Chapter 3: Trouble knocks at the door

13:09 PM (Japan Time), Monday March the 13th…

"… The panorama does not look nice, Enzan – sama, sir. Apart from the store owners there is no one else here, sir… And the lighting sure fits the mood, sir…"

"Hmpf. Bothersome Nebula… It'd seem they've sealed up Akihara Area 3 so we should go over there to check it out. Go, Blues."

"Roger, sir."

Blues EXE was making his way through the almost totally deserted Akihara Area 2: the lighting had changed to a tone of purple which seemed to denote gloom and dread: he soon found a Nebula Navi standing in front of some kind of door blocking the road to the next area.

"What do you want, punk? This area is under the control of us Nebula! Guys who come into our area just like that… will be deleted!" The Navi grumbled.

"Can you do it?" Blues challenged.

"Go! Viruses!"

"Hrah! Hah! Hyah! Hmpf. Rubbish. They didn't last even 15 seconds to begin with." Blues quickly sliced them with his Long Sword and then aimed it at the Navi.

"… Che! Stronger than I'd thought! So Navis like you are still left, huh? Well then, I guess I'll have to get serious too!"

"Come!"

The sound of a radio turning on rang out and the Nebula Navi stopped after he'd drawn a Long Sword of his own.

"Che. Return order from HQ… What… The scientist we brought from the Science Labs has woken up…?"

"What! You mean Hikari – hakase?"

"You know each other, then… My bad, but we're not gonna let go of that researcher so easily. That guy is a critical person needed four our strategy… Heh, heh, heh. Have at ya!"

The shield-like doorway lifted into the air and Navi ran away: Blues tried to give chase yet the doorway fell down and blocked the path: he growled something under his breath.

"Wait! Che! If I remove this door…!"

"Can't you try to attack it?" Enzan suggested.

"No good, sir. I hadn't noticed until now, yet… This door is filled with huge amounts of "Dark Power"… My sword won't suffice to break it, Enzan – sama." Blues reported.

"I see. We can't go further in." Enzan sighed.

"I shall not offer any apologies, sir."

The PET beeped and Blues retrieved an email which he read to then gasp in surprise.

"Enzan – sama! Mail, sir. From the Science Labs, sir. I will read it, sir. "News Bulletin! The Science Labs' Main System has been invaded by someone. If we don't hurry to halt the intruder, the Science Labs will be hijacked!" … No good, sir!"

"Che! Nebula…! Bothersome guys! We gotta put a halt to them while we can! Let's go, Blues!"

"Roger, sir!"

"Plug Out!"

Enzan retrieved Blues and rushed out of his IPC VP Office and down the emergency stairs into the street to then head into the Metro and quickly buy a ticket to ride in the first train.

If those guys think they can do as they wish then they're very mistaken! Just you wait! As an "ace Net Battler"… I'll make raw meat outta you lowlifes!

13:34 PM (Japan Time)…

"…How quiet…"

"W-we're doomed! We're unable to operate the Main System anymore! What should we do?"

Enzan ran into the lobby of the Science Labs and spotted one employee running out in panic from the 1st floor's door: he rushed up the stairs and checked the panel out.

"So the Main System is over there. Fine. Given that man's behavior then things are already critical. Let's go, Blues."

"Roger, sir."

"My Official ID should be enough to override this lock. And here seems to be the Main System!"

Enzan rushed inside and found the room with the "Main System" computer to be devoid of personnel: he then looked around and spotted the central control console.

"Weird. No – one's here."

"True, sir. Suspicious, sir. But we should try to find and neutralize that intruder. Please Plug – In, Enzan – sama."

"Plug In! Blues, Transmission!"

Blues transferred into the Cyber World's entrance and quickly spotted a trail left behind by the attacker.

"Mission start." Blues muttered.

"Delete any Viruses which get in the way." Enzan ordered.

"Roger, sir. Standard operating procedure, sir?"

"Obviously."

"Acknowledged."

"Go!"

"Move, move and move~! Hra~h! Hah! Hyah! Hah! Hra~h! This rubbish is no opponent for me!" Blues exclaimed as he rushed on forward having his Long Sword drawn.

He spotted some kind of puzzles which seemed to have been deactivated yet there were no Program – kuns around: he apparently frowned under the shades yet kept on forward until he reached the ramp leading to the control panel.

"Enzan – sama! I have located the Main System's control panel, sir." He reported.

"Well done. The intruder must be there. Your mission is to stop them but do not delete them: we could try to seize any useful information from them. Understood?" Enzan ordered.

