After Ban's ten minutes of screaming "EXPLOSION BLUE!", Team Big PP Nation added another win to their record. One more, and they'd win the Vanguardriver testing tournament without even needing to go up against Ryuuga. But like with the last match, first came the time for a small break for some team conversation.

"Go monkey, go monkey, go monkey, go bananas!" Tate and Izuru cheered with the clap of their hands.

"Oh yeah." Ban nodded to the beat of his praise, but the lyrics eventually click on his head an he smacked his teammates. "Shut up, I'm not a monkey!"

"Duuuuude! Beating Kaido-san just like was awesome! You took all of his trash talk and then hit him with the word play double whammy! What a legend!" Tate screeched. "DUUUUUUUUUUUDE THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!"

"Bro not even I looked so cool when I critted his ass! I was playing Ammy Calico with Tom and Ichikishima, you were just dropping down triggers and getting 3ks until you went jazz hands! If Yumi was here, she'd show why she plays Bermuda Triangle!" Izuru said.

"Indeed, I was super- OI DON'T ABOUT HER LIKE THAT, DUMBASS!" Ban exclaimed.

"Eh? I don't get it. Miyuki, explain."

"I know the joke you make about Tamaki playing Aqua Force?"

"She likes sea men?"

"No, the other one."

"She's moi- Oh, she's mosit! Yumi-chan would be totally moist after seeing this display of chad-!"

Poor Tate's lights got punched out before he could end his sentence. Ban was having none of those disgusting jokes with the girl he loves.

Can we make him the protagonist now?

"Say dumb shit again and you'll be next." Ban huffed.

"You've thrown me against a wall, I can survive a fist or two!" Izuru deadpanned.

"Then I'll talk about why you're so defensive about that pink scarf. You think me and Yumi are obvious, but you're even worse than us!" Ban said with a gremlin smug. "Izuru and Ibuki, sitting under a tree-"

"S-s-shut up, dumbass! And it's not pink, it's magenta!" The black haired exclaimed, speedwalking away from his teammates while hiding his blushing with the scarf. "Hey Ryuuga! Get moving, I'm gonna take the last dub our Big PP Nation needs!"

"Hm? But I haven't finished my choccy milk yet!" Ryuuga replied.

"Really? What are you, five?" Gin asked with a heavy sigh.

"We did this joke last part, I'm sueing whoever says they're five inches deep in my mom. You losers don't even got two inches to your names." Kaido threatened, glaring at his friends.

"I wish I was five inches deep in someone else..." Mayuri sighed with slumped shoulders. He was down bad. "I'm telling you. After a few more dates, me and Rei-chan will be like Danny and Ashur-Da. She will push me out, but I'll keep going back in, and a choice restriction won't stop me!"

The Hanabi members just stared blankly at Mayuri's very poor word choice. Kaido took it upon himself to be the greater man and not make a poor taste joke, out of pity for the other guy that made him want to buy the island where GEN Academy was.

That and he's the only one that knows what an Ashur-Da is.

"Yeah, maybe next time you try to break the fourth wall, you try to not sound like a registered sex offender." Kaido said, giving Mayuri a pat on the back. No matter how much of a gremlin Mayuri was back in the day, he was the bully that Kaido couldn't be after he graduated.

"Will you guys shut up and get moving? I'm freezing my ass out here!" Izuru called out, waving his FiCa around.

"Actually, Ryuuga ain't gonna be the one fighting you." Masato replied, jumping off his seat. Throwing his FiCa from one hand to the other, he walked up to the stage. "It's gonna be me!"

"Ah?! I don't wanna fight the lame taser guy, that's super underwhelming!"

Agreed.

"You know Ryuuga said he'd only be fighting in the last two rounds, right?" The taser lover asked with a twitching eyebrow. "If you win, I'll give you a free taser."

"Yeah but I thought he'd break his agreement and come fight me! I was putting my hopes on his commitment issues!"

"...BEAT HIS ASS, MASATO!" Ryuuga widly yelled.

"Tch, screw this, I think Tate still owns me a favour or two."

