Cyberworld Immortals

by Manus Dei

After the Cybeast incident, a temporary peace settles in. However, time flows ever onward, bringing new changes within and without. The Hikari twins are about to face their greatest challenge, as mysterious forces begin their work and visitors from afar enter their lives.

38. The World Fights Back

Chapter 38 – The World Fights Back

Verus stood over the pile of scrapped robots, head held high. In his right hand he held a strange metal cylinder of otherworldly design from which a white energy blade was protruding.

He had been fighting for hours with reckless abandon, cutting down a veritable horde of the rampaging robots in his path, the power in his blood singing to him as he moved with the speed and agility of a man a quarter of his age, losing all track of time and all notions of fatigue or unease.

Now, he paused to survey his work. He had nearly forgotten how easy it was to lose himself in his battle trance, and he had wandered far from his doorstep, where he had started from, halfway across the city. If not for his enhanced senses and inhumanly sharp memory, he might have trouble finding his way back later without a PET or other device.

Pushing aside the unwanted memories threatening to surface due to putting old skills to use again, he listened quietly. The street was deserted and dead silent. Everyone with a shred of sanity had fled, either barricading themselves in their homes or sought shelter elsewhere.

Another of the towering behemoths shattered that silence, stomping down the road and speeding up in his direction. He raised his blade and prepared to fight once again, but was interrupted by a sight that surprised even him.

The skies darkened and thunder echoed through the air. Crashing from the heavens, something wrapped in a fierce white light landed in the asphalt between him and his quarry. Momentarily blinded, he thought that perhaps an actual bolt had hit, but as his sight slowly returned, he saw two humanoid figures, with their backs turned to him. Fighting off the effects of the glare, he was able to see that their backs were covered by strange silvery cloaks, with a pattern that reminded him of a moth's wings, fluttering with the dislocation of air from their abrupt landing, but the rest of their forms was hidden to him.

His tired eyes widened in surprise as he sensed the raw power surging from them, unlike anything he had ever felt before, almost enough to knock him off his feet by their mere presence. Then, it suddenly flared even higher, and he felt almost as if a wall had physically slammed into him. His senses could barely process what he was experiencing, and the surge of this familiar energy resonated with every cell in his body.

Without a word, they raised their hands, clawing their fingers, and torrents of white lightning erupted from them, enveloping the robot, frying the internal circuitry. As they continued their onslaught, the metal frame started glowing, and then bubbling, and then its entire structure was slowly reduced to a puddle of molten slag on the asphalt.

As the flash of lightning subsided and his eyes finally adjusted, he saw the two figures turning to him and noticed that they were clad in strange robes, much like his own, but entirely made of some kind of silvery substance that seemed to shimmer under the starlight. Their faces were equally covered, clad in masks that showed nothing of their wearers, but the design of the entire ensemble was strikingly familiar, and then he felt their gaze upon him… and something familiar about their energy.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Ashla." one of them replied.

"Bogan." the other added.

The archaic names were also familiar to him, and his eyes widened in surprise at the implications.

On the other side of the world, in the Sanctum of the Founders, El bolted up from his chair.

"What's wrong?" Lan asked, turning to him as he and Hub were about to leave for the transport awaiting them outside.

"Did you feel that?" he asked, looking as if he was staring at something far away.

Lan blinked under the helmet and hesitantly replied.

"I felt… something. No idea what."

"Like a sound at the edge of hearing..." Hub added.

El nodded.

"Your awakening was recent, but that is an apt way of putting it. Someone else has entered the fray, and the magnitude of their presence is something we cannot overlook."

"Where could they have come from?" Lan asked. "Are there more like us around here?"

"There are some with the potential." Elise explained. "But not developed to this level. It is… a different kind of strength. It flows through the earth, the oceans, the air… It resonates across all life it touches. We have been in its presence before."

"Verus." El said. "He is there, but his presence compared to these is minuscule."

"So what is it?" Hub asked. "This 'Force' thing you mentioned before?"

"That's a likely hypothesis." Elise said. "There is a certain similarity between some of its aspects and the power you now wield. Having had your eyes opened, you will become more aware of the presence of other powers with time. But after everything we have uncovered in the last few days, we should not jump to conclusions."

"You go ahead and proceed with your task." El added. "We will look into this."

The twins nodded and ran outside, where they found another magnetic levitation craft of the same type as the one that had carried them there waiting for them. As soon as they were done strapping in, the doors closed and the craft bolted, its pilot sharing their sense of urgency.

Recalling their previous trip, they wondered who was handling the vehicle that time, if one of the Four, or if someone else entirely. They did not need to wait much longer to find out as a familiar voice greeted them mid-flight.

"I trust that you found the premises agreeable?" Phantom asked through the intercom.

"Old, but still stylish." Lan replied, a little confused as to why he would bring up the state of the Sanctum of the Founders of all things.

"We expect some renovations to get underway as soon as this crisis is over." Phantom noted. "After all, now that there is someone home again, and given the nature of the work done there, the infrastructure may be in need of some upgrades. Which brings me to my next point..."

"You'd like us to keep quiet for now about who exactly is running the place?" Hub surmised.

"Quite so." Phantom confirmed. "While we did not agree with Nur-Ab-Sal's policy of concealing the identities of the Founders or the Imperative's role and heritage, I am sure that you would agree that it is too soon for them to face an onslaught of the world's curiosity. The fact that you were the first they decided to reveal their new role to speaks volumes of the trust they have in you… and for our part, we agree with their assessment."

"Well, we've had to deal with our share of strange secrets." Hub pointed out. "But on a more personal level, how do you feel about the way things turned out?"

"An interesting choice of words." Phantom remarked. "I have plenty to think about, but feeling is still a relatively new experience."

"We noticed." Lan said. "I guess each of you four took to the changes differently?"

"Yes. And someone had to be the sane and rational voice of reason in this matter."

"And what does the sane and rational voice of reason in this matter think?" Lan asked, deliberately echoing Phantom's words.

"While I had some reservations about such a sudden appointment, especially given the lack of leadership experience of the newly minted Imperative and Affirmative, I do believe they have potential and a solid moral grounding to succeed. While my assessment may be slightly biased by the fact that I have grown to appreciate their way of doing things, I have taken all available data into account."

"Plus you're probably not very fond of the creepy face on the wall, huh?" Lan remarked.

"While we were bound by the chain of command and can appreciate the need for secrecy in some things, his methods were… often frustrating." Phantom conceded.

"Is that your way of saying he's an asshole?" Lan quipped.

"Even an anus is capable of performing necessary functions with a degree of efficiency and logic." Phantom pointed out. "Are you familiar with the old Celeron processor line?"

"Not really." Lan said, scratching his chin. "But I'm guessing that's your way of calling him a useless moron?"

Phantom's silence was enough of an answer.

