"I don't want to jinx myself, but where are the Digimon?" They had just searched three floors and were now searching the fourth. They hadn't had any trouble per se while making their way up, which would have been a good thing if it weren't for the fact that they were in Piemon's castle. There should have been at least one Digimon in the castle while they were searching for those other captured Digimon that Lillymon and Mamemon talked about. "You would think Piemon would have them on guard or something."
"Seems Piemon got a bit to cocky this time," the dark-colored Lillymon commented as she gently held Ken's unconscious body in her arms.
"Seems that way," Mamemon said in agreement.
"What you mean?" Daisuke asked them.
"Piemon is as insane as they come," Mamemon said to him as he left the room that he was looking through. "Even during the war, Piemon was rather ruthless. He was often killing off other 'mons when they were of no use to him or if they had the possibility of getting stronger then him." Daisuke blanched at that. Piemon really was insane if he would kill Digimon whenever he felt like it.
"And if he wasn't killing his own army or the Vaccine army, he was turning them into keychains for his own sick games and then mentally torturing them," Lillymon added gravelly.
Daisuke swallowed nervously as he eyed his best friend. Ken looked so pale, so vulnerable. "Why did he go after Ken and Stingmon then?" He didn't want to know what Piemon would have done to him if they hadn't arrived when they did.
Mamemon and Lillymon stopped walking to look at him. A grave expression graced both of their features. "Before you were born, several centuries ago, BanchoStingmon and Piemon (Wormmon and Kunemon at the time) were best friends," Lillymon told him.
"During this time, the Vaccine and Virus War had been going on for five or so decades, if memory serves me right," Mamemon added, "And was more or less at a stalemate."
Lillymon nodded before continuing. "At some point, Wormmon and Kunemon went on their own (like most Child Digimon during this time) to either aid their respective side in the war or to find a way to end it."
Daisuke frowned slightly. Daisuke wasn't sure if this explained why Piemon kidnaped Ken or why he and Stingmon were not friends anymore…if that was the same Stingmon they were discussing. It seemed odd that Ken's partner was the same Stingmon from several centuries ago. Either way, something must have happened for the two to hate each other now. "But Piemon seems to hate Stingmon, though." Daisuke found himself unable to imagine Piemon and Stingmon being him and Ken. Noted, he had somewhat hated the kid when he was the Kaiser, but that was before he got to know him so well. Ken was his best friend. He could never hate him. They understood each other so well.
"That is true," Lillymon said sadly, her eyes having a faraway look. "I'm not sure about the details of what happened to them after they parted. However, a month after Stingmon was granted the title of Bancho…things got bad."
Daisuke furrowed his brows. Was this title really that important that it caused a rift between the two? Mamemon must have read his thoughts since he picked up the conversation as they continued their search. "I am not sure how versed you are in our ways, Chosen. But I'm assuming you are aware that we have different stages of evolution, just as you humans do."
Daisuke nodded. "Well, yeah, every Digimon can shinka from Baby to Ultimate. And then there are also the Digimentals and Jogress."
"That may be true," Mamemon said as he opened the door to another. And, surprise, surprise, the room was a torture room. Mamemon grunted in disgust as he closed the door and returned to his searching. "But not every Digimon can shinka as you believe. Unlike, Chosen Digimon, the stage that a Digimon shinkas to varies from Digimon to Digimon. This is actually due to the environment and conditions a Digimon lives in and their own will to survive. It is actually very common to see an Adult or Perfect Digimon, then an Ultimate."
"Why is that?" Daisuke was following the Ultimate so far. He had noticed that the majority of the Digimon he encountered were more or less Child, Adult, or Perfect Digimon. There were times where they did fight against an Ultimate, but it wasn't very common.
"The conditions to achieve that level is very high," Lillymon said with a frown, looking slightly uneasy as they walked up to the next floor. "Not many can do it and some have even died trying."
