"The final game will now begin!"

The announcer's voice boomed within the Arena as the crowd of Pululus cheered.

The runningmen flipped their emblems into the air and watch it transform into their signature Takji Cards while the rest of the players simply pulled theirs out from their pockets, including Salena who pouts in jeolousy that hers doesn't transform unlike theirs.

As the crowd cheered further, Rema, hidden in the shadows of the crowd, watched the match through the holographic screen. She crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall. Her eyes narrowed Liu and the rest as if trying to determine something true of false. Then her eyes landed on Yuu and then on Miyo, the only two people close enough to be called her friends, except for Hanabi. Her eyes softened and her frown deepened and showed guilt. She clutched her hands into fist as if regretting not telling them something important when they reunited earlier.

"Players must flip the Gatkeeper's guard to win! The players will not be eliminated if their cards are flipped, they can only be eliminated if they fall off the Arena"

The announcer spoke once more as the two platforms, one where the running men are and the other where the Pululus and Iron beast stood, hovered closer to the Arena where the Gatkeeper's Pod floated above the center.

"From the fields of Serinty," The announcer began the introduction as a beam of light fire downwards from the pod. "Calm and Swift as a coursing river, strong and mighty as the raging fire, the Final gate keeper, Aria the Rage!"

The beam of light expanded and the final keeper materializes within it, hovering a foot above ground. Among the previous gatekeepers, he was the tallest, the biggest and had a complete suit of red and yellow. His hands pushed against each other in a meditative stance as his eyes remained closed.

" So... All of you like to play cards?" Aria questioned, his voice deep and calm. "Fine... I will play your game. I will humour you"

Then, a chunck of his Armour was ejected and landed on the center of the Arena. The chunk of red steal transformed into a large Takji bearing the same appearance as him. Takji Aria then closed his eyes as well before clasping his hands as if making a prayer, but the running men weren't impressed or surprised, rather they looked disappointed.

"He looks... Defenseless" Miyo voiced out their thoughts.

"Ha! This would be easy! Let me handle this" Popo stepped in, Takji card in hand and inserting another red card.

"Fire Dragon Card!" Popo shouted and threw his card at Takji Aria. Takji Popo combusted into flames as he hurdles towards the opponent who remained motionless and at peace.

Then, Miyo's communicator flashed in a dim yellow light right before Takji Popo's flame disappeared and his momentum vanished as he crashed onto Takji Aria. He rebounded off of him without much as a scratch but, to everyone's surprise, when Takji Popo collided with the ground, Popo was knocked back by an invible force that made him crash on the ground as well.

"Popo!" Liu and Salena shouted as the bunny, and some other Pululus that supported them, rushed to his aid. Liu looked back at Aria with wide eyes then spoke again. "The cards attack affect the players?!"

"Oh, this game just got way more fun" Yuu voiced out with excitement.

Then it was Miyo's turn to attack, she toosed her card sideways and watched it glide across the air like a paper plane as Takji Miyi sprouted gliders underneath her arms. She circled Takji Aria to look for the weak point and when she found one, she dived for the attack.

But then Miyo's communicator flashed another yellow light and Takji Miyo's glider vanished before she panics and crashes on the ground. Miyo met the same fate as she skids on the ground before Yuu helped her up.

"Are you okay?" Yuu asked and she nodded.

"My cards gliders vanished all of a sudden. What happened?" She asked a question no one had the answers to.

Then Liu and Pala went for a tandem. Takji Liu leaped into the air and Takji Pala charges at Aria with his paper cane aimed as if he was about to stab his opponent with it. But Miyo's communicator flashed again, this time twice, and suddenly made Takji Liu's legs and Paula's cane heavy that they were pulled down in the Arena, unable to move.

"I can't move!" Liu screamed as he tried to jump but it was as if his feet were glued to the ground.

