Lost Galaxy
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"If you really were back to life yesterday, while whom I saw at that time was indeed Tsurugi ..."
Rodan's words instantly brought stares of wonder and suspicion towards Akurous.
Shindou, who was putting together the meaning of Mrs Kamata's last sentence to him, became one of the owners of the stares.
On the other hand, Tenma could only swallow.
"Then. who are you ...?"
Tsurugi's figure in front of them sighed, before standing up. Straightening his legs, then crossing arms in front of his chest.
"Never thought I would get exposed this quick," just muttering, but sounded pretty clear to those around him.
"Tsurugi ...?" Shinsuke stared in doubt. "So you really aren't ...?"
Akurous looked down at Shinsuke with a weak smile. "Yes, I'm not the Tsurugi you know."
Shindou had really turned his attention away from Mrs Kamata. "Then, you are ...?"
Tenma waited in anxiousness. Until this moment, he still pretended not to know, due to Akurous and Tsurugi's safety. Luckily, Ixal Fleet were currently busy with Matatagi and the other, in the match that was still going on. A very good coincidence. Tenma could still ask those who heard Akurous's confession to keep this secret with him.
"I am...," Akurous began his story. "... an entity that once lived on this Faram Obius."
"Once ... lived ...?" Aoi repeated, unsure. "Does it mean-"
"Yes, I'm already dead."
Gasped breaths voiced everyone's reaction to that revelation. Especially for Faram Dite. A story about some ghost from their planet, willing to occupy an earthling―which was rumored to be cursed in the prophecy―as their temporary body, was not something that had ever crossed their minds.
"My case is almost the same as what happened to your manager—Mizukawa Minori, and Planet Kiel's scientist—Potomuri," Akurous continued. "However, because the soul of Tsurugi Kyousuke you know is currently not in this body, my personality as a soul without a body, can appear completely, without the need to form a new personality like happened to Mizukawa Minori and Potomuri the Scientist."
Silence again ambushed, digesting Akurous's long exposure.
"Then, Tsurugi's real soul ...?" Shinsuke asked.
Akurous revealed, "Still inside Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon machine."
"If that's really the case, is there any proof that you really are an entity of Faram Obius, and not Ozrock's ally?" one serious question from Argo. The tall goalkeeper of Faram Dite took over Shindou's role, to begin the interrogation process.
Akurous, still in his Tsurugi form, stared back at Argo, before smiling. A smile that somehow instantly triggered a memory in Argo's subconscious. The smile of the figure he had only known for the past few days, strangely, felt so familiar.
"Argo Burgess, 21 years old. Born in the city of Raffius, North Deltos. Starting to join Faram Dite since the age of 15. Owner of Soul Angidra, which first awakened while helping an Angidra cub that fell from the cliff of your hometown beach. Hobbies aside of soccer, are fishing and hiking. Your favorite food is Caspessia mushroom soup without selp. Seren often forgets this and puts selp into your soup, which sometimes leads to your quarrels with her."
Obviously, all Faram Dite members gaped at the detailed exposures uttered by Tsurugi's voice.
"You ... you're really from this planet, huh?" Rodan was almost convinced.
"Wa-wait a minute," awake from his amazement, Argo immediately refuted. "That statement proves nothing! Who knows, he might get all the information from Coach Donolzen, who has betrayed us!"
Hearing the name of the deceased mentioned, Akurous could not help but feeling pensive. That's right. Only I know that Donolzen has died ...
"Coach Donolzen never bothered to find out about our favorite foods," said Seren. "I guess, this ghost possessing Tsurugi is telling the truth."
Shindou finally spoke, as he couldn't bear to just watch.
"If what you say is true, can you reveal your name and reason for helping us?" he asked Akurous, approaching him. "It seems that you know the members of Faram Dite well. If you reveal everything clearly, they will certainly be more able to accept you. Likewise with us."
"For now, I can't say who I really am," Akurous said. "As for my reason ... isn't that obvious? Even though I'm dead, I don't want Faram Obius to be destroyed. This planet is my precious hometown."
Akurous threw his eyes towards the field. Hillary was guarding Despina, while Barga was blocking Ishigashi.
"Actually, seeing you all return safely ...," Akurous turned his gaze towards Argo and the Shitennou. "... is also one of my reasons to help Earth Eleven. And since it has now been realized, I think my job here is done. Besides, if I keep dwelling in this boy's body, he might not be able to return to life."
