[LOCATION: Savanaclaw Dorm – Lounge]

LEONA: Ruggie, I heard that those guys from Heartslabyul were chasing you this morning.

I told you not to leave evidence, you idiot!

RUGGIE: "Y-you've got it wrong! There's a proper story behind that...

I was chased because they had no proof, so don't worry.

"Tch...I paid a lot of money for Octavinelle's creepy octopus bastard to cooperate with us. I'll fry and eat you all if you fail, got that?" He warned the hyena.

RUGGIE: Don't worry. The preparation for the main dish is going smoothly~

SAVANACLAW STUDENT A: We'll definitely make those Diasomnia bastards pay!

RUGGIE: Ah~ I can't wait for the tournament already~ Malleus Draconia all beat up and kneeling in front of Leona-san~! Ah, the world will surely admire us now~ Someone might even scout a hyena like me~

SAVANACLAW STUDENT A: The pro-leagues might even fight over us!

LEONA: Hah! You're all very optimistic considering nothing's happened yet.

SAVANACLAW STUDENT B: Leona-san's popularity will skyrocket, too! Who knows, maybe even that Duskstone girl will give him respect as well.

SAVANACLAW STUDENT A: The people from Sunset Savannah will definitely think you should be king now.

LEONA: ....Effort and family lineage are different.

RUGGIE: Eh?

LEONA: Nothing... (yawns) I'm going to sleep now. You all get lost, too.

RUGGIE: Roger. Good night, Leona-san.

 "Not everything will be solved even if we reach the top." He said bitterly to himself.

---------------------------------------

The next day, Chernette got up early to proceed with the plan. Jack stayed in her dorm for the night due to her reasoning that he would be ambushed.

GRIM: We're gonna catch the culprit today!

"Yup. Be careful Jack, ok?" She advised.

"Hmph, see you in the arena then." Jack gruffed before leaving.

----------------------

[LOCATION: Side Street – Festival]

AZUL: The number of customers this year is astounding, too. Now all we need to focus on are the sales each stall makes. Now that I am the Managing Director, it will not do anyone good to pretend that they have sold out. Fufufu.

JADE: The maintenance of the Colosseum is complete, Prefect. We will start letting people inside in another 10 minutes or so.

AZUL: Very well done, Jade and Floyd.

FLOYD: Hey, hey, Azul~ Why are the players going to parade all the way from the eastern school building to the arena this year? Thanks to that, the customers waiting to see them are all packed like barnacles and it's so hard to walk around.

AZUL: It was a request from a certain client. Though, I have not heard in detail as to why...

JADE: Ah, I understand. They plan to use the magic amplifier you made for this purpose.

FLOYD: Eh~? What do you mean by that?~

JADE: Shh... We must not be heard. Let us please keep it down.

FLOYD: Ah~ Are you planning something bad~?

AZUL: Still, that amplifier's effect lasts a mere 30 seconds. What is that person planning, I wonder...

JADE: Azul, I am pretty sure that you already know what will happen.

AZUL: My, I wonder what you're talking about. Fufufu~

FLOYD: Eh~? What is it~? Tell me, too~!

AZUL: Fufufu. I was thinking of adding new facilities to the Lounge when he came with a rather promising proposal.

AZUL: Come, that is enough small talk. Time is money, as they say. Let us go and check the drink stalls now.

[LOCATION: Side Street – Festival]

"Ah!! Look, Chernette! There're so many stalls selling food! Churros, fried cakes... And there's smoked chicken, too!" Grim said looking at all the tasty food, ignoring the gloomy appearance of the two boys with them.

ACE: I wasn't chosen for the team in the end...

DEUCE: Same here...

"Hey, to be honest there's still next year, besides, we still have a mission, remember?" Chernette asked.

DEUCE: Chernette's right. Let's be on alert.

ACE: Yeah. Let's do our best on that, I guess.

"What's a takoyaki? I wanna try some!" Grim said with some drool on his mouth.

"Later! Come on, let's go!" Ace said as they got into position.

------------------------------

[LOCATION: Savanaclaw Dorm]

LEONA: It's almost time for the parade, isn't it?

RUGGIE: Everything's ready. We can go anytime.

LEONA: First in line's last year's champion, Diasomnia. Doesn't it make you excited?

RUGGIE: Shishishi!! I'm off, then~!

--------------------------------------

[LOCATION: Side Street – Festival]

ANNOUNCER: Ahem... To everyone who has been waiting for the Tournament to begin...

