It was after school, Tasuku and Jackknife were in the car with Takihara and Card Burn. It was as boring as the other time when they couldn fly in the air, but it wouldn't be the case for long. Takihara and Card Burn gained experience working together when they arrested a few criminals together with the supervision of veterans, all younger than him.

"How was school for you?" Takihara asked, trying to end the awkward silence in the police car.

"It was good," Tasuku replied.

"Do not forget you have homework Tasuku," Jackknife warned him.

The boy sighed with a small smile.

The man added, "I'm sorry if this is awkward to be with me, but it won't be long now."

Tasuku replied at high speed, "It's not your fault," before elaborating slowly, "It's just that after flying with Jack in the air for years, rolling in a car doesn't feel the same."

Takihara smiled and replied, "Obviously. Riding a dragon must be awesome."

Jackknife replied, without any offense in his voice, "He's not riding me. Not in the way you are implying. He was only on my back since your kind cannot fly, but with his buddy skill, we are now flying side by side."

"It was-" Tasuku was cut.

The radio sent a message, "-Tasuku, Takihara. We have a situation.-" It was Stella talking to them.

"What's the situation?" Takihara asked.

"-We have two crimes with Buddies on the scenes. One is a hostage situation and the other's is a group of criminals running away from the police force with two buddy monsters with them,-" Stella replied.

Takihara frowned. He took a second and made a decision, "This isn't good. We'll have to split up."

"-You are not ready Takihara,-" Stella countered at the other side of the radio.

Takihara turned toward Tasuku, asking for his support.

The boy replied, "He's ready."

"-Al- alright. I'll warn Commander I about it,-" Stella said.

"Stella. I'm going toward the scene and help the police deal with the hostage situation. The criminals will take me more seriously because I'm an adult," Takihara said, leaving no objection for Tasuku.

Tasuku wanted to reply, but knew he was right. Takihara is taking the hard job, but it mostly asks for his skills and his age.

Tasuku thought back and often, he wasn't taken that much seriously because he was a boy, when Jackknife wasn't in their sight. He couldn't stop them without a fight because he was a kid, except when Jackknife was around. He dropped the subject and said, "I'll take the other one. Where are they?"

"-They are at the district shopping. If you can stop them, we will put the energy field on,-" Stella said.

"Understood," Tasuku replied. Tasuku and Jackknife jumped out of the car and flew toward the scene, guided by Stella on his earphone.

Meanwhile, Takihara drove toward the other scene.

"Are you sure about it Takihara? You could ask reinforcements like Zanya or Tetsuya," Card Burn suggested.

Takihara replied seriously, "I could, but I need to show them they can count on me to do things on my own. I cannot be a weight to them as a member of the Buddy Police force. I have to be strong enough so they can have faith in me, just as much as I have faith in them. That's why... I know I won't fail. Because of everything I've done with them and I have police experience too."

Card Burn nodded, "Then let's not fail."

Chapter 62: Heroes competition

Tasuku and Jackknife arrived at the scene, but they didn't see anything.

"Stella, we don't see the criminals. Where are they now?" Tasuku asked.

Jackknife frowned and looked around with his powerful eyes, but saw nothing.

"-They ran somewhere else. The police force said they are going toward the mall.-"

Tasuku and Jackknife flew toward there as fast as they could. They reached the mall and looked around. They didn't see anything about the criminals.

"Stella. Where are they now?" Tasuku asked.

"-They are on their way. I guess you are near the mall?-" Stella asked.

"Yes we are," Tasuku replied.

"-The police are heading toward there, so you just have to wait. Maybe you can try to strike them by surprise when they are near the scene. You remember that there are two buddies you'll have to fight against and you are alone with Jackknife,-" Stella warned Tasuku.

The boy didn't seem to like an attack like that and didn't reply immediately.

"-Tasuku?-"

"She's right Tasuku. We need to engage in the first strike and then they will surely activate the energy field so they won't run away," Jackknife agreed.

"Alright. We will do it that way," Tasuku said.

"-Be careful,-" Stella said before ending the communication.

"Let's get ready," Tasuku said.

They waited for the target to appear. It wasn't long before they heard the siren of the police force.

Jackknife and Tasuku observed the criminals, but realised the four masked criminals were all dressed in black. Tasuku didn't saw them as potential danger. Jackknife saw the two monsters came from Danger World.

