Chapter 2

The next day, Shun and Gao had already made their way at school as Shun was sitting on a bench with Drum standing up and an older man with a long white beard and was wearing a nice suit coat with his white hair slicked back was behind Shun with a grin on his face as they three was watching Gao.

"I cast….Green Dragon Shield!" Gao yelled as he tried to bring the card to life, which in doubt didn't work.

"Mmmmm, five out of ten." Drum rated.

"Very funny, Tasuku and Shun were so good at it." Gao said as he looked like he was thinking.

"Gao, I wish you would just forget what happened the other day and focus on other things." Shun replied.

"But Shun, I know you explained about how you got your powers, but why did it have to be something like that?" Gao asked.

"Well, it's not like…" But Shun was quickly interrupted when Kiri suddenly arrived.

"Hi there Gao, Shun!"

"H-Hi, Kiri…" Gao said surprised.

"Hey, Kiri!" Shun greeted.

"What are you up to?" The boy asked curiously.

"Well I was just….um…."

"Hey guys, Baku have just finished your deck!" Kuguru informed with a smile.

"I balanced out adding Gargantua Punisher by throwing four Drum Bunker Dragons, Pile Bunker Dragon, and Steel Fist Drago Knuckle. It's a super aggressive deck and it might be my finest work." Baku explained.

"Very impressive structures build, Baku. You may be one of the best deck constructors out there." Shun complimented.

"Thanks Shun."

"Shun's right, that sounds sweet! Come on, let's try it out!" Gao said excited.

"No way. This deck is way too complicated for a beginner like you to handle." Baku told the Sunfighter.

Gao was disappointed once again. "Man, what's it going to take for you to believe in me?"

"You can start with your lunch." He informed Gao as his stomach growled.

"And by the way Shun, this here is your buddy right?" Kuguru asked.

"I am Zeus, god of the heavens and from Legend world, a pleasure to meet you, young miss." Zeus said as he bowed in respect.

"Wow, so you have the Super Ultra Rare Zeus huh? That's very interesting Shun. So, how's your deck up to rate with having a god?" Baku said wanting to know.

Shun smirked at this as he went through his deck case and took out his deck.

"This is one of three decks I hold for the Olympians." Shun replied as he handed it to Baku as he looked through it.

His eyes widened as he looked at each card looking more surprised than the last.

"You have a Ritual Summon card, Call of the Gods card….holy cow, he even has Olympus! This is….. I mean…..wow….." Baku said speechless.

"Huh? Shun, I haven't heard these cards, you didn't use them in the fight against Wolf?" Gao said a bit confused.

"Oh, that was a special case. That deck was used primarily to support a team member. The one Baku has is my main deck." Shun said.

"That's so cool Shun; you're apparently ready for anything." Kiri said.

"Well, I guess you could say that."

The bell suddenly rang.

"Well, it's time for Judo class, let's go before we're late!" Gao said as they all raised to their class, minus Kuguru.

The class started and apparently Shun was surprised to see that Gao was the teacher for this class and by how he looked at the others as they practiced, he wasn't messing around, except Testuya.

The banana haired kid was saying "yo" as he was pushing his opponent back which made him confused.

"Testuya, stop goofing around!" Gao said with a serious tone.

"Yo Yo, why so serious, amigo?" He asked.

"Because if you lose focus, than someone's going to get hurt."

"Sorry yo."

Shun was so impressed on how Gao was keeping his composure of all of this, even though he was older than him by two years.

"So how does Gao know so much about this stuff?" Kiri asked.

"He's won three consecutive national championships with his "Mikado Style: Aikido Justu"." Baku explained.

"Wh-what? He competes against adults!" Kiri said surprised.

"Yup and he's also said he's trained in Judo so they made him the instructor."

"That's pretty cool, Gao." Shun said impressed as he Judo flipped his opponent with ease.

But he suddenly felt some cold, dark presence headed they're way.

"Hey Sunfighter, Demigod… my new friend, Rouga here has something he wants to ask the two of you." Noboru informed the two teens as a man with grey hair and was wearing a nice grey suit coat and had a white parrot on his shoulder was looking around for the two.

"Better watch it, yo. Gao not in a good mood, you know what I'm saying…." Testuya piped up, but Shun sensed hostility toward this teen so he went in front of him as Rouga was going to shove him out of the way.

"Stop…..what?" He asked a bit irritated that someone blocked him.

"We're right in the middle of our Judo class; I suggest you leave my friends alone." Shun said with a serious look about him.

"Thanks Shun, yo."

"So wait, is that….." Kiri was saying and Baku took over.

"…Rouga Aragami is the top ranking fighter in the eighth grade."

