With Barga once again in charge, the Sandorias Eleven were back to using their home terrain to their advantage. Kimiko had long since left her seat to stand on the far side of the bench, closer to where Ichikawa was sitting. He had been silent throughout the entire struggle, observing everything without a word.

How did someone like him end up with a descendant like Zanark? That was a question she had wondered a lot during her entire time training him. She had even asked Professor Aruno about it once, but him being him, she didn't get a straight answer. Zanark himself couldn't care less about his lineage, always only focused on becoming the best version of himself he could be. Also the most chaotic, but all of Zanark Domain loves him for it (And as much as she hates to admit, she does too. She wouldn't let him call her his sister otherwise).

Back on the pitch, everything was getting messy. With the constant dirty plays, they had to deal with more and more close calls. The team was starting to get fed up with it.

The enemy captain was also struggling with Barga and half of his teammates.

"Hey, hey, hey! The Earth Eleven are battered and bruised from Sandorias' rough plays! There's no telling how this match will end! Until time is up... Don't miss it!"

Well, it's still the first half, but saying our team's battered and bruised kinda hints to people we're going to lose...

"Don't fight!" Konoha's sudden yell snapped her out of her thoughts. "You're all friends that I love! You're all such kind people! Don't be annoyed or angry!"

Kusaka, who was about to pick a fight with the enemy member, immediately calmed down at her words. Though, it was difficult to tell if anyone else was listening with how much they were glaring at each other.

Kimiko's gaze dropped to her hands. They were whole. So that means...

"We will win." Just as she thought so, Ichikawa said the same, earning surprised looks from Shinsuke and Aoi. "It was necessary in this match that we feel as if we were in danger."

"What do you mean?"

"The team is feeling pressured. But it isn't the opponent that is pressuring us. It is Coach Kuroiwa." The man made no reaction as they all turned to him. "The coach drove us into a tight spot on purpose. He is waiting for this team to awaken to its real power."

In other words, the power of the beasts... Well, it's no wonder the training menus didn't work then. They all still felt safe.

Ichikawa stood up to face him properly. "Coach, please allow me to perform in the match."

There was only a short pause before―

"Very well. Change the flow of the game."

"I thought you would say that."

And so, they switched out Matatagi for him, with the former only complaining slightly. He remained quiet as he took his seat. Meanwhile, Ichikawa's first move is to talk to Konoha.

"I want to protect everyone!"

As a result, the much shorter girl went to Tenma, earning wide eyes. They exchanged nods and the match resumed.

Tenma's first move was to pass the ball to her, and she started making her way up the field. She made a pass to avoid Kazelma, but the ball was caught by Barga instead. The alien started to move in to attack.

"I won't lose. I'll protect everyone!"

Konoha did the same, a blue light surrounding her. When it dissipated, a green fox was in her place, running circles around Barga. Confused, he didn't see her running at him from behind, knocking him off his feet and stealing the ball.

"Wow! Morimura brings out a Soul!" The commentator yelled. "That Soul is from one of Earth's creatures, Fox!"

"So, the name of the beast power is 'Soul'." Kimiko nodded to herself. "That's one for the historical records."

Without giving them too much time to celebrate, time began to move again. Konoha passed to Kusaka, who managed to score their first goal with Kyoubou Head.

