294 281: A Plague of Phantoms: Massacre at Sea III

"Greetings royals, nobles, honored members of the military from armies around the world! It is time for the moment you have all been waiting for. The combat demonstrations of the evos that were presented this afternoon." Hideyoshi announced. His voice booming throughout the entire lagoon thanks to some spell.

I sat on bench with a mid-sized wooden raft between Haws, to my left and KC to my right. Indy sat to KC's right at the end of the bench. Bone-lasher sat behind all of us on the raft while Gadget sat on my shoulder. The two evos that we were supposed to be controlling floated in the water in front of the raft. Our raft was one of many in a circle the lined the high cliffs of the lagoon. The others had the evos they were to use in special cages with buoys attached to the top to keep them from sinking completely in the lagoon.

"I would like to thank everyone for their patience on behalf of the Shogun for waiting for the staff to finish getting everything ready for the combat demonstration. Originally we were going to have two company's evos battle one on one but with the length and…intensity of Master Kingston and Queen Viola's duel we will have to go with an alternative plan. We will have multiple companies battle at once in several battle Royale fights were the winners of each fight will earn a spot in the final round." Hideyoshi said. Haws frowned and grumbled softly.

"That'll bite us in the ass…"

"There will be ten rounds with eleven companies fighting in each round…" Hideyoshi went on. "…each company can have a total of three evos on the field at any given time. The field in question is the lagoon in which all the proxies are currently waiting in and the deep sea that waits beyond. Once the battle starts there can be no interference from the splicers unless recalling or swapping evos. I would like to remind each proxy that no more than three evos can be used by any one company but they need not all be used at once. Proxies can hold back evos to conserve them, however if they all the evos they have on the field are eliminated then they are eliminated as well regardless of how many evos were left in reserve."

"That's good to know…" Haws muttered then turned to look at the other rafts near us. "…there will probably be a few among the splicers here that will try to use that to their advantage."

"Now! To announce those that will fight in the first round…" Hideyoshi exclaimed. I mostly tuned out what the guy said, only really paying attention to see of I would hear pur company's name or Justice Technologies. When the last of the names were told I had heard neither. I frowned and looked over at Indy and Haws.

"We're not in the first round!" I grumbled. Indy crossed his arms and eyed all the rafts that showed signs of moving towards the center of the lagoon.

"Probably for the best. Gives us a chance to watch the competition." Indy said. I huffed and shook my head.

"Is it really competition?" I replied. Haws frowned and poked me in the side of the head.

"Never underestimate your opponents! Even trash evos can be deadly and dangerous! Especially with a strong commander." Haws growled at me.

"Okaaaay!" I groaned and turned my attention to the lagoon.

The proxies of the eleven companies that were called all started getting their evos ready in their cages. I could feel them using mana to gain control over their evos. Something I had very little experience in doing. I never really needed to use my mana to control Gadget; in fact I hated exerting control over him. He was like a part of me, a shard of my soul or at least my crystal now. Even with Midnight and Gargesh, I didn't really need to control them either. I understood them and respected them so they listened when I asked them to do things.

"Proxies, at the sound of the gong the first round will start! Get ready!" Hideyoshi exclaimed. Several moments of utter silence passed before the gong finally sounded.

Utter chaos ensued as dozens of cages were opened and a swarm of evos were unleashed into the lagoon. Unfortunately for one company at least three of the other companies called were close by. With the two flanking it being among the three. The moment they let out their evos they were immediately thrown into a bloody battle for survival. The lagoon's waters ran red with the blood of the fallen and devoured evos. In a matter of seconds six of the eleven companies were eliminated.

I watched in utter shock as a humanoid crab evo had its shell shattered and innards ripped out by some squid and shark evo. Only for that evo to be devoured moments later by a sea snake and pufferfish evo. In what felt like an eternity but in actuality couldn't have been more than forty seconds the round was officially declared over.

"WINNER! Opulence industries and their kracklings!" Hideyoshi exclaimed. I frowned as I squinted to try and get a better look at the sole remaining evo. It was hard to get a good look as it swam back towards its cage. I could tell it had squid in it and some sort of glowing fish but that was all I could make out.

"That was faster than I thought it would be…" Indy said softly.

