[Gundam Build Divers Re:Start]
Chapter 01: Strike the METEOR
"Okay, class. Please answer the questions in front and submit your notebooks to me before the class ends." The teacher said as he pointed to the giant monitor that was mounted on the walls in front of the class.
Rei then brought out his notebook and his leather pencil case out and put it onto his table.
"These answers are quite easy. I could finish it quickly and use the time before the class ends to sneakily sleep." He opened his pencil case to grab a pencil. Then, he closed the case quickly. "...That's not my pencil case."
It was the case that stored his gunpla, the Astray Red Frame Assault Jacket Inversion.
"Crap, I know that I shouldn't use the same type and colour of pencil case and gunpla case."
His school doesn't forbid bringing Plamo to school, as there's a Plamo Club here and their members can bring their Plamo with the club advisor's permission. But the problem here is that Rei isn't a Plamo Club member. If the teacher or the school council members found out he brought his gunpla to school, it would immediately get taken by them for sure.
"Okay, calm down… First and foremost, did I have a pencil in my bag that I can use…" Rei inserted his hand into his bag to search for a pencil. But there's no pencil in there. "Ah… What should I do… Maybe I can ask someone for a pencil. But who should I ask…"
There's two people who's close proximity to Rei, Midohira in his front and Rousa in his right.
"I'm not that familiar with Midohira, as I haven't spoken to her. However, as for Rousa, I have spoken to her a couple of times. Albeit we didn't talk for long, I DID talk to her. Wait a minute, why am I like this? I'm just asking her for a pencil!"
He then speaks to the pink haired girl next to him in a low voice.
"Um… Hanaki-san..."
"Hmm?" She turned to Rei and stopped writing. "Yes?"
"May I borrow your pencil? I didn't bring my pencil case?"
"But isn't that your pencil case over there?" Rousa points at the leather case that stored his gunpla.
"Yes, it's a type of pencil case. But it doesn't store my stationary item. Can I just borrow a pencil, please?"
"Um… Sure." Rousa then gives one of her pencils to Rei. "You can keep it. I have more at my house."
"Oh, if you say so…" Rei then started writing the answers in his book. But then he realised something. "Wait… Isn't this pencil from one of those expensive brands? And she just gave this away to me? Damn…"
Rei continued to do his work.
Ring*
And with that, the class had ended. This is one of the routines that Rei had to follow everyday. Wake up, go to school, learn, leave school early because he didn't have any club activities since he didn't join any club yet, shower, eat, GBN, dinner, sleep and the routine cycle back.
It sounds boring, except for the food and GBN. Everyone packed their stuff and left the class one by one. Rei stored his books inside his bag and stood up from his seats. He then took his bag and walked out of the class.
"Alright then…" He pulled out his phone from his pants' pocket and started texting someone.
Rei: Yo, Rena. Did you have any club activities today?
Rena: Yeah. Seems like I'm going to be late home today. You can just go home alone.
Rei: Really? You don't want me to stay here and protect you from any pests?
Rena: Pests? Nii-chan, no one is going to hit on me.
Rei: Can't be so sure, my dear little sister. All men are wolves, after all.
Rena: Aren't you a man yourself?
Rei: Yeah, and I know how a man functions, girlie.
Rena: Whatever. Just don't do anything stupid in school. I don't want to be related to a stupid brother, after all. Ah, a senpai just called me. Gotta go now.
"She just indirectly called me stupid… Sigh* Oh well, let's just go home-Wait… Where am I now?" Rei stored his phone and looked around. "So that's the reason why you shouldn't play with your phone while walking, huh? I learned that the hard way, I guess…"
Rei started walking back from where he came from.
Glow*
That is when he passed a room with a glowing shine of green through the doors' glass.
"Wha…" Rei looked up to see the sign, but didn't have any text on it. "Should I go inside? The door doesn't seem to be locked… Ah, screw it…"
Creak*
"Excuse me… Yep, there's no one here." Rei said as he confirmed there's no one inside. But then he reacted towards the things inside the room. "What the…"
He went out of the room to check the sign again, and he went back inside.
"Is this the Plamo Club? But this can't be right… Why are there a bunch of portable GBN stations here?"
There's multiple portable GBN stations with their own small monitor inside the room, with one of them currently active. And there's also a small Plamo building table next to the station.
"I didn't know that this school is rich enough to afford all of these. Maybe there's a rich student here who bought all of this stuff…"
Rei looked left and right.
"..." He took a seat on the gaming chair and brought out his gunpla. "Sorry to whoever owns this station, but I'm bored right now. Might as well increase my Rank while waiting for Rena to finish her club activities."
Rei puts his Diver Gear onto the station and his Assault Jacket onto the dock so that the system can scan it.
"Oh wait! If I'm right…" He checked the leather case. "Yeah, here it is!"
Rei pulled out a customised 1/144 Type 70 Beam Rifle from the case and attached it onto the Assault Jacket's left hand.
"Let's start now!"
Login Data confirmed! Dive starts now.
GBN, Main Lobby
"Hmm… What mission should I choose…" Rei muttered as he looked through the Mission List. "All of the missions that give high Rank Points take too long to finish…"
Tap* Tap*
Someone had tapped Rei's shoulder.
"Huh?" He turned around and saw someone that he knew. "Oh, Villian. Didn't notice that you're online."
"Oh, don't mind me. I just saw from afar and I thought it would be good to greet you." He explained. "What are you doing?"
"Ah, I'm searching for a short mission that gives a lot of Rank Points. But I can't seem to find one yet."
"Oh, if that's the case, then…" Villian went to the Mission List and started scrolling. "Let's see if it is still up… Here it is. This mission would certainly fit your criteria."
"Hmm… Gunpla Battle Royale?" Rei checked the details of the mission. "It's a 40 gunpla battle royale… There's a limited number of item boxes and supply stations around the map… Divers are randomly scoured around the designated battle area… There's only three types of team, single, duo and quad… Why didn't I have this kind of mission here?"
"Well… This mission only appears to Divers that complete a certain criteria, which I didn't know of. But this mission here certainly gives a lot of Rank Points, if you had a lot of Destruction Points and the last survivor of the battle royale.
"If you want to, I can enter this mission along with you."
"Is it fine with you?" Rei asked.
"Of course. I've seen your capabilities yesterday, and I'm sure we will perform excellently."
"I see… Well then, let's do this!"
Real Life
" Sigh* Hayato-sensei really did force us to carry his stuff back to the library, huh?" A black haired girl with black eyes muttered. "'Since Gunpla Battle Club didn't do much curriculum activities aside from playing games, you aren't that busy anyway. Carry these boxes to the library'. Since when we aren't busy? I've always been busy with Gunpla Battles.
"The teachers don't even acknowledge the existence of GBC, even though I have bought all of those Diver Gears myself. Isn't that sad, Rousa-chan?"
