BOOM.
"Come on, come on, make it!"
Tetsuya ran as fast as he could towards the lightning storms in front of him. He saw the damaged Roundtable and the sounds of fighting in the mountains next to it.
"There!"
As he got closer, he saw his sister holding Dachii in her arms, violently shaking him.
"Hey, wake up! What are you doing, Dachii? Wake UP!"
In front of her stood Ionix, electric power radiating off of him like a thunderstorm.
"Look at the pain you've caused, monster. Now then, how about we remove your head?"
A violent burst of electricity started forming around his hand, and as he prepared to lift it, Tetsuya jumped into the air.
"COMING THROUGH!"
He pulled his fist back, attempting to punch Ionix, but…
"What a joke."
Ionix grabbed his arm and sent him flying into Tsugumi, making them both crash to the ground.
"Tetsuya! Why didn't you stay at the arena?" Tsugumi asked.
"The same reason I never listen to you! I'm here to show you what I can do!"
Tsugumi's face began to turn red.
"You're just so…UGH!"
BOOM.
Ionix fired off a lightning blast at them, interrupting their conversation. "Sorry, this isn't the time for your family drama. After all, you're both demons."
His eyes began to glow. "Now, PUT THE BOY DOWN."
"Try and take him from me!" Tsugumi demanded.
"Gladly."
By the time she blinked, Ionix was behind them both, grabbing them by their necks.
"ARGH!"
He sent a powerful shock within both of their bodies, dropping them to their knees.
"Tetsuya…" Tsugumi said, weakly. "Take Dachii…and run…"
"And let you have all the fun? No way!"
Ionix's entire body began to glow. "How about we make you both DANCE?"
"Damn it! Watch out, Tetsuya, he's going to—-!"
Before she could finish, a powerful volley of electric currents erupted from his body, forcing Tsugumi to grab both Dachii and Tetsuya and jump away.
"How do we beat him?" Tetsuya asked.
"WE are not going to do anything!" Tsugumi replied. "Go back to the arena and get help from the General!"
"Are you seriously still doubting me right now?"
As Ionix began to walk toward them, Tsugumi forcefully grabbed Tetsuya by the arm.
"Do you see what we're dealing with? The two of us alone aren't enough to keep Dachii away from him!"
Ionix's entire arm turned into a full-on lightning bolt. "She's right."
And without a second thought, he slammed his hand into the ground. "With thunder, comes LIGHTNING!"
BOOM.
Dozens of lightning bolts shot up out of the ground, including beneath Tsugumi's feet.
"Shi—-!"
Tetsuya tackled her and the unconscious Dachii out of the way, sending all three of them flying into the nearby mountain range. Once they all landed, Dachii weakly began to open his eyes and cough.
"Am…I home?"
"I wouldn't call this home!" Tetsuya answered.
"My body…I can't heal…the lightning…something's wrong…with his lightning…"
Tsugumi helped him up. "Come on, we're leaving this place!"
But as they tried to make a retreat, Ionix quickly appeared in front of them. "Going somewhere?"
"New plan!" Tsugumi called out. "Tetsuya, watch Dachii!"
"Wait, what are you—-?"
She quickly threw a punch at Ionix's face, but he caught it easily. In response, she kicked him in the chest, making him stumble back a little.
"You've got fire," Ionix remarked. "I like that."
Tsugumi ripped a piece of rock out of the mountain next to her and tossed it at Ionix, who broke it into pieces with a lightning blast.
"Tsugumi, was it?" Ionix stated. "A pity. You've already got one foot in the grave, with that weak body of yours."
Both her and Tetsuya's eyes widened.
"What's he talking about, sister?" Tetsuya asked.
Tsugumi tried to stammer a reply, but she found herself unable to speak.
"Hmph, the only thing keeping you from death is your magic, but that can only take you so far," Ionix pointed out. "Look at you…"
In her shock, he hit her with a powerful lightning blast, knocking her to the ground. "Nothing but a weakling."
"Tsugumi!" Tetsuya called out.