"So, what do you think he wants with Gao and Shun?"

Gao and Shun both looked at Rouga for a few moments before he said something.

"Funny, being the only rival of Tasuku Ryuenji acknowledges and the new transfer student that I've heard has a Super Ultra Rare Buddy card, I was expecting a little more….."

"Are we supposed to guess what you want?" Gao asked.

"I want to buddy fight you and that kid during lunch break. Come to the fighting stage, don't be late." Rouga seemed to order them as his bird repeated the last words of his sentence.

"And why would we want to accept a challenge from you?" Shun said still glaring at him.

"Because what I said to Gao the other day at Castle."

Shun thought hard for a moment before he found what he meant and was more angry.

"I disagreed then, I disagree with you now." Gao told the eighth grader.

"You have nothing on Gao, leave him alone, now!" Shun stated as he defended his friend.

"And that's why; you two will accept my challenge. Because you claim you don't care if you win or lose and you care to honor you friend." Rouga said with a smirk.

"I don't buy it one bit. We're probably some sort of scheme to put us up against Tasuku and we will have no part in it." Shun told him as he started to walk off with Gao.

"Why you….." But before Rouga could grab Shun's shoulder, he stepped on a banana peel and fell backwards.

"HA Ha, I've seen it a thousand times, but the banana peel gag never gets old." A demon that was all purple wearing a yellow hoodie that was opened was smiling.

"It's like you're always telling me, "Every tense situation, needs some comic relief."" Testuya said.

Rouga was starting to stand up a little pissed off. "Asmodai is your buddy, huh? You punk, you'll pay for humiliating the great Rouga Aragami!"

"Let me guess… the fighting stage after lunch? You're on!" Asmodai accepted as Testuya was upset with this.

When the battle started, it was clear that Testuya was having trouble against Rouga and he eventually lost. As it ended, Gao and Shun were out of their seats looking ever so angry at the sight of Rouga.

"Rouga, my man, that was an awesome fight!" The magic user congratulated.

"You are so pathetic. Did you honestly think you could defeat me?" Rouga shot down his opponent as he gasped.

This made Gao angry and Shun knew he had to stop him since he saw what this could do to Gao.

"Hey, Testuya's my friend, you can't talk to him like that!" Gao said now in full Sunfighter mode.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Rouga taunted.

"Stop being a jerk! At least show some respect to the people you're fighting!"

Rouga smirked at this. "I see I've struck a nerve. What are you going to do about it?"

"What?" Gao said shocked.

"My you're a sensitive one huh? You make it so easy, he's just the bait to lyre you out!"

Testuya put his head down in shame. "I'm the bait?"

"Hey don't listen to him. He's just bitter since he can't bust a move like you." Asmodai comforted his buddy as he held his shoulder.

As Gao was about to put on his jacket on and do his entrance as the Sunfighter, Shun raised his hand in front of his friend and Gao was confused.

"Shun, what are you doing?" He asked concerned.

"Gao, I cannot let you fight this man. He's going to make you do something you will probably regret the rest of your life and will remind you what you truly wanted to forget. Please, don't fight, but watch instead. I want you to watch me closely and get something out of this battle and remember what it truly means to buddy fight. Rouga Aragami, I challenge you to a buddy fight!"

"Oh, so the new kid will fight me I see and sticking up for your friend no doubt, but I'll show you that friendship is just a meaningless word. This is perfect, well meet here after school." Rouga said with a laughed.

After that, it was preparation time for the big match and Gao looked like he was still angry with Rouga.

"Shun, why did you want to battle Rouga? I should be the one to fight him and I know I'd win if I had the deck Baku built for me."

"It was because of that very reason that I did what I did. Look, everything will be explained during this fight, I promise you that Gao. Now I'll see you all at the stadium." Shun replied as he ran off away from the group.

"Do you think Shun has a chance of winning?" Kiri asked a bit concerned.

Baku just nodded his head in approval. "Yes, with all the cards I've seen in his deck, he's already has the advantage and he made a good point Gao. Let's just watch and see what happens."

"Your right Baku, let's go."

Somewhere outside of the school, Tasuku was patrolling the area with Jack in the skies and the announcer of Aibo Academy was announcing the match.

"Welcome back to the Aibo Academy Fighting Stage. The battle between Rouga Aragami and Shun Kyoto is about to begin!"

"Wait, did she just say Shun?"

Hanako noticed Tasuku and smiled as she was getting his attention.

"Hey that's Tasuku. Hey, you're just in time to see my brother's childhood friend buddy fight!" She said.

"Oh yeah?" He asked intrigued to hear this.