ANNOUNCER: You've waited long enough and now, it's time for the march of the players!

CROWD: (screams and cheers)

ANNOUNCER: First up are last year's champions! Will they take the victory again this year?!

ANNOUNCER: Our Reigning Champions, DIASOMNIA~~~~~~!!!!

CROWD: (screams and cheers)

RUGGIE: Whoa~ They've got quite the fanbase~ Not that I'm complaining... Shishishi!

First, I have to drink the magic amplifier we got from Azul-kun and then...!

RUGGIE: Blech... Wha—What's with this taste? It's so bad! It tastes just like rotten stew...!

Alright, back in the game. It's time for my unique magic to shine!

"Alright, run like your lives depend on it! Laugh with Me!!" Ruggie said as he let his magic loose.

SPECTATOR: What's that sound?

SPECTATOR: Wh-what's that!? The guys watching the parade are heading over here!?

SPECTATOR: AHHHHH!!! My body's moving on its own...! Out of the way, get out!!!

SPECTATOR: Don't push me!!

SPECTATOR: Run away! You're gonna get crushed!

SPECTATORS: (panicked screams)

ANNOUNCER: What...!? What in the world is happening!?

ANNOUNCER: The spectators who were watching are running wild!

ANNOUNCER: Everyone, please calm down! Let's be rational!

SPECTATORS: (panicked screams)

RUGGIE: (panting) Hehehe... Azul-kun's magic amplifier is amazing...! I didn't think I could control this many people at once!

RUGGIE: (panting) But it's tiring like I thought... If we succeed here, we will...!

RUGGIE: Alright, will you use your magic against spectators?

Even the Reigning King Malleus won't use it if he had to, right!?

Get crushed with the crowd, will you!? Hahahahahaha!

SILVER-HAIRED MAN: This is bad...! We'll be trampled by the crowd at this rate. Protect Lord Malleus at all costs!

TALL MAN: Lord Malleus, over here! Lord Malleus! AHHHH! We won't make it!

TALL MAN: We're going to get crushed...!!!

SILVER-HAIRED MAN: AHHHH!! Lord Malleus~~!!

RUGGIE: Finally... We did it...!

[LOCATION: Savanaclaw Dorm – Magift Stadium]

RUGGIE: (panting) I did it, Leona-san...! Did you see it on the broadcast?

LEONA: Yeah, you did great, Ruggie. Good riddance, Malleus. I'll be taking the throne this year.

RUGGIE: Hehe. Long live the King! Shishishi!

SAVANACLAW STUDENTS: Long live the King!! Whoo~!!

" I feel like we've heard enough." A voice popped up.

LEONA & RUGGIE: !?

The two of them turned around to see Celeste, Grim, Jack, and the Heartslabyul residents standing there.

LEONA: Oh? What's everyone from Heartslabyul doing here? I see you've got our 1st year with you, too. Did you transfer to Heartslabyul, or Ramshackle, huh?

JACK: No, I just don't want to stand by your side today!

"You traitor!" The lion shouted.

"An act that tarnishes tradition. As Heartslabyul's Prefect whose motto is "austerity," I cannot let this act slide." Riddle said preparing his staff.

"Hey, little master. Can you play your heroes of justice game over there?" Leona teased.

RUGGIE: Are you all drunk or something? Coming all the way here with your friends just to spy on the enemy?

SAVANACLAW STUDENT D: Should we teach them a lesson, Leona-san?

LEONA: Hmph, play with them a little.

However, as they fought, Riddle and Chernette made them look like child's play. 

SAVANACLAW STUDENT D: T-their strong...!

SAVANACLAW STUDENT E: These Prefects are no joke...

RIDDLE: "Hmph, all bark and no bite. Ace, Deuce, can you still do more?"

"We're in perfect condition."

"Of course!" The two answered respectively.

"Tch, these guys don't stand a chance against Riddle." Leona rolled his eyes.

"Shishishi! Even if you do this, it's already too late to help Diasomnia!" Ruggie bragged.

But then they were interrupted with certain individuals that stepped from the shadows.

"Pray tell, I am quite interested in that story." Lilia spoke up.

TALL MAN: Who said they were too late?

SILVER-HAIRED MAN: As you can see, us Diasomnia players are safe and sound. And it's all thanks to them.

"Eh, what!? You guys should've been swallowed by the crowd a while ago...!" Ruggie said in shock.

"Too bad~! It wasn't really them." Cater said, catching them off guard.

