The Reality Vortex: Shadow Games

Dielec was panting as the fight did take effort, showing she did gave her all in her fight and took it seriously. She waved at the audience to depart to the waiting room and get her initial injuries looked after, so she would be ready in time for when her next match would begin.

"Whew, that was one tough battle. Brachi was right; I have to be prepared for anything." She said to herself, before passing Omegamon in the medical ward, "hey, if you ever want to have a rematch someday, don't hesitate to contact me when you're ready."
 
Coella remained eagerly watching the fight, her eyes never leaving the fighters. Every blow had the rabbit on the edge of her seat, giggling with excitement. With the sudden turnaround of the match, the witch jumped out of her seat.

"What an upset!!" She shouted. "The rookie beats the odds! And against such a powerful opponent!"

Coella turned to the gambler, watching him try to explain to her how this win was some mistake. She quietly listened to him, before flashing a smirk, holding her hand up to her chin in pretend disbelief. "Oh, oh, oh~! Is someone upset about their sour grapes?? And here I thought you were an honest Omegamon fan! After all that confidence, now that he's lost you suspect our winner Dielec of foul play? What a terrible sport!"

Just then the waiter who had brought the witch her drink earlier approached her. her tune quickly switched to cheerful at seeing her favorite staff member.

"Oliver, welcome back! So how'd my bet do?"

"Congratulations once again, Miss Coella," Oliver handed her the small paper that he had taken previously. "Your bet on Dielec has made you a winner."

"WOOHOO!!" The witch celebrated as if she had no idea this would be the outcome. "Another win for mee~! Unsurprising, of course, but still a great feeling! Drinks are on me, everyone!"

Coella turned back to the man, flashing a now innocent smile. "Don't look so down, you can drink away your worries for now! You can always try again next fight. Besides, what have you got to lose~?"
 
“Haha! I don’t need a horse! I got my pheasant feathers as a crown! My father is the infamous Monkey King so—"

As the fight ended with Omegamon losing, Asher flung his popcorn in the air, shocked at the results. He never thought Omegamon would lose, but he seemed thrilled to see Dielec win. Asher rose from his seat, pounding a fist in the air and cheering for both fighters. Only when the excitement settled down, did Asher return to his seat, his attention back on Bernkastel.

“I think you’re lookin’ too deep on it…” Asher laughed. “You want to get stronger and be able to punch people harder? Just mix your abilities together. See, my arms are built like noodles, but I’m able to punch holes in boulders. Grandpa told me that you don’t need raw power and strength to beat someone; sometimes… you just need to hit them where it counts. That’s why he taught me the Tiger Palm!”

Asher nodded to himself as he held up his palm. A white aura surrounded his hand, identical to the Tiger Palm Bernkastel knows. As Asher moved his hand, it left behind a trail of glowing light, elegant and graceful.

“You got teeny-tiny hands, so maybe you should learn to combine your abilities to make your hands stronger. Like magic! Or maybe a weapon made for your hands. If you ever need help, my gramps can teach you! He’s, like, super wise, but he’s been ‘round the block!”


Avalon’s eyes widen as he stared at the men who surrounded him. As they stepped closer to him, Avalon looked up and whistled. The sparrow that he summoned earlier fluttered straight to him before erupting into a cloud of smoke. From the smoke flew out a giant paper falcon. It swooped in, grabbing Avalon’s extended arm and flying high into the air. The falcon flung Avalon into the air, making sure he landed on its back.

I got to get out of here and report this back to Bernkastel and Spina… Whoever this guy is, he seems to be after the Breakers…!

Avalon chose not to fight; he did not want to make a scene and ruin the reputation of the Breakers.


“Weak? No…” Zenta shook his head as Lucifer judged his student. “I know that Cuki has those cracks on her body, so she is in a vulnerable state. However, I’ve noticed that those cracks, at least in Cuki’s situation, are merely aesthetic. It does not mean she is close to death, but one can assume so. If she can survive losing an arm from the Red King, then she can survive a blow to the chest. Do not underestimate Cuki’s will; despite what you may think, she does not know when to give up. There have been many times when she defied even Byakko, forcing him to bend to her will.”

Zenta smirked at Lucifer before taking a seat at the table Lucifer created. His attention shifted back to Berserk for a moment, trying to see how she was doing. As he watched Berserk, he continued to talk to Lucifer. Zenta chuckled as he heard Lucifer mention that he was obsessed with him. The beast shook his head slightly but shrugged at the end.

