(Part 8)

Poseidon pulled over his sleeves on both of his arms. Picking the ball up, he rubbed it over, soon grasping it tightly in his right hand. Tracing the balling wicket before him he smiled. Alan grasping his sight smiled back.

"Poseidon Ageil, a remarkable player. Study says his patience is limitless. Just to suppress his pain over shocks he received because of his disease. He has become emotionless towards pain and its feeling. Guillain-Barre syndrome… to think he is fighting such a dangerous disease despite being so young. No wonder, I want to see… see what kind of evolution he possess." he thought admiring.

Tapping the bat, he waited for the ball which Poseidon aimed. Thrown lightly yet swiftly, the first delivery hitting short on the pitch spun towards Alan sharply.

"A short spin delivery." Alan read moving forward to return it with a flick shot.

Poseidon eyeing the ball which stopped amid the ground, instantly looked at Alan calling, "Alan."

Alan returning his gaze asked back, "Yes?" Poseidon slightly hesitant spoke once again, "Can I… challenge you?"

Alan blinked his confused. "Challenge me…?" he asked back fascinated. "Hm." Poseidon nodded. Alan stood intrigued, "Eh… interesting. So what kind of a challenge is it?"

Poseidon looking at the middle schoolers shook his head, "It isn't much but still… ever since, Azazel came back I realized, that there wasn't a single over where you left a boundary or a six and that made me curious, isn't it just grand that you can return any kind of delivery be it a spin or a fast one despite being a spin returner or is just mere luck? So… I wondered regardless of it being luck or skill, will it be the same in my over as well. That's when I came up with an idea. That is… how about I don't let you claim a single boundary or a six in my whole over. Doesn't that sound challenging?"

Alan hearing his words wondered, "Haha… that's it? Geez… you should've told that to me sooner. Alright, I accept your challenge, king of sea. Let's see, whether it's my sheer luck or real skill."

Poseidon picking up the ball stood behind the popping crease aiming at Alan once again. "Thank you… I feel really privileged. So… here it goes!" he uttered bowling towards him.

Alan studied, "An off spin, but I can't aim for a boundary with this one. So let's end it with a dot hit." he thought blocking it straight. Poseidon picking the ball headed back.

"Vice-Captain really is giving out normal spin deliveries one after another. I wonder what he really meant by that challenge." Ebraham wondered.

"He wants to divert Alan's concentration. In other words, he wants Alan to aim for boundaries when Poseidon in reality, aims for his wicket instead." Xavier explained.

"You mean he challenged him deliberately?" Azazel asked.

"Indeed. You might think of Poseidon as someone who won't use tricks and hoaxes. However, he is the exact opposite. His tricks are his skills, the kinds of skills from which he evolves." told Helios as Kenzo stared seriously. "After all… the king of sea. I don't think Alan should take this title lightly." he added.

Poseidon throwing and catching the ball again and again stepped towards the popping crease.

"Here it goes… 1st tide of return." he whispered, throwing the ball. The ball tapping onto the pitch went from left to right aimed clearly for the mid-wicket.

"A Googly?" Alan thought suddenly a gleam covering his face he stepped forward. "After such a long while! My favorite!" he thought slamming the ball towards the off side with full force.

The ball flew towards the boundary. "Wah!! It will hit the boundary Sera, Sera!" shrieked Adam choking Ryan's neck. "Don't tell me, Poseidon will already lose the challenge?" asked Heber blunt.

Helios closing his eyes smiled, "I thought I told you before… take him lightly, and you're done for. After all, his nightmares have yet to reveal themselves."

Alan grinned mockingly, "Boy of the sea, are you sure to lose a challenge this early?" Poseidon eyeing him from the corner of his eye instantly clasped his middle finger and thumb together. "Who said so? Losing a challenge? It's impossible, that's because… I haven't lost a single challenge in my life not even to Helios!" he claimed confident.

