Chapter 13: Shade Man's Counterattack
12:08 AM (Utah Time), Friday October the 9th…
Well. I decided to check up on Hikari – hakase to see if he's properly recovered from the adventure of Saturday…
A helicopter in which Dr. Hikari, another man and a Net Police pilot were flying moved towards the crater Duo had formed somehow: a facility had been built there to conduct more investigations in the strange phenomenon: "K. S." had snuck a dragonfly onboard it to monitor.
The facility consisted into two main buildings: a tower placed on the exact center of the crater and a control center built at the rim of it where the base camp had been at: a large bridge connected both buildings, spanning across half of the crater's width and various special rods were placed across the crater to measure the unique phenomena.
Impressive. All of this has been built in slightly over two months' time…!
"What do you think of the aerial view, Hikari – hakase?"
"Very spectacular! While seen from here it looks like the construction of both Time – Space Tower and Surveillance Tower is on schedule."
"Yes, sir. It is thanks to the valuable research data that you, Hikari – hakase, and Doctor Takei gathered… Although there are some hurdles ahead of us but… The stabilization of the "Past Visions" is proceeding in a favorable manner." The man told Yuuichirou.
"Talk about reliable! Well then. We'll be able to work on the next stage of the experiments." Yuuichirou smiled as he looked out.
"Yes, sir. That's our earnest wish, sir. However… There's still a lot we don't know about the "Past Visions" themselves…"
"So we should make sure to monitor of the past-come Viruses for now."
"We'll soon land on the Time-Space Tower, Hikari – hakase." The man announced.
So there's still a lot left to learn…
The alarms inside of the control center suddenly blared to life: an orb of light and the same shifting rainbow colors appeared inside of the crater just as the chopper landed.
"A "Past Vision"…" A technician reported.
So that's one.
"There's no possibility of Viruses intruding here thanks to the Time Space Shield … Trilo Viruses are gonna show up again?"
"No. That's not it. I don't know what it is, but… It possesses an incredible amount of energy." The first one muttered.
The energy graphs on-screen were quickly climbing as more of the same "Past Vision" bubbles emerged: Dr. Hikari and the other man walked in.
"We apologize for rushing you right after arrival, Hikari – hakase."
"The "Past Vision" is gradually stabilizing, sir."
A zoomed "Past Vision" could be seen in one of the screens: some kind of swirling mass had formed inside of it.
"It doesn't seem to be a very old image but…"
"I'll improve the sensitivity."
One of the technicians clarified the image and the result was stunning: a close – up of Shade Man's face could be seen.
"Heh, heh…"
"Shade Man!" Dr. Hikari exclaimed, surprised.
What! An image of Shade Man from some months ago..? "K. S." gasped in surprise too.
Shade Man had plunged his other claw into Twilight, who seemed unfazed, though: he didn't react at the attack.
"A mere "Darkloid Tribe" won't be able to stand to the "Demon Tribe Chief" that I am!"
He had suddenly turned his whole body around as if the claws weren't there: Shade Man had been taken aback by it and Twilight crossed his two swords to form the shape of the Alphabet "X" character.
"Double Thunder!"
Shade Man had tried to retreat his arm but a burst of purplish electricity destroyed his right arm.
"Uwah!"
"Area Steal!"
Twilight had vanished and appeared on front of Shade Man, who had collapsed on his knees from the pain: Twilight had kicked him against the wall of the tower thus making Shade Man break it and fall to his fours.
"You were rather reckless in coming to me with revenge in mind."
He lifted Shade Man with his right hand and began to choke him.
"There's no mistaking it: that's Shade Man's last moment about half a year ago!"
"The charged particles of the "Past Tunnel" are increasing!" One of the two technicians reported.
The energy was off-charts by now.
"The charged particles …? Please strengthen the Time - Space Shield." He commanded.
"Yes, sir! Time – Space Shield: strengthened!"
A shield akin to a "Dimensional Area" deployed around the crater and the control center was left out of it.
"Sheesh! I won't allow anyone to use a "Raise Dead" on you again, Shade Man – dono. In that case… I'll remove you from the game!"
Twilight had been choking Shade Man's neck using his right hand.
"Shut your trap up!" Shade Man had cursed.