Done confessing that, Akurous closed his eyes. I have to disappear now, before they pressed me any further.
Tsurugi's body emitted a faint light. Akurous's soul was preparing to leave his loan body.
"WAIT, AKUROUS ! DON'T LEAVE THAT BODY YET !"
One big shout shook the air within Grand Celesta Stadium.
Standing at a distance of five meters from the point where Akurous standing; a tall, muscular blonde figure with a knight like garment.
Tenma was stunned. "Sar—"
"Sarjes!"
From the VIP audience box, Princess Katora completed Tenma's unfinished remark. While beside the princess, Lalaya and Minel were no less shocked. Hearing the name of the late King Akurous shouted out by that stranger named Sarjes.
"Princess Katora ...," Minel cautiously asked. "What is exactly happening? Do you know that man ...?"
Pressed by the curious expressions around her, the princess from Kiel knew she had to answer truthfully.
"He is ..., one of our kingdom's royal warrior," Katora paused for a long time, before went on. "And he is the same as your father, Queen Lalaya ..."
"The same ...? What do you mean ...?" Lalaya's green eyes rounded, still did not understand.
"Just like King Akurous, Sarjes has long died... But his soul is still roaming in this mortal world, for there are some duties he must complete."
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"Who is that ... Tenma ...?" Aoi asked, voicing out the others' puzzlement.
Although for slightly different reasons, the members of Faram Dite were no less confused than Aoi. Hearing the name of their previous king being screamed recklessly by a stranger coming out of nowhere. Moreover, the stranger shouted as if ... the king was actually among them.
Before Tenma could answer Aoi, Akurous—in Tsurugi's body—charged quickly towards Sarjes.
Sarjes seemed oblivious to the dangerous aura emanating from every step that the king snapped.
"Thank God, I still made it!" Sarjes said cheerfully. "You're still in this boy's body, right? Good! The thing is..., Potomuri just told me—"
Stopping in front of Sarjes, Tsurugi's eyes glowed dangerously. By Akurous's will, those eyes were aimed entirely at Sarjes. After all, this Kiel warrior's heedless action had announced his supposed-to-be-secret identity, throughout Grand Celesta Stadium.
" Do you want to die ...? Or do you want to die once more?" Akurous hissed.
"Eh? Huh ...?" Sarjes - who was still unaware of his mistake - blinked in confusion. "What is this ...? Did I do something wrong ...?"
Sarjes turned his head, tossing a signal to Tenma. Asking for help, and maybe an explanation. Not realizing that he himself was the most obliged to provide an explanation than anyone in this stadium.
Thanks to his inconsiderate and fierce scream; Earth Eleven players who were actively competing on the field―including Hilary and Barga―could not help but to get distracted.
The opportunity was used by Ixal Fleet players to penetrate Earth Eleven's tight defense.
Luckily, Minaho and Hilary were quick to recover. The two's unusual combination blocked Despina's way.
Despina snorted. The ball that she dribbled all the way there, had to be passed backwards. However, Matatagi succeeded in cutting the ball course, and cleared it off the field.
"You sure know what you're doing," praised Hilary, smirking at Minaho.
Minaho chuckled, "It's commonsense to go for defensive strategies in this situation. Even Matatagi-kun knows that."
Throw-in from Ixal didn't take long. The fierce match soon resumed.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines. Sarjes's shout earlier, had completely changed the suspicious and alert manners of Faram Dite's players regarding 'Tsurugi', into gazes of confusion and disbelief.
"Potomuri said ...," Sarjes finally got the chance to express what he wanted to convey to Akurous, even only through whispering. "You cannot leave this body now, because the owner's Soul is being directed elsewhere. If you leave this body empty without guard in front of Ozrock, who knows what he will do ..."
Akurous was not so focused on Sarjes' words. Even though he could still catch what the blonde warrior meant. What was more of a problem now for him was the curious steps of Faram Dite's team players, slowly but surely, approached him.
Damn ..., how do I escape this situation ...?
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"Tenma! "
He who felt being called, jerked up.
"Tenma, do you hear me? "
"Tsurugi ...?" Tenma answered silently, half asking.
Ten meters below Tenma's feet, Manuuba, the fake Tsurugi, heaved a sigh of relief. Using telepathy from this distance without any helping devices, in fact, wasn't his specialty.
"Don't ask anything yet!" Again, 'Tsurugi's' voice answered. "Just follow that auntie's words, and take the purple stone from her. We can defeat Ozrock with this."