After about half an hour, they were approaching land again, and as the twins looked out the windows they saw a metal structure that appeared to be sprouting from the middle of a thick forest. The intense air traffic around it, mostly comprised of helicopters but also including some VTOL jets, suggested that they would be having plenty of company below.

A row of trees shuffled out of the way, revealing a camouflaged entrance to an underground hangar, and upon receiving landing instructions, Phantom smoothly flew them down a vertical shaft lined by rows of glowing lights.

"So what are the other three doing anyway?" Lan asked as they came to a stop on a circular platform.

"They will be joining us shortly through other means." Phantom explained as he deployed the landing ramp and opened the side door. Three armed soldiers in camouflage gear greeted their arrival and the apparent leader saluted them before speaking into his headset.

"Die Zwillinge sind hier." he said into the microphone. He paused for a moment, waiting for confirmation of his orders and then spoke again. "Jawohl, Herr Kommandant."

He then turned to the twins again.

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming. The Base Commander is expecting you."

Phantom watched them go and put the vehicle in standby mode, seemingly waiting for something. The twins were escorted through a series of rooms and elevators that seemed to be part of a vast underground complex. Along the way they saw various groups of soldiers and civilians alike, seemingly collected from all over the world based on the variety of uniforms, insignia and garb. More than a few seemed to recognize them right away, stopping in their tracks to watch them or exchanging glances. A couple of younger civilians actually struck a dramatic pose familiar to Lan from his superhero shoes, which made him smile underneath the helmet and regret not having time to stop and chat.

Eventually they were led to a large chamber, where hundreds – if not thousands – of computers, portable and desktop models alike, were running, manned by an equally impressive number of people in what looked to Lan like the largest multiplayer event since the old e-Sport craze, which had died out and been replaced by Net Battling over time.

They were greeted by a man of indeterminate age, clad in a simple yet practical outfit comprised of brown formal shoes and trousers, a pair of black leather gloves and an olive wool sweater with brown elbow pads, which looked like a comfortable choice for the underground environment. There was something strange about the man's face, and no matter how hard Lan tried later, he simply could not recall it. The only things that stayed in his memory were the uniform and portions of the conversation. For his part, Hub did not seem to be affected, but he would later attest that there was definitely something odd about this person and the almost nondescript face.

For the time being, they found themselves assigned to a workstation, and from there they understood what was going on. An overwhelming number of military and civilian personnel with network, computer, security and Net Battling skills had come together under the supervision of the newly minted task force and were hard at work finishing what the Colonel and Iris systems had started.

"So what are we looking at here?" Lan asked the nearest person, a young man in his twenties who looked every bit like the stereotypical early 21st century nerd.

"An honor to meet you at last." the young man said. "Big fan of your work. As for your question, we're in the process of preparing a big push at Sector 29, but those Pseudonavi constructs keep multiplying at an alarming rate."

"Pseudonavi?" Lan asked.

"That's what the higher ups have taken to calling them. Not very imaginative, but an apt description. They have a lot of functions similar to Navis but none of the artificial intelligence capabilities. In essence they are just a remote control program shell, much like a good portion of the Pre-Alpha Rebellion computer viruses. While they don't seem to be able to multiply by corrupting existing programs – unlike true viruses – the rate at which they've been multiplying is still alarming, and they're armed with weapon data much like the kind usually seen in single use Battle Chips. The main difference here is the single use part. The portion of the program shell that would normally contain the AI and some other systems is entirely dedicated to Battle Chip data, in effect giving them access to a large arsenal. They also seem to have some capacity for autonomous action, but it boils down to trying to destroy anything that comes into range."

"The initial reports said that the various volunteer teams across the world were making progress though." Lan pointed out. "Did something change while we were on our way here?"

The man nodded.

"They started multiplying much faster within the last hour. We are currently at a stalemate. The computers they prepared for your use should have a copy of all the relevant reports, but I imagine you'll be eager to jump in rather than waste time reading."

"You're right about that." Lan said. "We can't exactly go through the backlog while people in the front need us."

He then turned to the computer in front of them. He did not recognize the brand logo on the components, but it definitely looked powerful. For his part, Hub just located the casing that contained the internal components and placed his hand on it, once again making use of his direct interface abilities.

"Huh..." the man muttered as he watched. "Those next-generation Copy Bots really are something. Still, there's something unusual about yours. A custom model?"

"Something like that." Hub said, not wanting to share too much.

Meanwhile, Lan manned the physical controls, the surface of the keyboard and mouse seemingly authenticating his fingerprints and granting full access. He pondered for a moment just how many databases his biometric information might be stored in, but pushed that thought aside to focus on the task at hand. He felt the base commander's lingering presence some distance behind him, but their new companion seemed to have effectively taken over the task of explaining the controls to them.

"So what am I looking at here?" Lan asked as a world map view opened up, taking most of the screen space.

"Deployment status and numbers on the field in each region." the man explained. "From here you can also access several access ports that we have secured for Navi deployment."

The man then pointed to the lower right corner of the screen where an icon was already flashing.

"From there you can access the communications suite. We have already selected a primary insertion point where your presence would have the greatest effect, but after we have secured that area you will likely need to relocate quickly. We realize that personally taking command of all our forces would be a daunting task for any person or two, so we have other field commanders in other regions, but they will be reporting to you once they have relevant information."

"So where would you have us deploy for now?" Lan asked.

"There is an important server cluster in the immediate vicinity of CERN that needs to be cleared out. What makes this urgent is the fact that this cluster is responsible for a number of transatlantic communications channels, as well as pathways across the continent's western area. Your team is already connected and awaiting your arrival."

"OK then, we'd better not keep them waiting." Lan said as he maneuvered the controls to call up the live feed on the Cyberworld area they would be entering.

For his part, while still physically present and following the conversation, Hub had already cleared most of the distance, and as he emerged from the designated access point, he was greeted by the business end of a green sniper rifle.

"Took your time… Commander." SearchMan remarked with the hint of a grin as he quickly withdrew the rifle.

"I should have known you'd be here." Hub said in the way of greeting. "Any other familiar faces around today?"

"A few. It's a good thing you arrived when you did. Some of them were starting to get restless."

"Indeed." a familiar voice cut in. Hub immediately spotted about the last Navi he would expect in the middle of a large scale field operation, sporting his unmistakable bulbous head reminiscent of a vintage sci-fi computer.

"NumberMan!" Hub acknowledged. "You're a long way from home."

"It would seem that my talents were required, and someone important enough requested our assistance." the calculator Navi remarked.

"Someone important enough?" Hub asked, quirking an eyebrow under the helmet.

"I guess with the chaos of the last few days, you probably haven't heard about it." NumberMan explained with unusual cheer given the circumstances. "This not-so-little crisis with the rampaging robots provided ample opportunity for others to take part in your usual brand of heroics. But I'm sure Higsby will want to tell you about that himself."

