fast-moving dark lightning through their bodies.

"Now guys, counterattack!" Ren ordered.

Down below, Mason smirked as a brown armored dragon stomped to his side. His breath was hot and steamy as he waited for Mason's orders. "You heard him, Avior. Let's give them hell!" He pointed his index finger ahead with his other hand shining an ability. "Go! Ifreet Cannon!"

"Just what I had in mind!" Avior opened his maw, swirling orange dragonfire blooming inside. "Open wide!" Once ready, he opened wide and spewed a spiraling torrent into the paralyzed Bakugan in front of them. They all were swallowed in glorious brown blazes.

Zenet stood with her Bakugan, which was a yellow and white humanoid creature, with a curved blue horn, yellow mask, and cannons on the shoulders. "Now it's our turn, Contestir!" she encouraged. "Ability activate, Bolting Blow!"

Contestir brought his glowing fist back and punched forward, shooting thin bolts of lightning into the enemies in front of him. The paralyzed Bakugan were reverted to ball form, but those a little farther in that didn't get struck were bringing up various shields, nullifying the ability. Those further behind used the shields as cover to fire over, magenta projectiles blazing at Contestir and everyone else.

"Crap!" Zenet didn't have proper time to counter as Contestir had to duck and wait out the barrage. As explosions rocked the earth, Zenet found herself losing focus and control. Turning around, she saw an armed Interacian with a spear in hand.

Gasping, she found her escape impossible as the Interacian soldier pulled his arm back to plunge the spear into her. A sudden swat of a crackling yellow tentacle slammed into the man, voltage frying his body as he sailed like a lobbed rock back into the disaster zone.

Zenet looked back, seeing her savior was Maggie, who was riding Glow Jelldon. "Hey, you okay down there?" Maggie called out.

Zenet's eyes widened as she watched Jelldon use one of his main tendrils as a slide. Maggie went down, just as attacks kept firing. Jelldon growled and moved in front, activating his Petroleum Shield to bunker his friends.

Maggie helped Zenet up, using her arm as a hoist. Zenet looked at her, completely surprised. "Uh…thanks." She said, tone showing signs of surprised.

Maggie nodded with a playful wink. "Don't mention it." She turned away, beaming somewhat. "You know what they say: Age before beauty after all."

Zenet raised a brow. "Uh…what, shortstuff?"

"Nothing to worry about right now. Just keep your head high!" Maggie swiped her arm, laced with an ability at the ready. "Jelldon, go!"

"Right, Maggie!" Jelldon lifted his shield, his many other tentacles conjuring up a plasma fireball that grew with every molecule flaring up. He raised it overhead as even more red plasma discharge from his glowing gel sacs around his body, infusing into the fireball to make it even more powerful. But Maggie wasn't done there.

Suddenly cannon fire blasted in their direction. Jelldon was charging up his attack still when Hydranoid touched down in front of him. The three-headed menace gave a bloodcurdling bellow as he interceded with his saw churning with dark static. The blasts raced in, but they were spliced and severed into thin rays that went around the hydra, exploding in the vast distance behind.

On his head, Alice looked back at Maggie. "Okay, do it now!"

Without time to say thanks – because of their situation – Maggie swiped forward. "Go now, Jelldon!"

"You got it!" Infusing his Bolting Sun with Maximum Bolt, the evolved jellyfish slung the blaze over Hydranoid into the attacking fray. They were enveloped in a bleak white flash before a massive explosion imploded on itself. Eruptions constantly went off as the heat from Jelldon's attack reached back to Alice and Maggie, who covered up from the force exerted.

When the explosion settled, the dust suddenly shot a single Gate Card. The two girls' levity turned to solid lead when a random soldier snapped his fingers, causing the expanded card to glow.

Suddenly Jelldon and Hydranoid froze on the spot. Both Bakugan were stiff statues that were numb all over.

Alice gasped in slight shock. "A Freeze Enemy Gate Card?" Turning to where it came from, a random soldier held up his firearms, along with several others aiming for Maggie and Alice. Blasts were shot, so Alice had to go behind Hydranoid's frilled membrane on the back of his head. Maggie scooted behind Jelldon to use his gelatinous mass to shield the barrage.

"This is bad! We can't use abilities like this!" Maggie shouted.

Hydranoid and Jelldon couldn't even loosen their bodies from the hold as gunfire was going to their faces. It had no effect, but it was annoying. Bullets repelled off them, but that was nothing like the Twin Destructors aimed by three Gren and six Luxtor lined up.

"Ability, activate! Ground Shifter!"

Maggie and Alice suddenly found their Bakugan buffering when they started moving again. The Gate Card was – literally – turned on its axis by two mantis-like pincers that made the enemy Bakugan freeze before their weapons could launch.

"Shuji!" Alice gasped.

Shuji and Stag Fly Beetle got in front, the latter swinging his lower arms like knives to cleave into the Interacian soldiers. Some fell immediately, and others fought back using their weapons. But Fly Beetle had an impervious defense to the lasers were bouncing off his hide.

"Now guys!" Shuji shouted.

Maggie and Alice nodded to each other. Together, they activated two abilities – the same being the first. "Ability, activate! Diagonal Relation between Pyrus and Darkus!"

Jelldon and Hydranoid raised their bodies once more, their attribute auras flaring with power. As their power levels arose to high extents, more electrical energy was surrounding Jelldon, as did Hydranoid.

"Alien Flare!"

"Hellion Pulse!"

A searing gleam of plasmatic heat blasted dead ahead, while dark energy surrounded Hydranoid's maw and ripped across the atmosphere into the enemy soldiers and their Bakugan. They all screamed as radiation or darkness intertwined in a maelstrom of havoc.

As they looked ahead, they looked to their savior. "Thanks, Shuji!" Maggie chimed.

Shuji looked ahead, reaching out as Fly Beetle's lower pincers glowed. He slammed them into the ground, sending a shockwave ahead. However, it didn't get too far before a Gate Card was thrown down by another soldier, which opened and dissipated the attack. He gnashed his teeth together. "Great. So now these guys are using the Interacian Bakugan." He exasperated.

On another part, Lena held up an ability card. "Phosphos, ability activate! Stealth Claw!" Another hydra-like Bakugan, Phosphos was more alien in detail, with a more humanoid figure. Phosphos gurgled low before he started vanishing. Moments later, the Scaboid in front of him was picked up, and thrown onto its back, crushing the Twin Destructor, causing it to explode.

Jesse smirked. "Our cast has quite an act to uphold." He reiterated. "Better not allow myself to be upstaged then. Plitheon~!" Between pages of his books, an ability card showed that he plucked. "Ability, activate! Slag Tornado!"

Plitheon's toe claws glowed and started shooting random green lasers down below, twisting every now and again in random directions. "You're gonna love this parting gift, alien swine!" He bellowed a venomous caw as the brigade was pounded nonstop.

"Keep it up, guys! We've gotta make it to the other side!" Ren ordered. "Linehalt, go!"

"On it!" Linehalt went racing through enemy lines, going on the offense and zipping at lightning quick speeds. He spiraled once and regained himself.

As Ren provided the offense, Atmos was sailing over enemies, far out of the reaches of Gate Cards. Jase looked down below, seeing a rather interesting sight.

Midway through the battlefield, Zukanator were firing ahead, but Prime Verias swung his axe and cleaved clean through each blast with golden traces in the hilt. Explosions went on around him. He exerted a loud roar that shook the ground.

"Ability, activate! Primera Pressure!" Shawn shouted. Verias was enveloped in a yellow aura and smashed his two fists in the ground. He darted off into the fray, violently swinging his battle axe and cleaving across a Jetro and two Haos Ramdol.

A Lumitroid hissed before it expelled a bright light from its eye, but the aura around Verias kept him from getting affected by the bright disturbance. Verias turned with lightning-quick moves and sliced into the eye, sending it back into the crowd.

When its battler was about to set out a Gate Card to stop Verias, a slash diagonally cleaved the card. The battler looked down, realizing a man with spiky blonde hair raised his head, narrowing his glare.

In a swift swipe, Shawn bypassed him, his rapier cutting into the chest armor up towards the neck. The man fell over with a scream. Shawn calmly stood straight up, looking down at the soldier he had just slain. He tried holding in his remorse. After all, it was just another soldier. A pawn in Riaan's ambitions. It was for the best.

He heard the sound of gunfire and instinctively ducked. Rolling over, another soldier walked towards him, his shots missing due to Shawn managing to evade.

"Hold still, you…" He saw Shawn standing firm and readied his shot. He snickered, but a shadow loomed over him. He turned around, only to see yellow that was littered in his blood. His body fell limply at the attacker's feet, his energy saber steaming off the blood.

Shawn looked ahead, meeting Luka with a serious gaze. The two Haos battlers had their Bakugan swinging and making a perimeter, battle axe and arm blades danced around them as they were lost in their own worlds for that short time. But, beneath that, underlies signs of respect.

Luka looked away modestly. "Watch your surroundings better."

Shawn blinked, turning away in a similar fashion. "Yeah. Sure thing."

Another armed soldier with an energy bladed axe came after them both. Shawn and Luka looked and braced themselves as he closed in and slashed…but rather than hit their blades, the clanging reverberated from another piece of metal. One that surprised Shawn and Luka alike.

"Luke!" Shawn exclaimed.

Luke stood his ground as he glared into his enemy. He was much taller than his own stature, but nothing he wasn't prepared for. His teeth gnashed together as he managed to deflect the axe blade with a swipe to the side. The taller soldier found his momentum lost, and thus, left Luke to strike.

"HRAH!" Thrusting, Luke pierced the guy's chest clean through. He pulled out just as quick, putting his left-handed stance together. With a gurgle in his mouth, the soldier fell dead, eyes wide devoid of life.

Shawn and Luka stared with silence falling upon them. They couldn't believe what they just saw…but it happened. They knew Luke meant it, but seeing him push through took even Shawn by surprise.

Seeing Luke standing there, looking down at the corpse in remorse, Shawn approached him. "Luke…"

Luke looked down, unable to respond. Instead, his mind drifted back to when he and everyone were in Thermosphere's underground. He had a sword, but couldn't bring himself to kill another creature that looked human. It felt wrong. But now everything was so twisted that even the concept of wrong felt right.

He looked down at his sword, seeing the blood dripping off the stainless steel. He calmly looked back towards his two allies, giving them assured looks. "I'm fine, guys. We need to get to Esther. No matter what!"

Shawn and Luka looked at each other, knowing that he was right. It was clear in his talking he may be slightly shaken, but that was war's convictions resting on his shoulders. They caught wind and turned in unison in opposite directions, cutting down two men back to back.

Luke stood and looked down at himself. To be completely honest, he felt like he was gonna throw up. He wanted to. But the bile wasn't coming. It's like his body knew to conserve itself. The only thing that he got out of his trauma, was a slightly shaken core. He turned around, slashing at another victim with a spear in hand. When he fell, Luke didn't have a hardened glare like Luka. He understood they were working for Riaan. And after what's happened, he can't let him get away with this. He cut another down, swinging a little too hard to make his side scream in pain.

He winced. 'Gah! Damnit! Those painkillers Jase gave me aren't gonna last too long! We have to get to Esther faster!' He raised his head. "Abis!"

As three men gathered around, they prepared firearms at Luke. Suddenly the Aquos battler was snatched by a serpentine head that interceded in all their way. They looked up, seeing Luke resting atop of Frill Abis Omega's head. They didn't have time before the ground beneath was starting exert water.

"Storm Drain! Plus Fusion Ability, Refractor Booster!" Abis raised his head, flexing all his frills that had a glossy shine that reflected on the growing maelstrom of water around them. The whirlpool flexed in a torrential blast in all directions, washing away men and Bakugan like a tsunami wave of steel force. Anything that hit it was hammered by harsh boosted water.

…

Deeper in the battlefield, Gundalians that were still able-bodied charged and did battle with the other Interacians. Though heavily armed as they were, the Interacian soldiers had the reflexes of Neathians, and the quick thinking of human beings. As Gundalians were using electrified prongs, the Interacian had metal that didn't conduct such electricity. This left them open to either open wound gashes or falling by physical combat.

Amongst the Interacians doing battle, Zion was no exception. His background surrounded by red electricity and dying screams of men, he ignored his Snapzoid's havoc and looked off into the distance, seeing explosions and the Interacian Bakugan being used by his soldiers. He watched how a Longfly used a tornado barrier to stop Plitheon's barrage of green lasers, which allowed a Darkus Glotronoid to vanish and get behind, kneeing him to the ground. He looked over to where Zenet was, as she was on Contestir's shoulder than below, where at their feet, men were raising weapons and calling out abilities.

'Seems that Galilea's plan has been beneficial after all.' Zion mused. 'Having trained Interacian armed for self-combat as well as Bakugan training will give our liege another distinct edge. But, unlike Galilea, there is one thing she lags in…' He heard screaming from the side, a Gundalian crying out for vengeance. Without even looking, Zion leaned away, allowing the Gundalian to fall forward right into the axe imbedded in his arm. It shredded his gut, leaving him gagging as he fell at his feet. Zion lookeddown, unfazed by his kill. 'Execution.'

An explosion of mist in the distance got his undivided attention. Feeling a spiked power level, he saw red hair and a sword swinging. A malicious smirk crossed his face as he spotted a familiar opponent. It grew wider when he saw another redhead at his back, the two raising blades.

"How interesting…" Eyes still locked onto their combat, he reached for his Bakumeter. "Lady Lucia. Lady Amina, get in position."

…

A Darkus Ramdol with a Zukanator laced to its back charged up a large blast before beaming after Brontes. Luka turned around just in time. "Brontes!"

"No problem!" The clown-like Bakugan brought his two outer arms together, conjuring a magical dice that rolled constantly. It ended on a "6", which created a reflective mirror that took the massive cannon and bounced it back. The Ramdol wasn't able to get out in time before it was swallowed in a black explosion.

An Aquos Ziperator was in midair, glaring down Frill Abis Omega. It soared in, its dull magenta glowing eyes screaming for battle. A blue energy whipped was made from its hands that lashed at Abis. Abis' frills glowed reflective gloss that Ziperator hit, making it bounce away.

"Ability, activate! Sea Ruler!" He suddenly erupted into a blast wave of water, with rings crossing made of water. In the midst of the jetting stream, Abis had his jaws snared in Ziperator's neck, who was unable to fight back with an ability.

The poor soldier who was commanding Ziperator saw the incoming water jet and ran, but he was too slow and was crushed by Ziperator and the volumes of water that sprayed everywhere. As Ziperator dissipated, in his place from the mist, Abis arose, flexing his fins to intimidate his enemies.

With his back towards Luke's again, Luka was growing impatient. "Hey, you back there."

"It's Luke." Luke stated calmly.

"Fine…Luke. Listen, if you have a plan, better come up with one." He paused, distracted with a polearm from a soldier that he swatted away with an energy sword. "Because we won't get your friend back if we fight all these guys."

"I know." Luke said. "We'll need to get around somehow!"

Abis and Brontes turned to find several Ziperator, Ramdol, and even Damakor with Battlegear that seemed to copy Linehalt's Boomix, only the variations were depending on the attributes. The end locked on, and triggers were pulled.

"Here they come!" Luka warned.

The Bakugan all fired various blasts to eradicate them. Luke braced an ability, but Verias landed in front on a knee, summoning a bright forcefield around them. The explosions erupted like mad, but inside, the ape's defenses were strong, and in turn made Abis and Brontes feel blue auras ignite their strengths again.

On Verias' shoulder, Shawn smirked. "Having trouble thinking, Luke?" he distressingly teased.

"Shawn." Luke gasped.

As the attacks receded, Verias lifted his barrier. Shawn jumped down to Luke's side, readying his fencer to cover any blindspots. "Listen. You and I both know you're smarter than this. We won't get to Esther and Atchibee this way. If there's anyone who has tricks, it's you." He glared ahead. "So whatever you gotta think of to get it done, do it."

Luke furrowed his brow at his best friend's insistence. He did have a point. He turned away to look back on the experience. They've been in situations like this before, a lot of times in fact. The whole time. And half of those, they barely powered through. Other times, they had to get away.

This brought him back to their adventure on Vestal when they came back from training. They had two teams going for them; diversion, and espionage. But now this was something they had to think smart about. Now unlike before, Riaan has soldiers, so power just won't cut it.

His eyes widened, realizing there was one thing he hasn't tried. Reaching for his Bakumeter, Luke pressed a button, getting everyone on there.

"Guys, are you all there?!" he shouted. "Can you hear me?!"

Almost immediately, Luke got an answer from another line. "Luke? Are you there?" It was Alice, and she seemed concerned. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, we're kinda trying to save our butts here, man!" Shuji argued.

Jase, as enigmatic as ever, calmly answered his line. "I believe that Luke has another idea. Isn't that right?"

Luke nodded calmly. "Yeah. I'll keep it brief. Listen guys, remember when we were in Thermosphere and it was about to make that warp jump?"

"Um…oh, yeah! I remember that!" Maggie gasped at the realization. "We busted the core and we barely made it out…wait, what are you saying?"

Luke looked towards Jase's line. "Jase, you and Shuji did a Warp Gate combo, right?"

Everyone present looked to each other with some mild understanding. It soon dawned upon them what Luke was getting at.

Hearing in while being aware, Abis glanced down at him. "Luke, are you saying…?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah. Instead of using it as an escape, we'll use it as an entrance. We'll get one card pass all these guys, and the other we'll be where you guys will meet up!"

Alice blinked, realizing the possibilities. "That could actually work. Hydranoid." She looked down, the hydra also looking up at her with symbolic recognition. She looked back at her Bakumeter. "Okay, if that's what you think. We'll get one ready!"

"Okay, everyone get set! We'll do our part over here, okay?"

"Heh." The scoff came from Shuji. "Better not keep us waiting."

"I won't." He ended the communication, with Abis getting beside him in understanding. He looked towards Luka and Shawn for their say in the matter. "Guys…"

Luka readied his sword, as did Brontes with metallic orbs with yellow metal blades attached. "Heh, and here I thought you showed enough tricks up your sleeves." He boasted, his green eyes searing into his foes. "Guess we haven't got any better option for the tome being. Just make it count!"

"We will! Let's go, Abis!" Luke activated an ability. "Ability, activate! Dive Bomb!" Abis folded his frills and ducked his head in. He barreled into the ground like it was water, becoming a luminescent blur that went beneath everyone's feet. The slithery blur traveled in the ground, bypassing all the Bakugan attacking aboveground.

