Riley's eyes snapped open as she found herself in the heart of the Colosseum.
Instantly, she sprang into action and rushed to her teammates, remembering that there was no room for delay in this game mode. Lance was already awake, leaving Shade and Link as her focus.
The urgency was palpable; they had to prepare swiftly before the enemy could thwart their plans.
"I could dash in and catch someone off guard, you know," Ace proposed to the team as Team Astra's consciousness and strategic intent became evident.
Quinn turned her attention to Ash, curious about his response. It seemed that, for him, the task at hand took precedence over the details of their plan.
"Just to be safe, I suggest we refrain from any reckless actions we might regret later," Quinn advised, after a quick assessment of their odds.
"Is there anything we need to know about this team before progressing?" Siren asked to gain information ahead of time.
Quinn briefly closed her eyes before opening them back and sharing insights with Siren and the rest of her team.
"Lance is the greatest threat since his knowledge of battle is second to none and his ability can be a problem since we don't know how much energy it takes or how many weapons he can spawn at the same time. I'd say the best way to win against him is to either fight him all at once or for someone to duo with Ash to fight him.
Riley's greatest feat that I have witnessed is her stamina. I'd say it's possibly the most among all the demigods so far, so don't battle her with the intent to wear her out or test her endurance.
Shade is the most cunning among them all, so you have to make sure you know where he is at all times when you're engaging. He could also be hiding in his shadows and can control you through yours, so be wary of that.
As for my brother... just don't let him outsmart you. He may look dumb but he's probably the most unpredictable person on the team since I don't have any advice to give against him."
Ace appeared surprised by Quinn's emphasis on Link, but he chalked it up to just be sibling bias. Siren nodded in agreement with Quinn's counsel as he prepared himself for the upcoming battle. Ash seemed indifferent to the advice but still lent an ear, perhaps out of respect for Quinn.
"We'll stick to teamwork until it proves ineffective. If that happens, we should consider pairing up or maintaining visual contact," Quinn suggested after a moment.
It appeared that Team Astra had a well-thought-out strategy to secure their desired victory.
"It's starting," Ash whispered, grabbing the team's attention, and refocusing them on their opponents.
As they turned, they realized that Team Solar was already awake. One member, Riley, had her palms pressed firmly against the ground.
Suddenly, the entire Colosseum trembled violently as massive tree roots burst forth from the ground, growing higher and higher from various spots in the area.
Quinn acted quickly, generating force fields to shield her entire team. However, the relentless roots encroached upon the barriers, obscuring their vision and scattering Team Astra.
"Can you all hear my voice?" Quinn asked, attempting to establish telepathic contact with the rest.
"Yes," Siren replied. "It seems they intended to split us up."
"To think she had enough energy to envelop the entire Colosseum with roots. That's beyond impressive," Quinn remarked privately to the others.
"What's our plan now?" Ace inquired, realizing that their initial strategy had faltered before the battle had even commenced.
"For now, we need to regroup," Quinn responded. She didn't receive a verbal response from Ash, but she sensed his strange presence in their mental conversation, reassuring her of his well-being.
Meanwhile, on Team Solar's side, they stood atop a massive root that elevated them above the turmoil. Riley, however, had pushed herself to the brink of exhaustion, collapsing to her knees while remaining conscious.
"Are you alright?" Shade, concerned for her well-being, asked.
"Yeah, just went a bit overboard, haha," Riley replied as she gently laid on her back. "I think I'll rest here for a while."
"You did well. Take this time to recover while we proceed with the rest of the plan," Lance reassured Riley, who gave a thumbs-up before closing her eyes, fully aware that the battle was far from over.
Lance turned his attention to Shade, maintaining his instruction. "You know what to do."
"On it," Shade replied, stepping forward to where Riley had placed her palm to summon the roots. He then pressed his hand onto the root they were standing on, closing his eyes in concentration.
After a few tense seconds, Shade opened his eyes, signaling the completion of his task.
