NOVEL NEXT Episode LXXXVIII: An Icy Interruption
"What a match that was! We witnessed a team move I haven't seen in years," Hiroko exclaimed. "If you ask me, my favorite matches of this tournament were the final four." His energy was palpable as he spoke. The Mystical Force team retreated to the rest area.
"You guys beat Faded Legacy?" FJ asked, shocked.
"It wasn't a big deal. It just took hard work and destroying the platform," Kiyoshi replied, attempting to flex. However, pain shot through his arms as he lifted them.
"Careful not to break a bone before our fight," Juro joked.
"This should make for fun finals," Yosuke remarked.
"Sure, but no one wants to disappear after losing," Felix pointed out.
"Way to kill the mood," Lionel retorted, but Rin-Rin agreed with Felix's sentiment.
"How can we fight without disappearing?" Kiyoshi wondered aloud.
"We could pretend we're fighting and then turn against the corporation," FJ suggested. Lionel thought it wasn't a bad idea.
Hiroko entered the rest area and saw both teams talking. "Congrats on surviving the top sixteen; just so you know, I'm not behind the disappearing act." Hiroko said nervously.
"Do you know who is?" Jax asked, standing face-to-face with Hiroko alongside FJ.
"I have no idea; I just follow instructions from my earpiece," Hiroko lied. Lionel confided in Zebeon that something seemed off about their host. Zebeon agreed that Hiroko wasn't being entirely honest with them.
"I wish both teams good luck in the finals!" With that, Hiroko dashed off quickly. In the tunnel leading back to the platform, his earpiece crackled to life: "The kids suspect something."
"Issue Code: Black," commanded an anonymous voice over his earpiece.
"Are you sure that's necessary? It could disrupt the match," Hiroko protested.
"Either we act now, or our necks are on the line. You don't want to end up in jail, do you?" The voice asked.
"No, sir!" Hiroko responded.
"Good. Initiate it during the match. Over and out." The voice instructed.
"We're doomed," Hiroko muttered as he made his way back to the platform. Meanwhile, both teams were dining together in celebration of making it to the finals when an intercom announcement informed them that their match would begin in an hour. They reviewed their plan to feign combat during the tournament: Kiyoshi would spar against Yosuke, Felix against Rin-Rin, Lionel against Juro, and Jax against FJ.
"These should be our matchups to make this look real," Lionel suggested. As they received a call from the intercom informing them that the platform was ready and they were needed immediately, Kiyoshi shouted, "It's showtime!" Both teams emerged from the tunnel onto the damaged platform with a lot of damage.
"This should be fun," Yosuke remarked casually.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Tom was in his office speaking with Yoji about taking revenge on the Mitsuko family. "Your wish will be granted; all you have to do is interrupt the match so there's no winner," Chancellor Tom said. He added that Sensei Yuriko would first descend to watch the finals and pretend to cheer for both teams' victory.
Seemed like a perfect plan," Yoji agreed before meeting up with his brothers Kazuhiro and Takuji.
"I got word from Chancellor himself that we can interrupt and go after Jax," he told them.
"I can't wait to get my hands on him," Kazuhiro said with a smirk.
"No, leave him to me; I've got something for Jax. Just make sure everyone else is unconscious," Yoji instructed.
"That's easy enough; no one on this island can match us," Takuji boasted.
"Welcome to the finals!" Hiroko shouted, and the crowd roared with applause as both teams emerged from the tunnels.
"I must say, this is the most competitive tournament I've hosted, and I've presided over many Kung-Fu league matches in my career," Hiroko declared. "Please give it up for these teams one more time."
Team Checkmate took their positions on the left side of the platform while Mystical Force stood on the right.
"Remember the plan, Kiyoshi," Lionel reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Kiyoshi replied as he jumped onto the platform.
"Good luck, brother," Juro wished him.
"Yeah, put on a good show," Rin-Rin added.
Lionel noticed Kirin's energy. "I've felt this before... but when?" Lionel asked himself aloud. Zebeon agreed that they were sensing strong energy that wasn't coming from them.
Jax was warned by Tethyus to be on high alert because something felt wrong. Oga also sensed an approaching threat which FJ dismissed casually despite Oga's warning about its strength.