"We?" Tenma didn't understand. "Wait, what do you mean, Tsurugi? Where are you?"
"I will go to your place soon. But you and Shindou have to wear that Aliea Meteorite first. "
Tenma was silent. He sensed something strange from Tsurugi's way of speaking
"You are ... Manuuba, right ...?" Tenma said, carefully.
"Tch ...," Manuuba cursed softly. "He found out..."
"The preparation is complete," Potomuri sighed in relief, before turning to Manuuba standing beside him. Together with Coach Kuroiwa, they were still underground, where the Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon machine was hidden.
"How about you? Have you managed to persuade Tenma-kun?"
The young scientist's question was answered by Manuuba with a loud snort. Coach Kuroiwa's request to contact Tenma while pretending to be Tsurugi, was not an easy matter.
But Tenma's voice which actually responded to their telepathic conversation, made Manuuba stopped grumbling.
I already wore it. Aliea Meteorite. Tenma's tone sounded so sure in Manuuba's ears. Then, what shall I do?
Manuuba did not immediately answer Tenma.
"He really believes me...?" he said in amazement.
While on Tenma's side, there was Shindou furrowing brows at Tenma unhesitatingly accepting Aliea Meteorite from Mrs Kamata and wearing it. What made him even more upset, was that junior of his acted like being deaf to whatever he said.
"Hey, Tenma ...!" Shindou snapped, for the umpteenth time. "TENMA!"
Tenma turned his head, looked at Shindou, lifelessly. As if he was not there.
"What are you doing?!" Shindou asked impatiently. "That stone—"
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At first, it was only a speck of odd light, as if rising from the middle of the field. But less than a half second, that light metamorphosed into a blinding ray. Devouring all their visibility in Grand Celesta Stadium, for a few seconds.
FLASH ! !
Aoi slowly opened her eyes, as soon as she felt the light rays had subsided.
The purple field was now stretched deserted, without anybody on there. Except for Hilary and Barga who were seen still looking away, covering their eyes with their arms.
Aoi looked around, "Tenma ...? Everyone ...?"
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Manuuba winced in puzzlement. Both Tenma's voice and presence, no longer reached him.
"Hey, you still there?"
Manuuba initially thought, that telepathy was cut off because he was not strong enough to maintain the connection.
"What's wrong?" This time, Coach Kuroiwa's deep voice asked.
Manuuba was not yet to answer, but Potomuri's remark suddenly diverted their attentions.
"Tenma-kun and the others ..., also Ozrock and Ixal Fleet's players ... They all disappeared!"
"Disappeared!?"
Potomuri nodded in affirmation. "This indicator of Life Energy amount that has been collected," he pointed out. "It suddenly dropped, and now it is about to touch the nadir. That is a sign that the sources of Life Energy in regard are no longer available."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Manuuba cursed in frustration. "How can someone just disappear without any cause?! And again, where did they go—?"
"Wait!" Coach Kuroiwa examined Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon's main screen, and realized something. "Have you managed to split Tsurugi Kyousuke's soul into Earth Eleven's Aliea-Meteorite?"
Potomuri nodded again. "Right before they disappear from Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon's radar."
Manuuba snorted. "Do we really have to make fuss about it now? If Earth Eleven and Ixal Fleet aren't here, who else are able to have clash fierce enough to form Life Energy!?"
Potomuri agreed in his musing. Manuuba was right. There was no use of having Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon rebuilt, if there was no energy that could support the large task it carried.
Even though... we all have come this far.
Earth Eleven who had collected the four keystones. Princess Katora who had found important clues about alternative energy source more humanly than seizing the souls of innocent people. Tsurugi who was willing to betray his home planet to form the said energy for saving the universe. Even Ozrock, the villain, had played a big role, by providing the facilities for him to rebuild the black hole destroyer machine―although his actions were also influenced by personal ambition, to some extent.
And finally, Manuuba—without asking for any payment like he always did towards his former employer, Ozrock―opened the way for Potomuri to rearrange Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon that Ozrock had manipulated.
All had given their best in accordance with their respective roles and abilities. But why?
Why did the situation remain the same ..., like when Kiel, his home planet, was to be engulfed by the black hole?
Why?
Manuuba's loud groan responded to Potomuri's silence and tears that welled up in the scientist's eyelids.
"Oh, come on! You think crying can solve the problem?"