Once it was out of sight, Luka huffed again. Shawn took notice. "What is it?"

Luka took a calming breath. He showed a grin…something that made Shawn's eyes wide with surprise. "…it's nothing." He brought his blade back. "So this is what it's like to fight with others."

Shawn smirked as he readied his fencer. "Better late than never." They both charged in, yelling out as Verias and Atmos lunged behind them.

Up ahead in the warzone, the ground was shaking with tremendous magnitude. The Bakugan engaging with the Gundalians were holding their grounds on the forefront of it all to keep them away. However, as tactful as they were, they didn't realize a blue shadow that slipped beneath and stopped between the opening to Empyrean and them.

The blue silhouette went up head-first, slowly revealing Abis and Luke. They were between quiet as they've made it behind enemy lines. They took one good look around to make sure al the forces were focused on the front. Once they were certain, Luke pulled out a Gate Card, and huffed as he threw it to the ground in a blue shockwave.

He spoke into his Bakumeter, getting another line up. "Okay, I'm all set here. You guys set?"

On the other end, explosions were going off as Jelldon was using his Petroleum Shield to keep everyone safe. Shuji, Shawn, Luka, and Alice had all their Bakugan reverted to ball form to ready for the jump. Maggie was the one who readied the Gate Card.

"Okay guys, let's hurry! Gate Card, set!" Maggie swiped her arm, sending the card to the ground in a red shockwave.

Luka glanced over, picking up on something in the distance. He instinctively turned. "Everyone, get down!"

They all heard him and barely got down when a blast of glowing blue orbs shot across the battlefield and into Gundalian lines. The Bakugan far in the distance were unprepared when the blue hemispheres exploded upon impact.

Peering up from that assault, Shawn kneeled. "The hell…?" He looked in the direction where it came from, but gasped when he saw a claw raising to strike down. With reflexes, he jumped backwards, evading the claw as it pierced the earth.

He jumped back into his friends, all of them getting back up to see their attackers. Maggie showed immediate dislike. "Oh come on!" She exasperated brashly upon seeing Lucia and Amina there, both Lumitroid and Nastix there beside them.

Shuji's fists balled. "Them again…" On his shoulder, Fly Beetle could be heard huffing. He remembered the two women all too well.

Lucia held an elegant stature, even in the middle of warfare. She confronted them with no less than a demeaning poise. "Milord has been expecting you all." She spoke. "As did we."

Amina whipped a lock around, looking unimpressed – or rather disinterested at all. "Hmph! Great, so more scum to wash off my heels? Honestly, hasn't anyone heard of janitors? I feel just sick being in this air with these things."

"The feeling's mutual." Shuji grunted. He had a feeling this wouldn't be that easy. He held up Fly Beetle for any possible defense, but he noticed a shadow zipping over them. "Huh?"

The shadow zipped again, getting Amina and Lucia's attention. When they looked up, green beams streamlined into their direction, but Lumitroid hissed, unleashing a beaming light that dissipated the attack before it could hit them.

Lucia and Amina looked up, seeing the shadow of a falcon race over them as something dropped from it. One would've considered it a "surprise", but this one looked more human in shape. The two women realized what it was and stepped back when a massive electrical prong stabbed the ground.

On a knee, the man revealed himself as Jase, his glasses gleaming with his eyes. Pulling out his prong-like weapon, he pivoted and swung around to make the women veer away a safe distance. He jumped back in time to escape a belch of acid from Nastix. He slid backwards, his heels nearly steaming as the acid burned a concave in the cold, dead rock beneath.

"Jase!" Shawn and Maggie shouted in unison.

Jase twirled his weapon in hand and posed. He frowned heavily as he adjusted his glasses to his other hand. "Sorry for the slight delay." He said coolly. "Seems that I need some better glasses if I was about to pass over you all."

Maggie put a hand to her hip. "Hmph, a sight for sore eyes much?"

"My apologies. At any rate, it seems that we have an impasse afoot." Beside Jase, Atmos lowered himself gently towards the ground. "Now then, would you ladies care to spare a few minutes with this old soldier?"

Amina was glaring daggers, biting her lower lip at earlier attempt of Jase's attack. "You…you almost touched me!" she exasperated. "You filthy little…!"

"Amina." Lucia scolded promptly. "Calm yourself. Honestly, your poise is completely in the wrong field." Amina growled at her before Lucia continued. "As expected of someone who has a favor of eluding trouble. But we assure you, Jase Mercury, as underhanded as you are, I'd rather not sully my thoughts of evasion a third time now."

"I wouldn't imagine." He looked back at everyone else. "Does anyone else care to partake?"

Suddenly from the group, Maggie ran up to Jase, Jelldon beside her. "I'll help! Right, Jelldon?"

Jelldon coiled his tentacle ends, almost like fists. "Right! You're not in this alone, Atmos!"

The falcon looked to his jellyfish companion, seemingly grateful. "I appreciate it, you two." He faced ahead. "Suppose we can make do with just us, yes?"

Jase nodded. He turned around and faced his allies. "I trust you all understand what's at stake here. Don't fret too much about us. We'll catch up very soon."

Shawn turned around, eyes closed. He seemed visibly annoyed, but he knew very well what's at stake here. "Better watch yourself, Jase. Maggie's a real handful."

Puffing her cheeks, Maggie pouted meekly. "Hey~!"

"Be careful." Alice advised. Her and everyone's Bakumeter was starting to ring again. Alice looked at her screen, the line revealing Luke. "Hello? Luke?"

"Guys, are you set over there?!" Luke yelled through the other end. "We need to move, now!"

Shawn sighed knowingly. "You heard him. Luke's getting restless over there…Maggie?"

Nodding, Maggie reached down to her Bakumeter. "Yeah, sorry about that. We'll be over shortly. We're all set here!"

Luke nodded. "Okay."

Together in unison, both Luke and Maggie readied the cards. "Gate Card, open! Warp Gate!"

The Gate Card everyone else was on began shining a bright light, quickly making them thin out until they were completely gone. In a flash, the card itself dissipated, leaving Jase and Maggie to themselves as Atmos and Jelldon reverted to ball form, as did Lumitroid and Nastix.

"Our prestigious leader and divine ruler has graced us this new opportunity." Lucia spoke eloquently, like she was all high and mighty herself. "I trust that you both are aware of the predicament that you are in."

Feeling the temperature in the air shift, there was a tension between the four. They had rivaled glares that showed both knowing the stakes if they didn't proceed onwards. For Jase and Maggie, they had to be vigilant. The former looked ahead as he addressed to the little girl. "I presume you feel this shift as well, Maggie?"

Feeling a small shiver, Maggie nodded. "Yeah I do. Something's really strange about those two…" She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew better than to take chances. "But we gotta make this count. The others need to get inside, so let's hold them out the best we can." She held up Jelldon. "Jelldon, I'm counting on you."

"I know." He growled, his ball form heating up with red static around it. "Let's do this!"

Clutching Jelldon, Maggie looked up. She and Jase were ready to confront these two, despite the insufferable air around them, she was just as serious about this as anyone. She wanted to see Esther again. And for that, she'll have to put her faith in Luke for that. 'Luke…don't forget what we said before. Get her back, for both of us.'

---

A white light bloomed in front of Luke. He stepped back to give the others some room as they transported in front of him. When the light faded, the transported cast stood firm in front of their receiver. "So it worked?" Luke gasped.

"We better move it right now." Luka said impatiently, his voice hinting dread approaching.

Luke nodded. "Got it." He was about to turn, but he realized the headcount was wrong. "Wait…" Looking at everyone again, he started furrowing his brow. "Where's Maggie and Jase?"

The others turned to each other, unsure of how to put it lightly. After a few seconds, Alice volunteered to step up. "Luke…" her tone was becoming apologetic, something that made Luke worry. "Listen, Lucia and Amina attacked us. They stayed behind to hold them off…sorry."

Shawn and the other men turned towards Luke, seeing his face falling to the ground. He balled his fists, turning towards the entrance. He had to hold back his anger for something greater. "…damnit." He had a good guess of why Jase specifically. He subconsciously put a hand to his numb side. It still hurt. 'So this is what he meant by me taking responsibility. Guess I don't have a choice now…'

He was about to proceed ahead when red lasers created a grid in front. He jerked back, surprised but not freaking out. "Lasers?" he gasped.

Luka picked up on someone heading their way. He swiftly moved in front of Luke to give him space to back off as a spear was swatted away. It pierced the ground near Luka's feet. He and Luke backpedaled as their sword were held up when a pair of footsteps approached.

Zion walked towards them, standing in their way with a determined face. He casually prodded the spear out of the ground, and glanced at everyone with a spite-filled look.

Luke's eyes narrowed, recognizing him almost immediately. "You…"

Zion cracked his neck upon tilting it. He cocked a brow, looking more amused than anything else. "Hello…remember me?" Behind him, electricity discharge in a flashy display, his Snapzoid arriving with a gurgling bellow.

They all braced themselves for Zion's attack, but as Luka was about to charge in, black electricity shot pass him, intercepting Snapzoid's electric field. The eel hissed as energy dissipated.

Zion's ecstatic face turned to a frown when he saw Linehalt touchdown in front of everyone. On his shoulder was Ren, who looked displeased upon seeing his attacker once again. "You again…boy." He huffed.

Ren's glare hardened on the armed cutthroat, his leg beginning to ache again just from seeing him. He remembered all too well what happened last time. This time, his eyes were wide open.

"Ren?" Alice questioned allowed. "Are you here too…"

Linehalt sat Ren down in front, the latter spreading his legs as he kept his eyes on Zion. "You guys go on ahead…I've got a score to settle with this guy." He was visibly seen balling his fists, teeth gnashing as his hip was aching some. "Linehalt and I…we can take him! Right?!"

Linehalt nodded. "You bet!"

"Guys…" Luke was touched, but that feeling didn't last very long. He knew what was at stake and pressed on around them. "Okay…thank you, Ren!" Hastily darting around, his eyes winced. Even running was getting to be troublesome. He and Luka raced to the laser grids, both standing in front.

"Use your sword!" Luka instructed.

"Right!" Confident given his experience with using his sword in a number of ways, Luke held out the blade with his left hand, and Luka with his right. They turned their blades as the laser energy and the metal were reflecting the skin-burning grid lasers. As they slowly turned, the reflected beams were bounced into the receptors. They shattered like glass, causing the grid to slowly flicker and fade away. They turned to each other and nodded in respects to one another. They looked ahead and saw the elevator doors in front of them.

Taking a deep breath, Luke calmed his nerves and steeled himself. He raced for the door, everyone following behind. "Let's move it!"

As they all barreled inside, the sound of a laser sword pierced the elevator controls. A click was heard in Zion's ears as he heard them going down. As much as he wanted to give chase to the hunt, he was much too focused on Ren, who stood in his way. The two had an awful silence brewing between them, which contradicted the explosions happening around them.

"Well, boy." Zion started. "Have you come to terms with what reality is now?"

Ren gleamed hate-filled daggers that hardened. "I never thought I'd be able to stand after what you did to me." He admitted. "You've done a lot of things to Gundalia that I can't forgive. You've slaughtered my people…you've hurt my new friends…and now you're taking apart our world for what? A synthetic utopia?" his tone shot into anger. "I'm gonna make sure that you see your reality is a blind man's folly!"

Stomping on the ground, Linehalt crossed his arms. "That makes two of us."

Zion mockingly chuckled. He was amused at how arrogant Ren was being. But he was best to amuse him for the time being. He held up his axe at the end of the poll. "Very well then. Amuse me, if you wish."

---

Down the elevator they went, and it was moving incredibly fast at that. They all had steadfast looks on their faces, as if they were preparing for what will come to them. There was no doubt in their minds this wouldn't be an easy fight.

Shawn looked up at the bright lights on the elevator ceiling. "So, if this thing is upside-down, that means Riaan's down at the very bottom."

Shuji had hands to his hips. "That's where I would be than be up here to have my minions do the work." His brow furrowed. "But I guess that's where she is, too. Right?"

Luka turned away. "Riaan's been doing a umber of forbidden ability experiments since Project Armagedoid." He pointed out. "He likes to keep these projects under watchful eyes. So of course he would have her there."

Alice looked down at her feet. "But wouldn't that mean we might have to fight Riaan as well?" She remembered how powerful Cyrus was with Zion back in the canyons. She looked at Hydranoid, who was on her shoulder and patiently glaring ahead. He knew what was coming.

Luka grabbed his sword as the elevator was slowing down. "Get ready!" Everyone behind him fastened themselves as they could hear the elevator coming to a stop.

The door slowly opened, putting them on a floor that was very similar to Thermosphere's entrance underground. Only instead a porcelain pathway lead to the floor's center. And it's also on there side was a hallway that lead to stairs that went down. But they were far from safe.

There were several guards with laser blades. There had to be at least two dozen of them glaring them down. "Intruders! Engage!" A soldier recalled the protocol, charging after them with the others.

Luke, Luka, and Shawn got in front to protect those who didn't have weapons of their own. Luka evaded two swings and made quick work of two by cleaving across their necks. As they fell, Luke steeled himself and parried a laser blade off to the side and slashed a man's armored face. The steam from his broiling blood was evident as he fell over. Luke pivoted and slashed another guy that got too close. He jerked back and found room as more were coming.

As one man raised his blade, Shawn thrust his sharp fencer right through the helmet armor. It was like a bee sting to the brain. The man gagged before he fell over and he advanced onto the next one, using swift motions to with and sear through the skin and armor provided. They fell over, one by one.

In a matter of minutes, the three armed boys were standing atop of dead bodies, blood spilled everywhere. The sight was a grueling one, but even Alice knew this was the price to pay. This was a battle they couldn't lose…she just hopes to keep her bile in for as long as she could.

At that, Luke dropped to a knee, breathing heavily. "Luke?" Shawn looked back towards him. "hey, what's wrong?"

His wound's numbness was dimmed somewhat since he was moving again. He cursed himself for not following Jase's instructions on keeping movement to a minimum. "…sorry. I guess I haven't recovered as much as I thought." He lied.

Shuji looked ahead, eyes narrowing. "Well you better start, because we got trouble coming."

At that, the center of the chamber entrance shined. A figure was morphing, revealing itself to be Galilea. The former co-head of Hades Pillars opened her eyes calmly, glaring down everyone in the room.

"Galilea." Luka grunted.

Galilea looked down at the dead bodies scattered around her. She sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Poor help." She snapped her fingers, and the dead bodies were teleported elsewhere. "At least their families will be insured. Now…" she tossed a lock behind her shoulder, putting a hand to her thick hip. "I don't believe we've given you permission to enter."

Having a feeling of where this would go, Shuji spread his heels. "That's what you think, lady." He held up his Bakumeter, with Fly Beetle opening in preparations. "Guys, we got her! Go on ahead!"

Having no time to argue, Luke withdrew his sword, and the others nodded at Shuji. "Okay, good luck." Luke murmured. He raced away with everyone towards the hallway, which curved downwards. Luka lead the charged.

Galilea nonchalantly began pressing mechanisms on her Bakumeter. A code was placed in it. As they made it towards the hall, a steel wall crunched from both sides. Had not been for Luka backing off so soon he would've fallen forward and had his body bitten in half.

"Sorry, but my protocols don't allow you inside." She told them.

Glaring daggers at Galilea, Luka sneered. "That's what you think." He turned back ahead, his laser energy sword brought up and pierced the metal. The hot, smoldering wall was slowly being carved into, until it made an upside-down U. The metal fell over with a loud clang, and everyone darted along. "Follow me!" Luka lead the way, and no one argued.

Once everyone was gone, Shuji and Galilea looked at the metal before they saw holographic lines connect, like a web. They streamed across and made a grid, and materialized into a new door. Shuji looked ahead for answers.

"The Vestal version of Empyrean had less inner security than this version. In this form, Empyrean is able to activate protocols to stop intruders on its own." She told. "As well as synthetic self-repair technology from Vestal, this version has a much sturdier defense."

"That may be…" Shuji glared. "But we wrecked that tower once. If we can move fast enough to get through those repairs, you're toast."

Galilea sighed. "We'll see about that." She held up her Bakumeter. "Our lord hasn't been in the best mood as of late, so I advise that you come back later…" her eyes narrowed. "Or rather, set up an appointment after we talk?"

Shuji fastened himself. He knew what she meant. "Fly Beetle." He hissed. "Ready?"

Fly Beetle nodded. "You bet."

Galilea: 100% Shuji: 100%

Shuji was the first to pull out a Gate Card, and he had to make it count in case of a pinch. "Gate card, set!" The card shot in between them, an orange shockwave running through the earth. Shuji spread his legs and braced for battle.

"Hey…you remember why we're here, right?" Fly Beetle said cautiously. "Not to break your mojo or anything…"

"Relax dude, I know." Shuji said. He vividly remembered what happened earlier when they fought Hades Pillars. They were on their home turf, and they barely got out last time. "No telling what kinds of new tricks these bastards got. Let's draw them out, ready?"

"Whenever you are." Fly Beetle shut his ball form, allowing for Shuji to seize him.

"Okay, let's roll. Bakugan, brawl!" Shuji tossed his pal in. "Bakugan, stand! Go, Subterra Stag Fly Beetle!" In an orange-brown light, a horn arose, as well as thin but firm joints. Stag Fly Beetle raised his hunched, bipedal form high, exerting a loud roar that shook the chambers.

Galilea mentally exasperated. Another insect to deal with was something that wasn't on her agenda. It irked her how relevant it was to a certain other insectoid user she had to dispose. Steeling herself for her work, she launched her Bakugan in. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Go, Ventus Buz Hornix!" A magenta blast wave went skywards, summoning the black, green, and magenta-themed hornet that hissed aggressively at her enemy.

Buz Hornix: 800 Stag Fly Beetle: 600

Galilea folded her arms. She was obliging for Shuji to make the first move. He knew better than to make her take head lightly.

"Okay…let's try this." Shuji pulled up an ability. "Ability, activate!"

Fly Beetle lowered his horn, which crackled with energy. It began compressing into a single point like a cannon would. Once ready, he lowered his head and took aim. "Giga Horn Buster!" He fired a strong blazing beam that coursed into Buz Hornix.