Shade Man had tried to use his other arm but Twilight had just waved the right hand again.
"Vicious Fire!"
Black flames had formed and consumed Shade Man's left arm up to the shoulder: he'd roared in agony.
"Bye-bye, Shade Man – dono! Say hi to your fallen pawns! Double Thunder: Max Power!"
He'd let go for a moment of Shade Man and yanked him upwards: Twilight quickly drew both swords out: when Shade Man fell back he had jumped and had plunged both swords into his chest emblem and making them emerge from the back of his body: purplish electricity had spread across the body: Shade Man had roared.
The electricity seemed to amplify and suddenly turned into bright bursts of purplish energy: the screens and consoles suddenly exploded and alarms blared into the night.
No good. Huh? Ah! Mr. Ijuuin's come back to Japan… Let's see, it's about 4PM there…
An IPC jet landed in one runway and Enzan came out: he quickly headed for the Net Police HQ and summoned Netto, Superintendent Manabe and Commissioner Kifune.
"The one who allies with us: the Net Navi fighting the "Asteroids" across the world… Colonel. And, also… This person is…"
He brought an image of Barrel next to Colonel's.
"His Operator: Barrel Tai-sa."
Netto actually stood up from his chair.
"This person! He saved me during the "Nebula Grey" incident!" He exclaimed.
Yeah. I still haven't shaken off the feeling of dread of that day. Saito admitted with a sigh.
"Barrel Tai-sa is a military man of the Ameroupe Army. Colonel is a battling-purpose Navi developed by the Army: a military Navi."
"The Ameroupe Army…?" Manabe asked.
"It's just like we suspected. Some time ago… When we questioned the Ameroupe Army about Colonel… They replied that there wasn't any existing Navi which matched up but…"
"So he's a military secret?" Manabe guessed.
"But your company has sympathies with the Ameroupe Army!" Netto grinned.
Blues and Rock Man were also observing the screens from inside of the PETs.
"A military Navi…?" Blues wondered.
"No wonder why he's so strong."
So! What's going in the crater?
The smoke cleared to reveal a materialized Shade Man standing in the crater: he was missing both arms and was full of wounds while grumbling under his breath.
What! Shade Man! But that form…! Ah! Some strange physics have allowed him to jump to the future seconds before being totally deleted, then?
He roared in fury and transformed into a purple sphere which shot skywards: he hit the Time – Space Shield, and, due to his speed, he broke through it before he transformed in bats and flew away.
I've got a bad feeling about this. What about Mr. Barrel?
"So… About "Barrel Tai-sa"… What's he doing by now? Can't we request the Ameroupe Army to allow him to officially cooperate with us?"
"Regarding that… Netto. Do you remember? When you were about to return from Ameroupe, some time ago…"
"Otouto…"
"What?"
"Look at that tombstone!"
"Tombstone?"
The tombstone signaled by Rock Man had Colonel's emblem set there and a black coffin was placed in front of it: several persons and some soldiers were standing in front of it.
"It has the same emblem of the Navi who helped us…!"
"Ah. I remember. What about it?" Netto asked.
"That was… Barrel Tai-sa's funeral!"
"Barrel Tai-sa's!" Netto shouted.
"Two days before that day…"
An old CD player was playing a vintage disc inside of an apartment.
The elderly man witnessed on the "Earth Erasure" day was sitting inside of the apartment: his PET III's emblem happened to be the same one "Colonel" had: the man was now looking out into the city: Duo's comet was visible in the sky.
"Duo…! My battle is just beginning…!"
He let go of the PET and became limp as the CD player stopped playing.
"Two days before that day… Barrel Tai – san passed away in his mansion's apartment. Of old age."
Everyone gasped.
By all the… "K. S." actually cursed from the surprise.
"It couldn't be!" Netto exclaimed.
"… It's true. This photo of Barrel Tai-sa dates back from his army days, but... Have a look." Enzan replied.
He brought up a blurry image which portrayed a park in a city and then zoomed on a man sitting on a bench: he sported the same clothing Barrel had but he had gray hair and wrinkles on his face while a more thinner face.
"What's this?" Kifune asked.
"His last photograph: taken a few days before his demise."
