Chapter 5: And then there was Two

Regulus begins the confrontation by activating his bracelets, and create 2 giant hands.
As everyone starts to defend themselves from it, he did the unthinkable.
He use the hand to grab Rilim and hightailed it out of the fight.
Rilim was protesting,
"Put me down at once, you idiot, i can still win this."
Regulus shouted back,
"A lady doesn't question when a man saves her, beside its your fault i cant fight at full power."
As the 2 of them hightailed it out.
Roxy followed them right after.
She put on her special Ronove powered jetpack and flew into the skies.
The jetpack was a special UAE creation made in collabaration with the Russo family.
 Despite its uniqueness, it flopped in sales and was discontinuted shortly after its creation.
However, this jetpack was perfect for someone like Roxy who could use it to snipe anyone from the air. 
Back on the ground,
Rubert and Ricardo are the only ones left and they prepare for their own standoff.

Back in the undergrounds, the place the Trio had raided was another dud.
As they scratch off another location off the list, 
Reina breaks the silence by mentioning that she's worried Rilim had already started to use the pills.
The pills while powerful, shortens the consumer's lifespan by 1 year for every usage.
Rin then continues with a statement,
"Maybe Rose was right, maybe this whole plan is ridiculous.
After all, its already been 14 years since that day.
They're not even sure why they're doing this, when they have no stakes in this."
Ron then exclaims, 
"Can you say that to Rilim's face, 
even after remembering what state they found her in 7 years ago."

This scene takes place almost 7 years ago, on the last day of the 9th Russo wars.
Ron, Reina & Rin were watching the games up close at their friend Rose's mansion.
The mansion, was situated near the outskirts of Rome.
As the games was ending and the Russos were crowning the winner of the games, Richard.
They heard a knock on their door,
Ron popped his head out the window to see who it was, 
and all he saw was a girl with blood all over her knocking furiously on the door.
The trio rushed to the entrance to usher the bloodied girl in.
As the twin sisters cleaned up the blood of the girl, 
Ron scoured the outside to check for any hostile entities.
After a long check, he couldn't see anyone outside.
As he went back in, he saw the twin sisters helping the wounded girl into the upper bedrooms.
He assisted the 2 of them with helping the girl up into one of the spare bedrooms.
It was night when the girl had awoken.
The sisters and Ron were too busy to have noticed sooner,
but when the girl woke up, she exclaimed their names
"Ron!, Reina!, Rin!"
The 2 sisters and Ron had finally realised.
This girl they helped was one of their long lost friend.
Someone who was part of the R9 Younglings like them.
Her name was Rilim.
They started to cry and hug her in joy.

The next day, after they had breakfast.
The 4 of them sat down together and caught up with each other.
Rilim had told them everything,
about what happened to her after the orphanage,
and what she did afterwards.
All except 2 things,
What led to the state they found her in yesterday, and why she wanted to kill Richard Russo Particularly.
While the 3 wanted to, they respected Rilim's silence and were just glad she was alive and well.
After that, they contacted Rose who was initally furious with them that they dealt with something so important without informing her.
Rose then agreed to help fund and set the stage for Rilim's plan to kill Richard.
The 3 were initially confused on why Rose was so gung-ho about the idea without needing much to consider.
In hindsight, looking back on that day
They should have realise it was highly suspicous that Rilim knew excatly the manor was and that the 3 of them would be there.
Almost as if someone had informed her beforehand.
And so that led to the current stage.

Back at the battlefield, 
Rubert prepared his spear for another strike.
He then asked Ricardo a question.
He asked if Ricardo had anyone he care about and would die for.
Ricardo was obviously confused to which Rubert informed him.
See Rubert has a granddaugther, and while shes cute and lovely.
She's also very sickly. 
She cant even leave the house for long periods of time.
So she cant inherit the Aero spear arts as Rubert himself was unwilling to take students.
He was fine with it however, and said that such a cursed art should die with him.
He then says he would do anything for his grandaugther, and how hes gonna win this to ask for a cure.
Ricardo laughed in his declaration, saying he wouldn't expect that from such a mass murdering old man.
Ricardo then humors Rubert and starts to rant about his motive.
He rants about how there is not justice in the world.
How he grew up in a land with no justice or concept of fairness.
He had to claw his way to the top,
and how hes finally this close to the top.
He's gonna win this and change his homeland for the better.
And so, the 2 fighters, both who have laid their feelings bare exchanged blows again.

Ricardo made the first move, he threw his shield which produced water blades through the side of it and spun like a shuriken.
Rubert had dodged the attack and moved in for the kill.
He was gonna immediately use Drei luft when suddenly,
he felt something sliced his back.
It was Aegis.
It had returned back to its owner in a different direction and caught Rubert by surprise.
Aegis wasn't just a shield, it was also like a yo-yo. 
It was Ricardo's hidden trump card which he had just played.
Rubert who was struck by the blades, had just barely reacted and thus had his vitals missed.
However, he took quite a bit of damage and was coughing up blood.
He then exclaims his surprise at how even at his old age, 
one can still be surprised by the tricks of their opponent.

Elsewhere, was Richard on his bike.
He was zooming close to the location where Rilim was when he noticed she was moving away from the location.
In her place, beside Roxy were 3 other contestants, and 2 of them plus Rilim had just left.
Richard, who was a bit sadden thought to himself.
Why are you running away my dear little kitten.
Do you not want to kill me.

Elsewhere, on the far outskirts of Rome was a girl,
she looked to be about the same age as Rilim.
She was the same girl who handed Regulus the letter and lured him to the trap.
She's excited that the games are going mostly as she planned, 
though regulus was being a wildcard.
She then wonders who she should start preying on,
and set her eyes on Roxy.