He isn't an F-Ranker

"Amazing!" 

"How impressive"

"He's sure to be a prodigy."

"As expected of a member of the Golden Six and a Euro." 

Throughout his life, Daniel had been showered with praise.

Of course, he was. Everywhere he went, he was the best.

The best looking, the smartest and the strongest.

He was gifted. 

"Strength and recognition. These are the two things anyone needs to stand out among others. And when mastered, one can rule the world." 

This was the quote he lived by. It had worked so perfectly for his mother, who was a member of the board of directors of the S.A., so he knew it was true…

Right?

Yet…before him…a single figure that disproved everything he believed had bested him.

What good were all the looks…

What good was all the attention…

What good was all the recognition…

'What good is it all if I'm so weak.' 

Daniel thought, watching the boy sit on his chest.

He wondered.

Could he be this strong if he hadn't wasted so much time?

Would the outcome of this battle have changed if he'd been like Isaac, focused on a single goal?

Was…it too late?

***

Isaac, his arm raised, stared at the six individuals that had appeared from the forest.

They all stared with wide eyes at the boy sitting on Daniel, black tails looming behind him. 

Isaac could almost hear their heartbeats increasing as they stared at the downed Daniel.

'H-He did that?' 

'What's going on?' 

'What are those tails?'

They all thought collectively.

"Let him go. Now!" Amara yelled, snapping out of her trance, stepping forward beside Cain and prepared to leap at any moment.

However, before she could, she felt someone grab her wrist.

Looking back, she first looked at the hand, then looked up to meet Ava's eyes. The girl's usual bright smile and innocent expression were gone, replaced with a serious and stoic demeanour.

"Don't, Amara. Please. Y-You'll die." 

Amara was taken aback as she heard this, staring at Ava with bewildered eyes.

"Ava…"

Cain had heard this but didn't take his eyes off Isaac.

"Be careful. We were right." Lucy whispered to the others, summoning her sword and voicing everyone's thoughts.

Despite most of their expression remaining focused, inwardly, they were dumbfounded.

'They said he was an F-Ranker.' 

Eli thought, staring at the carnage before him.

As this all happened, Jett had his eyes wide. But unlike the others, he was focused on something else.

'Those eyes…' 

During all this, Isaac stayed silent, soon lowering his hand and rising to his feet.

As he did, he grabbed Daniel by his collar, pulling him off the ground and soon hurling the boy.

Daniel dropped before the group with a short THUD.

"Ava," Cain called out, watching the girl unhand Amara and scurry toward Daniel.

Dropping to her knees, a green hue enveloped her hands, coating Daniel's injuries.

It seemed as though the toss had caused Daniel to finally lose consciousness, but the healing prompted him to wear an expression of comfort.

As this happened, Cain and Isaac stared at each other, both their eyes sharp as neither showed any sign of weakness.

It wasn't until Isaac turned, walking away from the group silently.

"Where do you think you're going…" 

"This is your only chance." Isaac's cold voice cut her off as he turned his head just enough for his amber pupil to gaze at them.

"Follow me and each one of you will die. If you don't fear for yourselves, fear for those beside you. I will show no mercy." 

The others instinctively took a step back, feeling a thick bloodlust ooze from Isaac.

Only Cain remained rooted in his position as his expression hadn't changed a single bit.

"Try it…"

"Amara."

Before Amara could finish, Cain cut her off guard, grabbing her hand as he promptly shook his head.

"What are you doing? He almost killed Daniel, he probably has something to do with what's happening at the Coliseum." She retorted and before Cain could reply, Lucy joined in.

"She's right. Interrogating may be our chance to help the others at the Coliseum." 

Cain shook his head.

"He has nothing to do with the Coliseum ambush." The others stared at him with confused expressions.

"How can you say that?" Amara hissed.

Cain paused for a second, staring at the departing Isaac.

"I can tell. He seems…sad." 

The others darted their eyes between Isaac and Cain, soon giving Cain a look like he was crazy.

However, before any of them could continue, they all darted their head toward where Isaac was standing. Past him and to the forest more specifically.

"I'm surprised you survived that, Wanderer. It's just as Lord Aizen said…"

A figure emerged from the forest as Isaac halted in his steps, staring.

The figure fashioned unnatural spiky black hair, a devious grin painted on his face as he stepped closer.

'Him.' 