Potomuri immediately raised his head, wiping his face. "I-I didn't—"
"This machine isn't broken, right? Then we just need to find another source of energy to make it able to operate."
"But who else can—"
"Faram Dite are still here," Manuuba said, rinsing a bit of Potomuri's despair. "Also, those guys too..."
"'Those guys...'?" Again confusion dyed the scientist's face. "What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, Manuuba turned away from Potomuri, and exclaimed, "You hear me? In next ten minutes, you all must gather in Grand Celesta Galaxy's main square! Yes, the place where Earth Eleven supposed to have match with Ixal Fleet today. I'll explain later! Just gather in the guise you wore in the match against Earth Eleven underground! Hurry up!"
Cutting his connection with outsiders, Manuuba returned to Potomuri.
"I have already contacted those who were supposed to be given the task by Ozrcok to collect Life Energy yesterday," Manuuba threw a hint.
Potomuri widened eyes, "You mean, Fake ... Eleven?"
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Where did they all go?
The same question also raged in the minds of those who were still left in the stadium. Especially after realizing that, not only the two teams competing on the field. But also Tenma, Shindou, 'Tsurugi' - even though he had just confessed that he was not Tsurugi -, as well as the mysterious blonde man who had excitedly screamed Faram Obius' previous king's name. All disappeared without any trace.
Knowing the match would not resume for a while, Hilary and Barga joined their fellow members of Faram Dite on the sidelines. When the two were about to ask what had happened, the same question was returned to them first.
"The mysterious light came from the middle of the pitch, right?" said Gandales sure. "Didn't you see what happened?"
"We've been telling you ..." Barga was no less insistent. "In the midst of such blinding light, what could we see?"
"It's you who should be able to see better," Hilary replied. "You were not too close to the source of the light, after all."
"That light expanded in an instant and engulfed the entire stadium!" Ryugel refuted. "I'm sure that even Queen Lalaya up there, couldn't see anything either."
While Ryugel was saying that, the owner of that noble name, was no longer sitting on her throne.
"Your Majesty!" Minel chased after the little queen galloping down.
Katora, and a number of Minel's other subordinates also followed behind.
The current 'Tsurugi' was actually his father. The thought continued to plague Lalaya's mind, as she ran.
Impossible...! Impossible! But, if that's true, then ... then ... .
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"Queen Lalaya !?"
Faram Dite didn't expect their queen to come down for them herself.
Trying to speak in the middle of her gasping for breath, Lalaya demanded, "Tsurugi ..., no ..., I mean, my father ... where did he go ...?"
Faram Dite members exchanged looks at Lalaya's question, which put Tsurugi's name and her father together, as if they were the same entity.
Minel and Katora caught up with Lalaya soon after.
"Queen Lalaya," Argo ventured to ask. "So it's true ... that 'Tsurugi' was actually ..."
Lalaya did not immediately agree with Argo's suspicion. Instead, it was Katora to explain.
"First of all, please forgive my impudence," while saying so, Katora turned her body to Lalaya, Minel-along with his subordinates, and Faram Dite's members. "I didn't mean to hide this from all of you. But, when I witnessed Tsurugi Kyousuke who was able to come back alive after losing the final match, I could only guess that something out of the ordinary had happened."
Katora's explanation began. Scientist Potomuri's soul ending up inside the body of an earth girl named Mizukawa Minori, indicated that those wandering souls tended to be more easily bound to the bodies that had same physical characteristics with their original forms during their life. After hearing Lalaya's confession about how her father resembled Tenma's kidnapped friend, Katora then could figure, that what happened to Tsurugi was likely similar to what had happened to Potomuri and Mizukawa.
"So, from the beginning, you already knew, that Master Tsurugi who came back from death was actually King Akurous?" Minel asked without accusing tone.
"Because at the time, it was merely my presumption, I did not dare to reveal it immediately," Katora stated the reason. "But Sarjes's remark earlier, I think, have given us a bit of proof."
"No wonder he knows Argo to such extent ...," Rodan noted.
However, Katora's long explanation still did not satisfy Queen Lalaya. "In that case, Tsurugi's true soul is still trapped inside the black hole destroyer machine built by Katora's scientist friend?"
"Regarding that ...," Katora almost affirmed Lalaya's assumption, had no other voice answered her.
"He is already with Earth Eleven."
The familiar voice instantly made Aoi and Shinsuke turned their head.
