Chapter 3: Into accursed lands

13:04 PM (Japan Time), Sunday August the 8th…

"… Here it is, Enzan – sama, sir! The "Black Earth" entrance… We've gathered the "5 Great Obscure Chips" so…"

"We should be able to come inside, yeah."

Blues was standing in front of the mass of matter which signaled the entrance of the dreaded "Black Earth" and looked ready for anything given his neutral face: Enzan also looked calm.

"We dared to tackle the "Nebula Hole Area"… We can tackle this."

"Roger, sir."

"Hoh, hoh, hoh… I don't think so!"

"We won't let you inside. We'll crush you!"

"Who…?"

Bomber Man and Stone Man suddenly surrounded Blues while the entrance got blocked off by a red energy field: Blues cursed under his breath as he looked around.

"Damn. WWW Navis!" He cursed.

"Hah! So you lowlife have heard of the great me!" Bomber Man boasted while laughing.

"King – sama ordered us to defend this entrance. We'll crush you and pulverize you!" Stone Man roared.

"Oi, oi! There were some diehard guys down 'ere and no – one thought of calling the great me? I wanna fire my guns! My heart's on fire! Hooray!" A familiar voice laughed.

"That voice…!"

"Vulcan Arm! Napalm Bomb! Mwah, hah, hah! I'm gonna blow some badass jerk today! Today's a good day, yessir!"

"Ugo~h! What battling strength!"

"Ya jerks are facing THE Napalm Man – sama!"

"Napalm Man! You traitor!"

"Hah! Traitor and whatever! I was bored!"

Napalm Man made it to the scene and took on Stone Man while Bomber Man cursed him yet he didn't seem to care.

"Good timing, Napalm Man! That big one's yours. I'll show this lowlife how sharp my Long Sword is." Blues smiled.

"Oh yeah! Leave it to me! Vulcan Arm!"

"Guo~h! Stay still so I can crush you lowlife~!" Stone Man cursed.

"I won't! Eat this, this and this!"

"Blues! Program Advance! Blues SP, Navi Scout, Colonel!"

"Twin Leaders!"

A copy of Colonel was summoned into the Field and both he and Blues attacked in a simultaneous manner: Bomber Man howled and suffered some important damage but he survived, nevertheless.

"… Grawgh…! 600 HP subtracted…! Damn! But the great me still has 400 HP left! Eat these~!" He roared.

"Program Advance! Sword, Wide Sword, Long Sword! Slot In! Dream Sword! Be gone!" Enzan exclaimed.

"GUO~H! FORGIVE, OU – SAMA~!" He exclaimed as Blues split him in half with the Dream Sword.

"MUGO~H! DAMN YOU! NAPALM MAN! GRAWGH!" Stone Man cursed next.

"Hah! That was a diehard guy like I prefer 'em! Oi, Blues! There are more of them right ahead, right?" He laughed.

"Sure thing. A lot of them."

"Mwah, hah, hah! That's some good news! Here I go~!"

Napalm Man tried to step into the entrance but was repelled by the barrier and he hit the floor in front of Blues: he growled and ran over to it while aiming his guns at it.

"Napalm Bomb!"

The bomb was repelled too and a twitch formed over his right eye: Blues suddenly placed his right hand atop his left shoulder from behind to call for his attention.

"That's a "Dark Power" barrier."

"Oh not those again!" He cursed.

"We'll need to contact Meddy and have her open this. Let's pull back but be relieved… They'll have to place replacements here. Maybe you can tackle them." Bleus told him.

"I like that better! See ya! I'm gonna go ready some big banging Cyber Fireworks! Hah, hah, hah!"

"Let's go back too, Blues."

"Roger, Enzan – sama."

Both Navis exited and didn't spot a normal Navi colored black and golden looking at them from a higher level.

"So! That's how it is, eh? I've seen through that mask already. I should've imagined it. That person would like to have some other type of insurance which could inherit their will… Heh, heh, heh. And regarding those two gentlemen, I do believe they are up to something yet their interests are radically different… Heh, heh, heh." A man muttered with some amusement to his voice through the Navi.

"Hah! Shake the battle!" A normal Navi laughed.

"My. Truly."

"Enter the center!"

13:38 PM (Japan Time)…

"… GUO~H… SO THOSE TWO FAILED… IT MATTERS NOT! THOSE WERE WEAK AND FOOLISH! ROOT OUT THE WEAKLINGS… KEEP THE STRONG ONES!"

"By thou command, my lord."

The "Witch - Queen of Angmar" was kneeling in the platform facing the gigantic swirl of purplish energy: fog was crawling out of it and seemed to help conceal her presence.

"MIND NOT THOSE LESSER ONES! YOUR MAIN PREOCCUPATION SHOULD BE THE WHITE SOULS! THOSE REPULSIVE WHITE SOULS WHICH… THOUGHT THEY HAD DESTROYED ME… BUT AS LONG AS THERE IS "DARK POWER" I SHALL REVIVE… COUNTLESS TIMES!" The voice proclaimed with what seemed to be a victorious chuckle.

