"I wanted to play more before killing the competition, but I guess I'll have to go with all I've got," Gallows said as dark energy came out of his body, "I am Death Ruler Gallows. I came from the Darkness Dragon world. Power is control. Power is life. Power is everything."

Drum grunted, "Darkness Dragon World. You came from this accursed place."

"Accursed? I came from a powerful world Drum. Now! Knee before me and hope for a fast death," Gallows shouted before charging at Drum and Tsukikage.

Chapter 16: A Mean Enemy: Part 2

Gallows was closed to both Drum and Tsukikage and punched their face, throwing them against the wall near Shido who yelled in fear.

"This battle is going to be boring if you are fighting like that," Gallows said. He turned toward Gao and Zanya, "Maybe I should spice things up. Sha. Sha. Sha," he charged at the two boys.

Zanya lightly smiled as he drew out a card, "Art Of Body Replacement!"

The card shined as Gallows tried to grab them. Their body disappeared.

"What?" Gallows asked as he looked into his hands.

Tsukikage appeared behind him and slashed the back of the dark monster. The katana failed to pierce the skull of the back, but even so, Gallows grunted painfully. He turned around and grabbed Tsukikage and tried to crush him.

Drum appeared in the air and kicked right on the left eye.

Gallows released Tsukikage and grunted painfully and put his left eye over his left eye. Tears came out of it as he glared at Drum. He opened his cape and some vine with spikes came out of it. It grabbed Drum and crushed him under it.

"Argh!" Drum yelled painfully.

"Help him Tsukikage," Zanya said.

Tsukikage jumped in the air and charged, ready to cut the fine when he was hit by a dark shield with a dragon head.

"Dark Dragon Shield!" Shido shouted without any wills behind it.

Gao took out a card and casted, "Dragon Breath!"

A dragon head appeared at the place of the card and breathed fire against the vine, burning them up and freeing Drum.

The dragon used his cape and flew away from Gallows and panted. His body was covered with wounds on his arms, where the spikes of the vine pierced his scales, but his armor was lightly damage.

"Are you alright Drum?" Gao asked.

Drum looked toward Gao and replied, "I'm fine."

Zanya watched the battle continued as Gallows slowly took the upper hands. He noticed that Gallows watched warily the drill Drum had with him and dodged it instead of blocked it like the katana of Tsukikage.

"I have an idea," Zanya said as he casted a spell and threw shuriken at Gallows.

"What's the plan?" Gao asked.

"It's-" he was cut when they heard.

"NUN!" They saw Tsukikage crashed on the ground with a large mark of claw on his chest. The ninja put his hands over it and painfully stood up.

"Tsukikage!" Zanya yelled running by his side.

Tsukikage raised his hand toward him and the boy stopped. The ninja looked at his partner and nodded. Zanya nodded and his face turned to his calmer self as he returned by Gao's side. Tsukikage jumped back toward Gallows.

"Want some more? Sha! Sha! Sha!" he said as he dodged the drill and punched Drum right on his snout.

Drum was thrown away and regained his balance as he used his wings to regain control. He put his hand over his snout and felt his blood coming out of it. He aimed with his drill and charged when a dark ball came at him.

"Oh. Oh," Drum said.

"Green dragon shield!" Gao said as the card shined.

The shield protected Drum.

Gallows turned toward Shido and said with impatience in his voice, "You better be more proactive if you value your life!"

Shido wimped and took a card, "Death Grip."

A skeleton hand grabbed Drum and immobilised him. Drum tried to free himself, but couldn't move. He saw Gallows appearing in front of him. He raised his claw and was about to kill him.

"Art of body replacement!" Zanya said.

Drum was cut, but disappeared into dust.

"Again! Sha!" Gallows yelled annoyed.

Tsukikage appeared behind Gallows and pierced the back of the dark monster between his bone cages.

"Argh!" Gallows yelled painfully. He shook and tried to throw Tsukikage away, "Let go of me!" He saw Drum coming at him with his drill, aiming for his head.

"Death Shield!" Shido said.

A skeleton head appeared and protected Gallows from a deadly impact. Gallows lowered his body; vine came out of his back and hit Tsukikage.

Gallows faced Drum with the katana still in his back. He grunted painfully as black blood came out of the wound.

Gao turned toward Zanya and asked, "What's the plan Zanya?"

"Oh. That's right. I noticed that Drum drill was really effective against Gallows. I thought at first it was because he was in his mini form, but I think even in his real form, it remains the case. I saw him watching the drill and making sure not to be hit by it," Zanya explained.

"I saw it too, but I don't have any plan to fight him. What's in your mind Zanya?" Gao asked.