As if on cue, a video window materialized above their heads, showing the familiar face of the former WWW operative turned chip merchant. There was something different about him since the last time the twins had met him, however. He looked rather pale, and the frame of his thick glasses appeared somewhat cracked and battered in some places.

"Huh, hi guys." he greeted in his usual manner, though there was something different in the tone. "So these days are you going by Mega or Hub?"

Hub shrugged.

"You've known me long enough to have the right to use either, though I must confess that being called by my birth name so often these days is rather comforting. But how did you end up getting mixed up in this operation? And what happened to you?"

"As for Item A, Mariko and Yuriko asked for my assistance." he explained. Hub immediately noticed another change. Higsby had always been quite formal when referring to their teacher, almost excessively so at times. "As for Item B, it is related to A."

"Meaning?" Hub asked, somewhat puzzled.

Higsby straightened his glasses and paused for a moment. He seemed unusually focused, more than the twins had ever seen him outside his moments of excitement over rare chips. When he finally spoke, Hub found himself grinning, first timidly, then from ear to ear.

"Well, I wasn't going to let those oversized trash compactors total the school so soon after it finally reopened. It just so happened that our favorite teacher had her sister over for a visit and I had thought to introduce myself right before everything went to hell. It also happened that I took offense at those things trying to harm them and decided to voice my discontent to the tune of five hundred watts."

"So you took on a bunch of those robots?" Hub asked, rather impressed.

"My boy, you've known me long enough to know that an angry nerd is a dangerous one." Higsby said with a momentary chuckle before wincing in pain. "I got a bit roughed up, but it was definitely worth it. And before you ask, I'll rest when this is done. Right now I'm feeling pretty good about myself and more than eager to chip in."

"We could not keep him out of this without resorting to military grade sedatives." another familiar voice chimed in, appearing on a different window. Laika looked like he was going through a very long night, but other than the telltale signs of excessive caffeine consumption, he seemed to be doing well.

"So… Major, huh?" Hub asked.

"Someone has to make sure things are done properly." he dismissively replied. "They can give me whatever titles they want as long as it means I am able to do my job."

"I'd make a note about how you should be proud of yourself." Lan cut in. "But it still feels weird as hell to have people twice my age saluting and calling me Commander."

Laika's normally stoic and unreadable expression betrayed the hint of a rare smile.

"I expected as much. Regardless, despite our differences in methodology, I would say that you have earned it. Incidentally, did they explain to you the details of the mission?"

"Not this specific operation." Lan pointed out. "We spent a good portion of the last few hours in meetings with a bunch of representatives and then headed out to some kind of underground base."

"Well then, I do believe you should be made aware of the results of your earlier handiwork." Laika explained. "While I would likely have not been so quick to trust Dr. Wily, it is undeniable that his programs worked. There is currently an area over four thousand kilometers in radius… and growing... where the malware infection has been completely purged, and the system is still making inroads in other areas despite this surge in opposition. Which brings us to our current situation. With the loss of the jamming signal and the hijacking being effectively beaten back, the enemy appears to be focusing on delaying us by seizing the controls of major network junction points."

"I've been monitoring the situation from SciLab for the last few hours." Higsby added. "While the systems you deployed are tremendously effective, they still have a lot of ground to cover and their effectiveness depends on them working together. We don't know what kind of internal control programming they have, and Wily is in no condition to tell us at the moment, but we have to assume that there is a limit to how quickly they can work."

"Wait, Wily is in no condition?" Lan interrupted. "What do you mean?"

"When we lost global communications, he locked himself in his office and started going at it without food or rest in order to finish the coding." Sean cut in, in his own video display. "Between the strain to his system from overworking and the added stress of the last few days, he's falling ill again and we had to sedate him for his own good. He should come around in a few hours."

Lan sighed. He knew Wily's health hadn't been the best in recent times due to a combination of age and regret. He couldn't help wondering what would happen to Baryl and Regal if his condition took a turn for the worse. Despite his troubled history with the three, or perhaps because of it, he couldn't help feeling a lump in his throat. While he did not admit it out loud – not even to Hub – it was also painful to consider the loss of one of the few remaining people who still had memories of Tadashi Hikari's life.

Forcing those thoughts aside with an effort of will, he instead focused on the task at hand.

"So this particular network junction was set up near CERN?"

"A side effect of the tremendous amount of data they routinely route due to their research." NumberMan explained. "Don't forget that a lot of the early network infrastructure was also developed by academic institutions. Even if Alpha made a big mess and forced a rebuild of the code, many of the physical pathways are still the same, just with upgraded hardware."

"Maybe I'm just talking out of my ass, but shouldn't there be redundancies in place?" Lan pointed out. "Something to prevent bottlenecks in the event of really high traffic or damage to the infrastructure?"

"Normally, there would be." Laika explained. "But recent events have resulted in physical damage to two of the traffic hubs, and two others were offline for scheduled maintenance and hardware replacement right before that."

"The maintenance part I can understand, but damage?" Hub asked. "If they were using our own network to spread that hijacking virus, wouldn't they be shooting themselves in the foot? Or did they do that later once we started beating them back in hopes of delaying us?"

"Exactly." SearchMan confirmed. "Much like retreating armies bombing bridges in their wake. We are taking measures to prevent further sabotage in other locations, but at the moment we must work with what we have."

"And in this case..." Gallant cut in, stepping into view. "I dare say you are working with some skilled people."

"And some occasional amateurs who are too stubborn to stay at home." Peach added, right at his side, clad in what looked like an approximation of urban riot gear and carrying a large backpack.

"I was wondering what you were up to." Hub said, turning to face Gallant. "I wasn't expecting you to bring company though."

"You are in for a few more surprises then." Gallant said. "Your call went out, and it was heard loud and clear. You have the whole world at your back now. The international agencies and the experts, but also the amateurs and even random civilians. To be honest, a good portion of the work while you were in transit was in making sure the communication lines could handle it. We barely made it here in time."

"Look around you." Laika said. Mingling with the military personnel, and coming in droves through the gateway behind you. The greatest army ever assembled in the history of humanity. The Volunteer Navi Corps. Currently split across the continents to stem the tide, but the presence here should be enough to give you an idea."

"Eight and a half billion humans on Earth." NumberMan mused, the circuits on his prominent head flashing brightly. "Most of them having learned to operate a PET and Navi from ages between three and five. Each of them with a companion. Schoolchildren, adults, elders. People from all walks of life, from corporate magnates to doctors to scientists to missionaries to journalists to even criminals."

"You fought many of your old battles in the shadows, in secret." X chimed in. "Most of them only became known to the general public at the climax or the aftermath. Now, the whole world knows what you're doing and what you're up against. They are all in a position to do something about it. They had a taste of what is to come if we fail, and they are itching for a fight."

