With only one match before the Grand Finals that will take place on the same day, Team Omega is inside Richard's home. They decided to go to his home to devise a strategy for their upcoming match versus Lahaska and her team.

"So any ideas on how to defeat our next opponent?" Frederick asked.

"Hmm..."

"Well?" Alice asked the brown-haired boy who was in a thinking position. The two of them waited in anticipation for their leader's answer. After two minutes of thinking and building tension, the boy looks at them.

"I...got nothing." His two friends face faulted. So much tension built just for a simple answer? Their leader was...

"You're so hopeless," Alice said after recovering before face-palming and shaking her head.

"Well, we have seen that her default class is scouter so the only one that can match her speed will obviously be Rick, right?" Frederick pointed out.

"You do have a point." Alice agreed.

"I guess we have to separate them to make sure they don't use their formation," Frederick told the two boys.

"I guess so, but that formation that Alan and Barry did, do you think that they will not have a new one involving Lahaska, I mean she is their core after all."

"You might be correct about it, however as long as we don't do anything rash like attack them with beams or any projectiles we will be good. We have your chain pole and Richard's Kriss Dagger so we shouldn't be worried about their formation."

"I guess."

"Well, that settles it. We can hmm..."

"Please have something if you're going to be in a thinking position for another two minutes before saying you have nothing," Alice stated.

"Maybe we don't have to be not so distant and not so close. I mean even if they create a new formation against us we can find a way to take them down. I mean, We have overcome the odds before."

"You do have a point," Frederick said to him.

"Also, We still have the element of surprise on them." Richard smiled.

"Oh yeah. You haven't shown any of your other core shifts with the exception of Powerhouse!"

"Yep!" The brown-haired boy said.

"That could also apply to Lahaska tho. Plus I check the site where they had all of our tournament bios and I saw that she has an ability called Copycat."

"Copycat? Like a master of disguise type of Copycat?"

"Close but that's not the Copycat I am talking about. She can copy the attacks or abilities of anyone so long as the person uses the attack or ability first."

"Oh! That type of Copycat. Hmm, so much for using WDSF early." The brown-haired boy said.

"But the Copycat ability is rare. How did she manage to obtain it and when?" Alice asked.

"Don't know but so long as we don't use any abilities against her she won't be able to use them against us," Frederick told them.

"Well, I guess that settles it then. Man, I can't wait until it is tomorrow!"

*Knock* *Knock* Richard goes to the door and opens it.

"My I thought you kids will be thirsty so I brought you all juice."

"Thanks, Mom!" Richard thanked his mother before taking the tray of beverage. Gina Chedid is Richard's mother and the wife of Xino Kurosagi. She is a 37-years-old woman who is taller than Alice but less tall than Richard by a few centimeters. She is dressed in a yellow pastel long sleeve blouse and blue pants. She looks very young for her age and her long blonde hair and blue-eyes prove were very beautiful.

"Are you going to have a sleepover?" Gina asked the boys.

"No, we were just going to talk strategies for our match tomorrow we will leave afterward," Frederick told her.

"Oh my, I remember having my first tournament, it was with your father and Frederick's father."

"Wait, you, dad, and Frederick's dad were a team?"

"Yes. Oh, I remember it as if it was just yesterday." Gina said. "We were very lively tho, our leader was very serious about things sometimes."

"Leader so you had more than 3 members?" Alice said.

"Yes, in fact, we had the full world tournament 9. Thou that is the past now." Gina sighed. "Well, maybe I should go tomorrow to cheer you own then. I wish your father was here tho he is a very busy person." Richard's father. When was the last time he saw him? Well, he is sure that he'll come during the summer break so there's no problem. But...

"Don't worry mom, I am sure he would've loved to come here and watch us have fun in Omega." Gina smiled.

"You have grown up so much, Well good luck in your match and remember I will be cheering on!"

"Thanks!" All three children said in unison. After more planning, the three of them bid farewell to each other and prepare for their most challenging fight yet.

()

Inside the mansion, Emuna was knitting a new doll. This one had blue hair and dressed in a white lolita dress. This one had a smile on its face, unlike Regalia and Magdalene who had a stoic look.

"Hmm...I see. You cannot wait to meet everyone huh? Fufu, well maybe the next time we enter Omega you will." Emuna told the doll.

"Milady."

"Yes, Irogan?"

"You have a call." Irogan handed over an old-style telephone to the white-haired girl who picked it up.

"Yes, this is Emuna speaking," Emuna said and after a few seconds, she smiles. "Yes, it has been a while...Linnet."