Isaac thought. This was one of the figures bowing before Aizen, behind the Bishop level man that stabbed him.

Isaac had made sure to take a mental note of all their Ki signatures before. But he was quite at the level where he could track said Ki Signatures.

'He's most likely a Priest.' 

He concluded.

As he did, he witnessed the figure raise an arm.

Seeing this, Isaac bent his legs, leaping backwards and behind the group, finding the closest tree and leaning against it.

"Running? But…" 

Before the figure could finish, he paused, bewildered as he stared at one of the individuals in the group.

"You. You're Cain Saffron, aren't you?" The figure asked, pointing as if he'd just seen a long-lost relative 

"Who are you?" Cain kept his guard up.

After a few seconds, the figure chuckled, soon falling into a fit of laughter as he held his face.

-VRMM

It wasn't long until he flicked his arm out, a yellow beam forming as it shot out like a laser.

Cain widened his eyes as he snapped into action, coming face to face with the beam before it reached the others.

-BANG

Veins bulged on Cain's forehead as he struggled to control the beam. His skin sizzled as the beam burnt him and his feet dug deep into the ground at the power of the attack.

Soon, he took a sharp deep breath and hurled the beam upward, sending it shooting through the air.

-BOOM

The beam exploded in the air like a firework and simultaneously.

Cain, his uniform torn, searched for his opponent, only to find the figure had disappeared.

"Cain, to your right!" Amara yelled, too slow to reach on time.

Cain turned his head, noticing the figure closing in with a feral grin.

-SLASH

-FUAM

-BANG

Before he could act, a sword, burning glove and sharp claws met him from all directions.

The figure's grin disappeared as he stared with a straight expression at all the attacks, seamlessly disappearing from his position and reappearing a few feet away.

Lucy, Jett and Amara formed a formation around Cain as Amara couldn't help but turn her head.

"Are you okay?" She asked, watching Cain toss a Senzu bean in his mouth and bite down, his injuries slowly healing.

Cain nodded as he joined the others, standing beside them.

Seeing he was okay, Amara turned her attention to Isaac who stood against a tree behind them all.

"Aren't you going to help?!" She yelled, Isaac, giving no reply as usual.

Even Eli was helping and protecting Ava and Daniel, she expected the same effort from him.

"We need to focus on the battle. This man…he's using Ki." Cain revealed, never taking his eyes off the figure.

"Not man. The name's Tato." 

Though the figure grinned, he inwardly kept his eye on Lucy.

'That sword…it would have killed me if I hadn't dodged.' 

"Anyway, shall we continue?" 

Tato gave no time for the others to reply as he dashed forward, far slower than before as if he were mocking the others.

However…

"Ren."

Taro was opposed by Isaac who seemingly appeared from nowhere.

'When did he get there?' 

Taro thought, the others thinking the same as Isaac glared.

Leaping into the air, Isaac wrapped his legs around Tato's head, swinging back and tossing his opponent toward the others.

More specifically toward Cain as the boy welcomed this, clamping both hands together and smashing them into Tato's back.

-BOOM

Tato slammed into the ground as the others leapt back.

"Bastard…" 

Tato muttered, rising and looking up, only to notice Isaac…running.

Isaac bolted toward the forest where Tato had emerged from without looking back.

"Did he just dump this guy on us and run away?" Amara asked in an annoyed tone, struggling to contemplate whether she should stay or go after him.

"Forget him. We have bigger problems on our hands." Lucy declared, keeping her sword up.

And so, Isaac disappeared into the forest as they all watched his departing figure.

'He can't go…not yet. Now I know, it was him.' 

Jett thought, his previous starstruck expression gone as a stoic expression replaced it.

'Should I go after him? But…' 

Tato turned to Cain, pursing his lips.

'I'll finish up here quickly.' 

Tato decided as he stood up, his grin returning as the Ki around him started to considerably expand and grow denser.

So much so that the others took a step back, sweat dripping down each of their faces as they all shared a single thought.

'He's strong.'

[Name: Tato (Stage 4 / A-Rank)]

[Inherited Character: Vegeta]

[Verse: Dragon Ball]

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Next chapter title: We made an Oath!

NNext chapter title: I'll kill you all!

NNNext chapter title: you reap what you sew

As a wise man once said, the cooking is about to begin.

Alright, now do your jobs and gimme the powerstones...sorry, I meant...

POWERSTONESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

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