Chapter 15: Overwhelming Odds

An intake of a nervous breath from a boy whose solemn brown eyes accepting of his situation looks through the granted visual through the giant he pilots; the Evangelion – Eva Unit 001. His short brown hair that droops the tips down to his forehead wears two small oval-shaped headpiece - like hair clips, his hands gloved by his blue and white Eva suit clutches the handle controllers that which moves the Eva.

This machine of warfare against terrestrial enemies. This product of incalculable bio-engineering tied down to levels of government secrets. Its own origin is unknown. The method of its creation is unknown apart from those who have access to the map of this Eva's build, and others who attended its recovery after every mission it ends up being battered from. This creation - this monstrosity, meant to go against the very beings it was replicated to match in might with only the human mind and heart to guide it with every intent for human survival.

Not merely a giant. Or a robot. Or a monster.

What is the Eva? Shinji Ikari wasn't sure, and he's the one piloting it, while others help him direct its coordinates and the coordinates of the enemy, one which stood before him.

A four-legged beast with its own giant size, though relatively shorter than the Eva, it was wider and bulkier in size, mountain-like hills over its back as if its own jagged spine pokes out, with a single large horn at the top of its head. It's white rocky sharp teeth with red-eyes glaring at the other giant before it, a heavy snarl from its mouth.

"Let's get this over with," Shinji professed to himself cynically, pushing a button in the control-handler and pushing forward.

The outside of the Eva, the arm moved as a hidden compartment was opened beside its leg. Its hand reaches down and pulls out its weapon. A giant sword-like weapon to the average-size human, a mere knife for the Eva. A dark blade that is powered with the high-frequent vibrancy to sharply cut anything at a molecular level.

The four-legged monster threateningly growled, and it began its charge. The Eva, at the monster's approach to ram its horn into its target, moved to the side, dodging a direct stab from the stomping four-legged beast. The human-like arm then wrapped around the throat of the giant monster, trapping the beast in a head-lock. The huge monster growled, harshly knocking the Eva with a force of its own great strength into the side of the mountain, an impact that boomed across the area with an echoing sound as the side of the eighty meter mountain crushed by the weight of two giants.

In the cockpit, Shinji yelled as he felt himself lurched back from the impact of the monster, but he still held onto the controls and determinedly pushed forward, moving the Eva's other hand that held its weapon, and stabbed the knife into the neck of the four-legged beast, carving through the hard-stoned flesh with ease. Purple-blue blood of the giant monster splashed the blade and spilled over the floor and feet of the Evangelion, as the light in its eyes soon died, and the monster slumped, dead.

Inside the Eva, Shinji sighed with relief. It was done, yet another win, in his mission to pass the Preliminary. Defeat the enemy, obtain a piece of it for point, then proceed onward for the next target and repeat.

He starts by slicing off a piece of the giant monster's horn, and let it be held in his hand. A brief passing moment, and the piece of horn glowed and shrunk into a minuscule badge that Shinji could not possibly see if not for the zoom in view his viewing could provide. The tiny gold-star badge confirmed.

"Good work Shinji."

A woman spoke through the comm-link inside his cog pit, to which he nodded absentmindedly.

"Yeah... no problem."

"Alright. Proceeding to transferring the collected badge point."

The star badge in the center of the Eva's hand was then swallowed by a sudden opening, separation at the center of the hand, flesh exposed as it quickly swallowed the star, though it had been so small hardly anyone except with extreme perception could tell what happened to the star.

"Looks like you're getting the hang of it. It's not just Angels Eva Unit-001 can handle. Even better without the umbilical cables to keep your Eva powered."

Shinji hummed in response, a very dull hum as if he's barely listening. A cringe in his expression as he felt the travel of the star underneath his skin, yet it wasn't painful, just strange as something crawls through his arm, and then settled into his chest. Before his face, the golden star badge appears, floating right in front of his eyes and he grabs it easily, looking at it idly as it held between his finger and thumb.

"Keep at it Shinji. You're almost there."

"Right. Thanks, Miss Misato," Shinji said with a quiet voice. There was not much enthusiasm or proud accomplishment in his dull thank you's.

The woman at the other end of the comm didn't seem to notice, or perhaps, she had long been accustomed to the attitude of Shinji Ikari, and then speaks in command.

"Next on our list, some groups of titans at the south. Don't know if I'd call them much of that though," The woman sassed before instigating Shinji, "Let's go."

A complying nod, "Understood," and Shinji started his Eva's movements.

Shink!

"Ow!"

A startled pain from Shinji's right lower calve that harbored a yell from him. Like bug bites of some sort. Stings that came in numerous numbers.

"Shinji?! What's wrong?" Misato called through the comm at the sound of Shinji's instance of distress.

"I... I don't know - OW!"

Another dose of biting pain that assaulted his other leg, prompting him to grab it, twitching from the continuing discomforting, and increasingly painful feel, "S-something's stabbing me!"

But what? The monster before him is dead. Shinji swore he managed to kill it before it ever even got the chance to hit him! He couldn't have been injured, so what's causing this pain?

A brief intermission discussed between Misato and several other people. She soon returned to the comm line. "Shinji! Look at your legs! You got company!"

