The mission was going well. Takatora defeated GM's as as they advanced to his chosen zone, slicing into them with the Dragon Sword. As he did so, Takatora made sure to pay closer attention to the sparks pulsing from the blade. Just as Sento said, the sparks seemed to gradually enlarge and increase in frequency with each strike from the blade. This, Sento had said, was designed to be Takatora's visual cue for how much energy the blade had stored up. And then for the next wave of GM's, Takatora held off on striking them down immediately. Instead he briefly activated the Trans-Phase Armor and let himself take a few minor hits. The armor did it's job, reducing the damage a considerable amount but at the cost of energy consumption. After a few hits Takatora toggled the Trans-Phase armor back off in order to conserve power.
"He wasn't kidding..." he said to himself as he looked at his energy levels, "...this thing was was definitely intended for emergencies, not something I can use liberally, it seems." But whatever he was thinking was abruptly interrupted. Suddenly his radar was detecting heavy losses on
both sides coming from a nearby zone. Too much to be caused by NPC opponents. It could only be the work of another player. In fact, Takatora had only just not noticed the notification of a new player having joined the mission shortly after he began it. Just one? That would mean they were attacking both Zeon and Federation Forces. Just what were they thinking.
"Wait... he's heading this way!" the signal for the player's Gunpla was rapidly approaching, apparently downing and wiping out NPC's on both sides along the way. The Dragon Sword was already out, and Takatora barely had enough time to ready before a Golden Gunpla burst into his zone and attacked, seemingly without any kind of strategy in mind. Takatora could barely recognize the shape and armor pieces belonging to the Musha Gundam and Hyaku Shiki. Clearly this player incorporated both into their Gunpla. The enemy Gunpla even held its Katana in a backhanded stance along with the weapon's sheath in other hand, a stance very similar to how the Hyaku Shiki wielded its dual beam sabers in Zeta Gundam.
"Who are you?" demanded Takatora on open comms, "And why are you attacking both sides? You won't earn any points doing that!"
"Who says I'm here to complete the event?" responded the enemy player.
"S-Sakakibara...?" all at once Takatora's blood turned to ice. That voice, it had to be him. One of the three founding members of Kiyotaka's team, the Build Warriors. Masato Sakakibara. Takatora went to counterattack but his shock made him too easy to read and Masato dodged easily before slicing the Hayabusa's back. Nothing devastating, in fact if anything Masato was intentionally avoiding dealing heavy damage, as if to kill his opponent slowly and more painfully.
"Come on!" Masato shouted, his voice sounding like it contained an increasing amount of bloodlust, "Was that actually the best you could muster? The Hayabusa is completely wasted on you."
"Shut up!" Takatora shouted back, trying to keep swinging but Masato parried all his strikes, either with the blade of his sword or with the sheath in his offhand. Takatora then boosted backwards, trying to throw energy shurikens to keep his distance when it became clear that he was no match for Masato in melee. Unfortunately, Masato just deflected every single projectile with his blade and sheath. One could almost see the aura of aggression grow increasingly violent with each swing. Takatora only had one option, but he didn't even know if it was possible for him to use that at all. But it was the only choice left, and so Takatora raised the Dragon Sword, the sparks from the collected energy appearing to grow, like an egg trying its absolute hardest to hatch.
"Oh... now
this I gotta see." taunted Masato, knowing exactly what Takatora was planning, "Okay then, little Taka..." he said, said, actually sheathing his sword, "...I'll give you this one for free, so come on! I want you to do it! HIT ME!"
Takatora screamed in anger as he boosted forward. He brought his sword to bear against Masato who just stood there and did nothing. For a hopeful second, a golden aura seemed to be trying to form around the blade, but flickered and died as the blade struck the shoulder piece of Masato's Gunpla only to glance off of it harmlessly. At this, Takatora could hear laughter over the open comms. Masato, howling with laughter and amusement. Suddenly golden Gunpla reached out and lifted the Hayabusa by its throat.
"Just like I thought." Masato said, his Gunpla tightening its squeeze and causing sparks to jump from the Hayabusa's throat. If this kept up for too long the Head Unit would be torn from its joint, "You're pathetic, that Gunpla's power is an absolute waste in your possession." suddenly the Golden Gunpla whirled around and hurled the Hayabusa briefly into the air and sending it crashing into trees next to the Zabi Mansion. Then, the Gunpla took an Iado Stance, familiar looking sparks pulsing from its sword even from within the sheathe. That's when Takatora made a horrify realization, "The Hayabusa should have burned along with Kiyotaka!" Masato screamed in a blood-curling tone as he boosted forward. A similar aura of energy coated his sheathed blade, though one that was fittingly black, as if tainted by Masato's own bloodlust.
Takatora could do nothing. The Hayabusa had no energy left, and its head unit seemed like it could fall off at any moment. All he could do was wait for Masato's killing blow. But the blow never came. Something else took the attack. Neither pilot had noticed a third player entering the mission. And now Masato's attack was halted by something that looked like an electric force field being generated by floated discs of some kind. When it was over, they flew back to where they were deployed from.
A
Dark Grey Gunpla emerged into the zone. It looked like a Grimgerde, though modified from it's official design. The disc-like objects attached themselves to a place on the Gunpla's back beneath its tattered cape, while a couple of the others attached themselves to the shield on its arm. Apart from the cape, the other most notable feature of the Gunpla was its massive weapon. A massive sword blade on a polearm shaft, though it looked like it break apart into smaller weapons if needed.
"...Adam?" asked Takatora, recognizing the Gunpla as the one and only Blood Baron. Masato seemed to realize this as well.
"Who gave you permission to butt in?" Masato demanded, quite angry that his attack that he had built up energy for was wasted.
"It was an open mission." responded Adam coolly, as if this were just another day for him, "And besides, I believe you were first one to violate the mission's stipulations, Masato, were you not?"
Outside the mission in the GBN Lobby, players began to notice Adam's name in one of the active missions. Crowds began to watch the active footage, most of them curious about the player who dared to challenge King in such a way.
"Typical Adam Roman," Masato taunted, "ever the white knight coming to his friends' rescue." a fairly ironic description, considering Adam's Gunpla looked more like a black knight than a white knight, "Alight, I'll be the bad guy in your little game. That little brat was getting boring anyway."
"Try me if you dare." responded Adam, actually pointing his massive blade in Masato's direction, "Just try to break through my shield if you can."
"You asked for it!" screamed Masato as his Gunpla charged forward. But just before the two ace pilots could clash, the mission suddenly ended. Apparently the timer had run out and all players were removed from the field to be returned to the lobby.
Once all three players emerged, Masato glared angrily at Adam and Takatora, "Well well, saved by the clock. Sorry kiddies, looks like we're going to have settle this another time. We're not finished, Roman!" and then he abruptly logged off.
"Adam... I..." Takatora said, no words were coming to him.
"Don't worry about it." he said, then began to notice players approaching them, "I think it's best if you log off. You don't seem in the mood to deal with a crowd right now."
"Yeah... thanks." and then Takatora also logged off.
