Hi readers! I am back with chapter 8! Let's check out what is happening in this chapter! Will their hearts be able to resonate in time before the time is up? Find out in this chapter! Let's start!

Normal POV

Meanwhile, Naoki has finally defeated Shingo in a fight. Rain had started to pour as well.

" Hey, you guys help too!" Naoki said

" Y-Yes!"

They carried the unconscious Shingo and headed into the school.

~ After some time~

Aida arrived at the school and saw all the fighters sprawled on the floor.

" N-Naoki-kun... S-Shingo-kun..." Aida thought

Her chest was starting to feel tight.

" I... I need to keep going..." Aida thought

She kept staggering forward until she arrived at the entrance and immediately leaned against the wall.

" Oh no... I'm losing consciousness... Naoki-kun..." Aida thought

Meanwhile, Naoki and the others were waiting for Shingo to wake up.

" It's raining buckets out there." Naitou said

" Yes. It's like the English expression, "When it rains, it pours"." Suwabe said

Shingo started to wake up at that time.

" Shingo! You jerk! You made me worry about you!" Naoki said

A drop of rain hit Shingo's face.

" Tears..." Shingo said

" Idiot! It's just rain! Don't talk nonsense! Like I'll cry over somethin' like this!" Naoki said

" Thank you, delinquent wannabe... I feel like I ought to tell you that." Shingo said

Naoki turned away to wipe something off his face.

" N-Nothin'!" Naoki said

" That's friendship." Suwabe said

" Yeah. It's the same all over the world. That's what I call a global standard!" Naitou said

" Good grief." Naoki said

Aquarius was starting to disappear.

" Aquarius?!" Naoki exclaimed

" This is..." Aquarius exclaimed

Before she could say anything, Aquarius disappeared.

" What happened?" Shingo ask

" That means..." Naoki said

Naoki immediately ran down the stairs.

" Ishida?" Shingo ask

Naoki arrived at the entrance and saw the familiar black outfit.

" Aichi! Hey, get a hold of yourself!" Naoki said

Naoki carried Aida up the stairs.

" Hey, help me!" Naoki shouted

" Aida-san?!" Shingo exclaimed

Shingo moved away from the jacket Naoki placed on the floor. Naoki placed Aida down on the coat.

" I found her at the school's entrance. I didn't think she'll really come." Naoki said

" What can we do to help?" Naitou ask

" I don't know but this is a life we are talking about here. I don't know if she's carrying something to help." Naoki said

" And I don't think we can search her either." Suwabe said

" Good point." Shingo said

They thought about it while Naoki was still panicking inside.

" If she dies... What should I do?" Naoki thought

" Naoki-kun..." Aida said

" Aichi..." Naoki said

" You're alright... I'm so glad..." Aida said

" Don't speak! Do you have any medicine on you?" Naoki ask

Aida took out something.

" Okay, I'll let you drink it." Naoki said

Aida took the medicine and feel asleep.

" Hey, hey!" Naoki said

" I think she's just sleeping." Naitou said

" Yeah."

" But why is she out of bed when she's in critical condition?" Shingo ask

" She came to find us since we went missing since yesterday." Naoki replied

Naoki realized something else when he turned down the stairs.

" This is..." Naoki exclaimed

Naoki carried Aida and went down the stairs.

" Ishida?" Shingo ask

Naoki continued walking.

Hilda and the others are still looking for Aida.

" Nee-san! Nee-san! Nee-san!" Hilda shouted

" Why are you getting even more and more worried?" Oga ask

" You idiot! If you knew what Aida nee-san contains, I don't think you will stop searching either!" Hilda said

Yolda passed the book.

" What?!"

" Hurry! Nee-san! Where are you?!" Hilda called

" Aida!" Kunieda called

" Hey, where are you?!" Furuichi called

" Maybe we should really go straight to Miyaji Academy." Misaki said

" Okay!"

Meanwhile, Naoki and the others are...

" Stand up, Vanguard!"

" Ambush Dragon Eradicator, Linchu!"

" Maiden of Physalis!"

" That unit is..." Naitou said

" Isn't it from the Brilliant Strike booster pack?" Suwabe said

" Neo-nectar... I don't remember what kind of fight we had, but I'm takin' you down! Linchu moves back!" Naoki declared

" Maiden of Cherry Stone attacks!" Maki declared

" Thunder Boom Dragon attacks!" Naoki declared

" Iris Knight!" Maki declared

" Guard!"