"Yes, yes. I've told you so many times, Kaori-senpai. You're right." She replied.
"Thanks, Rousa-chan!" Kaori hugged her. "The GBC wouldn't perish if you were here with me. I wouldn't know what to do without your help."
"But… We really need to find other members, you know? By the time you graduate, I wouldn't be able to manage the GBC alone." The pink haired girl explained.
"I know, but no one would join our club…"
"It's because you set the bar too high. Not only that, you also beat everyone who tries to join the club badly to the point that you damage their pride as both builder and fighter. There's no way anyone would get closer to the club."
"Eh… You can't blame me for that. Gunpla Battle must be fought seriously. Ever since the introduction of GBN, the builders are slacking off in terms of their Gunpla's firepower. Just because their Gunpla doesn't get damaged like GPD, that doesn't mean they didn't have to upgrade their gunpla to the next level.
"And the 'Special Move'... Don't let me begin with that…"
"Kaori-senpai, you always complain about the same thing ever since I've joined the club."
"Sorry that you had to hear me mumbling everyday, Rousa-chan." Both of them are getting closer to the GBC's Room. "Now then, it's time to dive!"
Kaori entered the room.
"I set up the device before Hayato-sensei called us to carry his stuff. Time to-Wait…" The black haired girl noticed a person's head on the gaming chair. "Who's that? Are they the new member that you recruited, Rousa-chan?"
"No, I didn't invite anyone…" She replied while looking at the chair from afar. "And they seem to be logged in now."
Rousa walked towards the gaming chair to see who the person was.
"I see…" She muttered.
"What is it?" Kaori asked her.
"He's my classmate that was transferred here a few months ago. His name is Reiya Akai. He doesn't speak much during class and recess, but he has decent athletic abilities." Rousa explained.
"As expected from Rousa-chan. You analyse your classmates really well considering he just transferred here a few months ago."
"But I didn't expect him to be into Gunpla. That must be a lack of communication on my part. As for the gunpla he uses… ?!" Rousa raised her eyebrows as she looked at Rei's gunpla.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Kaori comes over and looks at the gunpla. "Woah, an Astray Red Frame Mars Jacket. That's a rare Gunpla for sure. From the looks of it, it doesn't look like a customised gunpla. Maybe it comes from Gunpla Data from a certain mission in GBN. But why are you shocked to see his gunpla?"
"Oh, nothing. I was as surprised as you, Kaori-senpai."
"I see… Well then, it seems like he just logged in. Let's log in now. I want to see how this Astray Boy fights."
"Yes."
Both of them put their Diver Gear on and pulled their Gunplas out.
GBN, Waiting Room
30 seconds until the Battle Royale begins…
"Alright, our objective here is to not expose ourselves early on. We need to destroy a few MS without drawing any kind of large attention. As long as we're the survivors, we will get a huge amount of Rank Points." Villian explained to Rei.
"Alright." He quickly answered.
Transporting all Divers into the battle area…
Green lights started to enveloped both of the Divers as they teleported to the catapult.
Since Villian is the leader, he's the first person to launch.
"Villian, Wing Gundam Proto Zero Evil. Launching!"
The inverted Wing Gundam Proto Zero launched from the catapult. It's Rei's turn to launch his MS.
"RE1, Astray Red Frame Assault Jacket Inversion. Ready to strike!" Rei pushed the controller forward, launching his MS from the catapult. "So we're in space, huh? I can see the Earth from here…"
Immediately, the Wing Proto Zero Evil turned into its Bird Mode.
"Let's check the perimeter first to see if there's any other Divers around us." Villian said to him.
"Roger that!" Rei's Assault Jacket hovers next to the Wing Proto Zero. The two MS then hovers around the space. "Hmm… There's no one in sight yet…"
"The battle hasn't reached two minutes yet."
"But it's boring, you know? There's no action…"
"Be patient. It's one of the key factor that can lead us to vic-"
Blast*
A large beam attacked them. Rei and Villian moved their MS to the sides to evade the beam blast.
"Now we're talking!" Rei exclaimed. "Let's see… Judging from the beam attack, it's probably a MS from UC. But what kind of MS is it…"
"Hold on, I got the visual!" Villian said as he scanned the visuals. "It's… Zeta Gundam in its Waverider Mode with a Hyper Beam Launcher attached to it! And he's heading towards us now!"
The speeding MS with a Hyper Beam Launcher is coming at them.
"A Real-Type colour, huh? Touché." Rei commented.
Blast* Blast* Blast*
The Zeta started blasting at them, but they managed to evade the beam attack.
"If there's only one coming after us, then where's his teammate…" Villian wondered.
Flash*
Rei just felt a static shock in his head.
Warning! Warning! Warning!
His monitor started acting up.
"This is…! Villian, fly upward!" He shouted.
"Ok!" Villian immediately flies his MS up.
Blast*
Small line of beam blast towards Villian, but the blast went through the gap on his MS leg.
"A sniper… And where does it come from?" Rei wondered as he scanned the area. "No luck. I can't find its exact location, unless I go check it closer."
"If that's the case, then go. I can handle it here." Villian said to him.
"Alright!" Rei replied. "But… How am I going to find out their exact location…"
The red haired man looked over at his monitor, which has a text written on it, waiting to be activated.
"Should I do it the easy way, or the hard way… I wanted to end this quickly, but I don't want to deal with it… Whatever." He shrugged it off. "Moë-chan, activate…"
Moëbeus AI System, activate…
That's the AI System that Rei created after GBN has launched. It was a counterpart of the AI "8" that Lowe Guele, the pilot of the Astray Red Frame used to help control his MS. But Moëbeus is more than that.
"Wuah…" A small figure of a little girl with blond hair and red eyes wearing a frilly dress appears on the monitor. "Eh, why am I… EH?!!!"
The girl seemed surprised that she was awake.
"Moë-chan, it's been a while-"
"RE1-sama, how long has it been since I was up?" Moë asked.
"Around 2 years… Maybe?"
"And you don't even greet me for those 2 years, huh?"
Rei started gulping.
"You're a big meanie, RE1-sama! After all I have done for you, this is how you treat me?!" She yelled at him.
"Now, now… You need to understand my situation. I'm not exactly in my right mind back then, so I made some rash decisions. I hope you can forgive me for that…"
" Sigh* Oh well, since I can understand what you went through back then, I'll forgive you. But don't do that again!"
"Yes, maam…" Rei muttered. "She's an AI that I made, and yet it feels like she's the one controlling me…"
"Huh? This feels different… Is this a new model?" Moë asked.
"Yeah. I just finished building it a week ago."
"I see…" A list of Assault Jacket's stats appears on the screen. "Even though it's a different machine, it still has your touch, RE1-sama. And mind if I ask what happened to the-"
"I sealed it. I built it for a purpose. And that purpose has gone. That is why I sealed it." Rei quickly answered.
