"Come on! Don't lose to him!" Natsu cheered. He was practically throwing food and drinks all around as he watched this battle. The others came and saw he was practically throwing a fit.

"Natsu, you're making a mess!" Lucy said.

"What's gotten into you? Who's battle are you watching?" Zach questioned.

"It's Gray and he's losing!" Natsu said. All of them were shocked to hear that. They all looked to the battle and saw Kalt was battling in the Storm Tunnel and it wasn't looking good. He was battling against a creature named Tartem. Kalt tried using his water attacks, but the Storm Tunnel weakened them and Tartem had a torwegg.

"This does look bad. Tartem uses air attacks and they're battling in the Storm Tunnel and the torwegg makes air attacks stronger." Zach said. "Tartem can also make air attacks stronger. Gray's in a big disadvantage here."

"Yeah and he's only been able to code a couple of this guy's creatures." Natsu said. "He's perfectly countered almost everything Gray has done."

"Who is Gray battling?" Erza asked.

"Someone who has a screenname named Count Counter." Natsu said.

"Count Counter?!" Zach said. "I've heard of him. That guy is practically unbeatable! He's capable of countering everything his opponents do." They watched Kalt fight back, but it wasn't going well.

"Hive-phoon!" Tartem unleashed the attack and it blasted Kalt with him getting coded. They all saw Gray did not look happy about this at all. They saw Gray's opponent and he looked like a dashing young man.

"Thanks for the battle." He said as he left.

"Told you. That guy is tough to beat." Zach said.

"Come on!" Natsu said as he hurried over to the drome with the others following.

...

Gray

Gray was exiting the Crellen Drome and he still seemed upset about his loss. Natsu and the others hurried over and were able to catch him.

"Gray!" Natsu called and got his attention.

"Hey, guys." Gray said.

"We just saw your battle ended. Looks like you got beat badly by Count Counter." Erza said.

"You can say that again. Count Counter, also known as Edward, is a tough guy to beat." Gray said. "Almost no one can really beat him."

"You flatter me." All of them looked and saw he was still there. "It's only common sense to study and analyze your opponents before entering a battle. If you know how to counter their strategies, the rest should be easy. It also wouldn't hurt to have a few contingencies. Of course, some of the challengers aren't much of a challenge at all, like you, Ice Buster."

"You..." Gray said as he couldn't stand the guy. "That's why I hate the fact that I lost to you, you snooty arrogant punk."

"You don't need to be a jerk just because you won." Lucy said.

"I'm just stating the facts." Edward said.

"So you think you're unbeatable?" Natsu said as he was getting a bit excited. "What do you say to battle with me?" Natsu like the idea of beating someone that might be unbeatable.

"Not interested." Edward said as he just shot Natsu down. "I've seen your battles, Fire-Dragneel. It is impressive that you were able to beat two codemasters, but your style is a bit of a bore."

"What?!" Natsu said as he was angry now.

"However, you might be another story." Edward said as he pointed to Zach.

"Me? How come?" Zach questioned.

"You might actually give me a challenge because you're a little unpredictable." Edward said. "You mostly use danians, but you throw in creatures from other tribes as well and use locations, battlegear, and mugic that's a little unassuming. You might be a bit more challenging than those I usually battle. What do you say?"

"Fine with me. I've been wanting to take you on myself." Zach said.

"Good. Meet me back at this drome in a couple hours." Edward said as he walked past him.

...

The Portcourt

Now that Zach has been challenged, he needs to come up with some sort of strategy that he can at least hold his own against Edward.

"How's it going?" Lucy asked.

"Not well. My danian combinations are ones he's seen before. Even if I throw in a couple other creatures, he'll see them coming and there's no time to get new scans." Zach said.

"There must be something you can do if you want to win." Erza said.

"Your danians haven't let you down before." Natsu said as they looked through Zach's deck. "There's got to be something they can do."

"Dont' count on it." All of them look and spotted Gray. "Edward will see it all coming. You said so yourself that he'll see your strategies coming. I tried my usual style and he beat me around like it was nothing." Gray is a pretty good battler. So the fact he got beaten pretty easily is a little unsettling.

"So what should I do?" Zach said.

"You've got to do something completely different." Gray said.