" Maiden of Cherry Bloom! Cherry Bloom's skill. Superior call." Maki declared

Below the feet of the unit that just appeared into the field, the ground started to turn red.

" What?!" Naoki exclaimed

" To be precise, Link Joker is nothingness. It spreads over everything that exists. Like this Neo-nectar, which has gained the power of Reverse." Maki said

" Disgusting!" Naoki said

Meanwhile, Aida woke up.

" Aida-san, are you alright?" Shingo ask

" Yes. Where is Naoki-kun?" Aida ask

" Over there." Shingo replied

" Naoki-kun!" Aida exclaimed

Aida got up.

" Aichi! Don't come any closer!" Naoki said

" Huh?"

Aida looked down at her feet. The ground around her was turning red faster than expected.

" The nothingness seems to like you too." Maki said

" Huh?"

" Other than your power, you seem to have nothingness inside you." Maki said

" Nothingness?" Aichi said

" I wonder... Even a demon has nothingness inside them?" Maki said

" Huh?"

" What are you blabbering about?!" Naoki ask

Maki draws her card.

" No matter how much you struggle, you won't be able to stop this growth. Life of darkness released from the gates of Hell, grow in abundance until you cover everything! Break ride! Maiden of Venus Trap "Reverse". Break ride skill. Superior call." Maki declared

Aida backed away as the nothingness creeps in.

" Aida-san!" Shingo exclaimed

" I understand you too, Naoki Ishida. Suffocating, endless darkness of nothingness... The feeling of being alone everyday, unable to find someone to be with you. You who knows what that is cannot reject Link Joker. I understand that. I was the same way myself. I felt different from everyone around me. I came to feel that their insignificant existence we're beneath me." Maki said

" True, I was alone for the longest time..." Naoki said

" Naoki-kun! Don't listen to her!" Aida said

" Be quiet." Maki said

Red vines suddenly shot up from the ground and surrounded Aichi and transformed into a tall tree that reached the ceiling with Aida, now unconscious, tangled in its vines.

" Aichi!"

" Aida-san!"

" Don't worry. She's just knocked out. Besides, even the injury that I inflicted on her has been taking effect on her body, right?" Maki said

" Release her or I'll..." Naoki said

" Or you'll what? You're already in a bind yourself. Limit Break! Okay, here I come! Attack!" Maki declared

" Guard!"

" Attack!" Maki declared

" Guard! And intercept!" Naoki declared

Naoki managed to hold out the attack but a low rumbling interferes the train of thought.

" What?!" Naoki exclaimed

" I was right. She hasn't contracted with anyone yet. Then that's perfect." Maki said

" What?!"

" But don't you have more problems to worry about? Because isolation is approaching you again. Attack!" Maki declared

The attack hit. Red vines emerged from the ground again and entangled Naoki in it.

" Darn it... Somebody..." Naoki said

" Aichi..." Naoki thought

Shingo and the others were discussing something but when they turned back, he was already trapped within the vines.

" Juvenile delinquent wannabe!" Shingo shouted

Aida heard the shout and opened his eyes. He noticed the vines.

" Naoki-kun!" Aida shouted

" You can't let yourself get caught up in that either! Hurry up and get out of there!" Shingo shouted

" Naoki-kun... Shingo-kun... It's all my fault. Because I was like this..." Aida said

" That's why... I'll lend you my power." Aida thought

The two hearts were finally resonating together in sync. The crest appeared in front of the vines and Aida.

" W-What?!" Naitou exclaimed

" This is... they're forming a contract!" Maki exclaimed

" That's right... I'm not alone anymore..." Naoki thought

" Thank you, Naoki-kun... I've never felt my full power in a long time." Aida thought

" Thanks... Granny Glasses... Aichi..." Naoki said

He broke the vines. The tree also broke and Aida descended down, wings had came out of her back.

" I see. This is your image. Your image almost swallowed me up there." Naoki said

" You...!" Maki said

" And, this power flowing into me... I feel like I can defeat anybody now!" Naoki thought

" You're right. I used to be alone. But... I ain't alone now!" Naoki said

All of his rear-guards and Maki's rear-guards were taken out.

