The Reality Vortex: Shadow Games

As Kaibe held on to the cards to examine them, a small sparrow swooped down and swiped the Vegetto card off his hand. Two frogs hopped next to Kaiba and flung their tongues out, slurping up Clark and Vortex Man’s cards. The bird and frogs scampered away as Avalon stood a distance away from Kaiba. He looked down, grabbing the cards his animal summons gathered for him.

“W-What the hell is this?!” Avalon gasped. “Who are you and what did you do to them?”

Avalon peered at the Vegetto card, and despite bumping heads with him, he could not let him suffer. His attention turned to the Kyptonians before turning back to Kaiba, seeing a bunch of other cards on the floor, scattered about.

What the hell…? Playing cards?

“Hey, Vegetto, can you hear me?” Avalon spoke to the Vegetto card, flailing it about. “Hey! Clark? Vortex Man?”


“Oh, Lucifer, you humble yourself. I apologize for not bringing flowers, perhaps next time.” Zenta chuckled slightly before turning to Berserk. “However, delicate is not a word I would use to describe you, Lucifer Morningstar…”

Zenta slowly stepped over to Berserk, crouching down next to her bleeding body as he gently placed his arms under her body, not fazed by the blood running down his arms. He seemed worried about Berserk’s well-being, although it was hard to tell. His attention fell back on Lucifer.

“What exactly are you doing, Lucifer Morningstar…?”
 
Waiting Room - Small Plaza

"You'll be okay, buddy! It takes a bit of getting used to-- I thought about just grabbin' you and flying here but you're shakier than a leaf, so I figured it would be better on you by trying something faster. I learned it on the job back in my old world, came in handy quite a few times," Mooli explained, pausing to try and recall it. "What was it called? Instant something or other. I forgot since it always reminds me of instant ramen. It's easier to just call it Teleportation. Now let's see..." she trailed off and began to scan the plaza for a nearby burger spot before pointing to a kiosk. "How about this one? I love this spot, they make the best crispy chicken burger." For a moment, Mooli glanced back over her shoulder towards the stadium as if something caught her attention again remaining silent for some seconds before shrugging and giving Daiman a smile. "Once you come near their grill, your mouth starts to water!"

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

Berserk's eyes had gone wide feeling a sudden impact of Lucifer's arm piercing her ribcage and straight through to the other side. Stumbling backwards as he pushed forward caused blood to start seeping out of her mouth. In shock her system hadn't even registered the massive damage he'd inflicted, spasming such that all that came out was the sound of choked gurling.

"What... the fu--" the girl barely uttered before collapsing against the alley wall and smearing her blood against it. More spattered out from the entry point and streamed down her chin, staring speechlessly at her stained hands. She couldn't register what just happened. Slipping on it, she slumped down to the floor looking like a fish gasping for air on the ground. Her pupils dilated and the light faded from her eyes until she seemed nearly comatose.

Berserk stared straight ahead as her swimming vision began fading to black. She could hear someone else's voice talking to Lucifer but being immobilized by both the attack and the magatama, could only lay there. Blood continued spreading across her clothes and Zenta's pristine fur, her face looking pale with eyes dazily gliding back and forth until mustering up the energy to keep focus on his face. Berserk tried to speak, but only could spit up more blood. "I... gan't... die.. haf... to..." she cringed her eyes shut, involuntarily shivering. She grit her teeth with a seemingly-furious expression but it was impossible to tell whether it was aimed at Lucifer or not.
=============

Bernkastel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Isolation wasn't something she anticipated Spina to say considering what she'd seen from him and the way Roya implied he'd had teams before. "Huh? Why is--" she was cut off, startled slightly by Asher's sudden appearance next to them in the stands. She didn't immediately respond to him from being taken aback by how forwardly he approached them-- at this point the Witch was used to people clearing a path and keeping far away. It was unusual being approached by total strangers. Bernkastel continued to stare, not just for the Alter Eyes he unmistakably bore but the uncanny sense of deja vu the lad gave her. This being her second time encountering an Alter Being cautioned Bernkastel into contemplating how to approach him. She wasn't entirely sure if Hart was the only Alter Being out there who despised her existence.

