3RD PERSON POV:
WITH SOL AND MUBONG: Sol and Mubong calmly watch on the many monitors in front of them with Mubong on his throne and Sol standing next to him, as Sol takes a look at a monitor that shows Ash standing at the arenas doors then one showing Frost,Ashes counterpart standing infront of a large and deep hole in the ground with his back turned to the camera
Sol:the first singularity since ragnarok...
He says as Mubong smirks
Mubong:okay...I guess it has finally appeared
Sol:Adam, calculate the feasibility of the "conclusion" that I just deducted...
He says as a machine hums in response as Sol caughs into his hand and looks at his hand to see blood
Mubong:it's getting worse isn't it?
Sol:this body can't handle my powers backlash, so I'm running out of time
He says while wiping the blood away
Mubong:you and P have been close as of late, mind telling me what that is?
Sol just huffs in response
Sol:my apologies, but it seems I have gotten close with her...
WITH ASH: the viewers murmur amongst each other as Jose is carried away on a stretcher with a peice of cloth covering his face as Ash stands by the railing
Ash:hey, hold on
He says before seeing Jose being taken away as Executive F is seen behind him
Executive F:strange, huh? That kid...
He says as he and Ash look at Haoyu who stands in the ring stretching and holding a smile
Executive F:there's really something strange about him. As strange as "you"...breaking my arm when I hit you
He says before walking away
Ash:I want to thank you
He says while not looking at him as Executive F looks over his shoulder
Ash:I got a "hint" in my fight with you
Executive F:...anyway..
He says before continuing to walk away while turning his head away from the boy
Executive F:I'm telling you this tournament is filled with strange kids...in terms of aptitude for fighting, that kid is better. I'm looking forward to seeing what the fight will be like
He says as Haoyu leaves the ring
Haoyu:master~!
He calls put tp Ash while walking up to him
Haoyu:master~!
Ash:hey, Haoyu
He says while voltoning over the railing and stands infront of Haoyu
Haoyu:did you see my fight?!
Ash:yeah!
He says with a smile
Ash:I didn't get to see all of it, but I saw the end
He says as Haoyu speaks with a smile
Haoyu:that was the first. I only used it once but my whole body feels like it's going to explode;; that skill really takes a toll on me;;
Ash:it's amazing that you even copied it after seeing it just once
Haoyu:just once? No, no...since the battle world finals...
FLASHBACK:
Haoyu:I've practiced thousands, tens of thousands of times
FLASHBACK OVER:
Haoyu:in order to successfully perform the "strange kick" that you used, master Emiya. I even used my borrowed power "Verdandi" to practice five seconds into the future, then I used that to practice in the present. Practicing five seconds in the future. Then using that to practice. Repeating that over and over. Improving, and improving, repeating that hundreds of times...if I had to calculate it as a number...let me see...
He says as he begins to count his fingers before looking up at Ash
Haoyu:around three million times? That's how many times I've practiced. Still, my body is a total mess from the rebound of the skill
HAOYU'S ROOM: the floor of Haoyu's room is seen caved in
BACK TO ASH:
Haoyu:now I've barely reached it
He says before pointing to himself
Haoyu:the same level as you, master Emiya. I'll give you my best fight
He exclaims excitedly
Haoyu:the day that I saw this kick, I decided my goal: my goal is to reach in this competition is you! Master Emiya!
He exclaims with anticipation as Ash shivers slightly
Announcer:Haoyu, please come up to the stage
Haoyu begins to walk away while waving goodbye to Ash
Haoyu:well, good luck in the next fight!
He says as he leaves as Ash stays silent as Peach places her hand on the hybrid's shoulder
Peach: don't pay attention to him. Don't let him psych you out. Now... don't...pay too much attention to him
Ash:he's used it hundreds of times...?
He says before looking down at his hand
Ash:the height of skills mastered while getting kicked, thrown, punched, dismembered, stabbed, shot, crushed, cut open, beaten up and covered in blood
He says while placing his hand down and looking back at Haoyu
Ash:the essence of the renewal and Morningstar technique...refined and passed down since my mother's and Taejin Jin's time...or since the time of our ancestors' ancestors' ancestors. And yet he managed to do it in just a few days. Honestly I'm a bit shocked...that kid is the "real deal"...