Netto stood up from the chair again.
"… Wait a minute, Enzan! I met Barrel – san way after that tombstone day thing! He wasn't that old mister in the first place!"
Enzan closed his eyes.
I think I know the explanation but let's see if Mr. Ijuuin reached the same conclusion too.
"Or are you trying to say that the Barrel – san I saw was a ghost?"
"Netto – kun." Meijin called out.
"Meijin – san…"
"Just like how the Trilo Viruses which should've become extinct ten years ago crossed over the Time – Space and appeared in the present... Wouldn't THE Colonel be a Navi from the past, then? That's Hikari – hakase's hypothesis." Meijin exposed.
"So then…"
"In short: when you say that you a person who claimed to be Barrel Tai – sa during the "Nebula Grey" incident, that was…"
"That was the Barrel Tai – sa which had come from the world of the past by crossing over the Time – Space…" Enzan dramatically announced.
Seeing the photos side by side said it all.
"From the past…?" Netto was shocked by now.
From the past…! Saito was shocked as well.
"True: during the "Nebula Grey" incident… A Time – Space distortion sprouted over the whole of the island…" Blues calmly recalled.
Rock Man gasped: he could see where this was leading to.
Huh! I've picked up an incredibly high energy signature!
The purple sphere appeared on the sky over a construction site and shot down into the ground thus causing a shockwave provoking the half-constructed building to collapse: two red eyes shone from within the dust and a voice growled.
They've come!
"So you mean to say that Barrel Tai – sa uses Colonel as his emissary from the past so as to cooperate with us?" Kifune summed up.
"But that doesn't answer everything."
"It doesn't?"
"Colonel was developed by the Ameroupe Army 20 years ago. Barrel Tai – sa was 30 years old then. But that'd mean that he was 50 years old when he was deceased."
"50 years old, you say?" Commissioner Kifune sounded baffled.
"… No way, man! Looking at this photo he totally looks like a 100 years old grandpa!"
"… Commissioner! A materialized "Darkloid" has been appeared in Akihara City!" Manabe exclaimed after answering the phone.
Shade Man was standing within the demolished construction site and gasping.
"I-I am… alive…? How in the… world…?" He muttered.
He suddenly remembered about Twilight and he could picture his smug smile and face under that weird facial protection the "Vadous Chaos" sported.
"WHY, YOU~…! TOWAIRAITTO~!"
A powerful shock-wave finished ruining the construction site before he shot skywards again and floated in mid-air.
"CRUSH NOISE!"
A car stopped nearby: both Netto and Enzan came out.
"That's…!"
Netto looked in disbelief.
"Shade Man!" Netto exclaimed.
"Shade Man! Why…? He should've been defeated by "Vadous Chaos" Twilight!" Enzan remembered.
"From what I can see he's been heavily damaged!"
"Let's go, Netto!"
"Be careful! He might be harmed but he's THE Shade Man!"
"We get it! Meijin – san! We need the "Dimensional Area"!"
"San wa iranai! Science Labs!" Meijin contacted them using his PET.
The "Dimensional Area" formed but Shade Man paid no heed.
"Synchro Chip, Slot In! CROSS FUSION!"
"Gro~ua~h! Grrr!"
Shade Man used a laser to cut a building in two.
"Stop it! Shade Man!"
Shade Man glanced at his back.
"Huh?"
"Battle Chip, Drill Arm!"
"Battle Chip, Samurai Sword!"
The two attacks caught him by surprise and he crashed into the ground with a cloud of dust: he stood up immediately, however.
"You lowlifes…! Where's Twilight?" Shade Man hissed.
"What?" "CF" Blues sounded surprised.
"You lost to Twilight!" "CF" Netto exclaimed.
"Don't screw me! The outcome hasn't come yet…! I'll get rid of you lowlifes firstly…! Crush Noise!"
The attack also hit the car behind which Meijin and Manabe had been taking cover while Dr. Hikari was speaking with Commissioner Kifune via a live video call.
"… Shade Man's in Japan?" He uttered.
"Both Netto – kun and Enzan – kun are confronting him!"
The two fighters turned to see if Meijin and Manabe were okay.
"Meijin – san!"
"Superintendent Manabe!"