With haste, Shinji returned his grip of the controller and moved the head of his Eva to look. "W-what?!" He stuttered out, unsure exactly what he was seeing.

/.\

It was amazing. It was fearful. It was... just enormous. Emma had never seen anything the like of it. Her only fathom of such giants were the human world-known monuments she has only ever seen in books and illustrations, things like the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben clock tower; this creature almost reaching such heights. Bigger than the demons in her world, bigger than even that Demon-Devil Serpent.

Beside her, she heard Gon's wide gasp of amazement, "That must be the thing I felt and heard! It's huge!"

She only held onto those words for a moment, before her attention was fully enraptured again by the slaying of the four-legged monster, the Eva standing victorious. A giant that seemed so human, though covered in purple armor with some green aesthetics that makes it seem mechanical, something about the way it moved made itself feel more alive than it seemed simply robotic, which Emma thought only existed in comic books. The possibility of making enormous human-like machines was there, though as Ray and Norman once argued, it was too impractical to even be considered making aside from the appeal of it, the concept being cool, and nothing more.

She argued back though if there really was anything wrong with that? And if she could ride something as big as that, she'd probably have a much fairer chance against the Demons in her world, to match their size, although there was much advantage in being smaller than the enemy. But was there ever something that can be considered too big?

What sort of issues did someone have for this large creature to exist? Were the enemies of whatever world this creature came from just as big, if not even bigger? Such an idea was so incomprehensible to Emma, and she is already aware of how small she is compare to the enormous ordeals all around her, even before getting to this point.

A courageous pilot. This is what the announcer said. Someone is actually controlling this giant. The true competitor, within the shell of this alien-like being.

How? Just how is-

"Something's happening."

Killua's remark snapped her out of her stupor. Gon was in absolute marvel at the Evangaleon in the screen when he too was pulled from it, hearing Killua and looking to his best friend.

Emma watches along with the rest of the audience around them, who were in disbelief at the sheer size of the Eva, whispers of "we're supposed to compete against that?!" And "there's no way we'd win" and another spouting "I wonder who the guy piloting that thing is?"

All was hushed, however, when the distress of the Evangelion was noticed, and at a close-up of the footage, they saw the cause.

"-Looks like we got ourselves a big catch."

The footage revealed, in the midst of the bluish blood that splattered the feet of the Eva, human-size figures latched onto the exterior, piercing through the purple plate armor and stabbing into the interior with their joined blade fingers. These creatures wore purple armor-like shells, with pale blue-gray skin, and long thin tentacles from its head and shoulders. Monsters. Their appearance were bacteria-like, something that seem to personify the Pneumonia Cocci bacterial cells Emma had read and studied about.

"Just our color too," one of the bacteria monsters said. "It's settled! This is our new place! And I bet the insides got more than enough food for all of us to enjoy!"

The monsters stabbed their powerfully sharp talons into the leg of the Eva, while small in comparison to the Eva, they were of several numbers that simultaneously stabbed through the purple metal plate armor.

"First things first, let's pinned down this squirming new home of ours. We're in charge of this body now!" An evil grin marred the face of the speaking monster as he and his fellow bacteria monsters started their climb up.

The Eva reacted and reached its hands for the source of the pain at both of its lower calves, grasping the areas and crushing the monsters. Red blood practically marinated along the blue-blood colors of the Eva's ankles, brief shrieks that quickly cuts off. However, more and more of the human-like bacteria came about from the splattered blood and even spilling out from the open flesh wound of the deceased beast.

The Eva jumped back, the earth trembled at its landing, realizing the source of the enemies piling his lower calves to be from the giant monster it defeated, and continues to slaps its own legs, like slapping ants that were biting through its hard skin.

"It's afraid." Emma suddenly said, observing with absolute attention grasped.

Gon and Killua looked at her in "hm?" before glancing back at the screen with similar focus. "Yeah, you're right. Is the pilot panicking?" Gon agreed, watching with amazed curiosity.

"They probably haven't had to deal with smaller opponents before," Killua assessed. "The armor its wearing looks pretty tough too. With those monsters stabbing through it, they either got to have strong weapons, or that giant's armor had already been weaken by its fight, maybe from whatever other fights it had before now."

The Eva continues to frantically smack and swat away the climbing monsters that were reaching past his knees. A sudden jerk of its knee stole its balance and the Eva fell back onto the mountainside. The monsters, joined by its brothers, have together pierced into the body armor of the knee and further pressured their blades inward, an agony twitch of the Eva's fingers.

It's hurting? Emma observed in wide-eyed concern. Was that giant actually alive? or... was the pilot in pain? Could the pilot actually feel the damage its own machine is suffering?

The Eva blindly reached for its hurting knee, but missed crushing the monsters as it grasps the joints. The bacteria monster cackled, "Ahahaha! Doesn't matter how many of us you crush! We're already about to dig into the flesh, and we'll be eating you inside out-!"

It suddenly went silent when a punch connected its cheek, swift kicks thrown for the other brethren bacteria as it zipped by.

"Huh?" The children blinked.

One by one, the bacteria monster in the footage were knocked down, their gawked and baffled expression to the sudden intervention from their climb, each and every one of them punched and kicked up off by a fleeting orange shadow of a figure.