Buz Hornix: 800 (-300) = 500 Stag Fly Beetle: 600 (+300) = 900

Galilea readied a counter if her own. "Ability, activate. Hive Wall!" Buz Hornix hissed as it summoned green hexagonal barriers that materialized into a wall in front, increasing its power to 900 as well. The results were the brown blast pushing as hard as it could against the green hexagons, the end result being both offense and defense collapsing on each other.

"As we have said before to your friends, lord Riaan has no room for you." She retorted.

Shuji offered no retort. Instead, he and Fly Beetle snarled as they stood their ground.

"Ability, activate! Queen Needle!" Buzz Hornix' massive stinger on the end glowed bright green and charged towards Fly Beetle. The hornet shrieked as its target didn't budge.

Buzz Hornix: 900 (+400) = 1300 Stag Fly Beetle: 900

The two remained firm as the hornet closed in. With all his might, Fly Beetle reached out with his claws and grabbed the attack. The intensity it varied was massive, so much that it shoved him back on his heels, leaving a tail across the ground.

"Hang in there, Fly Beetle!" Shuji encouraged.

Hearing his partner, Fly Beetle toughened up his muscles. He pressed his heels deeper to cease his skid. He was able to keep the stinger from touching his face, though it looked tough. But he didn't falter again.

Galilea's eyes narrowed. "Suchphysical strength…"

"Now! Ability, activate! Subterra Gravity!" Shuji shouted. Fly Beetle's body was enlightened in an orange-brown aura that built up a gravitational pressure around him. Buz Hornix was in momentary freefall as Fly Beetle used her needle as leverage.

"You're going…DOWN!" Increasing gravity exponentially, he slammed the hornet on her thorax into the chamber flooring, causing a tremor that rattled the walls around them.

Buzz Hornix: 1300 Stag Fly Beetle: 900 (+500) = 1400

With Buz Hornix pinned from the gravity, it wasn't able to get up, as well as the massive lower body it had; it couldn't do anything as Fly Beetle came down, pressing it further into the ground. He stood over it, looking down menacingly at the grounded hornet. He balled a claw and thrust it into its face, making it whirl for a loop.

Galilea wasn't taking this lightly. "Your force is only going to backfire on you." She scoffed. She held up an ability, one that Shuji realized was coming.

"Yo! Fly Beetle!" At his call, Fly Beetle looked down. He realized what was happening and his wings shields opened, allowing for his four yellow wings to take him to the air.

"Ability, activate! Durandel Cannon!" Buz Hornix's eyes glowed green and the wings started humming, despite being on the ground still. The humming intensified into energy that went to the many spikes along the sides of the lower abdomen. Once ready, they unleashed thin but heavy lasts of green energy that all concentrated at Fly Beetle.

Before the blast wave could hit, Shuji activated another ability. "Oh no you don't…Fly Beetle! Let's go!" Shuji's ability shined. "Ability, activate! Horn Blitzer!"

Stag Fly Beetle's horn glowed solid orange-brown as energy compressed into it. He dove down at alarming speeds, his horn using its sharpened force to pulverize into the oncoming beams. His power shot up to 1800 in no time. They all spliced around him, his dive going deep as he crashed into Buz Hornix again, causing a deeper indent in the ground that was starting to cause a cave in.

The tremors and the support below were beginning to deter, so much that both Bakugan ended up making cracks that the ground was splitting open. Shuji was about to be swallowed, but Fly Beetle pulled back and lifted Shuji into the air with him. Buz Hornix, however, wasn't as reflexive due to being Interacian. It toppled down to the floor below, where equipment and men beneath looked up and were unfortunate to be crushed by a massive stinger bottom and debris.

Shuji glared ahead, his stomach wanting to turn into knots for the outcome. However, he steeled himself. He had to. He and Fly Beetle watched calmly as Galilea was on the far end, safe and sound, while Buz Hornix arose, hissing like nothing happened.

"You're strong, I can see that now." She stated.

Shuji's eyes narrowed, unconvinced. "But…"

"Our lord still won't allow you to pass through further." At her words, the floor beneath them rematerialized once more, holographic structures solidifying to a solid, clean floor once more. "I believe now you should see what happens to a queen when her hive is disturbed."

Shuji growled as he watched her Bakumeter reveal another ability, specifically, a forbidden ability. The core ws a dead giveaway.

"Ability, activate! Judgement-X!" A pulse ran through the chamber as Buz Hornix' body lurched. The large hornet had a purple core manifest on the body. The lines embedded and fused into the skin, creating a glowing dark green aura that crackled electricity. A hypersonic green tunnel shot from the main abdominal read, blazing into Fly Beetle. The insectoid was stunned in place, with Shuji also gritting his teeth at unable to escape.

Buz Hornix' aura intensified until it was readily charged. A massive green, dark green, and black blast shot like an aura cannon through the rings generated. They soared into them, attempting to swallow them with vicious force.

Buz Hornix: 1300 (+700) = 2000 Stag Fly Beetle: 1800 (-700) = 1100

The blastwave closed in, and Shuji and Fly Beetle were too blind at the moment to see it close in. But from the negative energy they were feeling, the former had n idea of when it'll be. With a few precious seconds to spare, he opened an eye.

"Gate Card…open! Chain Link Force!"

The Gate Card shined beneath, giving off a mirror-like projection that distorted the funnel, cutting it off from Fly Beetle and Shui. The two falter backwards and recuperated while the blast shook the airspace continuously, traveling its devastating wake back towards Buz Hornix.

Buz Hornix: 2000 (-700 -700) = 600 Stag Fly Beetle: 1100 (+700 +700) = 2500

The blast wave zoomed in at an alarming rate. Its force was so massive that it surprised Galilea herself. In a hurry, she showed another ability. "Ability, activate! Cell Force-X!" Having no choice but to use another forbidden ability, another purple core shined, transmitting the power into Buz Hornix' lower half. The hexagons all crackled and burst a massive green energy blast that erupted into the direction of the oncoming reversal. Buz Hornix manifested a humming sequence to reduce the impact. However, it was still too much and the green energy erupted in a reduced implosion, sending bright waves everywhere.

Galilea and Shuji covered up as the shockwaves pushed both their Bakugan back. The ability was nullified, but its pulses pushed the other down.

"Fly Beetle!" Shuji encouraged. Galilea, though, remained silent.

The dust quickly settled, revealing both Bakugan on the floor, but were severely drawn out. Fly Beetle arose slowly, while Buz Hornix laid on the ground. She hissed weakly, unable to stand.

Buz Hornix: 600 (+200 +800 +600) = 2200 Stag Fly Beetle: 2500

Buz Hornix reverted to ball form, landing in front of Galilea. She stared calmly as her life gauge fell.

Galilea: 40%

Fly Beetle reverted to ball form, the damage from their attack reverting back to normal around them like nothing happened. He was captured by Shuji, where he took a breather.

"Hey, you okay, pal?" Shuji asked with an open palm.

Fly Beetle opened in his palm, looking up to his partner with slow movements. "Yeah, I'm good." He said. "Man, that actually knocked the wind out of me."

Shuji had a feeling that was an intended move. If Fly Beetle barely stood there, she was going to do even more later on. He'll have to be even more careful if he's going to get out of this alive.

Galilea calmly bent down to pick up her Bakugan. Though it wasn't shown visibly, inside she was growing furious with herself at that attempt. She should've nullified the ability, but then that still would've left her open. Her lower jaw grinded with her teeth.

She remembered why she was demoted. It was something Riaan told her. "You are smart, Galilea, but your self-discipline has weighed heavily on you. You are someone who is used to having the worker bees do the work and you direct and watch over them. Like a queen hornet. And do you know what cruel fate awaits the Queen Hornet and her larvae when winter comes? They get disposed of by their own workers."

She saw now what he meant. Unlike Zion, she wasn't accustomed to handling the heavy business on her own. She's accustomed to dealing with it in group tandems. But even then, Amina was still a handful. It was time she had to get her way, the hard way.

Straightening her back, she gave Shuji a raised brow. "I see that I've misstopped." She spoke smoothly. "But I can guarantee, that won't happen a second time."

Shuji spread his feet again. Galilea was all warmed up…and she was taking her insectoid adversary as serious as her life depended on it."

---

Topside was a minefield, full of hell and explosions blazing everywhere. Bakugan were either putting up shields or attacking, whereas the company around was trying to get them to back off. For both cases, it was either way.

Within the battle zone, Jase had arms behind his back, with Maggie standing next to support him. They were looking at Amina and Lucia, the two hospitable leers emphasized by the sudden burst of flames behind them.

"Maggie…" Jase adjusted his glasses. "I presume you're well aware of our situation, yes?"

The Pyrus girl nodded. "Yeah, don't worry. These guys are tough. We just gotta get pass them to get inside." She looked specifically towards Lucia. "And she's the one you've fought twice now, right? The one who can see into the future?"

"Yes…which means even now, there's a possibility she knows each move we are about to make."

Maggie nodded. "Understood. Improvise then."

"Precisely."

Lucia: 100% Jase: 100%

Amina: 100% Maggie: 100%

Amina looked towards Lucia. "Well?" She saw the Haos battler closing her eyes, focusing hard. When her eyes flashed open, she gave Amina a studious look and nod. "About time. Gate Card, set!" Being first, Amina set up the Gate Card. "Now then, Bakugan, brawl!" she threw in her black, blue, and magenta Bakugan. "Bakugan, stand! Rise, Aquos Nastix!"

In a blue light, the atmosphere began quivering as Nastix arose for battle. The Bakugan expelled a predatorial gurgle that rippled outwards, causing Jase and Maggie to stand their ground.

Lucia was next. "Bakugan, brawl! Haos Lumitroid, stand!" In a bright yellow light, the ground beneath rippled as the light energy manifested into claws and a massive eye. Lumitroid stood, expelling a voluminous screech that split ears for miles.

Taking a step back, Maggie threw in her Bakugan next. "Bakugan, brawl! Pyrus Glow Jelldon, stand!" In a red glow, plasmatic energy currents sparked as a red, yellow, and orange jellyfish creature arose. Jelldon let out a loud shout, showing he was ready.

Jase did a sideswipe with his Bakugan. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Come, Ventus Gale Atmos!" In a green whirlwind, the funnel slithered into the sky, where it dissipated in a bright gleam. There, it revealed Gale Atmos, cawing out loud for battle.

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 600

Nastix: 700 Glow Jelldon: 600

Jase pulled up an ability first. "Ability, activate! Tailwind!" Gale Atmos emitted a loud shriek before a massive windstorm began surging. The area around him was becoming a draft as winds pulsed around him and Jelldon. The two were side by side, feeling lighter than before.

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 600 (+300) = 900

Nastix: 700 Glow Jelldon: 600

"Honestly." Amina held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Blind Shade!" Nastix's bulbs on the back were glowing brightly, like burning radioactive bulbs.

"Maggie!" Jelldon encouraged.

Maggie nodded. "You got it! Ability, activate! Hot Flash!" Jelldon's many tentacles and gel sacs around his body flourished. With a bright howl, the jellyfish expelled a gleaming red light, which pulse heat everywhere. This caused Nastix to veer away from the heat blast, and outshine his own light.

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 900

Nastix: 700 (-300 -100) = 300 Glow Jelldon: 600

Within the searing flash wave, Lumitroid's trained eye was keeping an eye on Jelldon specifically. The heat didn't seem to bother his body apparently as he hissed.

Catching a whim off this, Maggie balled her fists. "Here they come, Jelldon!" she warned.

"Ability, activate!" Lucia declared, looking calmly as Lumitroid raised his stinger at Jelldon. "Cluster Brace!" Lumitroid's claws glowed bright, before each individual pincer fired small rays at Jelldon. This caused him to brace himself while his power dropped to 400, whereas Lumitroid went up to 900.

"Ability, activate!" Jase called out, Atmos sweeping in quickly. "Aurai Shield!" Atmos' joint fans began spinning, creating a stronger wind shield that blew wildly. The light beams that struck it were eviscerated, and the drafts were causing Lumitroid to buffer.

Lumitroid: 900 (-200 -200 -100) = 400 Gale Atmos: 900 (+200 +100) = 1200

Nastix: 300 Glow Jelldon: 400 (+200) = 600

"Thanks for that." Jelldon said to Atmos, the shield of winds dispersing in front.

"Don't mention it." The falcon stated. "Now, shall we?"

"Yes!" Jelldon raised his tentacles. "Maggie!"

The Pyrus girl nodded. "Ability, activate! Bolting Sun!" Jelldon manifested a plasmatic hemisphere that bloomed with red static around it. He launched it with all his might, sending it hurdling towards the two Bakugan with deadly speed thanks to the winds.

Lumitroid: 400 Gale Atmos: 1200

Nastix: 300 Glow Jelldon: 600 (+500 +100) = 1200

As the fireball closed in, Lucia and Amina glanced at each other. Lucia narrowed her eyes, giving her rival a knowing glance. "Do it."

Amina huffed annoyingly. "Don't tell me how to brawl, especially with those gaudy rags." She pulled up an ability, one with a purple core on it. The atmosphere around them began thriving with a cold, creeping air that came from the aura emanating from Amina.

Once she was ready, her gleam darkened. "Ability, activate! Neo Glowcer-X!"

As the fireball closed in, a bright purple core enveloped Nastix. The chords lace around the body just as the plasmatic fireball hit home. It erupted in a blazing frenzy, one that made a lot of people sweat on the spot. Lucia and Amina looked up at the explosion, their figments undeterred by the sight.

Jase and Maggie glared intensely. They had a funny feeling this didn't go well.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Lena was guiding Phosphos when her spine started to crawl. She turned around, looking completely spooked. 'This energy…what is this feeling…?'

Jesse watched Plitheon do battle as he was in the middle of turning a page. He froze on the spot, silently turning towards the attack to come. Mason and Avior looked as bothered as Zenet and Contestir were.

As the fire diminished, the rest suddenly blew away in an ectoplasmic shockwave, one that bloomed everywhere. Blue energy discharged as Nastix unleashed a bloodcurdling bellow that raced across the ground. It drew into Jelldon and Atmos, who were quickly buffered away by the radioactive attack.

Lumitroid: 400 Gale Atmos: 1200 (-600) = 600

Nastix: 300 (+600 +600 +500) = 2000 Glow Jelldon: 1200 (-600) = 600

The blast waves were strong, strong enough to completely keep them from seeing straight. Jase kneeled to keep his tall height from being a factor, while Maggie was on the ground, keeping herself from being blown off.

"Jelldon!" Maggie shouted through the blast waves. "Do it!"

In the slimy, electrical energy, the jellyfish opened his eyes. Steeling himself, he expelled a rainbow shine from his center gel sac, which flourished outwards.

Amina looked ahead, exasperating. "Don't tell me…" her left eye twitched. She remembered watching the battle videos before about what Riaan had them overlook. She begrudgingly recalled a trait Glow Jelldon could do. "It's changing its attribute."

In the shockwaves, the light faded. The waves and winds generated suddenly changed direction around them. The plasma dissipated slowly, revealing the reason why it was all severing.

Winds were coming from the spinning of a dark green disc-like center, where the underside was exerting drafts that spliced apart radiation waves. This revealed a set of red eyes, which had dark green gel sacs and green-yellow tentacles all along the bottom, with a frilly segment along the top of the head. The disc-like center was dark green, which was spinning so fast Jelldon was starting to levitate off the ground.

"A Ventus attribute." Lucia saw, eyes narrowing. "As I've seen."

Maggie didn't waste a beat as she activated an ability. "Ability, activate!" The card glowed green instead of red, indicating a Ventus Ability. "Cyclone Barter!"

Jelldon exerted a shrilled cry that went out far. His disc-like center was spinning frantically, summoning an enlarged, green tornado that expanded outwards. It completely tore around the shockwaves and swallowed Atmos, Lumitroid, and Nastix. The Bakugan inside the winds were left stationary as they started feeling strange shifts in their power levels.

"What are you doing?! Speak you runt?!" Amina agitatedly demanded.

Rather than wait for an explanation, Lucia looked down at her Bakumeter. She raised a brow at what she was seeing.

Lumitroid: 600 Gale Atmos: 600

Nastix: 400 Glow Jelldon: 2000

The blonde fortuneteller's eyes blinked, realizing what Maggie had done. 'Our power levels have completely warped.'

"With Cyclone Barter, Jelldon creates a maelstrom that blows around everyone's individual powers." Maggie explained in general, specifically Jase. "It completely randomizes every Bakugan's power level on the battlefield with another, including our own."

Jase put a hand to his chin. "Sounds like a gambling move…but fair enough. Shall we?"

Maggie nodded. "You have the honors!"

Jase didn't hesitate as his Bakumeter shined bright green. "Ability, activate! Float World!" Atmos' eyes glowed green, his Tailwind Ability already stirring up a violent break in the wind that made Nastix and Lumitroid veer away. When they uncovered, the tornado that surrounded all of them was gone; rather, a green illusion of clouds was all around them.

Lucia and Amina looked left and right, but neither saw Atmos nor Jelldon. Their attention averted towards the skies, seeing high above, the two Bakugan were way over their heads.

Lumitroid: 600 Gale Atmos: 600 (+300 +100) = 1000

Nastix: 400 Glow Jelldon: 2000

Atmos let out a caw as he flapped all four of his wings. One huge cyclone blasted downwards into Nastix and Lumitroid. The two Bakugan barely moved…though from the wails they were giving off it didn't sound too pleasant.

Amina grunted as the winds were starting to pick up pieces of her dress. Her agitation served to only intensify. "Don't you dare think you rats have this won yet." With a venomous finish to her tone, she pulled up her Bakumeter. She started pushing in specific coordinates.

"Ready, Prozar." Blue material started congregating into the center above the Bakumeter. The pieces molded into the Battlegear, which Amina clutched.

With a huff, she sent it out. "Battlgear Boost!" She hurled the device into Nastix's back, the winds doing nothing to stop its lock-on course. The device glowed and brightened, making Nastix hunch over as the nuclear cannon morphed onto his back.

The creature released a feral gurgle as the tubes were interlocked with his slime gushing into the cannon, stirring up the liquid needed as his power climbed to 500.

Jase remained calm, though his eyes narrowed with some form of skepticism. "As I figured, she's using her Battlegear."

Maggie on the other hand, some level of surprise. "Wait, so that's her Battlegear." She recalled the Battlegear that Adam had used against Jase in their battle. It didn't look anything like the atomic cannon Nastix had on his back.

