Zaria and Nonoka quickly rushed over to Omariro, grabbing his arms and throwing fits.
"Sir!" Zaria begged. "Please, one more chance! Please don't sit us out, I need this!"
"I'm sorry!" Nonoka apologized. "That was on me! I won't mess up again, sir! Promise!"
Omariro tapped his staff on the ground. "Sit."
They both hung their heads and sat down, and Omariro pointed his staff at Rei, Han, and Rika. "Children in."
They nodded. "Yes, sir!"
Soren watched as the trio took their places, with Rika standing in front. "I can take the hits, guys! I've got one more charge in me!"
"Then we'd better make it count. Without Mr. Nyugawa or those two on the field, we don't have any primary DPS."
"I can handle that!" Rei giggled.
"Alright then. I'll stun them."
As soon as Shizuru called it out, Soren's turrets unleashed a barrage of scrolls. Rei put her shield up, but as soon as one hit her shield, it destabilized and disappeared.
"What?" Rei questioned. "My shield got…cancelled out!"
"Yes," Soren confirmed. "Those are sealing scrolls. They mess with and seal Jugen. Perfect for capture, even better for immobilization."
He motioned to his wife and daughter. "Now!"
Sora and Serika unleashed a music-stone combo attack.
〈Reaction Triggered: Earthly Hum.〉
The music travelled through the stone, which amplified it, and as the shockwave headed for Han, Rika took the blow.
"Gah!"
Her body began vibrating as Han caught her. "You alright?"
"Y—yeah."
The shockwave bounced back, hitting the two and sending them flying into the out-of-bounds zone.
"Great job, Rika!" Rei clapped. "You got two of them!"
"What was that?" Rika asked. "It's like their powers merged!"
"A reaction attack!" Rei explained. "Mahōshi's can use elemental reactions to deal more damage!"
"Why haven't I heard of this yet?"
"I don't know!"
"7-3!" Shizuru called out. "Switch!"
"You did it, Big Sis Rika! Keep it up!" Sōshin cheered.
"Rika has all of our points," Zaria realized. "Why am I flopping? What is wrong with me? I'm the stronger one, but she's…carrying?"
Seiya, Souji, and Komachi all hopped into the arena.
"Sōshin, you weren't kidding!" Souji gasped. "You really DID get in contact with Mr. Nyugawa!"
Sōshin nodded. "Yep!"
"Eh, no matter. We'll just embarrass his current students and then convince him to take us instead!"
"You wish," Han scoffed. "Like we'd let that happen—-!"
"Begin!" Shizuru announced.
A torrent of water hit Han, sending him flying back into Rika. As Souji sent a blast of water toward her, Rei matched it with a moonlight blast.
〈Reaction Triggered: Pale Water's Glow.〉
The two elements merged, exploding in a dazzling light that blinded everyone in the ring. Han instinctively formed his cube. "Cube: Scan for Solutions!"
[*3* Solutions Found.]
"Use the best one!"
[Firing Electric Net.]
A net popped out from Han's cube, but Seiya easily knocked it out of the air with a spiked ball and chain.
"Too slow, kid," he remarked.
Rei fired a moonlight blast at the metal ball, causing it to reflect and hit Komachi, sending her stumbling out of bounds.
"Out!" Shizuru pointed. "7-4!"
"Yes! You're doing amazing, Ms. Rei!" Sarina clapped.
Rei waved in response, but Komachi interrupted her with a gravity kick, launching her into the wall.
"8-4!" Shizuru yelled.
"Girl unfocused," Omariro noted.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Omariro! I'll make sure I do better!" she replied.
Nonoka sat on the side, folding her arms and pouting.
"I need to get back out there!" she thought. "He thinks I'm just a liability, but I'm the second-best here! I'll show him, I'll impress him! He's stronger than Dad…I can't mess this up!"
Rei fired two moonlight blasts from her hands, forcing Komachi to form an asteroid to block them.
BOOM.
The asteroid exploded, and Han took advantage by firing a smoke bomb.
"Whoa!" Rika gasped. "When did you learn that move?"
"Recently! Rei, fire!"
Rei fired a blast into the smoke, and when it cleared, she noticed Seiya had a foot out of bounds, his weapon raised.
"Yep, that's out!" Shizuru pointed. "8-5!"
"Tsk, how stupid of me," Seiya grumbled.