"She's okay! She just lost consciousness!"
Meijin was holding an unconscious Manabe.
"Where are you looking at?"
Shade Man had moved behind them and he kicked them: "CF" Blues hit a wall and "CF" Netto fell to the ground.
"Shade Hand!"
A gigantic claw grabbed "CF" Blues and tried to crush him: he yelled as he struggled to break free.
"Enzan!"
However, Shade Man kicked "CF" Netto again and he rolled across the ground.
"Curses!"
"Grrrr!"
Shade Man pressed the back of his helmet with one foot.
"DIE~!" He roared.
"Needle Cannon!"
The blast hit Shade Man fully and he recoiled, surprised.
OH! Ms. Yuriko to the rescue! It's been a while! "K. S." sighed in relief.
I'm late, as usual. I was still compiling sensor data for the report on the "Nebula Grey" incident and I find this. Where'd this guy come out from and how did he get that damaged? Freeze Man got into a nearby Cyber World and began to look out.
"Flare Needle!"
"CF" Yuriko sliced the claw in half thus freeing "CF" Blues.
"Yuriko!" "CF" Netto exclaimed.
"Battle Chip, Magma Seed!"
Part of the ground under Shade Man turned into lava and he sunk on it, trapped.
"Good! You two! Now!"
"PROGRAM ADVANCE!"
"Hi – Cannon, Triple Slot In!
"Flame, Elec, Aqua, Bamboo Sword!"
"GIGA CANNON!"
"ELEMENTAL SWORD!"
"GRO~U~A~H!"
There was an explosion and Shade Man vanished: they both panted and turned to see "CF" Yuriko leaving.
"Yuriko! Please wait a min!" "CF" Netto called out to her before she could get away.
"Shade Man, who was supposedly gone, has returned… Is this Duo's power too?" "CF" Blues questioned.
"Investigate the "Past Tunnel"." "CF" Yuriko suggested while turning around.
"The "Past Tunnel"…?" "CF" Netto asked.
"Back on the day when Duo's "Earth Erasure" started…"
As described by Professor Takei, a mysterious glowing object had fallen from the skies into the Utah ridges, falling below the horizon and causing an explosion the brightness of which was stronger than daylight along with a brutal earthquake.
"There is a "Past Tunnel" there. The key to unravel all of the enigmas is probably there."
"Do you have any solid proof of that…?" "CF" Blues asked.
"My genes, revamped to become Duo's "Probe"… They are telling me that." She brought both hands to the base of her neck.
"What does Duo want us to do?" "CF" Netto asked.
"I don't know, either. But… There's only one certain thing. "
The "Dimensional Area" released and each of them retrieved their PET IIIs.
"That, I, too… That I am one of those who have been granted Duo's trial."
She held up the palm of her right hand to display the "Crest": they gasped.
"Netto – kun!" Meijin called out.
"Enzan – kun!" Superintendent Manabe called out, too.
"Meijin – san!"
"I'm glad! Both of you are alright…" Enzan replied.
Netto and Enzan turned forward but Yuriko was gone.
"Yuriko…" Netto muttered.
17:02 PM (Japan Time)…
"… Freeze Man."
"O~H! Gospel Shuryou! You have returned, sir!"
"Yeah. Some idiots were trying to hold me hostage and force me to supply them with our bank accounts and other data…"
"What!"
"But I got rid of them: they're in a watery grave by now."
"Excellent, sir. Many things have happened."
"Yeah. I'm still getting up-to-date: I know the overall picture but I guess your reports will fill the rest…"
Freeze Man had returned to his base and come out of his diamond when a holographic screen opened to display Gospel Shuryou's face: he immediately kneeled and sounded relieved.
"I am honored, sir! I have worked my best."
"I never questioned that. Later."
"Roger!"
"… Phew. I had to be a bit dramatic, but, well…"
Forte sighed in relief as he typed into a laptop.
"Hum. So it's more or less as I had gathered… Duo's trial, that Slur jerk granting "Asteroids", and now… They say that a Navi and a human have crossed over the Time – Space? That's a first. Hum. And Shade Man appeared again, too… According to Yuriko some "Past Tunnel" is involved too... Guess that this needs to be monitored." He muttered.