Lastly Yuu, Salena and Kuga went for the attack. Yuu whipped Takji Yuu towards Takji Aria, Salena kicked her card and it traveled quickly forwards while Kuga threw his with all his might but when Miyo's communicator blinked, their cards were nullified as well. Like Liu and Paula's fate, Takji Kuga's fist became heavy and glued itself to the ground, Takji Salena Lost her speed but because she was skilled enough to keep her balance and remain standing despite the hard landing.

But Yuu had it worse. The bandages around Takji Yuu's hand suddenly stretched and coiled around his entire body like snake, snaring him instead as he rolled like a sushi roll across the battlefield.

"What the heck?!" Yuu exclaimed as he was now wrapped in his own bandages as well.

"Are cards' powers are backfiring!" Liu pointed out as the rest struggled with their own issues.

Aria started laughing, but it was a calm laugh that held both pride and mockery.

"All this shouting will not get you a step further in besting me. Can you not see that the spirits, the fates, are on the path of the good and righteous? They will do everything they can to help foolishly people like you, lose if it means stopping the end of the world"

"The end of the world?" Yuu repeated, even though he was still wrapped like a burrito with his bandages, he couldn't help but think about Arias' words. Then he recalled Vivace and Ensemble telling them that Akong is the villain. Then he started thinking what exactly are the Gatekeepers protecting? And if they defeat all of the gatekeepers, then what would happen to the gates?

Then the ground vibrated. Aria looked towards the other side of the Arena and saw the Iron Beast approaching him menacingly.

The iron beast search his hand the threw his large card at the Keeper. Takji Beast flew towards Aria then threw a punch. With the momentum from the throw, his punch would surely be able to flip him.

But then Takji Aria finally moved. He raised his right palm and forwarded it, blocking Takji Beast's attack effortlessly all while his other hand remained in a praying position.

"My... Look at you. Powered by steel and technology yet this is the best you can do? I am so disappointed in you..." Aria then opened one of his eyes and stared directly at Iron beast. The way he said that last sentence sounded as if they held history rather than simple words of discouragement.

Angered, Takji Beast let out a relentless aunslaught of punched but Takji Aria blocked every single one with his palms.

"Enough" Aria said, then with one olam, he pushed Takji Beast away from him with a huge force that he skid several feet's near the edge where the running man are. Iron beast was also affected by this which shocked The runningmen.

"Seriously, can you guys get me out?" Yuu voiced in the background and Salena replied by rushing towards him and pulling his bandages apart but it proved to be harder than she thought.

"Your bandages are too tough!" She yelled.

"Put some more effort!" Yuu shouted back.

"Still think this match is fun?" Miyo teased, smirking at him as if holding back a laugh.

"Not. The. Right. Time. Miyo!" Yuu countered, face flushed with embarrassment.

"Now then... Witness the will of the last guardian" Aria stated. Then Takji Aria separated his palms from their praying position and aimed it forwards with a glow. The running men, iron beast and the Pululus braced themselves before Takji Aria launched his two palms at them with increasing speed.

The first palm was aimed at Takji Yuu and the other Pululus while the other aimed at the rest. With Takji Yuu unable to move, Takji Salena quickly ran towards him then rolled him like a log evading the palm which hit the Pululus instead.

Takji Kuga attempted to block the second palm but it exploded and the Shockwave knocked everyone back near the ledge.

Since Takji Kuga took it head on, the force sent him flying over the edge along with Kuga. He would have fall and be eliminated if it weren't for his Pululus Fans. They all leaped towards him, and with their combined strength tossed him back in the Arena, sacrificing themselves as they fall in the pit with a smile.

Kuga looked down as if he could still save them but it was too late, the horn was heard to signal that they were eliminated.

"Even with our numbers, we're no match for him" Liu pointed out as Salena, who gave up trying to free Yuu, rolled Yuu towards them instead so he could join the conversation. His face couldn't have been anymore red from embarrassment.

"I really want to end this match right now..." Gurmbled the bandaged man, facing the afternoon sky as Salena gave him a gentle pat but it only worsened his mood.

"We need to be able to attack him to make any difference!" Popo says before Salena replied.

"But PO-bro, there's something wrong with our cards" Salena explained.