"Its true. Those were all Cater's clones that we dressed up to look like them." Chernette revealed.

"What did you say?!" Leona said in frustration.

LILIA: Well, we were warned that we were in danger, Malleus most of all. So, we complied easily. Malleus is somewhere safe too.

SEBEK: And all the spectators were safely released using magic. You better be grateful!

"I-is that even possible!?" the hyena said in protest.

It was silent for a while but then Leona's eyes shadowed over.

"........ Ah, I'm done."

RUGGIE: Eh?

LEONA: I give up.

RUGGIE: Wai—Leona-san... What do you mean...?

'He's giving up already...?'Chernette thought till she felt a familiar sensation.

LEONA: Idiot. If Malleus is gonna play in perfect condition, we have no chance of winning.

There's no point in playing now. I'm gonna sit this one out.

Ruggie couldn't believe his prefect was saying this after all their efforts...! "N-no way...! Malleus aside, I did what you said and injured all those players...And yet... You said you won't play. I doubt we'd even place at all now...What's going to happen to our dreams now...?"

Leona replied bitterly; "No matter how much of the world watches, in the end it's just a students' game. You guys just got delusional about that dream and I just played along."

"Why...? Weren't we going to overturn the world...?" Ruggie quietly asked when Leona bitterly laughed.

"Ah, stop nagging... Then, let me tell you the truth. You are a hyena raised in the trashy slums and I'm the loathed second prince who will never be king! No matter what we do, the world won't be overturned!"

RUGGIE: Wh-what the hell!? Don't mess with me! We did all this and now you're giving up!?

SAVANACLAW STUDENT D: That's going too far, Leona-san!

SAVANACLAW STUDENT E: We're gonna have you play even if we have to drag you there!

LEONA: Ah, you're so irritating... Shut up, you imbeciles!

Suddenly, the stadium was filled with sand and it felt like there was a searing heat, like a desert.

Not only that, things around them were turning to sand.

RUGGIE: Ah...!

SAVANACLAW STUDENTS: (panicked screams)

GRIM: Wh-what's going on? My nose feels dry... and my eyes hurt!

JACK: Everything that Leona-senpai touched is turning into sand...!?

LEONA: This is my unique magic, King's Roar. How ironic, isn't it? The magic that the loathed Prince of the Savannah was born with especially since I hate droughts...It turns everything I touch back into sand!

 "Leona... sa... It... hurts...!" Ruggie struggled.

DEUCE: There are fissures in Ruggie's arm!

ACE: Wait... His magic works on people, too!?

RIDDLE: Leona, that is enough! Off with your head!!

But Leona dodged it and moved to everyone's shock.

"He avoided Riddle's magic!?" Grim exclaimed.

"I don't care if you're a genius or whatever, but don't underestimate your seniors. Unfortunately for you, I score high with offensive magic." The lion smirked.

RIDDLE: Damn...!

"Haha! How do you like this, Ruggie? Does it hurt? Your mouth must be so dry that you can't laugh like you used to, huh!" Leona laughed like a sadistic lunatic.

RUGGIE: I... Ack...

JACK: This is bad! If we don't do something, Ruggie-senpai will...!

"It may be worse if he goes crazy!" Celeste said as they started attacking.

"You're so powerful, so why resort to something like this!?" Riddle asked as they countered Leona to rescue Ruggie.

LEONA: Why...? Does the reason even matter to you? Or what, are you saying you're going to comfort me? There are a lot of things in this world that we can never have no matter what effort we put into it. Look. Ruggie can't even struggle against me anymore. How pitiful, isn't he...?

RUGGIE: (pained breathing)

"STOP ALREADY!! Unleashed Beast!" Jack shouted as he became a large white wolf to everyone's surprise.

RIDDLE: That's...!?

WOLF JACK: (growls)

"He can become a giant wolf? Is that Jack's unique magic?" Chernette asked.

LEONA: What in the–!? Ah!!

RIDDLE: Leona's distracted! Off with your head!

LEONA: Gah!!

As a result, Ruggie was released and Chernette quickly worked on healing him.

RUGGIE: (coughing)

CATER: Nice one, Riddle-kun~! Leona-kun's magic stopped, too!

DEUCE: He's let go of Ruggie! Hurry, over here!

SILVER: Sebek, let's go bring the others to safety.

SEBEK: Don't order me around, Silver!

But he still complied getting other students out of harm's way.

"Damn you...! A collar on a lion like me!?" Leona gritted out before turning to Jack.