"What's... who's...?" Just as Emma began, the footage soon enough revealed, and her jaw dropped absolutely.

/.\

"AAAH!" Shinji cried out in pain when it felt its knee be jabbed, like a rod digging into his joints. It felt torturous. He tried slamming the Eva's hand onto the knee, but he missed and the pain continued, his screams continued.

"Shinji!" Misato yelled through the comm-link. Tears breaking out from the edge of Shinji's eyes, fear raced his hearts as the bacteria monsters threatened to enter the insides of his Eva. If they so much as break through, and get to him, he'll be finished. He'll be killed. He was a pilot of this Eva, not a fighter of his own right. But then, a sudden release from the pain, and he gasped at the relief of it. Wiping his tears away quickly, he looks over the knee of the Eva.

"What just-?"

A dash of orange quickly flew past his view, his eyes couldn't keep up, and Shinji thought for a moment that he must be seeing things, a small flash after enduring and suffering from the pain. But then it continued, knocking off most of the monsters in his views, and he couldn't comprehend.

"Shinji! What's going on?!"

The young pilot didn't answer. He was about to, when he saw the flash of orange again at the corner of his view, and he followed it, or tried to anyhow. "What is that?"

Much to his own uncertainty to trusting his eyes, a human fist shows itself from above Shinji's line of sight, knocking against his window view.

"Hey there!"

He showed himself then with a popped down head, an upside down grinning smile, the flash of orange actually a person, with black hair and wide eyes of an adult. He wore an orange sleeveless outfit with blue aesthetics around the wrist and shirt underneath. He held onto the head of the Eva, looking through the neon-green eyes. A loud gasp escaped Shinji as he stared widely in shock.

"I knew I sensed another person inside! Are you the one riding this thing?" The orange-wearing, optimistic man - Goku, spoke to the head of Eva Unit-001.

"M-miss Misato! There's a- How did he even get up here?!" Shinji's panic voices through the comm-link as he looked in widened disbelief and instant fear for the person clinging onto the head of the Eva. A fall from this height would kill any human!

A glimmer from the person's chest catches his eye, and looking at it, right above - or perhaps below in the case of this upside down person - the Japanese symbol that read "turtle," a patch carrying a total of thirteen stars was seen. This man is a competitor, like Shinji. This was the fifth day, and this man was able to collect that amount of stars already?!

He then heard the voice of Misato, but it was much louder and so abrupt that it startled Shinji before realizing that she was speaking to the person hanging onto his Eva's head, activating the hidden speakers outside the Eva. "EXCUSE ME! Sir! This is government property you're clinging on! This isn't a carnival ride!"

"Oh! Well sorry about that," Goku responded light-heartedly. "It looked like you were in trouble there."

"H-he needs to get down before he falls!" Shinji urgently said to Misato, the idea came if he should invite the man into his cockpit where it's safer, before yelping at another stung pain. The armor of his Eva have been dulled due to all the other previous battles of giants he's fought against, leaving mere human-size enemies to easily tear through the purple metal plates.

"Looks like there's still some of those guys hanging around. I can imagine it's tough fighting something smaller than you," Goku grinned at the face of the Eva. "How about I give you a hand?"

He then jumped off from the Eva's head. Shinji's scream for the man soon dies as he saw the man not just drop to his demise, but rather... "H-he's... he's-?!"

/.\

"Flying?!" The children and several others around them sounded their out loud awe at the wingless man in orange start its flight from the Eva's head, a controllable descend towards the bacteria monsters.

"Wh-what the hell is is that guy?!" The bacteria monsters were just as stunned, and doom painted their face as they met the next attacks of the flying man.

"HAH!" Goku yelled, breaking through several of the still clinging monsters that were emerging from the bluish blood, only to find themselves be knocked aside and sent falling to the earth. He was quick, so blindingly quick, as if teleporting from one enemy to the next. Emma had only ever seen this sort of feat from Lewis, to think that a human could accomplish this as well! Incredible!

"Awesome!" Gon shouted in cheer at the screen, never-minding the absurdity of this as Killua would calmly evaluate, or the jaw-dropping expression of Emma.

"Damn... This competition has got all sorts of fighters," Killua said. "How is that guy even flying like that?"

They watched as the man in orange finished off the last several bacteria fiends with brisk knock-out movements that struck the back head of each and every one of them, freeing the Eva from its small enemies, and all witnessed the cried out descent of the monsters, who were in utter disbelief that this seemingly human was able to easily best them.

"Impossible! There's no way! No human can be this strong-!"

Were the last words of the remaining bacteria monster before Goku slammed a final kick to its face, and pushed it off from the Eva's leg with a defeated scream, falling off screen. The man in orange then "phew!" at finally getting to all of the bacteria monsters, before settling down upon the ledge of the mountainside.

"Hope you didn't mind me cutting in. I'm kind of in a race against another guy I came to this competition with," the man in orange said, having landed beside the Eva whose face pointed towards his direction. "My name's Goku by the way! Nice to meet you!"

