After hearing about the system rewards, I didn't accept them right away. Instead, I decided to head straight home before claiming them.
Once I got back, I was in my room, still a little out of breath from pedaling so fast out of excitement. I wasn't really sure what kind of rewards the system would give me, since I'd never asked—but that could wait. For now, I called out to my system to claim them.
(Alright, System, I'm ready. Give me my rewards.)
I said it in my mind, of course. Even though Leonidas was part of the system, he didn't actually know it existed. He'd probably think I was insane if he saw me talking to thin air.
> [Distributing rewards to the Host.
– Elemental Bakugan Special Throws
– Haos Terrorclaw (Owner: Runo)]
After seeing them, I had a few questions. These rewards definitely seemed… peculiar.
(System, what are Elemental Throws?)
> [Transferring knowledge to the Host's mind.]
As soon as I heard that, I felt a slight tingling in my head as the information flowed in. Then, I finally understood where they came from.
They originated from the same place Leonidas did—or rather, from the same game. They were special throws that could be performed depending on your Bakugan's attribute, and each had unique effects that could influence a battle even before the Bakugan fully manifested.
That was one of the reasons I loved that game so much. Sure, the gameplay was slow, but it made up for it with an interesting story and original mechanics—like these special throws, or Leonidas himself, an exclusive Bakugan from the game. I always wished he'd been included in the real series or other games.
But anyway, back to the throws. They were basically special attacks that could give you an advantage in battle. Each of the six attributes had its own unique throw, with effects that varied depending on the element.
The system gave me complete knowledge of how to perform each one. It sounded supernatural at first, but they seemed to be more connected to the Bakugan itself than to the player. In the end, that made sense—it was more like a bond between both, kind of like Mega Evolutions in Pokémon, where everything depends on the bond between Trainer and Pokémon.
In my case, I could perform the Darkus throw, and its effect was pretty interesting. In the game, it would drain G-Power from nearby Bakugan and transfer it to your own.
Here, the effect was the same—but with an extra twist. In addition to draining G-Power, it also blocked the activation of the Gate Card the Bakugan landed on. That alone made it an incredible ability.
The other attributes also had their own unique effects: Pyrus could inflict a kind of burn that reduced an enemy's power level, while Aquos could summon a wave that moved Bakugan across cards and boosted nearby allies of the same attribute.
These throws completely changed how battles could be fought—they were trump cards capable of turning the tide. But apparently, since they consumed the user's own energy, they could only be used once per battle.
That was fine with me—the effects were absurdly powerful. If you could spam them endlessly, you'd win just by throwing. That would definitely be something to see.
As for the second reward, it was exactly what I thought: the same Bakugan Runo said she lost to Masquerade. The system had slightly boosted its power, too. Well, that would surely help me score some points with Runo, so I wasn't complaining.
I spent some time practicing the special throws until it was time to go online with the others.
Once it was time, I sat down in front of my computer and connected to the network.
Everyone was there—except for Dan. I could imagine why. Before I could say anything, my little fangirl Julie was the first to speak.
Julie: "Ryu, you're amazing! I always knew you were the best! You and Leonidas are seriously strong!"
Runo: "I actually agree with the flirty one this time. You did great giving that guy a beating."
Alice: "You definitely proved why you're the top Bakugan player."
Marucho: "Indeed, a clean victory as always. And Leonidas is truly extraordinary. A lot of people even thought the website had glitched."
I kind of expected this. They never really explained how the system worked, but apparently, the Bakupods recorded battles—or rather, the results, along with the Bakugan and their power levels. While I was online, I noticed just how shocked everyone was about Leonidas. As Marucho said, many people thought I'd cheated somehow.
"Yeah, that's a normal reaction, Marucho. I guess no one would believe it unless they saw it in person."
Marucho: "There were some issues convincing people that the site hadn't been tampered with."
Runo: "Well, with that level of power, I doubt many people will want to challenge you now."
Alice: "Some even wanted to propose banning Leonidas from battles."
"That's to be expected. When something breaks the balance of the game, people usually try to remove it for fairness' sake."
Although, to be honest, Bakugan was never exactly a balanced game to begin with. Everything depended on which Bakugan you got—there was never really an even playing field.
"What about Dan?"
I asked the question I'd been meaning to ask, though I could already guess the answer.
Alice: "He's pretty down. He hasn't replied to any messages since the battle with Masquerade."
Marucho: "Though for some reason, that fight seemed to end without a clear winner."
Runo: "We all know he lost. He's probably too embarrassed to show his face here after saying all those big words and then losing so pathetically."
