Chapter 6

Date: July 17, 20xx

Entry: Beck has accepted Lynx's challenge in the Battle Colosseum. I have never seen a robot fight as ruthlessly as her, and the Rage Circuit is truly horrifying.

I wish Beck would not fight her. It is not that I doubt his power, but I believe I am afraid. I do not wish for Beck to be hurt, and with how badly she harmed Sir Darwin…

Beck… don't fight her…

Ending Log

Signature: Call

Beck sat in the locker room, thinking about what happened only a few minutes ago. Lynx was probably the most terrifying robot he had ever faced. Sure, there was Trinity, but she wasn't in the right head at the time. She didn't really know what she was doing, unlike Lynx.

Yet knowing this, he still…

Flashback

"So what's it gonna be, Beck?" Lynx asked, leaning forward and wagging her tail smiling sensually, "Are you going to run away, or are you going to fight?"

Beck glared at Lynx, gritted his teeth, and did something that had the entire audience gasping. He stood up.

"I accept!" Beck said.

"Beck?!" Dr. White cried.

"Don't do it Beck!" Dr. Sanda requested.

"I have to," Beck said, actually standing a bit in front of Call as if defending her, "This fight… is personal…!"

End Flashback

Beck was terrified, of course. I mean, who wouldn't be, after seeing what Lynx was capable of. Even still, he still accepted her challenge. He looked down at his hand, thinking about all of his powers. Would they be enough against the Rage Circuit?

"Beck?"

Beck looked at the door of the locker room, where he saw Call standing, looking down.

"Call?" Beck asked, standing up and walking over to her, "What's wrong?"

"I do not wish for you to fight Lynx," Call said, "She only wishes to fight you to make a point."

"I realize," Beck said with a sigh.

"Neither Mighty no. 1 or Mighty no. 8 are capable of defeating Sir Darwin, yet she was able to defeat him with ease."

"Yeah… I know."

"Lynx is guaranteed to use the Rage Circuit against you at some point."

"Yeah, probably…"

"If you are aware of this, then why are you-"

"She called me out," Beck said looking down, "I… I used to be terrified of fighting, remember? I was the weakest link of the Mighty Numbers. Now my siblings, the Professor, and the whole crowd see me as this hero, when in reality I'm just a robot who took action because he could. Even right now, thinking about what Lynx did to Darwin…" he held his hand up to Call smiling, showing her how much it was shaking.

"Beck…" Call said gently taking his hand.

"She's testing me, and the faith the crowd has in me," Beck said, "If I run away from this, then I'll just be proving to her that I haven't changed at all since before the Trinity Incident, and she knows that."

"So the only alternative is to face her and risk termination?" Call asked quietly, "I do not understand Beck. Why are you going out there knowing the odds are so stacked against you?"

Beck so wanted to tell Call the real reason why he was doing this. That she was the main reason. But, he couldn't just outright say that. Sure, everyone now thought they were in a relationship, but the truth was they were just friends. If he started acting too much like her boyfriend out in the open, he might make her uncomfortable.

In the end, he just pulled Call in close, hugging her tightly.

"I'll be okay," Beck said, "I promise you, no matter what I won't die out there."

"I am holding you to that," Call said, slowly returning the embrace. Beck released Call after a few seconds, and ran to the stadium. Yeah, he was terrified, but seeing the look on Call's face showed him why he had to do this. She needed to see that Lynx wasn't invincible, and that she could be taken down.

Now if only he could convince himself that.

Realizing that she failed in her attempt to dissuade Beck, Call fell to her knees. She experienced another anomaly shortly after. This one caused her to tremble, and before she knew it water began leaking from her eyes.

"B-Beck…" Call sobbed, "Please… j-just run away… I can't… l-lose you…"

Unknown to her, Unicorn was around a corner leaning against a wall, using her mirror to look at herself and Call.

"Looks like her plan is working," Unicorn said with a smirk.

Beck walked out into the stadium, where Lynx still stood in the middle waiting for him. Naturally as he walked out, the crowd cheered loudly, chanting "Mighty Number 9" loudly. He paid them no mind though, as his eyes were solely on Lynx.