"It's really simple. We cannot go with a complex plan since we are already fighting," Zanya replied as he watched the fight. He corrected his glasses and replied, "Tsukikage only needs to restrain Gallows long enough for Drum to kill Gallows."

"K-kill Gallows?" Gao asked.

"Did you see what he's really to do for hunting Findar? If we let him live, he might kill anyone he thinks are hunting them. He could do this to my little brother," Zanya replied harshly.

Gao had a flash in his mind when he thought of his sister. She was hanging out more often with Halberd. If Gallows saw them, he would kill them. That simple thought was enough to make out his mind. He looked at Zanya and replied, "Let's do it."

"Let's go Tsukikage," Zanya said.

The ninja nodded.

"How could he hear us?" Gao asked.

"He's made of nanomachine. Explanation another time," Zanya replied before Gao could ask about it.

Tsukikage jumped near Drum and showed his scroll. Drum's read it and nodded.

"What's that matter? Sha. Sha." Gallows asked.

"Nothing," Drum replied. He charged with his drill and aimed Gallows.

The dark monster dodged the drill. He punched the back of the dragon. He then charged toward Drum.

Zanya drew his card and shined.

Tsukikage raised his hands and grabbed a metallic rope and threw it toward Gallows. He grabbed the left skull hand of Gallows who suddenly lost speed when Tsukikage pulled him. The ninja then spun around Gallows and threw him on the ground.

"Urgh," Gallows grunted annoyed. He tried to free himself when he was thrown in the air. He tried to break the rope when he heard the sound of the drill coming at him.

"It's over Gallows!" Drum yelled as the thrusters charged toward Gallows.

"No!" Gallows yelled when the drill hit at the center of his chest.

Drum grunted as he put his drill to maximal power. The drill cracked the bone cage of Gallows and when it broke, it hit the chest and lacerated the body of the dark monster, who shouted in agony. Dark blood splashed in the room.

"Now die!" Drum's yelled.

He pierced through the chest of Gallows and came out of his other side, throwing the katana in the air until Tsukikage grabbed it.

Gallows coughed loudly, losing strength before he felt on the ground and a large pool of dark blood spread on the floor.

Drum and Tsukikage panted loudly while Gao and Zanya were silent.

Shido watched the dead body of Gallows. He then threw the cards far away from him and yelled, "I'm free!"

"At least he won't cause trouble in our world anymore," Zanya said, hiding his emotions.

Drum looked at the kids and said, "We should get out of here, so they stopped watching it."

"Nun," Tsukikage said as he showed his scroll written, Agreed.

"Let's go," Zanya said.

The four walked away, but stopped midway when they noticed someone was missing.

"You too Shido," Gao replied.

Shido raised head and said, "Coming!" He walked around Gallows body and joined them as they walked out of here, saying that he wanted to forget everything, without ever thanking them for saving his life.

The four others grumbled, but it was clear that Shido was too busy celebrating his freedom.

Once they were out of the cavern Zanya walked forward Gao while Shido walked his own way.

"What is it Zanya?" Gao asked.

The boy with blue hair sighted and said, "You are not bad Gao. I think I underestimate you a little. I didn't know you were that good."

"You never commented about it," Gao replied.

Zanya gasped and replied, "I didn't thought you were strong Gao. I didn't see you fighting, but I made assumption about it. I'm sorry about it."

"You said that about my partner," Drum asked walking closer of Zanya.

"He apologised Drum," Gao told the dragon.

Drum sighted and backway. Zanya took out his cellphone and said, "We should keep in touch. If any of use finds Findar, we could fight him together. I think teamwork will be better than alone."

"Agree," Gao replied.

"About Sofia-" The school bell rang and knew they didn't have time. "Let's just exchange numbers for now," Zanya said.

They both exchanged their cellphone number and they split up for class.

It was the night and the dragons eating with the Mikado's family. They ate a large fish as they all smiled.

"How was your day?" Suzumi asked her children.

"It was great!" Hanako replied joyfully.

"I bet it was," Halberd replied as he put a big part of the fish in his mouth.

"You two are getting close," Drum commented when he noticed Hanako and Halberd sitting side by side.

"He's my friend," Hanako replied with a smile.

"It's enjoyable to spend time with her," Halberd replied.

"What about you Gao?" Takashi asked curiously.

Gao and Drum looked at each other's and hesitated.

"Something happen?" Suzumi asked.

Ironchain looked at Drum with interest, "You were into a battle right? I was wondering why you had some mark on your arms."

"Thought the spellcard completely healed me," Drum grumbled.

"Are you hurt Gao?" Suzumi asked Gao.

