Codemaster matches is when you can face the codemaster of a drome. You need seven wins in a drome to do that and that's just what Natsu has. He's got seven wins in an Amzen Drome. He needs to get ready for that match and that's what he was doing. He saw another codemaster match going on and it looked brutal. The poor fool got coded in almost an instant.
"Oh man. Codemaster matches are brutal." Natsu said. "The poor guy didn't even get to code any of the codemaster's creatures."
"That goes to show you how tough they are." Zach said.
"Beating one won't be easy." Erza said.
"Talking about codemaster matches, are you?" Both of them looked and were displeased to see Clyde and Krystal. "That's nice. It's not like any of you actually has what it takes to battle one. You be lucky to even get a match with one of them."
"Come on, Clyde. Even losers aren't that lucky." Krystal said.
"Shows what you know. Natsu actually has seven wins in the Amzen Drome." Lucy said.
"On top of that, I actually had pre-round with Codemaster Amzen. I've improved a lot since that happened and I'll be ready for her challenge." Natsu said.
"You mean she hasn't challenged you yet?" Clyde said. "I guess that's because she knows not to waste her precious time with a loser like you." Natsu was about to retort to that, but that was when his scanner went off and he answered.
"Codemaster Amzen!" Natsu said.
"Hello, Fire-Dragneel." Amzen said. "I understand you have seven wins in my drome. Therefor, I'm challenging you to a match. I will give you forty-eight hours to prepare. I'm looking forward to see how much you've improved personally."
"I'll be there." Natsu said as he ended the call. "Ha! Just you watch, Clyde! I'm taking on Amzen and I'm going to win!"
...
Two Days Later
Natsu has been preparing himself for the past two days for this match. He didn't want to make the same mistakes he made in the past. You can tell he's been working hard from how he looked. His friends came over and seemed a bit concerned.
"Natsu, you look awful." Zach said.
"Have you been preparing for your match this whole time without any sleep?" Lucy said.
"I've been porting from Perim, Chaotic, and home. I've been taking every chance I could to come up with some strategies." Natsu said. "I've got some new scans to help and I need to be ready."
"Wow. I've never seen you like this." Lucy said. "It is understandable. It is a big match. You should refer to the last time you battled her."
"Lucy's right. She might have used one creature, but she still creamed you." Zach said. "Let's take a look at what happened last time." They worked on a screen and pulled up Amzen's battle with Natsu. "We'll start with that creature she used: Sinta. She's an overworlder, can use earth attacks, and has two mugicians. Let's not forget her ability. She can cast the same type of mugic as the creature she's battling against. So she might have a couple underworld mugic."
"We also have to take into account that battlegear she used." Erza said. "It's called chorgar's amulet. It can block an elemental attack of her choice. She'll probably use it to block your fire attacks. Since Sinta is an overworlder, she can also use those attacks."
"There's also that strange location: Under Cavern Jungle." Lucy said. "It will be a problem for those who use fire attacks."
"I know all that, but I think I have a plan." Natsu said as he showed his scans. "I'm certainly going to use Igneel in this battle." Before he could continue, Clyde's hand came on the screen with him and Krystal showing themselves.
"Why even bother, Natsu?" Clyde said. "You don't stand a chance against Codemaster Amzen. Maybe you should spare yourself the humiliation and just quit."
"No way." Natsu said.
"You think you're really that good. How about a little wager?" Clyde said. "If you win, you'll get two scans as a reward. I'll give you any scan from my deck. However, if you lose, I get your Igneel scan."
"Don't do it, Natsu. You worked hard to get that Igneel scan." Lucy said. "You can't give it to this jerk."
"I'm not going to because I'm not going to lose." Natsu said. "I got to go. My match is soon." Natsu went on to the battle with the others following.
"So what's the plan to sabotage him?" Krystal said.
"There is no plan. He'll never beat Amzen. Besides, I couldn't think of anything." Clyde said.
...
The Amzen Drome
"Good luck, Natsu." Lucy said.
"You've got this." Zach said.