Lynx smirked sensually at Beck, wagging her tail slowly behind her as Beck approached her.

"You actually came," Lynx taunted, "I was afraid that you'd turn tail and run away at the last minute."

"Why did you hurt Sir Darwin?" Beck asked. Lynx's eyes went wide for a second before she spoke.

"Um, excuse me?"

"The fight was long over. He lost his weapon, he begged you to stop, but you kept going. Why?"

Lynx looked at Beck with an incredulous smile, "You're… kidding me, right? You're really going to ask me that question here?"

"The Battle Colosseum isn't a place for robots to just hurt one another! This is a place of competition! A place for entertainment! Not a place where-"

"Shut up."

Beck stopped instantly, stepping back a bit as Lynx's entire air changed. She stopped smiling, and was looking down at Beck in a way where the light was reflecting off her glasses, making her eyes impossible to see.

"Do you know why I did it Beck? The same reason I might do the same to you. Darwin was weak, and I'm strong."

"W-what…?" Beck asked.

"Strength is everything, and power is absolute. That's the philosophy that Team Blitz has always been built off of. What it means is that only the strong lead, and only the ones with power survive. You Mighty Numbers may have companionship, team work, love, but none of that means anything if you're weak.

"But none of that matters anymore, because I'm strong now. I'll prove it too, right here, right now, by ripping you to pieces if I have to, xel by xel. Now what's it going to be Beck? Are you strong, or are you weak? If so, let me know right now so I can just get it over with."

Holy hell, this girl was terrifying. Beck got a bad feeling from her before, but now he was beginning to see why Call was so afraid of her. She felt… nothing. No empathy, no pain, no compassion, not even guilt. Was this how Team Blitz went about fighting? Did that philosophy create this monster?

Beck tightened his fists and stepped away from Lynx, standing at his starting position. Lynx smirked and sauntered over to her spot, getting down on all fours and eying Beck with a serious glare. Beck could sense it. This was the fight she wanted. She didn't want to fight a generic champion made here in the Colosseum. She to face a real champion.

She wanted to face Mighty no. 9…

"Well, this is it," Dr. White said.

"I hope Beck is strong enough to face the Rage Circuit," Dr. Sanda said.

The Mighty Numbers all looked at the two Professors, and then returned their attention to the fight, all praying for their baby brother's safety.

Call stood back at the door of the stadium, leaning against the wall and looking at Beck. She didn't need to analyze the anomaly she was experiencing right now. She knew she was afraid.

"Beck…" Call said.

Unicorn returned to her seat next to Hydra.

"Where were you all this time?" Hydra asked.

"I was checking on you-know-what," Unicorn said, "Looks like things are going just as we planned them to."

"Hmph!" Phoenix turned away from everyone.

"Phoenix, what is the matter, ma chère," Dr. Valentine asked.

"Lynx…" Phoenix seethed, "Don't you take this away from me…!" she looked down at the stadium with gritted teeth, "Mighty no. 9 is mine…!"

Lying on top of a pillar nearby was Ray. She always attended these, mainly to see Beck. She didn't know that Beck was scheduled to fight, and honestly she didn't know how she felt about it. Truthfully though, while she still revered Beck, it was that other robot he was facing that truly caught her attention.

"Why…?" Ray asked, "Why does my core recoil at the sight of you…?"

"Looks like our two combatants are ready to throw down!" the announcer shouted, "Will Mighty no. 9 take home the victory, or is this new rising star going to be too much even for him? Robots, are you ready? Battle set! GO!"

Lynx charged at Beck and slashed wildly and ferociously. Beck backed away from her assault, using his arms to block her attacks. He then rolled to the side and activated his Buster Gun, firing rapidly at Lynx. She jumped out of the way of all of his attack, and then charged at him as a razor wheel.

Beck managed to roll out of the way of her attack, but much like with Sir Darwin, Lynx turned around and rolled in the other direction, actually hitting him in the back.

"Beck!" Dr. White cried out, Dr. Sanda behind him biting his nails.