"Completely different?" Zach questioned and he might have a few ideas on what to do.

...

The Crellen Drome

The time came for Zach to take on Edward. The two of them entered the drome and placed their scanners in.

"Are you ready?" Edward said.

"Yeah." Zach said. 'At least, I hope so.' He thought and started to set his team. 'He's probably expecting me to use my danians in a mix army. So I need to change things. He won't expect a whole team of overworlders. I'll use Gespeden since he's my favorite overworlder. I'll also use Wytod upfront. Trimdaal is almost like a danian. I'll also use Olkiex when he's a driving extraordinaire. He'll constantly gain energy. I'll also use Gimwei. In the back, I'll put in the captain himself: Arrthoa. Now for battlegear. Arrthoa can use water attacks and I'll give him my sun chariot. If things go well, this combo will turn the tide.'

"Players, lock your decks." Both of them locked in and they saw it was a battle between overworlders and underworlders.

"So you went with all overworlders instead of the usual." Edward said. "Fitting since I went with all underworlders. Of course, you aren't the first to try and changed things around on me. Changing your style is like changing a habit. It can be done, but the process is difficult." Zach knows this won't be easy, but he's got to go for it.

"Because Count Counter issued the challenge, Chaotic Man will attack first. Activate your location randomizer." Zach reached for it and gave it a spin. "The first location...the Forest of Life. Choose the attacking and target creatures please."

"Olkiex attacks Geltod!" Both of them selected their creatures and it was a four arm furry creature against a pile of living slime.

...

The Portcourt

Zach's friends, joined by Gray, watched the battle go on. They saw Olkiex traveled through the forest and was looking around for Geltod.

"You guys really think Zach will be able to win?" Lucy questioned.

"I hope so." Gray said. "Your friend might be good, but people have tried changing things around on Count Counter before. He was right when he said it's difficult, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to win."

"I guess it all comes down to how Zach plays this." Erza said as they all watched carefully.

...

The Battle

Olkiex kept looking around, but didn't see the pile of slime anywhere. That was because Geltod found him first. Geltod used Electro-Web and Olkiex got caught in it as he was being electrocuted. Olkiex got himself free and turned to him with him revealing his battlegear: dractyl scales.

"Ash Torrent!" Olkiex launched the attack at Geltod and knocked him right out of the tree. "Good luck trying to code Olkiex. He gains energy as long as he is equipped with battlegear. Viperlash!" Olkiex unleashed the snakes and they coiled around the sludge as they did some damage.

"Delerium!" Geltod attacked, but Olkiex moved out of the way.

"Power Pulse!" Olkiex unleashed the attack and coded Geltod with it.

"Yes! I got the first win!" Zach said.

"Don't let it go to your head. Even I lost a couple rounds, but let's see how long you last." Edward said as he gave his locations a spin.

"The next location...Everrain."

"Asadab attacks Trimdaal."

"Trimdaal?" Zach questioned. Zach didn't get what he was planning, but went with it. They both became their creatures and went to the location.

...

The Portcourt

"Strange choice." Erza said.

"What is it?" Natsu said.

"Everrain is a location that makes water attacks stronger." Gray said. "Asadab can use water attacks, but Trimdaal can use water attacks as well. Trimdaal can use fire attacks as well and make them stronger. So why would he choose to battle Trimdaal in that location?"

"He's up to something." Lucy said as they watched carefully. Trimdaal scurried around like the spider he is and went after Asadab. Trimdaal used Steam Rage, but Asadab jumped out of the way. Asadab fought back with Rip Tide and knocked Trimdaal off the trees.

"At the moment, it's an even match." Erza said.

"Wait. Asadab is using mugic!" Gray said.

...

The Battle

"Melody of the Meek!" Asadab cast mugic and it came down around Trimdaal, but he didn't feel any damage. Trimdaal just shook it off and went on with the battle.

"Perplexing Heat!" Trimdaal unleashed the attack, but it wasn't as strong as usual as Asadab took the attack and was able to block it. "What?! That should have done more damage!"

"That's the power of the Melody of the Meek." Asadab said. "Since you have thirty or less energy left, your attacks can't do more than ten energy."

What?!" Trimdaal said.