He grinned happily, his entire demeanor relaxed and full of life, a pure-hearted man, waving up to the Evangelion he showed no fear or even outright fascination, simply saying hello to another fellow being. The Evangelion paused for a moment. It was frank enough for many people watching that the pilot is utterly dumbfounded, and an even greater absurdity to it, perhaps unsure of what else to do, the Eva steadily raises its own arm, and waves its hand back for Goku. The man looking very pleased at the returned gesture.

The footage then concludes, Emma's own gawked reaction remaining, Gon's wowed face, and Killua's intent inner-thoughts in his eyes. "H-he actually flew..."

There was no sensible logic to explain this, nothing that Emma could possibly be helped to comprehend how a wingless man can fly, it boggles her already incredulous mind. but there was no use to either reject this already given fact happening in captured video, nor trying and trying endlessly for a reasonable conclusion to dissect this baffling wonder. There is no point asking what will not be answered to her right now, all she can do is accept the reality of this unreal witnessing.

Great fighters, fast and flying, giants walking the earth, never mind the fact that there had been monsters of that size roaming the event beyond her own understanding, and people of abilities beyond her own awareness and imaginations. Energy beams, both bright, dark, large, and invisible, and extremely effective as she has seen both accounts.

How...?

"And that is our top five moments of the Preliminary." The announcer spoke, "Now for our Honorable Mentions!"

Just as she thought she couldn't be anymore amazed, several more footage were shown, all amazing the crowd as practically everyone tuned in eagerly. Many more competitors shown with various incredible capabilities and powers. all further widening her gaping mouth as she observed with gawked eyes that she cannot look away.

One footage shows of a teenager with orange hair like herself, a long black robe with white accents at its edge and a white belt, a long black blade katana he held by its handle, a deep scowl of resentment towards a fat green monster several arms that mainly wrapped its body. Wide eyed green sclera that looked in shock to the competitor before him.

"Getsuga... Tenshou!"

The familiar black energy Emma instantly recalled upon her first night of the Preliminary, shaping into a massive crescent that devoured the monster. So it was this person, not only from a weapon, but from some sort of energy ability this older boy was able to unleash. Another inhuman like before Emma was not aware before, for humans to be capable of doing.

How?

The next video shows the teamwork between a teen girl with black hair wielding a bow and arrow, and a teen boy with long white hair and a massive sword he must be incredibly strong to wield, adorable dog-like ears on his head, and a prominent red puffy hakama worn his body. The girl fired a single arrow that emitted a mystical like element Emma could not perceive, though certainly she felt something was there, as it stabbed into a giant moth monster in the middle of the lake, and a blast of fire was made.

"Wind Scar!"

The boy of long white hair then brought down his sword, a powerful strike that pierces across the lake, and slicing off the wings of the moth, vanquishing it as it sunk into the lake.

Just how?

The next footage the boy Emma instantly remembered. The green haired boy who had somehow rescued her from that big ant monster with just a point of his finger. He was in a valley of some sort, pointing his finger at an incoming giant snake monster whose wide mouth opens to swallow the boy whole.

"Spirit Gun!"

The monster was then suddenly pierced through, as if a powerful bullet ate through its long body in a straight line, and the monster died. The crowd around her were in utter amazement and applauding, others remarking the abilities being shown and ways to deal with it, and all other matters. But Emma only had one train of thought, her attention absolutely taken as she stares at the jumbo screen.

How on earth can Emma catch up to all of this?

With only her simple weapons and human limits to rely on, nothing that could amount or even compare to the other-worldly powers she had just seen. And if such powers were allowed to be used, then what sort of challenges awaits in a competition such as this? Would she even be able? The distance in power level between herself and everyone else here so despairing, normal people would crumble in doubt and perhaps immediate admittance of defeat at the sight of such impossible feats be done by these people.

No. Wait, furthermore, why are these videos being shown?

Emma frowns as she continues to watch the screens. If footage like this are being shown, wouldn't this put the competitors demonstrated at a disadvantage? Did the competitors gave their permission? Or were they even aware that this would happen? Gon and Killua certainly didn't mention it, nor had anyone brought it up for as long as she was with them, their surprise at the sight of themselves at every TV screen as proof of this.

That Eva, as further evidence to the possible backlash of this showing, has been revealed to have a weakness against smaller enemies, and the mentioning of it having a pilot, would lead to the easiest conclusion that it's the pilot that must be dealt with for anyone fighting it to be victorious, not the giant itself. Emma was able to catch this, and she can imagine how others may have as well, with the competitor having the advantage of his identity remaining obscure.

This only proves it though, why show footage of people's strength and weakness that can potentially be detrimental to those competing?

"It's so that everyone can be aware of what to expect."

A jolt of surprise in Emma, immediately turning for the speaker from her seat. Gon and Killua picked up their heads, their gaze following Emma's. The instant sight of the man who spoke calmly set the boys on edge, a hint of nervousness crawling Gon's instincts, Killua already putting his hands right by his pockets where his weapons hid. Emma only looked at the stranger, up to see his face, as he stood rather tall, the orange-lenses of his round glasses hiding his eyes.

He wore red, hat and long coat, black suit and pants, white collar shirt underneath. White gloved hands and pitch black shoes. His skin is unnaturally pale, sickly though he seemed well-enough, if not something unusually calm to his whole being, as if he stood like a statue, and not a living person. His hair pure black, shaggy yet also nice. He held a looming sense to his presence, an off-putting feeling about him that had the children feel tense and unease.