"The companies in that round were too clustered together. They barely had time to get out of their cages before they were attacked." Haws commented.

"Will it be like that for us?" I asked him. Haws didn't reply right away. He glanced to the splicers on the rafts that flanked us then nodded.

"We're probably going to be the second or third round." He replied in a hushed voice.

"We will now announce those that will be fighting in the second round…" Hideyoshi exclaimed. He started rattling off names again and once again I didn't pay attention until he said the last name. "…and Justice Technologies!"

"Third round then…" Haws whispered to Indy and I.

I looked around the lagoon to try and spot the splicer that was hired by Justice Technologies but couldn't. Madilyn told everyone that the Ancient Liger Shark was going to be the evo that they used in the demonstration but I didn't see any cages large enough accommodate it. It was supposed to be big enough to bite a Zee-waro in half buy there was no way something that big could fit inside the lagoon.

"Due to the size of several companies evos we will be restricting combat inside the lagoon. The lagoon will be considered a safe zone. All proxies are to direct their evos to the open ocean where combat will take place." Hideyoshi announced.

"We won't be able to see anything!" Indy griped.

"But everyone in the stands will. That's all that matters really." Haws said.

"Why do I feel like this is rigged right now?" I asked sarcastically. Haws didn't say anything but grunted a chuckle and smirked a bit.

"Proxies still in the lagoon, would you please direct your evos to the open sea." Hideyoshi directed.

We all watched as seven splicers started ordering their evos out through the tunnel that led to the ocean. As the last evo vanished into the tunnel I got a bad feeling that I couldn't shake.

"Proxies at the sound of the gong the second round will start! Get ready!" Hideyoshi warned everyone.

Silence fell as everyone waited to hear the gongs. The moment it rang a demonic sounding roar bellowed from just beyond the cliffs followed by the sounds of thrashing waves and subtle tremors in the water.

'One, two, three, four, five…' I counted silently to myself as I waited for the winner to be anannounced. I could hear the startled gasps and groans of the non-American spectators in the stands from our raft and that made me anxious. '…eleven, twelve …'

"WINNER! Justice Technologies and their Ancient Liger Shark!" Hideyoshi announced.

"Twelve seconds…" Indy muttered, his suggested he was surprised and concerned.

"Don't worry about how long the round was, it was rigged from the start." Haws told Indy. Indy nodded in agreement but his expression told me he wasn't listening to that advice.

"That Ancient two-bit copy waited in the deepest part of the ocean until all the others were fighting in one place then swam up and ate them all." Bone-lasher commented. "The real fight only took three seconds, the other nine were what it took everyone to realize the other evos were dead."

"That's just great…" I grumbled.

"See…rigged!" Haws spat. The Lunar Liger Shark that I was meant to control turned and looked towards Bone-lasher.

"We can beat it! We're created by the Star Shaper!" He exclaimed. Bone-lasher snorted and nodded his head in agreement..

"Of course you can…" Bone-lasher huffed then pointed a armored claw at the Lunar liger shark. "…I will expect nothing less than total victory from you. Your evo type is based off of me in my transcended form! The gore and muck of the battlefield is imprinted in your very genes!"

The Lunar Liger shark looked proud to hear those words. Or at least I think it didn't with no eyes it was hard to tell its moods or facial expressions. Though the way it seemed to hold its head higher out of the water seemed to be a indicator of that.

"I won't let you down! Great Progenitor!" The Lunar Liger Shark exclaimed.

"We will now announce those that will fight in the third round…" Hideyoshi announced. I paid a little more attention while he was Announcing names this time, like Haws had predicted he announced our company's name. Though last as he had with Justice Technologies. "…and Sho'lajah Artifact Company!"

"Looks like we're up!" Haws exclaimed then looked at the Lunar Liger shark and the Mer-as-folk.

"We will claim victory!" The Mer-as-folk boasted while slapping his chest confidently.

"No question!" The Lunar Liger Shark agreed.

"Well just to sure…Gadget give me that spear you lifted from Chase's room and that necklace as well." I said looking over at my little evo.

[OK big brother!] Gadget replied.

Gadget opened his mouth and channeled mana into it, creating a small black portal. He unhinged his jaw and the tip of a Jade spear poked through the portal and fell out onto the floor of the raft. This was followed by him spitting out a large necklace with a thick metal chainthst was about the length of my entire body. Too big for a human to wear but perfect for a evo.