"What's happening with our cards?" Miyi repeated the same question earlier before Pala popped up next to her.

"Excuse me, Miyo, why does your belt thingy keep flashing?" Pala pointed at her communicator as she looked down on it.

"Her what?" Yuu asked, cranking his neck but he couldn't see any of them except their hair and Salena because he was facing upwards.

"I noticed that her belt keep flashing earlier" Pala added.

Suddenly, A whirlwind shook the stage, causing the players to cover their eyes. Salena used her other hand to cover Yuu's eyes as well to prevent debris from getting into them.

"What's happening?" Yuu asked, confused and irritated.

From the center stage, Kuga was twirling his upper body in a circle motion, arms wide apart in order to gather force and momentum for his attack.

"Until it works, I refuse to keep trying!" He shouted but Aria was not fazed. As he ended his spin he quickly threw his card downwards with the speed and force he gathered. Takji Kuga traveled like a Canon ball, but then Miyo's communicator flashed again, this time Yuu and the rest, except for Yuu, saw it and was shocked when Takji Kuga's hand become heavy again and glued itself on the ground.

"Come on, guys! What's happening?!" Yuu groaned but Liu voice out his thought so Yuu had an idea of what was happening.

"No way! The belt... It's taking away our Card's powers!"

"What?!" Yuu asked in disbelief, then he managed to wiggle his way ubtil he was now facing them.

"But... It can't be. That communicator is from..." Yuu couldn't finish his sentence as he thought about the person that gave it to her. However Miyo decided to finish what Yuu Started.

"From Rema..." Miyo continued before Popo pointed and shouted at her.

"What are you doing just standing there, Miyo?! Remove that belt already! We're dying here!" Though Popo was probably exaggerating the Last part, Miyo cleared her doubts and tried to remove the Communicator however it was stuck to her clothes. No matter how hard she pulled, it wouldn't detach.

"It's not coming off!"

Then Aria laughed again and a golden light envelops the Arena. A golden halo was formed around both Aria and Takji Aria however Takji Aria now had three large palms on each side.

"it is now time to end this foolishly match" Aria said before Takji Aria launches his six palms one by one. The first and second one knocked the remaining Pululus over the edge, eliminating them.

Takji Salena Rolled Takji Yuu to evade the attack while Salena did the same to Yuu.

"Somebody help me!" Popo screamed before tanking one of the palm. It exploded and sent him flying over the edge. Salena and Miyo called out to him in concern but another palm flew toward Miyo and hit her directly.

"Miyo! NO!" Yuu shouted as all he could do was voice his thoughts. Luckily, Miyo managed to regain consciousness mid air. She fired a grappling gun and managed to hook the edge of the Arena tbefore she could be eliminated but when she looked back down, she could only see Popo's retreating form as darkness swallowed him.

"Popo!" She shouted but it was useless. The horn rang across the field to signal another eliminated player.

The she felt a sold grip on the collar of her shirt. The iron beast pulled her above the edge and stared at her in cold silence.
The Running men players watch in silent as Miyo was confused.

"Thanks..." Miyo said, thanking the gesture as saving her from elimination until Iron beast head drifted lower and stared at her communicator for a another long silence.
"What are you d-" Before she could even finish, the Iron beast tossed her back into the pit as if she was garbage. Miyo screamed in despair before getting eliminated.

"Miyo!" Is what Salena and the other could manage.

But Yuu, he was silent. His eyes wide, mouth opened. Staring at where Miyo had used to be before the Iron Beast discarded her. Normally, Yuu wouldn't be triggered by this. He would be angered, yes, displeased, also. He could just save her and the other once they managed to win this game. That was the logical approach.

But this moment, this situation that he was in, it was all too familiar. There he is again, immobilized, unable to do anything as he watches his friends, the people he cared about, get tossed around like playthings while he just watched.

The memories of the battle with Ulcus flushed his mind again. In that moment he was weak, powerless. All he could do was scream and cry.