"I... I'm sorry, what did you say?" Emma started, her eyes wide at the man who looked down at her. Feeling a chill under his stare, even though she could hardly see his eyes behind those spectacles.

The red-hat wearing man looked back up to the screen, responding, "This competition has brought together various people of power coming in all variety. Those that we have seen just now, it's clear enough that, if pitted to a simple normal man, it would hardly be considered a fair fight. It's no wonder they decided to be clever about it, a direct brawling tournament between all of us would have wiped out most of the competition, without even the slimmest chance of a comeback."

Killua's eyes narrowed as he listened to the man rambled, though what he said did indeed fit with the logic behind how this competition will work, granting challenges that would be best suited by people's personal strength, and not just brawn. He already long figured this, so what was this man getting to? What made him suddenly talk to them also?

"It's honestly a dull way of competing," the man drawled, a grin in his expression that gave Emma goosebumps, a grin that eerily reminded her of Lewis. "But it'll be interesting nonetheless, aside from the inevitable clash between multiple competitors. Of course, it's not enough to assume the danger, but that they may have to see it for themselves, and what to look forward to for all of the upcoming rounds; against those we are competing, and the obstacles that will be provided for us."

He looks back to them, "It's a way to even out the plains, giving everyone a chance, even those who don't hold those kinds of power. Information and noticing one's weakness, and exploiting it. A given opportunity disguised under the pretense of congratulatory showings. Perhaps it would be unfair to those being shown in these recordings, but then what would be the fun in their easy winnings? If those without powers to compare to that giant humanoid or powerful warriors are at disadvantage, then those powerful will share that standing as well. The greatest amusement is the struggle for that slight hope of victory, something which I'm sure you three will hope to grasp."

A longer look at Gon with a blank, thoughtful reaction, before turning his heels. "You're going to need this sort of study and uncovered advantage if either of you will stand to survive this event for long."

"Wait, mister! Who are you?" Emma asked, although her heart is at unease, her unrestrained interest piqued her voice as she clings for any sort of understanding to the abrupt presence of this strange and intimidating man.

The man takes a brief pause in his stepping away, "Ah. Yes, where are my manners? I am Alucard."

He turns to them again, and it was then that Emma felt her throat dried, feelings of ice in her blood yet refusing to outwardly shiver, as she spotted a glimpse of the edge of his eyes behind the spectacles, blood-red irises peering to her very soul.

"My apologies for startling you. I figured I could offer you an answer to your question," Alucard explained. "It's what I picked up myself, although you probably would have figured that out soon enough. Either way, this is what you'll be facing. Even if not in direct combat, if you're not clever enough, your chance at winning will be snatched by those faster, stronger, and bigger than yourselves."

He politely grinned their way, though unnerving nonetheless, as he then added, "Although, with the drive that you have, you could be someone who might make it. At least, I would hope so. It'd be interesting to see people like you go that far. Take care to watch others who won't show you any mercy though, Emma."

A lump in her throat as she stared back in outward calmness as the man in red then walked away. "Let's go," she heard him say, passing a table in long strides where a seated woman with strawberry blonde hair looked up, a loaf of bread in her mouth, and she stood up at once.

"Yes sir!" The blue-eyed woman said, garbing a soldier-police uniform. She picked up a large, rifle-like weapon that seemed unbelievably too heavy she follows the dark haired man.

They carefully watched him leave, and at his distance, Killua asked Emma, "Do you know him?"

Emma looked longer at the leaving man, her heart that jumped at his impossible reveal as she steadily turned back for the boys, forcing herself to calm as she speedily rushed her mind to rationalize what had just happened. "No... I don't. I've never met him before."

"How did he know your name?" Gon asked curiously.

She stared at her knees for a moment, looking back to them with a calm disturbance in her eyes, "I don't know. I... I don't even know how he... how did he know what I was wondering?"

She looked back down again, grabbing her chin in thought, "Could he tell that much what I was thinking?"

But that's not possible, even for all she's seen, how could he be able to decipher her exact question said in her own mind word by word and be able to answer? He came behind her as well. Unless he was staring at her for as long as she had her focus to the screens, how could he even tell if she hadn't even notice him looking at her? Let alone be somewhere in front to see her own face and guess what she's thinking?

Gon and Killua were alerted when they heard that, looking to each other in silence, and they came to the same thought. Killua glowering, "Could he have...?"

Gon nodded slowly, "If he knew her name and she never met him before..."

Emma looked back at them at their few worded discussion, "What do you mean?" She asked, lost.

They answered with a firm expression, Killua giving a respond first, "That guy might have read your mind."

Huh?

She blinked dumbly. "Read... my mind?"

They nodded simply. "Mhm."

She takes a while, and then it hit her like a truck. "Li... Like literally?!" She grasped her head that's been apparently invaded in that much depth.

"Yeah, we met another person who had the same ability," Killua said, his expression even sterner. "A woman who worked with a group of deadly thieves, but with her, she needed to physically touch someone to read their minds. It was a condition for her Nen ability."