"Please leave it up to me, sir."

Blues ran up the ramp yet there was no – one and nothing: he looked upwards yet there was nothing there either.

"Huh? I don't see anyone, sir." He muttered.

"Ambush, huh. Don't lower the guard." Enzan commanded.

"Yes, sir!"

"You've come, Blues. And Ijuuin Enzan." An unknown manly voice rang out of nowhere.

"Who…? Show your hide!"

Someone logged in and there was an intense white flash of light which forced Blues to bring up his sword arm to shield his shades from the sudden outburst of energy.

"Huh! What power!"

"No grunt, then." Enzan deduced.

"Grunts or not… I shall defeat them! The light is fading…! Who the hell are you lowlife?"

"I am Colonel… Blues… Let us check what you're made of, shall we?"

The Net Navi named "Colonel" was close to two meters tall in height.

His helmet had a triangle-like form which extended forward and included a small red triangle with golden rims on it: his ear pads had no drawing on them and black hair came out in pointed shape behind the partly open helmet.

His main body had a black suit which ended in Scottish skirt armor style.

The armor had high neck and his face was protected by a red-colored structure: there was a gap between the chest armor and the skirt around the stomach area and the emblem was set at the start of the skirt.

A yellowish-colored octahedron with a metallic gray circle was set there.

The circle had two small vertical squares colored black on the north and south ends complemented with a small rectangle on the middle of its surface: a gray-colored line formed around the upper edge of the skirt and then descended across the middle of it.

His shoulder pads which were placed at the sides of his shoulders were colored white and each had a small rectangle cavity on them.

His left wrist had a metallic bracelet which ended in a blade-shaped extension over the hand's palm while his right forearm had a red capsule-like object set on it from which a pale green saber emerged: the opening had four white-colored teeth-like pieces set around it.

Four pyramid-base-shaped yellowish shapes were drawn on the lower edge of the skirt: two per side.

The Navi also sported black boots with a thin gray-colored pattern bordering them which started a little below the knee and one small vertical yellowish rectangle slightly above of where the feet fingers ended.

He sported a blue silk cape which fell slightly short of reaching the ground and emerged from beneath his shoulders.

"Hmpf. So you've heard of me." Blues muttered.

"Let's go…" Colonel challenged by lifting his sword.

"A fight, then."

"Capture the enemy, Blues!"

"You will be deleted!"

"Battle Operation, Set!"

"In!"

"Colonel Cannon!"

"Huh! Fast!"

Colonel drew what looked like a long barrel on his right arm and shot a round of energy which Blues dodged just in time: Colonel suddenly morphed his right arm back into the sword.

"Screen Divide!"

He formed a triangle formation attack which Blues was able to block with his default shield: Colonel backed up and attacked again with the sword but Blues countered him with a Wide Sword and suddenly formed a grin to which Colonel frowned.

"Blues. Ready?"

"Ready, sir."

"Go, then."

Blues suddenly formed a column of energy within his hands which resembled a blade: Colonel gasped.

"The end. Dream Sword!"

"They didn't even have to announce it…! They can synchronize in the midst of a battle and strike with high power without warning at the enemy…! Ugo~h!"

The attack hit Colonel but he managed to shield some of its power by drawing his cloak: yet the force was enough to tire him out.

"Huff, huff… Colonel! What is you lowlife's goal?" Blues demanded while panting.

"…You pass, Blues." Colonel suddenly told him.

"I pass? What do you mean? And who is the Navi that infiltrated the Science Labs?" Blues sounded confused.

"… Let's discuss the details… Plug – Out and enter the room further inside…" Colonel told him.

He suddenly Plugged Out and Blues gasped yet he didn't move from his position and looked at Enzan's screen.

"Colonel…! Enzan – sama. What should I do, sir?"

"From the looks of it… Plug Out."

"Roger, sir."

Enzan retrieved Blues and headed for the door close by into another wide room which had plenty of computers and other devices: he was looking around in a distracted manner before looking on forward.

"… Come further in. I don't intend to harm you." A man called out from the end of the room.

"…Who…?"

"My name is Barrel… Even if I say I'm not a suspicious man, I must look like one to you."

The man named Barrel was standing behind a console and in front of a large LCD monitor: he looked on his thirties and his eyes' irises were brown: he had some traces of a recently shaved beard too and jet black hair which reached past the neck.

His overall height was about a meter and ninety approximately.

He sported an open jacket with brown patches of camouflage along with a gray jumper and jeans along with shoes plus a dog-tag hanging from his neck.