"One is positioned northwest of our location, at a good distance from the others. It seems to be a male, from what I can discern. The others are mainly in the northeast, with one slightly separated from the rest. Though, I think they're unaware of their proximity to one another for the time being," Shade reported as he rose to his feet.
Shade had harnessed his ability to track the shadows cast by the growing roots, enabling him to gain insight into the activities transpiring above the shadowy network. Although the immense energy required limited his use of these shadows for reconnaissance, it proved more than sufficient for their current needs.
"Great work, Walker," Lance commended Shade.
"We can wait for Greene to rejoin us while you proceed with the next phase," Lance added, shifting his attention to Link, who was positioned behind them.
"Is it my turn now?" Link inquired, to which Lance nodded, affirming Link's query. Link took a deep breath before gracefully leaping off the root they occupied, executing a superhero-like landing on the Colosseum's ground.
"Northwest, correct?" Link sought confirmation as he stood up.
"Correct. We'll proceed with the plan once Greene is mobile," Lance confirmed.
Link then continued forward, articulating a command. "Pixel, initiate protocol Eliminate."
Almost instantaneously, a response echoed, "Protocol E initiated."
Immediately, the screen on Link's mask dimmed, and soon after, crimson pixels mimicking menacing eyes illuminated the screen, bestowing Link with a menacing appearance.
As he advanced, even with the roots obstructing his path, two diminutive drones suddenly appeared beside him. Just before he reached the tangle of roots, the drones unleashed laser beams, vaporizing the vegetation and creating an opening for his passage.
"It's almost impossible to get out like this," Ace thought as he attempted to cut through the tangle of roots that ensnared him.
"Well, we can't have you depleting all your energy before facing the enemy," Quinn responded to him via telepathy.
"You know I don't use much energy while running, right?" Ace countered as he continued to sever the roots by vibrating his hand at a high frequency.
"Doesn't matter. Just stay vigilant," Quinn cautioned him, well aware of his tendency for recklessness. "We're quite spread out at the moment, so focus on regrouping for now."
Suddenly, Quinn sensed an unwelcome presence approaching Ace's location. "Ace!" she urgently called out. "Something's headed your way."
Ace pivoted as he detected a faint, drilling-like sound growing louder and nearer. He readied himself for what was to come as the menacing noise intensified and finally punched through the root right in front of him with concentrated lasers.
It was a drone.
"Enemy life form detected, initiating protocol E," the mechanized drone intoned. Immediately, a small gatling gun emerged from its underside, spraying a barrage of rubber bullets toward Ace.
Naturally, this posed no threat to Ace as he deftly caught each bullet with his bare hands, tossing the previously caught ones to the ground as he caught the newly fired ones. He had already formulated a plan for seizing an opportunity that was sure to arise.
As the drone eventually ceased fire, Ace sprinted toward it with astonishing speed, aiming to demolish it with his fists. However, just as he closed in, another drone materialized to his right, slamming into him mid-stride with tremendous speed and causing him to slam into the roots beside him.
"Ace, you okay?" Quinn inquired telepathically, sensing the jolt that ran through his mind.
"I'm fine," he responded, slowly rising to his feet while cradling his right side, where the impact was made.
A grin spread across his face as he surveyed the two drones before him. "This is getting fun," he remarked.
The presence of the encircling roots around the arena constrained Ace's mobility, making evasion challenging. To create an advantageous opening, he knew he had to enhance his abilities, contrary to Quinn's advice.
"Sorry, Quinn, but I have to use Nitro here," Ace thought.
"Alright, but just don't be reckless. My brother can be very intimidating when he's serious," Quinn replied. "Even though I can't tell him that." she thought to herself.
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The drone that had previously fired gave off a sound like it was reloading, prompting Ace to act swiftly. But before the drones could fire again, Ace vibrated both his hands and moved in a dynamic dance, slicing through the roots that confined him almost instantly.
The drones then retracted their weapons and swiftly replaced them with another one from a different chamber. Ace stood his ground, grinning at the drones as they readied their attacks. As they unleashed their firepower, Ace vanished, reappearing behind them, and causing both drones to crash to the ground immediately after.
