(Part 9)

"So our Alan is again in a pinch not from the balling side but from the batting as well." sighed Noah. "But what does the ultimate paladin mean exactly? He isn't a knight or anything.

Isa even called him a king for no reason. Furthermore his title matches like our Noah's. Isn't that plagiarism?" asked Orion disappointed as Aigou endorsed.

Senri upon his comment smiled, "Silly boy, nobody gets a title from the winds. If you are so interested in why he was given that, and if he plagiarized it or not, then just wait and watch." Noah looking ahead stared at Helios silently.

"So that means we are at an advantage right your highness?" asked Azazel confidently.

"Indeed… Since, Helios counters fast balls, Alan is at a disadvantage at balling and later on when Alan bat's he is once again at a disadvantage due to him being a spin returner while Helios delivers fast ones." Kenzo explained.

"Now that sounds fun." Ryan grinned. "Say, you fake king. I will go next." he claimed suddenly.

Xavier and Feng looked at him surprised.

"Huh? What do you mean you'll go?" Feng asked back surprised.

"Since, I can't keep it in. I will go next. And, if you don't let me. I will rush out the moment Helios comes back. In that way you can't even to stop me." Ryan uttered not moving an inch back from his words. Xavier eyed Kenzo who sighed in turn.

"I won't send you next just because you are asking for it you brat. You are the one who has to go next." he replied without batting an eye.

Ryan slightly surprised gazed at his back. "Thanks…" he acknowledged. Kenzo looking at the pitch sighed. "Yay! Ryan is going to be next!" cheered Adam choking his neck.

Seraph and Cassiel eyed each other speechless. Seles on the other hand looked forward to the performance before his sight.

Ezekiel, Claude, Lucifer, Ebraham and Poseidon eyeing Alan and Helios stared silently not a single one of them blinking their eyes.

Alan taking a deep breath hopped over his toes twice rapidly rushing towards the wicket. The moment he stepped on the pitch's line, he twisted his wrist with full force toward Helios who stood prepared.

"An exceptional fast ball!" read Helios steeling himself as he raised his bat forward, slamming the ball towards the off side straight into the boundary. Alan surprised by the speed of his judgment stared at the ball which rested outside the ground's boundary.

"That was fast. He read the trajectory of my ball in a blink of an eye!" he thought amused. Both of their glances meeting they smirked at each other condescendingly.

"Did you see that? He just condemned the ball as if he knew that Alan would aim for a delivery like this." Elias marveled. The high schoolers hearing his words nodded silently.

Alan once more grasping the ball rushed towards the pitch with full speed throwing the same delivery a bit faster than the one balled before.

Helios eyeing the ball read as his eyes began to glow form blue to light golden.

"An exceptional fast ball with its speed increased, aiming right to my stumps." he read once again slamming the ball straight towards Alan on the ground with full force. However, betting upon his actions Alan kept his foot before the ball could pass through his region of defense. Picking it up, he turned around heading back.

"Amazing… it's as if they are both on each other's necks…" gulped Azazel while Ezekiel stared wide eyed. "Alan's harsh fast deliveries with Helios's great sense of detection and returns. Indeed, a great over of rivalry." Seles pointed as the rest stared at the pitch wordlessly.

Kenzo, Ryan, Poseidon and Seraph eyed the sight seriously. Alan twirling his ball eyed Helios wondering, "I have a weird feeling as if he knows which ever ball I am about to deliver. The moment my hand leave's the ball, he instantly detects its kind. Countering it back without a second of delay no matter how fast it is. Haiz… such a god gifted talent. Nevertheless, in this delivery, I'll make sure to pull out this talent of his."

Helios on the contrary chuckled. "Really… his thoughts are as open as a book. Pulling out my talent hun…? You don't have to Alan. Instead I'll show it you myself!" he thought assertively.

Alan rushing towards the pitch lightened the grip on the ball throwing it slight gently compared to the previous two deliveries before however, before he left the ball an undetectable spin was swiped over it giving it a swift head start.

Helios once more glared at it gripping his bat tighter. His eyes all of a sudden turning golden he whispered, "A slow delivery with a swift spin. Sorry, but it won't work."

Keeping his bat forward the ball rammed over his bat countering it with a dot return. "I did manage to stop it but still it was a really powerful delivery…"

Helios thought gazing at the ball which had stopped before his feet. Alan gazed at him dazed. Helios eyed Alan with his sharp sun golden eyes while his blue hairs hovered over like fire.

A golden knight like aura surrounding him.

"This is it. Paladin's vision of future…" whispered Poseidon. "

The first gate onto reaching the pinnacle of perfection. It's that vision of future." Kenzo explained.