And the first half ended there.

~~~~~

Matatagi's behaviour was getting harder and harder to ignore.

She would've understood it if he was just upset about being taken off the pitch when he's a regular, but to not even be remotely happy that one of them had leveled up further or that they've even the scores is a bit much.

Still, she didn't have a right to call him out on it, so she'll just focus on the match. After wishing her best friend and student good luck, she stood on the side of the bench furthest from Matatagi.

The Sandorians continued their dirty plays. As expected with Barga calling the shots. And the alien himself was actively beating them all up as well.

In the midst of it all, Tenma and Kazelma clashed. Their kick power was equal and they sent each other back. That was when the ball reached Barga once again. Just as he kicked it Tenma's way, the captain of Sandorias blocked it with his body.

That seemed to be the eye-opener the rest of his team needed.

With Kami no Takuto Fire Illusion, the ball reached Ichikawa. With his nimbleness (and grace like the kabuki actor he is), he got past Barga and headed for the goal.

Here it comes!

Similarly to Konoha, a blue light engulfed him. A golden lion took his place, pouncing for the goal. It let out a big roar and the ball broke through Sand Knock, heading straight into the goal.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Mizukawa eyed the coach, who was smirking just a second ago.

"He had already awakened to his power, in order to perform as the Lion King in kabuki."

"So that's how you discovered him."

"The team needed someone to act as the trigger to awaken their beast."

"Which is why you needed him on the team."

He didn't say anything more. Not that he needed to.

Ichikawa had demonstrated more than enough to get his point across.

And to make things even better, after realizing none of the Sandorians would listen to him anymore, Barga left the field. The rest of the match continued fairly.

Kazelma got to show off his own Soul. It was a giant, yellow lizard with spikes on its head. He took the ball underground and swam through the sand before leaping over Minaho, getting through.

He then made a shot with Dust Javelin, which evened the score between them once again.

In the next kick off, he used his soul to get past Tenma, but was stopped similarly by Konoha. She passed the ball to the brunette, who kicked it up front with all his might. With the lighter gravity, he hoped that the ball would reach the striker waiting for him all the way across the field.

It did.

"Bicylce Sword!"

The keeper used Sand Knock once again, but was unable to stop it this time.

As expected! Nice job, Kyou!

He only smirked in reply.

Then, three whistles came.

"Yay! That's over! Earth Eleven has won this fierce contest!"

Even so, they couldn't celebrate for very long. Murmurs came. They were followed by groans and sniffles, which eventually turned into sobs and wails of despair. The audience was devastated.

After the tournament, Sandorias will be invaded.

~~~~~

"Kazelma and the rest of his team said they had no regrets, though."

"Yeah, but the rest of the planet definitely hates you all."

She couldn't stop herself from sighing. "Can't you put it in a nicer way?"

"There's nothing nice about any of this, Kiko." On the other side of the screen, her 'brother' was playing with a coin. Or maybe it was an inactive sphere device. "You're basically leaving every other planet to be consumed while Earth goes on its merry life."

"W-Well..."

"Not that I'm complaining, really."

"Zanark!"

He smirked. "Alright, alright. I'll quit messing around."

She let out another sigh before glancing over her shoulder. Once she made sure that her yelling remained unheard, she turned back to her bracelet. "Can you... Can you tell me something?"

"Something."

She gave him a look. "Really?"

"No need to beat around the bush. Just shoot what you want to shoot."

"Ugh... Then, can you tell me if every other planet out there really will be taken over by Faram Orbius? Like, what is the galaxy's state in the future?"

"Assuming you don't change anything, that black hole problem was nullified."

Wait, what? "Meaning?"

"Everyone gets to live on the planet they're all born in. No one gets invaded or destroyed. The black hole was erased before any harm was done."

Her jaw dropped. Once she fully processed those words, she let a smile show. "T-That's great then! How will we get there?"

"Oh, you're gonna hate it."

... What.

"I'm better off not telling you."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

He didn't.

"I-Is it really that bad...?"

"In a way." He leaned back on his bike's chair. "That's why I'm keeping my mouth shut, just this once. History should play out correctly as long as you guys keep winning."

"I thought you didn't care about the rules."

"I don't. I just don't want to be thrown into MUGEN again after having my name cleared. I mean, I could escape easily enough, it's just a hassle to have to do it every so often." He flipped the coin one last time before reaching for the monitor. "See you, kid."

And the call ended there.

Just in time too. Aoi had found her hiding in a corner, and she told her of how the others were waiting by the lobby. So, she decided to push aside all the dread she was beginning to feel.

Whatever it was that she wasn't going to like wouldn't happen that soon.

...