"Alright… And I have another question to ask… Why are your hair red and your eyes gold? And why did you have animal ears and tails?"
"It's just a makeover." Rei answered. "Let's forget about that. I have something for you to do."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to track where this beam source came from."
A video popped on the screen, showing the beam source from afar.
"Hmm… We need to get closer so that I can calculate where it's come from." Moë said to him.
"Ok."
The Assault Jacket hovers towards the debris.
"Hmm… I suspected that the MS is to be on here, here, or here." Moë tapped on the monitor to mark where the suspected MS was supposed to be.
"This is a large debris we're talking about here. Searching for it would be deadly since they can ambush us from the back." Rei muttered.
"Then… How about we do 'that'?" Moë suggested. "I will limit the Energy Gauge usage, so run wild!"
"I see… Well then!" The Multi Lock-On System menu appears on the screen, targeting all of the large debris. The Assault Jacket then pointed its Caletvwlch, beam rifle and beam cannons on the backpack forward. "Time to reveal yourself!"
Blast* Blast* Blast* Blast* Blast* Blast*
The beam blasts hit all of the debris, causing it to break apart.
"RE1-sama, there's a movement at 3 o'clock!" The AI quickly told him.
"So that is where you're hiding, huh?!" The MS moved to the right and started shooting.
Blast* Blast* Boom*
The beam blast managed to destroy something. The enemy MS slowly reveals itself.
"GM Sniper II? It has a special paint that changes its colour according to the surroundings, huh? Which means that the thing that was destroyed before is its sniper rifle!" Rei then charged his beam rifle to shoot at the MS. "There's no place you can hide now!"
Blast*
A single beam attack went towards the GM.
Glow*
The GM's visor started glowing red, as it dodged the beam attack.
"What?! Don't tell me that-"
Flash*
"From the back!" Moë warned Rei.
"You don't have to tell me that!" Rei quickly manoeuvred his MS to the back and blocked the GM, which swung its beam saber at him, with the Caletvwlch.
"EXAM System, huh? For a sniper focused MS, that would be the last resort if your position has been exposed."
Blast* Blast*
The Assault Jacket released multiple shots at the GM using the beam rifle, but it dodged all of it.
"Damn… Seems like we need to up our game, huh? Moë-chan, set up the Assault Jacket System."
"You got it!"
The GM is swirling around the Assault Jacket, waiting for a chance to strike.
"Come on… Get closer…"
Whoosh"
The GM dashed forward.
"Now!" Rei shouted.
"Assault Jacket System, cast off!" Moë activated the system.
Swoosh* Clank*
The outer armor of the Assault Jacket hits the GM, immobilising it for a few seconds. Rei's MS reveals its true form. The Red Frame let go of the weapons that it currently holds and grabbed the two Large Swords stored in the backside of the cannon.
Swing*
In an instant, both of the GM Sniper II arms are sliced from its joints.
Brrrrt*
For safety precaution, the Red Frame shoots its vulcan at the GM's head.
"Sorry, but this is my win." The Red Frame stabbed the Large Sword onto the cockpit of the GM. "And for the Destruction Points…"
The beam cannon swivel forward under the Red Frame armpits and blast the GM until it is destroyed.
Kaboom*
The Red Frame stored its swords back and grabbed the Caletvwlch and beam rifle.
"RE1-sama, there's a loot box over the debris there." Moë told him.
The Red Frame goes to the debris and tapped the box. The box opens by itself.
Congratulations! You got a special item!
"RE1-sama, this is…"
"Yeah. Better use it when we really need it."
Blast* Blast* Blast*
The Zeta is still chasing the Wing Proto Zero.
"My MS is much faster than it due to my MS being lighter than it. But I need to save Energy Gauge until we find a Supply Station." Villian then speed up his MS. "I need to find the perfect time to strike back."
Then, the Zeta charges its Hyper Beam Launcher to shoot at the Wing Proto Zero.
"Now is the time!"
The Wing Proto Zero detached the shield that connected to its backpack and flew downwards.
"Grr…!" Villian made a risky move by changing his Wing Proto Zero to MS Mode. "Go, vulcans!"
Brrrt*
The vulcans on the MS chest started shooting at the charging Hyper Beam Launcher.
Boom* Zap*
The explosion released a purple shockwave that stunned the Zeta.
"This is the end!" The Wing Proto Zero pulled out the beam saber stored on its left shoulder and dashed at the Zeta.
Bzz*
In a single motion, it slashes through the Zeta by the cockpit.
Kaboom*
"That's a risky move for sure, but it worked out in the end." It flew forward and picked up its shield that was connected with the Twin Buster Rifle.
"I thought of helping, but it seems like you can take care of yourself."
The Red Frame hovers towards the Wing Proto Zero.
"Have you dealt with the sniper?" Villian asked.
"Yeah. And I think we should go now. I may have attracted some attention back there."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Come on, let's just-"
Flash*
"What?" Rei wondered.
Caution! Caution! Caution!
Both Rei and Villian's screens started being bombarded with warning signs.
"Beam attack is coming towards us!" Moë warned them.
Blast* Blast*
A beam attack hits the Red Frame's beam rifle and Wing Proto Zero's shield.
"Tch!" The Red Frame throws the beam rifle away before it could explode.
Bzz*
As for the Wing Proto Zero's shield, it was badly damaged, but still usable.
"It came from the top?!" Villian asked as he searched for the enemy.
"Hold on, I got visuals! Moë-chan, please share it with Villian." Rei said to her.
"Okie dokie!"
"That's…" Villian received the visuals. "Unicorn Gundam? But it's metallic silver, and it has no V fin…"
"That's not a normal Unicorn. It's the Perfectibility! And that's not all, the Gunpla next to it is…"
"Strike Freedom Rouge?! Which means that…"
An open channel was opened by the Unicorn pilot.
"Didn't think that there's an enemy here in this pile of debris." A visual of a pointy eared woman with long silver hair and black eyes appears on both of their displays. "An Astray and Wing, huh? From the ways you fight, it seems like I'm going to have some fun here."
"I can say the same here. Your gunpla there is painted with an anti-beam coating, right?" Rei said to her.
"Yes. And I can see that the swords that you used are made out of metal, isn't it?"
"You have a keen eye. Which means your battle skill is top notch."
"Ara, we just met, you know? You can't decide that without battling first." The silver haired woman replied.
"Moë-chan, can you look up who she was?" He asked the AI.
"Alright! Let's see…" She used the web to search for information. "She's K-0R, also known as Kaori. She's an SS Rank Diver, and currently isn't affiliated with any Force. She has a top 30 rank in Japan and top 70 rank worldwide. She's also specialised in UC MS, especially the RX-0 Series."
"Top 30 in Japan? Why is she here then…"
"I never expected to meet both of you this way." Rousa said to Rei and Villian. "However, a battle is a battle. And we must proceed to gain victory."