He then sat on an armchair and looked around the room.
Feels good to be back at the Old EM Waves Research Lab! Now I've gained a new kind of power but I'll save up my rematch with Slur for later on: I want to try to help my companion Saito… Slur! Stick out your neck!
17:09 PM (Japan Time)…
"… SHADE MAN – SAMA~! SHADE MAN – SAMA~! AH! SHADE MAN – SAMA! PUKU~!"
Bubble Man ran and kneeled besides his master's limp form in the same section of the Cyber World where Forte had pulled Rock Man at on the "Earth Erasure" day: Shade Man was lying with his face glued to the ground and it looked like he'd barely escaped being defeated by the two "Net Saviors" a few minutes ago.
"Shade Man – sama… I never stopped searching… De puku… It's not a dream… It's the real Shade Man – sama… Puku…"
He began to shake the limp body.
"Please answer me! Puku! I want you to wake up! Puku! Please don't die! Puku!"
He began to cry.
"Uh…" Shade Man weakly muttered as he slightly moved his head.
"Puku?" Bubble Man gasped.
"…Da-Dark… "Dark Chip"... Give…" Shade Man muttered.
"…"Dark Chip"? Puku!" Bubble Man looked resolved.
What! Oh hell! They weren't deleted! But they're very weak by now so they actually need a "Dark Chip"…? But I don't expect Bubble Man to be able to get his hands on one so easily: the "Neo WWW" has them and any of the "Asteroids" is more than a match for Bubble Man. Even if Shade Man gets there he's too weak to properly fight back. Freeze Man grimaced.
He warped back into the base and opened the diamond.
"Shuryou, Shade Man's alive but weak and Bubble Man is going to get a "Dark Chip"… What do we do?"
"Hum. Follow them. And if they get their hands on one try to destroy or disable it, Freeze Man… Because if not… We'll be in trouble."
20:09 PM (Utah Time)...
"… Whoa! Cool! This is the Time – Space Tower! It's so cool!"
Netto was baffled at the scale of the facility: Manabe looked in a good mood while Enzan had his arms folded and eyes closed.
"Last time I couldn't do any sight-seeing! Today let's slowly circle around and look out!"
"Everyone! We're going to arrive soon enough." Hunter reported.
"Wow! Cool, cool! Whoa~!"
Netto kept on looking while Enzan and Manabe nodded: Netto saw the chopper's shadow fly above the crater where the main tower's foundations were placed.
I also think it's cool! Saito commented.
The visitors were sitting on chairs inside the control room a few minutes later.
"In short: I think that that Shade Man crept into the present from the past."
"So you mean to say that he crossed over the Time – Space just before he was totally deleted by Twilight?" Enzan summed up.
"Correct. And, by coincidence… The "Time – Space Antenna" happened to capture that energy."
"However… The "Past Tunnel" should've been barricaded by the "Time-Space Shield", no…?" Hunter argued.
"True: had it been the Trilo Viruses which assaulted us before or Viruses of the same energy level, then… The "Time – Space Shield" would've worked. However… Just in case… We set up a monitoring system to continue to study the "Past Tunnel" yet… We should've seen it coming that it'd be powerless when faced with a powerful entity like Shade Man… Especially like what happened yesterday… Shade Man's agony and his unusual energy might've triggered a synergy with the "Past Tunnel" and…"
He reached the present age? "K. S." wondered as he listened in using his surveillance.
"… That might be the reason why the guy got summoned into the present…"
"… I see… So that was why Shade Man was already damaged?" Enzan guessed
"By the way, Netto… The key to unravel all enigmas is in the "Past Tunnel"… Or so Oozono Yuriko has told you, right?" Yuuichirou called out to him.
"That's true, Papa."
"True, sir. Hikari – hakase, sir." Enzan confirmed.
"Hum…" He brought the right hand to his chin and began to think about it.
"Hakase. Do you have any ideas of what it means?" Manabe asked.
"… Hum… Truth is… It's still in an experimental stage yet… The Time – Space distortions of the "Past Tunnel"… It'd seem they could be controlled!"
"Control the…?" Manabe began.
"…Time – Space distortions?" Hunter finished.