"Wow...never seen one of Chase's evos do that…" Indy said. Haws reached down and picked up the spear then frowned and looked at me and Gadget.

"This is that spear Chase was working on during the trip to Tsushima Island…why did Gadget have it in that black maw of his?" Haws asked. Gadget and I looked away sheepishly and I chuckled nervously.

"I don't know…they just fell into it…" I lied then remembered what I said about lifting them. Haws slapped me then frowned.

"We're making Gadget throw up once this is over." Haws said. Gadget and I gulped and shrunk away from Haws. Haws ignored our reaction and tossed the spear to the Mer-as-folk then picked up the necklace and draped it over the Lunar Liger shark's neck.

"Both of you use those items during this round. Don't worry about the effects!" Indy exclaimed then pointed towards the Mer-as-folk and sent a wave of mana towards it. "You will be under my command!"

"And you will be under mine!" I exclaimed and pointed to the Lunar Liger shark then sent a wave of mana to it. I felt the Lunar Liger shark's mind brushed against mine and I felt a rush of confidence coming from it.

"Proxies at the sound of the gong the third round is going to start since all parties are inside the lagoon!" Hideyoshi exclaimed.

I felt a surge of anticipation and uncertainty as we waited for the gong. My hands shook, I could feel my heartbeat in my ears, and felt time moving at a crawl. A eternity passed before the gong finally resounded through the lagoon and I sent a order to the Lunar Liger shark through our newly forged connection.

[Head to the center!] I ordered and The Lunar Liger Shark roared in response and charged towards the center of the lagoon. The Mer-as-folk swam towards the closest enemy which was coming directly for us from a raft about six spaces away.

It was a snake evo that was covered in quills suggesting it was mixed with porcupine. It cut through the surface of the water like a hot knife through butter and reached the Mer-as-folk with surprising speed. The Mer-as-folk dove underwater nearly vanishing completely were it not for the glint of the Jade spear it held in its hands. The snake evo dove as well probably to try and constrict the Mer-as-folk but seconds later a whirlpool formed suddenly where I last saw the Mer-as-folk and jagged shards of ice formed inside, making the whirlpool more like blender.

The water ran red as an agonized screech filled the air. The water of the whirlpool suddenly exploded and the Mer-as-folk flew into the air, the head of the serpent evo impaled onto the tip of the spear as he flew through the air towards the center of the lagoon. With a flick of its spear the head was tossed aside and the Mer-as-folk held the spear in front of it as it dove into the water.

"SHO'GAGA! SHO'GAGA! SHO'GAGA! SHO'GAGA!" KC chanted in a upbeat cheery voice as he jumped from side to side on the raft doing a little dance.

"No, KC it's Sho'lajah not Sho'gaga." I corrected. He stopped dancing and cocked hos head to the side and frowned.

"I said it! Sho'gaga! Sho'gaga!" KC exclaimed back. Haws patted the top of my head and pointed ahead.

"Worry about the round, not KC's pronunciation! He's two!" Haws said sternly. In that moment I felt a twinge of annoyance through my connection to the Lunar Liger shark and looked out to see it surrounded by six evos.

[Use your electric mana, stun them then pick them off!] I ordered through the connection.

[Got it!] The liger shark replied. I saw the Lunar Liger Shark's tentacles glow briefly before the lagoon glowed brightly as lightning sparked across the surface of the water and the collective screeching and roaring from the evos caught in the shock.

"BO! You nearly caught my evo in that attack!" Indy snapped and slapped my arm.

"Whoops! Sorry!" I apologized.

"Coordinate with each other! Don't just attack blindly!" Haws snapped at us.

I looked out onto the lagoon and saw that most of the evos were incapacitated by the Lunar Liger shark's electric attack. The Mer-as-folk took the opportunity and started stabbing the paralyzed evos that floated on the water's surface in quick succession. Killing most of them in a few seconds. The Lunar Liger Shark went after the others, tearing them to shreds with fangs and claws.

"More than half of the enemies are dead. Wrap it up quick!" Haws announced. Indy and I shared a look then nodded and pointed out to the lake.

"USE YOUR ENCHANTED ITEMS!" We bellowed.