Hikaru and Hyuga run up to the scoreboard by the center of the room.
"The fourth battle will be Aiga and Lane vs. Sisco and Drum," Hikaru says.
"Sisco and Drum are both really strong! They actually might win!" Hyuga smiles happily.
"They actually might not win. They are facing the unbeatable Aiga and he is paired with Lane. It would be a hard fight, even for them."
"Hey guys." Rantaro interrupts. " you know that if Aiga and Lane win, you will be the ones in trouble right?"
"Why?"
"Look at the scoreboard. If those two win here, they will both have two points. The last match is Lui and Free vs. Valt and Hyuga who all have one point. Whoever wins the last match will have two points."
"And only four people can make it to the finals, so..." Hikaru realizes and gasps.
"Both you and Drum would be eliminated with only 1 point"
"What!!!" Hikaru yells. "Dropped out!"
"Seriously!?!"
Hikaru and Hyuga turn to face the noise. "Drum!"
"That means I can't lose!"
"You just realized that?" Hikaru, Hyuga, Drum, and Rantaro turn around to see Sisco walking towards them. "That obviously means we have to win. Unlike someone who is already eliminated."
"You just never shut up, do ya Sisco"
"Alright, let's win and get to the finals! I will get super serious!" Drum tells them as his face turns red.
Hyuga smiled and said to Hikaru, "Hey Hikaru! Let's cheer for Sisco and Drum!"
"Y-Yeah" Hikaru stutters quietly. He had a look of sadness at the realization. He looks up at the scoreboard and sees his space with 1 point. This is my last chance, huh. If they lose then I will be eliminated...
*****
Aiga is sitting in a waiting room having a conversation on his phone.
"I never thought that I would be teaming up with Lane of all people."
On the other end of the line Ranjiro grabs a towel on the back of his chair and sits down.
"It doesn't matter who your partner is. Just focus on winning"
"But!" Aiga pauses and thinks about the time Ranjiro showed him the broken pieces of Ragnaruk that were caused by Lane. "Cap'n..."
"Like I told you Aiga, focus on your own battles! Win here, and then crush him to pieces in the finals."He then puts his hand out for a fist bump.
Aiga fist bumps him back. "Yeah! I am going to crush him!"
"You got this Aiga" A second later the screen goes black as Ranjiro ends the call.
"Alright, I have to focus!"
Suddenly, the door to the training room opens. Footsteps can be heard as Aiga looks with a look of hatred. "Lane"
Lane comes up to Aiga and talks with him. "If we are partnered together, then we will win. And after that you are next, Aiga."
"I don't care what you think Lane, I always give my all in every battle."
As they look at each other, their auras of resonance fire up at each other. Aiga gives a look at Lane and he responds with a sinister smile.
In another area of the arena, Hyuga and Hikaru are walking together in the hallways.
"If Aiga and Lane win the next battle, then I will be eliminated?"
"Well, I hope that Sisco and Drum win, because I really want to go to the finals with you, Hikaru!" Hyuga says as he gives a big bright smile to Hikaru.
Hikaru's eyes immediately go wide from shock. "Hyuga!"
Suddenly a voice can be heard from around the corner. "It's done! This is the best plan ever!"
Hyuga and Hikaru follow the voice around the corner to see Drum and Sisco planning.
Drum is drawing his plan out on the whiteboard in the room. "Dragon is an attack type, so it has a disadvantage against Lucifer. So Satan should hold him back in the beginning."
"Huh, that isn't a bad plan. Alright, Satan will get rid of his stamina and in the meantime, you will defeat Achilles." Sisco declares.
"Yep. After that we both go into the craters and accelerate..." Drum says, drawing on the whiteboard to finish explaining his plan.
"Then we both launch a double attack on Lucifer, right? I like this plan!"
"Then we will win!"
"Serious training time!"
"Come at me, Drum!"
"3, 2, 1, Go Shoot!"
Hikaru and Hyuga watch inside the room as sparks emerge from their battle.
"They're so cool!"
*****
The crowd is getting ready and waiting for the battle to start. They are on the edge of their seats waiting for the battle to start. Cheers filled with excitement can be heard throughout the stadium. The legends sit in the stands together in anticipation. Hyuga and Hikaru sit together and cheer for the battle that will begin soon. On the other side of the arena, a tall man walks in. He looks at the stage and through the stands observing. He smiles slightly.
"Okay boys and girls! The fourth battle of the second round of the Legend Festival! Who will win this battle and make their way to the finals? Will it be Aiga Akaba and Lane Valhalla or Drum Koryu and Sisco Karlisle? I can't even guess who it will be!"
"I am going to be the first one to make it to the finals!" Drum says.
"I'll boost you up." Sisco responded to Drum's statement.