"No," Gao replied.

"Poor Drum-kin! Let me nurse you," Axia said moving closer to Drum.

"I'm a dragon! I'll heal fast," Drum replied loudly moving a little away.

"What happen?" Suzumi asked as she glared at them.

"We were caught in a trap by monster from the Dark Dragon World," Gao replied.

Drum frowned as he lowered his head and grunted quietly.

Ironchain, Axia and Halberd noticed it.

"He still didn't go over it," Ironchain whispered in draconian language.

Halberd replied in the same language, "You know what the Dark Dragon World did to her."

"I know," Ironchain replied.

"There's nothing we can do," Axia added.

"This Gallows is dead," Gao replied.

"He will not hurt anyone again. He could have tried to attack this house if he knew where we are living for now," Drum explained with a small smile.

Halberd sighted and said with a small smile, "That's good. Everyone will be safe, but others with malicious intention might come out."

Ironchain hit the table and said, "We have to capture Findar faster! The more we wait the worst it will become!"

"Do not worry about it. We will find him and arrest him. If that boy Zanya and Tsukikage find him, they will warn us," Drum replied.

"Sounds like they found him," Axia replied.

"So they fought him and lost," Drum replied as he finished his fish. He smiled and said, "I'm ready for the pudding!"

"Yeah," Ironchain replied with false joy as he rolled his eyes.

Suzumi sighted quietly. She started to find it strange on how normal it was to have dragons in the house. Despite their mission, the dragons seemed like a part of the family. She looked at the picture of her older son and whispered, "Yota would have love meeting all of them and seeing how our family become."

Shido walked back to his home with Sofia by his side.

"Sofia. I'm so glad you find them. I thought he was going to kill me," Shido said.

"I only did what I was told too," Sofia replied without emotions.

"With Gallows dead, I can put this behind me and act as if nothing happens," Shido continued with a smile.

"You should remember it, so you won't end up in this kind of mess again. They aren't gone you know," Sofia replied walking a little faster.

Shido noticed it and yelled, "Hey! Wait up!" he accelerated and was by her side. "And...Sofia...T...Thank you."

She looked at him and replied, "Are you sick?"

"W-No!" Shido yelled.

"Good," Sofia said.

"You are so hard to understand Sofia. I won't have to worry about him anymore. He's dead and-"

Sha. Sha. Sha. Sha.

Sofia and Shido looked around them when they heard the familiar laugh. Shido was starting to sweat.

"Please tell me you heard nothing Sofia!" Shido yelled.

Sofia looked at Shido and her lips lightly went down.

Shido knew she heard it. He felt arms around his throat when something grabbed him from behind.

"AAHH!" Shido shouted in fear.

"What's the matter? I'm not going to let my tools run away. Sha. Sha. Sha."

Shido looked on his chest and saw the skeleton arm grabbing him. It only came from him when he was in his mini form. He felt despair rising in him, "Gallows! You're..."

"Sha!" He yelled before laughing loudly. When he stopped laughing he said, "I do not die this easily tool. I survived worst in the Dark Dragon world. It isn't the first time my heart was pulled out of my chest or lacerated into pieces. The pain was so much that I passed out," he then started to pat the cheek of Shido with his skull cheek, scarring the boy even more, "You cannot get rid of me that easily tool. Sha. Sha. Sha. Sha."

He let go of Shido and flew in front of them. They both saw the hole in the middle of his chest, but he wasn't bleeding anymore.

"Why are you here? You could find someone better than Shido," Sofia asked.

Shido wanted to defend himself, saying that he was good, but his ego was really weak compare to his fear.

"Because I already dressed the boy well. So easy to maleate. It's easy to use his fear, because he knew I don't care if I kill him," Gallows grinned.

"B-" Shido was cut when Gallows flew near his face.

"I am not angry against you Shido. Those boys and their partner were smart. I know when I make my own mistakes. Although, do not make mistakes, or there might have some punishments waiting for you. Sha. Sha. Sha. Sha," Gallows said before he flew away once again. He put his hands in his claw and took out a few pictures.

"Those are the two other targets I want to eliminate with their partner," Gallows said.

Shido looked at the picture and gasped while Sofia nodded negatively.

"They are really young," Sofia commented.

"Who cares? They are in my way," Gallows replied.

Shido looked at the one in front of him. His hand was lightly trembling when he saw those in the pictures. It was Hanako and Halberd, both smiling and clearly unaware of their surroundings.

AC: This is the end of chapter 16.

Chapter 17: Halberd, Guardian Of Hanako.

You know what the next chapter will be about with only the ending of this chapter.