"People can-?!" She immediately hushed, quieting down and not scream for everyone to hear. A lot of them seem very glued to the screen, even returning to eating their meals and chatting about the videos being shown. She whispered, "You mean... you guys can read minds too?"

What a dangerous ability to have. Such a dangerous and no doubt very powerful ability, at least to her it does.

Gon shook his head, "No. Every Nen user has a unique ability, mine's mainly about strength and power, and Killua's with electricity. They're called Hatsu. Like when I punched Garou into that tree, that was me using my Hatsu - or what's also called a Nen Ability."

"We have a friend who can use chains as part of his Hatsu. That creepy-magician clown guy, Hisoka, could use a rubber-gum like strands as his Nen ability. A guy who can leave bombs by touching people (not the same way as that man with the seven scars on his chest did), and a lot of other different abilities we've seen. All Nen users can have different Hatsu abilities that they themselves can create."

Emma had to actually covered her own mouth to muffled her "NO WAY!" expression. Hatsu. From reading minds to leaving bombs, Nen truly is such a terrifying and versatile power. How extraordinary, how honestly terrifying.

"For a guy to be able to read someone's mind though, and just right now with you, without even having to touch you..." Killua said gravely, "We've seriously underestimated the kinds of people that are competing here. Damn, he might have read our heads too."

"Which means he might have already know what we're capable of..." Gon came to the same reasoning, miffed feelings crossed his face. "How rude."

"Yeah well, I probably would have done the same for everybody here, if I had that kind of ability," Killua shamelessly admitted, though his hard expression stuck. "But based on what he said, he might have just read the thought that you had. The woman we met who could read minds could also dig into people's memories. I don't know if that guy might have the same sort of ability, but I can probably imagine that he'll have to try more than just stare at our direction to pick out that much."

Emma fought the urge to gulp, taking this fearful info calmly. "There really are so many incredible people here..."

How on earth is she to catch up to those that are capable of such things? Even now, she'd been practically exposed and she wasn't even aware no matter how alert she had hoped herself to be. There truly were so many here, capable of a variety of feats, not just strength, body, or energy attacks, but even mind abilities as well.

Yet even introduced with this harshly given fact, of how far apart she really is compare to everyone else here, still she remained resolved. Emma was never someone willing to give in at anything, no matter how fantastical and impossible the chances of her winning are, no matter how much more difficult and grander everything becomes. The true fact is that she cannot relent to the despairing distance of power levels between her and mostly everyone else in this competition. Even for the reality of this that would have driven Ray crazy, she - while sharing the feeling - wouldn't admit or grovel before it, she couldn't.

Not while she has her whole family to save. They, and all the other Cattle Children. For them to be at a safer place, to reach the future she wants for them. If she had once thought about giving up, or seeing no hope of her succeeding, she wouldn't have come this far, fought so much, struggled so much, and suffered so much up until this point. Facing against fear and death more times than once, so that she could one day set all the Cattle Children free, she couldn't let herself be afraid. Amazed, she will certainly be, but never afraid to try and go through whatever dangerous obstacles that are promised to wait for her. Even with people far more powerful than herself.

She was always a child who felt the whole world needed to change, and even if the world told her the futility of her struggle, she wouldn't accept its cynical reality, she would pursue to make her own reality come to be if she has to.

But she can't do it alone. She knew, of course, that even now, it wouldn't have been possible if not for the help of others; from her family, found-friends of Goldy Pond, and new companions here in the competition. If not for them, then the world would have been proven right, or so, she will not be granted the reality of her dream. But it was because of others that she had her reason to keep going, even against someone bigger, faster, and stronger, there was always hope, and if there wasn't, then it would be made, and for her current circumstance, she will find her hope to remain in this competition. She will look for that chance.

A chance against overwhelming odds.

And as she thought of this, she stares at her new companions. A thought came to her head, but before she could speak of it, the smells of warm aroma from delicious meals have come closer to their tables, delivered by human waiters.

"I'm sure we'll figure out a way to handle it," Gon said as his nose was the first to pick up the delicious scent, looking over to the bringer of their orders. Killua absentmindedly nodded.

"Mm. In any case, let's be careful how we act and think while out here in public. Who knows how many others might have that ability? I know it'll probably be hard for you but it wouldn't hurt to try - I hope so anyway."

Gon stuck his tongue out to Killua before his ordered meal of uniquely cooked fish and its sides arrived, a wide smile on his face at how much at home the sight of the food brought him back to. Killua is given his order next, a bowl full of chocolate balls, and his face uplifted at the sight of the sweets. Emma is then served her own plate, food that which also has her reminiscing of home. A finely seasoned steak, mash potatoes and vegetables on the side, and a basket of bread-muffins she ordered to share with Gon and Killua.

Deciding to put aside her thought for now, Emma gazes down at the plate before her, but none of her family here to join her. A realization that this would be her first time eating a proper meal without them. But her dispirited heart soothed once she reminds herself that she is not eating alone, looking to her companions who were waiting for her, having caught on to her habit every before meal. She warmly smiled at them, closing her eyes and hands together in prayer, her mind thinking of those back at home and those with her now.