"Tenma ?!" both of them exclaimed together. Shinsuke even ran to his captain.
But Tenma's response to his friend was cold. His index finger stretched out, pointing his right eye, which had dark purple shades, instead of the usual gray.
"Ten ... ma ...?" Shinsuke began to doubt the validity of the name's owner before him.
Aoi, who was more responsive, trembled. "You ... don't tell me ..."
"Manuuba Gibutsu," 'Tenma' replied. "That's my name. Don't tell me you've forgotten."
"Fake Tsurugi !?" Shinsuke exclaimed in shock. "Why are you here?"
Manuuba in Tenma guise snorted, though then answered frankly. "To help Potomuri fix his Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon machine."
"You said, Potomuri?" Katora was astonished. "So, the return of these Shitennou members, because Potomuri has already ...?"
"Yes, he did not say anything, because he wanted to make a surprise for you, princess," replied Manuuba teasingly.
"But why should you become Tenma instead of Tsurugi?" Shinsuke was curious.
"If I insist on using Tsurugi's form, I will have a hard time facing this planet's queen, right?"
Lalaya, who was suddenly blamed by Manuuba, blinked.
Manuuba continued, "After all, wasn't that Tsurugi supposed to be the queen's groom ...?"
"Groom?"
"What do you mean?"
While Aoi and Shinsuke were excited about Manuuba's words, Noel and Seren furrowed their foreheads.
"How did you know that?" Noel's eyes thinned in suspicion. "Queen Lalaya didn't say that when she revealed everything in front of Earth Eleven the other day?"
Lalaya nodded. Looking intently at the person Shinsuke called 'fake Tsurugi'―even though his form was different now.
"Well, I know from my friends who spied on this planet on Ozrock's orders―"
As soon as he said the name, Faram Dite's relaxed attitude instantly became a combat-ready position.
Minel and his troops immediately put their bodies in front of Lalaya.
"On Ozrock's orders ... you say?" hissed Argo, ferociously.
Manuuba covered his mouth. Damn it! Seemed like the honest yet careless nature of Tenma had already permeated in his personality.
"I have my reasons!" Manuuba defended himself. "More importantly, I'm no longer his errand boy. I'm here to help you forming Life Energy from the clash of two opposing strong wills, just like Princess Katora proposed!"
"How can you be of help, while you're just alone?" Gandales did not believe.
As the footsteps approached, Manuuba turned his head. "Here they come!"
Apart from Manuuba, only Shinsuke, Aoi, and Katora recognized them.
"Fake ... Eleven?"
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Fake Eleven was given the chance to compete against the host planet's team, Faram Dite. Although they still had some suspicions, Faram Dite also knew that the solution offered by Manuuba was not an option. The remaining time wouldn't wait. If they did not approve this method, Faram Obius would be the one swallowed up by the black hole.
It was no longer win or lose matter, but whether they would succeed in gathering enough Life Energy to complete Cosmic Plasma Photon Cannon.
Meanwhile, on Earth Eleven's bench which was now Fake Eleven's, even though the latter didn't have any reserve players, Aoi was still curious.
"Can they be trusted, Katora-san?" she whispered, referring to Fake Eleven who were getting ready in their respective positions.
"I believe in them!"
Instead of Katora, it was Shinsuke giving his assessment. The two girls and Mrs Kamata looked at him in unison.
"Tsurugi..., no, Manuuba once protected me when we were nearly struck by hot steams on Planet Gurdon."
"But ... it's because he was disguising as Tsurugi-kun...," Mrs Kamata hesitated.
Shinsuke still directed his eyes straight to the field. That figure had indeed changed. But Shinsuke could feel the sincerity, which was no different from when he protected him before.
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The white fog coil, with a pair of emerald-like eyes, looked at him straight.
'Who are you?'
Tenma asked after gathering his courage.
'I ... am you.'
Like a mirror, the answer came out with the exact voice of Tenma's. Is this how it would feel when my friends fought Fake Eleven?
"You are ... me?"
The emerald pair of eyes beyond the fog moved as if nodding.
'I am a little part of your Soul holding memories of what you and I―we―have experienced before living life on earth as Matsukaze Tenma.'
That fairly long answer did not instantly make Tenma understand.
'Before becoming 'me'? What do you mean?'
'It's no use explaining, because you're the part of the Soul that won't be able to remember it. I can only give you, an earthling, two keywords to unlock the true power of your Soul. '
'Keywords?'
'Enif, of Pegasus.'