Souji held out a hand, a watery vortex swirling within it. "Jugen-Mahōshi: Nami no Gekiryū!"
The water blasted like a massive wave, hitting Han, Rei, and Rika, knocking them out of the ring.
"Ooh, that's a tough one!" Shizuru stated. "11-5! Sub!"
"Better luck next time, Ms. Rei!" Sarina remarked.
The three sulked as they headed back to their sideline, and Omariro analyzed each kid, all of whom were ready to be picked
"Boy," Omariro pointed to Sōshin.
He looked between Zaria and Nonoka. "Must stagger incompatible girls. Come, girl."
He pointed to Zaria, who got up in a heap of joy. "Oh, thank you, sir! I won't let you down!"
Nonoka's face turned red, but she managed to hide it.
Omariro casually stepped into the ring, the others behind him. As soon as he did, all three of the opponents breathed a little faster.
"Okay," Souji realized. "We all know what we gotta do, right?"
"Do our best to contain the legend in front of us?" Komachi replied. "While also scoring points on the dead weight?"
"Yeah, basically."
"That's going to be a chore," Seiya told them. "But I'll leave the old man to you two. My brother and Zaria should be an easy task."
"Begin!" Shizuru ordered.
Souji and Komachi immediately fired water blasts and asteroids at Omariro respectively, but the latter clapped his hands, causing the attacks to disappear.
"Hey, no way—-!"
Before they could react, Omariro appeared behind them, sending them both out of bounds with a whack of his staff.
"11-7! Sub!"
Souji and Komachi rubbed their heads.
"It's like he came out of nowhere…" Souji groaned.
"We're not ready…" Komachi admitted.
"Yes, you are," Hakuryū assured them. "Because now I will be joining you."
"Wait, he can fight?" Zaria questioned. "I thought all he did was talk crap and give people crap!"
"A foolish assumption," he mocked. "Ask your master. I used to be his sparring partner back in his days on the island."
"What?"
Omariro nodded. "Man attacks. Let's see if rusty."
Hakuryū clapped his hands together, and a large lance formed in his hand.
"Jugen-Tōshi: Kōsei Saiban no Sō!"
Without hesitation, he lunged at Omariro, who blocked all his attacks with one hand. As Omariro pushed him back, Souji and Komachi quickly headed for the others.
"Come on!" Souji yelled. "Let's take them out while Mr. Hakuryū keeps their leader busy!"
Sōshin waved as they approached. "Hey, guys!"
Souji fired a torrent at him. "Hey, kid! Time to lose!"
He touched his body and zoomed out of the way, as Zaria stopped him. "Okay, you can move fast, right, Sōshin?"
"Yep!"
Zaria launched her spear into Komachi's asteroid before turning back to Sōshin. "Do you think you could spin me around fast enough to knock these jerks over?"
"Sure thing, Friend Zaria!"
"Okay, waiting on you!"
Sōshin grabbed her arm, spinning her like a top.
"Okay! Too fast! Too fast!"
Sōshin flung her at Souji, causing them both to fly into the out-of-bounds area.
"Double out!" Shizuru announced. 12-8! Mr. Nyugawa's team, sub!"
"Hmph," Omariro remarked.
"We can't keep letting them get multiple outs!" Rika realized. "That gives them a head start every round!"
"Yeah, well, when their entire team is stronger than each of us but Mr. Nyugawa, it makes it pretty hard."
Omariro pointed to Nonoka and Han. "Boy. Girl."
"Phew," Nonoka said, relieved. "Thanks for betting on me, sir."
Han shook his head. "Ugh, great, she's gonna cost us."
Souji narrowed his eyes. "Wait, he's staying in?"
"Focus," Hakuryū warned. "Make him sub out."
"Begin!"
Omariro sent Hakuryū flying into the out-of-bounds zone with one jab of his staff.
"Out! 12-9!"
Komachi stomped the ground, causing Nonoka and Han to hit the floor painfully.
"The hell is she doing?" Nonoka asked.
"She's a Gravity Mahōshi!" Han answered. "Crazy woman can send us flying with a flick of her wrist!"
"Please! Maybe you, but not me!"
Nonoka touched her neck. "Jugen-Sōunsha: Noroi no Sukiru Kyōka!"
