Chapter Twenty-OneWrath of the Hazard
The Legendary Tamers arrived at the arena to a mix of cheers and taunting (mainly from Toki's group).
Nyx caught sight of Shiho, who went to his side and took hold of his hand. Nyx squeezed it for comfort, not noticing Jeri's jealous gaze upon their entwined fingers.
He glared at Kakeru the moment he caught the boy leering at both Shiho and Artemis. He really did have no shame.
"Good luck, Takato." Shiho whispered before moving to the side. The other Legendary Tamers moved to join her. Artemis paused in front of Nyx and whispered in his ear.
"Nii-chan, I really like Shiho." She said, the implication hidden in her words and a sincere smile on her lips. She giggled as she turned away from her blushing older brother-figure and joined the rest.
Nyx climbed into the arena with Guilmon and his eyes met Kakeru's.
"Ready to lose?" Kakeru asked cockily.
"I'm ready to put you in your place." Nyx responded coolly.
"Let's start this." Kakeru said, gesturing for Gaomon to step up. "Let's save time and go to the highest level we can. No point wasting their energy at lower levels."
Loud murmurs filled the arena. Seeing two powerhouses going all out was something they'd rarely got to see. Excitement swelled within the masses.
"Fine with me." Nyx said, despite the apprehension beginning to fill him. He took out a blue card. "Digimodify! Matrix Digivolution Activate!" Guilmon began to glow a bright red color.
"Guilmon Digivolve to… Growlmon! Growlmon Matrix Digivolve to… WarGrowlmon!"
The large cyborg dragon stood tall and proud, glaring at Gaomon, preparing himself for what was to come.
"Impressive… just not impressive enough." Kakeru drawled. His black D-Arc began to glow.
"Gaomon Warp Digivolve to… MirageGaogamon!"
Loud exclamations of awe could be heard from their captive audience at the sight of the magnificent blue-armored humanoid dog. Nyx himself felt a hint of doubt at the power he felt coming from the Mega level digimon. This would be the very first he'd ever seen in his life. He didn't let it show on his face. If it did, it would only demoralize WarGrowlmon.
The bell rang and the battle commenced. MirageGaogamon made the first move as he tackled WarGrowlmon to the ground. The impact caused the entire arena to shake, causing a slight wave of panic before everyone calmed down.
"Atomic Blaster!" WarGrowlmon yelled, the twin red beams forcing MirageGaogamon off. However, to both his and Nyx's displeasure, MirageGaogamon didn't have a single scratch on him.
"That tickled." MirageGaogamon admitted, smirking ever so slightly. It was clear he shared his Tamer's arrogance. That only fired WarGrowlmon and Nyx up more. "My turn. Double Crescent Mirage!" He shot out crescent waved blasts from his hands which slammed into WarGrowlmon with great force. Both Nyx and WarGrowlmon cried out in pain. The attack felt more painful than any they'd dealt with.
"So this is a Mega's power?" Nyx gasped out. He was worried about WarGrowlmon. If it had felt like his ribs were breaking to him than what must it have felt like for his partner?
"Damn straight? Do you still think that you stand a chance?" Kakeru sneered, enjoying the look of pain on Nyx's face.
Both Artemis and Shiho moved towards the ongoing battle, concern written plainly on their faces, but Makoto and Henry held them back, respectively.
"Let me go, Makoto! He's hurt!" Artemis struggled against his hold.
"You can't go to him… this is his fight." Renamon asserted, her ice blue eyes narrowed.
MirageGaogamon didn't even relent. Just as WarGrowlmon was beginning to pick himself up, the Mega attacked again. "Full Moon Blaster!" A large energy blast came straight from his chest plate and overcame WarGrowlmon.
The twin screams of pain silenced the clamor in the arena.
Seeing the fallen Juggernaut and his Tamer, Kenta couldn't help but tremble. "T-this wasn't a fight… this was a massacre." He gasped. "WarGrowlmon didn't even stand a chance."
"So weak…" Kakeru hissed in disgust, staring at Nyx. The Hazard Tamer was on his knees, coughing out blood. "You could have pulled away from the link so at least you would remain safe."
"If G-Guilmon has to suffer… (cough)… than I will too." Nyx responded, glaring. "I w-won't leave him."
"How sentimental." Kakeru said. "You've lost and yet… you still cling to this useless honor. Those beliefs you have show that you're a worthless Tamer."