"Affirmative," Mamemon said in agreement, "and it is just as rare for a Digimon to earn the title of Bancho."
"Why is that? Stingmon seemed to shinka fine."
Mamemon stopped in front of one of the open doors. The room looked like a bedroom. Although, there seemed to be strange toys that looked like clowns and swords on the walls and floors. Daisuke had a sinking feeling that this was Piemon's room. "Because not just any 'mon can earn the title of Bancho. To earn this title, we had to fight without having our spirits broken. What this fight is and the challenges and dangers we face differ between the five of us."
Daisuke frowned. How does this apply to Stingmon then?
"Chosen, being a Bancho is not easy. It is both a pleasure and a curse," Lillymon said as they entered the room. Daisuke looked at her in confusion. "Out of all the Digimon in the Digital World, we are one of a kind. We have the ability to rival those of the Royal Knights, the Great Angels, and even the Holy Beasts." Daisuke's eyes widened at that. He had only met Qinglongmon once, but he never imagined that it was even possible for one to be stronger them him. Not even BlackWarGreymon was able to land a blow against that dragon. So was it even possible for the Banchos to be more powerful than a Digimon that was said to be a god? "There are only five Banchos in existence. That can never be taken away even if we do die and are reborn."
"Wait, so Stingmon…?"
"Yes," Lillymon gave him a sad smile, "he had died in order to save us when Piemon attacked us all those years ago."
The castle, as well as the surrounding area, shook violently with the intensity of the combined attacks of the three Ultimates that fought against each other. None of them faulted in their attacks, each determined to defeat the other in their tussle of power. None of them stood down, even when it looked like they were starting to tire from the amount of power and energy they were using. BanchoStingmon and Mastemon maneuvered Piemon's attack and fought as a unit like they had done so many centuries before. They covered each other and shielded each other when one couldn't dodge or shield themselves from Piemon's attacks.
"Bakuraiten!"
It was like a dance. BanchoStingmon would attack, while she would heal and defend when he was fighting Piemon at close range. When he was out of range (gathering his energy for his next attack), she would attack with her light blade, preventing Piemon from attacking BanchoStingmon. She found a sense of satisfaction when Piemon growled at her when he realized that he was facing a losing battle. They were an unstoppable force to reckon with, especially when they had someone to protect.
"Trump Sword!"
Piemon must know this, yet he continued to fight and attack wildly. But the advantage he had earlier was gone. He could not even land a hit against them and that must have been very frustrating for the Demon Man.
"He's slipping," Mastemon spoke, floating next to BanchoStingmon as they both dodged the swords with ease. BanchoStingmon nodded as he deflected a few sword with his drills that were coming in their direction.
"Piemon always had a bit of a temper and ego," BanchoStingmon said as he gazed at Piemon. Piemon's anger and temper had not improved over the course of the fight. They were just relieved that they were fighting over the castle and not within. Mastemon didn't want to think about the damage that could have happened if they continued to fight within the castle. Ken was already far too weak and incapable of protecting himself or helping them in this fight. There was also the fact of all the Digimon still trapped as keychains in Piemon's room.
Mastemon glanced at her longtime lover as he deflected Piemon's attacks one after the other. She knew he was determined to defeat Piemon. She knew he would not try to convince Piemon to reconsider his ways. BanchoStingmon no longer felt that Piemon deserved forgiveness, nor had it in him to redeem himself for his crimes. He had harmed the child and that was an unforgivable sin in their eyes.
As she thought about the child, she began to remember the program he had implanted into Piemon's network. She wasn't sure what the child had been doing or what he was talking about when he altered and deleted the coding Piemon had within his computer network, in addition to the coding he added before they left.
"About the child," Mastemon started, wondering if BanchoStingmon would know. Besides, he had known the child since birth after all.
"Is he all right?" he asked instead. Mastemon could her the guilt and worry laced in his voice. "I could feel that my shinka really drained him." Mastemon opened a dimension behind the insectoid to absorb the attacks Piemon throw at him. "I can't sense his emotions at the moment."