()

The final day of the Omega Representation tournament has arrived and the last 4 teams were ready to face each other. This was it, one of them will represent France In the Omega World Tournament.

"I will like to thank everyone for being with us until the very end. It's sad to say it but the tournament has reached its climax as one of these great competitors will have the right to participate in the Omega World Tournament." Leos said. "Now let us not waste time and bring in the first finals on their way!" The crowd cheers.

"Man, I can't wait to get in there!" The brown-haired boy said excitedly.

"That's good. Because I wouldn't want to humiliate anyone else more than you loser." The group turns to see the arrogant black-haired boy.

"Harry!"

"Humph, I will see you losers at the Grand Finals."

"We'll see," Alice told him. As much as she wants to fight Harry and his team of robots, playing against her childhood friend will be even better.

"Huh? So that guy is..."

"He is Harry Kishima. He is the son of President Leos although, I am still questioning how are those two related, to begin with. He is such a jerk." Alice told the Black-haired girl.

"Is that so..." So that murder has a child their age...Well, it does not matter her plan will be in its next phase as soon as they enter Omega.

"Aeris."

"Hmm?" The pink-haired look at Richard.

"Let's do our best and reach the Grand Finals." Aeris blinks before nodding.

"Yes!"

"Hey don't forget I'm here Speed Boy," Lahaska told the brown-haired boy.

"Oh, I didn't I can't wait to face you is going to be awesome!" Lahaska will admit the brown-haired teen had a lot of energy. Hmm, this will be the first time she will be facing owners of legendary pieces so she will have to be careful of their pieces awakening completely. She doesn't want her plans to get...corrupted.

"I see well good luck to you!" They both shake hands.

"Team Omega, Team New Gen, Please come to the teleporters so the Final Round of Bracket B can begin. I repeat, Team Omega, Team New Gen, Please come to the teleporters so the Final Round of Bracket B can begin." The M.C. Said.

"Good Luck Richard Dear!" Heidi told him. "You better not be a nuisance, you old priestess."

"Oh, I'm not going to Cowgirl!" Their eyes meet and an invisible spark initiated between them before Craig took Heidi away to the spectator seats and Richard took Alice so she doesn't go on a long argument with the purple-haired girl.

"Is everyone ready?" They all nod. "Great, This Finals location will be...Arrow Forest! Get Ready because we're Entering Omega...NOW!" All of them get teleported to the world of Omega.

()

As they all land in Omega, Team Omega and Team New Gen get the rare 1 in 1,089,087 chance of them spawning in the same spot. Technically speaking, both teams were opposite to each other but nevertheless, it was a very rare occasion that this happens in Omega.

"Huh? What are the chances." Richard said as he looks at Lahaska.

"Look at it the bright side Richard Kurosagi. Now we don't have to look for each other." The black-haired girl told him with a smirk on her face. She will not lie if this wasn't a game created by that damn murderer she will be enjoying this more. But, Whatever. Now she needs to...

"Well then don't mind if I make the first move!" The boy uses his speed to clash with Lahaska who retaliates back by blocking and parrying the Kriss Dagger. Using her scouter speed the black-haired girl goes behind him only for the brown-haired teen to teleport behind her. This seems to be going forever before Lahaska and Richard dodge projectiles from their opposite snipers.

"Sorry to interrupt the fun but I felt left out," Barry told Richard before he dodges an arrow from Frederick and proceeds to shot a laser bullet in retaliation. Lahaska to protect her teammate goes after Team Omega sniper.

"Oh no, you don't!" The brown-haired boy would've given chase but he was stopped in his tracks by Alan's scythe.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Sorry but I am your opponent now!"

()

Lahaska reached Frederick who had to dodge Lahaska's Sword before shooting an arrow at her but the black-haired core of Team New Gen easily avoided it by quickly sidestepping to her left. Lahaska would have gone on the offense if it wasn't for a certain red-haired powerhouse. The black-haired girl had to dodge the half of Alice's pole who had opened and try to coil her in her chains.

"Well, I was expecting to be fighting Kurosagi but I never would've expected in a million years to be fighting you, Alice."

"Sorry Lahaska, but we cannot lose," Alice stated.

"Well...I guess I am sorry too, because...I AM NOT LOSING TO YOU NEITHER!" Lahaska yelled as both their weapons clashed creating a boom effect.