"… Barrel, you say…? Then… The Navi who sneaked into the Main System…" Enzan muttered.

"… You seem perplexed. Let me explain the circumstances of this incident… You now by know what's going in the Internet."

"Obviously." Enzan shrugged.

"That's why a "Net Navi Team" to free the taken over areas and dismantle the evil organization has been inaugurated… But if we went around recruiting members in an openly manner then we'd be telling the enemy what our strategy is about. That's why we're gathering members in the utmost of secrecies." Barrel exposed.

"I see. Then, today's incident…"

"True… Today's Main System intrusion incident was a test to check if you were fitting to become a member of our team. I staged it." Barrel openly admitted.

"Test, huh. Should've seen it coming…"

"Correct. And you've passed that test. Ijuuin Enzan and Blues. Join our "Team"." Barrel invited.

"A team, huh. I'd rather decline. I work alone." He suddenly turned around and stuffed his hands on the pockets.

"You're not interested in rescuing Hikari Yuuichirou?"

"Rescue Hikari – hakase? How much do you know?" Enzan looked over his right shoulder.

"Ijuuin Enzan. I'll say it again: join our "Team". And defeat the "Dark Chip Syndicate Nebula" which attacked the Internet and abducted your companion…" Barrel incited.

"Defeat Nebula, you say? So it was their work, after all. For a moment I thought someone might be trying to use them as cover. And the leader is…?" Enzan faced Barrel again.

Silly question, I know.

"The evil scientist, Nebula's leader, Dr. Regal… The guy struck the first blow but we won't let him strike further than that so easily."

"Hmpf. Guess there's no other way around, huh? Alright. I'll join this so-called "Team"… For a while. I will admit that I don't like the idea of those guys using that guy for their petty goals." Enzan shrugged.

"Good. Settled, then. Ijuuin Enzan. From now on… You're one of the "Nebula Suppression Unit", "Team of Colonel"! It's sudden, but… Tomorrow you're going to participate in a "Liberation Mission"…"

"…"Liberation Mission", you say…" He lifted his eyebrows.

"Correct. The "liberation" of an area taken over by Nebula… In short: a "release" strategy. Tomorrow we'll release Akihara Area 3 from Nebula's hands… Alright?" Barrel summed up.

"Fine."

"I'll contact you tomorrow to settle the strategy's time."

"Roger."

"And, also… Ijuuin Enzan. Don't speak without a good reason about this "Team"… Alright?" Barrel warned him.

"I don't mind."

"Good. You can go back already for today."

"…Mr. Barrel." Enzan suddenly called out as he turned around from facing the exit to face Barrel again.

"What's up?"

"That guy… I mean… Hikari… Is he alright?"

"I can't know that. But if there's one thing I can say is that there's no other way to free him and Hikari Yuuichirou apart from defeating Nebula. Got it?"

"Hmpf. Silly question… My soft side, guess… Blues. Let's go back already."

13:24 PM (Japan Time)…

"… What? An intruder in the Science Labs, you say? No. I didn't send anyone. Why should I? Their Network is already under our control to begin with, "Demon Prince"…"

"Ah. Sorry to bother you, Dr. Regal. It was picking me: that's all… We'll continue with our strategy over here."

"Alright. Over."

"Demon Prince" had been talking with Dr. Regal over a radio while standing in what seemed to be an observation deck of a large room somewhere in the Nebula HQ: he was dressed in a black robe with a hood which hid his shape yet he didn't appeal to be much taller than a meter and fifty tall.

"Heh, heh, heh. There they are… Obviously Rock Man's aim is better and Netto – kun still needs to improve it yet they are getting the hang of it like it or not… They'll soon be ready to serve as night scouts for data retrieval and sabotage… Heh, heh, heh. Our strategy is so clever, really. And the Doc will end up benefiting from it, too." He muttered.

"Yo. Agent Figurinez came. Leave that of the "horrible things" up to me! I just need to tell them I was a friend of the "Beatles"!"

"Partner… That joke's lame."

"Demon King" was about ten centimeters or more taller than his colleague and wore a black robe with a hood as well: his voice sound slightly more grown-up too and sounded amused: "Demon Prince" seemingly didn't see the point of the joke.

"Let's bring over some feathered shoes."

"Not that of the feathered shoes again… It's so silly!"

"Who knows? Invent Feathered Shoes Man."

"Demon King" giggled while "Demon Prince" sighed.

… This guy…! At least he doesn't like brawls…!