"Welcome back again ladies and gentlemen! We've reached the final part of our round. Starting soon will be a match between Imperial Steam and Demon's Blight and the more anticipated match of Eastern Warriors vs Silent Blades. Either way, it's a match to look forward to." the announcer said.

"So, we are up against this... Imperial Assault Force. Never heard of them." Zagan said.

"They seem respectable, for a no name group." Bathin said.

"They will be defeated easily." Astaroth said. "The Imperial Assault Force is a dead name group."

"Well...seems the fated hour is almost upon us." Shinji said.

"Yeah. We'll take it to those would be assassins!" Pom said. "Make up for that loss you gave us, Shinji."

"But I wasn't the one who messed up." Shinji thought. "Still...a chance at that oni girl...I wouldn't pass up a chance like this."

"I've never seen such a disorganized group in my life." Kabuki said.

"We can take them. We can use the tension between them to our advantage." Maki said.

"Somehow I doubt that disorganization is true." Harumi said thinking to herself. "Either way, it's time to get in our mechs."

They soon entered their mechs as they rose up.

"And the strategy lap as begun. For the first race, its Ichiro and Zagan. And for the other its Zetsuna and Harumi." the announcer said.

"There seem to be some obstacles on this track. Best stay sharp." Harumi said.

Zetsuna only remained silent as they went around the track.

"Almost time. My blade yearns to cut into that oni assassin." Shinji said to himself.

"Get ready, you two. We won't know what he'll try to pull." Kabuki said.

"Understood." Maki said.

"And the battle lap has begun!" the announcer shouted as all six took off.

"Pom, take the assassin in red. Zetsuna, take the sister of the ice boy. Oni's all mine." Shinji said as they split off.

"No mercy to any of them." Astaroth said as Demon's Blight split off.

Back with Eastern Warriors vs Silent Blades, Harumi was struggling as she was barely dodging each of Zetsuna's blows as he struck with precision.

"This isn't good. I can see why he's an executioner. I need to get in his blind side somehow." Harumi said. "We should be coming upon the obstacles soon. I can lose him there."

As they got close to the obstacles, Harumi zipped left and right between them while Zetsuna whipped a punch and shattered one of them.

"He crushed it like it was nothing." Harumi said.

"He's strong, it even shows it through that mech." Maki said. "Harumi might not be able to handle him...but I can handle Pom."

"You sure about that...Maki Roll?" a familiar voice said in Pom's mech.

"Wait… Kaito? No, you can't fool me." Maki said.

"True. But honestly, can you really hurt the guy you love?" Pom said as Kaito. "I did some research on ya and this was my answer."

"Wow...you really are a stupid girl, aren't you?" Maki said.

"Huh?" Pom said.

"A simple reason why your trick won't work. Kaito isn't even here. And even if he was...I wouldn't have a problem fighting him." Maki said.

"Uh...would you at least let him slip to first place if he begged? Maybe?" Pom asked looking a little worried.

"Him maybe...you...not a chance." Maki said taking a knife as she started dicing up Pom's mech with it before it crashed out.

"Ugh. Again?" Shinji said sighing. "Guess transformation tricks are pretty useless in a mech race."

"You'd think that would be the case after it failed the first time." Maki said. "Hold on, Harumi! I'm coming!" Maki said as she went to help Harumi.

"You and me now." Shinji said to Kabuki.

"Why do you want this fight so badly?" Kabuki asked. "I have no quarrel with you."

"You are an assassin who has killed a few close friends of mine. Though the main reason is...I wanna outclass you." Shinji said.

"I was a contract assassin at the time. I didn't know." Kabuki said. "But thankfully, those days are past me now."

"Doesn't matter to me. I'm gonna defeat you and show you which of us is stronger." Shinji said.

"In that case, come!" Kabuki said drawing her mech's blade.

"I should tell you. My one hit kill is a powerful sword technique...so powerful I can only use it once per day. So...if you have the guts...let's finish this with one hit." Shinji said.

"Very well." Kabuki said.

"You're going to regret this. Sure shot! One hit KO….SLASH!" Shinji said unsheathing his sword as he aimed at Kabuki.

Kabuki got into stance before she unleashed a quick slash at Shinji as he charged at her. She broke through Shinji's blade and dealt a cut to him.

"What in the? No one's ever been able to counter my One hit KO Slash." Shinji said.

"You have the skills of a master swordsman, but you don't have the mind of one." Kabuki said. "One must always remain calm, even in the face of death."

"Whoa! Incredible! Kabuki has solidified first place for the Silent Blades by taking out Shinji. And both Maki and Harumi have defeated Zetsuna. Meaning...Team Silent Blades win!" the announcer said.

"Phew… That was pretty rough." Harumi said. "Still, holy cow, Kabuki! That move you pulled looked like something out of a samurai movie!"

"Yes. I wasn't sure who would come out of that conflict." Maki said.

"Like Sectonia, I regretted some things that I have done in my past, un-assassin-like as it sounds. But, I do know one thing. My master instilled me with light, and it led me to believe that there may be a life beyond assassinations." Kabuki said.

"Now...as for the other race…" the announcer said as it showed the decimated Imperial Steam mechs with Demon's Blight standing victorious. "And the no names have lost once again, marking another clean victory for Team Demon's Blight!"

"Ogami!" Erica called out.

"Kirumi, medic duty, stat!" David said.

"Wait, look!" Hope said as he saw Ichiro climb out unharmed as he went to get out the injured Sakura and Gemini and started carrying both back to the stands.

"Ichiro escaped unharmed?" David said as Astaroth passed him.

"That one earned my respect...so I let him off with the least injuries." Astaroth said leaving.

"You know I won't let you get away with this." David said. "Brutalizing opposing racers? Complete domination? What's the point of it all?"

"Demons survive by being the strongest. We absorb the weaker ones and become stronger. If you aren't strong, you are fodder. Only complete domination is the way. Though you know how that feels...Ice Devil." Astaroth said walking off.

"Talk all you want. One way or another, by the end of this, I'm taking you down." David said as he went to the medical wing, unaware that Cheetah overheard the whole thing.

"Wrong, Ishihara...the one to take you down will be I." Cheetah said to herself.