"I'll be there. I need to get that MVP next game." Kokkaku looked determined to change the pace of the game, fired up from the previous loss despite his nonchalant demeanor.
Raiden looked back to Gharma. "Hey Gharma, did you see that one chick? I could feel something off about her. She almost had the same energy as mom?"
"I've seen them in the family books. She looks similar to a Cerī and Chimera hybrid. Ones that would appear back in ancient times. Yet she's partially human. Maybe some kind of mutation."
"I got my plan all figured out Kokkaku, You'll have to work in tandem with me if we're to solidify the victory next game" Kasaru spoke, looking towards him.
"I'll try. I've never worked with any of you before this, I won't just be able to be get in tune."
"I've got it, you don't have to do much, just help score until we're one point off and I got it." Joseph said, intervening in the conversation.
"Alright, if you say so."
"Chimera huh? You think she's pure blooded then? She kept eyeing me down when we were on the court so she must know by now.. I saw her look up at dad too, as if she made the connection herself."
"If she's from that long ago she probably doesn't know that Mom married him. It might get deeper here sooner rather than later."
Raiden turned his gaze to the ancient Ceri, knowing there might be questions after the matches. "Maybe she could be a useful ally at some point."
"In what? What are you planning?"
He leaned back and smiled, rubbing the back of his head. Something clearly on his mind. "I don't know I guess we'll see."
The gym started to transform as the school showed off it's high tech infrastructure. Wires, Circuit Boards and panels started to flip. The wood floor subbed out for a grass one as the flags were placed in each corner. Referees moved to set up a machine on each corner of the field.
"Alright Students! Time for Game Two: We will now be running a game of capture the flag!"
Kokkaku stood up, placing his fist in his hand. "Okay, we owe them some payback."
Matsumi stretched his legs. He got up now that everything was getting ready for the next round.
Raiden stood up and moved toward the arena area, preparing for the next match himself, swinging his arms back and forward to let his body loosen up. Yuki stood up and followed behind her cousins, she knew this game would be a better play on her abilities then mindlessly blasting a ball. Kasaru soon recovered, relaxing his arm as he followed behind Raiden.
"Yeah, I'm all good now, let's go."
"Now for the rules. Students can virtually use any method they can to attempt to capture the flag. Any attack, or strategy you implement is allowed. Killing is forbidden but submission and incapacitation is not. Whoever brings the flag to the other side and marks their territory wins the battle. Field resets everytime after a team scores a point. Best of three and best of luck to both schools."
The crowd stared in awe, waiting to see what the new generation was capable of.
"Without wasting any time, let the game commence!" The flag was raised as both sides stood against each other.
Kokkaku dashed forward after the rules were spoken, he didn't have really anyone in mind but still decided to take the initiative.
Vermelha immediately jumped on Kokkaku, blocking his pathway to the flag. She blasted at him as she moved. "Where do you think you're going?"
Raiden's aura expanded as he dashed for their flag, he zipped from left to right as he zig zagged towards the enemy flag, Tengoku immediately threw strikes at Raiden, using the angle he was moving at an advantage for more power. Raiden stuck his arms up to block the strike from Tengoku, he skidded before spinning to get around Tengoku. Yuki backed her cousin and came from Tengoku's back side, shooting mana blasts with her finger guns at him to get him off of Raiden.
"To your flag, obviously." Kokkaku cracked two of his fingers on his hand, surprisingly loud. Swinging his arm with increased force to move Vermelha out of the way.
Tengoku's hands glowed just like the ball did during the volleyball game, the blasts immediately disappeared as he blocked them. He jumped backwards in the air to get some space away from the two. His fingers started to surge as he sent a blast of mana straight for Raiden, the blasts immediately landed in front of him causing an obstruction in his path.
Vermelha blocked and stayed on defense against Kokkaku, the mana surging off of his hands as it clashed with hers. She moved for him, spinning and throwing a strike right to the back of his head where his ear was. The strike landed, but right as it did came another big crack from Kokkaku. The back of his head feeling much harder than normal.