The group was startled to hear him, seemingly out of nowhere, and all faces turned to him as he stepped away from the gateway to let the next batch of eager recruits join in.

"And who might you be?" SearchMan asked.

"This one is definitely not on the guest list." Chaud added from a video display. "I must say he definitely looks familiar though."

"A story for another time." X replied with an eerie calm.

The twins exchanged glances, seemingly confused, concerned and then alarmed.

"X, a moment?" Lan asked before dragging him and Hub into an empty observation post, set up much like a small bunker from the physical world, complete with green camouflage paint.

"What are you doing here?" Lan hissed as soon as they closed the shutter.

For his part, X just smiled.

"Come now. Did you expect me to sit this one out? One of the biggest moments in your career to date? I was not here to watch the others, but this… This reminds me too much of the old days, and yet it is something I could never achieve. The world standing with you… It's…"

He paused for a moment to steady himself and the twins noticed the faintest hint of a tear in the corner of his eye.

"Zero and I fought alongside many comrades back in the day, but most of the time it felt like the world did not know about the true extent of our struggle… or did not care. They saw little to no difference between us and the Maverick menace for the most part. Our Earth was, simply put, divided. We had so many chances to put it back together, but victory in battle hardly ever meant a decisive end to the struggle, and we lost so many just to earn those victories... Don't get me started on the near extinction events..."

And with that, he straightened up.

"This is not my Earth, but don't expect me to sit this one out or just watch from the sidelines. I just can't. So for now, you can consider me another soldier in this army. I'm here to make sure you get to the end of this in one piece."

"Fine. Just try not to steal the show." Lan quipped. "But is there something you're not telling us? I noticed it before. Ever since this big mess started and you ditched the disguise, you've had a weird look in your eyes, like you were seeing a ghost."

"I have… certain suspicions about who is responsible for all of this." X admitted. "I don't want to say anything prematurely in case I'm wrong, because what I'm thinking about is far too horrible to contemplate. But if I find conclusive proof, I promise I will tell you."

"There you are." a male voice interrupted. The three froze in place until the flaps were opened and a Navi clad in a strange outfit stepped in.

Lan, Hub and X exchanged glances, and then turned to the newcomer.

Its presence was striking and emanating a nearly palpable dread, with black metal armor, covering a tall, muscular frame and rather bulky hands and feet. Its most striking figures were a prominent, large red section of the chest plate, shaped like a stylized pair of open wings, with a circular core right at the center, the pair of large, jagged, serrated spikes protruding from both sides of each wrist and, most of all, the helmet, like a thing of nightmare, shaped like an open crown with a cleft across the middle from the top to the space between the eyes, this cavity being occupied by some kind of bulbous red ornament with a blue core. A pair of golden spikes were protruding horizontally from the sides of the head like horns and the being's jagged mouth looked like a cracked furnace grate. Most disconcerting were probably the large yellow eyes that seemed strangely out of place, almost organic in comparison. To finish the bizarre ensemble, a large red metal disc, hovered behind its back, shaped like a crossed off circle with two spiked protrusions.

"What?" he asked with a deep, clearly modulated voice as if he was doing the most natural thing in the world. "I've known X long enough to expect him to pull something like that. Naturally, I wasn't going to let him have all the fun."

"And when the hell did you have enough time to cobble up that disguise?" Lan asked bluntly. He had never expected any version of Zero to come up with something like that.

"I was always good at improvising. Ask X when we have the time."

"You've really outdone yourself in the weirdness department this time." X quipped.

"The best disguise is a memorable one. With this, I don't have to worry about putting up too much of a show." the alternate version of Zero boasted, the modulated voice completely clashing with the tone. "And just to avoid any parallel universe headaches and unwelcome questions, while I'm wearing this thing on the field you should probably call me… Majin."

Back in ACDC…

"What are you?" Verus asked incredulously. "What have you become?"

"I tried to commune with my predecessor through his mask." Bogan said.

"I followed him, knowing he would face great peril." Ashla added.

"Both appeared to us." Bogan said. "I tried to understand. To become whole."

"They said that to bear their names and faces locked us in a path that was not ours." Ashla said.

"I saw his memories." Bogan said. "Great and terrible. Pain and sorrow. Revenge. Redemption."

"They wished to set us free." Ashla added.

"And so they did." Bogan continued.

"How?" Verus asked.

"They raised their hands, and it came." Bogan said.

"A colossal structure, bearing powers unknown, feeding off a star." Ashla exposed.

"Black as night, foul in purpose, but given noble use by their intent." Bogan continued.

"The Star Forge..." Verus muttered, feeling weak in the knees. "They actually conjured an image of that ancient monstrosity?"

"And so we are reforged." Bogan said. "Metal, circuitry, synthetic fibers and conduits… all gone."

"Behold." Ashla said. "We are made flesh."

"Remarkable." A voice cut in.

El and Elise stepped into their view, seemingly having arrived just a moment prior.

"I knew that Revan was a resourceful and resilient sort, but to think that so much of him and his power could be channeled through that mask..." El pondered.

"And it is a wondrous gift he and Bastila have bestowed upon you. Life." Elise said, with a beaming smile.

"I suppose it is now up to us to figure out what to do with it." Bogan said, removing his mask. The face underneath had changed, just like everything else, and the others would not have recognized him safe for the presence he projected.

Ashla removed her mask as well, revealing the result of her own reforging. The striking gaze of their predecessors had remained as one of their features, however.

"I am still at a loss for words…" she stuttered. "It's as if my mind has been opened and now an overwhelming torrent of new sensations is flooding it. It is overwhelming."

Bogan instinctively reached out to help her stand, and the five present exchanged glances silently for a moment.

"I had the feeling you would come to investigate something like this." Another voice cut in.

El and Elise turned around and were surprised to see a newcomer, clad from head to toe in white, with white gloves and shoes, and a long, hooded coat that by some strange trick of the light made its face completely impossible to see. After a moment, the voice, clearly male, continued.

"You have caused me a great deal of inconvenience and concern, Elyseon the Starstrider. Or should I call you… Caged Light?"

That seemed to catch El off guard, striking a nerve, and he eyed the newcomer warily.

"That name is known only to a few." he retorted, his eyes lighting up with a golden light. "I do not know who you are, but I can plainly see what you are. You are one of them, then? What business does one of the Thousand Myriads have with me, to chase me all the way here?"

"So you can see my nature?" the newcomer asked. "I expected as much."

"I can, though not the face you hide with that old Angiris trick." El retorted, looking somewhat annoyed. "If you want something from me, you would do well to introduce yourself."

"My birth name is not for you to know." the figure said. "If you must have something to call me, then I suppose Scutum will do as well as anything."

"Shield then?" El said. "Intriguing. How about telling me what this is about now?"

