Chapter 6: The final battle
16:16 PM (Moscow Time), Sunday May the 2nd…
"… This is the place!"
"Here, huh…"
Netto had been riding with Laika on a snow bike and had reached the abandoned coal mine cave entrance: Netto was wearing his usual winter coat given how it was a rather cold day.
"… It'd seem you've been able to prepare, humans…"
Several "Nebula Dimensional Converters" popped out near the cave's entrance and triggered a "Dimensional Area" encompassing the whole of the perimeter.
"Synchro Chip, Slot In! CROSS FUSION!"
Both Netto and Laika performed "Cross Fusion" and looked towards the cave's entrance.
"Hikari Netto! Hikari Saito! My half-brothers! Come!" Twilight rallied.
"Laika! Secure the entrance." "CF" Netto requested.
"Yeah! I'll be standing by." "CF" Laika confirmed.
"CF" Netto ran inside and "CF" Laika followed him:
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. Reverse Card: Activate! Permanent Trap Card: Pain Barrier!"
A black metallic cover popped out of nowhere and separated both of them: the cover had an orange circle painted on the middle and eight straight lines set near its center: it looked strong and resistant.
"What the…! Search Man! Analyze this thing!" He commanded.
"… This shield is designed to absorb the attacking power of attacks and change into Health Points, Laika – sama. In short: Twilight will recover energy with every attack we throw at it." Search Man reported.
"Heh, heh, heh… There's no need for interlopers! Laika! I've got a special hot role for ya… Go! Pawns!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Asteroid" Bomber Man and "Asteroid" Stone Man suddenly materialized next to "CF" Laika while looking ready for battle.
"Hah! You lowlife shall be destroyed by the great me: "Asteroid" Bomber Man – sama!" Bomber Man exclaimed.
"Hah! You lowlife shall be annihilated by the great me: "Asteroid" Stone Man – sama!" Stone Man exclaimed.
"Sheesh!" "CF" Laika hissed.
"… Damn. I expected this."
"Cheat codes, huh…"
"CF" Netto had been trying to move the cover out of the way but it was too heavy: he and Saito grumbled.
"… Can't be helped! We'll have to do this on our own." "CF" Netto muttered in a resigned tone of voice.
He spotted an archway leading to another room in the mine, so he ran forward and stopped dead on his tracks.
"W-what in the…"
The main shaft of the mine had been transformed somehow: it had a large descending spiral built into the sides of the wall which descended tens of meters until it reached a circle – shaped plain spot at the bottom of it: the slopes' edges had "Dimensional Area" – like walls which were about five meters tall.
"Whoa!"
As if it wasn't enough, the whole of the ramp was filled with several classes of Viruses: they were hundreds of them if not thousands crowding each square meter of the surface.
"W-what in the…? What is this place?" "CF" Netto gasped.
"The whole environment seems to be materialized data imposed over real objects!" Saito reported.
"W-whoa…! No – one had been able to do that before!" "CF" Netto exclaimed.
"It'd seem we'll have to run down the ramp while taking out all the Viruses we can along the way, otouto." Saito told him.
"No way… Let's use the Jet Vernier and skip them!" "CF" Netto grumbled before making a suggestion.
A purple vortex suddenly formed in the air above him and some lighting rained down, hitting him and electrocuting him.
"Gra~h!"
He fell into his fours while smoking and grumbled something under his breath.
"Netto – kun! The Jet Vernier has a lock on it: it demands a ten-digit-long password!" Saito reported.
"Yami…! He wants to make me sweat!" "CF" Netto cursed.
"Let's go!" Saito rallied.
"Sheesh! Battle Chip, Long Blade, Wide Blade!" "CF" Netto announced.
He drew both blades and began to run down the slope while slicing all Viruses which came close.
"YA~H!"
A wall formed in front of him all of a sudden and eight Navis armed with Elec Swords surrounded him.
"Sheesh! If I try to use my swords then they'll electrocute me! Battle Chip, Wind God Racket!"
The blast of wind blew the Navis away and the wall faded, thus allowing "CF" Netto to keep on running down the slopes: he was met with a group of wrecking ball – holding Navis next.
"Almost like Knight Man, huh…" He muttered.
"Be careful, Netto – kun!" Saito warned.
"Hmmm… Aha!" "CF" Netto thought of something and smiled.