"Tasuku, none of them have decks," Jackknife warned the boy.

"So we have the advantage," Tasuku said while an item card turned into his usual sword.

Jackknife saw the two monsters, "Maybe there are other's around them with deck case."

Tasuku looked around and replied, "I see no one."

The green dragon warned, "Let's stay on guard. Let's strike down the stronger monster from Danger World first."

They charged toward the two targets. Jackknife observed them and tried guessed which one as the strongest.

He recognised the first one as ArmorKnight Minotaur. He had red skin with yellow eyes and two metallic silver horns. He wore a bronze armor with multiple weapons attached on it.

The other one was Armorknight Ogre. It was an ogre with purple skin, yellow eyes an horn on the middle of his forehead. He wore a black armor on his body and shoulder plus on his left arm while his other arm with multiple weapons, but less impressive than Minotaur.

Jackknife knew they had to get rid of Minotaur first, "Follow my lead!"

Tasuku followed Jackknife as they charged toward Minotaur. Jackknife tackled Minotaur while Tasuku aimed for the chest, but Minotaur closed it with his axe-like weapon. Even so, they pushed him away from Ogre and crashed the monster against the wall of a building far from the mall.

"Ogre!" the other one yelled.

"I'll slow him down!" Tasuku said turning around while Jackknife maintained Minotaur on the ground.

"Wait Tasuku!" Jackknife yelled. He grunted and pointed the blade of his helmet toward Minotaur, worrying for Tasuku safety; he decided to finish him now.

"Looks like we got some... inconvenience," someone said near Jackknife before the dragon heard a spellcard. His helmet hit a shield and before he could react, the green dragon was punched at his stomach and landed away, against a truck.

"There is a spellcard user around here," Jackknife whispered. Maybe another one too.

Tasuku dodged the club of Ogre and tried to slash with his sword, but Ogre grabbed it like it was nothing and threw the boy away. Tasuku rolled on the ground and landed on his feet.

"Look who's here to stop us? Tasuku and Jackknife, two celebrities among buddy," someone said as the Energy Field installed around them, creating a safe spot to fight.

Tasuku turned toward the voice and saw a man with his face covered with a red mask and a black hood attached to his black coat, hiding his identity. He had a deck case on his shoulder.

Jackknife landed by Tasuku side, "Are you alright?"

"Nothing," Tasuku replied.

Minotaur and Ogre circled them as the man walked closer and continued, "I wasn't expecting only you and Jackknife to show up. I am honored that you came to stop me, but your chance are low. You two cannot face them and me at the same time."

Jackknife frowned, "Numbers aren't everything man."

Jackknife looked around and tried finding another spellcard user, but only the man was there.

"Don't serve for another one. I'm the only one who has spellcard," the man said.

He doesn't want his power to be inferior, but why was he waiting here? Tasuku wondered.

"Anyway, you cannot stop the extraction plan with this field. They will have to bring it down after your demise," the man said taking another spellcard.

Tasuku draw his own card while Minotaur and Ogre charged at them.

The man yelled, "Double Guillotine!"

Tasuku weapon was destroyed and turned back into a card as the boy casted, "Blue Dragon shield!"

Ogre hit his face against the shield while Jackknife blocked Minotaur assault.

Tasuku tried to summon his weapon, but it didn't work this time.

"Tasuku... It will... take a while," Jackknife grunted as he tried pushing the Minotaur away.

Tasuku took another spellcard, but saw the man also picking another one. Tasuku knew that casting his spell was useless if the man got a counter spell. He dodged Ogre attack and backed near Jackknife. The boy grunted as he noticed they couldn't win if it went that way. He searched for another weapon, but heard Ogre near him, ready to crush him with his club. Jackknife couldn't do anything to help Tasuku as he couldn't push Minotaur away.

"Is this all what you can do Jackknife?" a voice chuckled.

The sound of a sword resonated when a gray dragon appeared in front of Tasuku and in one hit, pushed Ogre away.

Jackknife took a glance behind him and recognised the dragon, "D-Demios?"

Demios grinned as he punched Ogre away with ease, "I'm disappointed in you Jackknife."

Jackknife grunted and pushed Minotaur away before slashing his chest. The red Minotaur took a few steps back and grunted painfully before jumping away.

"Looks like you've got help," the masked man said.

Demios ignored the man and said to Jackknife, "I've expected you to beat those two without any problem when you have Tasuku by your side, but it's not the case."