Beck rose to his knees, but heard Lynx cry out in anger almost. He quickly looked to see her running toward him again on all fours, this time she slashed and threw kicks at him, which he managed to still block, but he was still having a tough time.

Eventually he got an idea, jumping back and firing downward at Lynx. When he landed, he continuously fired at her, actually making her destabilize into red xels. Beck dashed into her, absorbing her xels, making his shots stronger and knocking her back.

Lynx kicked to her feet and took a defensive stance. She then rushed at Beck and slashed at him wildly and quickly, actually destabilizing him, revealing light blue xels. Realizing she had her chance, she rolled into Beck as a razor wheel, and he felt some of his xels leave him. Did she know acXeleration?!

No, she didn't absorb any of his xels. This was something different.

Restabilizing himself, he jumped away and looked around. He saw blue xels lying on the ground around them. Those were his xels!

"She's really serious!" Beck said looking up at Lynx as she stood up, "I might be in trouble here!"

Lynx stated walking over to Beck, once again the glare of her glasses making her eyes impossible to see. One thing he could tell though, she wasn't smiling. He could sense intense emotion from her, something like anger directed at him.

"Is this all you're capable of?" Lynx asked, grabbing Beck by the neck and holding him up, "Your weakness disgusts me."

"L-Lynx…!" Beck said.

"I bet all of the Mighty Numbers are this weak," Lynx said, "Considering they see you as their shining star. After I finish you off, I might just take all of them on too, ripping each and every one of them apart, piece by piece, xel by xel."

"N-no!" Beck shouted through gritting teeth.

"And after I finish with them, I might just go after her next," Lynx said venomously, "She's the weakest one out of all of you. She couldn't even stand up to me."

"Don't… you… dare… touch… Call!"

"Or what? What are you going to do to defend her, Beck?" Lynx asked, her grip around his neck tightening, "You and I both know you can't do anything without her or one of your siblings helping you. That's why you're weak. You can't stand on your own, and your powers are limited. You can't grow stronger than this, not without the help of your "family". Not me though. I'm strong. I'm stronger than you, Phoenix, Sir Darwin, all of your siblings, everyone! I'm the strongest robot in the WORLD!" she shouted as she threw Beck into a wall. He fell to the ground, and the whole crowd gasped in shock.

"BECK!" all eight of the Mighty Numbers cried out at once.

"B-Beck…!" Call cried, trembling watching the fight as tears streamed from her eyes.

"Damn it, rise up Predator!" Ray shouted, gritting her teeth in both anger and fear. That was her baby brother after all.

As Lynx sauntered over to Beck, his thoughts went to her words. If he lost here, would she go after his brothers and sisters? Would she go after Call? Would she even stop there? Was the Professor, Dr. Sanda, Trinity, and Mr. Graham in danger? Could Ray even stand up to her?

Professor…

Dr. Sanda…

Ray…

My siblings…

Call…

I have to protect them…!

I… can't… LOSE!

Suddenly, Beck's entire body felt like it was on fire. His xels felt empowered by energy, and his core was beating hard. Still on the ground, he tightened his fists and gritting his teeth, rising to his knees as Lynx stood over him.

"This is the end," Lynx said, "Good bye… Mighty no. 9."

She raised her clawed hand to slash at him, but stopped when Beck pointed his Buster Gun at her. He suddenly had a blue aura around his body, and his power was growing, more and more, almost as if his xels were reacting to his emotions. He looked up at her, his glare actually making her recoil back a bit.

"Don't… threaten… MY FAMILY!" he screamed. Something odd happened. His Buster Gun started charging up with energy, and he fired it point blank at Lynx, sending her falling back screaming.

"My God!" the announcer shouted, "Beck unleashed a new power!"

"William, did you program that shot into Beck?" Dr. Sanda asked.

"I didn't!" Dr. White said, "I think… Beck's powers are still growing!"

Beck rose to his feet, and screaming in anger ran over to Lynx firing at her, that blue aura still surrounding him. Lynx tried to block, but she found his shots still piercing her, and she destabilized. Beck wasted no time acXelerating into her, making her slide back.