The Strike Freedom points its beam rifles at their MS.
"Well then, let the battle begin-"
Caution! Caution! Caution!
"For the love of-What is it, now?!" Rei heard too much of this warning sign.
Blast*
A powerful blast of beam attack went towards the hornless Unicorn.
"Protect me, Armed Armor DE!" The two Armed Armor DE on the hornless Unicorn's back flies out and protects it from the beam attack.
Whizzle*
The I-Field from the Armed Armor DE protects the hornless Unicorn from being hit by the beam attack.
"That kind of beam… Is it from the Beam Magnum?" Villian asked.
"Nay. The Beam Magnum is much stronger than this." Rei explained. "But it does feel like it's from a Beam Magnum… Moë-chan, can you scan where the beam comes from?"
"Okay! Hmm… I think it's around here." She pointed at a direction on the map.
"Can your Wing Proto Zero zoom on this location, Villian?" Rei sends the Map Data to him.
"Let me try…" He started zooming on the marked point. "I've found it! It's… A customised Pale Rider in dark green colour and a Cherudim SAGA in light green colour. Don't you think that Cherudim is…"
"Are you joking with me?" Rei muttered to himself.
The customised Pale Rider then hovers closer to them. The Gunpla used the normal Pale Rider head, chest and legs. However, as for the backpack, it used the Gundam Origin backpack, but it has two Shoulder Cannon rather than one. For the left arm, it used the NT-1 Gundam arm and its shield. And for the left arm, it's a customised Unicorn arm with the red Psycho-Frame exposed. As for the weapon it's holding, it seems like a customised Beam Magnum.
"To think that I met you here, K-0R." The voice of a girl speaks through the open channel. "This is not where I wanted to battle you, but beggars don't get to be choosers."
"Ara, Chi-chan. Didn't expect to meet you here? How have you been?" K-0R tries to make small talk with the Pale Rider pilot.
"Don't you dare switch this one out!" The Pale Rider pilot exclaimed.
Blast* Blast* Blast*
The Pale Rider keeps blasting its Beam Magnum at the hornless Unicorn.
"Ara, Chi-chan. My RX-0 01P Pegasus can't be scratched by your Low Spec Beam Magnum, you know?"
"You think I didn't know about that?!"
Bang* Bang*
The Pale Rider used the cannon on its back to shoot the Armed Armor DE.
Bam* Bam*
Both of it sustained quite heavy damage, as it attached back to the Pegasus backpack.
"Today is the day my Camo Rider defeats you, K-0R!" The Gunpla dashed towards the Pegasus with its Beam Tonfa flipped forward.
"Hah! Bring it, Chi-chan!" The silver gunpla brings out its Hyper Beam Javelin and dashed towards the Camo Rider.
Bzz*
Both if their weapons clash with each other.
"I'm so sorry, you guys…" The Cherudim SAGA Devout hovers towards the group that she met yesterday. "Because of her, you guys can't fight properly."
"May I ask who's that Pale Rider pilot?" Villian spoke up.
"She's Sachie. A top 50 rank in Japan and top 100 rank worldwide, just like K-0R. Let's just say that both of them are rivals in GBN." Rousa explained.
"Is it really easy to meet top players these days?" Rei asked.
"Considering the majority of top players originate from Japan, I guess it's not possible." Mido said. "However… What should we do? I mean, aren't we enemies right now?"
"You're right… But I don't like fighting with someone that I know." Villian said.
"That's a very bad mindset, you know? The very friends you don't want to fight might be an enemy under the blanket." Rousa said to him.
"Well… I don't have many friends, so I can't relate to that feeling." Rei said to her. "But I understand what you're trying to deliver."
"Really? You don't have that many friends?" Mido asked him.
"No really. I did have friends in GBN back in the day, but we went our own separate ways now."
"I see… But enough with the chit-chatting. We have a battle to fight." Rousa said to them.
"Yeah, we DO have a battle to fight."
The Red Frame beam cannon swivels and flips up on the shoulders. It then blasted the Pegasus and Camo Rider to split them up.
"What?!" Both of them reacted to it.
"Two top players at the same time… Defeating both of you here means that the Destruction Points distribution would be high!" Rei exclaimed.
"Ara, we got a rough fighter here." K-0R muttered.
"Don't disturb my fight with K-0R, Red Frame!" Sachie yelled at him.
"Red Frame is my gunpla name. As for me, I'm RE1! And my partner, Astray Red Frame Assault Jacket Inversion will defeat both of your Gunpla!"
The Red Frame changed the Caletvwlch Inversion FDM from G-Mode to S-Mode and pulled out the Large Sword from the left binder using its left arm.
"Moë-chan, it's time for us to shine!" He exclaimed.
"Understood! Assault Drive System, activate!" She activated the system.
Assault Drive System, activated! Ready to strike!
The Red Frame started to emit crimson particles from its thrusters.
"What is that? Trans-Am? EXAM? Or a different variation of N.I.T.R.O.?" Sachie speculated.
"I don't think so." K-0R replied. "I think it's an Original System, created by the fighter himself."
"Module System, 56%... I can use two of the Styles. Victory is already in my hands!" Rei exclaimed.
"In your dreams!"
Blast*
The Camo Rider shoots its Low Spec Beam Magnum at the Red Frame.
"That won't work on me! " The blade of the Large Sword on the Red Frame's left hand started to coat with the crimson particles. "Hah!"
The Red Frame releases a Particle Slash on the beam blast, splitting it in half.
"What?!" Sachie can't believe what she just saw.
"This is the power of the Assault Jacket! Don't underestimate it!"
The thrusters on the Red Frame started burning with crimson particles as it charged for the Camo Rider.
"It's fast-"
Clang*
The Red Frame tries to slash down the Camo Rider, but it manages to raise its shield in time before the Caletvwlch reaches its neck.
"As expected from a top Diver, her reaction is top notch. But that won't stop me!" The Red Frame continued to accelerate its thrusters to push the Camo Rider backwards.
"It seems like I underestimated you a little. Let me show you the wrath of the Camo Rider!" Sachie exclaimed. "HADES System, activate!"
HADES…
An eerie noise comes out from the Camo Rider as its visor turns red.
Clang*
The Camo Rider kicked the Red Frame to make it stop accelerating.
The Crimson Comet Three Times The Passion Of Ordinary Flamenco, Begins…
"Now, we're even…" Rei muttered.
The thrusters on the Red Frame go wild.
"Here I go!"
It then accelerated to the Camo Rider.
"If I defeat you here, then you won't be able to disturb my fight with K-0R. So be gone from my sight!"
Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang*
The Camo Rider releases six of its shells at the Red Frame.
Brrrrt* Boom*
But it used the Igelstellung on its head to destroy all of the shells.
Swoosh*
The Red Frame charges to the Camo Rider.