Izuru turned around and prepared to leave, but a certain sound made him look back.

"LOCK ON!"

"Tada! I used Hanabi's admin role to lock your FiCa to mine! You gotta fight me now, teehee!" Masato laughed.

Someone's Asakusa blood began boiling hotter than the freezing air around the holder of said blood.

"You really had the gal to go and force me into a fight with you, you taser fucker... Tch, bring it on!" Izuru shouted, holding his FiCa by the side parts that moved when the device entered the Vanguardriver.

"Why is he holding the shutters?" Gin asked.

"These open up when the fucker goes in the belt? And who decided that?!"

With his brute and brainless berserker force, Izuru began pulling on the shutters. Despite being such a small device, those things were closed tight, and he was starting to struggle. He also looked like he was about to pay for a bad taco tuesday.

"Just put it on your belt, dipshit." Masato sighed and placed his FiCa into the driver. "Stand up."

"SHOCK!"

"I'M TOO! ANGRY! FOR THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!" Izuru yelled, successfully opening his FiCa with brute force.

"HE DID IT WITHOUT BREAKING THE THING!" Kaido and Gin yelled in surprise.

"Stand up!" The black haired exclaimed, jamming his FiCa into the driver.

"THOUSAND!"

Izuru's data materialized as black and red lightning flashing around his right fist, that he punched directly towards Masato, but his data, in the shape of the lion warrior Ezel, defended him just in time. Then, the boards were formed.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" The two fighters exclaimed.

"Crimson Lion Cub, Kyrph! (6000)"

"Crisis Revenger, Fritz! (6000)"

[TEAM BIG PP NATION VERSUS TEAM HANABI]

[THIRD ROUND]

[SAWADA IZURU VERSUS ONIZUKA MASATO]

"Player turn: Onizuka Masato."

"Tch, is this thing rigged or something for your side to keep going first?!" Izuru asked with a grunt.

"Man, do you ever stop being too angry to think..." Masato sweatdropped and shrugged. "Beats me, our admins rights don't let us choose who goes first. Draw. I'll discard one to ride Fast Chase Liberator, Josephus. (8000) Kyrph's skill, I draw a card. Over to you."

Masato
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

Izuru
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Draw! Ride, Dark Armour Revenger, Rinnal! (8000) Fritz's skill, draw and get a discard fodder ticket! Rinnal attacks! (8000)"

"No guard."

"(Grim Revenger - Critical) Hell yeah, get fucked! All on Rinnal! (8000>>18000/2)"

"No guard. (Raven-haired Ezel) (Crimson Lion Beast, Howell) No trigger."

"Curb your win, I'll finish this before you can count the tasers in your collection! Rinnal's skill! I check the top three and add Claudas to my hand! Turn end!"

Masato
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
OXO
OOO

Izuru
Hand: 9
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Man, the Dream Team Event really was four years ago, I forgot how much trash talk you had..." Masato sweatdropped. "But also..."

Suddenly, the sound of the scanned area got cut off. Izuru and Masato couldn't hear their friends, and vice versa.

"Who the hell died and made you king?!" Masato roared.

"Ah?! The hell are you-"

"Shut up and listen, you dumbass brat. You'd think I'd be the last guy to have to go out of his way to beat your dumbassary out of you, but you forgot one thing. Whenever you act like a dumbass with a bloated ego, my wife's dad is standing right next to you! Honestly, why'd you have to drop this shit on me, Risei-san..." He sighed while rubbing the back of his neck. "I heard you loud and clear, no more talking about Hanae's thighs during christmas."

"Tch, shut up and-"

"Are you ever gonna stop riding high from that wedding thing and come down to your senses? Or are you gonna keep being driven by someone bloated ego that came out of beating some other guy?! Dipshit brats who just unload the fury they have towards themselves on some random person piss me of! Stand and draw! I ride Flame Wind Lion, Wonder Ezel! (9000) Josephus' skill, I scry one and either clal it or leave it. I call Knight of Inspiration, Lulach! (8000) From hand, I call Howell! (8000) Wonder Ezel's skill! Roar admist the blooming cherry blossoms, lion warrior born on spring! From my deck, I superior ride! Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel! (12000) Imaginary Gift, Accel II, I draw one. And then- Road admist the falling oak leaves, lion warrior battling through autumn! From my hand, I superior ride again! Raven-haired Ezel! (12000)"

'Tch, this bastard is doing the thing Ezel does! You son of a bitch, I'm gonna pummel you into the ground!' Izuru thought, gritting his teeth.