"Roger and acknowledged."

"YOU CAN GO BACK AND SEAL… THE ENTRANCE… NONE OF THOSE CAN EVER COME CLOSE TO THIS PLACE… AND KEEP ON BLAMING THOSE TWO LESSER "DEMONS"…!"

"Your will."

The voice made some sounds and seemed to fade away while the robed woman stood up and walked down a ramp into a road floating over a patch of a large square having six bluish flames with white cores burning in six set spaces.

"Hmmm… Maybe those could be useful. But let's think about it before using them… They are more powerful than the others yet I do not desire to waste them in vain… Hmpf… The white souls… I shall spread further chaos! Let them taste further rage and anger! Their hatred shall become nourishment for our Lord!" The woman muttered.

She stepped outside of the area and then spread the arms wide as if announcing a challenge.

"You shall be deleted!"

13:47 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Dark Miyabi."

"Barrel."

"How did you know I'd come back?"

"No – one told me. I had a hunch that a man like you would eventually drift back here… If you need me then tell me… I have no request to take care of…"

"Good… Could you check the Reverse Internet? I want to find out if the door to the "Nebula Hole Area" can still be opened."

"Fine enough…"

Dark Miyabi had suddenly visited Barrel: he seemed slightly surprised at the sudden visit yet he didn't express it out: Dark Miyabi kept on looking as dull and cold as ever.

"Shadow Man. Get on the move."

"Yes, My Master." He confirmed.

"I'll bring you news soon enough. Yet it's the work of those two?"

"I don't doubt it. All points at them. That letter was a fake lead to throw us off. It was clever but not enough." Barrel pointed out.

"Hmpf… Desperate tricks won't fool an assassination specialist like me even if I've just come from seclusion in the mountains… Dark Kirisaki paid me a visit to tell me how he had met Hikari Netto in Saiba City… Maybe I'll test his strength soon enough… Yet being able to make it this far is no small feat either…" He explained.

"Do as you like. I won't stop you." Barrel invited.

"Hmpf… Alright… How is it, Shadow Man?"

"My Master. The golden Program is gone."

"Maybe we're forgetting something?"

"There were some "5 Guys" to be beaten… And you needed to have the power to "defeat a great evil"…" Barrel recalled.

"Hum. Then maybe we can't get inside after all and we need to bring Hikari over yet…"

"No. He's gone through something rather ugly a few hours ago. He is starting to get angered. I ordered him to cool down."

"Ah. Well… Maybe Ijuuin… He was there, too."

"I was expecting him to report on an attempt to access the dreaded "Black Earth"…" Barrel admitted.

"And here I am. No good. They've sealed it up. We need Meddy's power to unlock it. Napalm Man dropped by and helped me defeat Stone Man and Bomber Man." Enzan reported as he came inside.

"I see. Well then, I'll contact her. Go try to open the door to the "Nebula Hole Area"… You did challenge those "5 Guys", right?"

"Yeah. I did and won. I should be able to get there."

"Counting on you…"

"Plug In! Blues, Transmission!"

Blues entered the Science Labs HP and quickly spotted something out of place: sand was filling the area.

"Oh shit." He cursed.

"Guo~h! BLUES…! I have returned to exact my revenge~!"

"Desert Man!"

"What!" Enzan, Barrel and Dark Miyabi exclaimed.

Indeed: Desert Man made homage to his name and emerged from within the sands while letting out a hollow chuckle.

"Be deleted! Great Lion Head!"

"Neo Variable Sword, Slot In!"

"Eat this!"

"Hah! It won't go like last time…"

Desert Man suddenly turned into raw sand Blues' attack failed: he gasped and looked around as his chuckle seemed to come out of everywhere at the same time.

"Battle Chip, Toppu! Slot In!"

"Wha~t?"

"Hmpf."

The "Toppu" began to spin upon its axis and vent all sand off eventually revealing Desert Man's form: Blues landed a hit on him and he had to back up while growling and cursing under his breath: Blues smirked.

"Dam you~!" He cursed.

"Hmpf. No little tricks will work on me either." Blues announced.

"You'll regret it! Sand Cube! Ant Holes!" Desert Man roared.

"Area Steal! Air Shot! Counter Hit! Sword, Wide Sword, Long Sword! Slot In! Program Advance! Dream Sword!" Enzan grinned.

"Eat this, Desert Man!" Blues roared.

"Impossible! Great Lion Head!"

Blues sliced the "Great Lion Head" in twice and opened a wound spanning almost half of his total height: Desert Man howled and escaped the area in a rush while Blues lowered his sword.

"The enemy has escaped, Enzan – sama."