"You're wrong!" Suzie cried out in outrage, taking her place at her brother's side. She may not know who Nyx was but from the way her brother spoke of him, she felt like she did.
"Nyx's honor is what makes him one of the most admirable of all… if you can't see that, than you are a fool." Rika hissed. Many in the audience voiced their agreement.
"So loyal…" Kakeru hissed. "So loyal to one who has been lying to you all about his identity. You didn't even know that in reality your beloved Nyx is in fact one of the greatest outcasts in town!"
Nyx stiffened up, knowing what was coming. He was in no position, however, to stop him. Kakeru had all but won…
"What do you mean?" Jeri asked in confusion.
"What I mean is that your Nyx is none other than Takato Matsuki!" he exclaimed, using his ability… which was to negate any other Legendary Tamer's power. Everyone gasped as Nyx's blonde hair and golden eyes faded away to brown hair and pained crimson eyes.
The response to Kakeru's revelation was thunderous.
"All this time the fabled Nyx was that wimp Matsuki?" Jiro gaped, voice filled with disgust. He glanced over at the pissed off Toki.
Toki couldn't believe he'd been defeated by Takato of all people… it made him sick.
Beside him, a dumbstruck Kazu just looked at his old friend in shock and betrayal.
Jeri felt the betrayal most of all. Why didn't Takato tell her? She thought they were friends…
Kenta and Suzie were the most accepting of all. Kenta could never think badly of his childhood friend and Suzie hadn't known Takato well enough to feel betrayed. In fact, she sort of understood what he was going through.
Takato absorbed all of the mixed responses, although most of them were negative. He took them all to heart. The Crest of Chaos began to glow subtly… and unknown to everyone, it was being fueled by Millenniummon.
Artemis broke away from Makoto with the intentions of going to Takato to heal him but one of Kakeru's hired goons grabbed her bodily around the waist and began to bring her over to Kakeru's side.
"You do remember the other part of the deal, don't you?" Kakeru smirked, stilling the other Legendary Tamers when they went to help Artemis, who was fighting the goons tooth and nail.
At that moment, Takato got to his feet, stumbling. "You haven't won yet." He said. Something in his voice made his comrades turn their attention back to him. Something was wrong… starting with that eerie red/black aura that was beginning to surround Takato.
WarGrowlmon rose to his feet, a similar aura surrounding him as well. His eyes were feral and the hazard sign on his chest was flashing red.
"What's happening?" Henry gasped, watching as the formerly clear skies began to turn an ominous red and lightning began to flash.
"It's the Digital Hazard." Shiho said. "Takato's been pushed too far and he's begun to unleash it."
"Is that bad?" Suzie asked, frowning.
"Very bad." Shiho responded. "The Digital Hazard is one of the most powerful forces in both worlds. If he loses complete control of it…"
"Then it's over. For all of us." Ryo responded, comprehension dawning on him.
"The question is, how did Takato come to possess the Digital Hazard?" Makoto queried with a frown.
"The Sovereign chose to seal it within the Crest of Chaos. So in truth, the Crest of Chaos is actually the Hazard Crest. Takato was compatible with it due to the fact that he bonded with it from the moment he created Guilmon. The Sovereigns sent me here to protect Takato from succumbing to it… but I didn't expect this." Shiho admitted, looking like she was ready to cry. "And now I failed him."
The group could only watch in horror as a strange black/red fog seemed to encase the entire arena, leaving it trapped between the two worlds. A red funnel of energy surrounded WarGrowlmon and… Takato changed.
Takato's hair turned pitch black and his eyes darkened to a blood red. He now wore black pants, a dark red shirt with the black Digital Hazard symbol on it and over it was a black trench coat with a red, vicious looking dragon emblazoned on it. Even his goggles changed to black and red.
At the same time, the funnel disappeared revealing what WarGrowlmon had become. The monstrous dragon that had replaced him seemed to hold no resemblance to the kind and lovable Guilmon.
"Fuck. What the hell is that?" Kazu gasped at the sight of the monstrosity.
"Megidramon. Mega level Virus. The most powerful of the Four Great Dragons. Special attacks are Hell Howling and Megiddo Flame." Henry read out the information his D-Arc provided him.
Kakeru stared straight at Takato, who had been completely expressionless throughout the entire transformation. Then Takato finally did something, but it was hardly reassuring…
He laughed.
Meanwhile at Hypnos, everyone was on high alert. They had just found out that the entire investigation of the Tokyo Legendary Tamers was a hoax and that Kakeru was a fraud. He wasn't there to test them… he was sent to ruin them.
