At the school, Gao and his friends, with their buddies, were eating their lunch. Joker was by the side of Kiri and flinched every time Kiri did something.

"Joker. I'm fine. No need to panic. I'm starting to get use to my headache," Kiri replied.

"I am worrying. It's been a few days no and the medication isn't working. What if it was a spellcard on or a curse?" Joker replied.

Kuguru adjusted her glassed and replied, "Is there such a thing?"

Cat Sith replied, "No. I think he's getting dramatic."

Ironchain was grumbling and whispered, "Stupid D. Can't believe I'm worse than Drum."

Ironchain was sitting pretty far away from the group, since Halberd was there eating by Hanako side.

Tenbu finished eating and replied, "Just need to study more. Also, your buddy is here, not where you are."

"I know!" Ironchain grunted.

"You should calm down Ironchain," Jackknife warned the blue dragon before smiling as he finished his meal.

Tasuku hesitated to ask a question, but he grasped his courage and asked it, "Did you get any news from Drum Gao?"

Gao replied, "Not yet," before smiling, "That means he must be training really hard to become stronger. I'm not worry about his return."

Tenbu smiled, "Do not stop believing."

Halberd finished eating and continued teaching Hanako how to use the spellcards.

"Where is Noboru?" Baku asked.

They heard someone yelling, "Hey! I found something at the entrance of our school!" It was Noboru who joined them with his buddy.

"What is it?" Gao asked.

"Come!" Noboru waved them.

They all followed him. They reached the billboard and saw a large piece of paper. They read it and said at the same time, "A buddy fight tournament! The ABC cup?"

Chapter 57: Subscription

It wasn't long before a line was forming in front of an arena the moment the school was over. It was a baseball arena, but it was about to be converted for the ABC cut tournament. Those who intended to join the tournament were forming a line.

Ironchain was crossing his arms and grunted, "Why aren't we entering in the tournament?"

"Because I have two buddies and only one is authorised," Kuguru replied.

"Then pick me. That cat can't do a lot in a real fight," Ironchain said.

"Hey! I can fight well!" Cat Sith replied.

They then started to argue about it.

"That's why I won't participate. I won't pick any of you over the other," Kuguru sighed.

Gao looked around, "Where is Tenbu?"

"He's over there, trying to charm the girls," Baku replied.

Tenbu was trying to drag with a few female humans, but ended up getting slapped at the face and one hit him with her purse and calling a monster that's shouldn't be on Earth.

"I'll find the right one eventually," Tenbu said uninjured at all.

Noboru smiled and said, "We are going to win this tournament!" His buddy nodded.

"Why are you in line Gao? Yo," Tetsuya said by their side.

"I'm not sure. I just came here along with everyone else," Gao replied.

"Maybe you want to fight and disguise as a buddy. I can help you with that?" Asmodai said with a smile.

"No thanks," Gao replied. He sighted, "It's too bad Kiri isn't feeling well enough to come with us. I hope he'll get better soon."

"We all hope so," Halberd replied.

Shido and Gallows walked the other side of the entrance.

"Well. What do we have here? You think you can win the tournament when I'm fighting here? Sha. Sha. Sha." Gallows asked with a grin.

"What makes you think you can win?" Quixote asked. The dog barked a few times.

"Because I am one of the strongest warriors of Darkness Dragon world," Gallows replied with a grin on his eyes, "I cannot lose against you. That is," he flew closer to Shido and pressed the boy's cheek with his claw, "if Shido knows how to use the cards. Sha. Sha."

"I know how to use them," Shido replied.

"Better not disappoint me. I want to reach the final and get all the action plus the glory as showing them I am the strongest," Gallows warned as they went away.

"You mean we," Shido replied.

They were gone.

"Did Shido just talked back to Gallows?" Baku asked.

"I'm surprised," Gao replied.

"We didn't see them together for a while," Kuguru explained.

"Shido seems to get used to Gallows attitude while Gallows doesn't mind it," Tenbu explained.

The line moved forward and they saw Tsukikage, Zanya and Akatsuki together. They nodded at them and walked away. It was obvious they subscribe.

"Do you think Tasuku and Jackknife will subscribe for the ABC cup?" Gao asked.

"I am not sure. Maybe he's not interested in the tournament. He saw something he didn't like," Halberd replied.

"Looks like it will soon be our turn," Tetsuya said.

They walked toward a large table with three persons who register the participant. Tetsuya and Asmodai walked toward one and they wrote their name on it and gave some explanations. Once it was done, they walked away and waited for the other's to come also register.

Noboru did the same with his buddy and registered. Once it was done, he joined Tetsuya among the others. Only Gao remained in the line and watched the three persons working at registering the participants.

Tenbu flew by Gao's side and asked, "Why are you blocking the line?"

Gao didn't reply, but walked toward one of them.

"Hello there. You want to register with this dragon?" the man said.