"Hmph. So you can make your bones steel." She jumped backwards and slid back near the flag. Her arms started to spark as they both caught on fire, surrounding her arms. Her mana had adapted the properties of fire, and thus, it was if she was lit aflame. There was a separate thin layer of mana under to keep her skin from being burnt, on top of that it served as extra protection against her bones from snapping, bruising or breaking against Kokkaku's body.
Kokkaku held his neck, moving it side to side after taking that kick. "I get that a lot."
"Go on, team!" Matsumi yelled near the back. He clearly had no interest in going head to head this time around. So much so that he was lazily sitting in the back of the field not doing anything.
"Let's see what's stronger then. My flames of eternity or your steel skin." Vermelha got in a stance. One that was similar to a flamingo. She squared up, waiting for him to make a move.
Yuki positioned her hands close in a gun motion, she squinted her eye as her vision turned near thermal. She could see Tengoku's energy and body structure through her lens. An ability all Zenin possessed. She shot a sharp blast infront of Raiden to cancel out Tengoku's, even with his ability. "Raiden! Go left!" Raiden zipped left then upwards to get past the obstruction, his aura turned into the dragon talon once again, except this time he had no need to hold back, he swung it back then forward, using the momentum not to attack Tengoku but to dash past him at incredible speeds.
Tengoku's attack erased the blast as Shizu moved in front of him, serving as his backup, she immediately turned as Raiden moved closer to her, Tengoku switching stances and moving around, dashing towards Ashina territory. Cynil pushed up on Tengoku before Tengoku stiff armed her with his ability, the strength being completely sapped from her body as she went to engage with Tengoku. She slipped back, as Tengoku mashed her into the ground. Tengoku spun around and moved diving for the flag as he rolled around the rest of the Defense.
"Eternity is quite a long time, isn't it?" A crack came from his feet as Kokkaku started to move toward Vermelha with the intent to just push her away. "I don't think so. I've lived many of those. It comes with the territory. "The flames danced off of her body as she walked toward Kokkaku, preparing to stop him at any cost. Vermelha was currently the only person in between the flag and Ashina.
Yuki herself focused on Tengoku, she dashed towards Tengoku, applying her own palms to smack into Tengoku, attempting to knock him away from the flag. Raiden's feet skidded on the ground as he used the force of his previous attack to dash upwards and past Shizukana. Diving downwards towards the flag in quick succession. Shizu turned and reached into her dress as she took out a rope, perhaps a tool completely conjured from Mana, wrapping around both of Raiden's feet, pulling him back from the flag. She moved in as she went to strike him clean in his abdomen.
Kokkaku winced in pain slightly as he raised his left forearm in front of him. Several cracks and clicks later, the bone would crawl out of his arm. Quickly changing and shifting into a small round shield before quickly hardening into sturdy bone. He charged at her and tackled Vermelha to the ground with the small shield.
Tengoku grabbed on to Yuki's wrists as he head butted her quickly. He spun around and grabbed her by her waist, pulling her in before lifting her off the ground. "Sorry but I need you to get out of my way."
Vermelha gripped onto the shield as she dug her feet into the dirt. The flames started to crawl on Kokkaku's shield as they took a life of their own. They jumped and moved for Kokkaku, the flames burning the shield's bone as it steamed against his hands.
Yuki was caught off by the head butt recoiling but once she was grabbed by Tengoku she swung her head foward then back into Tengoku's nose. Tengoku backed off of her, a purple bruise finding its way on to his face. It felt like his head was vibrating. Raiden got dragged to Shizukana and seemed as though he was caught off guard but swung his right fist straight for her face, then she too received the same bruise on her face. One that matched her team leaders.
"Now you're in for it." Shizukana and Tengoku both said, holding their faces as they looked at their respective opponents.