And then, he snapped. His eyes became bloodshot, red like blood as he screamed and repeated the words:

"I'm going to kill you... I'm going to kill you... I'M going to KILL you! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

As he repeated his words Aria, Salena, and Iron beast all stared at him as if he was a rabid animal but the runningmen already knew what Yuu is like in this state. They saw him act like this once during the Battle of the Superpowers but it was not this intense.

"Yuu..." Pala and Liu muttered in concern and pity.

The veins on his neck was palpitating and straining before unleashing a fierce cry one last time. One that visibly shook Aria as both eyes opened up, one he had not done since the start of the match or even for centuries.

"I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!!!"

His bandages exploded like a butterfly from its coccoon. If only that butterfly was a terrifying man covered in ripped bandages that's been broken passed it's mental Stability and Reasonibg. He charges at Iron beast without plan, without finesse. Just pure, unbridled rage.

He leaps at him and threw a punch, his eyes blood red but because he was blinded by anger, his attack was sloppy which the Iron beast evaded. But just as iron beast evaded, Yuu threw an unsuspecting punch to where the Iron Beast's apendix would be. And with that, the Armour cracked, then shattered as chunks of the parts where his fist hit went flying off. The Iron beast leaped back with a grunt. If the Iron Beast had any facial expression behind it's iron mask then his face would scream Annoyance.

But as another punch socked the Iron beast on the jaw and made a huge dent into its mask, it's facial expression would change into troubles. As another punch landed and knocked it back, steam and error signs appearing in its A.I. Vision, it would then change to unease.

Iron Beast finally countered with a palm trust but Yuu sidestepled it, grabbed its palm then struck it with his elbow, breaking its large robotic hand in half as wires spark in electricity.

At this moment, if Iron best had any facial expression left to make, then it would be the same as everyone else watching this horrific fight: Fear.

His ripped bandages turned black and whipped it towards Iron beast where it wrapped around around and engulfed Iron Beast broken arm. Linking them together. Now It couldn't excape Yuu even if it tried.

The bandaged man ran towards him again and The Beast countered with a charged piston punch. Yuu's eyes flashes a red light and countered with another punch.

Their fist collided and the Iron Beast whole left arm was shattered into Broken pieces. Sparks of torn wires and smoke erupted as it staggered back. However, Yuu suffered injuries as well. His entire right arm, the one he used to destroy it's arm, was bleeding. Possibly his entire arm was broken but his rage and adrenaline fueled him further.

"Yuu! Stop!!" Salena and Liu called out with voice or reason but Yuu was only focused on one thing. To kill.

With his bandages hardening and still wrapped around the Iron Beast other arm, he twisted his body and slammed the Iron Beast to the ground where he started pummeling it's face hard. So hard that the force of each punch cracked the Arena beneath his opponent. High right hand kept bleeding and they could swore they could his bone cracking into smaller pieces but he kept pummeling Iron beast by the faces, screaming as he did.

There no face left upon the iron beast, just a crumbles helmet but Yuu still didn't stop even with Salena now holding him back. Pulling him away from it but he still wouldn't stop. As bloodied tears fell from his eyes along with black veins that started appearing around them.

With the help of Kuga, they managed to pull Yuu off of the Iron Beast. But just as they did, an artifical voice erupted from the iron beast.

"Battery percentage low. Engaging self defence system"

The a sharp and painful, earpiercing high pitch sound erupted from Iron Beast's ruined Armour. The frequency was painful for anyone to hear as the running men screamed in pain, covering their ears but Aria remained unfazed but he kept his widened eyes at Yuu, staring at his visible red blood, still in disbelief.

"A... A human? It can't be...! I need to stop this!" The guardian mumbled as the ringing stopped and the Iron beast lost energy and shut down.

Salena cradles Yuu who was now unconscious but before they could do anything, another palm, this time three palms combines into one large glowing palm, rapidly accelerated towards Salena.

"Lookout!" Is what Liu could manage to say but it was too late. Kuga was able to dodge in time but Salena, who was cradling Yuu, couldn't. All she could do was briefly transform into her Lei Zhi form, redirect all her electricity into her retracted claws and stab then at the glowing palm in hopes of deflecting it to prevent Yuu from getting further harmed.