In the Fighting Stage

"It's the mysterious transfer student, Shun Kyoto who is a 6th grade student that is not ranked in his class but instead rumored to have a Super Ultra Rare Buddy. Let's see if this kid has any skills." Paruko announced as she was hovering around in a saucer.

"Go Shun! You can do it!" Hanako cheered.

"You know it, get this guy for me, yo!" Testuya agreed as well.

A small laugh came from another student, who was in fact, the student body vice president. "Rouga will breeze over this Shun Kyoto boy. He's a transfer student and he's not ranked so he's probably going to fail miserably." Magoroku Shido said in a bored tone.

"Yes, let's hope the masters plan works. Rouga's blowing off steam might shift his focus back to our mission." The girl next to Shido replied with a straight face.

"It's time to call upon the gods of the mythological world, luminize!" Shun called out as he swiped six cards in front of him from book as it faced down.

"I'll strike you with my blazing spear, luminize! Brutal Steel!" Rouga called as well as he had a spear appeared from his hands as he also called out six cards.

Tasuku was shocked a bit. "Wait, that sounds familiar." He seemed very aggravated at this.

"BUDDY….FIGHT!" Paruko announced with the crowed as they all cheered.

"What is it you want to show me Shun?" Gao thought not knowing what he's missing out on.

"Now raise the flag…" Both of competitors yelled.

"Legend World!" Shun said as a flag with Legend World symbol appeared floating as Zeus stood behind Shun, tunic and lightning bolt ready to go.

"Danger World!" Rouga simply said as he struck his flag on the ground and his eagle perched on a stone pedestal.

The stage changed and it was time to battle.

"I'm so excited. Shun is using an extremely new deck that is top rank, Legend World. Is Rouga going to show us the destructive power of his Armorknight Deck again? We'll soon see since he's going first!"

"Charge and draw. Legend world, I'll admit, an admirable choice, but not good enough to beat me, I call Armorknight Ogre to the center area!" He replied as he summoned an armor ogre to the center of the field.

"I also call to the center….out of the darkness, absorb ogre Armorknight Demon!" He cried as an even bigger monster that was blue all over, had bat wings and had guns strapped to his arms fired a huge beam at ogre who disappeared immediately and the Demon took its place as it was smoking.

"Once again, Rouga is quick to call out his greatest monster in his entire deck, the size three, Armorknight Demon!" Paruko said.

In the stands, Hanako was surprised to see what just happened. "He made it absorb his own guy?"

"It's that monster again." Kiri said.

"Trident Cannon!" The Demon cried as he stored power in its two cannons as it fired a purple beam at Shun who was not fazed by the attack as it lowered his life points to seven just like in Testuya's battle.

"Ah oh, he's three life points down. Unless Shun can destroy this demon soon, his first buddy fight will be ensured to Rouga!"

Shun just stood there and look like he was thinking.

"Why is Shun just standing there?" Kuguru said a bit worried.

"Yeah, he needs to destroy that demon now!" Gao agreed.

"Wait Gao, I think Shun is thinking of a strategy before he heads in and attacks." Baku replied with an interest smirk on his face.

Rouga was starting to get impatient as he stabbed his spear on the ground to try to get Shun's attention.

"What's the big hold up, huh? I'm not going to stand here all day!"

Noboru looked bored just watching this battle. "Shun's probably going to fail miserably. Rouga's going to win. There's no way Shun's actually going to achieve a victory."

"Draw, charge in draw!" Shun said as he drew a card and left to the other one to his gauge.

"Rouga, I'm going to show you what it truly means to have friends that you need to protect and I'm going to show you that winning isn't everything….." Shun explained as Gao was stunned to know that Shun knew what was bothering him.

"….I call Apollo to the left, Artemis to the right and Zeus in the center…"

As he said this, a man wearing armor of gold took the left of the platform. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes and he seemed to radiate the sun. A woman took the platform to the right and she was wearing a white tunic with silver armor pads and was wearing a silver circuit around her forehead. She had black flowing black hair and blue eyes and she seemed to have the moon at her side. Finally Zeus took the center as he appeared in a flash of light as he was ready for combat.

"Hey, that's the triple fencer remover!" Kiri said shocked.

"Yeah, cause that demon is super crazy strong, yo!"

"Impressive, apparently you can call upon Zeus without the use of your gauges even though he's a level three bravo, but you still can't beat my demon." Rouga said not impressed.

"I equip, Divinity Staff! Now Apollo, Artemis, attack Armorknight Demon together!" Shun commanded.

"I like a good hunt, brother; you better not get in my way." Artemis explained as she appeared in the center of the arena with the Demon facing her and Apollo at her side.

