KR Gaim - Tru Heart: Chapter 24

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第24章：おなじみの温もり / Chapter 24: A Familiar Warmth
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At the Kirra Clover train station, deep within its abandoned tunnel, Team Spingere set up base by an open and empty train. They unknowingly took Tru Heart's former headquarters, which of course they had no intention of taking back.

Four of them had stayed here while the others went out to get some food for the team. Choh sat inside the train car with one other, while Kabu sat at the train entrance with his legs hanging out. The fourth member leaned against the outer part of the train beside Kabu.

"Down to 9th." Choh said to himself, looking at the Inves Game rankings on his digital pad.

"Until Starshine catches up to us." The green beanied one near him referenced the team in the 10th place slot.

"That Kurokage guy's nothing but trouble for us low rankers." Kabu said doubtfully. He looked down at the last Himawari Lockseed he had left.

"Why don't you be a little more positive?" The black beanied one smacked Kabu's cap.

"You try being cheery after losing three Locks, Krow!" Kabu gave him a look.

"Whatever." Krow shrugged and walked deeper into the tunnel just to step away from him.

"We just need to work on our strategy more," The green beanied one insisted, twirling a Class B Lockseed in hand. "Summoning multiple Inves doesn't mean a thing if you can't control them all. It just weakens your ability to focus on attacks."

"Mori's got a point." Choh said. He lowered his digital pad now, "Whaddaya say we have some practice rounds, huh?"

Suddenly, Krow's scream could be heard as he ran back over to the group. Before they could ask what was wrong, Kabu screamed as well. A Bat Inves came whooshing by, letting out an echoing screech. The four scrambled into the car and shut the door, sealing themselves inside.

The Inves struck the window, now pressed against it and eyeing the four with their Lockseeds. They huddled together in fear, their personal lights in the train being knocked out by the impact. The only light now was Choh's digital pad.

"What the hell was that?!" Mori exclaimed.

"Is this someone's idea of a joke?!" Kabu questioned.

"It must be an Inves someone lost control of." Krow tried to reason.

"Let's try to stay in here until they despawn it." Choh suggested with not much confidence.

Little did they know, someone was indeed planning to deal with the Inves - Cameras made to see through the dark of the tunnel were transmitting footage to Yggdrasill and to the lab of Professor Ryoma. He heard a little alarm go off on his computer and switched to the alerting footage with intrigue.

"We have a crack in the Eastern region of Zawame." A voice on the intercom announced. "Requesting the services of the Haku Unit, I repeat, requesting the services of the Haku Unit."

. . .

"Where do we start?" Jiro asked the two. They had gathered at a nearby deli.

"Can't you track your Lock with your psychic powers or something?" Doki asked Rei.

"They don't work like that." Rei corrected. "It's hard to explain..."

Jiro looked out the window in thought - He then took notice to a familiar person walking by, who was looking down at something in his hand. What he was holding wasn't important. It was the person itself that sparked a reaction.

"Hey, that's..." Jiro got up from his seat and headed outside. He managed to get close enough to greet him. "Ryoji!"

Hase stopped when he heard Jiro's voice. He put away whatever he had in his hand and turned to face him. "Oh, uh, hey man."

"Where've you been? We haven't seen you around since, y'know..." Jiro trailed off. By now, Rei and Doki came out to see them as well.

"I've just been doing other stuff, that's all." Hase said simply. "The other guys don't really hang out at our usual spot anymore so I just roam around." He paused, seeming to not want to stick around. "I gotta go now, so uh, seeya."

Hase took his leave. The trio looked at each other with a bit of confusion at Hase's attitude - He seemed to have changed since Raid Wild was taken off of the ranking. Until they could afford to buy plenty of Lockseeds and a new Player Pass, they were nothing but a distant memory. Rei silently watched Hase walk away.

"I think we should split up," Rei suggested. "We'll probably find Kurokage faster that way. Just keep an eye out for anyone who might be looking for a fight."

"Right. Call us if you find anything." Jiro agreed.

