At Zofia Castle, the enemy army watched as the heroes were fast approaching them.
"Hmm. Seems those heroes have arrived here as well." Allen said.
"So what? We can smoke them easily. You, me, the black lions leader Leo, even our...secret weapon." Victor said.
"Yes. I suppose there is…" Allen said before his phone rang. "Hello? What? Fine. I'll handle it."
"Problem?" Victor asked.
"Seems our weapon's decided to venture out on its own again. I need to go and find it. I'll have to entrust things to you, Victor." Allen said.
"No worries. With Law of Sports...I'll knock em out of the park!" he said making a baseball and bat appear from his boots and hitting the ball as it demolished a statue.
The battle began as soon as the heroes and Deliverance marched on Zofia's castle, both armies waylaying into each other to take back Zofia.
"I know this is a siege, but man, these Zofian guards fight like wimps." Ban said.
"They've spent years living off the endless bounty of Mila's gifts. They don't know how to properly defend themselves, and they haven't known war at all." Escanor said.
"Hmm. Whoa, incoming!" Rainbow said as several golf balls were fired overhead as they hit the ground, making indents like meteors.
"Playing through kids!" a voice said as Victor stood on the roof with a club.
"A golfer in this era? He must be a Hobbyist." Leonora said.
"His name is Victor. He's a sports champion and one of Diablo's closest friends." Daisy said.
"That explains those shoes he uses for his Law. Gotta admit. Those are some nice digs." David said.
"Yeah...they are nice. Too bad I don't plan on losing them to you!" he said as they changed to a tennis racket and tennis ball launcher.
"We wouldn't need them anyway. We've already got our own powers. Well...most of us, anyway." David said.
"Shall we?" Ace asked charging his magic.
"No, Ace. The Hobbyists are not your fight. You have nothing to do with any of this." David said.
"The Ginova War wasn't your fight either, and yet you stuck around." Hope said.
"That's because circumstances got me involved in it. I had to see it through to the end." David said.
"I don't care. I'm not gonna stand by and watch my friends get hurt, I'm fighting too!" Ace said. "We're in this battle just as much as you guys are. You guys are helping me, so I'm helping you!"
"Well, there's no way we can turn you down now. Alright, just don't get careless. This guy knows how to use that Law of his." David said.
"Yeah...he does, doesn't he? Hey! Try and hit me, ya loser!" Rainbow said.
"Loser?" Victor said hitting a tennis ball at her.
"And...swish!" she said swinging her sword and launching it back as Victor dodged.
"She was able to knock it back….at that speed?" Victor said.
"You may be a sports champion but I'm the captain of every sports team at my school. And we got a few sporty types with us too." Rainbow said.
"Little show off. Leo! Get out here!" Victor said as a large figure was marching out of the castle. A lion tattoo on his chest as he also had wild mess of hair on his head.
"Whoa… He almost looks like a real lion!" Kokoro said.
"I look forward to seeing you all crushed." Leo said before flexing his muscles as black fur covered his body and his hair before a wild mane as he grew claws.
"Crap, he's a beastman." Connor said.
"He's giving my people a bad name!" Papalne said readying her gauntlet.
"Don't get reckless, Papalne. These beastmen are no joke. After all, he's a lion...the king of beasts." Hope said.
"I know, but it doesn't matter if he's the king of beasts I'm not gonna let him disgrace my people's name!" Papalne said.
"Wait, are you a lion?" Luffy asked.
"No, I'm a Beastkin half human half animal." Papalne said.
"That's practically the same as a Beastman. Though, it would make sense." Sectonia said.
"It doesn't matter if she is my kind or not...I will crush her like a fly." Leo said.
"You will not touch her as long as I draw breath!" Al said pulling out her Scythe.
"Rainbow, David, think you two can take care of their star athlete?" Connor asked.
"You know it!" Rainbow said.
"I got it." David said.
"Now...move out!" Jexi said as they split off.
"Bye bye kids." Victor said switching to a baseball bat and pitching machine as he started hitting balls at them again. "Baseball star storm!"
"Play ball, punk!" David said as he took out his broadsword and swung it like a bat, hitting several balls back.
"Nice one!" Ace shouted as he blocked an attack from a soldier and blasted him with magic.
"So you're good at baseball...well how about this?" Victor said making a shot put ball. "Meteor...toss!"
"Incoming!" David said.
"A shot put, really?" Rainbow said. She invoked earth shaker and swung it like a bat, knocking it past Victor and into a wall.
"No way… she actually hit my Meteor toss back?" Victor said. "My shot put balls weigh 200 tons each. A single attempt to swing and hit one back would break a bat to splinters."
"Seriously, who are you, Wiz?" David asked.