()

On the other side, Richard and Alan clashed with their weapons but the brown-haired boy speed was good enough to create pressure on his opponent. Alan knowing that if the brown-haired teen keeps this pressure on he will eventually get hit and mauled by the core of Team Omega he cut the ground in half with his scythe making the boy hesitate and back away. Alan uses this opportunity to turn the tables on Richard and now the brown-haired boy was on the defense.

('This can go either way.')

"If you think you can defeat me just because you're the core then you're sadly mistaking," Alan told the brown-haired boy.

"Don't count me out yet!" The boy uses his speed dodging the scythe that created another crack. Holding the scythe in position Alan used his powerhouse strength to lift a boulder and hurled with his scythe. Richard dodge the boulder before blocking the scythe making a spark effect.

()

Frederick and Barry were sniping each other and taking cover in the woods. Both of their precisions, for the most part, would be on a roll if it wasn't for the fact that they're dodging or hiding in one of the trees.

"Man, This is getting nowhere at this rate." The elf archer tho he has to admit...This was very fun. He hasn't had this much adrenaline pumping since that day against Team Hunter. Hmm, he touches his freezing arrow. If he can manage to find a way to hit the orc sniper of Team New Gen he might be able to win with a combination of freeze into an explosion.

"I will not lie to you I am having fun against you," Barry told Frederick while hidden.

"You're not the only one," Frederick responded while loading an arrow in his bow.

"I see. I'm glad we both agreed but, I think it is time we end this battle of ours." Barry got out from his cover and starts heading for the direction of his teammates. Frederick figures out what the sniper of Team New Gen was planning and try to stop him with his freezing arrow. However, Barry seems to have thought ahead and shot a flash bullet. The Bullet made a very bright light blinding the elf archer. After the light faded down the elf archer got out of the covers to see him far away.

"Darn." He starts chasing him.

As both Lahaska and Alan sees Barry coming their way they both decided to join their Sniper.

"Love to keep fighting but I have to join my friends." Lahaska backs Alice away before joining with Alan and Barry.

"That can't be good." The red-haired girl figures out that she must be referring that they might have a formation specifically for this match.

()

After all of them reached each other, Team New Gen both got in a triangle position each facing their opposite way.

"What are they doing?" Richard asked his teammates.

"Whatever it is Rick...It can't be good." Came the response of his elf friend.

"Start! Formation Sigma!" Their triangle formation created golden lights between them before something shot right out of the sky.

"Um, guys, what is that?" Richard pointed at the sky. As Team Omega looked they could see a giant golden ball of fire coming straight at them.

"Whatever it is...DODGE!" Frederick said running as far away as possible with both of them following suit. The ball of fire hit the ground before exploding sending them flying.

"Urg..." Richard groaned. He would've questioned how they were able to do that in that formation but he figures that it was something to do with their core. He has to admit that it was really an awesome attack.

"Is everyone alright?" Frederick asked.

"Yeah. How did they do that?" Alice responded.

"I think it has to do with Lahaska." The brown-haired boy responded.

"Oh."

"So, what do you guys think? Pretty awesome formation, right?" Lahaska told the group.

"Yep but don't count us down yet!" Richard replied. The M.C. says that this match could go either way and the crowd cheering like crazy loving this game, Something was seeming...off.

"Heh, Let's go guys!" The black-haired girl said but got no response. "Guys?" Just then something unexpected happened Barry her very own teammate, shot her. That caught them by surprise.

"What?" The M.C. was even questioning why there was friendly fire.

"Barry?" Lahaska gasped before blocking Alan's scythe. She looks and notices that their eyes were blank. Team Omega woke from the shock, and the brown-haired boy helped the wounded and weakened Black-haired girl.

"Lahaska!" Alice yelled before reaching her. "Are you alright?"

"Um..."

"What's wrong with them?"

"I-I don't know!" Lahaska told them thorn. Her friends...They have betrayed her. But, why? Just then a familiar warning echoed through the Arrow Forest.

'Warning! Warning! High-Level Virus detected: Proceeding to prepare anti-virus program.'

"That warning..." Frederick said remembering that this was the same warning that he heard when they fought Emuna and her dolls.

"Black Hat Hacker." Alice knew what this warning meant. Their black hat hacker friend was back.

()

Meanwhile, outside people were confused and questioning what was happening. While the M.C. tries to calm the situation by stating that they'll fix it in a few minutes, Inès and Leos knew that the black hat hacker that invaded the game before was at it again.

"Sir,"

"Yes. It seems that our black hat hacker friend has returned."

"Shall we cancel the match and postpone the tournament?"

"...No...However, Call our White hats. Ensuring that this match ends up safely is the main priority." Leos told his secretary.