"Reveal… Gravity suppress!" he ordered.

And as soon as the ball which was about to cross the boundary, was suddenly dropped on the ground motionless right before it.

The highschoolers and middle schoolers along with Seles, Nidou, Rauf and Alan stared confused. "Did- did you see it? The ball just fell down on its own! Just as if… as if…" Noah spoke baffled as Senri continued, "As if aimed right on the ground."

"Right! How can that be?" Noah uttered.

"Gravity suppress, a skill which instantly takes away all the ball's speed, spin and strength making it motionless and unable to move at the same time." explained Aaron.

"Not only that, it's a kind of barrier which gives the impression on the batsman as if he is undersea unable to see even the reaching rays of sunlight." continued Helios.

"Amazing… I know I can't judge it but it's still very peculiar to hear about." Cassiel remarked.

"It is… I faced it once. One standing in the front could see Poseidon as the king on sea's surface while they are entrapped as prisoners. A dreadful horror." told Kenzo seriously.

Alan blinking his eyes stared wordless. Huge mountains and reefs stood before his sight while he stood amid the darkest waters. And, right before him stood Poseidon with a golden trident mark shining over his forehead, he eyed Alan grave. "I told you… I won't let you achieve a single boundary or more in my domain." he threatened.

"Unbelievable…" Alan standing straight whispered awed. Zach tracing Alan's confusion him wondered, "Something's wrong. Why is Alan acting like his is under a spell?"

"A spell?" Elias repeated.

"Yeah… As if he can't see us again or he is trapped inside somewhere once again." guessed Ren. "You mean the same as that time while facing Heber's joker cage?" Aigou recalled.

"Yeah, familiar to that." told Isa. "Loos like that gravity suppression skill has a lot more to it than seen by the eye." Nagi informed.

"What's wrong? Are you afraid?" asked Poseidon sarcastically.

Alan smirked, "Haha, not at all. I was just wondering, how I am supposed to aim a six over all these mountains." Poseidon picking the ball up smiled back, "Who knows, looks like you'll have to work hard to break this one." Alan tapped his bat amused, "Very well, bring it on. I swear on my name that I'll surely snatch a boundary away!"

Kenzo hearing him sneered taunting, "Swearing on his name hun. I bet I'll have to change his name, the moment he loses the challenge!" Heber and Feng sighed.

"I just wonder Kenzo, do you have a personal grudge against him or something?" asked Gabriel irritated hearing his curses again and again.

"Tch, he annoys me." Kenzo twitched his brow.

"Who in the world doesn't annoy you?" asked Ryan sarcastically. Xavier and Helios looked at each other in disbelief.

Stepping onto the popping crease, Poseidon once again bowled towards Alan. "Another Googly." he read. Slamming his bat upwards he aimed for a straight six however, suppressed by Poseidon's gravity field it once again fell on the ground with a thud. Alan stood silent.

"It came down again… I really can't cross my balls with all those mountains in front. So, how in the world do I aim for a six this big? I wonder where the boundary really is." he pondered puzzled. Looking around he traced the mountains which stood underwater like huge walls, revealing not even a single opening.

"Is it me… or does Alan look confused?" asked Claude surprised.

"He does." replied Gabriel. "Looks like he can't find any weakness inside gravity suppression which Poseidon used." Seraph noted.

"A scary ability." whispered Adam shuddering as Ryan glanced at him uninterested. Suddenly Helios chuckled, "Pfft! Haha! Really, he is getting confused so early. Poseidon has yet to reveal all his moves. Looks like even Alan can be confused." Seles eyeing him sat seriously.

Xavier looking at Feng smiled whereas, Poseidon smirked at Alan's sight, "What's wrong? Is a single four too hard for you to hit?" Alan stared grave.

"Don't look at me like that, it makes me feel as if I've done something wrong. Well then shall I show you something more?" Poseidon asked gently.

Alan tapping his bat stood expressionless.