Giving her gratitude for the meal, and mentally for the friends she's made here, the three of them began to eat. She will have to inquire the boys another time. For now, it's better to have it be discussed somewhere more quietly, and likely without others to overhear their thoughts beyond their own knowing.

/.\

Having finished his food all while watching and studying each shown footage in the small TV at the end of his bed, Garou took his moment to settle a bit, watching intensely as various competitors were revealed as the food inside him digested. That purple giant certainly caught him by surprise, the kind of giant that even bested the size of that big flying centipede monster. The only other humanoid giant he's heard of was back in his world, the news about a humongous skinless person - beating the height of the Evangelion several times more - that walked through City D before it's sudden death at unknown hands, Garou reasonably concludes that one of the S-Class heroes must have killed him.

Since there were far greater giants in his world, he reasons that this giant would be easier to deal with. Noticing that it has a weakness to smaller enemies coming in several numbers at once, Garou with his agility can overcome this large opponent with ease. What's more, if the announcer was saying true about there being a pilot, then Garou would simply need to take out the pilot and that body would tumble over. Being bigger doesn't just make anyone better. That fighter in orange just proved it, as it easily just landed upon the Eva's head and moved faster than Garou could catch.

This place has got all sorts of strong guys. I better step up my game and keep up. Pure excitement rattled his heart as he observed all the opponents. This was basically a training ground haven for him. Many of them more than giving just enough of what Garou hopes to succeed and surpass himself with. Honestly though, some of the people here competing would fit perfectly from B to S class level of strength. They really are the real deals, and he more than looks forward to facing them all.

"-your bones and most of your injuries have healed remarkably, although that bruise on your stomach is keeping my concern."

Doctor Tenma informed him as Garou stands from his bed, having felt good enough to move and his hunger settled, stretching his limbs and popping his shoulders.

"I would want you to stay overnight. Just to monitor you and make sure everything's okay," the kind doctor offered gently. Garou scratched head as he waved in nonchalance refusal.

"I'll be fine. You don't need to look over me." The last thing he, the Ultimate Monster, needs is to be coddled over even if that's basically this doctor's job. Besides, he's had his fill now, and all of his wounds have healed up. He still felt a pestering to his stomach but he's pretty sure it'll fade on its own later. "Thanks for the free food and the patch up. I think I'll be going now."

He'll admit, the treatment was nice, though he's more grateful that he didn't have to pay all of this, he would have been running out the door if that were the case, and he didn't even have to look at the bill, knowing that he didn't even a yen in his pocket anyway.

"Well... If you say so," the doctor's brows furrowed, his thought still centering around that nasty large bruise. "If something changes, feel free to come by clinics or hospitals like this, any time."

A minor glance at the doctor's way before Garou hummed in response, a casual parting wave as he leaves the room just as Nurse Joy arrives, surprised at his leaving, and watched him resume down the corridor.

"Oh my. He's already healed up?" She asked as she enters the room, the doctor sitting at a chair.

Tenma answered with a nod, looking down at the clipboard in hand. "He's another one of those competitors with amazing regenerative abilities and a great appetite. Eating everything from the whole menu."

He looks at the several empty dirty dishes on each cart, bones and lingering sauce left upon them, all its other contents it once carried been devoured by that brisk eater.

"The young ones these days are such big eaters," he added lightly. A thoughtful frown came to him, "Honestly wished he could have stayed. I can't stop thinking about that bruise."

There didn't seem to be any noticeable signs of something detrimental. Nothing of the organs being ruptured or otherwise, the patient wouldn't have eaten and kept everything in his stomach as much as he had. Still, there was something pecking at him, and even after treating the bruise with medicine and bandages, he couldn't help but feel something more to it. He honestly wished he could have had someone else here with a second opinion, especially those who might see something that he can't, no matter how many people around here tells of his own brilliancy as a doctor - which he would modestly declined, although he appreciated those comments anyway.

Tenma helped Nurse Joy collecting all the dirty dishes and bringing them to the carts. "Well, I and the other nurses triple-checked him while he was watching TV. There didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary aside from that bruise, but I would think it would be fine for it to eventually heal on its own, although I understand that sentiment. I would have liked to bring him over to the Healing stations or bring someone here to heal them, but most of those healers have been preoccupied with patients who had an even worse injury."

A low frown from Tenma as he listens, before pushing the carts out to the door. "Oh! There's no need doctor!" Nurse Joy said delightfully. "I can handle this. You should go see all the other patients. I hear you have an operation coming up as well."

He nodded, looking down to the pocket of his long coat at the sound of his pager. Taking it out and reading the message in the rectangular screen.

Kaede/Lucy - Threat Level: Dangerous. Patient Status: Debilitating, Unconscious. Diagnosis: Head Injury - Requires Immediate Surgery. Operation Room: F154. Admitting: Kenzo Tenma.

"Now that definitely sounds like you're needed," Nurse Joy said as she saw the stern look, a sign that his expert practice is in immediate need. She smiled gently, "I'll take care of everything here. Good luck, doctor."

"Thank you, Joy. I'll be sure to make it up to you later." He pushes the doors in hurried exit of the room, and ran down the hallway to reach his station. His shoes clacking at every step that rushes for the operating room.

