Back at the Gates of Crystals, the Team Crystal Star and the Team Heroes members continued to hold the line against the of Tulip's forces attacking them.

"Darn, those dark in the monster." Fighter Hime said.

"Yeah, me too…" Hikari said as he clashed to the crystal monster.

"Cross Slash!" Lu Xun said as he slashed into the fire to crystal monster.

"Flames are the burn to ashes. Fire Arrow!" Zhu Ran said, as she fire arrow to the crystal monster.

"Ice Arrow!" Sid C said as he use for bow and shoot to crystal monster.

"Here goes…Dark Wave!" Soma said as he concealed a swarm of crystals in a dark of moon and sparks all of the crystal inside.

At the same time, Fairy Starlight, heavily panting, fought off several crystals, culminating in him leaping up to a Heart of Light's neck and twisting it until it broke, causing the creature to fall over. "I'm not sure we can last much longer… We're going to fall back into the city."

"Is this the end?!" Anton K asked.

As another wave of enemies charged toward the defenders, a hail of laser fire suddenly ripped through then, reducing them to paste. Looking up, the heroes and Light Crystal members were met with the sight of a gunship lowering down towards them, the side opening up to reveal Marine waving at them.

"Get in, you're all going to crystal!" Marine said with a salute and a smile.

Without delay, the group climbed aboard the gunship as it rose into the sky, its guns firing upon the Dark crystal and cultists below.

"Welcome aboard, Kotori, allies." Saki nodded his head at the group.

"Thank you for saving us." Fairy Starlight said. "We have to hurry, reunite with others, and-"

"We cannot." Maria said. "The barrier between the Crystal Universe and Snow Universe is about to break. We must reunite with the Dark Star Heart, and head to city to prepare a defense."

"Wait, why city?" Fighter Hime questioned.

"According to our sources. It can act as a snow crystal that can take Tulip and his army to Snow's Domain." Sarah said. "If we don't hurry, then that world will be destroyed in the process."

"While Guan Suo are safe, we must help her." Chad D said.

"What about Lucian?" Raiden said.

"Lucian and his team are against Minako." Nina P said.

"You really think so?" Rene D said.

"Yes…" Nina P said.

"By the way, I don't see Hana. Wasn't he with you?"

"No, not yet." Sid C said.

"Everyone…" Li Dian said.

"Hmm…well, I'm sure he has his reasons." Yurika said. "For now, we must find other survivors. Then we make for the fleet."

"I hope the others are doing okay…" Eugene H said in worry as the gunship rose and started patrolling the fifth circle, shooting down any fliers that came their way.

Meanwhile, with the rest of the Team Heroes…

"Alright, we've reached the Ninth Circle." Ricky G said as the group sailed across ice crystal terrain.

"So, what's your plan? Before Tulip and his cabinet are coming in the Snow Universe?" Erika asked.

"Pretty much the plan. Hmm…" Lucian said as they saw a figure charging for their ship. "Seems he's not taking any chance against us trying to reach city before him."

"What's the order" Ricky G asked.

"Keep the ship going the same course. Kristian, Malcolm, we're going out." Lucian said.

"Right!" Kristian D said.

"You got it." Malcolm N said.

"Should we stop and…" Ross K began.

"No. That's exactly what he wants. To slow us down. We can't waste a minute." Lucian said.

"You're right about…" Fairy Flora staretd before he noticed the figure doing something. "Wait…why is he speeding up?"

"You bastard…he's trying to ram us." Lucian said.

Right as Lucian realized this, the figure leaped up towards the Star's bridge, his form becoming clear as they all saw who it has.

"A Prime Knight?!" Fairy Flora realized, right as Minako before through the shield and bridge, grabbing the former Crystal Princess by the head and continuing, beaking through every wall in between they reached the end of the ship before the Prime Knight threw Fairy Flora farther then the horizon.

"You can't escape this time." Minako said as he landed back on the ground. "If even one of you attempts to run…I'll destroy your ship…" he began to call out before being socked right in the face by the three team leaders as thet jumped out after.

"No one gives a crap what you think!" Lucian, Kristian D. and Malcolm N declared.

Minako slid back a few inches, and the looked at them, if they could see his mouth, they did not doubt that he would be smiling. "Now that's more like it!"

"Ricky, damage report." Lucian said.

"He broke through several walls, but the ship's auto repair is already is fixing all the damage." Ricky G said on the comm.

"Good. Keep going to the Snow Universe. We'll catch up after we share a few complaints about messing with others' property with the star of idiots." Lucian said.

"Got it." Ricky G said.

Thus, the Galaxy Star continued on, as Minako watched, not moving to attack it, despite he threat.

"Hm. I would have preferred to take you all on at once… but I suppose they will have to come next. That is, assuming that I can win against the three." Minako said.