Ace had moved at such incredible speed that he was already behind the drones before his assault had even registered. He then turned to the fallen drones, confirming their destruction.
"Guess I'm done," Ace quipped.
Moments later, footsteps echoed from where the first drone had appeared, and from the path it had cleared, Link emerged, walking slowly toward Ace.
CONVERSATION
Link: Your speed is impressive. I didn't expect you to outpace my drones.
Ace took Link's statement as a compliment and decided to respond.
Ace: Oh, thanks, man. Your drones were pretty amazing too.
Link looked at Ace in confusion as his display reverted from the intense one to his usual one.
Link: Bro, what are you doing?
Ace: What do you mean?
Link: What do I... What do you mean what do I mean? Why are you ruining the moment?
Ace: Wait, what? You complimented me so I responded.
Link: That wasn't a compliment. It was supposed to be a dramatic line.
Ace: Yeah, about you complimenting my speed, right?
Link: No, I... well... I guess you're right. But that wasn't the point.
Ace: Well, specify next time.
Link: How the hell am I supposed to do that?
Ace: Look, I dunno. I was just trying to be nice, man.
Link: Y'know what, you're right. It may have been a bit confusing on your end. I apologize.
A short period of silence followed after the last statement.
Ace: So, you wanna do the entrance again?
Link: Nah, there's no point. The mood's already ruined.
Ace: You sure? Seems like you do. And I really don't mind, to be honest.
Link: Really?
Ace: Sure, go for it.
Link: Oh, thanks, man.
Link retraced his steps before returning from the pathway he had emerged from moments earlier, now sporting the more menacing appearance.
"Your speed is impressive. I didn't expect you to outpace my drones," Link conceded.
Ace, determined not to spoil the moment, kept his silence as Link proceeded.
"I suppose I'll have to take you seriously now."
With those words, Link extended his right hand, index finger pointing forward and positioned like a firearm.
Ace swiftly noticed a metallic-looking material encasing Link's hand like a glove. Before he could react, Link discharged a small round from his fingertip toward Ace.
Ace effortlessly intercepted the attack but observed that the fired projectile was a small ball with a liquid substance covered around it that smudged across his fingertips. Gradually, Ace's strength waned, and fatigue set in.
"What's this?" Ace inquired as he collapsed to the ground on his knees.
"What do you think?" Link retorted, advancing toward Ace, intent on eliminating him.
As Link drew nearer, Ace closed his eyes for a brief second, his entire body vibrating. When he reopened them, he lunged at Link with the purpose of elimination.
Link used his hands to block Ace's sudden assault but remained bewildered by how Ace could still move after being in contact with his tranquilizing bullet.
"How?" Link questioned.
"What do you think?" Ace replied.
Ace had accelerated his entire body, expediting the tranquilizer's effects from roughly four hours to a mere second. He rushed at Link, aiming to catch him off guard and incapacitate him.
However, as his hand neared Link's helmet, a metallic shard suddenly shot out from between them, forcibly gripping Ace's hand and pushing him backward. More pieces of metal fastened onto his legs, causing him to fall to the ground.
Ace realized that the remnants of the drones he had previously destroyed were responsible for restraining him. He attempted to rise but found it challenging to move under the weight of the metal. Nevertheless, he refused to give up and made a feeble charge at Link, his diminished speed struggling against the metal's resistance. Link easily sidestepped Ace's attacks.
"Ace..." a voice resonated in Ace's mind. "...aim for his helmet."
Ace grasped the idea that damaging or shattering Link's helmet might break his control over the drone pieces attached to his limbs. He persisted in his assault on Link, who appeared unconcerned by the attacks.
"It's futile," Quinn conveyed to Siren through their telepathic connection, dismissing the plan by Siren to disable Link's helmet.
CONVERSATION
Siren: What do you mean?
Quinn: The outcome of the battle was determined when Link got a hold of Ace. Also, destroying his helmet would be futile considering it's just a piece of metal with a screen.
Siren: What?