Tenbu mustache went down, Gao. You should have gone to the pretty girl to register.

Gao nodded negatively, I know Drum will come back. I believe it. "I want to register, but not with Tenbu. He is not my buddy, but a good friend. My real buddy isn't here now, but I know he would want to participate. I want to register with my buddy Fang Slade Terrestrial the XIV."

Tenbu whispered in Gao's head, "We don't know when Drum will come back or if he'll come back in time."

"I know he'll come back in time," Gao replied.

Tenbu grabbed his hands together and focused. After a few seconds, he smiled, "You're right. He will glad you believe in him."

Gao then registered. He put his name and his buddy before walking toward his friends.

"Did you just register with Tenbu as your buddy?" Baku asked.

Gao smiled and nodded negatively, "Naw. I register with Drum. I'm sure he'll want to show me how much stronger he'll become."

"You don't even know if he'll be back in time," Tetsuya replied.

"You will look like an idiot during the match if Drum isn't here in time," Asmodai commented with a small grin.

"You didn't think this through," Noboru replied with a smirk.

Gao frowned toward them, but changed it with a smile and said, "I believe Drum will be back in time for that."

"Let's hope it's not at the last second," Halberd replied.

"Somehow. I think it might be," Tenbu replied as he crossed his arms.

They group returned home with Noboru teasing Gao a few times about his buddy not returning in time.

Eventually, they had to split up and Noboru said, "Gao. Promise me we'll have a match against each other's."

The others were surprised.

"Why you are asking that?" Gao asked.

Noboru smiled, "If Drum is back, I want to face him and you. It will be a fun match right?"

Quixote nodded.

"He's right. Tetsuya, let's go our best to reach out to our friends and beat them up!" Asmodai said showing his muscles, "Nothing proves friendship like kicking their butts."

No one was agreeing to that.

"That will be awesome yo!" Tetsuya replied.

"I hope Tasuku and Jackknife will eventually join. There is a few more days before the registration are over," Gao said. He added, "A duel us and them will be great."

Noboru said, "Maybe I'll see what the great showdown was about between them. Also, what would happen if this Punisher dragon came here?"

Quixote replied, "Then we should surrender at the sight of his true form. He is an extremely powerful dragon who's real size if around 80 feet tall."

Gao and his friends who met him gasped, "It's much taller than when we met him in his miniform."

Baku added, "And he was 10 feet tall."

Noboru gulped when he heard that.

"Still smaller than me," Tenbu replied.

Gao was the only one who saw his real form and he was pretty big. The other's just gasped when Tenbu gave a smile and a victory pose.

Tasuku and Jackknife were back in their home. The boy looked at the subscription paper for the ABC cup and didn't like what he was reading. Jackknife was by his side and also checked it. It was a personal invitation to participate in the ABC cup.

"You see who one of the main founders here is," Tasuku said.

"Of course. It's Tenchi, someone who despite us and wants to get rid of us through the elections that come soon. Not only that, but he invited us to participate in this," Jackknife replied.

"I do not like this at all," Tasuku commented. He read it again and put it on the table.

"Are we going to participate?" Jackknife asked before crossing his arms, "Because I'm not sure if it's a good idea."

"Knowing Gao, he might register if Drum come back in time. I won't enter in that man game though," Tasuku replied.

"So?"

"We are going to register."

Jackknife gasped and yelled, "You're serious!"

"Yes," a small smile appeared on Tasuku's mouth, "I cannot help, but thing it might be fun to challenge Gao and Drum in a tournament. I know it's entering in whatever Tenchi have planned, but I'll regret it if I'm not entering in it."

Jackknife sighed, "Fine. I guess we better enter in their trap. It's true I want to fight Drum in better term that to remain together."

Tasuku added, "I should speak about this to Commander I. He might something in mind."

Jackknife nodded. He realised something and asked, "Do you think Drum will return in time?"

Tasuku smiled, "I'm sure he will Jack."

Jackknife chuckled, "You're right. He's a dragon who can get out of any trouble. Even those he caused."

Meanwhile, in a cavern of another world, Drum was running as fast as he could through a corridor of a cavern with a giant rock rolling behind him, "I'm in so much trouble now!"

He took a glance behind him and knew he was about to get crushed. He had one thing in mind to survive this; he turned into his chibi form and rolled at a corner. The boulder passed just an inch from his snout before rolling away.

Drum returned to his real form, his body covered with sweat and whined, "I sacrificed the delicious pudding for that. Dammit, how did I even end up in this mess?"

He heard footstep behind him and turned around. He grabbed his drill and was ready to fight anything that would come after him. He felt on his knee in exhaustion, sure it was his end if whatever was coming at him was a threat.

AC: This is the end of this chapter.

Next will be: Drum's Troublesome Training part 1.

This will be a flashback on how he got in this situation.