"However… It's not a complete system yet… And it's limited to Cyber Space… I think it's worth checking it out… Netto! Enzan – kun! We'll send Rock Man and Blues into the past's Cyber Space!"
"Send Rock Man and…!" Netto gasped.
"Blues into…?" Enzan continued.
"The past's…" Rock Man muttered.
"Cyber Space?" Blues was surprised, too.
What! Time-travel? They want to try to figure out if they can approach Colonel like this…?
12:12 PM (Japan Time), Saturday October the 10th…
"… How's the factory's operation going like?"
Tesla had contacted Inukai and Saiko via video-conference as they worked on what seemingly was a "Neo WWW" factory for something.
"No problems. Ms. President." Saiko reported back.
"I see… The "Net Savior" boy has become obstructive as of late… As if it we didn't have enough complications…!"
"I'm in the middle of developing the overseas route… The prospect will soon be ready…" Inukai replied.
"I'll be expecting results."
"Huh… Uh… Ugh… Huh…"
Shade Man was somehow managing to walk into a Cyber World somewhere and heading for a cylindrical capsule filled with water rushing upwards while producing purplish bubbles.
"… An intruder…?"
Alarms had popped out and Saiko looked slightly surprised: Tesla's video-conference screen popped out.
"An intruder, you say? Dispose of them ASAP!"
Beast Man and Flash Man quickly entered the Cyber World.
"They're around the "Dark Aura Tank"…" Flash Man reported.
"Let's hurry!" Beast Man rallied.
"You can't walk past 'ere! Puku!"
Bubble Man suddenly blocked their way and drew the harpoon gun while trying to look serious.
Hah. What can this imbecile do, anyway? Freeze Man smiled.
"What's up with you, you lowlife?" Beast Man grumbled.
"Get out of the way!"
"PUKU~!"
Flash Man easily kicked him away and flying across the air.
"Hruh… Gruh… Unrght... Grua~h…! Gru~h!"
Shade Man was hovering inside of the "Dark Aura Tank" and a purplish glow surrounded his body: he arched his body backwards and then faced forward as his eyes became reddish spots.
You'll be disposed any moment now.
"W-won't let ya walk past… At all… Puku… PUKU~!"
Beast Man had kicked him next and he hit the ground while covered in bruises and one or two band-aids.
"What an eyesore guy! Huh!" Beast Man scoffed as he kicked him again.
"GRUOA~H!"
Shade Man shattered the tank while a large mass of energy formed around his body: Saiko and Inukai gasped while the Asteroids didn't move from their position.
Oh heck. I underestimated them. Bubble Man's persistence has managed to win the necessary time.
Shade Man slowly walked forward while looking more energy-filled and refreshed: some his bruises and wounds had healed but his arms were still gone nevertheless: he was emitting sounds and didn't seem to mind the "Asteroids" who hadn't reacted yet.
"Shade Man – sama! These guys are "Asteroids"! Puku!" Bubble Man warned him.
"Get away." He commanded.
Bubble Man nervously nodded and quickly ran off.
"So this guy is the so-rumored Shade Man…" Saiko smiled.
"I dunno what "Darkloids" are but beat 'em up!" Inukai commanded.
"Neon Light!"
"Wild Rush!"
Flash Man crouched and hit the ground to produce his "Neon Lights" while Beast Man projected his forearms: both attacks met the immobile SHade Man and caused some dust.
"No big deal. Huh?" Flash Man shrugged.
"Red Wing!"
Several red bats flew out of the dust at top speed and hit the "Asteroids" like cutting objects, forcing them to shield their bodies.
"Hruh!"
Shade Man formed the lasers with his eyes and they hit Flash Man's left arm before the elbow, splitting it off: it broke down into data and warped to reform on the missing spot of Shade Man's left arm: he articulated it and grinned.
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…"
"Flash Man! You jerk! Jumping Claw!"
Beast Man jumped into the air and tried to hit Shade Man but he merely caught the right forearm with his newly-gained left hand.
"What!"
"Oh… What a nice arm. I'll be taking it!"
Beast Man's right forearm suddenly broke down into data and then reformed on Shade Man's right arm.