"And 200 tons? Psh. Exaggerate much?" Rainbow said.
"Fine. Have it your way." Victor said as his shoes became a bow and arrow. "How about a little archery than?"
"Looks like this will be fun after all." David said as ice appears under his feet and he skates a trail of ice along the battlefield to avoid the arrows.
"Hahahaha! Watch your feet, Ishihara!" Victor taunted, launching hockey pucks and curling stones along David's ice path.
"Hockey and curling… My least favorite winter sports." David said.
"Hey, they're awesome!" Victor said firing more at David.
"Geez… Opinionated much?" David asked as he manages to squeeze past Victor's puck and stones. "Phew… That was close. Now, he's one of my favorite sports!" David said as he launched an ice ball in the air and forms a racket. "(Take this!)" David said as he smashes the ice ball, sending it at Victor. It then hit Victor right in his face knocking out a few teeth.
"Oh that's it." Victor said making two fencing sabers. "Now I'm gonna...wait...where's the girl?"
"Right behind ya, moron!" Rainbow shouted as she performed a sneak attack on Victor and easily knocked him out.
"You got him, just like that!" Ace said.
"Yup. Thanks for the distraction while I got ready, Dave." Rainbow said.
"Yep. You'd make a good doubles partner, Rainbow. We'd say that's game, set and match!" David said.
"Heh… Nice pun." Victor said weakly. "To be honest… I admired your tenacity. Your will to keep going even when things looked bleak. I...wanted to recruit you. And I probably would've...if not for that damned Tragedy."
"I'd rather die than live as someone else's puppet." David said. "But...you may have a point. Have we met under different circumstances, we might've become friends…"
"Yeah. Since I got some respect for ya...how about...some info. Allen...Diablo's servant...he's got a secret weapon in reserve for all of ya." Victor said.
"What is it?" Ace said teleporting next to David and Rainbow.
"Something thought to be impossible...a living Law...in the form of a child." Victor said.
"A child? Like some sort of puppet?" David asked.
"No...I mean a living child. One made into a law." Victor said. "It's called...Law of Neutralization."
"Neutralization?" David asked.
"If I recall, that child has the power to cancel out any ability. But...he still couldn't control his power." Daisy said.
"No...that's past. He's got control now. Allen's made him like a trained pet. Ready to attack when needed." Victor said.
"How can you let him turn a child into a living weapon? Have you no shame?!" Ace said.
"Ace, calm down. Victor had no part in it, I'm sure." David said. "But...it still doesn't make the thought any less sickening…"
"Yeah...it's messed up all right. But...you got a slim chance. I hear he got out so...you might have a chance...to save the kid." Victor said.
"Allen… If we can defeat him, he should be freed. But...if the kid's gone out, that means Allen has already gone after him." David said.
"Yeah. He has. Be careful...Allen isn't your normal run of the mill servant." Victor said as he took off his shoes. "Well...guess this is it, girls. You got me through a lot...but...time we parted." he said before passing out and dropped them.
"Victor… Even if he was Diablo's loyal companion, he couldn't stand seeing other people being used as tools. I guess we're more alike in more ways that I thought." David said as he picked up the shoes.
"What should we do with Victors shoes?" Rainbow said before getting an idea. "I know! Let's keep em and have Tails use them for Law Research!"
"Keep them at least we'll do. If Victor had gone out of his way to tell us all of this, then we'll put his strength to use, too." David said.
"And the other part?" Rainbow asked.
"The child with the Law of Neutralization." Ace said. "We have to find him before Allen does. The child is innocent in all of this."
"But we have no idea what he looks like, so we can't pinpoint him." David said.
"Well let's keep an eye out as we explore this world." Ace said.
"If he's in pain...then we have to save him, don't we?" Jexi asked.
"Yeah. That's how we roll." David said. "By the way, how are things going down there?"
"Could be better!" Connor said pinned down by Leo.
"I will eat your heart!" Leo said.
"Ground Impact!" Papelne shouted summoning shock waves underneath Leo. "Get away from him!"
"Eat this, moron!" Connor said blasting his shotgun right in his face while Leo was off balance. He only managed to shoot off part of his ear as he growled. "Damn it!"
"Take this! Revenge Magic, Mirage Claw!" Papalne shouted as she casted illusions of herself and they all slashed at Leo ten times each knocking him down. "How's that?"
Connor held up Leo by pointing his rifle at Leo, stun rounds loaded. "A beastman like you has no pride, selling yourself out to work for the Hobbyists. And you're a lion for God's sake. Now if you don't want to end up worse than a part of an ear shot off… why did you agree to work with Diablo?" Connor asked.
"In order to keep the Black Lions together. We were close to disbanding. I had no choice." Leo said.