"Accel II again. Lulach's skill. It goes into the soul and I countercharge. Then call, Bluish Flame Liberator, Percival! (12000>>17000) Percival's skill, Accel II again! And from the deck, call Aglovale! (9000>>14000) I also call Alienor. (9000>>14000) Battle! Percival attacks! (17000)"

"You bastard, Grim Revenger guards! (23000)"

"Raven-haired Ezel attacks! His skill, I counterblast to get 15k, a crit and sentinel block. (12000>>27000/2) Autumn Lion's Strash!"

"No guard!"

"Twin drive. (Knight of Hard-work, Alienor) (Greeting Drummer - Front) Get screwed, brat. (17000>>27000) (14000>>24000) (27000>>37000) (14000>>24000)"

"Shut up! Damage check! (Revenger, Raging Form Dragon) (Revenger, Raging Form Dragon)" 'W-what the hell?!' Izuru exclaimed in his mind as he looked at his damage.

"Two are gone. What are you going to now, crybaby? Aglovale attacks! Percival goes into the soul for his skill! (24000>>34000)"

"No guard! (Dark Shield, Mac Lir - Draw) All on Rinnal and I draw one! (18000)"

"Aglovale returns to my hand. Alienor attacks! His skill, add 15k! (24000>>39000)"

"Heal Guard! Astral Chain Dragon! Rinnal gets power! (43000)"

"Alienor moves into the soul. Turn end."

Masato
Hand: 7
Damage: 2
ooOXOo
     OOO

Izuru
Hand: 8
Damage: 3
OXO
OOO

'This bastard, talking about crap that isn't any of his business...! As if I'd lose to him!' "Stand and draw! Dark Change, Blaster Dark! (10000) I discard a card to give him twin drive! I call Masquerade! (8000) Blaster Dark attacks! Masquerade's skill, add 3k when boosting! (10000>>18000>>21000)"

"No guard."

"Twin drive! (Dark Cloak Revenger, Tartu) (Nullity Revenger, Masquerade) Tch, no trigger!"

"(Bluish Flame Liberator, Percival)"

"Turn end!"

Masato
Hand: 7
Damage: 3
ooOXOo
     OOO

Izuru
Hand: 8
Damage: 3
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw. Beating an infinite fucking baby dishing his self-anger at someone other than himself is a waste of time, even for a guy like Ryuuga. He had to fight a crybaby Onizuka Masato before, so I'll repay him by beating your ass like he beat mine once."

"Ah?! I'm not some loser like you!"

"That's true. You're even worse than I was! When I was younger, I was filled with rage towards the biggest asshole in this world, but I failed to do anything about it, so I went ahead and dished out on someone unrelated... But I'll be damned, you make that look not so bad! Risei-san said it was bad but I thought I'd find something salvagable in this! Your anger was towards yourself, you were mad about not being able to do shit once again, but instead of using that rage to destroy the problem, you just beat up the middle guy instead of doing something about the bigger threat! Kagekiyo? Kasumi? The only thing you did was be a little rat and avoid hurting yourself again! You say the families with gigantic egos are the problem, but you aren't doing shit about it! You called that guy your friend but then you didn't even bother to save him! You didn't bother to try! You unload your anger on him and pushed him to his limit!"

"He was just as much of a piece of shit as I thought he was! There was nothing to save!"

"There wasn't because you didn't want to bother yourself with it! Bad parents will shove their morals and beliefs down their children's throats without a second thought, and this guy was no different. He was blinded by his family, but instead of offering him a hand like the friend you said you were once, you just beat him down. If you really wanted to end the problem, then you would have done things differently. You did things like this because you jsut wanted to boost your ego again."