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…"
Both "Asteroids" were on their knees and clutching their shoulders while being overwhelmed by the pain: Shade Man suddenly loomed over them with an indifferent look to him.
"Remember this: that the Cyber World is foolish… And the whole of Earth belong to us "Darkloids"… HMPF!"
He gripped their heads and lifted them into the air with ease.
"Flash Man!"
"Beast Man!"
He began to apply pressure on their faces.
"Disappear!"
Both were retrieved into their PETs and Shade Man calmly lowered his newly gained arms.
"Bubble Man."
"Yikes! Puku!"
He rushed to his side and Shade Man turned.
"It's faint yet… I remember… When I was defeated by Twilight and was about to be deleted… What was that "gate" I passed through…?" He wondered aloud.
Bad, very bad, catastrophic!
Freeze Man warped back into his base.
"I shall offer no apologies, sir, yet… I underestimated them: Shade Man's caught up and gained new arms too… He still doesn't know how he ended up here but…" Freeze Man apologized.
"Che. If not even Rock Man and Blues could beat him back then… This is gonna be a bother. Follow them and maybe we can make a truce with them to try to delete the guy somehow… Maybe by trapping them in a diamond and throwing the guy into a furnace would do… But it'd have to be a strong one to contain THE Shade Man… Otherwise the "Vaccine Chip" might remove his power-up… I'll think of something: find out where Rock Man and Blues are at… Now!" He commanded.
"Roger, Shuryou!"
22:10 PM (Utah Time), Friday October the 9th…
Well. The preparations seem to be proceeding…
The "Time – Space Tower" rumbled as some machines worked inside of it: the control center began to program what apparently was the pathway to use and which was displayed over an LCD screen.
"Based on the results of Enzan – kun's investigation… The target is 20 years ago!" Yuuichirou commanded.
"Roger!"
The Cyber World section included a large machine hanging from the ceiling which quickly formed a large needle aiming downwards with a glowing blue stripe running down along its height: a metallic ring with an inner blue glowing band hovered close to its end.
"Anxious?" Blues asked.
"Not at all. Even if I say that… I'd be lying. But… I feel more excited than anxious, truth to be told. At checking up the Cyber World of 20 years ago…" Rock Man admitted.
"Heh. Truth is: I feel the same."
It's good that they can be honest with each other. "K. S." looked on.
"Time – Space Tower: Activate!"
"Time – Space Tower: Activate!" A technician confirmed.
The rods began to interconnect with streaks of bluish electricity forming atop them: they formed a circle surrounding the three huge cylinders which were the tower's foundations and gave way to a circle of bluish energy which began to spread across the diameter of the crater.
Impressive!
The circle then gave way to a blue transparent dome while a mass of energy formed on the very center of the crater and began to expand: it looked like jelly even but its colors were constantly shifting and mixing.
Pretty.
A reflection of the moon could be seen inside of it was it filled the width of the tower's central cylindrical shaft.
Hum! Intriguing!
Six curved metallic pieces with a blue rectangular stripe across their inner and outer faces descended from the spheroid machine: the needle began from its lower face: the ring lowered and the needle elongated: the pieces fused to form a thick circle.
Wow. Talk about cool technology.
It descended into the opening in the platform while Blues and Rock Man stood near the edge: they looked down to see that they were actually standing in a platform set several meters over a blackened hole built in the middle of some unstable energy-made terrain: a set of stairs down there too: the hole had an artificial edge with several indentations.
That's the "Tunnel", I guess.
The ring stopped there and expanded: light illuminated the hole to reveal a vertical shaft heading downwards: its main color seemed to be orange yet it was filled with several irregular-shaped chunks of a grayish material spinning around its body plus patches of yellowish energy: a glowing white dot was present at the bottom of the shaft: the light climbed up to the edge and the dimmed.
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh! So that's how it was!"
Purplish energy converged right over the machine's ring in the form of a sphere and broke away to reveal Shade Man.
What! They hadn't been deleted? "K. S." gasped.
Late! I'm late! Freeze Man cursed.
"That's how it was, then!" He grinned.
"Shade Man!"
"They hadn't been deleted, then?" Blues cursed.
"Shade Man, you say!" Netto cursed.
"And coming at the worst possible time…!" Enzan hissed.