"W-what happened to Sempai?" Tiger asked, holding onto Dr. Valentine's arm in fear.

"I think… Beck is using the Rage Circuit…" Dr. Valentine said, clearly shocked, "But… how he gained that power I don't…"

While the rest of Team Blitz looked shocked and worried, Phoenix looked at Beck intently, and then gave the biggest toothy grin.

"Yes…! Yes! YES!" she said to herself, "That's what I want to see, Beck!"

Lynx looked up at Beck, who was still glaring at her with that blue aura surrounding him, a look of pure rage coming over her.

"Why…?" Lynx seethed, "Why do you have that power…?! I'm the strongest robot in the world…! Not you…! Me…! Me! ME!" as she screamed, a red aura shot off of her, and she glared at Beck with a look of pure hatred, "I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU MIGHTY NO. 9!"

Both Beck and Lynx rushed at each other screaming in rage. Once they reached each other, they fired, slashed, kicked, acXelerated, everything they could to each other, neither one getting the one up on the other.

Lynx charged up her claws and slashed, but Beck moved out of the way. Beck then pointed his Buster Gun at her face and charged it, but she ducked right as he fired, and kicked him off his feet. Beck acXelerated away from Lynx, sliding on the floor and firing his Buster Gun. Lynx slashed all of his shots away though, and turned into a razor wheel tackling Beck. She then proceeded to slash and kick Beck, knocking him into the wall behind him and then holding him by the neck.

Sadly, the blue aura around Beck vanished, as the intense fire died down.

"How did you do that?!" Lynx asked, "How did you use the Rage Circuit?!"

"Rage… Circuit…!" Beck asked, "What are… you…!"

"Don't play dumb with me! You used it just now! Did Dr. Sanda share the technology with you?! Did your creator give you that power?! Do you siblings have the same power?! ANSWER ME BECK! WHY DO YOU HAVE THE SAME POWER AS ME?!"

She was about to slam her fist into Beck's face, which with how tired he was would have finished him off, but Phoenix flew down just in time and grabbed her arm.

"That's enough, sister," Phoenix said, "It's over."

Lynx turned to Phoenix, the Rage Circuit deactivating. She then pulled away from Phoenix, released Beck, and then screamed in rage walking out of the stadium.

"Beck…" Call said, immediately running out to the stadium to his side and helping him up.

"Um… I guess the winner of this match… is Lynx!" the announcer said, "Yet and still, let's give a hand to Mighty no. 9 for putting up a fantastic fight!"

Even though he lost, the crowd cheered loudly. Lynx stopped and turned to where Beck, Call, and Phoenix stood, and then continued walking out.

"Are you alright, Beck?" Phoenix asked Beck.

"Y-yeah…" Beck said, "Tired… and really sore, but okay."

Phoenix nodded smiling softly, "You did good. I'm proud to call you my rival."

With that, Phoenix flew out of the stadium back to her siblings and creator, the latter looking at Dr. White and Dr. Sanda with an unreadable expression.

"Your power is incredible Predator," Ray said looking at Beck with wide eyes, "Truly terrifying."

She jumped off the pillar away from the Colosseum. The hunger was beginning to get to her, so she needed to feed before investigating this new power.

The Rage Circuit...

Call brought Beck back in the hall, where Beck fell to one knee in pain.

"Beck, are you still damaged?" Call asked.

"Y-yeah," Beck said, "Still, I don't know how I did that. My power grew… when I heard-" Beck was cut off by Call embracing him tightly, "C-Call?"

"I was… afraid… that I would… lose… you…" Call said. Her voice was still monotone a bit, but Beck could sense the tiniest hint of emotion radiating from her words. Beck returned the embrace just as tightly.

"I told you I wouldn't die," Beck said smiling, "I had to come back to my partner."

Beck looked down at his hand, still unsure of what happened. He didn't have the Rage Circuit, did he? Yet and still, according to Lynx, he used it. Knowing that he could be that powerful was amazing, but more than anything…

It was terrifying…