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Tenma cracked his eyes open, and found himself standing on ground. Sprang into his vision, Shindou, as well as his other teammates, standing scattered, not far from his current position. Looking around, he could only see an expanse of a night sky as the background, replacing the stadium pitch, where they should have been a while ago.
Even the ground they stood on had changed considerably. It was a chunk of land, hovering silent in space. Not much in size, but large enough to accommodate twenty-two Earth Eleven and Ixal Fleet players, along with Akurous and Sarjes.
Looking more observant, Tenma noticed the awkwardness of the night sky that surrounded them. It was pitch black. Though on the land, they could see and recognize each other with no problem. Some rocks hovered around the floating land, instead of stars.
"Welcome to the Lost Galaxy," someone finally spoke. Ozrock. "A place where all the souls and memories that have lost their vessels, gather."
"Lost Galaxy ...?" Tenma repeated. Not done being puzzled at the words from the green eyes that came before him, he was again confronted with unfamiliar terms he had never heard of.
Before long, Ozrock continued, "As you can see, there are two goalposts here, and the ball is still at my feet."
In unison, Earth Eleven gazes gathered at the tip of Ozrock's feet playing with the ball.
"You mean ... to continue our fight here?" Shindou asked, unsure.
"That's right," Ozrock said. "But don't you think everything will go the same as before!"
Exclamation of mocking from Ozrock, followed by Sakura's scream who was just blown away by Ozrock rushing across the field.
"Damn!" Shindou moved back to the defense line.
When Ozrock arrived, Ibuki, though with difficulty, managed to regain his focus. Attempting to use Gekirin Dunk. Yet Ozrock's strength was still too great for him.
Ozrock laughed hysterically, pointing amusedly at the lying Ibuki. Gasping as he rose, Ibuki held back his disgust.
"Bastard ...!" cursed Ibuki, did not want to add anymore reason for Ixal Fleet captain to laugh.
Ozrock's laughter stopped. "What?"
"YOU BASTARD!" Ibuki repeated, and got louder when spitting out the rest of his curses. "SHAMELESS! COWARD! STUBBORN! WHY MUST YOU INVOLVE US IN YOUR REVENGE DRAMA !?"
Ibuki no longer just shouted. His two hands pulled Ozrock by his clothes, throwing all those curses to the young alien right on his face.
"Let go ..." Ozrock hissed.
"YOU HAVE LOST SINCE WE DEFEATED YOUR ERRAND BOY, MANUUBA AND HIS FLOCK! YOUR PLAN HAS BEEN A MESS SINCE THE MACHINE FAILED TO TAKE OUR SOULS! STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD AND ADMIT YOUR DEFEAT, LOSER!"
Gasping Ibuki closed his explosion of feelings. Ibuki's teammates were stunned in their place, silenced. Their reactions ranged between amazement and feeling agree with the goalkeeper.
"Loser ...? Who did you call loser?"
"YOU!" Ibuki snapped, then looked at the entire the field. "And all of you who are on this jerk's side!"
Ozrock raised his palm, which actually made a small push, yet unexpectedly slammed Ibuki's tall body until it painfully sank into the goal's net.
Before Ibuki was aware of what happened, Ozrock had raised his hand completely, seemingly preparing to launch a new attack. The dreadful aura he emitted was no longer a joke. The desire to kill was clearly in his eyes, which no longer reflected Ibuki as Ibuki. But one of the ancient humans from Faram Obius, whoever he was, who had destroyed Ixal, his home planet.
"Perish...!" Ozrock announced in a hiss.
"Ibuki!" Shindou shouted in tremor, along with the others. "Run quick! Get away from there!"
"It's useless," Despina's mutter was heard by Tenma. "Ozrock is different now from before. He has unlocked spell that has not been used by anyone for centuries."
"Spell?" Tenma didn't understand.
"If he wants, he can break us all into small pieces in an instant," continued the forward of Ixal Fleet. There was no arrogance or horror in her quiet voice. Just a meek submission to their fate.
Tenma gasped. Ibuki was clearly in danger.
From the sidelines, Sarjes, along with Akurous, watched Tenma's struggle in silence.
"Matsukaze Tenma. The man chosen by Princess Katora," murmured Sarjes. "Now, what will you do?"
Ozrock's hand swung down. Marking the end of Ibuki who was completely glued to the ground in front of him.