“Obsession is not the right word, but you certain intrigue me, Lucifer Morningstar. I wish to fight you, but, alas, the Angel refuses to get his wings dirty. As for Lady Bernkastel…” Zenta’s voice trailed off slightly. While he could certainly fight Bernkastel, he chose not to. Not because he would lose, but because he did not want to see Bernkastel going down a certain path. “Lady Bernkastel deserves better than I. She is capable of many things, surpassing me in more ways than just one; however, I do not want to see her fall in her own demise…”
 
Gambling Room

While everyone celebrated Coella’s win and lavished on her generosity, the lone gambler was still reeling in explicit frustration. “This doesn’t make sense!” The lone gambler thought to himself. Before Coella’s arrival, he held a reputation for being the best at predicting the winners of these tournaments. Basing everyone on techniques, form, and power, the lone gambler consistently forecasts any winner of a battle. While it was originally started as a past time, it soon turned into an excellent way to earn money for people who were tournament enthusiasts. The lone gambler, Chance, was by far at the top of his game. Only recently did Chance’s accuracy start to falter when Coella joined the Gambling Room. Numerous battles, Chance was unable to win over the witch in any capacity. “No one has even heard of Dielec before. Is she a newcomer to this world? How the heck can she beat Omegamon?!”

He pondered in anger as steam released from his ears. Red in the face, Chance grabbed one of the drinks that Coella offered. Chucking it all down at once, Chance cringed in pain before slamming the cup against the table. “Don’t get cocky… This next battle… I know for sure I am the winner. Malugia…will sweep.”

Tournament Arena

The arena finally restored to its proper condition; the announcer tapped the mic thrice. “Okay!” The mic was working properly, “We will now go ahead with the next battle!” Per usual, the screen reveals the next set of fighters: Malugia, who’s appearance is simply a hat, and Victor. “They are first timers in this tournament, so let’s give them a round of applause!”

Tournament Souvenir Stands

“Good grief…” Kaiba pressed a button on wristband on his left hand. Shining brightly for a few seconds, the wristband transformed into a disk-like device, spawning a blade that seemingly held cards. “I summoned…”

From the perspective of Avalon, there was a flash of light that illuminated behind him. In seconds, Vortex Man appeared in front of him. When the humanoids pinned down the ninja, they managed to swipe one of the cards—Vortex Man.

The Kryptonian’s eyes were blank; completely void of any notable color. Cocking his right arm back, Vortex Man punched Avalon squared in the face. The impact alone created a devastating shockwave that blew everything around it away. Vortex Man’s inhibitions were completely removed by the strange effects of being turned into a card. In other words, he was not holding anything back from that punch.

Kaiba pulled out a blank card as Avalon was hurling in his direction. “I activate the trap card…”

Tournament Souvenir Stands – Clothes Shopping

“You’re referring to that kitty?” Lucifer referred Byakko. “I would say that’s impressive, at least for someone in her caliber.” There was genuine praise behind that statement. “But that’s not what I’m talking about when I say your little student is weak. Your assertion that willpower is good enough is quite naïve. You need more than that. And it is not strength, body, mind or soul. It’s more.” The angel focused on Berserk to see her progress. “You’ll know soon enough.”

After seeing Zenta decline interest in fighting Bernkastel, the angel smirks devilishly. “I do say that I’m quite charming, so I’m not surprised you were caught by my elegant gaze. I do have that effect on people~.” He flirtishly said. “While I do prefer to avoid dirtying my wings, I made myself clear: I’m not a fighter. Why, I’m such a fragile being. Just one kick of your strong, meaty leg will break me into pieces. I wouldn’t last long, and you’ll be left unsatisfied~” Lucifer laughs.

“Oh! Why not Vegetto? There’s some established, unresolved beef between you two. He insulted your student and made a mockery of your team. And you did permanently devour a piece of him.” The angel noted. “He seems quite efficient with energy control, like you in a way I suppose. Why not test your prowess with him to scratch that desire?”
 
Victor walks up to the arena to the untrained eyes just a normal old man. Victor thinks "I gest it's time for these old bones to show off the power and skills of a summoner."

Victor enters the arena oddly smoothly for someone with how fail he seems to be.
 
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Zenta listened to Lucifer quietly, both amused and enjoying his time with the Angel. While he spoke about Cuki, in a way, Zenta knew exactly what Lucifer meant. Cuki’s will had nothing to do with what he spoke about, but rather, her inability to seek and ask for help. There was more to it than what Lucifer knew, however, he cannot deny that Lucifer was on to something. For a moment, Zenta remained silent, until his ears perked up at Lucifer humbling himself as usual.