Just as Yamaki had been ready to give notice to the Legendary Tamers, the second disaster happened. All over the monitors, red hazard signs flashed, showing the destabilization between the Real and Digital Worlds. Not only that but the arena the Tamers were in had completely dropped off the map, stuck in some peculiar Digital Zone that couldn't be breached from the outside no matter how hard they all tried.
"Just what the hell is going on in there?" Yamaki asked, distressed as he started playing with his lighter.
"He's gone off the deep end." Kazu decided as Takato's cold, crazed laughter rang out. How could the boy be so indifferent to his partner having turned into a monster? A monster that was currently tearing into MirageGaogamon with a vengeance.
"That wouldn't be very surprising." Toki said derisively… only to get punched by an irate Makoto. This earned a surprised gasp from Artemis.
"Shut your mouth, you bastard, or I'll make you." Makoto said darkly. Toki's words were upsetting Artemis, who had long since been released by the panicked goon.
"Since when have you been Takato's friend?" Toki sneered.
"Since I saw through the lies you've been telling everyone about him." Makoto responded.
"Somebody needs to calm Takato down… he's going to kill MirageGaogamon otherwise." Henry said.
Suddenly, both Artemis and Shiho rushed over to Takato.
"Stop this, Takato! This isn't who you are! That isn't who Guilmon is! Don't let your rage consume you!" Artemis pleaded, shaking him. He seemed to be completely oblivious to her words… as if he really wasn't all there.
"Can't you hear us?" Shiho asked, placing a hand on his cheek. He blinked, but that was the sole response she got.
"He's standing here but nobody's home…" Artemis said, sounding sad. "Then I'll just have to bring him back."
"What do you mean?" Shiho queried.
"Watch." Artemis responded, putting a hand on Takato's heart, focusing her energy into it. "Projection."
Artemis found herself within a strange world that was mostly red with black gears whirring all around her. Scanning around, she saw Takato curled up in a fetal position in the center of the world.
It took her a moment to figure out how to move but then she headed over to Takato, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her with dead eyes. It broke her heart to see him in such a state.
"Takato… you need to wake up." She pleaded.
"What do you need me for? I'm utterly worthless." Takato said desolately, looking away again.
SLAP!
Takato's eyes widened as he cradled his stinging cheek. Artemis had never struck him before.
"Don't you say that again, Takato. You're far from worthless and it's about time you realized that." She reprimanded. "You have so many people that love you… don't throw that all away."
"Did you see the way they all looked at me? Even Jeri…" Takato frowned.
"Forget them. What do they mean to you? Kazu's an idiot and Jeri… she lost her right to be your friend the moment she chose Toki over you. You have so much to be happy for Takato… you have Guilmon, you have all of us… and you have Shiho. She loves you, Takato, even if she won't admit it and I know you love her too. If you keep holding onto all these insecurities, you'll never be able to move on." Artemis said, placing a hand on Takato's cheek.
"Is it really that easy?" Takato murmured, leaning into her touch instinctively.
"It's only as hard as you make it." Artemis said. "We'll deal with this all together. Just please – come with me?" She held out a hand for him.
Takato hesitated for a moment before taking her hand. There was a flash of light and Artemis found herself back in her body with her hand tightly clenched in a now fully conscious Takato's hands. He looked to be back to normal. Tired from doing something she had just recently learned how to do, Artemis stumbled back and got supported by Makoto. She gave him a grateful look and got a sweet smile in return.
It took Takato only a few moments to assess the total situation and his eyes widened in horror. "What have I done?" he asked himself.
As Megidramon was about to kill a beaten and worn Gaomon, Takato cried out. "STOP!"
Megidramon stopped at his Tamer's orders, just inches away from impaling Gaomon with his tail.
The Digital Zone disappeared and the sky cleared as Megidramon shrank back down to a worn out Gigimon. Takato scooped him up in his arms and sank to his knees, whispering sorry over and over again. The Legendary Tamers surrounded him, along with Shiho and Suzie, trying to comfort him. The once captive crowd started trickling away, not wanting to be in the chaotic area anymore. Only the other Tamers remained, watching on the sidelines.
A couple of minutes later, Ryo looked up and frowned. "Where did Kakeru go?" The false investigator had completely vanished.
"The coward ran away… how predictable." Rika scowled.
"Let's not worry about him for now." Henry responded as the group tried to help their broken comrade pick up the pieces of his shattered resolve.