Grandline: Episode 28

Two Panthers, and a Felined Foe! is the twenty eigth episode of Grandline: The Role Play Series. After passing the first trial, Mars and Ruri are faced with the newest Preist of New Birka.

Plot
Having already passed the Trials of Perception and Texture, Divisions two and three move through a new set of doors. Romeo and Lyndis are met by an old foe, Trance who during their last meeting nearly killed Lyndis. He cuts the small talk and starts the trial which starts a clock and Trance runs away with a "key". The Shandians equip Romeo and Lyndis with jet dials that allow them to chase the crazed Preist.

Meanwhile Mars and Ruri of the third Division are faced with a new Preist. Shockingly this Preist is a cat just like Ruri, having eaten a Cat Cat Fruit model as well. His name is Nobu and he claims he is far superior to Ruri due to his incredible intelligence. The new felined foe begins the trial, separating tree's into paper that scatter across the battlefield. Confused, Ruri hastily begins inspecting the papers to find that they are marked with certain symbols.

Before he can gather two many, Nobu makes his move and shifts into battle mode which is another trait the two cats share. Mars takes over inspecting the papers while Ruri holds off Nobu, but Ruri is unable to gain any leverage in the battle. Nobu is able to predict Ruri's every attack before he even attempts it and eventually be exhausts the cat back into his normal chibi form.

Figuring out that the Preist is using Sensory Mantra to predict their attacks, Mars activates a Mantra of his own. A type of Protection Mantra nicknamed Panther Mantra surrounds Mars in a dark energy that is manifestation of Mars' own willpower. Ready to take on the Preist, the Shandian warrior posses with his fingers towards him which commences the battle. Ruri collects the papers and deduces that the symbols represent the different Trials in Birkan Text.

Ruri is unable to deduce which Preist is with each Trial and figures that Nobu must have the answers in his book. Mars struggles against the Preist as even with his own Mantra, his attacks become useless. Nobu eventually defeats Mars by punching him into a tree and swarming him with papers folded into paper airplanes which pin him to the tree. Ruri takes up his battle form again and fiercly attacks the Preist to no avail. Out of anger and without thinking, Mars spits at the Preist which lands on his glasses. Nobu hastily cleans them and his sucker-punched by Ruri, revealing the Preists secret. Ruri and Mars deduce that the Preist's glasses are increasing the power of his Mantra.

While panicking, Nobu's glasses are stolen by Ruri and Mars sends out one last attack with his Mantra to send the Priest flying. The two collect the symbols and arrange them according to Nobu's book, completing the trial. Mars tells Ruri to go on without him as he is too injured to be of any use, but Ruri supports him up and tells him they are a team. Mars is shocked by Ruri's attitude due to the fact that he was once Birkan, but he agrees and the two move on to the next Trial.