Lucia said nothing while Amina showed an ability instead. "Battlegear Ability, activate! Prozar Nuclear!" Nastix aimed the cannon up at both Bakugan. The glass capsule on the back began to gurgle with toxins that shined bright pink, much like the bulbs on his back.

With a voluminous shout, Nastix expelled a hot pink and magenta radioactive blast that shot up. The ground beneath nearly tore apart because of the intensity of the attack.

Lumitroid: 600 Gale Atmos: 1000 (-400) = 600

Nastix: 500 (+400) = 900 Glow Jelldon: 2000 (-400) = 1600

The oncoming magenta shockwave raced in an omnidirectional fashion towards Jase and Maggie. The ground was turning to ash as the shockwaves raced quickly. Upon seeing that, Jelldon raced in front of them.

"Jelldon, ability, activate!" Maggie shouted. "Jetstream!"

Jelldon leaned forward and growled as his body generated a high-leveled maelstrom that jettisoned in all directions. The winds were supposed to nullify and stop the ability, but the shockwaves of the attack bloomed clean through. The jellyfish looked stunned as he was struck by an atomic wave of energy.

Maggie gasped in horror. "Jelldon?"

Jelldon grunted as he was being dealt the blow, but was hanging in there the best he could. Atmos on the other hand was safely high up, looming down on his foes as the shockwaves were diminishing. They revealed the ground around them was completely leveled. The nearby Bakugan were all blown away or otherwise reverted to ball form. The only exception was Jelldon, who looked banged up, for a lack of better words.

"Jelldon!" Maggie loomed behind, being sure to keep her distance. She looked back at Amina, her glare hardening. "What did she even do…?"

Amina, seeing Maggie's plight, snorted as she lifted her head arrogantly. "Hmph, don't even bother looking at me like that you little troglodyte. If you must know, this ability can't be nullified. Too bad."

Jelldon deterred backwards, but he shook himself up and grunted. He steadied upright to counter. "I'm fine, guys! Let's keep going!"

Lucia calmly disregarded their encouragements and focused on her goals. Closing her eyes, she saw a few visions. Light being spliced by wind, and green raining down that preceded by a glow in the earth. Opening her eyes, she went to work. "Ability, activate! Irate Eye!" Against Atmos in the sky, Lumitroid aimed far up with his glowing cyclopean eye taking aim. He charged up a beam and fired into the sky.

Lumitroid: 600 (+300) = 900 Gale Atmos: 600 (-300) = 300

Nastix: 900 Glow Jelldon: 1600

At this, Maggie nodded. "Right!" She turned towards Jase. "Jase, some cover!"

Obliging to the request, the Ventus battler pulled out two abilities. "Double ability, activate! Diagonal Relation of Ventus and Haos, and Tornado Slash!" Gale Atmos flexed his wings, creating a bright green aura that enveloped his body. He cawed loudly as he went up against the Haos ability heading his way.

As the attack drew closer, he flexed them again. "Try this!" He swiped all four wings, sending glowing green crescents downwards that were given tailwind speeds, turning them into saucers that shredded the yellow blast. Even more rained down onto Lumitroid and Nastix, creating explosions that the earth couldn't handle much of due to the empowered Ventus abilities hammering them like rain.

Lumitroid: 900 (-200 -100) = 600 Gale Atmos: 300 (+300 +100) = 700

Nastix: 900 (-200 -100) = 600 Glow Jelldon: 1600

Lumitroid and Nastix were taking heavy fire by shredding rain. With them distracted, this was Jelldon's chance. "Now…" He spun his midsection disc again, ascending into the air through Gale Atmos' barrage. "Let's make it rain some more!" he shouted in courage.

Maggie nodded. "Ability, activate! Hover Beam!"

"Hiyyyaaahh!" Jelldon spun in midair, his tentacles all spread out. He yelled out as his lower tentacles straightened to look like a single tip. As he rotated above, green electricity surged in the many tentacles, glowing bright green before a large, powerful beam fired down onto them.

Lumitroid: 600 (-300 -100) = 200 Gale Atmos: 700

Nastix: 600 (-300 -100) = 200 Glow Jelldon: 1600

The green electrical laser beam closed in on its target, and it was dropping really fast. Lucia and Amina exchanged brief eye contact to let the other know of the move to come.

"Now, Amina!" Lucia announced.

Amina reached out towards the battlefield. "Gate Card, open! Ecto Dirge!"

The card shined brightly, with Nastix and Lumitroid both stirring and fastening themselves as the green beam was closing in for the killer blow. Suddenly the green beam's force was evaporating, so fast that just as it was about to make contact, it dissipated to thin air right before everyone's eyes.

Jelldon stopped his attack, his shock paramount on his face. Atmos stopped his attack voluntarily out of caution as they looked at the green clouds covering the card. Beneath, they were seeing ectoplasmic blue slime emerge. The slime bubbled up, getting to Jelldon's lower half as it was coming back to regular tentacles. It dragged him to the ground, while Atmos flew higher.

"Jelldon!" Maggie shouted.

Amina lowered her head, huffing exasperatedly. "Hmph…it's a good thing you warned me. Suppose I should maybe…thank you for this one, Lucia." She looked up, menacingly smirking. "Because, I don't have to worry about my dress getting filthy like my last one."

"One should learn from their mistakes." Lucia pointed out, opening her eyes. "But now, focus."

Amina scoffed. "Whatever. In case you were wondering, the Command Card, Ecto Dirge, nullifies all your abilities. It also prevents you from moving, let alone activate abilities. And that's not all…"

The ectoplasm in Nastix's body was starting to generate greater amounts of fluids. The slime and ectoplasm across the battlefield were being gushed into Nastix's body, which made the tubes and canisters brighten on Prozar.

"A Battlegear Gate Card." Maggie cursed.

Jase prodded his glasses as he and Atmos watched.

Amina smirked maliciously as she saw how helpless they looked. She huffed before daintily reaching out. "Battlegear ability, activate! Prozar Atomic!"

The two canisters on either side of Prozar propped open, fully charged with ectoplasmic energy beams racing across the ground. The head of the plasmatic cannon fired a far large beam that condensed the two beams around it. The erupting attack sailed into Jelldon and Atmos, discharging plasma and electricity that fried every fiber of atoms, creating spontaneous eruptions.

Lumitroid: 200 (+400) = 600 Gale Atmos: 700 (-100) = 600

Nastix: 200 (+400 +600) = 1200 Glow Jelldon: 1600 (-1000) = 600

The radioactive beam blazed across the battlefield, creating an ongoing explosion that surged into the enemy lines dead ahead. The photons and protons unleashed on either side was pushing soldiers and Bakugan away as the attack raced through the area towards Jelldon and Atmos. Everything around them was reducing to nothing, which was what Amina wanted to see.

The shockwaves of the attack erupted in all directions. The blast wave surge uncontrollably everywhere. The shockwaves surged into a typhoon that blazed skywards, making a magenta and blue crackling pillar of energy. The energy continued lowing, even as Amina was smirking.

Nothing was said, only expected results. They watched as the shockwaves were supposed to be cleared to show their enemies annihilated…

Suddenly, the radioactive wave were being spliced through. Showering green blades with tailwinds tore through one section, stunning Amina. "What?!"

Lucia said nothing. She glared as she saw another eruptive blast get torn apart.

The shockwaves were slowly shredding apart, green blades of energy racing straight through and dividing the attack in sections to reveal four wings flapping continuously. The flapping slowly diminished the assault, sectioning it off to reveal Atmos. The falcon looked completely unharmed as he was in front of Jelldon, flapping shredding energy blades that funneled everywhere.

"Impossible!" Amina covered up as wind blades were racing past her, while Lucia looked nonchalant. The blades kept bombarding the Gate Card, along with Nastix and Lumitroid.

Lumitroid: 600 (-300) = 300 Gale Atmos: 600

Nastix: 1200 (-900) = 300 Glow Jelldon: 600

Within the tempest, Jase was keeping his usual straight face and frown. His glasses refracted whatever light was possible. But if one looked closely like Maggie did, she noticed Jase activated an ability. She realized what he did. 'That ability…'

The Gate Card was shredding apart by the impaling blades. The bombarding attack continued on as Lumitroid covered up. Nastix, on the other hand, wasn't able to defend as cleanly. The Battlegear also weighed it down. With no defense against the shredding blades, he reverted to ball form, plopping to Amina's feet.

Amina: 40%

The shredding blade storm was ending, allowing Atmos to hover over the battlefield while Jelldon looked down, realizing the slime was gone as well.

Using a latex glove, Amina picked up her Bakugan. Her dress was fine – much to her relief – but she was still surprised at how she was countered. "But…how did I…?"

"Perhaps you should look down." Jase meekly pointed to the ground. Amina and everyone followed his advice and looked at their feet. Instead of dirt, they still saw green mist-like clouds. "As you might be aware, Float World is an ability unique to Gale Atmos. It also makes him immune to Gate Card effects far below. Hence that attack you saw…was our Typhoon Splicer."

Atmos cawed loudly, with Jelldon raising his tentacles to show he was still in the game.

Amina looked down at her latex-gloved hand. She was so stuck on what happened that she didn't notice Lucia stepping up. Her eyes shrunk with surprise. "You…did you tell me this would happen?!" she accused.

"It matters not if it did." Lucia pointed out. "What matters is that we now have them in the open. Our graciousness has told us to be ready for them and their abilities that we have all evaluated. You brought this onto yourself."

"You kissup…"

"As it stands now, we can now finish this round as I have foreseen…" She opened her eyes, revealing her left arm rising to entail another ability with a red core. "The way that it shall end."

Jase and Maggie felt their guts tighten at seeing the ability. Atmos and Jelldon also had unnerving feelings as they felt another temperature shift around them.

"Ability, activate…Solar-X!"

A bright purple core appeared in front of Lumitroid. The Bakugan hissed painfully as the chords were entangling him up to every nerve. The eye suddenly pulse, shrinking to show veins throbbing along the red flaps that lead to the cyclopean center. The Bakugan emitted not a yellow light, but a strong, harsh, magenta light that beamed with deep levels of radiation.

Atmos and Jelldon screamed as their bodies were struck by superheated radiation. Their bodies were searing and steaming as they couldn't find it in themselves to move as the sun-like gleam stun them. Atmos raised his neck up, the feathers starting to heat up intensely to where he was getting uncomfortable.

Maggie covered up, her brown eyes unable to see through the radiance. "Gah! What's this?! A…paralyzing sun blast?!"

Jase barely squinted. He used his forearm to shield from the direct concentration, but he saw his Bakumeter showing distressing results.

Lumitroid: 300 Gale Atmos: 600 (-100) = 500

Glow Jelldon: 600 (-100) = 500

"So…bright…" Jelldon tried to hang in there, but he wasn't getting anywhere. The magenta rays were keeping him and Atmos in place as Lumitroid hissed menacingly.

With a scoff, Lucia decided to finish it. "Ability, activate! Leech Glare!" The magenta light that Lumitroid was giving off had turned slowly to piercing yellow rays that gleamed on Atmos and Jelldon. Both Bakugan grunted as the light was equally as strong as it was sapping their already weakened states.

Lumitroid: 300 (+200 +200) = 700 Gale Atmos: 500 (-200) = 300

Glow Jelldon: 500 (-200) = 300

Unable to take it anymore, both Bakugan reverted to ball form, rolling to Jase and Maggie's feet as the battlefield returned to leveled dirt.

Jase: 20%

Maggie: 20%

Lumitroid reverted to ball form, caught by Lucia. She held her composure smoothly while her opponents went to pick up their Bakugan.

"Jelldon, are you okay?" Maggie worriedly asked.

Stirring in ball form, Jelldon popped open to face her. "Yes, I'm good." He assured. "Sorry about that, looks like she caught us off guard."

Maggie nodded. "I know…" she looked back at Lucia. "She saw this coming. She can see into the future…guess this means we'll have to be even more careful."

Jase prodded his glasses. "Whether or not we succeed, our goal is to get inside Empyrean. If they already can see what will happen, we'll best have to play along. For now, getting out of this minefield is our problem."

Maggie nodded. "Right."

On the other end of the battlefield, Amina was seeing how fastened they were, despite how lackluster they were that round. She snorted in arrogance that her life gauge hadn't fallen nearly as low as theirs did, but it still pissed her off how they countered them.

Seeing her plight, Lucia turned a glance at her. "Save your plight for later." She told her. "For now, remember the objective."

Amina scoffed again. "Hmph, fine." She raised a brow, darkly leering at them. "Besides, I'd like to make them pay for that latex glove I had to use. Much smooth fibers gone to waste…"

"Indeed." Lucia dryly agreed.

---

Another iron doorway fell over. Luka poised with his laser sword while everyone ran around him to the next sector of the corridor. He followed through last just begore synthetic lines materialized in place of the fallen iron wall.

As they kept going, Luka hastily caught up to them, leading the pack towards the next open chamber down below. "Is Riaan's room really this way?" Luke questioned.

Luka's hardened face gleamed ahead. "There's no doubt about it." He veered a sharp right, the others quickly pacing behind. "His negative energy is stronger around here. We're getting closer."

Luke chose not to doubt him. He could already feel his skin crawl from his shivering sensation. It was hard enough to breathe smoothly while this fumigating air was poisoning Gundalia. The only thing that kept him going was the image of Esther and Atchibee again. 'Guys…'

They all made it to the next area, which was open. It looked a lot like a sweatshop, only instead there was highly advanced weaponry. Steel weapons mounted walls like products at a grocery store. The area that it covered though, it was almost twice as big as one.

"Where are we?" Alice questioned, her tone bearing wariness.

Shawn put a hand to his hip. "This looks like some kind of weapons bureau for crafting, or something like that." He looked beside him, seeing a cart that housed lances. "Look at all this…" He wanted to touch one, but for now he knew to keep his priority and safety in check.

Luka stepped forward, looking left and right at the surroundings afoot. "Looks like we've stepped into where he organized his recruits." He lowered his sword, deactivating it. "He must have had Galilea or Zion outfit them in all this metal."

Luke's brow furrowed as a disturbing thought came to mind. "You don't think all this metal came from duplications from other planets, don't you?"

Shawn looked over, seeing the ornate designs of a mantle that goes over shoulders. "Hard to say, considering the planets we've been to so far. But I think this is all from Earth. It has to be. We do have a history with evolutions of warfare modeling. Still…" He tapped his knuckles on a set, hearing how the sound bounced like glass. He backed away. "I knew Riaan was into human history, but I didn't think he'd be this fascinated by it."

"And he's using this crafting and fusing it with Gundalian and Vestal resources." Verias accounted.

"Which also means that because of that, Riaan's forces are more versatile than Gundalians." Hydranoid deduced.

Alice put a hand to her chin, looking down. "Vestal technology…human adaptation and designs…and Gundalia's Battlegear and strength…" She turned towards Luke and Abis. "Luke, you guys have been through Interacia, haven't you?"

Luke looked at Abis, the latter facing him before turning towards her. "It was back when we were finishing up business on New Vestroia. The planet was in bad shape that everything was collapsing around us."

Luke turned towards Luka. "Hey, Luka. You've been to Interacia recently, haven't you?"

Luka crossed his arms, catching onto what the others were getting at. "Yeah, I've been there." He looked at his Bakumeter, pressing several buttons before the screen flashed. It revealed several images that have been taken by Luka that he saved. "As you already have noticed, he takes the most beneficial of each species and their natural properties. Since New Vestroia and Earth, his world has been rapidly changing. See for yourself."

They all looked at the screens shown. What they saw was completely astounding them. This wasn't anything like Luke and the group had to go through the last time they were there. Instead of rock and chasms, there were plateaus and land formations present. The water in the oceanic shorelines were starting to show signs of blue. The crude rock that they had to off of was different, baring sediments and different deposits. Even now, they saw tree life and various wildlife growing atop formations and down below.

In one frame, they saw a valley with growing jungle life. In another part of it, they saw high-tech railways that lead to cities and places that had reinforced cities. The materials they were made of were obviously Vestal-improved. But even looking at it now, they could see nothing but slow, growing beauty.

Luke's eyes widened in disbelief. "It…can't be…"

Shawn whistled, seeing hills with green grass than the unstable marshy hills topside. "Damn. Riaan's really changing up the place." His fists balled. "It looks completely different from last time."

Before they could awe any further, Luka disengaged the pictures. "I doubt he'll need the physical properties of Gundalia. He just needs its designs on Battlegear and Mobile Assault vehicles. He's just using the cannon fodder outside to test out the Battlegear before moving onto the next stages."

"So you're saying that he may very well be readying Mobile Assault vehicles?" Alice wondered.

Luka scoffed. "If he did, he would've sent them out already. He needs the materials for all that first, and Gundalia is fairly limited…which means we have to stop him before he makes his next jump back to Interacia before that happens."

They heard the sound of footsteps from ahead, immediately drawing their attention away from each other. "Someone's here!" Luka's warning braced everyone as quick as lightning as they saw someone advance.

Walking calmly, Magnus stood against the many contenders. He gave them all stern looks that showed he was serious and astute on not letting them get away.

Recognizing his foe from the chasms, Shawn's brow furrowed. "You…" he growled. "Should've figured you'd be around here somewhere."

Magnus glared back, nodding his head up like he was meekly greeting. "Yo. Figured Lucia would say something about trespassers when she saw it." He walked up, standing several meters in front of them. "Now listen, I gives you applause for what you did back there…but I ain't using my hands for something so stupid as that."

The others could feel a growing aura around them. The air tensed as the temperature was dropping slightly around them. They had a feeling this guy wasn't going to let them pass, at least not without a fight.

Luka aimed to get his sword, but a fencer swiped in front of him, impeding his path. "You guys go on ahead." Shawn glared daggers. Magnus seemed to reciprocate them.

"Shawn?" Luke gasped.

"Look I get it, but if we stop here, then we won't get to Riaan, or Esther and Atchibee for that matter. You guys better make it. I'll catch up when I can."

Luke wanted to argue, but he knew much better than that. He learned from his arduous perils with Shawn and through the first run in Empyrean that he had to hold faith in his best friend. Of course, Luka vouched otherwise.

"He's a strong opponent. You can't handle by yourself." His disbelief was handcuffed by a hand touching his shoulder. Looking over, he saw Luke looking directly at him.

"Luka…let's just go." He whispered. "He's right."

