He lifts his flare gun and fires.

Announcer: GOOOOOOOO!

--- Chapter 84 ---

As the flare shoots into the air, everyone leaps on their partner and begins running. Attacks begin to whiz by and barrel all over the place. Hiro jumps on Red’s back. Reds insignia grows, consuming his whole body in red. The color fades, and his clothing changes. He is wearing a sleeveless red jacket, that is unbuttoned. His chest showing and his pants become shorts that are frayed on the bottom. His head has a fire decaled headband. Red readies himself, before bursting forward at incredible speeds. Luna and El’s group begin their plan. Luna pushes herself up onto Togi’s shoulders. El, and her new purple-haired friend, jump on Togi’s sides, and she carries all three of them. The purple-haired girl’s satellite begins to shift and move around. She leans in and whispers into Togi’s ear. Togi nods and begins running in. Everyone around them is falling into traps or monsters. But they run, and eventually, there is no one around them.

Purple: T-there’s a bomb trap, 40 feet ahead.

Togi: Thanks!

Togi leaps over the bomb trap and continues at an expedient pace. The purple-haired girl looks back.

Purple: T-there’s two people following us. About 50 feet back and gaining on us.

Togi: Right. Luna, El, plan stone-henge!

They nod, Luna brings out one of her tablets. Bursting from the grass behind them is Red running with Hiro on his back, with his eye glowing tracking them down.

Luna: Red?!

He smiles as there running. The purple-haired girl quickly looks into the forest to the side.

Purple: T-theres people coming! A-a-a lot of them!

They all quickly look to the side. Members from Zengoku run from there. There are around 8 teams of two. One of the riders Brings his fist back and punches forward, his arm extending at the ladies. Luna, with quick thinking, summons a golem. His fist sends cracks through it.

Red: Hey, this would be a good chance to take the lead, or do you wanna help the ladies out?

Hiro: When you put it like that…

They both smile. Hiro jumps up on Red’s shoulders and leaps up on a branch, spinning around it, before angling his feet toward two of the teams. His shoes have two circles on the bottom at the heels, with pieces that allow them to open up and close. Suddenly the hole opens up, and two steel poles rocket from his heels. Two riders look over and take a pole to the face knocking them down. Suddenly, four copies of the same person appear, grab the participants that were knocked out, and disappear. Red, now not holding onto Hiro, brings both hands out. Red energy flows out of them as he brings them apart, forming a spear. He swiftly runs and swings the spear, causing it to grow and sweep several riders off onto the ground. The spear absorbs back into Red, and Hiro drops back onto his back. And they begin running again.

Hiro: There far away by now, I don’t think we can get there before them!

Red: I can speed up, but you have to hold on tight.

Hiro: Really? You sound like a dad giving their kid a shoulder ride.

Red: Just hold on.

Hiro: Fine fine.

Red: Foundation. Exo speed.

His insignia forms on his back and takes a position on his back with its wings spread, head facing up, and tail down. The tail splits into two, and extends down his leg, forming a line down the back of his leg. Then lines spread out from it, circling part of his legs. He gets ready, and dashes forward, faster than he’s ever run. As they are running, they see a stone wall, with an entrance downward, and the proctor lady standing out front. Luna and her group are almost at the finish line.

Red: We. Will. Be. First!

He yells this, he lets go of Hiro, and he tightens his grip. He lifts his hands, generating two spears. He stabs the blades into the ground and makes the sticks extend, giving him an extra boost. He crosses the finish line. Followed by Luna’s group.

Red: We did it! We got first!

Hiro: Hell yeah we did! You had some sick moves man!

Red: Your eyes are the only reason we one man!

???: First? Who decided that?

They quickly look around but see no one.

Red: Who said that!

Next to the proctor, it seems space starts to distort in a small space. And the color begins to fade to a bright green ooze-like substance. The ooze parts, revealing the white-haired boy, with a kid on his back.

Red: No way… When did you-

???: As expected, you didn’t pick up on it.

Red: Pick up on what?

???: When the proctor said starting now anything goes, I quickly found a partner, and used my arcana. I went invisible and followed the lady here.

Red: Isn’t that cheating?!

Proctor: Nope, if I caught him, I would have thrown him out, but that’s perfectly legal.

Red: Damn.

The ground begins to shake, and a kid bursts out of the ground. His hands together, fingers forming a drill. His fingers return to a normal hand. A girl is holding on tightly, wearing an amalgamation of different sweaters and clothes.

???: Late as ever Fang, seems I beat you this time as well.

Fang: Damn you, Leo.

This Fang guy seems genuinely angry at the now-named Leo’s taunts. A voice chimes in.

???: Huh, are we there?

A man with red hair says, rubbing his eyes as if he was sleeping. He is riding on the back of the cloaked figure Red had seen earlier. They just showed up, without any real indication of their arrival. A boy wearing a mask comes chugging along carrying the Maskrah student who is supposed “The most likely to win” on his back. A man with bags under his eyes shows up carrying Ryan’s little sister on his back. Two of the people the master said to be careful of fly-in, on seemingly nothing. It’s a girl, with black hair and purple highlights, and a boy as the rider with short black hair. And with a burst of air, the third of the three flys in and lands. The guy on his back seems to be horrified.

Red: This, is going to get a lot more interesting.