Kiyoshi and Yosuke bowed to each other to signal the start of their match. "The match has officially begun," Hiroko announced.
Kiyoshi initiated the fight with a punch, but Yosuke skillfully avoided it and counterattacked with a punch of his own. However, Kiyoshi was equally nimble and dodged it as well. When Yosuke aimed a knee at Kiyoshi's gut, he successfully repelled it and launched a kick in response. Just in time, Yosuke ducked under the kick and executed a back leg sweep to knock Kiyoshi down to the ground.
Struggling to his feet and rubbing his head, Kiyoshi chuckled lightly. "I wasn't ready for that," he admitted.
Suddenly, a black ice needle appeared in the middle of the platform. "What?" asked Yosuke in surprise.
Without warning, Yoji jumped into the center of the platform. "Nice to see you again, Kiyoshi," he greeted.
"What the hell? You aren't allowed to be in the center of the ring during a match," Hiroko protested.
"Brothers, shut him up," commanded Yoji. Takuji leaped next to Hiroko and froze him using his blood-ice powers.
"That should keep him quiet," said an inner voice within Takuji.
The crowd began panicking and scattering in every direction while Yoji erected a black ice wall around the edges of the platform preventing anyone from seeing inside; just before it completely enclosed them, Jax managed to jump over it and stand beside Kiyoshi and Yosuke.
Jax immediately shifted into his Mitsukodorian mode and charged at Yoji who called him 'fool' before powering up into his spirit form and releasing a black icy blast at Jax which knocked him out of his Mitsukodorian mode; he hit his head against the wall as he was thrown backwards by its force.
Kiyoshi grew furious. "I am Kitaro, The Shadow Tiger!" he roared.
"Aww, shut up!" retorted Yoji. "Special Combo: Black Icy Horn Blash!" he yelled as Kiyoshi called out his own attack, "Ultra-Move: Wild Shadow Claw Ripper!"
Kiyoshi's hands transformed into purple holographic claws and he lunged at Yoji but missed. Yoji took advantage of this opportunity to drill a punch into Kiyoshi’s gut followed by multiple punches to his face, and then turned his hand into solid black ice to deck Kiyoshi in the face, sending him crashing against one part of the black wall.
Meanwhile, Yosuke had also powered up into his spirit form and unleashed a black flame punch at Yoji. However, Yoji caught Yosuke’s fist, froze his entire arm, kicked him in the frozen limb and sent him flying back against the wall near Team Checkmate's side.
"Oga!" cried FJ who was already in his spirit form. He tried to break the ice with the help from Juro and Rin-Rin but to no avail. "Why isn’t this ice breaking or making a dent!" he exclaimed in frustration.
"Hang on, Yosuke!" shouted Juro.
"No matter how hard they beat on that wall it isn’t coming down unless I bring it down," declared Yoji confidently. "Now that we've dealt with the interruption, it's time for me to do what I came here for."
As soon as Yoji approached Jax, a grey aura suddenly appeared out of nowhere and punched him in the face causing him to crash into his own black icy wall. It was Tokido in his spirit form.
"If you lay a finger on my brother, you are going to die," threatened Tokido before being surrounded by Kori���s brothers.
"Who invited you to our party?" asked Kazuhiro sarcastically.
"I did, because I just added my name to the list," retorted Tokido. "Ultra-Move: Ghost Lightning Cannon!" he cried out, aiming at the wall to his right instead of his opponents. One icy black wall crumbled down and members from both teams immediately rushed towards it.
"Impossible; how did he manage to destroy my wall in one shot?" Yoji wondered aloud.
Yasushi charged at Tokido who easily sidestepped him and landed a ghost punch on him, sending him flying towards another wall which collapsed under the impact. Kazuhiro and Takuji quickly picked up their brother and retreated.
"That washed-up Mitsuko ruined my plans; I thought he had faded away," grumbled Yoji angrily.
"Sensei Yuriko’s spell didn’t work on him, I suppose," suggested Takuji.
"I know that, you idiot!" snapped Yoji. "Next time we face them, we are going to wipe the floor with all of them."
Yoji got an evil smirk on his face.