Luka furrowed his brow, wanting to refuse. He was about to even when he wanted to run Magnus through right now to get it over with. But then he figured something like a self-defense mechanism would occur. He had to remember Empyrean's security measures may be linked to them. Ultimately he chose to turn and run down the domain away from them.

"We're going, Luke!" Alice followed next.

Luke nodded. "Okay!" As they went off, Luke looked back at Shawn. "Be careful!"

Shawn made sure his fencer remained in hand, heeding Luke's worries. He stayed clear of the distance between himself and Magnus, the Subterra man's arms folded and looking down cockily somewhat.

"You know, my man Zion would probably like to see you." Magnus commented nonchalantly. "After what you did and using that little stick, figures he'd take a liking to you, like he did to your friends going right now."

Shawn meekly grinned. "Yeah, I figured that would be the case. But like people say…beggars can't be choosers."

Magnus cocked a brow beneath his visors. He took the statement more personally to a certain level of respect. "True that."

Magnus: 100% Shawn: 100%

"You know on the streets is no grudges go unturned." Magnus showed a Gate Card. "Hate to do this to you, but I'm gonna have to gun you down right here. Gate Card, set!" In an orange-brown shockwave, the card dissipated. Magnus grabbed his Bakugan. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Go, Subterra Glotronoid!"

In an orange-brown light that shined along the ground, Shawn covered up from the shockwave that blew around him. His teeth gnashed together as he battled through the shockwaves of Glotronoid rising. The armored lizard-like Bakugan had magenta lights brighten around the body as its eyes gleamed with a dull gaze.

"Looks like we'll have to pick up from where we left off." Verias commented. "Shawn, I'm ready."

Shawn nodded. "Yeah, might as well be." Verias closed his ball form so Shawn can throw him in. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Haos Prime Verias!"

In a yellow light, a large, rough white mane flourished as a massive battle staff with golden ends suddenly protruded a blade end. It cleaved into the ground, where Verias was hunched over and unleashing a primal roar that echoed through the whole domain. The metal churned and rattled on the walls and pedestals.

Glotronoid: 700 Prime Verias: 600

Prime Verias released a bloody howl as he ran on his hind legs, with his staff between his two hands across the ground like a gorilla. He bolted into Glotronoid, evading a claw swipe. He hooked his arm around the arm Glotronoid used and turned. He suplexed him onto his back, pinning him to the ground. Verias raised his axe to deal a deadly blow, but Glotronoid's slender swiftness made him barely miss the claws that swiped. He turned on his heel as he slid across the ground. Turning around, he used his elbow armor to block Glotronoid's head smash. Both were hanging on as both sides balled for the stalemate.

Magnus was the first to open an ability for offense. "Ability, activate! Glow Jacket!" Glotronoid's body began expelling a bright gleam from the accents on his body. They infused him with power, beginning to push Verias back.

Glotronoid: 700 (+300) = 1000 Prime Verias: 600

The lizard was using his searing light as leverage as Verias was trying to gain some measure of ground, but was finding it winding down. His sharp teeth gnashed together as he kept it together.

"Ability, activate!" Shawn countered. "Primera Pressure!" Verias' body started shimmering a golden aura of its own. The Bakugan could feel his power surge higher as he ceased skidding backwards.

Glotronoid: 1000 Prime Verias: 600 (+400) = 1000

Verias' heels slowly came to a halt, footholds finally in the metal beneath. He started leaning forward, using his bulky physique to finally shove Glotronoid back. When he landed, he saw Verias swing his axe at him.

"Ability, activate! Mal Impact!" Magnus countered. Glotronoid's head gem started glowing before firing a thin ray at Verias closing in. The gladiator gorilla ceased his advance and turned on his heel, evading the attack as it blasted into a wall far behind instead. The sound of metal clanging was so intense that it almost rivaled the tremors that was caused from the blast.

Glotronoid: 1000 (+200) = 1200 Prime Verias: 1000 (-200) = 800

Glotronoid took aim for Verias and charged up another laser. As it hummed, the monkey clutched his battle axe tighter.

As if on que, Shawn readied the ability. "Ability, activate! Bolt Cutter!" Verias' blade began glowing yellow along the edges, with a slight hum that meant it was using light energy. He charged straight through with a primal shout.

Glotronoid fired another beam, this time Verias brought his blade back. "Not this time!"

He swiped. In a yellow gleam, not only did he pass through the attack and bisected it, but he landed a deep gash into Glotronoid, spilling Hao energy that flourished as the lizard hissed in pain.

Glotronoid: 1200 (-600) = 600 Prime Verias: 800

Verias struck a pose on a knee behind Glotronoid as the Interacian Bakugan scowled weakly, getting to a knee. Shawn didn't take the chance lightly, neither did Verias as they saw their adversary growling low.

"Not bad." Magnus commended. He reached out to the battlefield in front. "Gate Card, open! Flat Power!"

The Gate Card beneath Verias and Glotronoid glowed bright. Looking down, Verias was feeling his power flatlining. While that, he turned around slowly, seeing Glotronoid there snarling.

Glotronoid: 700 Prime Verias: 600

'He brought our power levels back to base level.' Shawn realized.

Without another break of sweat, Magnus went for another ability. "Better out come out before I bust you open. Ability, activate! Giga Luminate!" Glotronoid's accents shined again, though this time they were far harsher than before. They seared in all directions, causing a blinding, paralyzing ray that Verias had to bunker from.

Glotronoid: 700 (+300) = 1000 Prime Verias: 600 (-300) = 300

Verias grunted as the light was so bright. He couldn't see ahead of him. A swift blue brushed passed him, making him wince. Glotronoid tackled him from the side, then from the other. He was throwing Verias off until the gorilla was spreading his legs.

He looked around, seeing where he might be. A bright gleam came from behind his shoulder. He barely caught that it was the glimmering Glotronoid ready to slash.

"Ability, activate! Territory Heart!" Shawn applied the defense as Verias brought his weapon up, like Shawn did. An angelic, yellow-like energy encompassed him like a forcefield. Inside, Verias' body twinkled with light that was healing his body. Outside, however, Glotronoid raked the barrier, but bounced off. His light faded from his body.

Glotronoid: 1000 (-300) = 700 Prime Verias: 300 (+300 +300) = 900

The lizard was still in midair from the recoil of hitting the barrier. Suddenly Verias seized his tail and slammed him overhead into the ground chin first. The impact dented in the metal on the flooring. Verias jumped back to keep distance firm.

"Shawn! Now!" Verias insisted.

"Right." Wanting to finish it, Shawn pulled up an ability. "Ability, activate!"

Verias planted all of his limbs on the ground, firmly making each one shudder the area around them. The emerald gems on his body started glowing, emanating energy that was tracing up to where the purple gem was. It hummed brightly as Verias closed his eyes, concentrating. When they opened, he and Shawn shouted the attack.

"JADE SURGE!" With a gleaming bellow, Verias' maw widened as a concentrated light blast shot from the gem on his forehead crown. The air shook as the attack pulsed in his opponent's direction, who was still on the ground and unable to move.

Glotronoid: 700 (-300) = 400 Prime Verias: 900 (+300) = 1200

The attack closed in on Magnus and Glotronoid, but the former had remained completely calm as a wall of light was heading his way. He scoffed, but was quick to react.

"Gunning down someone who ain't standing ain't all that noble." He pulled up his Bakumeter, showing a bright purple core ability. "But it is to take out your threats…ability, activate!" The card shined magenta, despite the bright purple core on it. "Prominence-X!"

A bright purple core attached itself to Glotronoid just before the light energy swallowed him. The blast wave expanded into a shockwave that raced pass Magnus. He stayed firm while the weapons all around him were stirring and being blown off the shelves. Armor clanged to his feet, but he ignored it.

Shawn and Verias gleamed ahead, seeing flame-like light take up the spot where Glotronoid was. Neither were certain if they got to him in time.

BA-DUMP

A heartbeat ran through their bodies. Verias felt his fur stand on end as he felt an all too familiar feeling. "Shawn…"

He readied his fencer. "I know…"

He and Verias looked ahead, seeing a magenta light take over and consume the bright rays around it. The magenta was even trembling as a small magnitude rocked around the earth some. They gasped when there was sudden plumage of gravity that struck them.

Glotronoid emerged from the light, bellowing immensely. A gravitational shockwave expelled in all direction, shaking apart the chamber. Graviton shockwaves rampaged like crazy, blowing metal and scraps everywhere.

Glotronoid: 400 (+300 +800) = 1500 Prime Verias: 1200

Verias slid back from the intense force, barely gaining ground. He shoved his battle axe into the ground, piercing it for coverage. Shawn did the same, running his fencer between two metal plates. Both held on as the shockwaves continued blooming.

"Do it!" Magnus reached out, getting his Bakugan to obey. Glotronoid hollered, making the depressed gravity field around him stop for one moment, before seconds later, it expelled in an intense blaze at Verias.

The ape was too preoccupied with using himself as a shield so that metal wouldn't hit Shawn. His furry bulk was taking the swords, and the helmets that clanged against his armor. Glotronoid unleashed an even stronger pressure that zeried in one Verias, whose defenses weren't able to be blocked.

Couple by the tight confines of the chamber they were in, he couldn't evade, and Shawn had no choice but the jump and roll as the shockwave dragged on. He fumbled onwards until he kneeled, armor and weapons with lances on them breaking his roll. It pained, but better safe than sorry standing up.

Verias rolled in ball form to Shawn, the shockwaves diminishing some.

Shawn: 40%

Glotronoid reverted to ball form, which was captured by Magnus. The Subterra battler looked around, realizing the scraps that were littered around him from the battle that was happening. He rubbed the back of his head, groaning. "Man, that bigass uptight manager is going to kill me."

Shawn wiped any residue off his face, grabbing onto Verias. "Hey, you okay Verias?" he asked.

The ape managed to stir, hearing his partner. "Yeah, I'm okay…" he grunted. "We didn't react in time. Sorry, pal."

Shawn clutched the fist his partner sat in. "Don't be." He insisted. He turned his attention towards Magnus. "We just have to hold him off for as long as we can…so let's make this next one count." He hoisted himself up, readying himself for the next round. 'Esther. Atchibee. Better be in here or we're gonna lose it…'

---

Stag Beetle soared at full speed into Buz Hornix. The massive hornet was too slow as her thorax was struck by the horn. The Bakugan jerked back, giving a vibrant hiss of annoyance, while Fly Beetle sailed backwards at the same elevation.

Shuji glared daggers. 'She's hanging in there.' He looked up, seeing Fly Beetle sail around for an opening to attack. But Buz Hornix was turning with her huge thorax jutting out. Fly Beetle's horn met the stinger, but the collision made both Bakugan recoil due to shock. Fly Beetle landed on his hind legs, while Buz Hornix remained skywards overhead.

Shuji readied an ability. "Ability, activate! Stag Bullet!" Fly Beetle aimed high, his power level jutting up to 200, while Buz Hornix' level went down to 600. His horn glowed and fired off bullet-like projectiles that went up towards the abdomen.

With her huge bulk, the hornet wouldn't be able to sustain the damage for very long. The attacks kept blazing in, but Galilea refused to back down.

"Ability, activate!" She yelled calmly. "Queen Riot!" Buz Hornix scowled as she fired massive green darts from her massive underside. They projected like rain that met the bullet-like attacks in the center. The results being some of the projectiles slowly overpowering and getting through Fly Beetle's raid.

Fly Beetle grunted as his power dropped to 500. One spear blasted his shoulder, buffering him, but he withstood it. Then another. Then another. He needed to hang in there, at least until Shuji could get him out.

As if reading his worries, Shuji readied to use an ability to fight back. "Fusion Ability, activate! Grand Booster!" Fly Beetle's body was enveloped in a bright orange-brown aura, while made his red eyes gleam that same color. He yelled out as his projectiles suddenly expanded, turning into bullet blasts almost twice their size that blazed through Buz Hornix' attack.

Buz Hornix: 600 Stag Fly Beetle: 500 (+400) = 900

The projectiles hit with great force, exploding upon impact and bashing Buz Hornix. Her hisses her muted as an orange-brown explosion took up her space. Shuji and Fly Beetle glared on, both undeterred by any need for commentary.

Shuji knew better than to blow his top when he knows his opponents might have an ace. This wasn't anything back in Thermosphere when he battled Killian. There was a lot of talk there. The stakes weren't as crucial as they were now. He had to focus all his energy and stand his ground.

Galilea ignored the smoke cloud overhead and calmly gazed at Shuji. She huffed as she reached out. "Gate Card, open! Silent Land!"

The Gate Card shined beneath Fly Beetle. He looked down, but realized that he was immobilized. "Gngh! This card…"

Above, the smoke cleared. It revealed a set of multi-cellular eyes, which reflected Fly Beetle's image. The smoke dissipated, revealing Buz Hornix glaring down.

"Fly Beetle!" Shuji encouraged.

"I know!" he grunted. His own multi-cellular glare was glimmering. His body was tensing up as he was slowly balling a fist. "We…won't…be suppressed!" The claws that were now balled up were being pulled back.

Galilea's eyes widened. She was seeing Stag Fly Beetle attempting to move on his own. 'Such physical strength!'

"HRAH!" Punching the ground, fighting the immobilizing force, Fly Beetle caused the ground to quiver as the card was shown to be cracking. He lifted his claw, pulling it back for another strike to the ground.

Shuji punched with him, his face showing determination. "Don't stop!"

Galilea didn't like this. She had to take action, and quick! She pulled out an ability. "Ability, activate! Barbarian Tornado!" Buz Hornix hissed as her wings were vibrating. They stirred up a vicious green cyclone that surrounded her, which sped into Fly Beetle.

"HRAAAH!" Fly Beetle punched the card hard once more, causing it to crack even more. The force was so great that the shards were in midair. Though he was able to break away from the Gate Card by sheer force, the insect realized a draft. He looked up, just as a vicious whirlwind picked him up.

"Crap!" Shuji yelled.

The tornado thrashed around the insect, causing him to yell. Fly Beetle roared as the tornado visibly tilted downwards, driving him into the ground with a tremor.

Buz Hornix: 600 (+300) = 900 Stag Fly Beetle: 900 (-300) = 600

Fly Beetle laid there, groaning as the shock from the last battle kept him from getting up too soon. He morphed to ball form, choosing to reserve his strength than spare anymore chances.

Shuji: 40%

Shuji went and picked up Fly Beetle. He looked pretty worn out, but he knew better than to question why. "Hey, pal, you okay?" He got a nod from him. 'Guess that last round must've busted his defenses. She's strong…' He watched Buz Hornix return to Galilea. 'A lot stronger than Killian and Nene. She wasn't fooling around when she saw us unable to use abilities.' His face scrounged up. 'Which also means, it's gonna get a lot harder to get out of her sight. We're gonna have to go big this time.'

Reading his expression, Fly Beetle popped open. "Shuji…I know that look. You wanna stand your ground again?"

Shuji smirked, scoffing. "Heh, like you know it. Isn't it obvious?" He looked up to her. "Alright…let's make this next one count."

"…" On the other end, Galilea patiently observed Shuji. She wanted to see what he was up to. But instead of wanting to crush him this round, she took one look at her Bakumeter. It had a small icon on it, which was beeping meekly.

She darkly turned back, her face unyielding to show something she hadn't had the chance to use before.

---

In the throne room, there was a disturbing silence that fell between Cyrus and Riaan. The two were seemingly patient for something, or rather, someone. Regardless, both Darkus men remained in the darkness, idly passing time as they could feel the battle energy rampage. Often, the room would show magenta ley lines, which glowed the brightest at Riaan's feet.

"Seems that our pees are handling the brigade, milord." Cyrus nonchalantly pointed out.

"So it would seem." Riaan agreed. "The Gundalians in all should be within range. I trust that you and Hades Pillars did diligence in alerting our forces of how to proceed, yes?"

Cyrus maliciously smirked. "You have nothing to worry about. I assure you, we have everything under control…especially with your little guests you had squander around."

"I have no doubts in all of you." Riaan paused, allowing the magenta to flare up beneath his feet. "Are they ready?"

"Persistent, I give my credits to those humans in that regard. But persistence alone won't be enough…especially since they're in our domain." He raised a brow. "But, if fortune happens to smile down upon them, who knows…perhaps they'll be the first to push Hades Pillars to where we'll require…other rounds of strength."

Riaan turned away, hands behind his back. He was looking into the shadows with a serious fixation. "Our guests will be arriving in due time. Make no mistake, do not trifle with the human spirit. It's a very indominable matter to take on."

Cyrus chuckled. "I believe you give these humans a little too much credit than what they deserve, sire." He turned his back towards him. "And I have my suspicions, that Galilea especially would be proud to prove that with what she's accomplished…"

---

"Gate Card, set!" Shuji swiped his arm, sending a Gate Card in between to expand across the ground. Stepping his heel back, he threw in Fly Beetle. "Bakugan, brawl!" Fly Beetle was thrown out, rising into battle for one more round.

"Such an annoyance." Galilea studiously huffed. Without a word, she threw in Buz Hornix. Once again the Bakugan arose for battle with a hiss.

Buz Hornix: 800 Stag Fly Beetle: 600

Galilea prepared an ability first. She glared hastily as the ability shimmered. "Ability, activate! Sonic Buzzer!" Buz Hornix vibrated her wings louder, creating a charge of green static. The hornet aimed for Fly Beetle below and unleashed green lightning down onto him.

Buz Hornix: 800 (+300) = 1100 Stag Fly Beetle: 600 (-300) = 300

The voltage of the attack flourished down onto Fly Beetle, but he had no intentions of moving. He stood his ground and waited out the green lightning until it was within proximity.

"Ability, activate! Sunder Sonic!"

Flexing his wing shield, Fly Beetle flexed his body, generating a vast hum until he was ready. He let out a violent shout, discharging orange-brown shockwaves that raced across the ground at alarming speeds. The rush of the attack tore across the ground, causing metal plates to bend and crook. The pulse waves spread far out, interlocking with the green lightning bolts in the dead center.

Buz Hornix: 1100 (-400) = 700 Stag Fly Beetle: 300 (+400) = 700

Fly Beetle nor Buz Hornix moved. Their attacks were caught in a brief tie. Shuji gritted his teeth and grunted with all his might to fight through it. Both attacks eventually collapsed on each other, creating a hole in the earth pulses Fly beetle made, while the recoil of the blast made Galilea cover up as she slid back a few feet.