"You should be happier sis, we both get to be in the heat of battle as one!" Apollo said as they confronted the beast together as they blasted a fury of arrows at the demon.

The demon also fired and even with the two working together, they were having a bit of trouble.

"Apollo's and Artemis's power together are five thousand, that's still too low with Demon's eight thousand defense. Does Shun have a plan up his sleeves, or is his inexperience with being the new transfer student pressuring him?" The girl with pink hair said.

"I cast, Offering to the Gods!" Shun casted as the women were feeling more stronger, but not enough to defeat Demon.

"With Offering to the Gods, it brings Apollo and Artemis up a power of two thousand." Noboru said a bit nervous.

"Doesn't this kid get it? Even with the extra power, he still won't be able to defeat Armorknight Demon."

"I cast, Offering to the Gods!"

"W-what? Two consecutive Offering to the Gods?" Rouga said a bit alarmed.

The siblings were suddenly engulfed with renewal energy and overpowered Demon as he was hit in the powerful blast of godly light and was destroyed.

"With a double whammy attack, Shun managed to destroy Armorknight Demon and with Apollo and Artemis on the field together, Rouga gets inflicted by how much gauge cards he has!" Paruko explained as the siblings blast another volley of arrows at Rouga as he tried to defend, but his life points went to seven.

"Zeus, show him what the god of the heavens can do." Shun said as he pointed his staff at Rouga.

"Certainly, Shun." Zeus said as they both began to build up power and it released on Rouga as it put his life points to three.

Tasuku was surprised at this and smiled at the sight of Shun knowing how well he was playing and for the reason he was doing it.

"I'm in shock, with Zeus's combine power with Shun's Divinity Staff, he can attack where he is and it makes double the damage for each god present on the field! What a devastating move."

Kiri was now even more impressed. "Rouga has three points remaining."

"Awesome!" Hanako yelled.

"It's still his move…" Kuguru implied still worried.

"With his life points down to three, if Shun has the card I think he has…." Baku started to say as Shun reviled his final phase.

"It is time, final phase (through this battle, I hope you learned something, Gao). I cast Kronos Strike!" Shun cried as a huge magic circle appeared directly above Shun, facing Rouga and it started to glow as a huge being appeared holding out its palm.

He looked straight at Rouga and faced him as it seemed he pierced his heart as he pointed his hand at him and yelled, "Strike!" and a huge particle beam of the five nature elements came together and headed towards Rouga.

"SHUN…KYOTO!" He yelled as he took on the full blast. "I…won't….forget this…" His flag disappeared and it was over.

"Game over, winner, Shun Kyoto." An automatic voice announced from his core gadget.

The crowd cheered with enthusiasm as the monsters disappeared and Shun took a relieved sigh as he smiled for his first win.

"That's our Shun for you, Yahoo!" Hanako replied with a smile on her face.

"Crazy, it was only his first turn." Kiri said in awe.

"I can't believe it, he annihilated the top rank fighter of grade eight in just one turn, yo!" Testuya cried equally surprised.

Gao was most shocked of all and he now knew what Shun meant now.

"I'm stunned. I never would have expected a none ranked student to have beaten Rouga." Noboru said speechless.

"Shun, by the look on your face, you've taught Gao a valuable lesson to not lose himself and have fun playing the game rather than to win it." Tasuku thought as he smiled at the sight.

Shun headed to where the group was and they all were very proud of him, especially Gao.

"Shun, you were right. Rouga reminded me of what I used to be. In the past, all I wanted to do was win and I wanted to change his mind by proving him wrong, but you showed me otherwise not to lose myself. You've taught me by being myself, I should accept everyone and be their friends too. So thanks Shun." Gao said as he shook Shun's hand.

"You're welcome Gao, just remember, don't ever put yourself down and blame yourself. You have friends who you can rely on if you are in trouble. Always remember that Gao." Shun told him with a grin.

As they continued to talk, Shun sensed Tasuku about to leave, he told the goodbye and Gao to meet him home and he headed to were Tasuku was as he was about to fly with Jack again.

"Tasuku!"

The cop turned around and grinned.

"Shun, that was an amazing battle you did out there. I could tell you were fighting for a good reason and helping Gao out."

"Of course I would, I'm his childhood friend. I've got to look after him." Shun honestly said.

"Indeed you are."

"Before you leave Tasuku, I would like to say something to you. Please don't do anything rash. I can see in the future for you that it will be very bleak because of some misshape, but if that surely comes around, I want you to call me."

"Wait, what do you mean Shun?" Tasuku said confused as did Jack.

"You will know when the time has come. I'll catch you later."

Before that Tasuku was now in deep thought as to what will happen with his future and what it might hold.