" Call! And skill activated! You keep goin' on about bein' alone, but in the first place, us Cardifghters are alone when we fight. We fight all on our own. But in the middle of fightin', I think the feelin's between the two opponents are communicated. I mean, if it ain't a fight like that, where's the fun? It's big talk. I know, but that's what somebody told me. A fellow member of the Cardfight Club." Naoki said

" Because our friends are there with us, we are strong." Aida said

" Ishida... Aida-san..." Shingo said

" Continuing what I was saying, fighters like us, me and you, we ain't alone!" Naoki said

" Guard!"

" Not to mention, there ain't no need to fall prey to nothingness!" Naoki said

" Critical trigger!" Shingo said

The attack went through.

" Juvenile delinquent wannabe, you did it!" Shingo said

Maki screamed as Reverse left her body. The place changed back to normal.

" Ishida-kun, here..." Naitou said

He passed the jacket to Naoki. Naitou and Suwabe ran to Maki's side. Aida changed back to normal.

" Now then..." Naoki said

" Huh?"

" Thank you, Naoki-kun." Aida said

She gave a peck on his cheek. Naoki flushed red.

" I see." Shingo teased

" S-Shut up!" Naoki said

Aida fainted in Naoki's arm.

" I guess she's still tired." Naoki said

" Yeah."

Naoki carried Aida and Naitou and Suwabe carried Maki out of the place.

Meanwhile at the academy...

The black ring had disappeared by the time Misaki and the others arrived.

" The gate..." Furuichi exclaimed

" ... disappeared?" Kunieda said

" Where are they?" Misaki said

" And they did all this? It's kind of unbelievable." Oga said

" Aidabuh."

" Let's go inside. I sense demon powers inside." Hilda said

" Yeah."

Inside the academy...

Naoki had leaned Aida on the wall for her to rest against.

" I wonder if she's gonna be alright?" Naoki said

Naitou and Suwabe were waiting for Maki to wake up when they finally heard grunting noise.

" Thank goodness! You're up." Naitou said

" What was I...?" Maki ask

" You need to rest. I know! Let's fight next time! You're not alone anymore." Naitou said

" That's right. But right now, you need to rest up." Suwabe said

Maki nodded and went back to rest.

" Will Nagashiro-kun really be alright?" Suwabe ask

" Yeah. She was possessed by something. But that wonderful fight... And Ishida-kun's passionate feelings... I believe they had the power to banish it!" Naitou said

" President..." Suwabe said

" It's like I've always said: Vanguard is great!" Naitou said

" Certainly! This truly is the global standard!" Suwabe said

" I wonder if that Aida-san is alright too." Naitou said

" Me too. After what happened to her..." Suwabe said

Naoki and Shingo heard a bit of it.

" It looks like they've changed a bit, too." Naoki said

He almost fainted from exhaustion.

" Naoki! Shingo!" It was Misaki

" Boss Lady!" Naoki exclaimed

" Thank goodness! She ran out when we weren't looking." Misaki said

" I guess so." Shingo said

" What happened here?" Hilda ask

" Well..."

When they head grunting noise behind them. Aida opened her eyes.

" Aichi! You alright?!" Naoki ask

" Yeah... What happened to me?" Aida ask

" You fell asleep after you used your powers." Shingo replied

" I see..." Aida said

" And I also realized when I was in critical condition..." Aichi thought

" I've decided." Aida said

" Huh?"

" I'll go to Takuto-kun's place." Aida said

" But first, you should rest. You used your powers again even though this guy might be your contractor, it doesn't mean he knows how to use it." Lamia said

" Y-Yes..." Aida said

Aida went back to sleep. Naoki suddenly collapsed on the floor.

" I guess he was tired too." Misaki said

Naoki was already snoring.

" Yeah." Shingo said

" When they are like this, do you think..." Furuichi said

" Yeah. They look like an innocent couple." Kunieda said

Aida heard the conversation by accident and blushed lightly. Another thought was in her mind.

" I won't tolerate whatever made the world like this. Even if Kamui-kun, Takuto-kun... and Kai-kun are my enemies. I'll fight them!" Aida thought

She went back to rest but she didn't even realized Naoki and her were holding hands. On their fingers were plain rings on the finger with the crest. Their contract was finally sealed.

Contract is finally sealed! Coming up, it's a fight of Aida and Reversed Kamui! Hopefully she can win because now she's full of energy now! I guess it won't hurt to make a couple scene next chapter right?

Aichi/Naoki: No! It's not! Don't do it!

Hahaha. I'm so gonna make it. If I can imagine it properly... Oh well... Thank you for reading and I'll see everyone for the next chapter! Bye bye!