The dust was clearing, revealing Buz Hornix still up in the air. Fly Beetle hunched back up, glaring at his foe. His red eyes gleamed as a brown aura flourished around his body.

Galilea was ready to end this if she needed to. She pulled out an ability, which had a purple core on it. "So you may have the durance, but will that be enough?" she challenged. "Hades Pillars shall not be taken lightly by interlopers such as yourselves. Ability, activate!" She raised her Bakumeter, activating the ability. "Cell Force-X!"

A bright purple core revealed itself on Buz Hornix, infusing chords around the body that went into the skin. Once again, eerie veins throbbed around the skin, transferring fluids brimming with power to the hexagonal abdomen. The energy began charging, creating a frequency and distortion that charged up intense power.

Buz Hornix: 700 (+100 +800 +700) = 2300 Stag Fly Beetle: 700

Galilea reached out, her face scrunching. "Disappear!"

As Buz Hornix charged up her attack, Fly Beetle glanced over his shoulder at Shuji. He masked a familiar, determined face. Their eyes met with some level of understanding, even as the attack charged up in front of them. They saw the looks that were from the past.

'Fly Beetle…' That familiar expression was adorned when they found their latent personalities suited for Subterra. When Shuji and Fly Beetle trained hard with Hammer Gorem. They were Subterra Bakugan, and what they learned especially, was that no matter what, you have to be tough, even on yourself.

Steeling himself, Shuji balled his fists. "Okay then…you're on!"

Fly Beetle turned forward with his partner, looking up at the incoming green rays. Once Buz Hornix was all charged up, Galilea flexed her hand, making her Bakugan unleash the voluminous ray that flickered for a few moments before surging into a sound barrier-destruction blast that the beetle stood up to.

"Fly Beetle…GO!" Shuji shouted. "Triple Ability, activate! Horn Blitzer!"

Fly Beetle crouched, pouncing skywards with his wings flapping harshly. His horn glowed and lengthened to glowing, jagged ends that he thrust into the beam. With all his might, he bull-charged the beam, bisecting it down the middle.

Galilea's eyes weakly widened. She gasped when she saw how close Fly Beetle was getting. In a hurry, she reached for her Bakumeter and pressed in coordinates, causing a green glow to overtake the screen…

The insectoid roared as he powered through the beam, his durability and wings keeping him at a constant. He sailed on through, until the beam eventually faded. It showed him at near point-blank range of Buz Hornix, right in the lower section. Fly Beetle released a roar as he prepared the last few attacks.

"Plus Pincer Phalanx! And Fusion Ability, Grand Booster!"

His two scissor mandibles widened, creating an orange-brown static field that hummed intensely. The brown-orange flare around Fly Beetle's body brightened when he unleashed a wake in the air, firing a vicious blast of raw power. A bright orange beam of photons swallowed not just Buz Hornix, but also the ceiling above. The hornet shrieked as Galilea was forced to cover up and take cover.

Buz Hornix: 2300 (-1600 -500) = 200 Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (+400 +500 +400) = 2000

The beam blazed skywards, shooting into the ceiling and piercing metal. The blast wave bored right through the earth onto the other side, sending a blast to the surface behind Empyrean's dome-like entrance. The results was an explosion along the surface that alarmed a lot of people fighting.

"What was that?!" one random soldier asked.

The earth shook meekly, though hardly noticeable. However, Zion looked like he was aware. He glared daggers while Ren was left confused. "W-What the heck was that?" he saw the raining dirt from the other end. "Linehalt, did you catch that?"

"Yeah…Ren, look out!"

Eyes widening, Ren realized the flaw and veered left. He dodged a polearm in time as the spear end puncture the ground where he was originally. He slid on his heels, looking back with shock, which turned to a wince. That slide on his leg nearly broke the repaired tissue again.

'Crap…' His eye twitched, his teeth baring towards Zion as he reeled his arm back. He seemed visibly impressed with Ren's dodge.

"Good…you're learning." He sneered. "Now…try to keep your eyes wide, would you?"

Back down under, the ruckus was starting to simmer down. The dust and dirt was dissipating, revealing a gaping hole that lead to the surface. It was quickly piling up with collapsed rock and dirt. Before any of it leaked into the Empyrean underground, synthetic metal grids materialized, making a thin layer to repair the hole made. Fly Beetle landed on his legs, with Shuji glaring ahead.

The ground ahead of them, there was a massive dust cloud, which flourished because of the damage the attack did. They could see Buz Hornix' silhouette inside clearing up as the dust dispersed, but there was something different.

"Huh?" Fly Beetle grunted.

"What's that?" Shuji narrowed his eyes, seeing something peculiar about their opponent.

Behind the wake dispersing, Galilea was frowning heavily. She took a deep breath, looking relieved. "Good…it launched in time."

Catching a glimpse of what they heard, Shuji and Fly Beetle's eyes widened. They looked surprised at what was coming around. They saw Buz Hornix alright, but not what they remember.

The Interacian Biz Hornix was still intact, if not a little worn out. The soldier Bakugan gave a territorial hiss as she was revealed to have her entire upper body spared, but her lower-half was anchored to the ground by some kind of machine. It was mainly black in color scheme, with magenta layers all around. It looked like a massive black iceberg, and at the top was a circular opening to reveal Bux Hornix' hexagonal abdomen. Eight huge silver spikes were along the sides. The iceberg-like shape itself was more of a large prism with flat ends to make it look sharp on the corners. At edge ledge, magenta trimming overshadowed the silver fillings for each end. The whole lower-half covered by two circular plates that defied gravity.

"What the hell…?" Shuji gasped, looking down at his Bakumeter.

Buz Hornix: 400 Stag Fly Beetle: 2000

Fly Beetle grunted as he looked at Buz Hornix, a fixated glare showing his angst. Buz Hornix, in turn, gave no physical response. Instead, the vehicle she was in was hovering higher across the ground.

"What is that…Battlegear?" Shuji murmured.

"Not exactly."

Shuji and Fly Beetle turned towards Galilea. She had a finesse in her tone. "What you are seeing is a customized version of Battlegear. I trust that you're aware of what Mobile Assault Vehicles are, right?" She allowed a moment to sink in for Shuji to understand.

"Then…that means…" His mind flashed back to the Battlegear Amina used for Nastix, only it was smaller than what Buz Hornix was on. This made her look almost twice as big.

"Yes. You're witnessing Hades Pillars newest project completion, the Mobile Assault Vehicles. This is my version, the Cyberg." She fluttered her eyes. "You should feel honored. Not just anyone is able to overcome the Forbidden Abilities. I must admit, you and your friends are very formidable…" her glare hardened. "But now, that sentiment is long gone. You're out of your league."

Shuji and Fly Beetle gritted their teeth and mandibles. Something about what she said stirred them up, and not in a good way.

"Ability, activate! Durandel Cannon!" Buz Hornix' eyes glowed and her wings hummed powerfully. She charged up her attack, but instead of the spikes on her body, the Cyberg's spikes charged them up instead. Eight, thin, green beams discharged in Fly Beetle's way.

Shuji wasn't going to take it lying down. "Ability, activate! Thorax Defense!" Stag Fly Beetle's body hardened, creating a metallic orange-brown casing that was like an exo-skeletal armor that defended him.

Shuji looked relieved, but when he saw Galilea pull up another ability, he realized there was something going on. He saw the card had a brand new pattern on it. One that looked mechanized. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Ability, activate…" The card, unlike others, shined magenta. "Psyonic Bide!"

The Cyberg's black armor was reflecting Stag Fly Beetle's vision in its smooth, clear metal. The magenta outlining and patterns shined, as a glistening gleam pulsed from the machine, passing Fly Beetle.

"What the…?" Fly Beetle was feeling the opposite of what he was supposed to be feeling right now. In fact, he felt weaker. His bodily exo-armor was breaking, leaving him wide open for an explosion of green to overcome him.

Shuji covered up as the shockwaves rushed past him. Fly Beetle fell on his back, grunting as he slid along the jagged metal across the ground. He labored in breath, his body feeling that blow, no doubt.

Buz Hornix: 400 (+400) = 800 Stag Fly Beetle: 2000 (-400 -300) = 1300

"Hey, you okay?" Shuji asked.

Fly Beetle was trying to get up. He grunted as he flipped onto his underside, using all six legs to prod himself higher. "I'm…I'm okay…" he grunted. He turned around, glaring down Buz Hornix.

"Psyonic Bide, Cyberg's ability." Galilea recited. "As long as this ability is active for Cyberg, your attacks will always be reflected back at you. Meaning, you cannot get through us."

Shuji gritted his teeth again. He had to prove her wrong, but he was a lot better than to take such chances. If he used an ability, then it would bounce back at him. Could he even defend?

Galilea activated another ability. "Ability, activate! Sonic Buzzer!" Buz Hornix' wings flapped, vibrating strictly with green lightning flaring up. With a loud hiss, the green lightning flourished into the spikes of the Cyberg, intensifying the impact as green bolts. Fly Beetle was electrocuted harshly, screaming at the severity of the attack.

Buz Hornix: 800 (+300) = 1100 Stag Fly Beetle: 1300 (-300) = 1000

When the green flares were diminishing, Fly Beetle was seen veering away. He dropped to a knee, how scissor-like lower arms keeping him from fully kneeling. He labored in breath. He felt ready to keel over. Buz Hornix didn't stop as she unleashed another blast of green lightning.

"Ability, activate!" Shuji shouted. "Seismic Repeater!" Fly Beetle's lower claws glowed, crackling with static. He raised them and expelled a shockwave that bloomed across the battlefield, racing through the green lightning.

Once again, Galilea thought little of this. "Abilityy, activate! Psyonic Bide!" Once again, the metal on the weaponized capsule reflected the image of the incoming shockwave. Upon impact, it released a dull buzz that made it reverse course. What's worse, it traveled with the green lightning into Fly Beetle.

Buz Hornix: 1100 Stag Fly Beetle: 1000 (-300) = 700

An explosion overtook Fly Beetle. He screamed as he was put on his back again, gasping as the shock from the impact made him slide onto his side in front of Shuji. The latter was also blown onto his back, the back of his head hitting metal. Their worlds were momentarily black until they saw shadows loom over them.

Both were dazed as they looked up, seeing Buz Horix with the mechanized prim below. She looked like a mountain that was ready to take fire and end them.

"As I have said, you are unqualified to meet our lord." Galilea said. "Now, you've trespassed into our home. Do you have anything for an excuse?"

Shuji didn't know what to say, let alone how to say it. He was in a hysterical loop right now. He barely got up, kneeling as he faced Galilea with gnashing teeth.

Galilea took the silent notion as a no. "So be it…ability, activate! Judgement-X!"

A bright purple core appeared on Buz Hornix again. The Bakugan hissed defensively as she emulated a dark green aura flare around her body. She zeroed in on Fly Beetle, her wings vibrating so harshly they were making a deep frequency sound. A green shockwave-like funnel enveloped Fly Beetle, restraining his movements.

Buz Hornix: 1100 (+700) = 1800 Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (-700) = 0

With his Bakugan immobilized, and using another ability would end up reflecting back at him, Shuji stood his ground, glaring up at the readying blast wave. Winds were picking up and being drawn into the funnel. Dark green, green, and black energy was humming and manifesting at the end before it was almost fully ready.

"Your first mistake, underestimating your chances alone. Second mistake, you thought you could take on the head of Lord Riaan's development corporation, in her own domain. And your third mistake…even questioning my position under his leadership."

Shuji glared. "…and you know what. Your mistake, is that you forgot something." His eyes narrowed. "We're not as dumb as we look! Gate Card, open! Active Ghost!"

Galilea's eyes widened. 'What?! A trap field?!'

Suddenly explosions began going off beneath Buz Hornix and the Cyberg. The shockwaves of the attack were rumbling the area, causing the hornet to shriek as the eruptions made her disengage. She reverted to ball form, but the explosions were still blindsiding her so she couldn't see.

Shuji veered away from the explosions, him and Fly Beetle vanishing inside of them as well.

When the bright lights faded and the shockwaves diminished, Galilea uncovered. She blinked several times before the smoke from the debris was clearing up. She looked ahead, gasping when she saw Shuji and Fly Beetle were gone.

'They're gone!' She looked contemplative about what happened. "I see…so they used the Active Ghost as a getaway…" She looked around, she knew they couldn't get very far. 'Even if they can run, they cannot hide…not when they're in our domain.'

---

"Okay, here we go Jelldon." Maggie pulled out a Gate Card, but before she could launch it, she looked back at the former Colonel. "So, Jase, you ready?"

Jase kept arms folded behind, looking nonchalantly ahead. "Actually, Maggie, I have a good feeling they'll more than likely be looking into something to stop us both. Don't forget who we're dealing with here."

Maggie looked ahead with affirmation. "Alright, then leave the brute opening to me and Jelldon. They probably already know about this…" She pulled her arms back. "So we'll just have to hold out the best we can and draw out all they have! Gate Card, set!" She shot a card out to the middle of the warzone, making a red shockwave flourish. She spread her legs and elegantly swiped. "Bakugan, brawl! Glow Jelldon, stand!"

In a gleaming red glow, Jelldon arose for battle with a loud howl.

Amina put a hand to her hip, a look of boredom crossing her expression. "Well, what are you seeing?"

Lucia closed her eyes, her mind flashing with visions of shields and attacks that erupted. She saw tendrils and two immense power pressures dissipating. She calmly opened them. "…she's using herself as a diversion. She'll be drawing out our attacks first so we can't use them later."

Amina looked down, huffing. "Hmph, so we shouldn't start with our toys then."

"Tactically speaking, that is a must. We'll refrain until the time is right. Be ready."

With a scoff, Amina chose to follow her lead. Both threw in Lumitroid and Nastix at the same time. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand!" In blue and yellow glows, the black and magenta Bakugan arose for battle against their amorphous foe.

Lumitroid: 700 Glow Jelldon: 600

Nastix: 700

Leading off, Lucia chose to bait her before the attacks could begin. She huffed. "We'll go with her way for now. Ability, activate!" She swiped her arm forward, activating an ability. "Radiant Sting!"

Lumitroid hissed as the stinger on the end glimmered. He crawled on his multitude of legs and raised the pointed end. Jelldon was ready to dodge, using his reflexes he got from Diablo and Angelo to swat the tail from the side one. The stinger was thrown off course, which it retracted again. Lumitroid rebound for another strike, but Jelldon used another electrified tentacle and jabbed Lumitroid straight in the eye in vicious rounds. The ability was flickering as Jelldon's natural evolution and battle experience made him faster than what Lucia had anticipated.

"We'll show you who has the brighter gaze!" Jelldon determinedly glared.

On que, Maggie activate an ability. "Ability, activate! Hot Flash!" Jelldon kept firing point-blank volleys to keep Lumitroid's stinger at bay. When he suddenly stopped, the cyclopean scorpion looked at him, but a red glow at point blank erupted. The sclera seared as steam sizzled off his body and the glowing stinger end dissipated.

Lumitroid: 700 (-300) = 400 Glow Jelldon: 600

Nastix: 700

Lumitroid crawled backwards from the blinding hot light. This left an opening for Nastix to gurgle as he got Jelldon's attention.

Amina raised an ability. "Ability, activate! Blue Morph!" Nastix' body began liquifying into blue slime. He slowly eroded from his spot and streamlined to encompass Jelldon. The jellyfish found himself in the midst of a slimy wall that kept him trapped and slowly closed in around him.

Lumitroid: 400 Glow Jelldon: 600

Nastix: 700 (+400) = 1100

The slime walls continued closing in around Jelldon. He remained calm as he looked back over to see Maggie readying herself with an ability to counter.

"No you don't! Ability activate, Petroleum Shield!" The gel sacs on Jelldon's body shimmered with a glossy, liquidy filament to them. A transparent, thick, red water barrier manifested around Jelldon, veiling him from the slimy cyclone that threatened to drag or suppress him. The slime's density wasn't as thick as what the material Jelldon's shield was made of. Before the slime could fully sink in, Nastix was forced to revert back to his original form, regrouping with Lumitroid.

Lumitroid: 400 Glow Jelldon: 600

Nastix: 1100 (-400) = 700

Without a second wind needed, Maggie readied another ability. "Jelldon, let's tie them up!"

The jellyfish nodded. "Yeah, sure thing!"

Maggie showed another ability. "Ability activate, Tendril Trap!" Jelldon lifted his barrier, revealing his many tendrils and tentacles beneath. Several yellow tentacles from his underside were shot ahead, where they lengthened and snared Nastix and Lumitroid. The slimy, gel-filled tendrils laced around their bodies to keep them in place.

"Hmph. Ability activate, Blind Shade!" Amina attempted to use the ability to nullify Jelldon's. However, it was proven futile. "What? Why isn't it working?"

"Because Tendril Trap prevents you from activating previous abilities your Bakugan have used before." Maggie explained. On que, Jelldon's laces tightened, making it harder for the enemy Bakugan to move around.

Amina scoffed angrily. She was fed up with this little girl and her tricks. Instead, she looked down at her Bakumeter. Lucia quickly saw this, shaking her head in disapproval.

"No, not quite yet." She insisted, following up with raising her Bakumeter to reveal a familiar card. "Trap her. Then we'll proceed with the next phase."

Amina hated listening to what Lucia had to say, she really did. After last time as well, she wanted to make sure that they paid for what they have done. But, on the other hand, she'd rather not look like a fool and fail last time like the chasms. For now, she'll obliged. "Hmph, don't think I'm doing any special favors for you in return." She teased back. She held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Toxic Blind!"

Nastix' eyes gleamed for a second before the open mouth faced Jelldon's tendrils. He bellowed as he sprayed a purplish, blue, glossy venom that sprayed along the yellow tentacle closest to the mouth. The stinging sensation went up to Jelldon's body, causing him to gag and groan as a toxic coating overtook him. His power dropped to 500, thanks to his Petroleum Shield.

Maggie's eyes widened at what was happening. She watched Jelldon wince and look weakened by the intoxicating spread around him. She looked towards Amina as she mockingly chuckled.

"There, we can't activate abilities we've already used, but you can't activate any whatsoever." She glanced off towards Amina. "Now then, why don't you do me a favor, and size her up for me?"

Lucia closed her eyes, concentrating. "If I must…" The air fastened to darkness around her. She went quiet as an unsubtle, cold depth filled the atmosphere. She showed her Bakumeter, more importantly, an ability. "Ability, activate! Scorpion Needle!"