"It is about your carelessness." Scutum said, sounding like he was on the verge of an apoplexy, gesticulating wildly. "You blunder around between worlds, between universes, with no concern for the consequences of your constant interference. You go around playing hero without considering the disruptions you cause."

"What the hell are you talking about?" El asked, looking unamused. "I travel where I do out of curiosity, but always with a sense of responsibility. The notion of not interfering when greater harm can be prevented is preposterous. And you still have not answered my question."

"Fine." Scutum conceded. "Know, then, that I am a sworn protector, and you removed my charge from their point of origin. My gaze faltered for a mere moment, and I could no longer find them."

"First of all, anyone I remove that would be worth protecting by the likes of you is under equivalent protection while they travel with me." El retorted. "Second, you're going to have to be a little more specific. I travel between worlds countless times and it is not uncommon to bring others along for a time."

"Your latest journey." Scutum said with growing annoyance.

"Picking up the boys from… elsewhere?" Elise asked.

"The one before that." Scutum growled. "Your first visit to this Earth."

"So you're saying that someone we are currently traveling with was under..." El muttered. "Wait a minute… I did not sense any trace of your kind on that particular Earth. Just who are you?"

"I don't have to answer that." Scutum retorted rather contentiously.

Now it was Elise's turn to start getting annoyed. With a heavy frown, she stepped towards the newcomer and paced around him, staring at him intently.

"I don't know who trained you..." she said disapprovingly. "But it seems that they did a rather poor job, or you were a poor pupil. Not only did you lose track of this 'charge' of yours so easily… but you are also a very rude fellow. You cast a pallor on your station with this posturing."

She stopped until her face was staring into the blackness under the hood, where the eyes would be, casting a withering glare before continuing.

"It's obvious that this whole ordeal is taking a great toll on you even now. Still, there is no need for this kind of confrontational rudeness. If we have wronged you somehow, speak plainly. Otherwise cease this game."

That seemed to give him pause, and the anger was gone from his voice.

"This was a mistake." he said to himself, starting to sound rather panicked. "I should never have come here. I should never have followed. I should never have exposed myself."

"What?" El and Elise asked simultaneously while Verus and his children watched the exchange dumbfounded.

"Are you… hyperventilating?" Verus asked with concern.

"It's… nothing..." Scutum said with choked breaths. "I… have to get out of here..."

And with that, he started running. Verus shouted in alarm, but he ignored it, as well as Bogan trying to give chase, and after making it a few meters, he simply disappeared in a white flash. Bogan dug in his heels and halted, and those still present exchanged glances.

"What was that all about?" Ashla asked.

"I have some suspicions..." El said cryptically.

"Just what was he anyway?" Verus asked, completely baffled by everything he had just witnessed. "That presence, that energy… I have never felt it before… though it is somewhat similar to yours and especially your companion's."

"There are things out there, beyond the stars, beyond any world you and yours have ever visited." Elise said, the same golden light flashing across her blue eyes. The very air around her seemed to grow warm and radiant for a brief moment, and then it subsided.

"And there are those who believe..." El said. "And seek, and question, search, explore… until they find something beyond. And sometimes a piece of the beyond finds them first."

In that brief span, the Force wielders caught a glimpse of what the strange pair concealed. A great radiance, similar in some regards to their power, but not quite the same, and they were as perplexed by what they saw as what they imagined others had been when first discovering the Force.

"You've probably been asked this many times." Verus said. "But what exactly are you?"

"As I said before." El reiterated. "Just a human. Just a boy who one day found a way to step out of his point of origin, walked among stars and grasped dreams. Much like the Force you are so familiar with, the powers I was exposed to transformed me… or perhaps they merely brought my true nature to the forefront. Once you have gazed upon so many worlds and so many lives, you realize that we can all be so much more, if only we are willing to."

"And then you burn too brightly, until you can no longer sustain it." Verus remarked bitterly. "You spend your whole life propping others up only for them to drop you once you can no longer stand."

Elise frowned and placed a hand on the old Jedi's shoulder.

"You understand war, sacrifice and loss, and somewhere along the way you felt it was futile to keep fighting." she said with a sad smile.

"The place I came from has no future." he said with a tired look on his face. "Not as it is. The dogma that was meant to be our strength only served to blind us and trap us in an endless cycle."

"And yet as you fought once again to protect the innocent in this world, did no you not feel something?" she asked.

"Yes…" he conceded. "But that's the thing about the Force. It is an intoxicating rush, but I find that the power it provides brings no answers."

"I am not speaking of the Force." she insisted. "I am speaking of purpose."

"On that I can agree." Verus said, raising his head. "It felt nice to be able to do some simple, immediate good instead of navigating ideological minefields and juggling unwanted destinies. To deal with a palpable, immediate threat instead of faceless armies of a splintered myriad of factions, throwing themselves to their deaths on remote, desolate worlds for some temporary advantage."

"And now you have the knowledge and experience to create something different." Elise said. "Something better. Why don't you take what you've learned and share it with others? You have two pupils right behind you."

Verus pondered her words and then sighed.

"I still don't think it's a good idea to awaken the people of this world to the Force… but at the very least I have the responsibility to teach these two how to control their power… and avoid unwanted attention. Entire worlds have burned in the countless wars between its wielders. I will not be a beacon to draw doom to Earth's doorstep, and I will not leave them without guidance."

"Good." El said. "Our very presence in this world is enough to cause ripples. We need to be responsible about it and clean up after ourselves."

"Is that why you are here and not in the front lines?" Bogan asked pointedly.

"Right now there are many fronts." El pointed out. "The robot onslaught may be crippled, but the Cyberworld is still in flux. We are monitoring the situation. But yes. We must take a measured approach, for various reasons."

"If we take the center spot in this conflict..." Elise explained. "First of all the world at large may be exposed to knowledge it is not prepared for. These last few months have already revealed its fair share of weirdness. The reaction can be unpredictable and we don't have the right to add to the chaos. Secondly, if we take everything into our own hands instead of letting the locals learn and grow, what will happen when we are elsewhere and some other threat comes along? Make no mistake. We are limiting casualties as much as possible, of course, and every life we are unable to preserve weighs upon us, but even we cannot be everywhere and do everything."

"The powers that course through all of us have no limit, but we do." Verus summed up.

"Exactly." El said. "We can ensure our own preservation, but the scale of this crisis is beyond any single one of us. To think otherwise would be arrogant and dangerous. I am merely a seeker, with a guide and a band of weary warriors. We are not some kind of celestial overlords, and time has taught me not to try to do everything on my own. That's one of the reasons why I seek out and awaken those with potential on each world we visit. The other is because we don't want to let things go to hell on the next crisis when our backs are turned."

"That said, there is something we can do here and now." Elise said. "The boys are fighting hard, leading the charge. Since we are all here, we might as well finish the cleanup so they can fight without having to worry about their hometown."