"I see. Being mere sand it didn't trigger the alarms… This guy must be saved up for camouflage infiltrations." Barrel realized.

"We've wasted enough time here, Blues! Head for the Reverse Internet 2 ASAP!" Enzan commanded.

"Roger, sir!"

Blues came out into the Science Labs' Area and headed to End Area which he crossed until he reached the entrance into the Reverse Internet where he found none other than Drill Man.

"You lowlife! Drill Man!"

"Yeah! The great me! I'm gonna have revenge on cousin Bubble Man whom you deleted!" He exclaimed.

"Hah. That weakling wasn't worth my time." Blues shot back.

"I'll smash you here and now!"

"Not if I have something to say about it. Shadow Clone! Hah!"

"Uwack!"

"Good. Shadow Man. This one is up to you: I'm going to head for the next area and try to find out if the door can be opened. And I guess they sent this guy to stall while they try to find out a way to stop me from opening the door." Blues smiled.

"Fine…"

Shadow Man and two of his "Shadow Clones" had thrown shuriken at Drill Man from behind and hit him: Blues rushed on ahead while the three Shadow Men slashed both enemies and generated fire blasts which hit him from three spots at the same time.

"You lowlifes are easy to catch unaware. How pathetic." He told Drill Man without sounding surprised.

"Shaddup! If I defeat you lowlife Prince – sama will reward me and ascend me to admin!" He growled.

"Ah. So you lowlifes all go with that vain illusion… Hmpf… Illusions are but a tool to keep the ignorant into check…"

"The campaign has begun. Let us infiltrate the enemy's camp and learn what their move will be." Dark Miyabi made up a sengoku speech.

"Indeed."

14:09 PM (Japan Time)…

"… No need for your speech: I know what's on ahead. Will you open the door?"

"You seem prepared… Fine… Hmmm! Hah! The road is open… Go on ahead!"

"Good."

Blues had finally reached the spot and talked to the golden Program – kun to open the door: he got inside and gasped upon seeing how the area was filled with "Dark Panels" and Shade Man was back in charge of it.

"What? Someone activated the "Liberation Mission" replay?"

"Ki, ki, ki, ki! This is no replay! It's the real thing, Blues!" Shade Man laughed in his creepy tone of voice.

"Fuck. Now we have to go through this crap again?" Blues cursed.

"Ki, ki, ki, ki! Feeling the despair already? Then you won't make it past me and even less alone! Ki, ki, ki~!" He laughed.

"Are you seeing this, Enzan – sama, sir?"

"I am. Guess we'll need Rock Man to step in as replacement for Colonel and I'll edit your skill to be "Wide Sword" instead of "Long Sword" thus imitating Colonel's "Screen Divide"…" Enzan settled.

"What should I do, sir?"

"There's no other way around: tactical withdrawal! We gotta bring some of the members in… We should try to use the same combination as in the replay!" Enzan grumbled.

"Che! I'll come put you down sooner or later, you lowlife!"

"Come anytime! Ki, ki, ki!" Shadow Man taunted.

Blues came out and made a gesture to the golden Program – kun: he closed the doorway and Blues headed up the ramp while feeling defeated and that his race had been in vain.

"That lowlife fled… What happened there?" Shadow Man asked he caught up with him.

"They've taken over those areas again! We gotta redo the "Liberation" or we won't get anywhere at all!" Blues growled.

"What! Ah! The inferior ones!" Shadow Man cursed.

"… I'm sending an urgent mail to the old members… We need to gather them if we want to make it inside of the enemy's stronghold… Yet I'd like to have some support Navis because I'm convinced that these other Net Navis will be waiting in the areas past the "Liberation Areas"… Nebula Hole Areas 2 and 4 must be filled with them and I guess Area 6 is cut off to them." Barrel muttered as he typed into the computer.

"Hmmm… Maybe some "Red Sun Tournament" contestants would do given their high level… And some Saiba City Net Navis too… Miyabi. Can't you call over that disciple of yours?" Enzan asked.

"Dark Kirisaki? Good idea. His Navi Killer Man is very efficient. He can handle those pieces of rubbish." Dark Miyabi rubbed his chin.

"Excellent. I'll go investigate if we can gather any other Net Navis. And I'm willing to be backup Operator too." Enzan announced.

"Settled, then. I'll report this to Hikari Yuuichirou – hakase…"

"This makes me remember something… Where's Regal?"

"Regal? Last time I saw him he was engrossed in a new type of firewall system which Hikari – hakase had begun work into but had not found the time to keep it up… Wily is still being processed." Enzan replied.

"I see. Well then. I'll go find my disciple. When do we meet?"

"Tomorrow at 10 o'clock… This same place."

"Good. I'll go prepare for the campaign."

"We can't allow a new war to begin. We gotta put the fire out… Now."

Demons! You've returned but I'll make you regret it! Ijuuin Enzan's word!