Lumitroid's stinger glowed again, but instead it manifested into a longer point. It fired a dim laser beam that struck Jelldon's front, causing him to strain in writhe. It would normally subtract 300 Gs, but Petroleum Shield only brought his power down to 400.

Maggie gritted her teeth. "Not yet, hang in there!"

Jelldon opened his eyes, trying to shake off the wake of that attack he endured. He felt the air around them shift yet again. It felt colder all of a sudden. That's when he saw the magenta flare around Amina's Bakumeter. His spineless body tensed up as he knew what was coming next.

"Ability, activate…Alien-X!" A bright purple core came alive and strapped around Nastix. The Bakugan gurgled low as the chords snaked round him, embedding into the body. The forbidden energy was transcending the cells into the body, causing the surface to bubble meekly.

Nastix' eyes glowed bright as an electrical wave surged around him. He gurgled into the atmosphere, making an airwave pule outwards as dark blue enveloped the body. His power level shot up from 700 to 900.

The wake of his force was making Jelldon immobile. Already coupled by the toxins Nastix infected him with, he was feeling more than a little sick. If he had a mouth, he'd be gagging to get his conscience to stand back in place.

"Any last words?" Amina scoffed. She saw the look on Maggie's face. It was making her feel mighty…no, she was mighty. She didn't realize beating down pests like these this bad could be so enjoyable. 'This isn't so bad.'

Lucia remained calm as she was picking up on Jase. She realized he had yet come out. Her eyes met his…that's when she realized what was going on.

Maggie reached to the field, opening the Gate Card. "Gate Card, open! Evil Clear!"

The Gate Card glowed brightly beneath everyone, adorning a red aura around it. The flare from below caused Amina's eyes to widen. Lucia didn't even seem fazed when she knew this would happen. They both watched the toxins around Jelldon slowly expel around his body. As he looked healthy again, the dark aura around Nastix was dissipating. It eroded away, leaving the monster to gurgle as his power dropped.

Lumitroid: 400 Glow Jelldon: 400 (+200) = 600

Nastix: 900 (-200) = 700

Amina gasped. Though, rather than show her distaste, her teeth gnashed. "How dare you…!"

Maggie turned towards Jase. "Okay, Jase. They're all softened up."

"Much obliged, Maggie." Jase stepped up, pulling Atmos back for one more round. "Now then, with their abilities limited, let's make this quick. Bakugan, brawl!"

He threw Atmos into the battle. The falcon arose in a green tempest, spreading his wings for a voluminous caw that shrilled around the atmosphere.

Lumitroid: 400 Gale Atmos: 600

Nastix: 700 Glow Jelldon: 600

Lucia gazed at her opponents as they flapped and rejuvenated. In her head she saw this coming. This was the chance she was anticipating. She looked over to Amina, who gave her a suspicious look. Her eyes said it all.

Humming, Amina chose to wait it out. "A little late for trash day, isn't it? Why, I can't think to dirty my hands further. That's why it's easier for others to handle the work." She snapped her fingers, her Bakumeter showing an ability. Ability, activate! Morph Cluster!" Nastic raised his head towards Atmos, who was set for battle. He spat several globs of ectoplasmic slime in his direction, and they were coming in hot.

"Maggie, would you mind?" Jase sarcastically pleaded.

"Don't worry, we're here!" Maggie showed an ability. "Ability, activate! Soft Conductor!"

The globs blazed into the falcon to strike him down, but they ended up changing direction in a sharp dive downwards. All eyes went to the direction of the attack blazing and saw it absorbed into Jelldon. The globs were neutralized and turned to red plasma that crackled around his body.

Lumitroid: 400 Gale Atmos: 600

Nastix: 700 Glow Jelldon: 600 (+200) = 800

The ability receded and a red aura enflamed Jelldon's body. "You ready, Atmos?" He yelled, voice raising as he laced a tendril around Nastix. Without warning, he swung around, dragging him through the air towards Lumitroid.

Atmos sailed down, talons bared. "Most definitely, be amorphous friend!" He swooped at breakneck speeds into Lumitroid. He seized him by the stinger tail, flying at full power thanks to the wing joints spinning at full blast to propel him.

Both Bakugan dragged their respective targets across the ground into each other. Lumitroid and Nastic bushed into each other like two football players without helmets. They fumbled to the ground, while Jelldon retracted his tendril, and Atmos circled around to get overhead.

"Ability, activate!" Jase and Maggie raised their Bakumeters high, showcasing abilities.

"Draft Cannon!"

"Bolting Sun!"

Atmos charged up a large mass of green air currents around him. They surged into his chest gems, which shined valiant green-blue auras as the vortex surged around Atmos' maw. Jelldon prepared another glistening plasma fireball that puled with pressure.

Lumitroid: 400 Gale Atmos: 600 (+600) = 1200

Nastix: 700 Glow Jelldon: 800 (+500) = 1300

Their adversaries, on the other hand, were seemingly calm. It was like they were expecting this. Lucia turned to Amina, now giving the approving nod. Amina rolled her eyes. "Ugh, about time."

At the same time, they tapped into their Bakumeters as a green blast of voluminous energy with drafts spinning around it. The fireball combined with the green vents, making an explosive pinwheel of plasma and hot drafts spiral with draconic force at their numbed foes. The Bakugan were going to get fried alive.

'NOW!' Lucia and Amina's Bakumeters manifested materialized energy, which they aimed using their Bakumeters. Energy tracks that were segmented linked up like a runway and they fired them into the oncoming blast wave.

Several blinks of white flourished in the area before fire and air erupted in spontaneous fashion. Jelldon and Atmos looked at their craftsmanship as they shielded Maggie and Jase with their bodies, the hot waves rampaging everywhere around their area into a typhoon that spun skywards. The impact's flare was like a beacon that ignited the darkness of Gundalia.

The smoke started simmering, which Maggie and Jase uncovered. Curious of what happened, the young Pyrus girl furrowed her brow and leaned in.

"…did we get them…?" She didn't sound too sure there.

Jase prodded his glasses to get a better visual. As the smoke was diminishing, there were two silhouettes inside. His eyes narrowed in suspicions that turned to a bad feeling.

The winds passed by Amina and Lucia. They seemed eerily complacent with how things looked; Amina even looked like she was going to go on a shopping spree. She humbly scoffed as she whipped her lock back.

Lucia closed her eyes, humbled by the quick save they've made.

The dust and smoke subsided at last, revealing glowing yellow and blue lights that blinded Atmos and Jelldon for a moment. Their eyes took a moment to adjust. When they looked back, they showed just as much shock as their respective partners.

"Is that what I think it is?" Atmos awed.

Jase heavily frowned. For the first time in what may seem a long while, he showed displeasure. "Yes…crudely as it is."

Jelldon leaned back, his surprise rivaling Maggie's. "What…are those…?"

Lumitroid was standing tall on something that hovered over the battlefield. It looked vaguely similar to something a Gundalian would use for a hover platform. It was massive, with a smooth, mirror-like platform that Lumitroid stood on. His claws were placed inside two openings to what looked like magnified lenses to project attacks. There were magenta mirror-like hexagonal prisms all around the sides like a ring along the black metal. The lower half was a dark silver that made it float along the ground.

For Nastix, he was on something that looked similar, though it remained afoot by three glowing magenta spikes, filled with slime for Nastix to sit in. There were silver tube that connected to the liquid. The small slime pool was encompassed by a crater of black protrusion with silver bulb tops that made a ring, six in total. It was like some radioactive slime prism palace one could say.

Lumitroid: 400 (+200) = 600 Gale Atmos: 1200

Nastix: 700 (+200) = 900 Glow Jelldon: 1300

"Assimilation, complete." Lucia recited. Jase and Maggie looked at her with suspicious gazes. "I'm very certain you are accustomed to what Battlegear is. However, I believe you have yet to assess what it is like to be against a Mobile Assault vehicle, is that true?" She turned towards the vehicle Lumitroid stood on. "Meet Acceleton, Lumitroid's customized Mobile Assault."

Her eyes shifted towards Amina; her luscious smirk less than arousing given the situation. "And save the best for last. Meet Phastrix."

Both Interacian Bakugan released low grunts as their Mobile Assault vehicles' magenta accents shined brightly. Their lower halves expelled a pulse that nearly buffered Jelldon and Atmos. Jase and Maggie fought through the pulse and looked up as Lumitroid's vehicle shifted first.

Lucia had her eyes closed as she slowly raised her Bakumeter. She showcased an ability that had a different array of symbols and accents that made it look more mechanized. "You will learn first-hand, why many, such as yourselves, cannot evolve to the rate Lord Riaan can…ability, activate! Gear Saber!"

The magenta hexagons all over the rim of Acceleton shined brightly. Energy generated into the shapes and the main cannons where the claws were inserted fired off two massive magenta beams. Atmos and Jelldon maneuvered out of the way as the beams sailed to the distance behind. The Bakugan and people that were quarreling far off in the proximity we swallowed in a killer shockwave of magenta that flourished skywards.

Jase and Mggie looked back. They didn't have the words as the destruction of the attack was enough to make them reset on their wariness. 'Was all of that…from that device?' Maggie looked back with shock written all over her face.

Lumitroid: 600 (+600) = 1200 Gale Atmos: 1200

Nastix: 900 Glow Jelldon: 1300

Constant beams fired in a barrage in their direction. The force of the oncoming attacks was making the ground shudder as the hovercraft was gliding Lumitroid in all directions. Whichever corner was met, the magenta beams would fire. There were no blindspots. The smaller beams mixed with the two large ones that followed often. Maggie and Jase kneeled to avoid being blown over as the misfires were becoming too much overhead.

Amina saw their states, giggling arrogantly. "That's right, kneel before me." Her eyes narrowed. "As you all should be."

Maggie opened an eye to see ahead of her. 'We've gotta stall her. We're gonna get killed if we don't do something!' "Ability, activate! Alien Flare!" Jelldon whipped his tentacles briefly and let out a loud battle cry as he faced the attacks. The magenta beams blasting his way were halted when his body expelled a distorted heat wave with an eerie red center. It was like a signal flare that was going off.

Beneath all this, Amina seemed elated. "Ability, activate! Quash Photon!"

The magenta pool of slime that Nastix sat in started bubbling. The bubbles began rapidly accelerating into a jacuzzi for Nastix. The increase in energy transmitted into the six towers above. Magenta static circulated between each one to make a ring of lightning. The machine's accents shined brighter before the electrical impulse spread horizontally. The shockwaves bypassed the fellow vehicle's blasts and pushed back Jelldon's defense, stunning him with magenta shock around his body.

"GAH!" he flinched. His power level dropped to 1100.

Maggie gasped. If it wasn't for Jase ducking her head down she would've been blown by magenta beams that continued firing. Jelldon and Atmos backpedaled the best they could in spite of the numbers.

Amina chuckled maliciously at the chances. "You surprised? Quash Photon is a Mobile Assault ability that nullifies all abilities, including enemy Battlegear. What's more, even the opponent Bakugan that used those abilities start losing power of their own."

Phastrix released another electrical impulse that spread vastly around. Lumitroid's high velocity shots. The projectiles spread across the terrain around, blazing as hard and fast as cannon fire. Atmos' speed gave him the ability to dance around the attacks, but even some were grazing the feathers on his wings. Even Jelldon was barely holding up. He was jabbing repeatedly to keep himself in one piece. Thanks to the training with Diablo, he was firing back equal shots. Still, it was straining him just to keep up in terms of power.

When he jabbed again, the shots suddenly stopped. He realized Lumitroid was dead in front, his assault vehicle inches away from him.

"Ability, activate! Radiant Sting!" Lumitroid's glowing stinger swung ahead and stung Jelldon square in the face. He screamed and recoiled away.

Maggie's eyes shit wide open. She saw Jelldon recoil, his body going numb from the paralyzing venom flowing inside his body.

"You're probably wondering how we're able to use that ability, despite your Tendril Trap's effects." Lucia pointed out. "Well, that's Gear Saber's additional effect. Not only am I granted power, but with the assault vehicle's automatic defense mechanisms…" She looked at a small visible forcefield around Lumitroid, like a casing. "It allows Lumitroid to bypass all Gate Card and ability effects, thus allowing him to attack normally."

Maggie stepped back. "Then, that means…"

Standing back up, Jase prodded his glasses. 'Machines with that much power. At this rate…' Knowing he had to act fast, he looked up, seeing Atmos barrel around the assaults. "Double ability, activate! Quad Vortex, plus Fusion Ability, Wise Sky!"

Atmos straightened out and emitted another shrilled caw. His wing joints' fans started twirling again, gathering winds for a maelstrom. Four individual green twisters blazed at Lumitroid and Nastix. The beams Lumitroid's vehicle shot were intercepted by these oncoming cyclones that swallowed them.

"Not quite!" Atmos' eyes flashed green. Green sparkles surrounded the space around his wings. The drafts dragged them into the twister, infusing into the four cyclones. Two of each swallowed Nastix and Lumitroid, trapping them and their vehicles in unstoppable whirlwinds from either direction.

Lumitroid: 1200 (-400 -200) = 600 Gale Atmos: 1200 (+200) = 1400

Nastix: 900 (-400) = 500 Glow Jelldon: 1200

Even as the typhoons raged on, their Bakugan remained afoot inside their devices. The machines only stuttered inside the explosive whirlwinds. But it shouldn't be long until Atmos' wind power would capsize or throw off their anti-gravity.

"We're ending this now, Amina." Lucia stated, eyes full of concentration. "We'll use a strong attack for Jase to repel back, in which we'll use a stronger one to push through to victory. Is that clear?"

Amina scoffed. "Like I need you to tell me the obvious. Let's just get this over with." She tapped her Bakumeter, putting in a code. Once again, blue energy materialized into a small device that she grabbed. "Battlegear Boost!" She threw in the Prozar once more, which mounted on Nastix' back. The Bakugan gurgled as his power level went up to 600.

Amina whipped her hair back. "Fine~, if it'll satisfy you, I can take the lead…" she smirked. "Happy?"

Lucia closed her eyes. "Yes, quite so." She pulled up an ability. "Ability, activate! Lens-X!" Lumitroid had a bright purple core form on his front. He hissed wickedly as the veins reappeared in his eyes. The Bakugan had a magenta flare around the body as a light beamed from his one eye. The light compressed, becoming a massive lens-like projection that remained unmoved, even in the cyclone raging around them.

Lumitroid: 600 (+500) = 1100 Gale Atmos: 1400

Nastix: 600 Glow Jelldon: 1200

Amina readied an ability. "Battlegear Ability, activate! Prozar Nuclear!" The Battlegear levered itself on Nastix' back. The bubbling acids of the Mobile Assault Vehicle were channeling even more radioactive grime to be intensified. It unleashed an even larger radioactive shockwave outwards that blazed towards Atmos and Jelldon, tearing through the whirlwinds like paper.

Lumitroid: 1100 Gale Atmos: 1400 (-400) = 1000

Nastix: 600 (+400) = 1000 Glow Jelldon: 1200 (-400) = 800

The pulse waves struck Atmos and Jelldon. The latter wasn't able to use his arms or body as a defense as he normally would. And with Atmos too high up due to earlier acrobatics, he couldn't step in time as Jelldon screamed in radioactive pain. The jellyfish reverted to ball form, the shockwaves going towards Maggie.

Maggie: 0%

The impact caused Maggie to fall onto her side. She winced when Jelldon's ball form hit her cheek. She gritted her teeth at the fall. "Gnnngh!"

Amina flaunted a lock behind her head again. She seemed overjoyed by that display. "Well, that was fun. Showed that little bitch." She looked over towards Jase. "Now, I believe it's your turn?"

Jase looked down at his defeated ally. He looked back, retaining a calm disposition. "Maggie…forgive us. We'll do what we can to make this right." He straightened out, keeping his eyes focused on the battlefield. "Your feats truly are remarkable, that I can concede to." He praised. "But…what I fail to concede to, is your outlandish convictions."

"The feeling is a mutual one, Jase Mercury." Lucia opposed. "It's been in our circle that we've preserve everything that Lord Riaan has for us. And because of that, we owe much to him, just as you do to your friends who gave themselves up for their lost one."

Jase activated an ability. 'Maybe because an ability can't be nullified, doesn't mean that it can't be reversed back.' He raised his arm up. "Double ability, activate! Vacuum Turmoil! Plus, Omni Storm!"

"I shall make this right for you, Jelldon!" Atmos spread his wings, creating a cyclone that turned into a widened funnel around him. The cyclone picked up traces of the lingering pulses that continued from the shockwaves and infused them into the cyclone's wake. The blast wave was shot back along with the residual radioactive energy at Lumitroid and Nastix alike. Even more so, it was all boosted by a strong gale storm Atmos fired that made it seem like a hurricane was expanding towards them.

Lumitroid: 1100 (-400 -100) = 600 Gale Atmos: 1000 (+400 +400 +100 +400) = 2300

Nastix: 1000 (-400 -400 -100) = 100

Wild winds were about to crash into them. However, time around Lucia seemed irrelevant. 'Reflecting an ability that cannot be nullified. How very interesting of a battler you all are.' Her stare furrowed as she held up an ability of her own. 'But…this is a battle that I cannot lose. I have seen the future, and I will not allow you to believe someone like you has the ability to guide it like Lord Riaan can!'

She calmly glared into the face of the whirlwinds. "Ability, activate! Gear Saber!"

Acceleton aimed its automatic blasters into the booster lens. The bright light radiated a path into the oncoming storm. The hexagons and the main cannons fired magenta laser beams that went into the lens. On the other end, the amplified light multiplied its power, making the air flicker repeatedly before the ground crumbled from the tremendous single magenta laser that tore a hole clean through the shockwaves,

Lumitroid: 600 (+1800) = 2400 Gale Atmos: 2300

Nastix: 100

The magenta light surged high into the skies, the winds unable to change its course. Atmos saw an oncoming light source, but was unable to escape its range in time. He let out a shrilling caw as he was enveloped in a horrendous blast wave that buffered a few good feathers out of him.

"No!" Jase shouted. He covered up in time as the shockwaves of the attack pushed his back on his heels. He slid to a knee next to Maggie, who was barely getting up in her tired state.