"I knew they would take center stage yet again." Bogan said, with a hint of amusement. "I tested them myself some time ago, and took measure of their resolve. They know a thing or two about carrying a world on their shoulders."

"They are champions, born and made. Even without us, the people of this world are surprisingly strong at times like this." El said with a smile. "If we had not decided to come here, the situation might have been a little messier and bloodier, but I suspect the end result would have been the same. Though it is not my world, I am still proud of them. The ludicrously talented youths and the average folk who are also stepping up."

"You said you are monitoring the situation." Ashla said. "What exactly is the global picture?"

"With the communications jamming out of the way, the military forces of this world are fighting back in a coordinated effort." El said. "The malware that was taking over production facilities all over the world and churning out those robots is being swiftly eradicated as the coupled AIs spread their reach further. Those responsible for this attack are trying to delay the counterattack by seizing key portions of the Cyberworld that act as connection hubs. Everyone capable of operating a Navi is stepping up to join the battle. Such displays of solidarity are glorious to behold."

"But do you have any idea who might be responsible for this?" Bogan asked pointedly.

"Taking the parallel world convergence effect into consideration, we have some theories, but nothing conclusive." Elise explained. "Before we destroyed the emitter, we were able to detect some hidden transmissions pointing towards Antarctica."

"You mean that military dictatorship with the ridiculous name?" Verus asked. "What would they have to gain from all of this? First rampaging droids on autopilot, then an attack on a civilian research facility and now this? It doesn't add up."

"We still don't know for sure." El said. "We suspect the robot attacks were some kind of weapons test… which still doesn't explain how they were smuggled so far into the country. The SciLab incident may have been an attempt at stealing Copy Bot research data as it was common knowledge that it was being developed there. We still have no idea if they were actually able to steal anything useful from there, or how that translated into the assembly of that thing in space. It's true that Copy Bots use nanites to reassemble into the shape of the host's program shell, but the scale of that thing up in space was staggering, even considering the abundant source of materials. Simply put, there is still too much we don't know."

"Well, if you have the honking space guns, why don't you go down south and ask them some pointed questions?" Bogan asked.

"Because the survey we carried out from orbit shows that their entire population is concentrated in sealed ecosphere domes in order to withstand the temperatures." El said, shaking his head. "If we're not smart about this, then we could end up with a lot of collateral damage. Even if it's a rogue nation that by all accounts despises the outside world, we don't have the right to just crack the domes open and freeze everyone to death."

"Is the rest of the world aware of this?" Verus asked.

"I'm not sure." El said with a concerned frown. "That nation has had very little contact with the outside, and the construction suggests they took measures against electronic surveillance. If we're not careful about this, then as soon as word of their involvement gets out, some hothead in a uniform may decide to start playing with missiles."

"Considering everything that's happened, your concern for them is… interesting." Bogan said.

"Perhaps you still have a bit of your predecessor in you." Ashla pointed out, eyeing him with a scowl. "There is a reason he did not wish you to follow in his footsteps."

"Yes, you're right." Bogan said, looking ashamed of himself. "I am not Revan, nor should I try to be. The things he was forced to do… they haunt him still. I saw as much when he shared his memories. For better or for worse, all life is connected and acting with excessive force will only serve to wound this world further."

"We will have to find a solution together with the people of this world… if they don't surprise us by finding it on their own." El said. "But for now, the best cure for a restless mind is keeping one's hands busy. Shall we get going?"

Elsewhere…

In the depths of the Undernet, a name had lived on in hushed tones as the supreme authority of the realm. Yet, the elusive Serenade had not been seen by most in years. In his hidden abode, the androgynous ruler pondered all that had come to pass, as countless display windows showed scenes of the chaos unfolding across the world, both in the Cyberworld and the material realm.

"The current situation is… unsustainable." he said plainly, his brow furrowed in concern as he sat cross legged on a purple round pillow, clad in flowing golden silk robes that accentuated his bronzed skin.

"Indeed it is." a male voice replied.

"After such an upheaval, I suspect that some things will never be the same."

"Between the surge in Copy Bot availability, other technological advances and the glaring weaknesses in global security that have been so painfully laid bare, the world is heading into a new direction." his unseen companion continued.

"Yes. And as the world changes, so must we too change."

"The Undernet has long fulfilled its original purpose. Alpha is long gone. We kept it operating past that time as a bastion against government censorship and as a way for people in totalitarian states to communicate with the outside world, but the fact remains that it is a haven for criminals of all kinds. After an event of this magnitude, one has to wonder how much longer the world will tolerate its existence."

"So what shall we do now?"

"The Cyberworld is at war, Serenade. Anyone capable of operating a Navi is stepping up. While that was never really my way of doing things, there are still other ways we can contribute. I guess it's time to pay some old friends a visit."

Serenade smiled.

"You mean them."

"It's been far too long. I wish the circumstances were better, but it's time to show them the results of their courage and kindness."

"Is that really your only reason to seek them out?" Serenade asked, this time grinning.

"Every boy wants to see his heroes up close. Give them a hand in their hour of need. My health did not allow such exertions before, but now..."

At the front lines…

"Admittedly, I'm still getting the hang of this bit." Lan said. "Direct machine interface was one of the copy bot abilities, so it makes sense that it would be part of the package, but it can still be a bit disorienting."

"Then I suggest you hang back and support me as operator, just like we used to do." Hub said. "My physical brain is synthetic and can be replaced in a worst case scenario. Yours can't."

"It's how we've always done it in situations like this." Lan admitted. "I dare say we've become quite good at it. Besides, I don't want to let my skills get rusty."

"People in our position can hardly afford to let that happen." X lamented. "But hopefully after this is over, you will get to enjoy some long years of peace."

"Getting second thoughts now?" 'Majin' teased his old partner.

"I put those behind a long time ago." X said, raising his head. "But these boys are not robots. They deserve to have a life outside battle. Let's make sure that happens."

Moments later…

The assembled military Navis and volunteer forces held the line, armed with whatever Battle Chips and built-in weapons they had. The professionals were providing guidance to the others and taking point, clad in their various national and agency uniforms, much like their human operators would in the physical world.

Another wave of enemies came upon them, humanoid, shaped much like the generic Navi models that served in various functions without a dedicated operator, only stained with an ashen gray instead of the typical shades of green and purple. Their eyes were dead and expressionless, betraying their nature as simple hollow constructs in the service of another's will. All of them appeared to be armed with generic built-in weapons, mostly Busters of various calibers. It seemed that those responsible for the attack were betting on sheer numbers rather than quality.

The gathered forces started firing their ranged weapons, from simple Busters to rifles, cannons and other, more exotic varieties, but despite their generic appearance the attackers were surprisingly resilient. Energy beams and projectiles of every color in the visible spectrum erupted from the various weapons, while the lifeless constructs fired red blasts. The combined visual conflagration almost looked like a sick parody of a fireworks display.