The Navis closed around him and then shot out their wrecking balls.
"Gotcha!"
However, a cloud of smoke ensued and a chibi doll appeared on "CF" Netto's place along with some Triple Bombs: they blew up and took out the group of Navis.
"Heh, heh!"
"CF" Netto ran forward again while slicing as many Viruses as he could on his wake.
"We've almost descended three quarters of the path, Netto – kun!" Saito reported.
"Huff… Huff… Here is the next round, I guess…" He muttered while panting.
In effect: some big, fat and mean-looking Navis popped out around him while holding Zeus Hammer Battle Chips: they looked heavily armored and hard to damage.
"Hmmm… I've an idea!" He muttered.
He stood still while the Navis approached him and he then slid under one through the opening on its legs when it was going to attack.
"Bye-bye!"
The Navis ended up hitting each other and destroying their armors with their Zeus Hammers.
"Battle Chip, Spread Gun! Double Slot In!"
The two Spread Guns made short work of the armor-less Navis and he was able to keep on descending.
"It's almost like I was stepped into Hell itself!" He grimly muttered.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that's where he got the idea from." Saito admitted.
They finally reached the bottom of the ramp but a fourth wall was blocking them off from accessing the round plain: a "Dream Virus" appeared and roared.
"… A Dream Virus, you say! You've gone overboard this time around, Yami!" He cursed.
"Netto – kun! It's coming!" Saito warned.
"Yikes!"
"CF" Netto barely dodged its claws but was then struck head-on by a laser beam shot out of a gun mounted on its right shoulder: he hit the rocky wall and slid down it.
"Grah… It ain't a just a Dream Virus… It's the Nightmare Virus!" He sarcastically cursed.
"Netto – kun! Move!" Saito warned.
"Shit!"
He managed to dodge another laser blast and he tried to come up with a strategy to beat the thing.
"… Okay! Golden Fist!"
He jumped towards the Dream Virus and managed to make a dent on its chest: he then dodged two claw swipes and put some distance between both of them.
"Program Advance! Count Bomb, Triple Slot In! Giga Count Bomb!" He announced next.
"CF" Netto placed the Giga Count Bomb on the monster's chest dent: the monster looked at it with obvious confusion.
"Battle Chip, White Web!"
The White Web caused the Giga Count Bomb to get stuck there while the Dream Virus mindlessly tried to shoot at "CF" Netto with the mounted laser cannon.
"Sayonara~!"
The bomb went off, causing a brutal explosion and taking the Dream Virus out by blowing it up into countless pieces of data which floated around the area.
"Phew!"
The wall disappeared, so "CF" Netto rushed into the area just as it reformed behind him.
"We did it… Somehow… WHOA!"
The ground and ceiling suddenly shook: the ground detached itself and began to float while growing in size and assuming a watery-like surface as the environment was replaced by clouds and open "sky": it seemed to be daylight given the illumination.
"W-whoa!" He gasped.
"The area changed!" Saito gasped.
"CF" Netto then looked ahead and spotted Twilight giving him the back and looking at a holographic image of the Earth.
"… Heh. Good work, my half-brothers." He congratulated without even bothering to turn.
"Yami…!" "CF" Netto hissed.
"We've come to stop you!" Saito added.
"Heh. The show is about to start." Twilight announced.
He snapped his right hand's fingers: a medieval-like sword appeared on "CF" Netto's right hand and a slightly curved shield decorated with the Hikari family crest appeared on his left hand.
"W-whoa! What's this stuff?" He wondered.
"Legend of Zelda rip-offs?" Saito ventured.
"… So…? Are you two mortals ready to face Demon King – sama…? The world shall soon fall under my ruling… And the Secret Empire shall be resurrected…! Such is my mission!" Twilight turned around.
He held a blade similar to "CF" Netto's but it was colored purple and black while having the form of three diamonds set one on top of the other.
"Mission…? Secret Empire…?" "CF" Netto wondered.
"The Secret Empire slept during the day and lived during the night. It encompassed the whole of Japan!" Twilight announced.
"T-the whole of Japan…!" Saito gasped.
"But… A traitor let everything out and Ice Queen – sama was brought down from Its throne. The Unified Empire broke into small feuds which are still trying to get all the profits for their own by stealing off their rivals' merchandise!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Mister K. S. did that?" "CF" Netto asked.