Atmos was enveloped in a bright pink explosion in the sky. The light traveled far, enveloping the warzone. The aerial Bakugan that were too close suffered considerably as some of them reverted to ball form. In the smoke, Atmos fell down head-first. He cawed in writhe as he landed on his back, reverting to a green ball that rolled to Jase's feet.

Jase: 0%

Jase gingerly went to pick up Atmos. He looked at his defeated form, frowning. "It would appear…that we have gotten ourselves carried away once again."

The sounds of thudding got their attention. Maggie looked up with a gasp. Jase stood up to Lumitroid and Nastix, their respective weapons aimed specifically at them.

"Jase…any ideas?"

The Ventus battler supplied nothing. He glared at them with his gaze calm and sharp.

"You and your friends have done most considerably up until now." Lucia denounced. "We owe a great deal to your interference. If not for you, then we would never have realized the qualifications of us. We are Hades Pillars. The six entities that dare not topple, for Milord…and the one world we seek."

Magenta lightning crackled in Phastrix; same colored energy surged in the main cannons of Acceleton. The two had nowhere to go, and nowhere to hide. They could only stare their enemies in the face of death.

Lucia's eye scrunched. She saw something in her vision that got her attention. She looked up, as did Amina.

"Ability, activate! Long Aercules!"

A broad orange beam shot along the ground, moving between the two and their attackers. The blaze receded until moments later, it exploded into a surmounting rupture. Land arose, making a smokescreen that caused Lumitroid and Nastix to hold their fire.

"What?!" Amina gasped. Lucia, on the other hand, looked towards the direction of where it came from. Overhead, she saw a draconic shadow fly in and fade to the other side.

Jase and Maggie were uncovering when something landed behind them. "Hey! You guys okay down there?!" They looked up, seeing who was responsible for the shout. They saw that it was Mason Brown, who stood calmly and smirked at them while on Avior.

Maggie's widened. "Wait, hold on. Aren't you…"

Mason grinned. "Save your shock for later. Right now, we got a bigger problem to deal with…" he showed a frown. "So if I were you, I'd hop on before they see us again."

Jase and Maggie blinked. They looked to each other, realizing their options were limited. Jase was the one who spoke. "Do please be gentle." He sarcastically chimed.

Mason showed his own witty grin. "No promises."

The smoke waves were beginning to loosen a little. As the smoke and dirt dilated down, neither Amina nor Lucia could see the two targets. But it looked like there was a bright brown flash that came from behind a draconic entity that growled.

After several seconds, Lucia realized what was coming next. "Move to the side at once!" she ordered.

Their machines turned on their axis and faced each other. Several orange beams blazed between them that shot a clear path towards the Empyrean backlines. Lucia and Amina only saw a brown-orange blue blitz pass them, the sound barrier breaking as it was moving at great speeds. Both uncovered, showing mild annoyance and surprise at something that looked like a dragon, with four jet engines on the wings propelling him across at quickening paces.

When they got a closer look at the fleeing creature, on the stretched neck was Mason. But more so, it was Maggie and Jase as they were getting away. Amina's eyes widened. "You dolts! Stop them!" she ordered.

"Not so fast!"

A blue gleam from above. Claws raked and came down, which the vehicles swerved away from. They readjusted and affirmed themselves as they saw Phosphos standing with his Battlegear, which were two massive shields with claws on the hands. Lena was on the main head, glaring daggers at them.

Lucia glanced to her right, seeing Plitheon descend on one corner with turbines shaped like a wheel around him. Amina looked to her left, seeing Contestir descend with a sun-shaped Battlegear. They saw their respective partners take centerstage.

"Sorry, but you're not taking anymore of Gundalia than you already have." Lena declared boldly. Phosphos stepped beside her with a snarl.

"What she said, and more." Lena smirked. "Those guys before were just a warm-up. Now you're gonna see what Gundalians can really do on their home turf!" Zenet boasted.

Jesse snapped his book shut elegantly. "As one act draws to its conclusion, it's imperative that the appeal it makes on its audience stands to high ovations. In other words…" His glare sharpened, pointing his finger at them accusingly. "This is where the curtain closes on you!"

With new foes surrounding them, Lucia and Amina didn't bother looking at each other. "Amina, I trust you understand what to do?"

The arrogant female snorted. "Don't patronize me…just crush these worms already." She growled. "I wanna see them dyed the color that I want my bubbles in my next bath."

---

Avior sailed across the battlefield, getting as far away as they can while explosions happened below. Behind, the show of radioactive eruptions flourished. Mason didn't need or have time to worry as he was doing his job.

"Thanks for the save back there!" Maggie shouted through the winds.

"Don't mention it!" Mason shouted. "You guys need to get inside, right?"

Maggie nodded. "Yeah, we do. We got our friends in there that need our help!"

Mason turned ahead, smirking. "Heh, figured as much." A moment paused them before he continued. "You guys must be making a big deal about getting to there in this mess. But if you say so. Avior, hightail it!"

Avior roared as he used his Lashor to push himself further. As his speed increased, he was unaware that below, there were still soldiers along the backlines. One soldier in particular was seeing the right time, and threw a Gate Card.

"Gate Card, open! Land Pressure!"

The Gate Card opened, a glow emanating straight below Avior. Suddenly gravity intensified beneath him. "What's…happening…? My body…!" He started feeling a drag that carries him down.

Mason jerked as the team started falling out of the sky. "Crap!" Avior was going to hit the ground soon. He had to get them off fast. "Guys, jump now!"

They didn't have time to question. Maggie and Jase knew this from experience. The little girl gulped before she felt a hand beside her. Looking up, Jase held onto her.

"Stay with me, understand?" he told her.

Maggie blinked a couple times, but she nodded confidently. "Right! On three!" She insisted. They looked down, seeing the ground a few meters away. "1…2…3!"

Both members leaped off their heels and sailed off the falling Avior. Avior crashed into the ground with Mason on his back, creating a massive tremor that shook the earth. The Interacian troops were so preoccupied with them that they didn't realize the pairs of feet that landed behind them.

Maggie and Jase kneeled up and looked back. They could see the troops throwing in their various Bakugan. The numbers quickly stacked up as Avior and Mason were barely able to stand ground.

Maggie's worries intensified. "Mason…" She felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked up at Jase. "Jase…"

"I understand. But we cannot falter here. We came here for a reason, but we cannot let personal matters best the main objective." He looked one more look behind. "And besides…"

Behind, Mason raised an ability. "Luft Howling!" Avior's outstretched neck curved upwards. It snaked down, firing a brown beam along the Gate Card. The card broke to pieces, revealing the enemy Bakugan to back away as Mason and Avior stood back up with sneers.

Jase's mind flashed to something he remembered; a quote from Riaan. "They protected us; they're guardians. They are not soldiers who were told to do so and risked themselves for others simply because of destiny or what others told them otherwise. If the world they created and shaped is what they see fit to protect, and are willing to make the tough choices for better, then that, in my opinion, is a guardian."

"…let our guardians do their part. They wish to protect us. Let us show a little faith, shall we?"

Maggie knew Jase was right from the start. She looked back at the explosive battles afoot. She saw Ren and Linehalt dodging Zion and Snapzoid with their lives. They saw the Gundalians fighting hands-on. Their Bakugan were doing the same. They saw Lena, Jesse, and Zenet attacking with smirks. She even looked at Mason, who, despite just meeting them, showed his trust in them. How could she say no to all of that?

Steeling herself, she shook her head, her attitude, turning astute. "You're right, Colonel. This is no time for shirking. Jelldon…let's go."

"I'm with you." He was on Maggie's shoulder as she made a break for the Empyrean entrance with Jase.

Seeing them make a break for it, the look on Mason's face showed relief. 'Heh, can't believe we're to fall guys for those guys…but, it looks like they really know what they're doing. Guess it's up to us now.' He faced the Interacians with a smirk. "So what do you say, Avior? Wanna do a little damage to these punks?"

A sneer crossed Avior's face. "I've been itching for you to ask that!" He expelled an ear-splitting roar, brown dragonfire unleashed in a horrendous fashion.

---

Footsteps echoes through the empty halls. People darted down the dark hallways. The lighting was notably dimmer than what it was several floors up.

"We should be getting close." Luka shouted. "You guys can feel that too, can't you? That foul energy, it's making my nose burn. No doubt about it, Riaan's just up ahead."

The determination in Luka's voice was crisp. Luke and Alice didn't have anything to say about that. They just kept running in the direction the negative energy drifted.

"So, what are you guys going to do once we catch up to him?" Luka asked.

Luke followed behind with confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

Luka grunted. "Figures." He ignored the huff from Luke. "Look, it's not like I know how you guys operate. Don't forget, I'm not used to this whole group dynamic. So if you have a plan, better spill it before we get over our heads. This is your friends and Riaan we're talking about. No telling what'll happen. You understand?"

Luke's eyes widened a little when he processed that. Now that he thought about it, they didn't really come up with a sure-fire strategy in mind. In fact, most – if not all – of the matters they assessed were practically improvised. The fact that Ren's army came in the provide aid was totally coincidental. If not for Luka, then how would Luke have thought topside. The window was very small for them to squeeze through, yet somehow they still made it work.

Looking down as they ran, Luke tried to make the best of the situation at hand. "Look, we don't know if Master Riaan is going to fight us or not, but we came here knowing that might be a possibility. We came here knowing that might very well be the case."

"And, if you have to fight your friend?"

Luke's fists balled; Alice's gaze fixated on him. She saw how steeled he became as he looked resolute. "I'll do what I must." He declared. "I'll do what I think is the right choice to save her and Atchibee…it's what they would've wanted."

"They're our friends. It's what we do to look out for them, the same way they have for us." Abis explained.

Luka and Alto Brontes looked at each other, processing Luke and Abis' retort. When he realized in, he wondered why he felt so much lighter. He briefly felt the back of his head, realizing his hair was cut off during his final battle with Luke. He wasn't going to deny this logic. It's no time for running away and warning. Now is a time for action.

Hydranoid suddenly opened on Alice's shoulder. "Everyone…up ahead."

They all stopped in their tracks, all three staring into the hall ahead of them. An eerie silence fell upon them as all that was heard was their own gasps.

Eyes facing forward, they were peering into an already dark corridor. The magenta lights were dimming as they stretched into pitch-black. It looked like they were at the edge of the world and ready to step into darkness. Even from the bleak black, they could feel a raspy, cold breath that gave their spines a couple shivers.

"Wha…what is this…?" Luke stammered. "This energy, is it really…?"

"Did anyone else get the feeling they're being watched?" Abis dreaded, his tone hinting irony.

"Oh~, very observant indeed." Brontes chimed. "This energy, it's ginormous. Quite the problem we're in."

Luka's eyes narrowed. "There's no doubt about it. That's Riaan dead ahead…he's expecting us." The grip on his sword tightened. "Now it makes sense. That's why we haven't seen any security at the lower levels. He wants us down here so he can see what we're made of."

Alice swallowed a lump, but she stepped forward. "Well then, guys…this is what we came for, right?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah…"

Once more, they all thought about the reasons why they're here. They can't back out now. Not after what everyone risked to get them to here. With one last look at each other, all three had serious looks. They faced the tunnel of darkness, their goosebumps biding with every second they stared at it. With one last breath of freedom, they marched into the cold abyss.

Almost immediately, a wave of eerie darkness overtook them. It was like walking in blind. They could barely see each other. Yet that wasn't the problem. The problem was that they were barely getting their feet ahead of themselves. The pressure coming from ahead was like actual gravity weighing on them. But they refused to stop walking. This overwhelming negative energy would've suffocated them in the past. Before, even Luke found himself trembling in this energy when Maximus first showed it. Now, that level was nothing. This kind of power, however, was like an endless void that was about to seize and rip him apart. The thought of death was nothing but serenity to make the ache end.

However, they all marched on. They had one goal in mind. And a lot of people counting on them. They couldn't let something as trivial as a show of pressure thwart them. Luke subconsciously felt his wound. Even it was weighing him down, yet he held back a cough so Luka and Alice wouldn't notice.

After what felt like several minutes of walking, the three had found themselves stuck. The silence was still there, their heads craning in different directions. Luke and Luka were ready to pull out their swords if needed…

Suddenly in a show of lightning, magenta light beamed down, blinding them for a moment. When they recovered, they opened their eyes. Their settings were completely different. The domain they were in was exceptionally grand and huge. Everything had accents on it, eve the flooring did.

"Where are we…?" Luka wondered.

"Welcome, my guests."

His eyes widened when something like a crude dark glare seeped into his back. Cautiously, he slowly glanced over his shoulder, slowly tilting his head. Alice and Luka did the same. They all faced the direction of where the fight of red carpet stairs lead to the massive throne, where someone glared down upon them with glowing magenta eyes.

Luke's eyes shrunk at the person's dominating presence. "Master Riaan…"

Riaan glared down, the entire room's accents igniting in magenta with his eyes. The atmosphere, though bright now, dimmed some as the aura around him lengthened. After the glow receded, he calmly stood up from his throne to address to his peers.

"My goodness, today is full of surprises, isn't it? To think, that I would have the honor of meeting my guests under these conditions. I congratulate you. Every last one of you, for making it tis far in. By all means, even surpassing the likes of my Hades Pillars, you've found the courage to face me. Such brave souls."

Luka was the first to steel himself. Immediately he drew out his laser sword. "Enough! We didn't come here to be flattered by you!"

"Oh really?" Riaan raised a palm. "Then what are you here for exactly?"

"Don't blame dumb with me…" Luka's grip tightened. "You know exactly what we're here for! Your reign of making waste on other planets, your copycat routine, thinking your tactics are moral?! You know very well why we're here!" He found himself laboring in breath as he seared hate-filled gazes at Riaan. It was completely understandable why as such. Still, it was so much to spat out at once.

Riaan calmly closed his eyes. "They say even dull blades can still leave fatal cuts. If you're implying that you wish to eject me from this planet, then I can understand. However, I'm afraid that despite your interests, my obligations here aren't quite finished yet."

Everyone's glares sharpened. The Bakugan leered up angrily.

"My fighting forces are currently making their stand against the Gundalians as we speak. You've seen you impressive their skills are at enacting on the battlefield." He snapped his fingers, projecting several screens in front of them to show the outside battles.

"Powerful. Strategic. Versatility. Galilea drilled the use of Bakugan into their heads to ensure they know what they're doing. And Zion made sure they were prepared for combat." As shown, it revealed Interacian soldiers using forearms to shoot Gundalians through their heads. Everyone's eyes widened as they saw the bloodshed above.

Riaan snapped his fingers, dispelling the images. "I would like to see the experiment of Interacian-trained survivalists manipulated on the battlefield. With their help, the programming of the Interacian Bakugan can make them far more reactive in the future endeavors."

Alice furrowed her brow. "So then, is that it? Aren't you forgetting something?"

Riaan turned his head towards her. "Alice Gehabich, a pleasure to meet you in person. It's a great honor to be seeing one of the original Battle Brawlers in the flesh." He bowed his head. "You have my upmost respects."

Alice and even Hydranoid didn't seem very convinced. The hydra was ready to burst out of ball form if it wasn't for the situation being so suppressed.

"But back to your statement, I believe I know what you are after." He grinned at the shadows. "Cyrus."

Everyone's heads turned to the darkness, where they felt another ominous presence come forth. Stepping out, Cyrus maliciously smirked.

Luka got defensive. "You, what are you doing here?!" he backlashed at his own dumb question. He made up for it by quickly asking another. "You're…that guy who fought us back in the chasm."

Alice's glare was just as hard. She remembered how strong he was. 'So, we'll have to fight him, too then.'

Cyrus meekly chuckled. "A pleasure it is to see all of you again." He grimly spoke. "However, I believe in your case, it's a little short for such blessings. You are aware of where you lie now, right?"

Luke stepped forward. "Where's Esther and Atchibee? We know you have them here."

Cyrus raised a brow. "My, someone's rather jumpy since the last time we've met." He paused, turning towards Riaan, who silently glared. Cyrus looked back at them. "But since you've asked so kindly, I suppose that it's fair for you to see your friend once again." He raised his fingers. "Since you are here, you will be the first to be unveiled to our latest collaboration. I trust even you will find it to be an experience."

Cyrus snapped his fingers, the echo was so loud that it sounded like a bone snap. An eerie silence fell across the room. Luke, Alice, and Luka all glanced left and right for any suspicious signs.

Off to the shadows, the sounds of footsteps could be heard. Luke turned n that direction. "Esther?"

Alice and Luka followed in his wonder. Riaan and Cyrus' expectant grins rose to greater heights.

Slender heel boots clanged against the ground as they proceeded out to the open. Upon coming into view, Luke's eyes began shrinking. It was slow, but his facial color was paling…and it wasn't just because of his injury. What he saw made his skin crawl worse than Riaan's aura.

Alice's eyes shrunk as an audible gasp emitted. Luka's pupils dilated as his teeth gnashed together.

Riaan smirked. "You've asked for your friend Esther Conland, did you not? I believe this is who you are referring to now."

Facing everyone was a figment that stepped out from the blackness of the chamber, there was a slender, yet voluptuous young woman. She had light brown hair, which was tied up in a bun, save for the bangs that framed the face. She adorned what seemed a familiar robe-like wear, though there were tweaks to it. For instance, purple armor was on the hands and lower arms. That same armor hugged the diaphragm up to the large chest. Heavy pauldrons shielded her thighs. Her nice pair of legs had purple stockings that had dark armor like a knight would have. In both her hands, there were two silver spears with broad ends. They had magenta jewels in the center. But what gave them all the chills…was how pale she looked, almost like a ghostly white. She had a silver visor on, with three horizontal magenta slits so she could see.

"No…" Abis was speechless. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Luke was incomprehensible. He couldn't muster the will to swallow a lump. He stared shakily in horror at who the person was. "Is…is that…Esther?"

The figure said nothing. Instead, her visor shined at her guests. The glare was anything but friendly.

---

Hope you guys enjoyed! Sorry if the battles sucked this chapter, I'm feeling out of the loop. Maybe I could've had instances where they used more abilities at the last second since Luke's group does a lot for survival sake, but I didn't plan these fights as I should have. I'll try harder for next chapter, promise.

So now we see that Esther is back, but not the way you guys expected! Next chapter is going to be quite the battle, with only 2 chapters left of the Gundalia Arc. I'm going to try and finish the arc before November's end.

Until then, reviews are appreciated, and thanks for reading another update!