Quinn: Don't misconstrue my brother. His command over technology doesn't rely on an AI or similar system; it stems directly from his mind. So as long as his brain functions—and I do have my doubts about that—he'll retain control over any technology within his proximity. The visual display you see is simply his manipulation of the screen to output what he wants.
The shock on Siren's face was evident.
Siren: But what about the name he addressed when we watched his fight against Rose and Mia? Pixel, if I recall.
Quinn: You could argue that it's essentially an imaginative construct he devised to think on his behalf when he's not in the mood to do so. To be honest, I'd categorize that as sheer laziness, given that it's still information originating from his own mind.
As Quinn finished, Link had already pressed Ace's lifeline to eliminate his adversary from the game.
"He's been eliminated," Quinn informed the rest of Team Astra, sensing Ace's consciousness departing the location.
"It looks like Link emerged victorious," Shade relayed to Team Solar, tracking their movements from the shadows beneath them and sensing Ace's elimination.
"I suppose he wasn't all talk," Lance remarked to Shade.
Just as he finished speaking, Riley stirred, rousing from her unconscious state.
"Damn, how long was I out?" Riley inquired.
"Long enough for Link to eliminate someone," Shade replied.
Things appeared to be proceeding according to plan for Team Solar. Suddenly, Shade detected something through his shadows near Siren and Quinn, diverting his attention to that area.
Siren was fuming. Ace's elimination was the result of their separation, and it infuriated him, even though his suit concealed his facial expressions.
Siren wasn't physically near Quinn and Ash, but he had a sense of their approximate positions due to the resonating sounds of their heartbeats. His heightened sense of hearing allowed him to discern the locations of almost everyone on the battlefield. He could pick up sounds from a broad range, granting him an understanding of the entire Colosseum.
"Quinn," Siren began, "it's highly uncertain we can win while entangled in these roots, right?"
"True, but we can't do anything about it for now," Quinn replied.
"That might not be entirely accurate," Siren continued. "From what I sense, we're closer to the edge of the Colosseum's radius, meaning about eighty percent of the battlefield is ahead of us."
"Where are you going with this, Mason?" Quinn inquired, concerned about his tone.
"Do you believe that Ash and you can secure victory?" Siren asked.
Quinn grasped Siren's intention but recognized there might be no alternative.
"Yes," she replied. "But is there no other way?"
Siren hesitated briefly, then acknowledged the reality. "It seems not."
With that decision made, Siren focused on his suit, adjusting a small dial on the side of his right arm. He turned the knob incrementally, producing a low sound that grew louder with each twist.
When Siren finished, he brought his hands together, pointing toward the battlefield ahead, where the rest of the action unfolded. A faint sound preceded a slightly louder one.
"Forty percent should be enough," Siren thought to himself. He then communicated with his team. "Ash, I'm sure you can hear me. Quinn believes in your ability to win, and so do I. Ensure victory."
After a brief pause during which his suit charged, Ash's response came in.
"We will."
As the third, even louder sound queued, an immensely powerful blast of sound waves erupted from the arms of Siren's suit, surging forward in a wide radius. The force advanced, obliterating every root in its path and taking the uprooted plants with it. The speed of the attack surpassed the sound barrier as it broke through the sound barrier while advancing.
This was the force Shade had detected earlier heading their way. Given the strength of the attack, capable of forcibly displacing the roots from the ground, it appeared unstoppable.
As the force, accompanied by all the uprooted vegetation ahead, reached the edge of the Colosseum, it shattered through the walls, demolishing nearly half of the arena's boundaries and carrying away the dislodged plants from the battlefield as the sonic force gradually subsided.
"Mason! Mason, are you alright?" Quinn called out as Siren collapsed immediately, losing consciousness. Quinn was still entangled in the roots, which Siren's attack hadn't reached. However, she was close to the edge, so she used her psychic abilities to forcefully tear apart the roots between her and her fallen teammate.
As she reached the edge, finally glimpsing the light from the top of the Colosseum, she stumbled upon the entire Team Solar, with Link's drone firing at an unconscious Siren's lifeline.