"No! That man simply wasn't educated good enough. He was not told that he was to make the Empire resurrect no matter what. He became a solo being who acts according to its own interests… We had a battle but we got nowhere." Twilight announced.
"You two had a battle?" Saito sounded surprised.
"… Well… It was a fencing duel. We did that inside of the Moon Base while you guys were riding aboard Duo's Comet." Twilight shrugged.
"And what's with the sword and…?" "CF" Netto began asking.
"I thought it'd be fitting. Witness!" Twilight announced.
The skies suddenly lost light and the clouds became brownish: it looked like a storm was about to be unleashed and Twilight brandished his sword.
"Do not fret. I would gain nothing by killing you two. Instead… I shall grant to you a Living Hell." He announced.
"A Living Hell…?" "CF" Netto frowned.
"A Living Hell… Night after night… Your bodies shall be ruled by fear and terror while your consciousnesses become nothing more than broken shards… You will soon regret I hadn't killed you two before so as to not to have to live this eternal nightmare…" Twilight announced in a sinister tone of voice.
"W-what in the…!" Saito gasped.
"Heh. So? Can you defeat me? Or will I defeat you? As ruler of the Demon Tribe… I challenge you two!" Twilight told them.
"I'm ready for anything! Let's go, niisan!" "CF" Netto replied.
Twilight dashed forward and began to try to hit "CF" Netto with the sword but he used the shield to block.
"Netto – kun! Don't trust this shield: it has a damage gauge! If we deplete it then we won't be able to use it again! Put it away and let it recharge for a while if it gets down!" Saito warned.
"O-okay!" "CF" Netto replied.
"CF" Netto tried to counter-attack and manage to land one or two hits on Twilight but he looked unaffected.
"Sheesh!"
"CF" Netto then aimed for the chest area and made a deep cut there: Twilight choked and stepped back one or two steps while he panted.
"Hmpf. Not bad… Here I come!" He announced.
"CF" Netto tried to block him with the shield, but he realized that the gauge was way too low.
"Better run…"
He ducked, rolled across the "ground" and ran one or two meters away to then stand up: Twilight was already there.
"No way!"
His sword hit "CF" Netto's upper torso and kicked him away thus making him land in the "water" with a splash.
"Shit." He cursed.
He quickly stood up as Twilight was about to attack again and delivered some hits to his enemy's lower torso before kicking him away with the sword and making him fall with his back on the "water" too.
"Heh… Heh, heh… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…!"
The skies suddenly turned gray and so did the atmosphere as Twilight stood up and aimed his sword "skywards": lightning came down and electrified the blade.
"Heh. How about you experience some electricity?" Twilight challenged.
"Damn. This is becoming uglier with every passing moment." "CF" Netto cursed.
"Yeah. Try to duck or dodge, Netto – kun!" Saito suggested.
"CF" Netto dodged and blocked off some hits from Twilight's sword: it lost its electrical charge afterwards.
What if I do the same thing? He suddenly wondered.
He lifted his sword and lightning charged it up at the same time Twilight did the same with his sword.
"Eat this!"
He shot out a streak of lightning forward and it collided with Twilight's own streak of lightning, thus cancelling each other.
"Is that all?" Twilight challenged.
"Sheesh! No!" "CF" Netto shot back.
"Netto – kun! Let's try that once more!" Saito suggested.
"Yeah! Come! Lightning!"
"Heh! Lightning! Grant me power!"
Both swords charged up and "CF" Netto brought out his shield to block Twilight's assaults.
"I blocked! My turn!"
He then shot the electrical discharge at the enemy's body, electrocuting him: "CF" Netto took the chance to deliver some quick strikes to him.
"Gra~h!"
Twilight collapsed with his back on the ground and "CF" Netto jumped towards him to try to plunge his sword into his body.
"HRA~H!"
Twilight, however, recovered in a very quick manner and "CF" Netto ended up hitting the "water" instead.
"Damn! I was so close!" He cursed.
"Keep on trying, otouto!" Saito rallied.
"Hah! Brag while you can. Your frustration will soon give way to total terror and fear!" Twilight challenged.
"Sheesh! This ain't over yet!" "CF" Netto grumbled.