"Well, it's Dan. He'll bounce back from this. Honestly, losing might be good for him."
Runo: "You're right. Maybe this will teach him not to get so full of himself next time."
Runo: "Anyway, forget about Dan. Ryu, did you see who was behind the mask? Did he say anything to you?"
Everyone leaned in at that question—clearly, they'd all been wondering the same thing.
Of course, I knew who was behind that mask. But without proof, and given the situation, it wasn't the right time to say it. So I just repeated what Masquerade told me before disappearing after the battle.
Runo: "Ha! Sounds like the excuses of someone who lost and can't admit it."
Alice: "Well… I guess he does have a point, though."
Julie: "Alice! Whose side are you on?"
Marucho: "I'm with Alice. Masquerade thought he had Ryu figured out, but he underestimated him. It wasn't an excuse—but that fight was unbalanced from the start."
"Well, you're right. But still, if he wants to face me again, he's welcome to. I've beaten him once—I can do it again."
Julie: "That's the spirit, Ryu! You and Leonidas are the best team ever! You were amazing, Leonidas!"
Everyone said something similar, but Leonidas remained silent.
Alice: "I guess he still finds it hard to interact with others."
We kept chatting for a while—mostly about Masquerade and everyone's reaction to Leonidas—before logging off for the night.
---
The next day, I woke up like usual and went for a morning run, enjoying just how much stronger and more resilient my body felt.
Afterward, I stopped by a café for breakfast—but not just any café.
"Hello, how can I take your order?"
The waitress greeted me politely, not realizing who I was since my menu was covering my face.
I lowered it slightly and smiled.
"Yeah, I'll have a black coffee with milk… and a smile from the waitress to go."
Her expression shifted from calm to shock in an instant.
"You—what are you doing here!?"
"Come on, Runo, what kind of greeting is that? Can't I visit my friend after so many days apart?"
I said it dramatically, pretending to be hurt.
Yeah, this place was Runo's family café—the one she helped run. Since one of my system rewards gave me the perfect excuse to visit her, I decided to drop by.
"N-no, it's not that! It's just… never mind. It's good to see you too," she said, waving her hands nervously before giving me a small smile, her cheeks faintly pink.
"Haha, don't worry. I'm just teasing. Anyway, I've got something for you. Are you free later?"
"My shift ends in an hour," she replied quickly. "You can wait in my room if you want."
That was normal for us—we often visited each other's houses. She treated my home like her own, and I did the same. I thanked her, and she hurried off to serve other tables.
After a while, I went to her room to wait. I also greeted her parents—they were kind people. In fact, they'd known my parents before they passed away, so they were familiar with me. That's probably why they didn't think much of their daughter letting a boy into her room so casually.
Some time later, as I was browsing through online updates while sitting on Runo's bed, she finally came in—now dressed more casually and carrying a plate of cookies.
"Sorry for the wait. My mom insisted I bring you snacks," she said with a helpless expression.
I chuckled. "Heh, don't worry. I know how she is. And honestly, your mom's cookies are always worth the wait."
We sat side by side, a comfortable silence settling between us. After a few moments, she turned to me.
"So, what was it you wanted to show me?"
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a Bakugan. "Recognize this little guy?"
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"My Terrorclaw! But how did you—?" she said, taking it from my hand. I wasn't sure how she knew it was hers, but as long as she was happy, I didn't question it.
"I have my ways," I said with a mysterious grin. I obviously couldn't tell her the system had given it to me.
She rolled her eyes. "Sure, mister mysterious," she said sarcastically, but her tone softened as she added, "Still… thank you."
Then she hugged me.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I told you that guy would regret messing with you," I said, hugging her back.
It didn't last long—she quickly pulled away, her face flushed red.
Since I was already there, I decided to seize the opportunity to grow closer.
"Hey, I heard there's a good movie out right now. Want to go see it?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
She lowered her head, blushing even more. "Is this…?" she whispered something too quietly for me to catch, though I could guess what she meant.
"What was that?" I asked, pretending not to have heard.
"It's nothing! Sure, let's go! Just give me a moment to get ready!" she said quickly, shoving me out of her room.
I heard Leonidas speak in my mind.
> "Such strange behavior. What does she need to prepare? Isn't she already dressed?"
"That, Leonidas, is just how women are. They always want to look their best—no matter the situation."
I smirked. "The most mentally exhausting challenge for a man is probably going shopping with one."
> "Humans are strange creatures," Leonidas muttered before going silent again.