As Hase continued on his way, he made sure he was out of the sight of anyone who might recognize him before he took some things from his pockets. He observed them as be walked.

"Let's see... This one's useless, but this one could be interesting..." Hase muttered to himself.

Rei silently followed him, hiding behind any tree or beside any person she could in order to avoid suspicion. She couldn't help but find a connection between the absence of Hase and the arrival of Kurokage. Granted, this could be coincidence, but... she'd just about pieced together the story for herself.

Obviously, Hase had stepped down from Inves Games to do some kind of delivery job. That was why he said he was traveling. He must've been using the money to pay for a Sengoku Driver, which one of the other team members were using to gain prize money to earn their new Player Pass. The Lockseeds she could almost certainly spot in his hands must be Kurokage's prizes, which he's selling on the side for extra cash. A sound plan considering Rook was not operating in the East area anymore. It all made sense. Now she just had to follow Hase to find out which of them was Kurokage.

Hase had walked past the old Kirra Clover train station. Rei hesitantly ran over to the entrance tunnel to hide. She managed to get there without Hase seeing, but now she found herself distracted by some sound deep within the tunnel. The sound of... a screech?

Rei heard the sound of a screeching howl come closer and ran away from the entrance. She had fallen to the ground once the Bat Inves from before had swooped out, causing her to scream and spill some Lockseeds from her purse. She cowered at the sight of the human-sized bat, seemingly operating outside of the Inves Games.

Seeing the Lockseeds, Rei scrambled to grab them, knowing what would happen after seeing reports of previous monster breakouts. The Bat Inves landed and growled, facing Rei. As it started to make a grab for her Lockseeds, a spear landed and planted itself between the monster and its precious treasure.

The Armored Rider known as Kurokage ran over to the beast and delivered a rage-filled punch to its face, "Don't you DARE hurt her!!" He yelled at it.

Rei grabbed her Lockseeds and backed away. She got up and ran to the tunnel entrance once more now that it was monster-free and watched the two from a safe distance. A few passer-by had taken notice to the Armored Rider fighting an Inves and could only assume a match was taking place.

The Bat swiped at Kurokage, who ducked and plucked his spear from the ground, swinging it at the Bat's legs to knock it to the ground. Kurokage made a grab for the knife on his belt now that the monster was down.

[SOIYA - MATSUBOKKURI SPARKLING!]

Kurokage leapt into the air and spun around with the spear pointed down. He aimed himself at the Bat, diving down on it with a powerful stab at its chest. The spear found itself lodged into the Inves, causing it to explode. Once the smoke cleared, Kurokage grabbed the spear.

Rei came out of hiding and started to walk over to him, when a few eye-witnesses started to come out now that the battle was over.

"That Kurokage guy won another match?" One of them asked the other.

"I, uh--" Kurokage started.

Rei thought quickly. She rummaged her purse, and picked out the Kurumi Lockseed - a C+ Class. She walked over to Kurokage and grabbed his free hand, placing the Lockseed in it... making sure no one spotted the cover.

"There - You won my Class A Lock fair and square." Rei said with a serious tone, as though losing.

Kurokage looked down at it, then back at her, silent. She kept a stern face and gave a subtle nod. Without another word, Kurokage gripped the new Lockseed and turned away, making his leave. She didn't know why, but... that Inves didn't carry the heir of Inves Games. And until she could figure out what that could mean, it was best to keep the illusion that the Inves are simply just part of the Games...

Back in the train station, the four members of Spingere peeked out of the train now that it was over. They decided that maybe it was better if they didn't set up base in an old train station, given how dark and creepy it can get. Besides... the place was obviously becoming overgrown with weeds, based on the leaves they spotted within the train. They made a run for the outside.

Deep within the tunnel, however, Armored Rider Haku fought of any subsequent Inves that came through the crack. The plantlife had spread far, however, so he told his team to go closer to the entrance and burn everything - They'll dismantle the train if they have to, anything to make sure that this mysterious plantlife doesn't spread any faster...