"It'll soon be." Twilight smiled.
The earlier process was repeated: both charged up their swords, "CF" Netto waited for Twilight's sword to lose its power and he then counter-attacked while trying to deliver a final blow to him only to dodge while he was at mid-maneuver.
"Grah! This is taking forever!" "CF" Netto cursed.
"The guy's too fast…!" Saito cursed.
"Did you really think Demon King – sama would be so feeble?" Twilight questioned.
"This time…!" "CF" Netto muttered.
"… We'll win!" Saito added.
"Bring it on!" Twilight challenged.
The process went on for a third time: "CF" Netto managed to knock Twilight into the ground.
"NOW!"
The sword made contact and plunged into Twilight's body.
"GROA~H!"
"CF" Netto jumped away and panted from the tiredness while Twilight managed to stand up.
"… It's come down to this, then… I'll stake everything in one attack!"
"Same thing over here…!" "CF" Netto replied.
Twilight clasped both hands together and black energy began to build up in his chest emblem.
"Go away, stupid things."
"CF" Netto tossed the sword and shield away before he took out the Rock Buster and began to charge it up.
"CHAOS BEAM!"
"CHARGE SHOT!"
A brutal black-colored beam of energy emerged from Twilight's chest emblem and headed towards "CF" Netto.
"Fire!"
"CF" Netto shot his usual Charge Shot and let the recoil push him backwards as his attack flew towards Twilight.
"Come!" Twilight challenged.
Both attacks met and suddenly began to clash against each other before growing into one energy sphere which was expanding at a mad speed and frizzling: it looked rather unstable and like it could blow up any moment now too: crackling and frizzling sounds rang out.
"W-whoa!" "CF" Netto gasped.
"What the…! What's going on? Why didn't the Chaos Beam overpower their attack…?" Twilight gasped.
"… Netto – kun! That shield blocking off the entrance is gone!" Saito reported.
"Huh? Huh… Yeah… So?" "CF" Netto absent-mindedly replied.
"That thing is out of control: it's gonna explode!" Saito warned.
"Explode, you say!" "CF" Netto gasped.
"Get outta 'ere ASAP!" Saito told him.
"… Yeah! I don't wanna be around when this thing explodes! We'll settle this next time, Yami!" "CF" Netto replied.
"Hah, hah, hah! I'll absorb this power like Forte did and I'll then be unbeatable! Farewell! Hikari Brothers! My half-brothers!"
"Jet Vernier!"
"CF" Netto ignited the Jet Vernier and flew "out" of the "sky" and towards the entrance of the cave. He landed and ran out while crossing the space where the shield had been at.
"Huff, huff…!"
He spotted "CF" Laika leaning his back against a tree: he was filled with bruises and looked exhausted.
"What the…! IMPOSSIBLE~!" Twilight suddenly roared.
A brutal shockwave emerged from the cave as it collapsed and pushed both "CF" Netto and "CF" Laika forward several meters before they fell into the snow, which cushioned their brusque fall.
"WHOA!"
A gigantic occurred as the cave seemed to sink or collapse given the massive amounts of dust which swept out of its bowels.
"Netto – kun!"
"Laika – sama!"
The "Dimensional Area" faded immediately afterwards: the skies were clear and the sun was shining.
"Ugh… Agh… Ah… Huh…"
"Ah… Huff… Huff…"
"Netto – kun!"
"Laika – sama!"
Netto and Laika managed to stand on their fours while panting from exhaust: they then sat on the snow.
"I'm f-fine, niisan…" Netto replied.
"Don't worry about… me… Search Man…" Laika told him.
"… Netto – kun…" Saito sounded tense.
"… Twilight's signature is gone. But he didn't come out of the "Dimensional Area", sir." Search Man reported.
"W-what?" Netto gasped.
"T-then…!" Laika gasped.
"… He is no more. The explosion annihilated him and the mine: it can't be used anymore." Search Man reported.
"… Gone… But… In the end… We won…" Netto muttered.
"… Yeah… Our Dark Side is gone… Forever." Saito muttered.
"In the end he went down… Like all villains…" Laika folded his arms and was far from impressed.
"Yes, sir… This madness has finally ended, sir."
The "Dark Side" has been defeated by the "Light Side"…! We've defeat the most terrific or our foes…! Thanks to our friendship power!