"Yes." Leos knew what was going on. Lahaska must be using her Pentagon Of Manipulation to control them all the while using her hacking skills to make it look like the one doing this is a black hat hacker. While it's true that a high-level hacker is capable of taking control of a person, it cannot take more than one and it is only for a temporary period of time. There is also the fact that it takes a lot of time encoding that safety of the profile of that person as at soon that person is controlled the anti-virus inside Omega will take effect, therefore, the black hat hacker will only have around 5 minutes before they have to do the process all over again.

('What is your goal this time Lahaska?') It was the thought of the owner of the Hexagon of Fate.

On the other side, Team Alpha knew what was happening.

"A black hat hacker?"

"At a time like this?!" Yuma and Adel were a bit concerned about this. Even Genre despite her listening to her music and being very calm. But the most worried was...

"Richard...Alice." The pink-haired girl. The last time this situation happened they almost got hurt dealing with one black hat hacker. She hopes they can come out unharmed.

()

Back inside Omega, Richard with Lahaska was dodging the lasers from Barry who were now much faster.

"He is even stronger than before."

"Yeah." It was very difficult for the two cores to slow down and devise a quick strategy as the Ogre sniper of Team New Gen kept his offensive onslaught on them. The Black-haired girl wonder if this has something to do with this black hat hacker that invaded the game.

"If only Emuna was here she would know where to find the mainframe and cure this virus." Mainframe...Maybe...

"Mainframe? I...I think I can work it out!" Lahaska yelled at the brown-haired boy.

"Huh?" Richard then reflected three laser bullets from Barry before using his speed and kicking the muscular man staggering him. "You can?!"

"I-I think so. I can find the source and neutralize it only if I can find the mainframe."

"I see. Well..." Just then he heard the voice but it was clearer than before.

('Is dangerous...The mainframe is in the tree of life. But...she's...') The tree of life? Does she mean the giant tree in the center of the stage? And what does she wanted to say of she? In fact, Who is the "she" it is talking about?!

"Um, Richard?" Lahaska snapped him back to reality and he barely dodged a bullet from Barry.

"Sorry, I just..." He shook his head. "We need to go to the tree of life!"

"Tree of life? Oh! You mean the giant tree, why? Is the mainframe there?" Lahaska asked. How did he know about it? Only staff members know about this. Of course, she knows because she used her Pentagon of Manipulation to control one of the staff members and access it. But, him? A player to know about this...Interesting.

"Yeah." The brown-haired boy said. He will trust the voice in his head for now. Even if it was different from the voice that he hears every other time. It has never lied to him before, right?

"Okay, Let's go!"

"No you go, we'll distract them long enough. Besides, we still have a match going on?" Lahaska was surprised by this. Even if their lives might be in danger he still thinks that it is just fun and games!? Nevertheless, she will have to play along.

"Right!" The black-haired girl went on and use her speed to reach the tree of life as fast as she could.

"Oh no, you don't!" Richard went on the offense and tries to slash Barry who was going to aim at Lahaska. Barry blocked it with his rifle. "I'm your opponent now!"

()

Outside of Omega Leos gets a call.

"Hello...Ah, yes how you been doing my friend?" Leos said through his CC. The caller decided to put the call on Voice calls only. "Good. Yes? Hmm...Alright, I am glad that you made it here safe, How's she?" Leos stay silent for a few minutes. "I see...well she has the rights to get mad, However, she needs to know that she has a legendary piece now...Yes...I know, they haven't woken up the pieces yet. It's safe to assume that it won't be long before something more dangerous than this situation happens in the future...No...The Hexagon hasn't predicted this...Is my gut feeling as a father and as someone who has experienced this before...Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow, we have to make sure that the 2 final matches are safe. I'll See you, my old friend." He hung up. Leos looks to see his secretary looking at him curiously.

"Sir..."

"You don't have to worry Inès, you'll meet them soon enough." The president reassured her. This tournament will determine...If they are ready to hold the legendary pieces in order to stop the war between them...and the black hat hacker companies that want to ruin Omega.

()

Team Omega and the two corrupted members of Team New Gen were in a bit of a stalemate. Barry and Alan have proven to be more troublesome this way than they thought. Nevertheless, as long as this keeps itself 3 vs 2 they will eventually take the advantage.

"Okay, any ideas on how we can take them down?" The brown-haired core asked his teammates as they see the familiar formation that they did on their first match.