〈Buff Applied. 200% Buff to All Party Members.〉
"Now you wanna buff everyone?" Han questioned.
"Oh, you're not special! I'm doing it because Mr. Nyugawa is here, not you!"
"Whatever! Just do something useful!"
With greater speed than before, Nonoka raced up and punched Komachi in the face, temporarily stunning her. Without missing a beat, she pushed her into the out-of-bounds zone.
"Out! 12-10! Sub!"
Sora and Soren came back in alongside Hakuryū, who nodded toward them.
"Ahh. With you two here, this will be much easier."
"Don't get too cocky, pal," Soren warned. "We still have that problem to deal with."
He motioned to Omariro, who was forming a circular blade in his hand.
"The hell? What's he doing—?" Soren questioned.
"Quick!" Sora exclaimed. "The wall!"
"Jugen-Tōshi: Mugengan no Ōgonjin!"
Omariro launched the blade at them just as Soren formed his wall. The blade knocked off the turrets before returning to Omariro's hand, shocking all of the kids.
"Did you know he could do that?" Nonoka asked.
"Nope! I'm still learning just how strong he is, like you!" Han replied.
Hakuryū flung his lance at the two, but Omariro caught it. "Children focus."
They nodded. "Yes, sir!"
Hakuryū jumped down, his lance returning to his hand. He unleashed a spinning strike at Omariro, who dodged, and proceeded to slide past him to attack the others.
"Ahh, the shrimp!"
He unleashed powerful thrusts at Nonoka, who narrowly avoided them. As another aimed straight for her temple, Han used a wire to pull her out of the way.
"Hey, don't touch me!" she demanded.
"I just saved your ass, you'd better be happy!"
"You didn't save shit!"
Omariro tapped his staff, and they immediately quieted down. Hakuryū stabbed his lance into the ground, and the light proceeded to blind Han and Nonoka.
"The Blinding Lance of Judgment," Hakuryū commented. "Selfish fools with ego cannot withstand it."
He ripped it out, sending the duo sprawling back. Han fired a wire into the other end of the wall, grabbing Nonoka's arm and pulling her along.
"Let go!"
"Okay, if that's what you want!"
He flung her at Hakuryū, tripping him and causing his lance to fly into the air. Nonoka took advantage and pushed him toward the out-of-bounds zone.
"12-11!"
Rika clapped. "There we go! Nice teamwork!"
"That wasn't teamwork!" they insisted.
"Oh, yes it was!" Rika jabbed.
Meanwhile, in the center, Omariro was busy spinning his blade around, deflecting the scrolls from Soren's attacks.
"Dear, give me a boost!"
Sora opened her mouth, and a wave of musical energy erupted, but Omariro withstood it, throwing his blade off the walls and causing the blunt part to hit Soren, knocking him out of bounds.
"12-12! Tied game!"
"Are you okay, Dear?" Sora asked.
"Yes! Continue the battle! Get him off!"
In response, she unleashed more musical shockwaves at the distracted Nonoka and Han, causing them to hit the walls.
"Two outs! 14-12!"
"Get your heads in the game!" Zaria called out.
Nonoka kicked herself up, attempting to sweep Hakuryū's legs from under him, but he easily avoided it.
"I see now," Hakuryū noticed. "You're all talent, but no chemistry."
"That's a lie! I have great chemistry with my master!"
"Is the team one man? Or a collective?"
"You talk too much," Nonoka growled. "Time to shut you up."
She tackled him, and they began clashing. After a few blows, Hakuryū used the brunt of his lance to smack Nonoka out, but she pulled him alongside her.
"Double out! Mr. Nyugawa, pick your subs!"
Meanwhile—-
At the entrance to the island, the guards noticed a small speedboat arriving, and once it stopped, they immediately raised their weapons.
"Halt! Who are you?"
A female in a coat walked up to the entrance, with a small group behind her. "Is this Shikōki Island?"
"Yes. Unless you have an invitation here, I suggest you step back!"
They quickly grabbed her arms, but in an instant, she lifted them by their necks, a predatory glint in her eye.
"You've got some nerve, kittens."
The wind caused her hood to drop, revealing a familiar face.
"You!" a guard recognized. "You're that Huntress!"
"Smart prey. Now then, answer wisely before I cut out your tongue."
She broke the other one's neck in an instant.
"Is Omariro Nyugawa on this island?"
——-