"You didn't learn your lesson, huh?" The Camo Rider is about to shoot the Red Frame, until…
Fwoomp* Fwoomp* Fwoomp*
The Red Frame points its left fist and three Dummy Balloons inflated out from the gap on its fingers.
"Dummy?!"
Caution! Caution! Caution!
Warning alerts started spamming Sachie's screen.
"What is it now-"
It was then the Red Frame appeared in front of the Camo Rider from under the MS.
"How did he-"
Clang*
"Argh!"
The Red Frame does the famous Char Azanable's kick on the Camo Rider.
"This speed… This power… He's not a normal Diver… However!" She has finished charging her Low Spec Beam Magnum and points it at the Red Frame. "This is the end for you-"
Clang*
The Red Frame tries to kick the Beam Magnum off from the Camo Rider's hand, but it doesn't budge a little.
"This RX-0's hand has been reinforced. Even a strong kick like that wouldn't-"
Crack*
Something from the Red Frame's feet pierced the Beam Magnum.
"Didn't anyone tell you that you talk too much?" Rei said as the Red Frame hovers away from the Camo Rider.
"Armor Schneider…" The Camo Rider throws the Beam Magnum far away before it explodes.
Bzz*
"Your gunpla is well-built compared to mine. However, your gunpla isn't fitted in close combat as my gunpla is." Rei said as the Red Frame pointed the Caletvwlch S-Mode at Sachie's MS. "Which means that I have a bigger advantage here."
"Let's see about that!" The left hand of the Camo Rider flipped open, revealing a mini gatling gun on its forearm.
Brrrrt* Bang* Bang*
The Red Frame raised its right arm to protect its head against the rounds from the gatling gun and shoulder cannon. The impact caused smoke to appear around the Red Frame.
"This is my win!" The Camo Rider activates its Beam Tonfa and heads straight towards the Red Frame.
Dash*
Something went through and passed the MS.
Crack* Shatter*
After a few seconds, the RX-0's hand of the Camo Rider crumbled apart.
"It… Receive no damage. But how…" Sachie muttered.
"Simple. Trans-Phase Armor." Rei answered.
"I see… Has anyone told you that you're a CE Freak?" She asked him.
"A lot, but that was all in the past." The Red Frame started glowing even brighter. "But now… I'm moving forward!"
It charges at the Camo Rider.
"I won't be defeated!"
Brrrrt* Bang* Bang*
The MS fired all of its ammunition to the Red Frame. But to Sachie's dismay, it dodged all of the rounds and shells.
"Module System, 25%. Fighting Style…" The Red Frame gets closer to the Camo Rider. "Blade Demolition!"
It rapidly swings its Caletvwlch S-Mode and Large Sword at the opposing MS.
Clang* Clang* Clang* Crash*
The Camo Rider slowly gets shredded by the Red Frame swift swordsmanship. For the finishing attack, it stabbed the MS' chest with the Caletvwlch.
" Sigh*" Sachie sighed as her Gunpla was wrecked by the Red Frame. She opened a transmission with Rei.
He gets to look at the Diver's appearance, which oddly resembles Mido, but with darker skin tone and different clothes, which is a dark green Earth Federation uniform.
"May I know who you are?" Sachie asked.
"RE1. I think I have introduced myself back then." He replied.
"Ah, is that so-"
Kaboom*
The transmission was cut as the Camo Rider exploded. Crimson particles disappeared around the Red Frame, indicating that the ADS turned off by itself.
The Crimson Comet Three Times The Passion Of Ordinary Flamenco, Ends…
"Woah… He just beat nee-chan just like that?" Mido thought to herself as she was the whole ordeal. "This guy is only rank A, just like the rest of us. But he can beat a SS rank as well? Just who are you, RE1…"
"Impressive. He was able to use the fact that the Camo Rider lacked any close-range weapon to its advantages. And the manoeuvring of the Gunpla, it's even better than yesterday. Is it because of the Gunpla itself, or the tendency of the Diver to fight someone a higher rank than him…" Rousa muttered. "Either way, it's a splendid victory on his part."
"Awesome… I knew it… This guy right here… He is the perfect choice!" Villian clenched his fist.
"Ah, wait a minute… Aren't we supposed to fight each other rather than watching them fight?"
The three of them thought at the same time.
"RE1-sama, the Destruction Points that we got is almost enough to reach S class. Just a few more points and we're set to go." Moë said to him. "But aren't you supposed to have an SS rank two years ago? What happened back then to the point that your rank dropped?"
"I'll tell you after this. But first…"
1/48, Begins…
"What a splendid fight that was. To think that you're able to defeat Chi-chan with such ease, RE1." K-0R said to him.
"She's strong, but I'm stronger. Too bad that her Gunpla didn't have any close-combat weapons aside from those beam sabers." Rei said.
"Eh… You claimed that your Gunpla is specialised in close-combat, but these stats said otherwise." She said as she looked upon the Red Frame status. "If I were to give a remark about this Gunpla, it seems 'balanced'. Not just stats wise, but the build as well. I don't know how to explain it."
"She got on it, huh?" Rei thought to himself. "But I wouldn't call this Gunpla 'balanced', as this Gunpla is weak to underwater terrain."
Yep, out of all the things that Rei's Gunpla is weak to is water. Not a hyper beam blast, nor a huge *ss physical sword. Just a splash of water and then it's destroyed.
"Forget about that. It's time for you to feed my Destruction Points as well." Rei said to her.
"Ara, don't be hasty, boy." The Pegasus started glowing blue. "Let me have some of that fun too."
Clank* Clank* Clank*
It started transforming as it let out an eerie noise.
"Here it comes, the NT-D…"
"The formula for my victory… Is already in my hands! Armed Armor DE!"
Both of the shields flew out from the back of the Pegasus and started blasting the Red Frame with manoeuvring.
Blast* Blast* Blast* Blast*
It either dodged or reflected the beam attack using the blunt side of the Large Sword.
"I see… You applied Yata-no-Kagami on the blunt edge of the sword, huh? Pretty smart move. However…"
Swoosh*
The Pegasus accelerated towards the Red Frame.
"Gunpla Battle isn't decided by the quality of the Gunpla!"
It swings its Hyper Beam Javelin at the opposing MS.
Clang*
The Red Frame used the Caletvwlch S-Mode to block the attack.
"Oh, impressive. But it's not enough!"
Brrrrt*
The Pegasus fired its vulcan at the Red Frame's head. It has no choice but to back down.
Caution!
"What-Argh!" The next thing Rei sees is that the Pegasus grabbed the Caletvwlch with its Armed Armor VN.
Vibrate* Crush*
The weapon got wrecked by the Armed Armor VN.
"Damn it!" Rei cursed under his breath.
Flash*
"This is-"
Zap*
A Beam Saber pierced through the Caletvwlch.