"Jack! Where did you obtain that kind of magic!?"

JACK: Unleashed Beast... Transforming myself into a giant wolf is my unique magic!

LEONA: Hah... You turn into an actual dog using magic? That's really unique!

"Leona-senpai... I... I aimed to join this school because I looked up to you!

Where did the guy I looked up to go!?" Jack shouted at his prefect.

"Who gave you the right to do that? Shut up..." Leona gritted out.

"I'm not one to talk, but I can't bear to look at you right now. Go into solitary for a while and cool off." Riddle said with a frown.

"What do you know...? Don't order me around like my older brother does..." Leona growled.

'Wait. This is getting bad. If he gets provoked...!' Chernette thought as she saw...ink blots leaking faintly.

LILIA: A man like you suits a collar more than a crown. I am tired of hearing that the king of the Savannah is the lion.

LEONA: Hah!?

"Given your talents, I had always lamented the fact that you could never become king, however...You now live a life full of sloth and every time you betray someone's expectations, it is the other party that you find fault in. And you think you can become king with that attitude? Compared to our dignified king, Malleus, that is truly laughable. Even if you have defeated Lord Malleus, if you do not rid yourself of your rotten heart...You can never become a true king!" Lilia said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"...Hahaha... Yeah, you're right. It's exactly as you say... Hahahaha! I will never be king no matter how hard I work...!" Leona said as ink blots got bigger around him and everyone got goosebumps from the sight.

GRIM: What's going on...!? I'm getting goosebumps...!

RIDDLE: Leona's magical energy is skyrocketing... I—I can't keep casting my magic on him like this...!!!

LILIA: No, this is not magical energy. This ominous negative energy is... No, it can't be...!

"He's gonna go into Overblot!" Chernette shouted.

In the process, the collar Riddle put on him was sent flying due to power of the blot.

CATER: He sent Riddle-kun's collar flying...!?

"I've always been loathed ever since I was born. I had no place to call home nor did I have a future. No matter how hard I worked, I will never be acknowledged. This pain, this despair...

THERE'S NO WAY YOU'LL UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!" As Leona roared out, and came out into his 'corrupted' form, and behind him was the blot manifestation which seemed similar to Scar.

JACK: Wh-what is that!? There's a giant shadow behind Leona-senpai!

DEUCE: That's... The Blot's manifestation!

GRIM: Did he go into evil villain berserker mode like Riddle did!?

RIDDLE: Anyone who can stand, go and find shelter! Ace, Deuce, take the injured someplace safe! Lilia-senpai, please call the teachers for help!

DEUCE & ACE: Yes!

"Understood. I shall pray for your safety." Lilia nodded took off.

LEONA: (roars)

CATER: Why do we always have to face something scary? I'm not fit for this, you know!?

RIDDLE: If you're scared, I wouldn't mind even if you run away.

CATER: If I left you to save myself, Trey-kun will never let me hear the end of it~ I'll stay with you, Prefect.

JACK: I dunno what's going on, but Leona-senpai will come back to his senses if we beat him up, right?

RUGGIE: I... I'll help you... (coughs) I won't let him get away with what he said...

LEONA: A hyena like you is disobeying me?

Hahahaha... That's not a funny joke! All of you will never see the light of day again!

GRIM: Let's do this!

LEONA: If I can't overturn this world, I'll just turn it into sand...! All of the things I did... They were meaningless!

RUGGIE: Is that really what you've been thinking...? All this time... Always...?

JACK: Ruggie-senpai. Keep it together and let's make Leona-senpai come back to his senses!

LEONA: Shut up, all of you! I'll turn you into sand!!! I... will... be... king!

Right before Leona could fire another sand blast, Chernette intervened and used her best fire magic, turning it into glass. 

To the Savanaclaw boy's surprise, Chernette gained wings, pointed ears and a ring of fire encircled her. 

"So you had this kind of magic hidden? Interesting...Let's see if I can turn those wings to dust!!" Leona bellowed.

"Yin/Yang Effect: Shadow Submission! Ring of Fire: Overheat!" Chernette said as the sand around Leona, instead being glass, became flickering blue, red and green flames surrounding Leona, giving him a heat stroke as he was weakened.

'Wait, the only one who could summon flames like that...! Could she?!' Jack and Ruggie thought.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Leona roared out in pain as the blot recoiled the same way before vanishing in a blaze.

------------------------------------------

Stay safe everyone!

Yes, Savanaclaw are gonna be in the loop now!