"Shut up... SHUT UP! THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, WHY DO YOUC ARE ABOUT THIS CRAP?!" Izuru yelled, clenching his fist.

"Because you're going down a route you shouldn't! First was this guy, then the next time you're angry, you'll beat someone else, and then someone, and anothe rone, and before you know it, you'll just be the same I was! You're not fighting the problem! You're just being a pathetic crybaby and taking the easy way out! None of that was ever your responsability, but you made it yours, so now either quit it or see things through the right way! Roar amidst the warm winds of summer, lion warrior clad in platinum armour! Reflect the sun's brilliance with your blades and slash away at the darkness from a never ending night! Ride! Blazing Lion, Platina Ezel! (12000) Imaginary Gift, Accel II! Call! Platinal Ezel, Aglovale, Gorboduc, Lulach! (12000>>17000) (9000>>14000) (8000>>13000) (8000>>13000) Gorboduc's skill, scry top five, add Raven-haired to hand and then discard it. His other skill, add 5k. (13000>>18000) Platina Ezel's skill! A Midsummer's Night Dream! Until the end of the turn, for both of my drive checks, an ability is added. Battle! Platina Ezel attacks! (12000) Midsummer Lion's Gleaming Slash!"

"Mac Lir, perfect guard!"

"Twin drive, and Platina Ezel's skill! I scry two, call one and put one into my trigger zone. I call Alienor. (9000) (Sage Who Goes Ahead, Peyron - Heal) Heal trigger. I give Lulach the power. (13000>>23000) And once again, I scry two, call Platina Ezel (12000) and place a card into my trigger zone. (Crimson Lion Beats, Howell) No trigger. My rear-guard Platina Ezel attacks. (12000)"

"Masquerade! (15000)"

"The other Platina Ezel. (17000)"

"Masquerade! (20000)"

"Gorboduc attacks. (18000)"

"Claudas! (20000)"

"Lulach attacks. (23000)"

"Death Feather Eagle! (25000)"

"Aglovale attacks. I move the non-Accel Platina Ezel into the soul. (14000>>24000)"

"Tartu and Claudas! (25000)"

"Aglovale returns to hand. Alienor attacks. His skill. (9000>>24000)"

"No guard! (Revenger, Raging Form Dragon) You... You have to be kidding me..." Izuru muttered, dropping to his knees. "This has to be just a dream...!" He growled between gritted teeth.

"Alienor goes into the soul. Turn end."

Masato
Hand: 7
Damage: 2
xoOXOxx
    OOO

Izuru
Hand: 0
Damage: 4
OXO
OXO

'I did what I had to do... Beating up Kagekiyo was the only way to save Kasumi! That guy was as bad as I said he was, he couldn't be saved! He didn't deserve to be saved... He was the problem, he could have been better if he wanted! No one told him to be a piece of shit, he could have not been his fmaily's slave if he wanted to!' Izuru thought, getting back om his feet. "STAND AND DRAW! RAGING FORM DRAGON, RIDE! (13000) FORCE II AND ATTACK! (13000>>24000/2)"

"No guard." Masato glared.

"(Illusionary Revenger, Mordred Phantom) (Illusionary Revenger, Mordred Phantom) DAMMIT!"

"(Crimson Lion Beast, Howell) (Raven-haired Ezel)"

"TURN END!"

Masato
Hand: 7
Damage: 4
xoOXOxx
    OOO

Izuru
Hand: 2
Damage: 4
OXO
OXO

(Media - REMEMBER)

"Until you open your eyes to your mistake, you'll keep trying to fool yourself into thinking there was no other option. Even a person blinded by evil can be saved if you extend your hand to them. Stand and draw. Persona ride, Blazing Lion, Platina Ezel. (12000) Accel II. Then call, Aglovale, Percival. (9000>>14000) (12000>>17000) Percival's skill, Accell II. Call Aglovale. (9000>>14000) Gorboduc's skill. (13000>>18000) I call another two Aglovales. (9000) (9000) Platina Ezel's skill. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Battle. Platina Ezel attacks. (12000) Midsummer Lion's Gleaming Slash."