"Best wishes." Erza said. His friends cheered him on as Natsu entered the drome.
"Fire-Dragneel, you have seven wins and have been challenged to a codemaster match. Here's Codemaster Amzen." Amzen emerged out of the ground and took her place.
"Ready? Let's see how much you've improved since our last battle." Amzen said.
"I'm ready." Natsu said and it was about to begin. Outside, his friends were hoping the best for him.
"I really hope he does well." Lucy said.
"Ha. He'll never win." Clyde said as he and Krystal arrived to watch this disaster. They weren't the only ones. Gray was in the crowd too and was going to watch.
"Well, Natsu, time to find out how good you are." Gray said. Amzen was setting up her team and Natsu was doing the same. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes as he did before.
'Okay. This time, I'm ready. I'll show Amzen how much I've improved.' Natsu thought. 'I'm definitely using Igneel, but I'll put him in the back so I don't lose him. I want to show her I've changed my game. So I'll use Ornathor and Vyll, but I also want to use a little of my old ways. So I'll use Magmon and Chargola up front. I'll also use Kybon. Now for battlegear. I'll give Igneel a whepcrack. Since Ornathor's good in water, I'll give him a liquilizer. I'll give Vyll a cyclance since he can fly. I'll give Charolga a pyroblaster and Magmon the ring of nar'rin. As for Khybon, if I'm lucky enough to have him battle at his own forge, I can use grappling gloves to get around faster since he knows every inch of the place.'
"Are you ready?" Amzen asked.
"Let's go." Natsu said and they locked their decks.
"I see you managed to get your Igneel scan." Amzen said. "I can also tell just by looking at your team that you have changed your style. Now to see what you can do."
...
Outside
"Okay. Natsu looks like he's got a pretty good team." Lucy said.
"Let's just hope it's enough." Zach said. "It looks like Amzen is using a mixture of overworlders and underworlders on her team. I've never even seen these creatures before."
"That one creature upfront must be Sinta." Erza said as they spotted her. "All we can do now is watch and hope for the best."
"Yeah. That's all you freaks can do since Natsu is going to lose." Krystal said. They tried to ignore the gruesome twosome and focused on the battle.
...
The Battle
"The first attack is yours." Amzen said. Natsu went ahead and gave his locations a spin.
"The first location...Khybon's Forge."
"Perfect!" Natsu said. "Now for Sinta." He was going to attack her, but he noticed something with one of her other creatures. "Wait. I know that creature. I've got to get rid of him. Khybon attacks Screamer!" They both selected their creature and became them. The area changed into a forge. Screamer walked across a bridge over molten steel and looked for Khybon. Khybon already found him as he was above him. 'I've got to get rid of Screamer. Time for mugic.'
"Discord of Flame!" Khybon cast mugic and it came down on him. The music alerted Screamer as he looked up and spotted Khybon. "Inferno Gust!" Khybon unleashed the attack and it swallowed up Screamer. Khybon thought he had him, but Screamer had a barrier around him and blocked the flames.
"Remember this?" Screamer said as he pointed to chogar's amulet. Screamer unleashed a screaming attack, but Khybon pulled out his grappling gloves and swung off.
...
Outside
"Not bad using that mugic to give Khybon fire abilities, but Natsu should have known that wasn't going to work." Erza said.
"I don't get it. I thought she would have given that amulet to Sinta." Lucy said.
"She probably did. It's Screamer's ability. He can borrow battlegear from the other creatures on his team." Zach said. "I really hope Natsu knows what he's doing."
...
The Battle
Khybon kept moving from his own forge, but Screamed jumped and got on the same platform as he did. He screamed a powerful gust of wind and blasted Khybon with it as he slammed against a machine. Screamer walked closer to Khybon, but Khybon knew this location. He flipped a lever and a batch of molten steel nearly came down on Screamer, but Screamer rolled out of the way.
"Nice try. Let's try something else." Screamer said as he switched battlegear and was given a strange blaster. He fired it and blasted Khybon with it and he was getting electrocuted from it with him dropping to his knees.