'That's why he chose to battle Trimdaal. He turned the effects of Everrain for me and used it against me. All my attacks are weaker now!' Zach thought.

"Torrent of Water!" Asadab unleashed another water attack and blasted Trimdaal with it as he was knocked down. "This battle is over. Deadwater Devastation!" Asadab unleashed another attack and Trimdaal got hit hard by the attack and ended up getting coded.

"You were warned that beating me wouldn't be easy." Edward said.

'He's good. He took something that gave me the advantage and took it away with just a simple mugic.' Zach thought. "This battle isn't over yet."

"So let's continue." Edward said.

"Wytod attacks Kerric!" Kerric fired an energy beam from his stinger and blasted Whytod with him getting coded.

"Cyrenox attacks Olkiex!" Cyrenox tried, but Olkiex blasted him with fire and coded him as well.

"Gespeden attacks Kerric!" Gespeden used his speed and jumped in the air as he smashed into Kerric and coded him.

"Asadab attacks Gimwei!" Gimwei flew around and used a mix of fire and air to code Asadab.

"Olkiex attacks Kamangareth!" Olkiex tried, but he couldn't gain enough energy and got coded by Kamangareth.

"Kamangareth attacks Gespeden!" Gespeden couldn't outrun Kamangareth and she ended up coding him as well.

"Gimwei attacks Kamangareth!" Gimwei was able to gain the advantage as he flew around and was able to code Gimwei with air.

"Irsenog attacks Gimwei!" Gimwei tried his best, but Irsenog's air attacks were stronger than his and Gimwei ended up getting coded. It was an even match as they were both down to one creature. Edward actually applaud his efforts.

"Very nicely done. This actually went better than I thought." Edward said. "You probably had some practice with you battling as other creatures. Now let's see if it will all pay off."

"We're about to find out." Zach said as he selected the final location.

'Runic Grove. Only generic mugic can be cast there.' Edward thought. 'I'm all out of generic mugic, but I'm not going to let that stop me.'

"Arrthoa attacks Irsenog!" Zach said. Both of them became their creatures and entered the location. Irsenog had a torwegg on him and his air attacks were even stronger.

"Wind Slash!" Irsenog attacked Arrthoa with the attack. Arrthoa tried jumping out of the way, but he still got blown back from the attack. "You're out of luck. Irsenog's air attacks become stronger thanks to his ability and the torwegg makes them stronger. Cyclone Slam!" He launched another attack at Arrthoa and it seemed to have hit. Irsenog seems to have gotten him, but he was surprised as he saw Arrthoa come out in some sort of chariot.

"Surprise! Steam Rage!" Arrthoa unleashed the attack and blasted Irsenog with it as he was blown back.

"The sun chariot of Kehn-Sep?! That gives a creature fire abilities!" Irsenog said.

"Making Arrthoa a double threat. Torrent of Flame!" Arrthoa circled around and unleashed the attack from under Irsenog and sent him flying in the air. Irsenog launched more air attacks, but Arrthoa steered his chariot around and avoided the attacks. "Don't forget that genergic mugic can be cast here. Howl of the Wind!" Arrthoa cast mugic and was given more power.

"Now you can use air attacks?" Irsenog said. "I don't get it. What are you hoping to do with that?"

"This! Landgore!" Arrthoa unleashed an attack of the four elements. Irsenog was surprised by the attack and got hit hard by the attack and ended up getting coded.

"The winner: Chaotic Man."

"Oh yeah!" Zach said.

"Nicely done." Edward said. Count Counter is a little more beatable.

...

The Portcourt

"Way to go, Zach." Natsu said.

"You played that well." Erza said.

"You got him by surprise with that little combo of yours." Lucy said.

"Yeah. I knew in order to beat him, I needed to do something unexpected." Zach said. "Landgore does more damage for each element I have. That's why I had my last creature build on the elements."

"Zach!" Zach looked and spotted Gray. "Nicely done in there. I'm looking forward to battling you."

"Thanks." Zach said as Gray walked away.

"Hold on! What about me, Gray?!" Natsu said as he was trying to spark a little rivalry as he felt like Gray just said he's not worthy. "I can be a great battler too, you know! You've seen it! Just wait! I can win without underworlders!" Changing things around can be a good thing and it lead to other good things, some of the time.