Right?

~~~~~

As they walked back to the station, they noticed how many of the residents were staring at them loathingly. Either that, or they weren't looking at them at all.

"We won, but I'm left with a bad aftertaste." Ibuki described the feeling best.

Then, they heard a familiar cry. Pixie appeared nearby and began floating into the distance. Tenma ran after it, asking Aoi to take care of his bag. So they all headed for their train without him.

Kimiko, as usual, followed Tsurugi to his room. He sat by his desk while she occupied his bed. They sat in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's companies for once instead of bantering, with him reviewing strategies on his tablet.

But the moment of peace was shatered when they both heard strange whirring sounds.

So, she got up and beat him to the door. "I'll check it out. You just focus on your thingy."

"Be careful."

"What's there to be careful of?"

"We're on an alien planet. What isn't there to be careful of?"

"... Fair point. But I'll be fine! I'm a Second Stage Child after all!"

Ignoring whatever comment he was going to make next, she closed the door behind her and followed the source of the noise. It came from Tenma's room.

Raising an eyebrow, she knocked first. When no reply came, she excused herself and opened the door, finding the lights off with no one inside. She then flipped the light switch.

"You're..."

Standing in the center of the room was another Pixie. Dark purple in color.

The one from her dream.

She crouched down to its level just as it peered up to her with curious eyes.

"Hello there..." She began, slightly unsure if she should reach out to it or not. "Do you... recognize me?"

"Piku!" It started flying around her.

Just as she was about to ask where it came from, a rather loud thud came from down the corridor. She peeked out of the still opened door and found her best friend lying on the floor with... her best friend standing above him? There seemed to be one more person too, but she couldn't see them clearly and didn't care about that at the moment. Tsurugi Kyousuke had multiplied in existence somehow.

How is that even possible...? Her eyes narrowed on the one still standing. No, that's not... I can't read that one's mind. Then, that means...!

Her thoughts were interrupted by another loud thud. Behind her, Tenma's ball had fallen from the bed. It seems the Pixie had accidentally pushed it off as it opened a window to escape outside. Then, she heard footsteps heading her way.

Crap!

Without thinking, she teleported out to the other end of the train.

"Ah..." The moment her feet landed on the rocks, the reality of what she did just hit her. You stupid fuck! Kyousuke's getting kidnapped and you went out here instead?! "I have to hurry back in there!"

But the Pixie got in her way. Before she could protest, it was engulfed in a bright light and the man she immediately recognized from her dream appeared before her.

"Greetings, Kimiko Gouenji of the planet Earth. I am Acrous Obies, King of Faram Orbius."

"Okay, cool, I don't care. Let me― Let me through! I need to save my friend!"

"I cannot allow that."

"What?!"

"Your friend plays a vital role in saving our world, and in turn, the galaxy. It is destiny that he is brought before the throne of Faram, as the fate of our planet lies in the hands of the blue planet, seven lights away."

The fact that he looks so similar to her friend makes it hard for her to make a rebuttal. But not impossible. "I don't care what your so-called-destiny says. He's our teammate. He's my friend. Like hell I'm letting anyone take him away!" She felt energy gathering in her hand. A trick she learned from Meia.

But he remained unfazed. "I have been watching you all since you arrived on this planet. I understand how important he is to you. However, don't you believe that this is bigger than that?"

The energy on her hand grew bigger. "Whatever you want to say, say it fast."

It seemed he finally understood that she wasn't going to accept any bullshit. He let out a sigh. "It is fate that your planet will fight against ours, for that is what will save the universe. I trust someone with your wisdom would be able to understand the weight of this situation."

She didn't reply. The energy ball was still glowing. She could throw it at any time.

"As such, I'm sure you are aware of what I would like to ask of you." But again, he wasn't scared in the slightest. "Make sure this secret is kept from the rest of the Earth Eleven. You should already know why."

She pursed her lips. If any of them finds out that Kyou's gone... She shook her head. "Then you better tell me where you're taking him, or else...!"

"After all I've said, regarding the state of the universe and how he could help save it, you still choose to be stubborn?"

Alright. She's had it. "If it means Kyousuke would be safe, then I'll burn the universe down myself!" She threw it towards him...

And the ball of energy disappeared.

What?!

"You have intended for your compacted life energy to explode upon impact with a corporeal being. Unfortunately," The man began glowing. "I am no longer corporeal."

He absorbed it?! No longer corporeal... That means he's a...

If it was any other day, under any other circumstance, she probably would've been scared out of her mind (Or not... She does know Shuu). But today, the only reaction she could give was the click of her tongue. "I can't get anything out of you, can I?"

"Please accept my sincerest apologies." He started dissipating into light. "I will now take my leave. I promise you that no harm will befall him and that you will see him again. Until then."

Only when he disappeared completely did she utter her reply.

"I'll make sure I do."