Black waves exploded. Sand and earth scattered, thumping those around Ozrock. Ibuki, who didn't have time to react, thought that this was the last time his eyes could reflect light. Until...
An invisible dome stretched out just in time. Separating Ibuki with the raging Ozrock out there. Before he realized what was happening, Ibuki felt someone leaning to him back to back.
"Sorry to make you wait, Ibuki."
Ibuki soon recognized the voice. "Tsurugi!" he exclaimed between amazement and joy.
Not only Ibuki. But Tenma, Shindou, all members of Earth Eleven who were wearing Aliea Meteorite stones on their chests, felt the same way as Ibuki. Therefore, no one was injured by Ozrock attack, as they are all protected by the domes created by eleven Tsurugi figures.
"Tsurugi ... why are you here?" Tenma's question was also asked by others.
"It's a long story," Tsurugi answered Ibuki.
"But I guess now ...," Tenma heard another Tsurugi spoke.
"This is no longer a soccer match, Shindou-san," finished Tsurugi who was leaning with his back to Shindou.
"Looks like my daughter's man of choice is far more useful," Akurous commented on Sarjes's murmur which he heard shortly before Ozrock 'exploded' earlier. "It's time for me to leave this body."
"Woaahh!" Sarjes hurriedly caught Tsurugi's soulless body before it touched the ground.
Meanwhile, on Earth Eleven's side, Tsurugi's hands grabbed another hands, which belonged to his teammates he was backing on. Then, all eleven of Tsurugi figures disappeared, absorbed into the hands they was holding.
"Tsurugi! Where did you ...?" Before again fussing over Tsurugi's disappearance, Tenma felt an abundance of new strength clinging to his hand.
"I see..." Tenma murmured while smiling at his warm fist. Tsurugi is inside me!
"Matatagi, state the keywords."
Matatagi heard Tsurugi's voice command him from inside his head.
"Huh? Keywords ...?"
"The words you heard just before you arrive in this dimension !"
Next to Matatagi, Ichikawa Zanakurou answered doubtfully, "You mean, Regulus of Leo?"
Hearing his partner's answer, Matatagi was finally aware. "Altair of Aquilla?"
Matatagi was amazed by himself. After all, even though he remembered being entrusted with some keywords, he did not even try to remember the details of those two words he considered foreign at all. But now, he could mention them easily.
Tsurugi's orders moved towards Shindou.
"Peacock. Of Pavo." Shindou answered.
"Pegasus ... of Enif."
"You reverse them, Tenma!"
"Eeh? Well then ... Enif of Pegasus!"
After correcting himself, Tenma looked at Sakura.
"Eh? Ah ..." The girl remembered. "Capella of Auriga."
"Dubhe of Ursa Major," Kusaka continued.
Finished with the midfielders, Tsurugi moved to the defenders.
"Aldebaran of Taurus!" Tetsukado's hands were on his waist.
"Arcturus of Bootes." Minaho folded his arms while muttering. Wondering why he was entrusted with the name of the fourth brightest star in the night sky of earth.
"Polaris of Ursa Minor." Manabe corrected his glasses, glancing at Konoha.
"Uh...," Konoha stammered, before bowing. "P-procyon ... Of Canis Minor."
Ibuki walked out of the goal. Passing Ozrock, who had been glued to his feet since his first attack failed.
"Rigel of Orion!"
Right after Ibuki finished saying that, all of Earth Eleven members heard Tsurugi uttering, "Sirius of Canis Major."
Beams of golden yellow light, simultaneously emanated from their bodies. Converging towards the center of the field, not far from Tenma. A great amount of light soon was collected. Starting to embody a big tall horse, whose two feathered wings still neatly folded.
"Winged horse? Pegasus ...?"
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"In the end, what exactly are you plotting?" Potomuri asked while focusing his attention on the big screen in front of him. Potomuri could not see the match between Fake Eleven and Faram Dite. But if he looked at the Life Energy that was starting to gather, it appeared that Manuuba and his friends fought Faram Dite well.
Kuroiwa did not immediately answer the question from the Kielian scientist, who was once his assistant in the form of a girl named Mizukawa Minori.
"What do you think?" Kuroiwa's voice rasped in reply.
"Does this have something to do with 'those things' you claim you can see, whereas we can't?"
"You mean, the real potential of the souls of Earth Eleven members?"
Potomuri nodded. Diverting his attention from the big screen, to Kuroiwa.
"What exactly do you see in them?" demanded Potomuri.