For a second they held out. Repelling one another in a show of strength and will and Aria was seen visibly struggling. Then, a powerful explosion occurred. One that both destroyed Aria's threefold palm and sent Salena and Yuu flying over the edge. Both unconscious as the horn of eliminated was heard. But no one cheered or boo'ed. The crowd of Pululus watching shared all the same expression of fear and shock.

"It's... All up to us now..." Popo muttered, remnants of fear still visible in his shaking hands.

"Liu" Takji Pala shouted, shaking his cane. "We have our powers back!"

"It does not matter! " Aria said. He was no longer calm or collected, he was now enraged as well. His eyes fully opened and was glowing in white. "That stupid rabbit! Who does she think she is destroying my hands just like that?!" Takji Aria now had only 3 palms as well.

With the Iron Beast pulvarises to ruined mech, Liu took matters into his own hands. With a plan.

"We need to beat the last guardian now before we worry about our friends" Liu commanded.

"But even with three plans folded to one, He's still far too strong!" Kuga interjected but by Liu's smirk, it seems he already has a countermeasure.

"Time to commence... Operation..." The Takji Liu, Kuga and Pala, were seen standing at each other's shoulders with Takji Liu being the support column, Takji Kuga in the middle, and Takji Pala on top.
"3 step Combo... Storm!"

"Did you really have to add the word storm?" Takji Kuga commented with disapproval, swaying to maintain balance.

"Yeah, it sounds a bit redundant" Takji Pala agreed.

"F... Fine! 3 step combo it is then!" Takji Liu replied, struggling to support his friends.

"Are you even sure this would work?!" asked the tiger card.

"Of course!" Takji Liu replied before locking in. Aria fired another large palm at them but Takji Liu squat and, gathering all his remaining strength into the muscles in his legs, leaped high into the air. Higher than any Takji Cards could.

Takji Pala and Kuga screamed as the soared above with tremendous speed. When they reached the bottom of the Gatekeeper Pod, they leaned and faced downwards where Takji Liu used the bottom of the Pod as a boost to push themselves back downwards. With gravity working with them, their speed increased as they quickly ascended from the sky.

Aria separated his palm and attemptes to fire the three remaining hands one by one but it was now time for Liu's plan to start.

"Combo 1!" Liu shouted before Tajki Kuga throws Takji Pala downwards. Takji Pala soared then threw his cane at one of the hands. It connects and drives it onto the ground where roots locked it in place.

Angered, Aria screamed and combined his two remaining palms to give him more power.

"Combo 2!" Takji Liu shouted then threw Kuga this time. The Tiger Card charged his fist with an aura of pink. As Aria launched his golden palm, Takji Kuga unleashed his Super Paw.

Both attacks collided and resulted another explosion. Successfully managing to destroy the palm which left Aria speechless and defenseless.

"Not its my turn! Combo 3!" Takji Liu closed his arms and legs and dive with acceleration. Takji Aria screamed and apprehension before the bug card headbutted the guardian with enough force that it flipped and fell with a loud thud.

"No... I... I lost?" Aria gasped in shock before becoming silent as a bright light engulfed him. He reappeared once more, this time without his armor. He closed his eyes, locked both hands in a prayer stance and spoke. "Naive, little fools... You have put the world in danger once again..."

Aria flew higher into the sky, and with a flash of blinding light, he vanished.

As the Running Men watched, they heard the sound of metal clanging on the ground. They turned around and saw a person exiting out of the Iron Beast suit.. Pink blood trailing down the person's head and arms while clutching their appendix.

"That... That was very unpleasant..." The man spoke and with grunts, he forced himself to stand up. As his mask detached from his face, Liu Pala and Kuga's eyes widened in disbelief and dread for standing I front of them was non other than the Peacock of Genocide, Charming Gold.

"I love the smell of fresh air..." Charming Gold bellowed, smiling at the group.