"And you, Tetsuya…"
Ionix delivered a punch to his gut, dropping him as well.
"What a failure."
Ionix grabbed Dachii, holding him up in the air. "Look, Dachii. This is who you trust to defend you? See these monsters for who they truly are! Crippled weaklings and incompetent FOOLS!"
Dachii tried to break free of Ionix's grip, but he couldn't.
"Listen, I just want my BROTHER!"
"Well then," Ionix responded. "You'll have to try harder than this."
He effortlessly blocked a punch from Tsugumi and batted her away, before zapping Tetsuya with a lightning bolt when he tried to approach.
Inside the arena, Squad S-2 could only watch in horror as Ionix easily fended off Dachii, Tsugumi, and Tetsuya. Kazue and Hikari both nervously stared at the screen above them.
"Tetsuya's there too?" Kazue realized.
"It doesn't even matter!" Hikari exclaimed. "If we don't help them now, he'll kill them both and run away with Dachii!"
Kanai took a step forward. "Then we won't let it get to that point! Let's jump in!"
All of Squad S-2 prepared to head out, but Sir Triune remained in the way.
"Tsk, tsk," Venus said. "Don't make any hasty decisions."
Grishna raised her axe. "Only one monster, shouldn't be too much trouble—-"
Venus clapped her hands, and portals began to open overhead, dropping scores of armed Zharians to the ground.
"Well…nevermind…" Grishna stated.
Venus turned her attention back to the screen, and plumes of flame erupted around the arena.
"Now then, crowd! Enjoy the SHOW!"
The crowd cheered, and Hikari looked around the arena, realizing that someone was missing.
"Wait…?"
Back at the battlefield, Ionix surveyed the damage he had done. "Barely any use of my power. The Voltian Empire has gotten weaker."
"You…just wait until Aoki and Akari get here…" Dachii said. "And Squad S-2."
"They won't be coming."
Dachii tried to punch him with his gauntlet, but Ionix easily evaded it and blasted Dachii into the side of a mountain.
"If you can't stand on your own two feet, why stand at all?"
Tsugumi rushed at him and tried to kick him, and at the same time Tetsuya tried to tackle him, but he moved in the blink of an eye and sent both of them crashing into each other.
"Squad S-2," Ionix commented. "I used to know a girl from that squad. How far you've fallen."
He held up both his hands, forming a giant ball of lightning that was much bigger than an entire truck.
"Now, both of you will DIE."
As Ionix charged up the blast, Tsugumi moved in front of Tetsuya.
"What the hell are you doing?" he exclaimed.
"Shielding you, idiot! That attack is too big to dodge!"
"No, move out of the way!"
Ionix brought both of his arms down, ready to send the ball flying. "Perish."
Dachii tried to reach and grab them, but he was too far away to make it. And just like that, Ionix fired off the attack.
BOOM.
But to his shock, a large boomerang collided with the blast, redirecting it towards the top of a mountain.
"What the HELL?"
In front of him, he saw the boomerang return to its owner, who stroked the side of it.
"Nice job, Gigarang! Who's a good girl?"
Dachii blinked twice, making sure he was seeing properly. "Is that…"
"General!" Tetsuya exclaimed, relieved.
"Thank the stars…" Tsugumi muttered.
Ionix glared at Himeka, who pointed her boomerang at him. "Venus, what the hell is this?"
Inside the arena, Venus looked around, completely stunned. "But, but…she was just here!"
She looked at Sir Triune, who looked as confused as she did. Hikari sighed, smiling.
"Sister!"
"How did she leave?" Kazue asked, confused. "They're blocking all the exits!"
"That's Himeka for you!" Kanai replied. "She can't sit still!"
The crowd cheered Himeka's name as Ionix stared her down, eyes glowing.
"Forget it," Ionix remarked. "I'll take care of this."
He charged up his entire body, electricity pouring out of him. Despite this, a smile remained on Himeka's face, and she raised her boomerang.
"Now, Gigarang, take me to VICTORY!"
"Die, woman."
Ionix tried to punch her, but she flipped right over him before blowing him a kiss.