She kept her eyes idly on the match between Dielec and Omegamon as she considered what to do. "......... I suppose so," Bern uttered after a long stretch of silence. "I haven't spectated in some time now, so I consider this research... we liked what we saw. Especially from you. You are... Asher, right?" Staring at the popcorn bucket for a long while, Bern gingerly reached over and took a handful of kernels. Though she didn't yet eat it, as though preoccupied wth studying Asher for a negative reaction if he were to look at her long enough and realize who she was. "My group is busy with something it seems... so right now it's just me and my friend watching the matches."
 
Tournament Arena

The Digimon narrowly dodged from one series of lightning bolts, but Dielec’s quick movement caught him off guard. Omegamon arched over and cringed in pain after being several times in the stomach. Unable to properly defend himself, the Digimon was blown away against the arena foundations. Coming to a stop at the arena’s edges, Omegamon stood up.

“Oooh! Dielec continues the assault, forcing Omegamon is constantly on the defense!” The announcer expressed his thrilling excitement. “Those lightning bolts are proving critical against him! How will he respond next?!”

“You’re strong,” Omegamon praised. “Enough of the warm-ups. Let’s take this battle to greater heights.” He raised his left arm in the air; his body was gathering light particles until it lit up the entire arena! Shining like a diamond, it completely engulfed the arena.

“Omegamon… Mode Change!” His white armor body slowly changed to black. His blue eyes turn a crimson red color; his helmet having gold spike in the front and two black spikes in the back. Finally, Omegamon has a red jewel on its chest, surrounded by gold stripes. Once the light subsided; the Digimon had changed its outer appearance. But the biggest change was his overall demeanor.

“Whoa! Omegamon had changed his appearance?! That’s the first time he done this since entering his very first tournament!”

“Omegamon Zwart.” Omegamon reveals the name of this change. His black Grey Sword emerges from the war head on his left hand. The symbol embedded on the blade reads “Termination”.

Observing his opponent, the Digimon, with a single bound, leap over to Dielec with ease. Landing in front of the android, Omegamon places his right hand against her stomach. “Giga Destroyer…” His voice, first filled with determination, now filled with dread. He released a powerful ice-based attack at close-range. Instantly freezing the arena, Omegamon swung his black blade with rapid slashes against Dielec in breakneck speeds. It easily slashes through ice as if they were nothing.

====

Spina continued to watch the battle; he was observing the two warriors and how they fought. “That creature changes his appearance.” The old Saiyan explained. “His fighting style became deadlier. He’s aiming to slice that scrap metal into pieces.”

The old Saiyan narrowed eyes once Asher sat next to them and engaged in a full conversation. Unlike Bernkastel who showed hesitation and was careful in her wording, Spina was the opposite. “Turles was clearly a superior warrior; you didn’t stand a chance.” Not once did he even look at Asher’s direction.

Tournament Souvenir Stands

Seto Kaiba turns to the direction where the animals scampered away and laid eyes on Avalon. “Seto Kaiba, but you’ll address me with Kaiba.” Kaiba introduces himself. “There’s no point of doing that. Give me back the cards; you’re devaluing it with those filthy hands. Or I’ll have to use force.” He smirks. “Pick the latter option, Avalon.”

Tournament Souvenir Stands – Plaza

“Teleportation… got it.” Daiman was relieved that she used that over flying. He was extremely scared of heights and might flail around. He got the smell of the burger, and it was true what Mooli said. “It smells… good!” He expressed his excitement.

Approaching the burger spot, the young man noticed that there weren’t a lot of people around. “Usually, this place… is packed. Did the fight start already!?” He started to sweat nervously since he didn’t know if his battle was next.

Tournament Souvenir Stands – Clothes Shopping

Lucifer held a cruel smile after seeing Berserk makes some progression and prolonged her death. Seeing blood splattered on some of Zenta’s fur, the angel held out a handkerchief and offered to the beast. “Jealous that I wasn’t paying attention to you? Don’t worry, I’ll give you all the attention that you need since it’s going to be a while until it completes.”