“Charming? You realize I am blind, yes? Perhaps you are as elegant as you say you are. However, to a blind man, you are just as common and lack luster as everyone else. …But I will take your word. Perhaps one day I shall gaze on you with eyes I can claim my own and gag at how marvelous you are.” Zenta chuckled. “As for my strength, you flatter me. Just like you, I hide my true capabilities. Call it self-control.”

Zenta then tilted his head as Lucifer mentioned Vegetto’s name. His shoulders slumped, and his posture got lax.

“Please do not insult me, Lucifer Morningstar. I meant to eat his mouth, so he would stop talking so much… Vegetto is incredibly strong, just not enough to satisfy my needs. My ridiculously high needs. … I would much rather enjoy a spar with his mentor. Oh, how I miss my friend, Whis…” Zenta let out a small sigh as he leaned his elbow on the table before Lucifer, then resting his chin on his hand. The beast seemed… bored. “I do not get the same sensation with the other Breakers, not even Lady Bernkastel…”
 
Tournament Souvenir Stands – Plaza

Mooli paused after Daiman's question and placing her order, her jolly face going a bit blank for a second, placing a hand on her chin in thought. "Not long I guess? I'm not quite sure how to phrase it but this place feels weird. Like a different version of a bad dream I had a long time ago. It's lonesome ain't it? Being dropped here all of a sudden, away from the place... the people... you called home once. It isn't like I can just go hopping timelines anymore looking for them. The laws of my world aren't the same as here, I'm sure."

"But that's okay! There's so many Saiyans I'm bound to cross paths with somebody I know. So I don't really mind if I win or lose the tournament; it's a great way to let my old buddies know I'm out here safe and sound! Money sure is nice to have though, when you eat a lot of food but nobody to make it for you for free. If only I had one of those magic refillable refrigerators..." The somber part of her words was quickly outlived by another set of energetic ramblings. "A whole gang of Breakers seems scary for anybody, specially those zany Blue Devils on the team, but my boss would fit right in among 'em. A big muscleheaded lug who threw big tantrums like a kid when he didn't get his way-- if you pissed him off well enough his eyes would get muscles too and bulge out of his sockets!" She dramatically mimed the expression with her hands as a stand in for the eyes, though it seemed more only a half-joking dramatization. Hearing a sound not far off from where they were, Mooli quirked an ear in direction of the repetive sounds. Like somebody was casting a spell nearby. "...More weird stuff?"

=============

Bernkastel barely hid her incredulous expression of eyerolls. "Maybe in a referree'd match, that's satisfactory for you and the spectators, but all the whimsy one could muster won't surpass an obstacle of raw power outclassing them. In a battle with true stakes of life and death, you do anything necessary to crush your opponent into submission before they have the chance to off you." After a long period of being nearly emotionless, Bernkastel spoke in an unsettlingly grim manner that revealed much about her mindset. A wicked sense of violence that was dubiously between the perspective of a hunter and the one being hunted. She only ever seemed to catch herself after uttering it. "... a hand weapon to channel magic properly wouldn't hurt though."

Her eyes trained on Asher's hands, tilting her head in curiosity-- "Tiger Palm, you said? May I ask who this grandfather of yours is?" She asked with a pensive glint in her eye, sensing a connection between dots here and there.

=====

Berserk ceased trembling in her puddle of blood, it quickly having gone cold and sticky on the ground. She was breathing shallowly, almost forcefully while her dulled eyes followed colored blobs in her vision with a raspy breath.
 
Asher stared at Bernkastel and her way of speaking. While he may not know her personally, the way she spoke seemed to rub him awkwardly. Not because of how grim it was, but because it was not something he would have done. However, his expression changed as soon as Bernkastel asked about the Tiger Palm and who his grandfather was.

“Ah! My Grandpa is suuuuper old, but he’s totally wise. I got a picture of him… Hang on…”

Asher began to dig around his pockets until pulling out a photo from the inside of his jacket. The photo looked to be a family photo with a younger version of himself. He showed it to Bernkastel, smiling with glee. The photo showed Zenta towering behind two people, giving a toothy smile. One of the people was an unknown hairy man who had a cocky grin on his face. The other was… Cuki.

