The Game Master looked at the screen which showed Elliot standing atop Winter and striking a rather spectacular image.

He snickered lightly.

“You think everything will go EXACTLY as you remember, Elliot Musk? Where’s the fun in that? Hohoho. Just for you and only in your beloved California, I will launch the apocalypse one hour earlier!

And don’t even think of hiding away in that stupid wolf’s lair. I will direct as many beasts as I can to your position to play with you before you can reach safety! Hahahaha!” The Game Master cackled loudly, not unlike the way Elliot cackled everytime he was about to do something sneaky or receive something game-breaking.

“Sir, wouldn’t that break the fairness of the game?” His assistant asked him nervously.

“Fairness of the game? Where is the fairness in letting him do whatever he wants with his perfect knowledge of the future? Where is the fairness in making me lose my life savings if he wins because of his stupid stroke of luck in getting two of the best Diamond Sponsors in the game?

THERE IS NO FAIRNESS IN THE GAMES! It will be exactly as I, the Game Master, wills it to be. And my will this beautiful morning, is for Elliot Must to deal with not one, not two, not three, not even four, but FIVE giant and extremely hungry beasts!

HA HA HA HA!!” The Game Master laughed sinisterly.

He had nothing to lose.

If he did nothing, he would be doomed by the massive debt that he had taken to place on the Adamantium Sponsor’s player which would probably lose to Elliot and his ridiculous system.

If he made Elliot’s life difficult, he might just do enough to make him lose a few crucial pieces and allow the Adamantium Sponsor’s player to gain an edge and eventually win the competition as planned.

Then he would be rich!

Perfect.

And then just as he was about to sit back, relax and enjoy the show, an aide came running up to him.

“Game Master, the Void Walkers are asking for confirmation regarding the time and place for their Fugitive King’s participation in The Games.”

“Ah? Is this the universe’s way of telling me that I am not doing enough? Fine then! Tell the Void Walkers that they are to send in their Fugitive King now to that player’s location!” The Game Master pointed at Elliot’s screen. “And tell them to do it discreetly. Nobody must know about this!”

“Yes, Game Master.”

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“Huh? Why are the Beast Transports and City Bombards descending in California?” A Diamond Sponsor cried out in shock.

“What? They are not due for another hour! What’s happening?”

“WHAT?!” Void Walker shot up from her sleeping position and checked her screen which was locked on to Elliot.

“WHAT’S GOING ON HERE!!” Void Walker shouted. “Hey Monkey! What’s happening? Why are your beasts landing now? And why is it that only the Beast Transports designated for California are descending?”

“I have no idea.” Monkey King frowned. “Only the Game Master could make such a big decision. Maybe he found that Elliot is becoming much too powerful and wanted to trim his power a little bit. But Hailey Longman, Himari Suzuki and James Antetokunpo are all powering up as well, and they are even more powerful than Elliot Musk now! Why aren’t they being dealt with?”

“HEY DRAGON! IS THIS YOUR DOING?!” Void Walker yelled across the room loudly.

“No! Of course not! Do I look like the Game Master to you?” The Golden Dragon roared back.

“It doesn’t seem that he has anything to do with it.” Void Walker muttered. “Could it be that the Game Master really dislikes Elliot? But how could such a biased Game Master exist? The Gaming Commission is supposed to be the most impartial organization in the entire Universe’¦”

“The City Bombards are opening fire on the Californian cities.” Monkey King said quietly.

“An hour early isn’t that big a deal though.” Void Walker said reassuringly to herself and to Monkey King.

“It doesn’t really matter if the cities burn now or an hour later. What matters is where the Beast Transports will land. It was random last iteration, and it should be random this time as well. And that said, I really do not like the way those five Black Transports are clustered together.” Monkey King said worriedly.

“Why? What are in those five transports? They look quite small to me.” Void Walker immediately asked.

“Black transports are reserved for solo Legendary Beasts. And if I remember correctly, those five contain the following beasts. The Mutated Firebomber, Mutated Demonic Serpent, Mutated Gojira, Mutated Flying Scorizard, and the most fearsome of all Californian-bound beasts, The Mutated Primal Feline Warrior.” Monkey King said heavily.

“Primal Feline Warrior? Isn’t that’¦”

“Yes. That is the beast which Elliot can transform into. But made much more powerful and much crazier by the Gaming Commission’s mutagens.”

“How much more powerful?” Void Walker asked with a sinking feeling in her heart.

“Ha. There is no point in answering that question now. Look at the Black Transports, they are all going in the same direction. And if we plot their trajectory’¦” Monkey typed a few commands into his screen.

“They are all going to land on Elliot’s position?!” Void Walker’s jaw dropped.

“If it was just one, or even two, and if Elliot met them by chance and not by design, he might have a chance to survive with his high beast affinity. He might even turn misfortune into fortune! But with five of them and possibly all five receiving direct instructions to deal with Elliot’¦” Monkey King sighed deeply.

“The Game Master is cheating!” Void Walker said through gritted teeth. “Well guess what? Two can play this cheating game!”

“Void Walker, what are you thinking? Don’t be crazy!” Monkey King said sternly.. But even he could not help but feel a sharp surge of excitement course through his veins at Void Walker’s words.