The angel’s blue eyes gleam as the shadows descended upon him. “Berserk wishes greater heights. And I’m always looking for new disciples. Who am I to deny someone who seeks power?” Lucifer continues his devilish smile.
 
Asher slowly peered over to Spina, showing an annoyed face followed by a pout. He did not seem to like his attitude; however, Spina was not wrong about him losing. Asher just wished that Spina was not so… harsh about it. Asher scoffed before rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, well, I did my best, and that’s what counts! Hmph! Turles said he respects me as a fighter, so hah!” Asher nodded, feeling proud of himself for putting up a fight for Turles. His attention then returned to Bernkastel. “Yep! Asher, the one and only! Prince Asher, technically!”

Asher laughed at his own comment, puffing his chest with confidence. He was quite a character, seemingly able to bring anyone in a gloomy mood to high spirits. The innocence behind his words and his actions showed his pure heart and he showed no ill feelings to Bernkastel or Spina. As Omegamon transformed his body, Asher jumped slightly, flinging popcorn in the air and onto Spina and Bernkastel.

“Whoa! Did’ja see that?! He’s, like, totally friggin’ siiiiiick!” Asher sat up on his chair, watching the fight continue, yet his mind was still on Bernkastel’s comment. “Research? Oh, cool! What kind of research? Fighting moves and whatnot?”


This guy is turning people into cards…? How is he doing that?

Avalon narrowed his eyes at Kaiba and looked down at the Vegetto card, seeing that it did not respond to him, same for Clark and Vortex Man.

Even if Vegetto is a stupid pisshead, he’s still a teammate… I gotta find a way to turn him, Clark, and Vortex Man back…

“Hmph, there’s no way you’re getting these cards back. Why did you do this to my comrade?” Avalon paused for a moment before placing the cards in the safety of his scarf. “…And how do you know my name?”


“Jealous? Ohoho, you have quite the imagination, Lucifer Morningstar…” Zenta, who usually disliked getting his fur dirty, gently moved Berserk’s bloody body to a more comfortable position. He was delicate, knowing Berserk’s situation. He kept guard over the Powerpunk, not knowing Lucifer’s true intentions. However, he took the handkerchief that Lucifer offered him, thoroughly cleaning his hands of blood. “Thank you…”

Zenta stood between Berserk and Lucifer, protecting the youngster as his tails twitched with excitement.

“Oh? New disciples? That explains a lot…” Zenta chuckled to himself. “I assume this is what you wanted to do to Cuki. While I admit I have been too lax on her, Cuki certainly has a hidden potential that has yet to be tapped… A ‘greater height,’ if you will…”

Zenta silently thought to himself.

Cuki was seeking greater power before she left… Isolation and power are not a good mix. Perhaps… Lucifer saw this before I did…

“Hmm, I know you have your bias towards Cuki’s Divine Being, Byakko, but ignoring the kitten, you see potential in everyone, even her…” Zenta's tone darken slightly as he turned his head to face Berserk. "Were you planning to do the same thing to Cuki...?"
 
Dielec grunted as she was hit by the ice blast, and there was some blood drawn, which indicated she was still organic. However, she was still in fighting condition as she then put her hands against the ice and then charging up lightning against it, using the heat generated from the energy to melt the ice and get the lighting flown through the openings made, causing the ice to shatter around. Raising a hand in the air, Dielec then summoned several lightning bolts, which fired down on Omegamon, while unleashing electric arcs on ground level from the point of impact, before charging in, striking at Omegamon with an open palm strike to stun him, before moving backwards while rapidly firing ten bursts of electrically charged energy onto him and finishing the combination attack with the Powered Arc Burst, which was a large electrically charged energy sphere fired at point-blank range.
 
Tournament Stands - Small Plaza

Mooli quirked a brow, matching Daiman in looking around. It didn't take long for her to realize what he said was true. There was a significant reduction in people, far more than just a mere outpour of people remaining at the stadium. There should have been a few more concession stands with a long line.