"Hmm...If we can distract them, Alice can use her chain to separate one of them. That way we can take care of the rest. I'll use my explosive arrow and you can use your White Dragon Strike Fang." Frederick said to him.

"But how do we do that? And where did Lahaska go?" Alice asked.

"Don't worry about it. She said she can destroy the virus by using the mainframe."

"Destroy it? Like how Emuna did the last time?" Frederick said.

"Yep. Anyway, so we're going with your plan, right?"

"Right. Well on three..." They all get in position.

"Let's go then!" Their leader said excitedly.

"1...2...3!" Frederick shoots three arrows at them. Barry and Alan using their formation try to deflect them back at them. This would've worked but due to the fact that they leave themselves vulnerable to attacks that can snatch them like a rope or in this case a chain, Alice was able to take advantage of this and snatched Alan with her Chain.

"Alright! Now Richard!" Richard's legendary piece started to glow and the voice that he heard on many occasions appeared.

('Analyzing enemy...Complete, Proceeding to create an appropriate attack. Attack with White Dragon Strike Fang at 40%...Enemy...Error, Found Corruption Error 104...Alternating tactic. Alternate to Powerhouse and increase the White Dragon Strike Fang to 80%.') So it wants him to Core Shift into a Powerhouse before using his White Dragon Strike Fang.

"Alright! Core Shift: Powerhouse!" Richard felt his speed fall and replaced with strength. His Kriss Dagger glowed indicating that the WDSF was getting ready.

('Process...complete, proceed to unleash the attack.') So it is ready, well here goes nothing!

"White Dragon Strike Fang!" Richard unleashes his white single line attack. Due to the distraction of his partner being dragged by Alice, Barry didn't have time to move out of the way and took the attack at its fullest. Barry screams as the line took him and went straight to the trees ripping them apart before the slash exploded. While this was happening Frederick as he said in his plan shot his exploding arrow on the arm of Alan before the beeping sound chimed. Alice releases her chain and detracted back to its normal form before the arrow exploded.

()

While this was happening Lahaska was in the mainframe.

"So this is it." The black-haired teen sees the computer before smiling. "This is way too easy." She sees the sun glowing briefly. "Hmm...I know, let's get this phase complete shall we?" Lahaska said as she starts typing binary codes and decoding some profiles. The black-haired girl looks at the "virus" before just with a few clicks destroying it. It was easy to destroy said virus since she already knew what to do and what Anti-virus to use to counter this...she was the creator of the said virus after all. "Now that it is complete all that is left is to wait until the Grand Finals are set. It doesn't matter who wins or loses...Because I will win in the end." Lahaska said with a giggle as the message appears.

'Virus neutralize, proceeding to scan for further threats...'

()

Team Omega heard the message after their plan was executed greatly.

"She did it!" Just then another message was followed.

"Due to both Team New Gen's Sniper and Powerhouse being incapable of moving after 10 seconds...Team New Gen's Sniper and Powerhouse has been defeated." Was the M.C. announcement.

"I feel bad," Alice said. It was going to be a great match between them but because of the black hat hacker invading this game, it was now ruined. She was hoping to see what would happen if the match didn't go interrupted it could've gone either way.

"Guys!" Team Omega looks to see Lahaska.

"Lahaska!"

"Are you guys alright?" The black-haired girl said in concern.

"Yeah, we're fine! Tho I can't say the same for Barry and Alan." Richard responded.

"I know..."

"Hey don't feel bad, at least we had fun before, right!?" The brown-haired boy said to her. This foolish boy if only he knew the danger that lies in this game. He has no idea that you can lose someone you love and all at the cost of entertaining a murderer. She cannot wait until the Grand Finals are over so she can see the president of this game expose himself to the world.

"Right..." She sighed. "M.C. I'm forfeiting the match."

"Eh?!"

"Lahaska?" Alice said.

"Right now I am in a very big and impossible disadvantage that I cannot come back from. So to not waste more time I will like to forfeit and give the victory to Team Omega."

"Okay...If that is what you want. Ahem, Due to Team New Gen Core forfeiting, Team Omega advances to the Grand Finals!"

()

Team Alpha Sighed in relief along with Heidi who was very worried about the brown-haired boy the whole time.

"Glad they're okay." Adel addressed.

"Yeah." The pink-haired girl told her friend. But what now? This tournament is not completely safe anymore if a black hat hacker manages to invade the match. What if it happens during their match. She just hopes that this is just a one time only and that the president takes action for this. She would love to fight her childhood friends in the Grand Finals as she promised them but, if this happens again...She is afraid of the worst-case scenario happening.