"No guard..." Izuru muttered.

"Platina Ezel's skill. Call Howell to the back. (8000) (Dantegal - Front) Front trigger. (14000>>24000) (17000>>27000) (17000>>27000) (9000>>19000) (12000>>22000) (9000>>19000) (18000>>28000) (13000>>23000) (14000>>24000) Once again. Call Gorboduc. (8000>>13000) (Greeting Drummer - Front) Front trigger. (24000>>34000) (27000>>37000) (27000>>37000) (19000>>29000) (22000>>32000) (19000>>29000) (28000>>38000) (23000>>33000) (24000>>34000)"

"(Dark Cloak Revenger, Tartu)"

"At the end of the day, I'm just some guy that made some bad decisions when I was your age..." Masato admitted, looking back at Ryuuga. "But that doesn't mean I shouldn't help people close to doing the same decisions I made. My rear-guard Platina Ezel attacks. (32000) Midsummer Lion's Gleaming Slash."

Izuru looked up at the giant twin blades made out of light that were being swung down towards him. Raging Form Dragon stepped in their way, but they slashed through him like if he wasn't even there and kept going towards their target.

Izuru looked down at his hands. He was in the Raging armour he had imagined during his previous fights, but he couldn't do anything to survive this one.

The blades slashed through the armour, purging it out of existence with their brilliance, and slashed through Izuru's chest.

[SAWADA IZURU VERSUS ONIZUKA MASATO]

[MATCH TIME: 09:11]

[FINISHING MOVE: MIDSUMMER LION'S GLEAMING SLASH]

[WINNER: ONIZUKA MASATO]

"I'm sorry... For not winning that one, and for pushing my fights onto you guys..." Izuru said, bowing to his teammates.

"Oi, oi, Miyuki, come on..." Tate sweatdropped and helped Izuru up. "It's just a game. Besides, Masato-san's deck is dirty as hell. Accel II needs to be banned!"

"The sound cut off for some reason halfway into the fight so I can't say anything for sure, so I'll say this. Whatever fight you got left, you're here for it." Ban said, smirking at his best friend. 

"It's just... I could have done better... I spent so much time talking big just to be a-"

"Alley hoop!" The half slav said, ramming his fist across Izuru's face.

"What the hell was that for?!" Izuru barked as he rubbed his face. "Since when did you get so strong?! I thought your thing was leg strength!"

"And he's back." The blonde boy chuckled. "Alright! Let's start making the ultimate attack plan for the fight with Ryuuga-san! Branch manager or not, he's going down! He's the manager, but we're the monkey club!"

On the other side of the field, Ryuuga tossed Masato a can of cold lemonade with a smile.

"Thanks for doing this, Masato." Ryuuga chuckled.

"Tch, honestly... I know I run a kindergarten but helping lousy teens isn't what I do for a living. Why'd you and Risei-san have to dunk this onto me..." Masato sighed. "Still, whatever gets him off-"

"Becoming a loser with cheesy one liners!" Kaido and Gin exclaimed.

"Shut up! I didn't said anything bad this time!"

"Even a person blinded by evil can be saved if you extend your hand to them. At the end of the day, I'm just some guy that made some bad decisions when I was your age... But that doesn't mean I shouldn't help people close to doing the same decisions I made." Ryuuga said while trying to sound like Masato.

"He's just a guy laying the groundwork." Mayuri said with a thumbs up.

"AAAAAAAAH, YOU GUYS SUCK! I'M NEVER DOING FAVOURS FOR YOU!"

Back on the Big PP Monkey Nation side, Izuru briefly looked up at the sky during the team discussion.

'Maybe I- No. I could have done better. I should have done better. I saw you as a friend and I messed up because I was selfish. Next time I see you... I'm saving you from the Yoshikawa, Kaseki!' Izuru thought, clenching his fist.

Two wins and one loss, with two fights with Ryuuga, a branch manager, national champion and ex-King, on the way. Despite the casual feeling of the games, this was a fight capable of changing everything.

Soon, the fourth, and possible final round of the Vanguardriver testing tournament, would begin.