"What are you doing here?" Jackknife replied.

"Hey!" the masked man yelled.

"I missed the action, so I thought I'll show you how a real soldier deal with criminals," Demios smirked.

"The battle only begun when you came in Demios," Jackknife replied.

"Kill them!" the masked man yelled, not waiting for a second.

Minotaur pointed with his cannon and fired at Jackknife. The gray dragon used his sword and cut the bullet in half as it exploded behind him.

"Try to keep up Jackknife," Demios taunted Jackknife, "And deal with the lesser one."

Demios charged at Minotaur. Jackknife let out a loud grunt and charged at Ogre.

Tasuku turned toward the masked man and focused on him. They both drew their spellcard, but the boy flew in the air thanks to his buddy skill and used it for his advantage.

Demios blocked every attempt of Minotaur to kill him. He looked at him with a bored gaze, "I've faced enemies much stronger than you and even my weakest warrior under my command showed more strength and potential than you."

Minotaur was about to reply, but the gray dragon punched his face.

"I don't care what you are going to say," Demios said.

He grabbed his sword and took a glance toward Tasuku, Guess I'll have to act their way. He hit between the eyes of Minotaur with the handle of his sword and knocked him out.

"Way too easy," Demios grumbled, disappointed.

Jackknife punched the face of Ogre and also knocked him out, turning toward Demios and said, "Guess I can keep up with you."

Demios didn't reply, unimpressed by Jackknife.

Jackknife turned toward Tasuku and flew to his help.

The masked man drew another card and was about to cast it, when Tasuku kicked the card away. He clenched his fist and tried to punch the man, but he grabbed it and head-butted the boy.

Tasuku landed on the ground and grunted. He saw the man boot and rolled on the ground and drew a spellcard. The man kicked it away and drew his own spellcard. Jackknife arrived and grabbed the arm of the masked man.

"It's over. They are down and it's over for you," Jackknife said, glaring at the man with his predatory eyes.

The masked man released the spellcard and drew something. He pointed it at the face of the dragon and a blight flash of light blinded Jackknife.

"Dammit!" Jackknife painfully grunted. The masked man escaped the grasp of the green dragon and tried to run for it.

Demios thought, Looks like I have to handle it.

Demios flew in the air and landed in front of them man. He grabbed the masked man by the face and lifted him. He saw the man grabbing something and shook the man, letting him dropped it. The gray dragon turned toward Jackknife, "Rookie mistake. Dropping your guard when you think it was over."

Jackknife frowned, but looked at Tasuku and asked, "Are you alright?"

Tasuku stood up and replied, "I'm okay."

The police entered in the field to arrest the monsters and the criminals.

Demios grunted toward Jackknife and said, "I thought you were a veteran soldier, but what I'm seeing here is a newbie making a simple mistake. You aren't as I thought you would be."

"What are you saying?" Jackknife replied loudly.

Tasuku was about to speak when Demios prevented him to, "Rookie mistakes. You cannot handle Minotaur and Ogre by yourself. It seems you grew lazy over time. Maybe you even got lard instead of muscles under your scales."

Jackknife frowned, but didn't reply. He couldn't help, but think back, Maybe he's right.

"You realised that Tasuku could die if I wasn't there right? Such a strong boy with great potential, wasted with a weakling like you," Demios commented.

Jackknife felt blood rushing in his head as he yelled, "What did you say?"

"Enough!" Tasuku yelled.

The two dragons looked at him, before glaring at each other's.

Tasuku felt the tension between the two dragons, but used his communicator and said, "This is Tasuku. We've arrested the criminal. How's it going with you Takihara?" He didn't receive a response, "Takihara. Answer me!" Nothing. The boy turned toward the green dragon and said, "Jack. We have to go. Takihara isn't answering."

The two flew away. Demios opened his wings and followed them.

"I should follow you, in case this dragon screws this up again," Demios said.

Jackknife turned toward him and said, "I don't need your help Demios."

"It depends," Demios replied.

"That's enough Demios. We have our duty to accomplish!" Tasuku yelled. He looked at the gray dragon and added, "And never insults Jackknife again!"

Demios nodded, "I won't."

It was an awkward silence as they flew toward the other location where a hostage situation was still on.

AC: This is the end of chapter 62.

Next chapter: Takihara Is A Real Buddyfighter.