"We'll take both of you on" Aiga holds out his Infinite Achilles and Achilles shines in response to Aiga. Lane moves his eyes to the side at Aiga.
Sisco looks closely at Achilles. "Infinite Sword. He tends to attack in this battle."
"It doesn't matter. Dragon's Bound Wing will fend off all that you throw at us!"
"Nice. Then we will make sure to take care of Lucifer."
"Lucifer... Make my Flare rise up!"
"The four of them stare each other down! This is definitely going to be an intense battle folks!"
"Drum! Sisco! Win this like zoom, zoom!" Hyuga yells out to the stage. Hikaru tightens his hands a little around his pants.
"Ready"
"Set"
"3"
"2"
"1"
"Go Shoot"
As soon as the battle starts, Dragon accelerates through the stadium.
"Go, Dragon!"
"Beat him Down, Achilles!"
Achilles and Dragon meet and clash hard in the center. They keep hitting simultaneous strikes against each other.
"Get me fired up even more!" Lane says.
Lucifer goes towards Dragon and Achilles ready to attack when Satan comes and blocks his path. Satan holds Lucifer, stopping it from moving. Lane looks immediately at Sisco angrily.
"I'll be your opponent" He says confidently.
"Triple Twister"
Curse Satan is holding Variant Lucifer back and starts to move him closer to the edge.
"Move!!!" Lane tells him angrily.
"Not happening! Keep attacking, Drum!"
"Of course! We are going to win this battle!"
"Let's do this! I will face you head on!"
Achilles and Dragon trade more strikes and keep clashing in the center.
"Zoom, zoom" Hyuga cheers from the stands.
"It is exactly like Drum planned!" Hikaru exclaims.
Satan is pushing Lucifer further to the edge of the stadium.
"Get out of my way!!!!!" Lane yells at Sisco.
"No"
Lucifer pushes Satan out of the way and heads towards the other 2 beys. Satan gets flipped around through the air and lands upright. The free spinning ring of the Universe Driver touches the stadium which causes Satan to change direction. He heads back towards Lucifer and blocks him again.
"I won't let you through!"
Lane gets even angrier. "Darn you!!!!!"
Meanwhile, Achilles and Dragon are still clashing in the center.
"We are just getting started, Aiga!"
Achilles manages to activate Dragon's bound wings and the impact from which causes both of them to be blown back.
"Yes, the Awakening is activated!"
"I'm really fired up now!"
Both beys land and head towards each other again.
"Dragon!!"
"Achilles!!"
They both call their bey as they power up.
"Move!!!!!!!" Lane yells as his flare erupts all around him. The other bladers can see his fiery aura.
"Variant Wall!"
Variant Lucifer knocks Curse Satan into the air and bursts it.
"What!" Sisco yells, shocked.
"Take on my Flare!"
"Tempest Break!"
"Bust him up! Infinite Buster!"
Achilles and Dragon collide. Their tremendous impact sends yellow bolts of energy out of the stadium. They both get sent in the air and Dragon bursts.
"What!?" Drum yells in frustration, putting his hands on his head.
"Drum..."
"Yes! I won!" Aiga yells with excitement over his win.
"Infinite Achilles and Variant Lucifer win"
"We have a winner everybody! Lane Valhalla and Aiga Akaba have both earned 2 points and will be moving on to the final stage of the Legend Festival! Congratulations!"
Lane looks over at Aiga. "It's not over yet, Aiga Akaba!" Lane's eyes and facial markings start to glow.
"With this battle, Drum Koryu, Hikaru Asahi, and Sisco Karlisle are eliminated from the tournament!"
"It's over? DANG THIS ALL!" Sisco clenches his fists and lets out his anger.
"Aiga!" Drum shouts, "Next time we battle, I am going to be so much stronger! And I will rise up and seriously win!"
"Well then I will show up and be the strongest there!"
Drum and Aiga stare at each other with intense glares.
The stands are filled with cheers and excitement for the battle that just occurred.
"Wow! Lane and Aiga are so amazing!" Realization just dawned on Hyuga. He turns around to see his brother. Hikaru looked at the scoreboard showing his space blacked out. Tears started to form in his eyes and he clenched his clothes.
"Hikaru..."
The other four legends sitting in the stands are amazed at the battle too.
"Man, that battle was epic! I can't wait to battle next!" Valt exclaims with stars in his eyes.
"So those are the two finalists, huh... I'll be joining them soon after I win the next match." Lui stands there and starts to do his iconic laugh.
"Looks like I will give it all in the next match to make it to the finals, huh..." Free stares down at the stage wondering how to go about this.
"Man, that was such a shame." Rantaro says quietly.
Meanwhile
The tall man looks around the arena, on the stage and through the stands until he lays his eyes on someone. Perfect. That emotion and heartbreak is exactly what I need. He smirks big and walks towards the exit. I will come for you soon...