Chapter 968 New Ability 1

The world suddenly stopped and turned blue.

"Match?"

Kakei Mihaya, who was the maid working at Strawberry Palace, realized that someone had come to cause trouble in Prominence's turf.

'But who?'

Mihaya didn't know whether it was done deliberately or by accident, but since they had come to cause trouble then she would welcome them and show them the power of the Prominence!

The blue world suddenly transformed once again and this time it had transformed into Burnt World.

Everything in the surrounding area was full of fire and the temperature had increased dramatically. From the trees, buildings, parks, and a lot of places were burning by fire.

Mihaya knew that she had just happened to step into the "Burnt Stage".

The stage is a specific virtual environment used in Brain Burst 2039 for normal duels as well as for the Unlimited Neutral Field. Many different stages exist, and each has its own set of attributes.

Brain Burst creates the stage as a sort of "skin" to video data pulled from the social camera network. Essentially, it generates a three-dimensional version of the Burst Linker's current location and applies certain effects to it. For example, the Twilight Stage is always at low light, and its buildings are easy to destroy. For

Each stage has a certain attribute: Fire, Water, Wood, Dark, and Light. The first three are referred to as "nature"-type, and the second two as "special"-type. This has an effect on the semi-random stage transition process, as well as affecting enemy strengths and weaknesses. For example, if a player has a water ability then he/she will be weakened on the "Burnt Stage".

Stages of the same attribute differ in "strength" as well. This equates roughly to how "pure" the stage is - for example, Hell Stage is the most "powerful" dark-attribute stage, and the purgatory-stage is less powerful than it is.

One important distinction between stages is the ability to enter buildings. For example, you can't go inside buildings on the Era's End stage, but you can in the Twilight stage.

Mihaya looked at her surroundings then noticed two figures who weren't that far away from her. She squinted her eyes and looked at the name of two players which made her frown.

"Ocean Stingray and Sunset Lop? The Four Beasts?"

Mihaya didn't expect the players which she had talked about in the Legion would suddenly appear in this place.

"Eh? Four Beasts? What is that?" Tabane asked curiously.

"I guess it is a sort of nickname," Haru said.

Mihaya looked at both of them and said, "It's your nickname. I don't expect that after you've wrecked apart the Suginami area, you'll appear in the Nerima area." It was her first time seeing two of the "Four Beasts", but she could tell that they were quite arrogant since they decided to challenge within the Prominence's turf.

'Ocean Stingray and Sunset Lop.'

Mihaya could see that Sunset Lop was a bit similar to her in the shape only with different types of animals. If she was a leopard then Sunset Lop was a rabbit. Then she looked at Ocean Stingray who had a shape similar to a large mecha stingray. She wasn't sure how this guy was able to fight his opponent in that kind of shape.

Haru was sure that Mihaya was looking at him with a confused expression since he was sure that this girl might be confused at how he was going to fight in this form, but he wouldn't say anything to give her a surprise element.

"Don't you have a friend? If you have then you should hurry up and call him or her since you won't able to fight against the two of us alone, Blood Leopard," Tabane said.

Blood Leopard was Kakei Mihaya's Duel Avatar. Her shape is based on a leopard. She has a feline shaped head with yellow eyes. Her body is mostly colored in shades of red with armored shoulder guards.

"You underestimated me. I'm not the same as the rest of the players that you've fought against," Mihaya said. Even though she knew that both Haru and Tabane were strong, she also had her own pride. She knew that both Haru and Tabane were only level two and she was at level six. She didn't think that she would lose against either of them. Even if they attacked her at the same time.

"Oh-ho? How arrogant. Stingray, let me handle this one. If someone appears then you can have that player," Tabane said. She thought about teaching this little girl a lesson.

"I'll be waiting here," Haru said.

"You sure don't want to attack me together? You'll lo--"

Mihaya hadn't finished her words and Tabane had sent her a flying kick directly.

*Baam!*

Mihaya was thrown several meters away and crashed into the wall behind. It might be because the wall was fragile or Tabane's kick was so powerful that the wall crumbled directly.

Tabane didn't continue her attack and waited for Mihaya to come out. "Well, what is it?"

"I'm sorry. It seems that I've underestimated both of you."

Mihaya's tone was quite bland. She walked out of the building and looked at Tabane with a serious expression. Even though it was rare, it was possible for someone who had a lower level to be able to win against a player who had a higher level.

The advantage of a player with a higher level was that they had more HP, more power or speed or defense, or more powerful ability depending on how they spent their Bonus Points after they had leveled up. But one thing which made a player with a higher level win against the lower level was their experience at fighting. Players at a higher level have fought a lot of matches with a lot of players and that meant they were stronger than the player with a lower level.

But there was an irregularity, such as now, when a player's fighting talent closed the gap between level differences.

Mihaya faced this situation since she could tell that Sunset Lop was very strong after that first confrontation. She thought that she needed to get serious or else she might be beaten in this match.

Hearing her answer, Haru thought that Blood Leopard might be an expressionless type of girl.

'She's a bit similar to Megumi somehow.'

But of course, the presence of this girl might be stronger than Megumi since Megumi was a very unique existence.

Haru didn't move and watched the fight which happened in front of him.

Even though Blood Leopard was red, it didn't mean she was a long-range fighter. Her abilities revolve around her speed and power. That meant her speed and power was better than Tabane's.

*Swoosh!* *Swoosh!* *Swoosh!*

However....

Tabane dodged Mihaya's punches easily before sending out a roundhouse kick in Mihaya's stomach.

*Baam!*

Mihaya was blown away and was on her knee while holding her stomach. Even though that attack didn't give her real pain, it shocked her.

"Good attack."

Even though Mihaya didn't know who Tabane was, she had to praise Tabane since she was very strong even though Tabane was only level 2.

Tabane only smiled and said, "If you continue like this then you're going to lose."

"Is that so?"

There wasn't any fluctuation of emotion in Mihaya's voice.

"Leopard!"

Suddenly someone entered their battlefield.

Mihaya turned and saw a player with quite a huge body and red color.

"Cherry Rook."

Cherry Rook was quite in shock when he saw Blood Leopard was at a disadvantage facing one of the Four Beasts. Of course, he knew about Four Beasts since it had become a topic of "brain burst", but he didn't expect to see them here.

"I'll help you!"

Cherry Rook jumped out from the roof and landed on the ground while looking at Sunset Lop who had made Blood Leopard kneel down.

"Well, it seems that you're going to be my opponent."

Cherry Rook turned and looked at Ocean Stingray who seemed to be a spectator in this battle. He frowned and asked, "Can you?"

"...."

Haru felt funny by this question and said, "I guess. I need to try my new ability." His shape started to change from a stingray to a humanoid figure slowly.