"He's fine," Mastemon reassured him as they dodged Piemon's attacks, which seemed to get them closer and closer to the castle. What was Piemon trying to do? "He used the last of his energy for the both of us, but he's still alive. I talked to him before coming to help you."
"What you mean?" BanchoStingmon asked as Piemon teleported out of his range and hovered a good distance away from them.
"His dreams. We talked briefly."
The insectoid nodded in understanding. "I'm just glad he's alright."
Mastemon smiled for a moment before changing the subject. "The child did something earlier while we were trying to escape."
"Toy Wonderness!"
"What he do?" BanchoStingmon asked as if dreading the answer.
"While he was running from Piemon, we managed to get to the floor with the security system." BanchoStingmon gave her an uneasy look as she continued. "He was deleting lots of files and was even typing some weird letters and numbers into the computer."
BanchoStingmon stiffened as they redirected the attack, resulting with Piemon being thrown back and colliding with one of the columns on the left side of the castle and with them breathing heavily as they planned their next move.
"What is it?" Mastemon asked, not liking the shock and light fear that was radiating off him.
"A countdown wouldn't happen to appear after he was done by any chance?"
Mastemon pondered his question for a moment; she thought back to when the child was typing away on the computer. The child had been saying something about a program and how Piemon wouldn't be able to not only retrieve any data once it finished loading but also to never hurt anyone again. She frowned for a moment. She didn't remember seeing a countdown, but there was this odd word that appeared on the screen, followed by a sequence of numbers and a warning flashing on the screen. She wondered what was this program the child planted and what it was supposed to do.
"No, but an odd word appeared on the screen," Mastemon said, not liking where this was going. "Why?"
"What was that word?" he asked instead. There was a great deal of urgency in his voice, so much so that it scared her.
"Kaiser," she told him, fear filling her as the 'mon next to her stiffened. If BanchoStingmon had been human, he would have paled. "What is it?" she asked, noticing the way his eyes were widening in shock and...was that fear?
"We need to end this battle now!" BanchoStingmon said as made his way towards BanchoLeomon. In the distance, Mastemon could hear the castle cracking and falling to the ground. Mastemon wasn't sure if she wanted to know what was going on. But whatever was going on, it wasn't good.
"What's going on?" she asked as she chased after him. BanchoStingmon didn't answer her question until they were mere inches away from the other two Banchos.
"BanchoLeomon, we need to get everyone away from from the castle!"
"Why? What's going on?" BanchoGolemon asked, unnerved by the panic lacing his comrade's words.
"We don't have much time!" BanchoStingmon said gravely. "This place is going to blow!"
"WARNING! WARNING!" A mechanical female voice repeated as a single green bar raced across the screen. A 95% flashed above the bar as an unknown program was close to finishing its eight-hour long download. "WARNING! WARNING! UNKNOWN PROGRAM DETECTED!" The voice repeated again before the red warning message disappeared and was replaced with a green complete message. 100% flashed above the bar. The program had finished downloading.
"Download complete," the mechanical voice announced as COMPLETED flashed on the screen. "Uploading program. Loading..." The voice paused as it began running the program that had just finish downloading. The computer was quiet for a moment as it ran the program.
"Loading Kaiser...Uploading Kaiser...Upload complete. Deleting all files." A deletion message appeared on the screen. The deletion process did not take as long as it did for the download. In fact, the deletion process went relatively quick, lasting only fifteen minutes. "Deletion complete."
As soon as COMPLETED flashed on the screen, a sequence of numbers appeared. To some, it might not mean anything. But to a hacker and even to the Digimon and Humans, still present near the castle, it was something to be concerning about. Several numbers soon flashed on the screen, followed by a countdown.
"Self-destruct sequence engaged!" A number five flashed on the screen followed by two zero. "T minus five minutes."