"Come to think of it... yeah. This is unusual. They might've started the next match from what I'm hearing echoing at the stadium, but we only took a couple seconds to get here. Regular people wouldn't have made it back to the seats without a huge line to deal with. It's got a whole pattern to it-- 'if it's been suddenly deserted, a Breaker was definitely there'!'" Mooli stood up straight and spoke the quote with a deep falsetto before relaxing to her usual posture. "So I've been told anyway."
============

"If Turles said that then he took a liking to you it seems. Don't be surprised if he were to show up out of the blue and challenge you again," Bernkastel ssaid. Even though Spina was a bit mean about it, she noted that he didn't insult Asher's effort to put up a fight. So it wasn't all ill-intended. Then she remembered what Vegetto had said about Turles being an inferior Saiyan from his world. Hmm... if he lost in a regulated match, battles in the real world might be a bit too brutal for this kid. Especially not with his irregular strength. ...What am I saying? It's not like I'm his parent, his survival here's got nothing to do with me. Feeling silly for fretting over that sort of thing with a stranger she just met, Bernkastel cleared her throat.

"A prince? Then where's your crown and white horse, little prince?" She quipped, seemingly playing along with him rather than taking it at face value. "And to answer your question, yes. I need to be a bit more creative when it comes to physical combat, so this tournament seemed like a good idea to attend. Lightning and Ice is an interesting matchup... Seems like they're neck and neck with the attacks between range and close quarters. But he has a sword with a greater reach than just an arm's length. She'll have to take him down before he figures a way around her electric blasts. Metal may be a conductor of electricity, but if he were to coat the blade in something that insulates against it..."
 
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Tournament Arena

All the ice underneath the announcer melted into water threw him into panic. “Ah!” He jumped out of the arena and landed on the grass. “Hey! What’s the big idea? These new shoes ain’t easy to come by you know!”

Omegamon narrowed his eyes after seeing Dielec bleed. As several lightning bolts struck the Digimon and forced him down to his knees, he did not tremble. He tumbled backwards from Dielec’s fast strike before being bombarded by electric attacks.

Once again at the edge of the arena, the Digimon attempts to stand on his feet, but the overabundance of electric attacks slowed his moments. “Haaa…” He started to lose his vision as everything around him blurred like mere smears.

“Just a little more…” Omegamon told himself. “Just a little…” Laying on Dielec charging up the finale of her combination attack, she was replaced by another familiar figure, Detective Son Goku. His eyes widened in shock.

Although it was clearly an illusion due to his consciousness drifting away, it was real to him. Detective Goku smiles as he taunted Omegamon to not falter. “This isn’t the limit of your power, right? Come at me with everything you got.”

Omegamon’s eyes became fierce and regain his consciousness. He spun his sword brilliantly and swung against the Arc Burst. Lightning sparks flew everywhere, destroying parts of the arena with absolute ease. Rather blocking or deflecting it, the Digimon absorbed the lightning attack into his blade. “Sword of Ruin….”

The Digimon swung his Grey Sword thrice, each releasing energy pillars of lightning, fire and ice in all directions. Completely engulfing the entire arena, rendering it to mere rubble upon impact. Omegamon dashed forward, his blade still coated with lightning, in blistering speeds. With brilliant movements, the Digimon struck Dielec in the jaw with a powerful kick. He zapped around her and slashed her back with his blade. “Haaa!” He zaps around once more, appearing in front of the android. He swung his sword down, slamming it on top of her head.

Omegamon leaped in the air and raised both his cannon arm and sword in the air. Like a raging tornado, rubble, light, and everything else in the arena were circling him. “

His black body started to change; it started to fade, switching to a more, greyish and white color. However, it seems his attempt to transform again is being held back of his fleeing strength from Dielec’s assault.

“Whoa!!!” The announcer shouted. “Omegamon is giving everything he got! How will Dielec respond?!”

“This is the end! G-… G---…” Omegamon was feeling the staggering effects of the lightning attacks taking toll on his body. “Gurei Tou!” His blade transformed into a gigantic energy sword that eclipsed the entire arena. It was so large; it was even seen outside of Beach City. Pulling his arms back over his head, the Digimon swung forward towards Dielec. “Haaa!!!”

===

“Watch it, brat. Do that again, and I’ll toss you over the arena.” Spina noticed Omegamon attempting to transform again but failing to do so. “Hmph.”