I sighed and waited in the living room while Runo got ready. As I checked the news, I noticed the buzz about me and Leonidas was still going strong.
Masquerade seemed to have disappeared, not challenging anyone lately—which was strange, since he'd been going after everyone before. Some people even said he'd been too humiliated after losing to me to show his face again.
But I knew better. He was probably recruiting battlers around the world to send Bakugan to the Doom Dimension. Soon, this game wouldn't be just a game anymore—it would become a war between two worlds. Still, with Leonidas by my side, I wasn't too worried about what was coming.
An hour later, Runo finally appeared. She hadn't changed much, but she looked great nonetheless. She was still wearing her usual skirt—her standard outfit, apparently.
We left her house, and to my surprise, she clung to my arm. It was a bold move, though judging by her red face, she was probably just embarrassed. As much as I wanted to tease her, I held back—for now.
We spent the rest of the afternoon on our date.
After the movie, we grabbed dinner at a nearby restaurant, and then—because fate clearly wanted to test my patience—Runo spotted a clothing store.
I suffered for two straight hours while she tried on outfit after outfit, constantly asking for my opinion. In the end, she only bought two sets of clothes, which honestly felt like a miracle. At least I didn't have to carry a mountain of shopping bags on the way out.
I even bought her a pair of pretty blue earrings she'd been eyeing but hadn't bought herself. I helped her put them on, and she smiled brightly as we walked back to her house, hand in hand.
By then, it was already dark. I'd planned to head home, but Runo asked me to stay for the group meeting, so I accepted.
We sat side by side as everyone logged in—this time, Dan was there too.
Before anyone could say a word, Julie spoke first, of course.
Julie: "Ah! Runo, you sly girl, getting ahead of me! Why are you with Ryu in the same room? I wanna do that too!"
She pouted adorably at the camera.
Runo: "Hmph."
Runo turned her head away, but I caught the faintest hint of a smile. I guess she was enjoying getting under Julie's skin for once—usually, it was the other way around.
While Julie kept complaining to Runo, I decided to step in.
"Hey, Dan. Good to see you here. I was starting to worry you'd lost your fighting spirit after that loss."
Dan: "Yeah right! Like I'd let that guy get away with it! Next time I see him, I'm taking him down! And besides—it wasn't a loss, it was a draw."
Runo: "Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night. But don't bother—Ryu already beat him. I doubt Masquerade cares about fighting you again. Next time, I'll be the one to take him down."
Julie: "Wow, everyone's fired up today! But it's great to see Dan and Drago finally getting along."
Dan: "Yeah, now that we're a team, Masquerade doesn't stand a chance. He's probably hiding because he's scared of my new power."
Runo: "If he were hiding from anyone, it'd be from Ryu. He's the one who already beat him. Masquerade didn't look like someone ready to admit defeat that easily."
Dan: "Wait—you beat him?"
Right, I forgot. Dan never really checked the rankings or the news unless it had something to do with him.
Runo: "You're such an idiot."
Marucho: "Let me explain. After Ryu's battle with Masquerade, Leonidas showed incredible power. Masquerade disappeared right after that, and no one's heard from him since."
Dan: "Seriously, Ryu? You're that strong? I couldn't even take down his first Bakugan, and you crushed him!"
Julie: "That's my Ryu! You totally proved you're the best!"
I could almost see little hearts floating around her as she blew kisses at the screen. Meanwhile, Runo's smile twitched as she glared daggers at Julie, looking ready to leap through the monitor.
Alice: "Still, Ryu and Dan are really lucky—you're the only two known Brawlers with Bakugan that can talk."
Julie: "That's true! I'm so jealous. I wish I had one too."
Runo: "Same here. It'd be amazing to actually talk to my Bakugan."
Dan: "Guess we're just built different, huh? Luck's on our side."
More like destiny… and plot convenience.
We talked a bit more about Masquerade—what he might be planning, his sudden disappearance—until it got late. One by one, everyone logged off.
I said goodbye to Runo and her parents before heading home.
Lying in bed later that night, I couldn't help but think how nice this brief moment of peace felt. But deep down, I knew—it was the calm before the storm.
Masquerade wouldn't take his loss lying down. And I was certain that Naga wouldn't stay quiet once he heard about Leonidas.
I also wondered how the others would react once they learned Leonidas came from the Doom Dimension. The others might not have much of a problem with it… but the Bakugan themselves? That was another story.
For them, that place was taboo—a world of nightmares. The equivalent of hell. The end of the road.
I took a deep breath and cleared my mind. No point overthinking it now. I'd deal with it when the time came.
With that thought, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.