"Mwah!"
"The hell?"
Before he knew it, there was a boomerang coming for his head, which he managed to block.
"Coming your way!"
He jumped out of the way as another boomerang embedded itself into the ground next to him.
"The hell is with this girl?" Ionix thought. "Is she actually a General?"
He dodged a swing from her boomerang, and when he tried to counter by punching her in the chest, she vaulted over him and tried to sweep his legs.
"THUNDER!"
A chain of lightning danced off his body and headed for Himeka, who used her boomerang to redirect it, sending it flying into the air.
"Missed me!"
Ionix pulled his fist back and punched Himeka, who blocked with her boomerang, sliding back a few feet toward Dachii and the others.
"Miss Himeka, are you alright?" Tetsuya asked.
"Yep! Let's go, team! We can beat this guy!"
"How?" Dachii questioned. "He's like a complete STORM!"
Ionix took a step forward, thunder sounding with each step.
"Leave it to me!" Himeka announced. "You guys do your thing!"
"What does THAT mean?"
Himeka rubbed her Gigarang, sending white sparks coursing through it. "Gigarang power…ACTIVATED!"
Then she looked right at Ionix, motioning for him to come. "Catch me if you can."
BOOM.
Ionix fired a lightning bolt at her, but she somersaulted over it and jumped off his shoulder, landing on the opposite side.
"LIGHTNING SPEED!"
Ionix zoomed toward Himeka, but she managed to keep up and block his attack, and he responded by continuing to attack, causing massive explosions of lightning throughout the mountains.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
"How can she KEEP UP with that man?" Dachii thought.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The two of them began moving faster than Dachii could see, fighting all across the mountain.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Soon, they were at the top of the mountains, running across the sides.
"Nowhere to run!" Ionix stated.
Himeka jumped off the mountain, holding her boomerang up.
"Now, Gigarang! CLONE!"
The boomerang began to shake, and another one quickly popped out and landed in her other hand.
"And…COMBINE!"
She smashed them together, and instead of colliding, they fused together, forming a massive boomerang that was easily the size of half a mountain.
"What the—-?" Ionix started to say, right before Himeka threw the massive boomerang at him.
BOOM.
The entire impact took off the top of the mountain and forced Ionix to land on the ground.
Inside the arena, the entire crowd cheered, including Squad S-2.
"Take him down, Sis!" Himeka cheered.
"You've got this, General!" Kazue added.
"Show him who's boss!" Kanai exclaimed.
At the battle, Ionix looked at the massive boomerang still stuck in the mountain. "So, your magic lets you clone things, and you can combine the things you clone."
He stood up. "Such a pain."
Himeka gracefully landed on her feet, blowing another kiss. "Mwah!"
Ionix's entire body began vibrating as storm clouds formed over him. "Well then, I see what I must do."
Immediately, a portal opened below them, sending them all falling through the ground. And when they landed, Dachii realized they were back in Raijin Arena…
…along with everyone else.
"Venire, lend me your POWER…"
When Dachii looked up, he saw Ionix and Venus on a floating platform, and portals opened below them, sending various contestants flying through them.
Hikari immediately ran over to Dachii, wrapping her arms around him. "Dachii, are you okay?"
"Hikari? What's happening?"
"I don't know!"
All around him, Dachii noticed more and more people falling into the portals below. A portal opened under Grishna's feet…
"Woah, mate! What on earth?"
And Ayana and Haruto's…
"Hey, I didn't sign up for this!" Haruto called out.
"Haruto, just stay calm!" Ayana yelled.
And at once, they all fell into the portals, leaving Dachii and Squad S-2 alone with Ionix, Venire, and an eager crowd.
Above, Ionix sized up Dachii, pointing a finger at him. "This is it, Dachii! What's it gonna be?"
Venire leaned into his ear. "Are the Games over?"
"No," Ionix replied. "We've just started. Either they get Dachii, or WE DO, and I don't PLAN ON LOSING."
All around the arena, lightning struck, forcing Squad S-2 to huddle toward the center.
"Now then, COME AT ME!"
—-