Some generic Navi models started taking hits. Like a well oiled machine, the military models moved further onward, with the front row deploying what looked like riot shields. Meanwhile the civilian models pulled the wounded out of the line of fire and started patching them up.

"They are learning..." SearchMan remarked over their communications link as he took aim for the head of one of the constructs. The projectile struck and shattered the core, causing the rest of the program shell to freeze and dissolve into loose bits of data. He'd had his concerns about letting so many civilian volunteers get in an active battlefield, but they and their operators were angry and eager enough to pull it off, but not enough to the point where they'd ignore basic teamwork.

"There are just too many of those things." Hub said with a frown. "We're not used to fighting large scale battles with so many other people on our side. If we don't finish this quickly, then somebody is going to get deleted."

"It is already happening." SearchMan noted tersely. "In a clash of this magnitude, it was inevitable."

"Then we hit them harder and keep the enemy's attention on us." a deep voice said behind Hub.

And with that, 'Majin' raised his right arm. The spikes on each side of the wrists expanded until they took the shape of a wide v-shaped metal blade with the tip covering the first. As some of the volunteers recoiled, startled by the newcomer's appearance, the bladed fist shot through the air, over their heads, and cut horizontally through a good chunk of the advancing enemy line, spraying the air with disintegrating bits of data before retracting the blade and obediently returning to its owner.

"Show off..." X quipped under his breath before charging forward with Hub, taking the initiative. Those close enough to him, however, would have been able to see the haunted look in his eyes that flashed briefly before he composed himself.

Lan had already sent his brother the chips for a Program Advance, and he quickly put them to use, summoning an overcharged Zeta Cannon. The old version of the Cannon chips was practically out of use in Net Battling circuits, but their repeating fire ability was exactly what the situation called for. Hub mashed the trigger as quickly as he could, saturating the area with barrage fire.

For his part, X had something different in mind. His armor briefly flashed, the blue portions turning red, and he conjured a pair of strange devices that looked much like bladed yo-yos, which he hurled at the Pseudonavi attackers. Before they connected, his armor flashed again, and he started firing a stream of rockets, each tipped with a drill. The cannons did their share of damage, and the spinning blades and drill rockets finished the job, putting a considerable dent in the enemy formation. The constructs kept advancing, mindless in their pursuit, but instead of giving ground, X charged in front of everyone else. His armor shifted to yellow, and he unleashed a wave of electricity that surged forth in a line, searing and stunning more of the opposition.

"How many weapons are you packing in there?" Lan asked, impressed.

"A few dozen." X replied, his armor turning purple before he launched a strange black orb that sent ripples through the air as it darted forward, expanding as it came into contact with its target. Lan wasn't sure what he was seeing, but the constructs definitely seemed to be having trouble moving through the energy field generated by the projectile.

'Majin' barreled forth, and his chest ornament started glowing red. A moment later, a crimson torrent of searing energy erupted from it, wiping out about a dozen more constructs. Keeping up the act, he remained mostly silent, but X sensed a shift in his stance. Changing tactics mid-fight, the menacing figure reached for something on his waist and retrieved a metal cylinder.

"Old habits die hard..." X muttered to himself with a smile as his old partner lit up his green energy blade and started hacking the constructs to pieces.

"Was that supposed to be part of the cosplay?" Lan asked discreetly.

"No, that's just him being true to form." X replied. "That Z-Saber and him go way back. Reaching for it is instinctive at this point."

Lan could see why, as the towering figure, wielding a blade that looked disproportionately small and slim compared to the elaborate disguise, unleashed a rising slash that propelled him into the air, the blade trailing crimson flames. Clearly, no matter the Earth, Zero was a swordsman first and foremost.

Not wanting to lose the momentum by wasting time gawking, Lan slotted in his trusty old NeoVari chip and Hub immediately followed up with a slash, creating a colossal crescent shaped green energy wave that surged forth, sweeping across the battlefield.

The display of firepower, combined with the sheer number of shots and various attacks from the mass of Navis fighting alongside them, eventually gave them some breathing room and cleared enough of a path for the force to move forward, but Hub and X could sense more approaching in the distance.

"Is there no end to them?" Hub groaned.

"Given their numbers and how quickly they come back, we suspect they are being generated on the spot." SearchMan said, scouting with his sniper rifle's scope. "We still haven't been able to get close enough to figure out how and where though."

"Perhaps instead of trying to plow through..." ShadowMan cut in. "You should consider going around."

It was then they saw the state he was in. His traditional ninja outfit was torn in several places and his chest and limbs were peppered with gouges.

"What happened to you?" Hub asked with concern.

"What do you think? There are too many of them for stealth to be of any use, so I had to rely on speed instead."

"You could have just flown." someone else cut in. "Or found someone who could."

Hub looked around, trying to figure out who had spoken, until he realized the voice was coming from above. Sure enough, he spotted a yellow shape, hovering on propellers.

"A helicopter? Here?" X pondered.

"GyroMan." Hub said.

The 'helicopter' transformed into a humanoid shape, the tail section splitting into two legs, the undercarriage with the landing gear into arms, a head emerging from behind the 'cockpit' section, revealing a robotic face shaped like a helmeted pilot, with an orange plate over the forehead and large blue eyes. He landed in front of them with a smirk.

"Did they not tell you that everyone and their grandma signed up for this event?" he asked.

"They did, but it's a big world and they didn't go into too many specifics about who was doing what and where." Lan said.

"The military asked us flying types to scout around and try to make some sense of this mess. As far as we can tell, the same viral payload that spread across the production facilities left secondary packages at some locations. Think of it as… photocopiers in steroids. They're churning out those things in massive amounts but that's all they're really good for."

"You mean this is just a stalling maneuver then?" Hub asked.

"They still have the numbers to go from nuisance to menace." GyroMan pointed out.

"And where they have obtained the technology to build something like this?" ShadowMan asked.

"I think I can answer that." GyroMan explained. "I snapped some aerial photos of their setup. The design is typical edgelord fare, but it's also very similar to some stuff back at Nebula's old base."

"Nebula..." Lan muttered. "Now there's a name I'd hoped never to hear again."

'Majin' paused for a moment, pondering this, and then laughed. The effect through the voice modulator was frankly unsettling, even to X.

"I guess it's time to see just how crazy we can get in the Cyberworld after all." he said with barely concealed glee, cracking his knuckles.

"No offense buddy, but… Are you seriously thinking about charging in?" GyroMan asked nervously.

"Well, we can either sit here all day chipping away at endlessly respawning reinforcements..." Lan pointed out. "Or we can take the initiative, finish it and move on."

"Not to mention that a lot of the Navis here are relying on Battle Chips." Hub added. "Their energy will take time to recharge after use. What happens when they run out?"

In the physical world, Lan dug through his pack, emptying his entire reserve of Battle Chips on the desk.