/.\

It was a nice evening walk, the grid sky and its fake stars obscure by the endless light of the city. Garou waltz through the sidewalk with a heavy interested viewing of the tall buildings, passing competitors and NPCs. Turning to the several TVs behind a window of an electronic store, seeing some blue-haired musical icon that reminded him of the popular singer and A-class Hero Handsome Mask.

A bump to his shoulder from a person that rushed too much, and he only offered a look, not even moved or pushed by the collide of a girl wearing a red puffy hat with a fuzzy ball at the center top of it.

"Ah! I'm so sorry!" The flustered red-haired girl apologized, carrying a box that had O2 labeled at the corner. A tag she wore upon her red vest reading: Red Blood Cell Delivery Service.

He blinked at the girl, and bluntly suggested, "You should pay more attention."

"R-right! I'm really sorry!" She bowed her head repeatedly in apology before resuming her way, her amber gaze looking endlessly at her surroundings, "Uh... now where is that apartment complex again? Oh geez, where even am I? Am I at the right part of the city?"

Garou watched her fumbling self leave through the area. A newbie he easily presumed. Poor girl looking absolutely lost until she spoke to an NPC worker at a candy stand, and he resumed his way. This city really has got several things and a system going on around here. All these places and stores, everyone just going about their concluding day and starting night like it does in every city.

...Shoot. He just realized that there were supposed to be sleeping quarters. He'd kind of just been wandering off on his own. Should he ask someone around here? It's supposed to be free for competitors right? Probably should have stuck to those kids... ah well. he'll figure it out, and in any case, he can always find an empty place for himse-

A violent sharp jab to his gut, as if a sword just lunged right through his stomach and he immediately stopped and clenched the area with his hands. There was no blood, or obvious wound. He knew instantly though.

"Oh shit," he muttered under his breath, eyes wide. This was a particularly horrible pain. Not a feeling as if he felt threatened to throw up all the food he ate, but it was like his stomach was being shredded and gutted out from the inside. Maybe he should have taken up that doctor's offer after all.

"Shit shit shit!" He hushed out, barely keeping himself composed in the open like this, gaining only few odd looks by NPCs and even passing competitors, as he smoothly and darted into a dark alleyway.

Panic rushed through his mind as he tumbled behind a dumpster, the erupting pain at its breaking point, the pain he can no longer push back, overcoming him completely and pushing through his stubborn and strong intent to barricade himself from it, bursting through the walls as the surge flows through him. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach and forehead pressed against the dirty alley floor with no one present to see his state and hear his teeth-clenching utter.

F**k. Am I seriously dying right now? I can't die now! I haven't made my full debut yet!

Oh wait, if he died here, he would just return to his world, as it was said so before he entered this competition... but screw that! He just made through the preliminary! And now he's gonna keel over here in this cold and dirty alley without even carving his name throughout this whole competition, where every member from every world would hear and remember hatefully his name? That's just not right (unfair)! This completely sucks!

It lasted for several more seconds, his clenching teeth might break under the intensity and he even considered tearing out his stomach to see the problem. Then...

It left. The revolting and truly hideous pain had suddenly, instantly, vanished. He gasped for a breath that he had been stolen from when this pressure in his stomach came back in full-throttle, sweats had poured from his face as he wipes it away with his sleeve.

"Did I just passed gas or something?"

Rubbing his eyes and the sweat from his brows away, he lowers his arm.

"Huh?"

In his immediate view, a glowing white aura surrounds and flows from his limb. He looked at his hand, dripping upward like thin streams, and noticed his other arm, coated with the same slow spew of aura. He stood up steadily, looking down on his body, his entire form flowing with white aura-like substance, like wearing a ghostly veil seeping from his skin. Garou stares at it all in wide-eyed, quiet bemusement.

"...Huh. Well this is new," he simply comments.

Competitors Introduced:

Shinji Ikari (Evagelion)

Goku (Adult) (Dragon Ball)

Alucard (Hellsing)

Non-Participating Contestants Introduced:

Red Blood Cell (Cells at Work)

A/N: I am not at all knowledgeable in how and what a doctor's pager might say, despite my attempt to look into it (I'm generally a terrible researcher anyway.)

Thank you all for reading, to the reviewer who is surprised that there was no Hamehameha being included in the footage showing, Goku hadn't really need to use it during this event, that moment shall be saved for another time.

In any case, that section of showing other competitors power was really just to give flavor for those watching of what to expect from everyone they are competing against, and that not every competitor have revealed their trump card, otherwise, there'd be more than five and frankly, everyone would be there watching all day.

Also, for those who did use their trump cards but weren't in the top five, can be due to various reasons, one such reasons being that they completely decimated their opponent that there was no piece left for them to collect - which is what the point of the event is all about. But it is definitely because not a lot of them, especially the mentioned characters brought up, have used their trump card, or it was just decided not to show them since there would be too many, and the best they can be given is honorable mentions. I haven't quite made it all set-in-stone the reasoning, but this is generally what I have in mind.

I hope this chapter was an enjoyable. Garou has finally unlocked his Nen, and Emma needs to think of something in order to catch up to all the powerful people that smarts alone may not be enough to help. Thank you again for reading, stay safe everyone!