“That’s the fam’!” Asher pointed at the people in the photo. “That’s my mom, dad, and grandpa! You might have heard of my mom! She’s a super strong dojo master that successfully passed on Grandpa’s teachings! Mom taught me a lot of what I know, so if you need help honing those hands, mom’s got your back!”

Asher leaned back on his chair slightly, letting out a content sigh as he thought about his family and his life at the dojo.

“Man, I wish you can meet them! You’ll love mom. She took in everyone who was down on their luck and gave them a home and food. The dojo was almost like a hub for people to make a family of their own, and I got to make a ton of friends. It was hella fun.” Asher hid the photo back in his jacket, nodding to himself. “I don’t know what happened or how I got here, but I’m gonna find my mom, dad, and grandpa!”
 
Tournament Arena

“You never shut up, do you?” Spina was growing tired of Asher’s constant chatter. He stood up contemplating whether to move to another seat or blast Asher away. Before he could make his decision, his ears perked at Asher revealing that Zenta was his grandfather. Not only that, his photo further showed that Cuki is also his mother.

Throughout Asher’s ramblings about his family, the old Saiyan was in shock that the son of Cuki was standing before them. “You’re Cuki’s son…” the Saiyan turned to the seat where Zenta previously sat before disappearing. “And that dog is your grandfather… Why didn’t he sense you right off the bat?”

=======

An associate came onto the stage with Malugia’s hat in her hands and stood on the end corner of the arena. “Sorry for the slight delay. I had a difficult time picking up the hat. It had some strange aura surrounding it!” She’d complained.

The announcer didn’t mind as long as both fighters showcase their skills. The last thing he wanted was for the tournament to become a dud. His job would be in jeopardy if it did. Ignoring the associate’s complaint, the announcer tapped the mic thrice and headed to the center of the stage.

“The next fight is about to start! We have new faces participating this time around!” The announcer pointed out Victor who’s standing on one end of the arena. He may look like a shoddy old fart, but he has some serious skills! He can summon various creatures! How?! Who cares! This is Reality Vortex! People say that he got deep pockets… Regardless, meet Victor!”

Everyone applauded after Victor’s introduction.

“On this corner, we have a mysterious hat who goes by the name of Malugia! No one knows what they look like, so they must use this young girl to communicate with us! They claim to be some “mystical creature from an ancient world. Kind of creepy, but who cares!? Meet Malugia!!!”

The young associate grabbed the hat and placed it over head. “Please… don’t go overboard—” A sudden jolt rushed throughout her body. Her blue eyes turned crimson red; green lines erected throughout her body; her worried smile became a twisted, sinister smile.

“A summoner…” Malugia spoke for the first time. He had a masculine tone. “I’ve seen plenty of those back in my world.” He opened his hands multiple times to get the feeling of the body he took over. He noticed that there was no applause for him when he appeared. “What a disrespectful audience. They’re gazing the presence of a creator god, and I don’t even get even an audible gasp?”

Tournament Souvenir Stands – Clothes Shopping

“Is that so…” Lucifer couldn’t sympathize with the beast’s desire for battle, but he understood his predicament somewhat. He checked Berserk and seen that her body had stopped trembling. Right away, he spotted markings taking form in her body. “Excellent. She’s on the right track. Her body is compatible… What an interesting discovery.”

Suddenly, the angel remembered something after Zenta expressed that none of the Breakers will give him that satisfaction he craves. As the angel’s lips curled into a cruel smirk, he lifted a single finger. “If you simply want to satisfy that urge; that need you so desperately want to fulfill… There is one person among the Breakers that can do so. Give him time to grow, and he’ll get there soon. Very, very soon.”

Tournament Souvenir Stands – Plaza

Daiman chuckled when Mooli mimicked her boss. “Looks like you have a hard then…” He scratched the side of his face. “Yeah, it was a huge shock for me---” Daiman paused for a second. “Wait, timelines? You can hope through different timelines? Like time-traveling? Are you a time-traveler?!”

He was positively thrilled to hear that since stuff like that was only possible in comic books from his world. However, just like Mooli, he noticed another casting of a new spell. “Something is going on over there… maybe we should take a look?”
 
Victor says, "Did not expect such a warm welcome. I just an old man that has some achievements in summoning." be just a normal old man.

Victor thinks "It seems to be to be a sapient idiom that I facing as well as a young girl. It seems that the Idiom seems to be cursed." Victor may not look it but he is appraising Malugia. Victor says, "It's rare to see a cursed item have a good level of serpents." Victor dos not seemed phased by the fact that Malugia is controlling a little girl.
 
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