MEANWHILE: LAB IN THE G.O.H VYTAL STADIUM: many scientists are seen unconscious in the ground as Tobari holds up as container
Hinowa:we finally have it!
Tobari: a nano machine sample!!
Hinowa then turns to Jaune
Hinowa:we have it now. Let's head back~
Jaune:hold on
He says while sitting infront of a monitor as Xiaochen leans next to him
Xiaochen:whatcha doing~?
Jaune:we have to know how to use it...
He says before his eyes widen slightly
Jaune:...it seems like we need "permission"
He says as he stands up
Jaune:we have the nanomachine and the instructions on how to use it...we had better hurry and get this to Ash...
He says while turning along side Xiaochen, Tobari and Hinowa
Jaune:...you...
WITH PEACH AND ASH:
Ash/peach:CHEERS!
The two clang their drinks together as Peach who is no longer disgusted as executive V begins to drink
Ash:is this okay? Being here at this hour...
Peach:it's okay, it's okay. I've already checked the security cameras and wiretraps! This place is all clear~
She says as Ash looks at her with a blank look
Ash:'I mean is it okay for you to be drinking...'
Suho:'come one Ash, where's the spirit? We're almost at the finish line!'
Tyrant:'yeah, have a little fun you earned it kid, with all that's happened so far you deserve this so just do us a favor and enjoy this...'
He says before he and Suho go silent as Ash looks down
Ash:recently, when I lost to the executive...this kind of thing popped into my head without even realizing it. Am I weaker than Arlane now? Weaker than a "mere" clone? As time passed, I came to my senses. What am I thinking? Weaker than Arlane? And a clone, at that?
He says before placing his drink down and bringing his knees up to his chest as he lays his head on his arms as his ears unintentionally come out and droop along side his tails
Ash:maybe I thought of Arlane Sparda, who was having his limbs blown off in order to buy me time in the great war while I was on the verge of death, as just a clone... I'm an awful person in so many ways...
Peach:that's how it always is. Everyone acts tough and cool but most people are stuck at the level of growth of a five-year-old. Everyone just pretends to be mature as if everything is fine, but they're actually afraid. Afraid someone will see that they stopped growing at age five...
She says as Ash places his hand on top of his head his face still in his knees
Peach:still, I'm impressed. Seeing that you controlled yourself even in a situation that must have hurt your pride, you must really value them. Your family and friends, I mean
Ash:they all meant alot to me too. They really, really mean alot to me
He says while removing his hand from the top of his head
Ash:but they're not sick right now. Their lives aren't on th line because of me. That's not the case for Rukia Kuchiki. She's really sick...in the kind of situation...where any day could be her last. Avenging Jiyoung and my sister and reuniting with the others are important too. But there's no telling when Rukia might be gone. We may not share a drop of blood...but I want to protect her...no matter what...that includes Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, uryu and the others...
Peach: because they're important to you...of course you want to protect them
She says before taking a sip from her drink
Peach:ah~ I'm so jealous of them~
She says as Ash puts his knees down and sits up straight
Peach: as I said before, when you peel off people's masks, they're all little kids. I've seen so many people who mistakenly think they're "adults". When their business was going well but it goes under in the blink of an eye and they end up on the street
She then raises her mug
Peach:when their grades that used to be the top in the school plummet to the bottem. When a successful celebrity's popularity drops in an instant. The world judges people as adults or intellectuals based on their achievements, but once those achievements disappear...they think "is this where I am?" But actually, when they realize that they're one of us here at the bottom...
She says as she places her mug down
Peach:that's when they become the most pathetic
She says as Ash just stares at her in surprise
Peach:I still can't completely believe it, but I hear you and the angels used to be on a higher level than our Jade emperor
She says before taking another sip of her drink
Peach:but now, here you all are scrapping with students, and yet you think your an awful person because you're worse than a mere clone like Arlane Sparda? So what? What's wrong with thinking that?
She places her mug down
Peach:taking care of yourself is hard enough. Would it kill you to feel like a bit of a loser? It's okay to be a bit more pathetic!
She says as Ash huffs before smiling at her
Ash:arigatō. That makes me feel a bit better
Peach takes a sip of her drink
Peach:hmph! I know better than anyone. Because I've spent my whole life being weak!