Rock Man tried to shoot but Shade Man quickly dived towards him and swung the right forearm: Rock Man gasped but Blues suddenly tackled him and let the blow land on his back instead: he was sent flying and hit the floor, hard, clutching his stomach area.
"Blues!"
Shade Man gripped Rock Man's helmet with the left forearm: Freeze Man formed his diamond daggers and they plunged into Shade Man who didn't seem to notice them: he lifted Rock Man into the air.
"Don't get in my way, you brat!"
His right fang glowed as he kept on crushing Rock Man's helmet: he brought Rock Man closer to him and suddenly bit his left side of the neck.
"Saito – niisan!" Netto gasped in horror.
Shade Man tossed Rock Man in the ground and headed for the gap while chuckling.
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… So as to build the world of the "Darkloids" within Earth once again… Let's go to the world of the past!"
Rock Man managed to open his eyes but his sight was blurry, out of focus, and moved around at wild.
"Shade Man…!"
Shade Man jumped feet-first into the shaft which surely was the "Past Tunnel" and vanished from sight.
"SHADE MAN – SAMA~! Take me with you~! Puku~! PUKU~!"
Bubble Man ran across the room and jumped down too: energy began to form given the glow which the shaft emitted.
No… good…!
Rock Man gasped in fear and all humans had to shield their eyes from the intense glow being emitted by the monitors.
Hell! My daggers were useless! Freeze Man cursed.
A beam of white energy shot skywards all of a sudden: an expanding dome of energy engulfed the tower: a hissing or crackling sound rang out as the dome of energy wrecked the terrain and quickly expanded towards the control center encompassing the whole of the facilities: it died down as suddenly as it had begun: Rock Man struggled to lift his body along Blues.
We're still alive? "K. S." gasped.
"Blues…"
"I'm fine…"
"What… was that?" Netto wondered.
Alarms rang out and the word "UNCONTROLABLE" popped out on the screens.
"Hakase! We can't stabilize the Time – Space, sir!"
"The "Past Tunnel" is rejecting!"
"Is rejecting?" Netto asked.
"To put in simple words… It's over-weighted! The initial setting was for only Rock Man and Blues!"
"Hakase! An odd image is coming in!"
"Is it a "Past Vision"?"
"No, sir. It is nothing of the past… It's a real-time image, sir! I'll display it on the monitor!"
Static filled the screen: it showed some creepy silhouettes with red eyes somewhere: the foreground had a ruined wall on it and the background some buildings: two "Nebula Dimensional Converters" were visible too.
"Darkloid News! Puku! By now the numbers of "Darkloids" have greatly overcome those of humanity! We control 90% of the world! There are some leftover humans who survive in a region of Ameroupe and the North Pole … But they've already lost any strength to oppose us! The end of the war with humanity which has extended for over 20 years seem to, finally, be very close to happening! De puku!" Bubble Man's voice narrated.
Bubble Man planting a flag with his emblem amongst some ruins while accompanied by more silhouettes showed up on screen: they then gave way to images of rampaged cities the skies of which were covered by "Dimensional Areas": and they finally displayed a statue of Shade Man in the midst of some wrecked city which was illuminated by a thunderbolt's flash.
"What in the…" "K. S." cursed aloud.
"Freeze Man! What's going on?"
"Huh… No excuses, yet… Shade Man's used some system to jump 20 years back in time and seems to be trying to rewrite history! I've just seen a transmission claiming that!"
"But nothing's changed over here!" Gospel protested.
"I think that's because the "Tunnel" is still open and we're receiving the result of Shade Man's handiworks… But he hasn't been able to implement yet… I'm sorry: I'm blurting without thinking! Hum… Yes, I guess that the flow is going in both directions… Maybe if we followed Shade Man then we could stop them…" Freeze Man was trying to reason it.
"Huff. Time – travel and all that… I know it's got a lot of paradoxes linked to that and I'm not in the mood to try to have to figure them out live, anyway…" Gospel grumbled.
"What should I do, then, sir?"
"I'm not sure! But… If Shade Man wants complete victory he'll come to destroy this facility… Stay here and defend it! The world's at stake!"
"Roger, sir… Hell…! We're in trouble! Big trouble!"