"Guess we're gonna have to see, won't we? Though if you try and go after our friends, getting a good fight will be the least of your worries." Lucian said.

"Hahaha! Go after them? You think me a hunter of the weak, do you?" Minako laughed in good humor. "No, I do not hurt. I challenge. Did you not see that from the legends they tell of me?"

"Well, we saw a woman who was so scared of dying for his misdeeds, that he tried to the death…and failed miserably." Malcolm N said.

"A fear of death? Hah, that is only a small part of it." Minako said wave off. "The reason I insulted the crystals…why I trapped death in a box…why I continue to rebel against Snow. There is only one reasone I exist: to prove that the impossible can be done! Never before has a Winter Crystal struck down by a lesser being. But on this day…it has becoming possible! That is why I am here!"

"What do you think of Snow Heart? We've heard of her and seen her thanks to Li Dian. She's innocent. She's kind. She's cares. She's no fighter. She may be a crystal…but she's just a kid!" Lucian said.

"Should children not be challenged in order to grow?" Minako asked. "Either she will survive this exprienece and learn from it…or she will die. Either way, it is no concern of mine. I am here to fufill my selfish desire attempt the impossible. No matter what her crystal is, I will have obtained what I wanted."

(Cue: WAR – Ultrakill)

The three stood there silently, just galring at the figure before them.

"…It was pointless…to try and reason with you." Lucian said.

"Indeed it was." Minako said, as he raised his fists. "Then we are all in agreement? One side of the fight will not leave this place alive."

"Yeah." Malcolm N said, as the three powered up. "That's one thing we can agree on."

"Then let us forget the thoughts of war and despair until the end." Minako said, cracking his fingers and neck. "Come forth, children of mean…and FIGHT!"

Fighter of Crystal – Minako Shinosaki

"Well, since you asked for this." Kristian D said as he drawing Sword. "What do you think?"

Minako made the first move by teleporting above the three heroes and slamming directly downwards, creating a shockwave that the three jumped up to avoid.

Kristian D sprang into action and slashed at Minako with his claw-like hands.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this. Ever since our last encounter in London, I've been waiting for the day I could finally get my hands on you and your friends after you stage that retreat!" Minako said said as he traded blows with Kristan D.

"Heh! Don't like you, you are monster are like dark monster." Kristian D said.

"Nonsense! You are the greatest challenge I have yet encountered! I wished to test myself against your power, Kristian!" Minako decleared as he performed a roundhouse kick that send Kristian D flying back, the boy slamming into snow mountain.

"Well, you won't get away for this!" Kristian D said as he charged at Minako as he fired a blast of compressed fire at him.

Minako punched the Fire away with one strike of his hand and then responded in kind by retaliating with a clap of his hands, creating a shockwave that sailed towards the Lunar Knight.

Kristian D ducks down and uses his extreme speed to dodge Minako's oncoming stirkes before landing a kick right to the head.

Unlike in London, Minako actually felt that hit, as he was knocked back a couple feet.

"You've gotten stronger in these past few months." Minako said.

"Well, it is help to us all, you sure are partner and crystal." Kristian D said. "You're dark crystal is evil and then…Light Crystal!"

"You've had a very busy life it seems." Minako said.

"Oh, you have no idea." Kristian D said as he and Minako clashed fists again.

The two of brawled all over the skies as the Galaxy Star soared ahead. Neither of them had used all their power yet, and everyone knew it.

"Is that all you three have?" Minako challenged as he released a large explosion from his body that created a massive, ten foot wide and deep crater in the fire.

"Nope. I'm just getting started." Kristian D said.

"Hey, don't leave us now." Malcolm N said as he shifted into his Proto-Ice Form, roaring as he changed towards the Prime Knight.

Minako acted fast, breaking Kristian D and charging at Malcolm N head on, meeting Ice of Princess with a knee strike, creating a collision that shook the cricle.

"Ah…you're much better than you were in London." Minako said.

Malcolm N simply roared as ge grabbed the quuen's arms and spun him around, before flinging him into the air.

"This will hurt." Minako declared, teleporting to Malcolm N from his position in the air and charging up for a huge explosion.

"Don't forget about me…you stupid knight!" Lucian called out. "Moonlight…Burst Kick!" he called out as he cleaved the explosion in two as it imploded right into Minako. "We're done letting you you're top a girl. It's time the three of us…send that stupid ego crashing right down to earth!"

"On that, I couldn't agree more. It's time we stop playing around." Kristian D as he cracked his sword

"YES! That's it!" Minako said laughed as his body changed, as the knight noew possessed long hair and a fully dress, both stained dark pink, as well as a dark blue aura. "This is it! This feeling THIS IS LIVING!" he declared as he charged the three heroes.

