Your POV  

'You're an embarrassment! Get off the stage!'

I glanced up in shock and found myself staring at the four time national champion, Lui Shirasagi.

'H-He came?' I stuttered, in shock. Lui had appeared out of nowhere.

'I know! Total shocker!' Valt agreed with me. Up on the stage, Shu was glaring at Lui, angrily growling. I bit my lip, hoping that Shu wouldn't do something stupid that got him into a fight.

'Didn't you hear me?' Lui continued, glaring down at the fallen Rideout blader. 'Get out! I will not tolerate a lousy performance! Bladers like you!'

He smirked and glared at Shu, Valt and I. 'That's what the other team are for.'

I let out a furious breath, staring back into Lui's purple eyes.

'Finally!' Hanami announced. 'Lui Shirasagi makes an appearance in the team battles! He hasn't shown his face once so far in this tournament! Will his arrival change the course of the match? Or is it too little, too late? It's anybody's guess!'

'Scuse me!' Shinki shouted, rising from the ground and stepping closer to Lui. 'What's the big idea? I earned myself a spot here, just like everybody else!'

'Maybe, but your time is up,' sniped Lui.

'Huh? Meaning what?'

'You made a rookie mistake,' Lui said, loud and clear. 'You doubted how you could win against a blader like him.'

Shinki grunted surprisingly and stood to the side as Lui stepped forward to look at Shu clearly. Shu frowned, letting out a tense exhale. Shinki turned back to face Lui, slightly smiling.

'To be fair, he's quite a handful,' he admitted sheepishly. But Lui kept his attention on Shu, while saying something back to Shinki.

'Once you start treating your opponent like a hero, you've already revealed your weakness. You have forfeited,' he said, finally turning away from Shu to glare down at Valt. Valt gasped, realizing something that probably had to do with his encounter with Lui yesterday. Valt started growling, but before he could say anything, Shinki spoke up.

'I can win!' he yelled.

'Oh? Your performance proves otherwise,' Lui sneered. 'No chance.'

'That's enough!' yelled Gabe, walking up onto the stage, stepping in between both bladers.

'Is this really what Rideout's been reduced to?' Lui said in disbelief.

'Nothing is ever sure in battle,' Gabe said, defending the rest of his team.

'Very enlightening. Thanks for sharing that,' Lui said sarcastically. He turned to the rest of Rideout and started walking towards them, except Gabe stopped him.

'Hang on,' he said to Lui. 'I need to talk to you.'

Lui glanced up at Gabe, then walked away.

'Lui!' Valt shouted. I looked next to me and realized Valt had slipped away while I was watching the argument, and walked up onto the stage. 'Dare ya to take me on! Right here!'

Lui turned towards Valt, rolling his eyes and scoffing arrogantly. Valt growled, and Shu appeared next to him.

'I want to battle him just as much as you do,' he told Valt. 'But this battle is going into extended play and we need to pick our next bladers.'

'Fine.' Valt grunted. He walked back to the red corner with Shu and started pacing up and down the bench.

'All that pacing back and forth is getting very annoying!' Wakiya said, ticked off. 

'Can't blame him,' said Daigo. 'Looks like Lui really got under his skin.'

'You guys see the way he treats his teammates?' scoffed Honcho. 'What kinda guy shames his buddy on National TV?'

'You can't go around treating people like that!' shouted Valt, stopping the pacing. He growled angrily. 'One of us has got to teach him a lesson!'

'Something tells me he might be in the fourth battle,' Shu said.

'Totally. After all, he must've came to battle,' I agreed. 'I mean, think about it. This guy hasn't been in a single match and now, out of nowhere, he shows up.'

'That's it!' Valt suddenly cried. 'I'm going to battle as well!'

'Wait!' Wakiya shouted. 'I'm going next and claiming the last two points with a glorious burst finish!'

'No chance!' Valt argued.

'Maybe you didn't hear me!' They growled at each other.

'Yo, Wakiya! Made you blink!' Honcho said suddenly. Wakiya gasped and stood up straight again.

'Did not! Stop distracting me; this is serious business!'

Honcho smirked a little. 'This would be a good time to remind you that before the match you told Valt to make the call. You know, seeing as he's the captain and everything.'

Wakiya gasped, eyes widening. He slouched down, sweating. Valt bounced back quickly.

'Yeah!' he grinned. 'It's all coming back to me now!'

'Right..' Wakiya trailed off. 'I suppose I might've said that. But that means that you can't just choose yourself! Hasn't it occurred to you that maybe we have other stronger bladers on this team? Like, moi?'

'Um...Wakiya? I beat you in the District Tournament,' Valt pointed out. 'Anyways, can I get a what what people! The fourth battle is mine for the taking!'

'Not fair!' whined Wakiya. 'This isn't happening!'

'Now that we've made our choice,' Daigo began. 'Who do you think will be up against?'

'It'll be Lui,' I said determinedly.

'Yeah!' Valt chimed in. 'I'm the one he showed up for today!'

'Yeah, yeah,' Wakiya ignored him. 'Just win this won for the team! We are all counting on you!'

'Got it!'

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Valt's POV 

I stood determinedly, poised to climb up the stairs when I was announced. I felt a shiver of excitement crawl down my back. The day was finally here. I can actually take Lui on! Oh man, and there is going to be tons of people watching for this team battle finals! It's the best I could ever wish for. 

'Let's find out which bladers are going to represent their team!' Hanami announced. I grinned, clutching my hands into fists. It was time. 'Beigoma Academy aren't holding back! They're sending in their captain, Valt Aoi!'

I climbed up the stairs, stepping to the stadium.

'And Rideout goes with....Lui Shirasagi!' Hanami declared. 'He's been called the strongest of the Supreme Four, yet this is his first time showing his face in the team battles!'

'C'mon!' I yelled excitedly. 'Let's get this thing started!'

Lui slowly walked up the stairs, his hair flying everywhere. He stood, ice cold in front of me. I stopped bouncing up and down and stared into his serious eyes. He wasn't joking. This battle is for real.

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