"You evade that? This is usually the move that my enemies fall to, you know…"
"Ugh…!" But the Red Frame managed to evade it by thin hair.
"RE1-sama, we should gain some distance now. At this rate, the Pegasus would dominate us in close-combat." Moë said to him.
"Okay…"
Before the Red Frame got some distance away, it grabbed the Build Knife from the crushed Caletvwlch.
"Ara, where do you think you're going?" K-0R said as the Pegasus fired its vulcan at the Large Sword blade between the hilt.
Brrrrt* Shattered*
The sword shattered apart.
"As expected from the top 70 worldwide. She knows her stuff." Rei muttered. "Moë-chan, is there any way we can win without engaging in close combat?"
"No, but… We can use the Special Item, but I don't think it's enough to defeat it." She answered.
"If that's the case, we need an upgrade." Rei then opened a menu on his screen. "I want you to convert the Special Item in this."
"Wait… Is that… When did you make this, RE1-sama?"
"I have too much time on my hands, so I decided to do some tuning on my old kits. Less asking, more working!"
"Alright!" Moë gets into work.
"It seems like you run out of options here, Astray Boy!"
Blast* Blast* Blast*
The Pegasus started firing its Armed Armor BS and Armed Armor DE at the Red Frame, but it swiftly dodge all of it.
"You can't dodge forever boy!"
The shields then get close and personal with the Red Frame.
Clang*
"Grr…"
It blocks the shield with its Build Knife.
Flash*
"You're wide open from behind!"
Another shield about to ram the Red Frame from behind. It may seem like a disadvantage to the Red Frame. However, this is what Rei wants.
Crackle*
The Ref Frame's left hand started sparking with red lightning.
"Hah!"
It throws the orb of lightning at the shield that's about to ram it.
Zap*
The shield stopped functioning when the orb hit it.
"Snap! I didn't think that it could do that…" K-0R muttered.
Clang*
The Red Frame bashed the shield forward and proceeded to throw another orb of lightning at it.
Zap*
"Curses! Both of my shields aren't moving-"
Kaboom*
The Red Frame throws the Build Knife and its last Large Sword at the two shields, destroying them both.
"Now, your shield won't disturb me."
"However, you don't have any weapons that can damage me right now!" K-0R exclaimed.
"Oh… Really?" Rei questioned her.
"RE1-sama, I've finished it! It will arrive shortly!" Moë said to him.
"I don't know what you are talking about, but this will end now-"
Caution! Caution! Caution!
Warning alerts started popping up on K-0R's display.
Blast*
A powerful beam blast hits the Pegasus.
Bzz*
Smoke comes out from its armor. But overall, it is still fine due to the beam-coating painting.
"Where did that come from…"
Swoosh*
A silhouette of a Mobile Armor arrived at the Red Frame's back.
"Hey, isn't that…" Villian spoke up.
"Yeah, he might get that from a Special Item around here." Rousa explained.
"But can you bring in a customised version of it inside here?" Mido asked.
"The rules don't state that you can't bring a customised version of a Mobile Armor here. So I guess it's fine." Rousa said to her.
"Even so, I didn't think that he even customised THAT." Mido said as she stared at the Mobile Armor.
"Hahaha… I didn't expect you to bring Mobile Armor in." K-0R said to Rei. "And it's even customised. You must really like to build Gunpla, huh?"
"Nay. I prefer fighting over building Gunpla. But it doesn't mean I don't enjoy the process." Rei said as the Red Frame hovered backwards. "Even if the experience between GPD and GBN are different, both of it are still Gunpla Battle in the end."
"Engaging in docking sequence!" Moë exclaimed. "Astray Red Frame Assault Jacket Inversion to Mobile Armor, Crimson METEOR!"
Yes, the Mobile Armor was indeed the METEOR unit. However, it has a different colour, which is Anti-Beam Coating metallic red. Not only that, it was also equipped with GN Drive Tau and the missiles used were vastly different from the usual METEOR unit.
The Red Frame's cannon binders swivel and flip forward on its shoulders as it slowly docked to the Mobile Armor.
Docking sequence complete! Crimson METEOR, ready to strike!
Module System charged to maximum power!
"You aren't really going to use it to defeat me… Right?" K-0R said to him.
But Rei already activated the Multi Lock-On System on the Pegasus.
Meijin Six Times The Passion Of Ordinary Flamenco, Begins…
"Seems like I have no choice, huh?" The Pegasus readied its Armed Armor BS to shoot at the Crimson METEOR. "Even if you have an anti-beam coating, my Beam Smart Gun is able to damage that paint, you know?"
Blast*
A beam attack went towards the METEOR.
"I already expected that from you."
Bzz*
The beam disappeared after hitting a red particle barrier.
"Hey, that's cheating! It even has a GN Field!"
Blast* Bzz* Blast* Bzz* Blast* Bzz*
The Pegasus is still blasting the GN Field.
"It's time to finish this!"
Clank* Clank* Clank*
All of the missile pods flip up.
"DRAGOON Missiles, fire!" Rei exclaimed as the missile launched from the pods.
"DRAGOON?! Doesn't that mean…?!" All of the missiles are heading towards the Pegasus. "Darn it! Since these missiles don't have Psycommu on them, I can't hack it!"
Brrrrt* Blast* Blast* Blast*
The Pegasus fired its Beam Smart Gun and vulcans at the missiles, but it evaded, as if someone was controlling it.
"Damn-Argh…!"
Boom* Boom* Boom* Boom*
All of the missiles hit the MS.
"Argh…!"
The green surroundings from the K-0R's cockpit turned to yellow.
"The outer armor is damaged badly, but I can still win this!" The Pegasus grabbed the Hyper Beam Javelin and charged towards the Red Frame.
"Assault Drive System, activate!" Rei exclaimed as his MS let out a stream of crimson particles from its thrusters. "And, METEO-Raiser!"
Swoosh*
The Crimson METEOR is covered with red particles.
"It can even use a Trans-Am?!"
The Red Frame along with the Crimson METEOR disappeared into thin air.
"Where did it go…" K-0R scanned the area.
Caution! Caution!
"From the back?!"
The Pegasus turned around, seeing the Red Frame and Crimson METEOR already prepared their cannons at them.
"Rage on, Gunpla!" Rei exclaimed "Module System, maximum charge! Shooting Style: METEOR Full Burst!!!"
Blast* Blast* Blast* Blast* Blast* Blast*
He fired off the two cannon binders on the Red Frame, and the four beam cannons on the Crimson METEOR at the Pegasus using the Multi Lock-On System.
The Pegasus started at the six powerful beam attack coming at it.
"Sigh* Something like this wouldn't had happened if it's the GPD-"
Bzz*
The beams hit the Pegasus as it slowly melted due to the beam attack.
Kaboom*
"I have… Power…!" Rei released his inner Chunibyo.