"NO!" Quinn shouted as she witnessed her second teammate disappear from the arena. Their team had lost half of its members due to the roots splitting them up, and it seemed like she might be the next to go.
"How are you all still standing after that attack?" Quinn asked in shock, knowing that Siren's attack should have been fatal.
"What's the use in telling you?" Link retorted, realizing it was pointless.
Suddenly, Quinn's face lit up with a knowing smile.
"It was Shade, wasn't it?" she began. "Considering your team's previous battle, he could enter his shadow. So what's stopping him from taking others with him?"
Lance smiled, acknowledging her astute deduction as she continued to analyze the situation.
"Besides, he looks more exhausted than the rest of you, probably because he used his shadows for information on the attack beforehand, and also created a shadow pool where Lincoln was since he was far away from the rest."
"You're quite the investigator," Link replied to Quinn as she turned her gaze to him.
"You know what? I'd have a retort if I weren't so impressed by what you pulled off. Riley used her roots to separate us, you took on Ace, knowing his speed advantage wouldn't be significant in an enclosed area, and you forced Mason to exhaust himself, all while having a backup plan with Shade. It was all part of your strategy, right?"
All of Quinn's analyses were consistently accurate, and this time was no different. Team Solar knew she was a threat due to her knowledge and telepathic abilities, which could link her teammates regardless of their physical separation. That's why Lance had assigned Link to devise their team's plan, given his familiarity with Quinn as his sibling.
However, there was one thing Quinn wasn't aware of. Although their plan appeared flawless, it didn't account for what to do if Ash intervened at any point, or after.
Link understood the vulnerabilities of Ace and Siren—range and energy output, respectively. He also knew that Quinn's tactical advantage would be ineffective without visual confirmation of her teammates' locations and actions. But Ash was the wildcard.
Ash consistently emerged victorious in every battle he entered, even against formidable opponents like X. That's why their team relied heavily on splitting their opponents to secure victory.
This meant they had to eliminate Quinn promptly before Ash could find a way out of the roots.
"Apologies for the abrupt ending, but your elimination is necessary," Lance declared as he extended his right hand, forming a lengthy wooden spear.
Before Quinn could react, Shade used his Binding Shadows to immobilize her. Lance then charged at her, striking her lifeline and eliminating her from the game.
"Whoa..." Trent exclaimed in surprise from the sidelines as Teams Lunar and Stellar watched the outcome of the battle. "Lance was significantly faster than when he faced us, Klaus."
"I guess," Klaus responded as he observed Quinn dematerialize from the Colosseum.
"It's surprising that someone like Quinn got eliminated without making any moves," Tyler remarked in astonishment.
"I wouldn't say she did nothing," Klaus noted. "We're unaware of her telepathic communications with her team and what information she conveyed."
"But do you think it was enough to secure her team's victory?" Mia asked Klaus, already knowing the answer.
"Guess not," Klaus replied with a sigh.
Although Klaus was accurate, the reality remained that whatever Quinn did wasn't sufficient to prevent her team from losing over half of its members. At this point, it seemed almost certain that Team Solar had won the game since none of their members had been eliminated. However, everyone knew that Ash couldn't be discounted, so they awaited his emergence from the concealed area.
A few seconds after Quinn's elimination, a billow of smoke emerged from the roots, and Ash gradually materialized from within it.
"The final boss," Link remarked to his teammate as he prepared for whatever lay ahead.
Ash proceeded slowly as Team Solar stared directly at him. He closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath before gradually reopening them. The smoky aura that constituted his pupils fixed on the general vicinity of his opponents as he took a few moments to analyze the situation since he lost contact with Quinn.
"So, I'm the last one standing," Ash stated, his expression unwavering.
His calm and composed demeanor made Lance highly cautious. He whispered to his team to remain vigilant and prepared for anything. Then Ash continued, uttering something that puzzled both his adversaries and everyone witnessing the final stage of the battle.
"It seems you finally get to have a turn in battle... Drake."