"And you…this living of yours…I know what it can be like. But…this is not the way to about it." Lucian said transform Cosmic Crystal Moon. "So…we're ending it…right here and now."

No more words were spoken as the four combatants met, trading bloew between the two sides. While the three heroes accumulated damage from each blow, the one being damaged the most was Minako as he gained more and more wounds and showed no sign of stopping his pursuit. It wasn't before long that he was reaching his own limits, as were the other three, as Minako landed on the ground as the 3 heroes looked down on him.

(End song)

"Ah…it's been some time since I've lost." Minako remarked as he kneeled on the ground. "Well done…"

Malcolm N powered down from his Proto-Ice Form as he staggered a bit. "Yeah…thanks." was all he said.

"I have lost…forever…" Minako said. "And evrything are gone… It was create by Tulip. Into the Dark crystal and Dark flower."

"What do you mean?" Lucian asked.

"Because…I'm really don't like…I'm sorry…I…" Minako said. "The Winter Crystal and Crystal, I wished to be…"

"You don't know…about that. Then save the world." Lucian said. "I will, the dark crystal are the flower are crystal. But the other…" he said looking to Malcolm N and Kristian D.

"Our future, our friends…" Malcolm N said, sounding worried before his face became apcalyptic. "Okay. Crystal do you like power? Like power?!"

"Bastard…you lost." Kristian D said.

"I'm sorry, everyone…please forgive me…" Minako said. "I have to future are the crystal… I have failed…to protect…Dark Crystal…."

Malcolm N nodded at that. "…Y-Yeah, thank you."

"Why are you telling us this?" Kristian D asked.

"*cough* *cough* Please…forgive me…" Minako said. "The forces against Winter Crystal of Snow Universe...but…I didn't you… I'm so sorry…"

"Okay…good to know." Lucian said as he drawing to guns. "You watch form the beyond the grave, okay? We're going to teach your idiot of a parnet a lesson about leaving other homes be."

"Aah…so much hate me…" Minako stated. "Tulip…I'm sorry… I have failed it…I…!" he said as he shot his body at the guns.

Fighter of Crystal: Minako Shinosaki

DEFEATED

"Farewell, Minako Shinosaki." Kristian D said. "Thanks to Zhu Ran."

The solemn silence was soon interrupted by the sound shattering.

"The barrier finallt gave way. They're moving on into the Snow Universe. Hopefully the other on the ship had plenty of time to reach City." Lucian said as he took to the air.

"Right…hopefully there's still time." Malcolm N said as the three flew away, towards the shattered barrier…and towards the next stage of the war.

A few minutes earlier, with Tulip…

"The barrier is broken, Tulip." A cultist of Dark Blade Hikari announced to his princess as they gazed out over the many islands of City. "But the summoning of the populations…it is daunting task, even for the charger. It will require time. He sees a heavy resistance against us."

"Then we'll camp out in the realm of Seiko for a few hours." Tulip said. "It'll give us more time for our additional forces to show up and merge with us. Besides…I perfer to have a dramatic entrance for phase 2."

"So you say." Seiko rasped as it, Hinako and Yui stood beside him.

"Huh? Is this…?" Hinako asked in surprise. "Tulip…Minako just died…"

"Wait, really?" Tulip asked in surprise. "Minako, no…!"

"Ugh, those heroes are stupid." Hinako said. "I hate it."

As the group continued onwards, Yui paused for a moment, as she felt something.

"…Yui?" Seiko remarked, truning around to see her staring behind them. "What happened?"

"They are in the battle." Yui stated. "…To think that oru failed to protect Minako."

With that, the many dark crystals of the Dark Crystal whispered forbidden words, as Tulip's army all vanished into the warp, just as the Galaxy Star entered the area.

"What happened? Where'd they all go?" Anton K asked, scanning the place with his eyes for any dark crystals.

"I don't see it. The city are danger." Daniel P said. "The other are the city."

"But why? He only the world are danger and then dark crystal in the world. Why would dark crystal is?" Marcy L asked.

"I'm not sure, but…" Daniel P said, before he noticed something above the barrier: large, ethereal, red number that formed a countdown.

TIME UNTIL PHASE 2:

23:59:50

"He's waiting for something finish…" Daniel P said.

"Oh no, he's gonna the world is destoryed." Moses M said, before he sighed. "There's nothing here."

"We need to get the city." Daniel P said. "Guan Suo needs us."

"Right. Before Tulip makes next move here." Gan Ning said.

"Then let's not talk about it and do it." Dennis S said.

With City being the only thing between Tulip and his army and Snow Heart herself, the group rocketed off to City to prepare for Tulip's next phase of his plan. Tomorrow would be a historic day…and also a crystal one…