Meijin Six Times The Passion Of Ordinary Flamenco, Ends…
The Red Frame which is still docked with the Crimson METEOR hover towards the three Gunpla which didn't engage in any battle.
"Well then, what are we supposed to do with both of you here?" Rei said as his MS moved the arms unit towards the Strike Freedom and Cherudim.
"I surrender!" Mido exclaimed.
"Me as well." Followed by Rosa.
"Eh?!!! Didn't think that it was that easy…" Rei muttered. "Wait a second, you guys don't even try to fight back!"
"What did you want me to do?! You clearly have a bigger advantage than me!" Mido said, referring to Rei's Crimson METEOR. "It's better for me to surrender than losing a bunch of Rank Points! Adiós!"
Instantly, the Cherudim disappeared into green particles.
"I thought the same too." Rosa spoke up.
"Really… You don't even want to try and take this METEOR for your Strike Freedom?" Rei said to her.
"You probably had a system that doesn't allow any MS to hijack it."
"Well… You aren't wrong…" He muttered.
"Rei-san, how many systems have you installed into your gunpla?" Villian asked.
"Quite a lot. But it's all from CE settings and my own custom system. Well… Aside from the METEOR of course. It is a mix of Anno Domini's system, CE settings and my own DRAGOON Missile."
"Wow… How did you manage to fit it all in a single Gunpla?"
"That's a secret that I won't tell." Rei then turned to Rosa. "Well, what are you waiting for?"
"Oh, yes. Meet you after this." Rosa said as her Gunpla was disappointed from his sight.
"Whatever she meant by that." The Red Frame undocked the Crimson METEOR. "Well then, let's go to Earth, Villian. Since the Energy Gauge on the METEOR is low, we can use it as a shield for the atmospheric re-entry. I want to hog as many Destruction Points as possible."
The METEOR then shoots out a new pair of Large Swords and a Caletvwlch Inversion FDM to the Red Frame. It then stored the swords into the Cannon Binders.
"Yes!"
The METEOR moves forwards as both of the Red Frame and Wing Proto Zero hover from behind.
A Few Minutes Later…
"Damn it!"
Blast* Blast* Blast*
A purple Astraea Type F is vigorously shooting its GN Beam Rifle at the Astray Red Frame Assault Jacket Inversion.
Bzz* Bzz* Bzz*
While the Red Frame deflected the beam to another direction using the blunt edge of the Caletvwlch S-Mode.
"What's the deal with this Red Frame!"
"My deal? You're the last enemy here!" Rei exclaimed. "You're Harute teammate did give us some trouble, but we're still in this game!"
Blast*
A powerful beam blast from the Wing Gundam Proto Zero Evil heads towards the Astraea.
"Tch! Trans-Am!" The purple Astraea activates its last trump to avoid being hit by the beam attack.
Swoosh*
It evaded the blast by thin hair.
"I need to get away from these two and form a plan-"
Swoosh*
A few seconds later, the Red Frame hovers towards the Astraea and kicks the GN Drive on its back with the Armor Schneider on the Red Frame's feet tip.
Boom*
Due to this, the Trans-Am on the Astraea immediately turned off.
"The Solar Reactor! Darn it, how fast is that Gunpla…"
The Red Frame then landed on the ground and threw away its Caletvwlch.
"Why did he do that… Whatever. With this, I can finish him first. And then the Wing."
Blast* Blast* Blast*
The Astraea blasted the ground near the Red Frame to create some smoke.
"With this, the Wing can't shoot randomly, or he will hit his comrade as well." The Astraea flipped forward its Proto GN Sword and dashed towards the Red Frame. "Hah!!!"
"Module System charge is complete, RE1-sama!" Moë said to him.
"Alright! Let's finish this with a bang! Assault Drive System, activate!" The crimson particles covered the Red Frame, as its right hand started crackling with crimson lighting. "Module System, 30%..."
Swoosh*
The Red Frame raised its fist and punched towards the incoming Gunpla.
Thud*
"Fighting Style: Quake Eruption!"
Its fist hits the chest of the Astraea to the point of making a shockwave, clearing the smoke out.
"What is that?! Is it a Special-"
Sizzle*
Lava comes out from the Astraea's body.
"What… What are you doing to my-"
Kaboom*
It exploded while splashing hot sizzling lava all over the place.
Congratulations! You got a special bonus!
"That's so brutal…" Villian said as his Wing Proto Zero landed on the ground.
"However, we did win. And…" Rei checked his rank. "And I'm S rank again!"
"Again?" Villian questioned when Rei said that.
"Oh, nevermind that." Rei casually tried to switch the conversation. "Oh, you can keep the rewards for yourself."
"Really? I mean… You did all of the 'destroying' part yourself while I just assisted you."
"Thanks to that, I have a few minutes to spare. Just take the rewards. I'm not likely going to use it anyway."
"Alright, if you said so."
"Okay, I need to log out now. Let's play again sometime."
"Yeah!"
Rei opened his menu and logged out.
GBN Main Lobby
"..." A white haired man with black eyes wearing the same clothes as RE1, but in white colour with black outline, watched the live stream of the Battle Royale. "It seems like the Crimson Dragon is slowly rising from the ashes.
"After 'that' battle, you quit that Force and didn't log into GBN again, until a year ago. That's when you slowly regained your strength till now. Rei… It's been two years since our last battle. I wanted to see this new power of yours! The power of the reborned Crimson Dragon!" The white haired exclaimed.
"Gwyn-sama." A black haired girl with blue eyes wearing a black dress said to him. "Another Force is challenging us to an Elimination Fight. The others are already prepared. We just need your order."
"Understand. I will address this immediately." The man known by Gwyn stared at the Astray Red Frame Assault Jacket Inversion for a while before turning the life stream off. "Let's go, Lyla."
"Yes."
Both of them then walked away.
In Real Life...
" Sigh*" Rei sighed as he pulled off the visor and put it on the desk. "Man, that was something. Anywho, I need to get out of here ASAP."
He stored his Gunpla into its case and put the case inside his bag. He then stood up and turned around.
"Took you long enough." A black haired girl who's sitting at the round table in the middle of the room, munching some snacks and slurping a juice box said. "With your skill, I thought it would be finished in around a few minutes."
Not only that, the one next to the black haired girl is none other than Rousa herself.
"Um…" Rei didn't know what to say. So… He did the hidden technique from the J*Jo anime…
…
…
…
Run away!
"I'm sorry!" He dashed towards the door and ran away at mach speed.
"Oh wow, his athletic abilities are far from decent." Kaori muttered. "I've already made the decision. He's going to be the new member of the Gunpla Battle Club!"
" Sigh* This is probably going southward…" Rousa muttered.
"No, it won't. I can see it. He's the one who's going to save this club."
"Oh… That's the first time you have ever said that. What makes you think of that?" Rousa asked.
"I don't know… Maybe instinct?"
