> Filia chided. <> Her blizzowl enjoyed debating battle tactics.

Blizzy took in the scene and turned serious. >

Although this was the semi-finals, the stands were overflowing. Everyone knew she was the last contestant who stood a chance of toppling the immortal champion. The winner would take home the trophy.

Filia placed her selected cards on the podium and signaled she was ready. These matches were a contest between rosters of six sukemon. Only one was active at a time, and each turn the trainer would select one of its four abilities or swap out the sukemon for another. The structure was simple, but the strategy was deep.

“BEGIN.”

Tetris, her Leadoff sukemon, appeared in the arena. Opposite the fire turtle appeared a giant armadillos whose body shone with a metallic glint. I’m sorry Tetris. The monster facing them was a dullrock, a ultra rare sukemon with only a couple of copies confirmed to exist. Thanks to its ability ‘earthly sycronization’, it’d take on the properties of any mineral or metal placed on top of its shell. Geordan had chosen the purest white mithril, making the damn thing immune to all physical damage. With secondary abilities negating status effects and poisons, only extreme heat and cold had any effect on the creature.

They both entered their moves, and the arena’s system immediately blared out.

“DULLROCK USES STONE HAIL”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Stones appeared in the air, smashing down with great force. Filia winced as Tetris endured the onslaught, its skin turning dark all over. Sukemons didn’t bleed. Whatever liquid ran through their veins instantly coagulated into blackish patches. Finally, it ended and it was their turn.

“VOLCANOR USES LAVA BLAST.”

Tetris’s cannons shot out molten rock, blanketing its opponent and the arena. The dullrock shook, slightly in pain, but weathered the attack. With that, the first round had ended.

<> Blizzy complained.

> Filia responded. The Dullrock was the first roadblock to defeating Geordan Price. Most contestants lost their entire teams to the sukemon. The next round will determine everything.

“DULLROCK USES STONE HAIL”

Again, a barrage pounded Tetris, and Filia prayed silently. Once the dust cleared, she was overjoyed to see Tetris somehow standing.

“VOLCANOR USES FINAL GAMBIT.”

This was one of the two abilities she’d had Tetris learn in preparation for this showdown. The first consumed all a sukemon’s remaining stamina to repeat the last attack with twice the power. The second ability was last stand, which increased attack strength at low stamina.

Tetris released a jet of blinding white-hot magma. The dullrock rolled around frantically before fainting and disappearing. Yes, we did it! Tetris collapsed, vanishing as well. Thank you. The crowd cheered, thrilled to see her putting up a fight.

Before she could chose her next sukemon, deafening thunder roared through the stadium. Glancing up, she saw lightning strikes flying up and smashing against the city’s protective barrier. Geordan Price reacted first, jumping on top of stadium. Filia followed and was aghast.

A dozen rifts had opened and demonic beasts were pouring into the streets. Among them were towering monsters whose intimidating aura dwarfed the rest, their claws and talons already drenched in blood.

“Protect the stadium.” Geordan instructed. “I’ll deal with the sovereigns.”

Filia nodded. Dropping to the ground, she fused Daisy, her frenzyraptor, and shouted, “Wind Scythes!”

Invisible blades slew out in front of her, slicing demonic beasts while missing the fleeing citizens. Despite her overwhelming battle lust, Daisy was also her most precise sukemon, perfect for this chaos. She repeated her attack, clearing the block of invaders.

> Daisy laughed.

Hearing screams for help, Filia winced but didn’t move. Behind her, the tournament’s contestants and spectators were escaping towards an area not yet overrun. If she left this spot, an entire generation of promising sukemon trainers would be wiped.

Why did it happen? In the distance, an immortal in silver and black was struggling against a shaggy gray wendigo and vicious winged snake. Meanwhile, hordes continued to pour out of the rifts. Where are the ninjas? Where is Joana Louborn?

The pavement next to her exploded, releasing a cloud of debris. Geordan Price lay in the crater, a golden spear impaling his side. Seeing her, he rushed over and pressed a pouch into her hands. “Here, take these!” He then yelled out, “Oberon!”

With unbelievable swiftness, a winged human-shaped figure appeared before them, and Filia’s mind went blank recognizing the armored blue scales. Oberon, the herald of the right… It was her first time witnessing the legendary dragon knight, an immortal level sukemon.

“Take her to safety!” Geordan commanded.

> Oberon replied calmly.

“Please.” Geordan entreated.

“Do you really expect me to let her get away?” Asked a jovial voice. Not twenty yards away, an unnaturally handsome man was walking towards them. A deep dread gripped Filia. Not him again.

“I might not have given her everything.” Geordan answered coldly. “And if you chase after her, I’ll escape.”

“True.” Laughing Man agreed. “I should kill you first.”

“GO!” Geordan shouted, readying his sword.

Before Filia understood what was happening, she was in Oberon’s arms being carried away from the carnage.

“Wait, we’re going the wrong way.” Filia realized. They were headed northwest into the twisted lands.

> Oberon answered. > There was angry edge to his voice.

Filia lay back, gripped with feelings of guilt and relief as the scenery raced by. I hope tournament goers got out safely.

> Oberon announced, somehow accelerating. <>

Filia leaned over to watch their rear. For a while there was nothing. Then a she saw a golden speck approach.

“He’s here!” She warned.

Oberon spun and reached out a hand. >

A hundred black great swords materialized around them and weaved themselves together into a shield, intercepting a flurry of golden spears. The impact produced a shockwave which knocked them to a strand of earth.

When they got up, the Laughing Man was besides them, waiting. “Just where did you think you were going?” He chuckled.

With something resembling a smile, Oberon answered. <>

Eyes going wide, the Laughing Man evaded just as the ground beneath him was ripped apart. He landed on a far off rock and stared at the figure which stood between them.

A grin slowly spread on the face of the giant red-haired cat woman. “You haven’t run away…” She glanced back at the two she was protecting. “They must have something you want badly.”

“Kara…” The laughing man grimaced. “Of all the nuisances who could interfere, it had to be you.”

“Let’s fight.” Kara leaped forwards with glee.

In a state of shock, Filia watched the two supreme immortals battle across the warped landscape.