The cheers of the crowd were still echoing when Riku stepped off Platform C, Bolt resting on his shoulder.
Toma ran toward him, waving both arms. "RIKU!! You did it! That shockwave move—bro, where did that even COME from?!"
Riku forced a shaky smile. "I… don't know. It just happened during the fight."
Bolt narrowed his eyes. "That purple spark again… I don't like it."
But before Riku could respond—
BZZZT—
The giant holographic screen suddenly flickered again.
The stadium went silent.
The announcer's voice cracked. "Uh… ladies and gentlemen… we seem to have a—"
The screen shattered into static.
And then a new single message appeared:
> "SUBJECT-09: LOCATED."
"RETRIEVAL UNIT: ENTERING ARENA."
The temperature in the arena dropped.
Riku felt his heartbeat freeze.
"…They found me."
Bolt stiffened. "No. No no no—Riku, that's the organization. They're HERE."
Toma blinked in confusion. "Riku? What does that mean? Who's 'they'—?"
[Scene 1 – The Infiltration]
The arena doors slammed open.
TAP.
TAP.
TAP.
Six figures walked in slowly, their coats long, symbols glowing faintly on their shoulders.
Their movements were too calm.
Too coordinated.
Too terrifying.
Some audience members laughed nervously, thinking it was a performance.
But the fighters felt it first—
the killing intent.
The leader stepped forward.
A tall woman with silver hair and an emotionless face.
Mechanical eye glowing red.
Her voice was cold enough to freeze steel.
"Subject-09. Riku Aven.
By order of the Core Dominion…
you are to be returned immediately."
Riku stepped back, trembling. "No… not again…"
Bolt growled, sparks rising. "You're not taking him!!"
Toma grabbed Riku's arm. "Riku—what is going on?!"
Riku whispered: "Those people… they're the reason I escaped. They used kids. They wanted to force evolution. I was supposed to be a weapon…"
Toma's eyes widened.
The leader raised her hand.
"All units.
Proceed."
[Scene 2 – Chaos in the Arena]
The six members burst forward.
Blue barriers.
Shadow chains.
Wind blades.
Gravity pulses.
Audience members screamed. Fighters scrambled.
One member pointed directly at Riku.
"Target identified. Engaging."
A wave of crushing pressure shot toward him—
Bolt leapt in front, lightning exploding as a shield.
"Riku—RUN!!"
Riku gritted his teeth. "No. I'm tired of running."
The pulse inside his arm thudded painfully.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Purple lightning crawled up his fingers.
The leader narrowed her eyes. "Unstable evolution detected. Increase capture urgency."
Toma shouted: "HEY!! This is a tournament!! You can't just—!!!"
A blast of wind knocked him aside.
Riku's rage boiled. "DON'T TOUCH HIM!!"
He charged forward—
but the leader simply raised one finger.
A gravitational force slammed Riku to his knees.
"Resistance unnecessary," she said calmly.
"You belong to us."
Bolt screamed: "RIKUUUU!!!"
Riku pushed against the invisible weight, veins burning with violet sparks.
"No…
I don't belong…
to ANYONE!!"
[Scene 3 – The Unknown Savior]
Just as the leader reached toward Riku's neck—
A thunderous roar shook the arena.
ROOOOOOOOAR!!
The ceiling cracked.
The shadowy, dragon-like spirit seen earlier descended from above—
its eyes glowing with ancient light.
The leader snapped: "Unregistered spirit! Defensive positions!"
The spirit landed between Riku and the organization.
Riku gasped. "You're… the one watching me…"
The spirit's voice echoed through Riku's mind:
> "Your evolution is not theirs to control."
"Stand, child. The storm is yours."
Bolts of blue and violet lightning burst around Riku.
He rose to his feet.
The entire arena trembled.
Toma whispered: "What… is happening…?"
The leader took one step back—
for the first time showing fear.
"Evolution… advancing too quickly. This is bad."