Tournament Souvenir Stands

“Force is it, then. Good talk.” Kaiba snapped his fingers and several men appeared behind Avalon and forced him down to the ground. They had no faces nor any notable features. They were completely solid, humanoid beings.

“I would love to chat some more, but I have a schedule to keep. I don’t intend on missing it over some grunt of the Breakers.”

Tournament Souvenir Stands – Plaza

“Breakers…” Daiman had heard of them, but usually bad rumors and the sort. “You’re really chill about this… this kind of stuff gives me the creeps. A breaker? I’ll be already halfway away from this place if that was true.”

He joked although there were some truths behind it. “…How long you been in this place?” He asked. “Not Beach City… this… strange world.”

Tournament Souvenir Stands – Clothes Shopping

“Perhaps, but not anymore. She’s too weak.” Lucifer answered. “She’ll die right away in seconds.” The angel flicks his fingers and a chair and table suddenly appeared before him. Taking a seat, he made himself a cup of tea. “Refreshing,” He took a sip. “Besides, you are her mentor. You could’ve done it yourself if you are willing.” He took another sip, a cruel smile appeared on his face.

“Unless you’re so obsessed with me that the mere thought of missing my graceful presence will cripple you~” Lucifer chuckled. “Or you’re itching to test the waters with Bernkastel since you follow her so willingly.”
 
Dielec grunted as she was hit by the various blows of Omegamon, however some of the lightning pillars did strike Dielec as well, but had an interesting effect; as lighting/thunder was her main forte, in the moments that she could, Dielec began to absorb whatever she could from that lighting, effectively using it to revitalize herself and tank one or two of the blows inflicted on her, before she noticed Omegamon charging at her with the energy sword. Her legs were buckling a little as the injury on her back was hurting her quite a bit, but she bit through the pain and, in a rather daring move that was quite brave or foolish, she caught the blade part of the sword with her hands, and began to send another current of electricity back towards Omegamon, using the lighting energy she had absorbed earlier.

"You're quite strong, Omegamon, I admit I had underestimated you as I have never faced someone like you before. Please don't hold this inexperience against me." She said to him, before powering one last energy sphere over the sword to strike at Omegamon.
 
Tournament Arena

Omegamon narrowed his eyes when Dielec caught the blade with her bare hands. Less than a second, the Digimon shrieked in pain when a large voltage of lightning struck him. Staggered to point of immobility, he was unable to dodge the energy sphere. Completely engulfed in the attack, Omegamon was sent flying back and crashed out-of-bounds.

“….” Omegamon blinked but remained in silence after realizing he lost this battle.

The announcer rushed over to where Omegamon landed. “Yep! Clear as day! We have a winner! In a total upset, Dielec defeated the returning favorite Omegamon!”

There was roaring applause in the stadium as the giant screen showcase Dielec as the winner. “Thank you, fighters, for showing everyone such a wonderful spectacle!”

Omegamon stood up and brushed himself. There was nothing else to say; he wasn’t angry nor upset. Just disappointed at himself for losing this battle. “Guess he’s still too far away right now.” Still critically injured from the battle, the Digimon turned to the medical tent for healing. “Congratulation… Dielec. You’ve bested me.” He headed off.

The announcer turns to Dielec. “You may go to the waiting room as you wait for your next match!” He turns to the audience. “The arena wasn’t a total disaster, so we can get started on the next match! Give us a few moments to prepare.”

====

“That’s the end of that.” Spina commented. “He’d tried to force a power up, but it failed him. She can still manipulate lightning even if it’s used against her. That was a dumb mistake on his part.”

====

Gambling Room

“What!?” One of the gamblers shouted angrily. “How did he lose? He had all the cards and could have a bout with Goku way back then! How can this lightning rod best him?!” He turns to Coella. “Listen… there’s gotta be some error here. She cheated!”
 
The old man goes torts the stage after confirming that it was his match next. He thinks "By the time I get there I should they should be calling me."

To the untrained eye he in fact looks like a weak old man that can be easily bested but to the trained eye he has some fighting experience despite being a summoner.
 
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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