"Instinct alone won't save this club, Kaori-senpai. But…"
"But…?"
"I think I'm on the same page with you. Maybe he can save this club."
"Alright! Now we're set! I'm going to prepare the paperwork for him to join." Kaori goes to the table near the walk.
"Exceptional fighting skills, and a greatly built Gunpla with a variety of systems installed in it. Reiya Akai… To think that a skilled GBN player is just right before me. And since he's the same age as me, it's right to assume that he started playing GBN two years ago, just like I do. But his skill might as well have surpassed everyone I met in GBN. Well… Maybe except a few individuals in my Friends List. Considering he just ran off back then, he might not be interested in joining this club. But only fate can do its job…"
" Sneeze*" Rei suddenly sneezed. "What was that all about…"
He continued to walk.
"I didn't expect Rousa and a senior to be in that room while I'm diving. Sigh* It was kind of rude of me to just run off like that. I'll apologise to them tomorrow-"
Flash*
Rei suddenly felt like he's about to bump into someone.
Swoosh*
In a swift motion, he evades to the side to avoid bumping towards the person.
"You are…" A person talks to him.
Rei looks up and sees Teku, who's staring at him.
"Um… Sorry!" Rei took off, again.
"Isn't he a transfer student? I believe his name is… Reiya, I think." The blonde man muttered. "But the movement from him just now… It's like… I should really stop thinking about Gunpla. It's not like it would bring anything to me…
"Oh, shot! I forgot that I'm late to meet with Kisato!"
Teku then started running.
"That makes two in a row…" Rei then wore his shoes and left the school building. " Sigh* Why is it hard to talk to people… I guess Real Life is different then GBN… How the hell did I survive without playing GBN for almost a year?"
As he walked out from the school gate, a girl wearing a school uniform with red hair and golden eyes jumped onto him. But Rei being Rei, he evades it smoothly.
"You're late, Nii-san…" The girl said to him.
"Sorry, Rena. I had some business back then." Rei replied.
The one he's talking to right now is indeed his little sister.
"Business? Did you join a club or something?"
"Nah. I just took a nap back then." Rei lies as he breathes.
"Really… You don't look like you just woken up from a nap."
"Just forget about that." Rei brushed her off. "Let's get back home. I'm super drowsy right now…"
"Wait… You're still sleepy after taking a nap? Sigh* Nii-san… When are you going to change, huh? I know you aren't slacking in terms of your study, but you need to at least make some friends here. You can't just laze around and play GBN all day."
"Actually, I can." Rei answered. "GBN is all I have, and there's nothing wrong without having any friends IRL. I don't need them. I'm fine on my own. I don't want a repeat of last time."
"But this time, it would be different. Don't you think that you have to try?"
"I'm tired of trying, Rena. The problem always lies on me. Whether it is about Gunpla or something else, it would still be my fault in the end. Unlike you, I'm not smart and not that cheerful of a person."
"I would accept your compliments if we weren't talking about this. And also, I can't accept the fact that you used GBN as an escapism. You may look like you enjoyed it, but that's not how you used to look two years ago-"
"Rena," Rei said in a sharp voice, which instantly shut her down. "Please don't bring this up. And let me correct you about something. I STILL enjoyed playing GBN. And I won't deny that I'm using it as escapism. But please… Just let me do my own thing. You don't have to be such a busybody, you know.
"In just around two years, I would finish High School and go to either a Uni or College. Although, I didn't know what I'm going to do in the future… I guess that I have around a year to think about it. Whatever. Let's just go home already."
"Yes…"
Both of them walked towards their mom friend's house so that they could ride the red scooter back to their home.
During the night, Rei's Room
After taking a shower and putting on his clothes, Rei instantly went to his desk and put his gunpla on the Diver Gear that was plugged to his computer.
Tap* Tap* Tap* Tap* Tap* Tap*
The noise coming from the keyboard can be heard throughout the room.
Moëbeus AI System, loading in…
Data has been loaded!
"And enter…" He tapped the Enter key.
AI System, Moëbeus…
A few seconds later, Moë appears on the monitor screen.
"Fuwaa… What just happened… Where am I? Why is it all green?!" She wondered as she looked around.
"Oops, forgot to plug in the webcam and the mic." Rei goes under his desk and plugs in the wires. "Alright… Moë-chan, can you hear me?"
"That voice…" She turned around and saw Rei through the webcam. "RE1-sama?! How did you- How did I- What's going on here?!"
"Easy there… I just built a software to directly transfer you from the Assault Jacket's IC Chip into this computer. Now I just need to develop an App so that you can easily transfer yourself into my phone."
"As expected from RE1-sama. Although, I didn't expect you to be capable of doing such things."
"Well, I haven't played GBN for almost a year. So I put that time to use by studying how to develop software and so on."
"Wait, you haven't played GBN for almost a year?"
"Yeah. I just started playing back a few months ago. That's also the reason as to why my rank went down to F. Aside from that, all of my battle records in GBN have been deleted due to me being inactive."
"However, I still have those records inside my database ever since you activated me." Moë said.
"Figures. After all, I'm the one who created you. So I know what you're capable of."
"I understand that." She replied. "So… Mind telling me what happened to you… After 'that' day?"
Few hours later…
"After that, we had to move here due to my father's job. Although, he's also too busy with his job to the point that he rarely returns home. Well, the good point of that is that my family finances are stable. But not being able to see a family member is not comparable to the amount of pocket money that I got every week. Not that I have anything to buy, though…" Rei explained what happened to him after "that" day.
"Seems like you have it rough, huh?" Moë said to him.
"Meh. There's probably someone who had it worse." He said as he opened another software on his computer. "Aight, time to make this App. I have around a few hours left before midnight. In the meantime, I have installed some 3D furniture into that virtual room. You can decorate that room however you like it."
"Okay!"
With that, Rei continued to develop the App.
GBN, Magee's Bar…
At the bar, Villian is silently sitting at the chair. Then, Magee walked towards him.
"Did you get the info about him?" Villian asked.
"Well… Actually, about this 'RE1' that you talked about… I already know him."
"Eh?!!! How come?!"
"He's one of the players that I guided a few months before Riku-kun and Yuki-kun played GBN." Magee answered. "He's totally a Diver that is skilled in terms of fighting ability. I would say that he's almost as strong as the Champ during his peak two years ago." Magee explained.
"H-He's as strong as the Champion?!" Villian is surprised to hear that. But then comes the Neo Zeong in the room. "Two years? But his battle records only dated up to a year ago."
"Well, he's been inactive during that time. The system might have deleted his past battle records. However…" A green panel appears in front of him. "We still got the archives from the Avalon's GTube channel."
"I see-Wait, Avalon?! What does Rei have to do with Avalon?!"
Magee then started smirking.
"Well then, let's see the clips… About the Crimson Dragon of Avalon."