"To think he would be serious from the very beginning. Helios isn't in the mood to play around." Ryan added.

"Hm…" Xavier endorsed beside Cassiel. Lucifer and Arthur eyeing each other stared back at the pitch.

"What in the world…?" gulped Orion and Aigou as the other highschoolers stared marveled. "The Vision of future. The first gate of opening the Pinnacle of perfection. To think that he would unlock it at such a young age. It is unbelievable." whispered Zach.

"The pinnacle of perfection…? Doesn't it have four stages?" asked Ren curiously.

"Yes… it does." replied Isa. "Not bad…" remarked Nidou sipping his sports drink.

"This boy might show that rascal and me something good." he added while Rauf eyed him silent. Evan and Haruf stared at the pitch in wonder. Noah clutching the rails gazed at Helios excitedly, "The Pinnacle of Perfection…? So he also has it…"

Alan looked at Helios stood stunned, "The Pinnacle of perfection…"

"Unbelievable… such a jewel was hidden under coals. He looks like a sun… Elegant!" he thought a smile escaping his lips. "Magnificent! My boy! Bring it all out!" Alan called Helios impatiently.

Tossing the ball up, he again went towards the pitch grinning wildly. Helios on the other hand smiled, blinking his golden dazzling eyes ever so lightly.

Positioning himself he glanced at the middle schoolers caringly and confident. The middle schoolers smiled back.

Feng gulped awed, "You know… I really shouldn't say it but, he looks like a deity ascended form the skies."

"Of course. The ruler of the Sun. That's who our captain is. The vision of future is the first stage of pinnacle of perfection which allows him to envision the future in a split second." explained Ebraham as Poseidon gazed at the ground.

"So now three more balls to go hun…" whispered David.

Alan stepping on the popping crease delivered the ball towards Helios who eyed it effortlessly. "It's an out swinger this time!" called Adam curiously as he grabbed Seraph's arm pointing over.

"It's no use… that brat will return this as well." told Nidou as he eyed Alan who knowing this fact bowled the same delivery against him. Helios whispered, "A Full paced out swinger hun… now that make things easier."

Instead of countering it, a light smoke began enveloping around him, surrounding his waist and legs like a misty could. The ball which was flying outside the pitch gently spun its way towards Helios's bat as he slammed the ball over the boundary.

Upon scoring, the whole stadium including Alan went silent for a moment. Senri fully awake gazed at the sight shocked. "No way…" whispered Aaron in disbelief.

"So it wasn't just the single stage hun… that boy has already perfected the second stage as well." Evan uttered seriously.

"Zone of ultimate Guard…" recognized Noah tensely as his eyes burned thrilled. Rauf hearing Noah's words eyed his vigor silently.

"Such a surprise." called Haruf. "No wonder, he is the 2nd board's king." endorsed Isa as Nagi nodded.

Kazuna and Orion eyed Alan who panted at Helios's sight grinning excitedly.

"Wohoo!! It's the zone of ultimate Guard!" Adam exclaimed jumping up and down. "Way to go Heli! Heli! Show him, who is boss!" he encouraged peculiarly. "Seriously? I suggest you sit down quietly. Your words won't help at all." Ryan uttered speechless. Seraph and Gabriel took a deep breath.

Ezekiel gazing at Helios stood as stiff as a statue. "Captain…? Is this how much stronger you've become…?" he thought in disbelief.

Poseidon looking at him smiled, "See? That's the reason he pulls you along with him all the time Ezekiel. When, he is advancing on, he wants you to follow right beside him. So that you won't be left behind. He isn't scary or evil at all. He cares about everyone a lot. That's why he is our captain. No… Eight Generation's captain." he told lovingly.

Lucifer and Ebraham endorsed. Hearing his words Ezekiel gazed at the ground biting his lip, his expression blackened. "Vice-captain… I'm sorry…" he apologized. Claude and David blinked their eyes.

Poseidon patting his head assured, "There's no need to apologize silly boy." "Just do as your captain tells you to. Don't take your eyes off him not even for a single second." he recalled Helios's advice.

Nodding twice, he wiped his eyes with his sleeve as Lucifer and Claude tugged his shoulders. "Come on now, there's no need to cry." they teased. Ezekiel embarrassed shrieked out, "Shut up! I am not crying!"

"HAHA! Ezekiel is crying~" teased Adam as well laughing hard as Ryan unintentionally chuckled beside Feng and Heber who tried to hide their laughter.

"Shut up! All of you! Like I said, I am not crying!!" Ezekiel shrieked annoyed. Ignoring all of them Ezekiel once more gazed at Helios who stood like an armored paladin before Alan.