"What is that?" Khybon questioned.
"It's called am mugician disruptor. Good thing you already used your mugician or that would have done an extra ten damage." Screamer said. "Time to say coded." Screamer was about to finish this, but Khybon faked him out as he launched the grappling hook from his battlegear. It got around Screamer's leg and he pulled with Screamer falling and landing on his back.
"Delerium!" Khybon fired a beam from his head and it hit Screamer with him becoming dizzy and had trouble standing back up. Khybon finished it with Torrent of Flame. Screamer tried to resist the heat, but backed up and ended up falling into the molten steel below and got coded. The first win goes to Natsu.
"Nicely done. Defeating Screamer like that isn't easy." Amzen said.
"I knew Screamer had to go or else I would have had some trouble with him and Sinta." Natsu said.
"Not bad, but this battle isn't over yet." Amzen said as she selected the next location.
"The next location...the Storm Tunnel."
"And it's during flooding. That makes it more dangerous." Amzen said. "Eagrin attacks Chargola." Amzen's new creature was an eagle-like creature with a human body. Once they became their creatures, they entered the location with water flowing through the tunnel. Chargola was holding on to the rocks, but the storm was fierce. He aimed his pyroblaster and tried shooting Eagrin in the air, but Eagrin avoided his attacks.
"Nice try, but the Storm Tunnel during flooding gives creatures with air attacks more power." Eagrin said. Eagrin pulled out the mugician disruptor and tried blasting Chargola with it, but Chargola took cover from the shots. "You can't hide forever."
"Then I won't." Chargola said as he climbed higher and tried shooting Eagrin with flames again.
"It's pointless. You aren't thinking of Chargola's recklessness." Eagrin said as he avoided all those fire attacks.
"How about this? Gladiator's Fire!" Chargola unleashed a blast of fire and Eagrin was surprised by that and got blasted by the fire. "Harnessed Rage!" Chargola unleashed a blast from his mouth and hit Eagrin again and Eagrin was knocked into the water. Chargola looked around for Eagrin to reemerge. Eagrin flew out right in front of Chargola and readied another attack.
"Fortuitous Winds!" Eagrin flapped his wings and launched a powerful blast of wind and hit Chargola with it. Chargola was being blown down the tunnel, but he was able to grab the cliff to hold on. "Fearocity!" Eagrin launched a cyclone attack and it hit Chargola as he was blown further down. Chargola bounced against the rocks until he was finally coded.
"You used your creature's recklessness to your advantage. A good try, but it just wasn't enough." Amzen said. Natsu went on with it and selected the next location.
"The next location...Stone Pillar."
"Now I can go for the creature I really want. Vyll attacks Sinta!" They were starting their third battle and Natsu was finally targeting the creature he wanted to beat. The battle started and Natsu was already taking the lead. Sinta was pouncing around the pillar as Vyll flew around and tried blasting her with a cyclance.
"That amulet can't help you now." Vyll said as he launched an energy beam and blasted Sinta with it. Sinta got back up and launched some fire attacks at him, but Vyll avoided each attack. Vyll launched another powerful attack and it hit Sinta again as it knocked her off the pillar. She slammed against the rocks down below and she ended up getting coded.
...
Outside
"Yes! He beat Sinta, the one that gave him the most trouble before!" Zach cheered as the others were real happy for him.
"So what? She's still got four creatures." Clyde said. "Natsu still doesn't have a chance." The others were happy for Natsu, but Lucy still seemed concerned.
"Lucy, what is it?" Erza asked.
"Doesn't it seem like Sinta went down a little too easy?" Lucy questioned.
...
The Battle
"Yes! No more Sinta! I've been wanting to do that since the start of the battle." Natsu said.
"Are you so sure?" Amzen said. Natsu was happy he beat the creature that gave him trouble in the past, but he was shocked when he saw Sinta came back on the board. "Getting rid of Sinta will be harder than you think." How did Sinta came back? If Natsu can't figure out how to get rid of Sinta, he can't win this battle.