"I can see it. A special soul that awakens only if those twelve children gather. A beast written in legends. But in reality, it never truly exists on our planet."
"A legendary Soul ...?"
"Unfortunately, the twelve lights never gather on the field, because a soccer match only plays eleven players in a team."
Potomuri began to grasp Kuroiwa's intentions, "In other words, breaking Tsurugi-kun's Soul into eleven pieces, then sending it to Tenma-kun and friends, is your plan to gather the twelve lights in one match, in order to awaken the Legendary Soul. Is that so?"
Another voice answered Potomuri.
"I must admit, that was a brilliant idea."
Potomuri and Kuroiwa turned around. And found the figure of the young King Akurous standing behind them.
"Ixal Fleet, Earth Eleven and Sarjes are now in the Lost Galaxy dimension," Akurous reported. "I left Tsurugi's body there, after you managed to send his soul there ..."
"Lost Galaxy ...?" Potomuri gasped. "But they all ..., Sarjes, Tenma-kun and friends are safe, right?"
"Earth Eleven even succeed in awakening the power of the Legendary Soul," reported Akurous. "But I'm not sure they can match the spell casted by Ozrock who is unleashing his true power."
"Spell?" Potomuri asked, not understanding.
"Planet Ixal was once a planet inhabited by magic-users, until an internal conflict turned it into a high-tech planet, almost parallel to Faram," Akurous explained in brief.
"But ... what kind of spell are they using, to such extent that the Legendary Soul of Earth Eleven is unable to match it?"
"Spell which power comes from the hatred of their ancestors who died by Faram Obius' hands."
Potomuri gasped in disbelief at Akurous's definite answer, "Is power coming from hatred really that strong ...?"
"Don't underestimate the power of hatred, young man," Kuroiwa remarked. "Especially from those who are dead. Bodies, in the end, are mere restraints. When they are stripped of, it will allow someone to reach the point of infinity."
Potomuri was stunned.
"But... if that's true, Tenma-kun and the others are in danger ...," the scientist muttered anxiously. "Is there nothing we can do?"
"That's what I came here for," Akurous replied calmly. "To remind you that we also have similarities with the Ozrock ancestors."
"Same?"
"We are too, spirits who have lost our bodies. We can send our supports to Earth Eleven who are fighting in the Lost Galaxy."
"B-but, this Kuroiwa Ryuusei ...," Potomuri stared doubtfully at the earth human beside him. "Isn't he still alive? Even though he has been declared dead ...? The body that he is using even now is his own body, the body of Kageyama Reiji..., right?"
"The body is not his," Akurous said, surprising Potomuri. "The one in front of you is an android body built by a group of artificial intelligence researchers in Italy who were trying to recreate the genius brain of the legendary football coach, Kageyama Reiji."
"I-is that true?" Potomuri turned to Kuroiwa for confirmation.
"Unfortunately, the project ended in failure and was finally terminated," Kuroiwa continued. "This body was displaced for several years, until I - as a spirit - later found and used it."
Potomuri was again speechless in bewilderment.
"Isn't this interesting?" Kuroiwa smirked. "Three souls with different backgrounds, coming from different home planets, all gathered in one place after their death. Don't you think it's already fated?""
"We all gathered here, attracted by the vortex of apocalypse that is now approaching Faram Obius," Akurous responded. "It could be that we are also the keys for the blue planet―Earth Eleven―to stop Ozrock's madness."
"The key for stopping madness ...? Me...?" Potomuri repeated, more to himself. "Me, who failed to save Planet Kiel ...?"
"And I who failed to protect my people from Donolzen ...," added Akurous.
"We all died leaving behind failures and regrets ..." Kuroiwa joined in, staring at the two men looking much younger than him. "This second chance we've been given, shouldn't be wasted."
Akurous nodded. "Let go of your body, hold my hands, and concentrate. Sarjes who is still left in the Lost Galaxy, will deliver us to Earth Eleven's Legendary Soul."
"We call it Pegasus, the winged horse that only exists in legend," Kuroiwa complemented.
Following Akurous's command, Potomuri closed his eyes. A moment later, Mizukawa Minori's body collapsed behind him. Likewise Kuroiwa, who stripped of the android body, leaving a spirit figure of the legendary coach of Orpheus team from Italy. The young Kageyama Reiji, before his death.
Forming a small circle, the three focused their thoughts on a winged horse who was fighting in another dimension.
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