"So… You did this for your comrades. I apologize for what I said. Very few of our enemies have hearts like yours." Connor said.
"I'm sorry as well." Papalne said.
"Hey, lemme ask you Leo… do you know what the Lion represents as a whole?" Connor asked.
"Pride and courage." Leo said.
"The way you utilize both is truly inspiring. A true leader, through and through." Connor said.
"I thank you for such kind words." Leo said before passing out.
"That's one more Loyalist group and hobbyist down. Three to go." Leonis said.
"For now, let us dispatch the remaining enemies." Sectonia said.
"Want me to call in one of the Eidolons for support?" Ace asked.
"I have a feeling we'll need it." Sectonia said.
"Alright, here goes!" Ace said as his eyes started glowing along with Breidablik. "Oh scion of Thunder, judge the wicked with but a single bolt, Ramuh!" Ace shouted as he shot an orb of lightning into the air as Ramuh appeared in a flash of thunder.
"Judgement Bolt!" Ramuh shouted as multiple lightning bolts shot out of his staff hitting the remaining enemies.
"Thank you, Ramuh!" Ace thanked the Eidolon as he disappeared like a Lightning Bolt.
"Well, that's all of them." David said.
"The castle is ours!" Alm said as the soldiers cheered.
"*Pant* *Pant*." Ace said as he kneeled to the ground.
"Not bad. And you and your group held your own." Jexi said happily. "Nice work...Ace."
"Thanks Je...xi." Ace said before he lost consciousness as his pendant glowed again.
"Hmm. Seems he's not used to big battles like these yet. We better get him inside to rest." Jexi said.
"I got him." Rainbow said dragging him inside.
"Let me help." Azura said following Rainbow alongside Ace's teammates.
"So… you didn't destroy those boots, huh?" Tails asked.
"Nah. I figured that Victor wouldn't want us to waste his power if it meant saving the kid from Allen. And… I figured we'd have you, Merlin and Vera research them once we're done here." David said.
"That would be good. Laws have always been shrouded in mystery. Since we have one intact...maybe we could learn more of their capabilities." Tails said.
"Maybe even a way to counter Diablo." Aoyama said.
"How about that Merlin? You always said you wanted a chance to study laws." Ty said.
"It is a good opportunity. Very well. We'll take the chance after we're done here." Merlin said.
"For now...I think we should try and find Celica." Hope said.
"Scans indicate that she's in Novis. The main problem is getting there." Vera said.
"There is a way." Jago said as he approached them. "Ace's strange object...it can create portals. We can use those to reach it."
"But Ace is out cold. No way anyone can use that gun of his except him."
"Connor and I might. We're skilled in the use of firearms." David said.
"But can you handle it?" Azura asked.
"Of course. Lunarians are potent in magic, remember?" David asked.
"I understand but if he is separated from it… he will die." Azura said as she closed her eyes in sadness.
"Oh… sorry, we didn't know." Hope said.
"But he's still unconscious. How do you suppose we drag him around?" David asked.
"I already got that handled." Heart said having a bag on his back as the unconscious Ace lying in it.
"Are you sure this'll work?" Al said nervously.
"Indeed. A hero is always caring for the weak...even if they are a bit strong." Heart said.
"Shouldn't we give him a chance to wake up first?" Mari asked poking at him before Al bonked her on the head again.
"That depends on Hope. He's the one who suggested we see Celica." David said.
"I wanna be able to help her. She helped us in Aytolis so it's only fair." Hope said.
"Well, that settles it, then." David said. "Huff… I just hope this works."
"So uh, how do we use Ace's gun now...WHOA!" Connor said as he nearly dodged a laser beam flying at him. "Hey, who nearly signed me?!"
Landing down in front of them was a somewhat large mechanical robot with red eyes and a knight motif. He had two plasma cutters and a openable chest plate.
"A knight… wait no, a robot?!" Korra asked.
"Fulgore." Maya said with venom in her tone as she drew her daggers.
Fulgore was about to attack before pouncing on him was Leo.
"Leo!" Connor said.
"Go, now!" Leo said.
"Right!" David said as he aimed at a certain point. "Oh, this better work!" David said as he fired.
"What about Leo?" Papalne asked.
"He's entrusting us with this task...we're not gonna waste it." Mustang said.
The blast opened up a portal. "Time to blow this joint! Gotta go, Alm. We'll see you when we bring Celica here!" David said.
"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you. You did promise to reunite, after all." Hope said. "Ta ta!"
They all filed through before it closed.
"Take good care, warriors." Leo said. "Now...for the ferocity that comes with the power of a lion!" he shouted charging at Fulgore.
Meanwhile in the island nation of Novis…
A small child had washed up on shore as they lied on the sand. As a few monsters got close, a pulse went out as they then ran from it.