Chapter 15 - Against Mylene (3)

As Mylene twirled Elico between her fingers with a cold smile, satisfaction glimmered in her eyes. Yet a flicker of doubt lingered in the back of her mind. She cast the card and uttered the familiar words, though the unease gnawing at her only grew.

She wouldn't indulge these doubts—there was no place for that now. Siren's reckless attitude suited a young brawler, but her potential was undeniable, even if it invited Mylene's disdain.

However, what intrigued Mylene the most was Elementless Broken Hydranoid—or, more accurately, the Calamity of Alpha City.

Now that the nagging sense of familiarity had clicked into place, it was impossible to hide her cold grin. She recognized that strange feeling—and the implications thrilled her.

But this was not the moment to explore it. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself and address them later, far from the prince's prying eyes. For now, her focus remained on the match. Her eyes fixated on the Hydranoid before her, and she murmured mockingly under her breath: 

"Show me everything, White Calamity. Keep going." 

Every fragment of data they collected from this peculiar lifeform would be invaluable to the Professor. Grinning, Mylene clutched Elico tighter and laughed as she launched him onto the field.

"Let's finish this, Elico! Bakugan stand! Aquos Elico!"

Elico emerged, unfolding with his arms crossed over his chest. After a moment, he lowered one arm and gestured at James to come at him.

"Show me what you've got."

Despite the taunt, there was a rare hint of respect in his voice. James's boldness, as both a Bakugan and a fighter, had left a mark on Elico. It wasn't just the way he fought but also the way he spoke to his partner—and even to Mylene. That kind of courage earned Elico's reluctant admiration.

But alongside that respect burned a spark of envy toward James and his relationship with Siren. Elico couldn't help but resent the difference between them. Still, he kept those feelings buried, channeling his frustration into the fight ahead.

James noticed the shift in Elico's demeanor, his tail swaying thoughtfully. From the tone in Elico's voice to the subtle changes in his posture, James could read him like an open book. And the realization made him grin.

Stretching his arms, James assumed a fighter's stance, ready for a no-holds-barred showdown. No abilities had been activated yet, and the tension between the two Bakugan crackled in the air. Both warriors, independent of their partners, had made a silent decision: this round would end the battle.

<Darkus Broken Hydranoid> | <Aquos Elico> 

<G-Power: 500> | <G-Power: 500>

Without hesitation, they clashed—fist against fist, beast against beast, as if engaging in a raw, unarmed duel. Two monsters, two warriors, exchanging blow for blow.

The sudden shift in the fight's tone stunned both Siren and Mylene. Siren, however, quickly grasped her partner's intentions. She slotted an ability card into her gauntlet but held off on activating it, waiting for the perfect moment.

James's fist connected with Elico's gut, while Elico retaliated with a punch to James's jaw.

James spat a bloodied tooth into the remnants of the lake, the red stain rippling through the water. Elico, spinning through the air from the impact, barely regained his balance. Yet James grinned, a glint of determination sparkled in his eyes.

Realizing that this was the moment, Siren quickly activated her ability card.

"Ability activate: Light Eater!"

<G-Power 100 Transfer: G-Power transferred from Aquos Elico to Darkus Broken Hydranoid.>

The light in the arena dimmed as purple particles swirled through the air, converging toward James. His eyes glowed with an ominous violet as he opened his mouth, unleashing a powerful purple beam toward Elico.

The beam sliced through the air, but Mylene, seizing the opportunity she had been waiting for, immediately opened her gate card.

"Gate card open! Aquos Reactor! Also… Ability activate: Trick World!"

The darkened arena flipped into a shimmering blue lake as aquamarine light flooded the field, turning the tide of battle in an instant.

<G-Power Boost: Aquos Elico's G-Power increased by 200.> 

<G-Power Change: Darkus Broken Hydranoid's G-Power reduced to 100.>

James's first thought was that it was an illusion, but the sudden weakness that overcame him confirmed otherwise. Before he could process what was happening, Elico's fist slammed into his gut, forcing the air from his lungs.

"Well fought, Hydranoid. But this is where it ends."

<Darkus Broken Hydranoid> | <Aquos Elico> 

<G-Power: 100> | <G-Power: 700>

Siren called out in alarm, "Watch out!" Her gaze flickered to the glowing blue card in her hand, hesitation evident on her face. She gripped it tightly but made no move to play it.

Meanwhile, James coughed up more blood, responding with a headbutt that barely fazed Elico. The next punch, however, came crashing down with overwhelming force, sending James flying backward. His body glowed white as he reverted to his ball form.

Mylene Farrow LP: 295 | Siren LP: 0

The match was over—Mylene had won. Yet a strange sense of loss gnawed at her. The frustration of not being able to gather more data on the White Calamity's abilities lingered. Still, she couldn't resist a cold, triumphant laugh.

"That's what happens when you place too much value on a weapon. If you don't know how to wield it, you lose."

With that condescending remark, Mylene turned and began to leave. Her cape billowed behind her as she exited the chamber, a victorious smirk playing on her lips.

Siren clenched her fists, struggling to maintain her composure as she glared after Mylene. Instead of speaking, she bit down on her frustration, exhaling slowly.

"You okay, James?" she asked, catching him in her hand. In her other hand, she held a specific ability card—one that hadn't dissolved with the end of the match, unlike most. The words on it were still visible:

Ability: Aquos – Ice of Fury.

Prevents opponent's ability usage.

If she had used it, they might have won. But James had insisted before the match not to reveal that card, knowing they couldn't afford to give away all their tricks. If the Vexos found out that he was gaining permanent elemental abilities with his World Eater ability, they would lose their advantage.

Siren sighed, clicking her tongue in annoyance. There was nothing left to do now but retreat. Carrying James, she began making her way back to her room.

"We just have to be patient, huh?" James murmured quietly, sensing her frustration. 

"Yeah… patience," Siren muttered. 

For now.

***

Elsewhere… 

"This match was… quite fascinating." 

Prince Hydron toyed with his hair as he replayed the match on the digital screen before him. He had been watching the entire time, his voice echoing faintly in the empty palace hall. Lounging on his throne, a grin tugged at the corner of his lips.

He rewound the footage, watching James's moves over and over again, his curiosity piqued.

"This is… different. The Professor is going to love this."

With a lazy stretch, Hydron forwarded the footage to Professor Clay. The spark of interest in his eyes was unmistakable.

"A White one—able to fight on par with other Bakugan. And a rather… special one, too. Hmm…"

For a moment, greed gleamed in Hydron's gaze, and his grin widened. The White Bakugan were known to be rare and flawed, with short lifespans and no elemental affinity. In all the data stored on Bakugan, Hydron had never seen a record of an elementless Bakugan. It had been nothing more than a rumor.

Yet here it was—a treasure far too valuable to pass up. And this one seemed far more powerful than the legends suggested.

"Should I add him to my collection? Hmm… maybe I'll wait a bit longer. After all…" 

A glint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes as multiple holographic screens displayed Professor Clay's ongoing research.

"…the era of Bakugan is about to end."