"This isn't the time for half measures." he said, gritting his teeth. "Let's go brother."

And with that, Hub raced past friendly lines to meet the advancing constructs head on, with the parallel world heroes by his side. X's armor transformed again, taking a different shape, and he fired a charged Buster shot. Instead of the typical energy burst, it released a beam of bluish-white light, which reached as far as they could see, opening a narrow path through the approaching mass. Meanwhile, embracing the overly dramatic disguise, the parallel version of Zero closed his eyes for a moment… and then, as he opened them again, a massive barrage of golden beams erupted from them, fulminating everything in their path.

Lan paused for a moment and looked at him.

"Dude… What the hell was that?"

"I've been around for centuries." he pointed out without halting his advance. "I tamed the primal nature I was designed with, but the potential for change and destruction never left me. In here, my body's limits are meaningless."

"Remember, all of our physical limitations are meaningless here." X added. "We're not conditioned by Navi coding, and you know what something like Pulse Transmission can do for humans. We just don't really have much of a chance to pull these shenanigans since our fights are all on the outside world."

"About that..." Hub pondered as he activated an Electric Sword chip on each hand and sliced away. "Do you have any idea why normal Navis can't do that?"

"Their coding restricts them." X said as his armor turned yellow and he stared firing a flurry of strange seeker rockets that looked suspiciously like hornets. "Most lack the code complexity or experience to even conceive it. But if one of them exists for long enough, grows, learns and matures enough..."

"What was that term your friend liked so much?" the alternate Zero asked. "Immortals? You two challenge the limits of possibility and logic regularly. In this space, organics and synthetics could eventually become godlike as they learn to control it. X and I, we don't care about such things. We have too much to worry about out there."

"Don't let the overly simplistic interface fool you." X said. "This Cyberworld may look like a video game landscape, but the density and complexity of its coding are remarkable."

With the massive swath they were cutting in the enemy ranks, the assembled forces behind them started getting more enthusiastic and scrambling to follow them before more reinforcements could arrive. The twins, being true to themselves, were starting to get carried away, while their parallel Earth companions, owing to centuries of experience, were being more cautious and measured, keeping an eye on the flanks and rear and watching out for any unpleasant surprises. As such, X was the first to turn around as he sensed something approaching at high speed. The others noticed, and turned as well, seeing, to their surprise, a crimson clad shape rushing in from the ranks of the volunteers.

"Is that…?" Hub asked.

Gallant wasn't simply running. He was flying to catch up with them, leaving a momentary trail of white light behind him like a cloak.

"I didn't know he could do that." X pointed out.

"Maybe it's part of the limits being meaningless bit you were mentioning?" Hub pondered.

As he got closer, they noticed something else. There was another Navi clinging to his back, arms wrapped around his neck, though they couldn't tell who it was until the gray riot helmet fell off due to the speed, revealing long, flowing golden hair.

"What in the name of..." Lan muttered.

"Isn't that the volunteer he was with just a while ago?" X asked. "What is she doing here?"

Finally catching up with them, Gallant finally stopped and lowered himself slightly to help Peach get down. Feeling everyone's gaze on him, the crimson clad knight smiled sheepishly.

"She wouldn't take no for an answer." he said with a shrug, as if anticipating the question. "I could either argue with her or catch up with you."

"Gutsy." Lan remarked, recalling some rather similar experiences in the past. "So you two…?"

"Will be working as a team here." Peach said, raising her head proudly. "I can't do half the crazy stuff you lot do, but somebody has to make sure you get home in one piece."

"And while I'm not quite at your level..." Gallant added. "I fully intend to pull my weight on this one."

And with that, he pulled up his large shield… and promptly dropped it on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Hub asked, looking rather confused.

"I wasn't much of a shield last time, and you have no need for one here." Gallant said. "So instead..."

And with that he drew his sword, which looked somewhat different from the last time the twins had seen it. As he gripped it with both hands and pointed it upwards, the crossguard opened wider and, as he pointed it straight up, the blade started quickly expanding to a ludicrous size, rising like a tower above the battlefield.

"Instead I will be a sword to cleave this filth. Your work here is too important to waste time with trash."

"That's fine and all, but don't just throw this away." Peach scolded as she dashed to the discarded shield and picked it up with some effort.

"Just remember our agreement." Gallant replied. "You don't have actual combat experience, so stay close and let us be in the line of fire. If you get injured or separated from me, disconnect immediately. Losing you here would be unacceptable."

Her eyes caught fire, and once again Hub got a glimpse of something familiar.

"You..." she protested. "Don't start getting ideas just because you were already rebuilt once!"

"While I'm grateful for the improvements… and the fact that I got the second chance at all… I'd rather not have you needlessly go through all that yourself." he pointed out. Without waiting for her to reply, he charged forward, sweeping the ludicrously oversized blade in front of him with surprising ease.

The others rushed to follow, just in time to see him come across a large mass of the constructs, apparently guarding a strange set of objects, seemingly made of some kind of smooth black stone and shaped like standing sarcophagi, ornamented with strange patterns, almost like circuitry, glowing with a baleful dark purple light. The oversized sword easily plowed through them, and struck several of the objects, which, at the touch of the sword, erupted into dark energy.

Startled, Gallant stopped in his tracks and covered his face with his right forearm, as the energy seemed to seep into the Cyberworld around them. Contact with it was an assault on his eyes and nose, and he recoiled, stifling a cough. With a steely glare, Peach quickly grabbed him and pulled him back.

"What the hell are you doing?" she scolded, tugging at his ear.

He would probably have been in for quite the lecture, had Peach not been interrupted by a grating laugh.

From atop the largest of the structures, right next to the Cyberworld form of the data hub – which looked like a multi-layered golden metal pyramid and crisscrossed by a mass of circuitry and tubing above and below ground – Omega revealed himself, his eyes glowing with the same baleful light and a deranged grin on his face.

"Took you long enough!" he shouted, almost like a gleeful child.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me..." 'Majin' groaned, staring at the twisted creature. "He's even more annoying than the other one! At least he didn't babble this much!"

"And who are you supposed to be?" Omega shouted. "A god or a devil? It doesn't matter. I'm the goddamn messiah!"

"Damnit..." Lan hissed before opening a link to Chaud. "Tell the group behind us to stop where they are NOW!"

"What's going on?" Chaud asked.

"There's no time. Just do it now!" Lan protested.

Omega started laughing again, before an oversized metal fist came flying out of nowhere, straight at his face. With a casual flick of his wrist, he swatted it away and glared around, snarling.

"Do you ever shut up, punk?!" a voice roared in the distance. Lan recognized it immediately. The fist took flight again and returned to its bulky, equally oversized owner, who was standing on an elevated pathway above them. The bulky Navi then jumped from his position, landing right in front of Gallant, right fist pointed menacingly at Omega.

"GutsMan, Master of the Fist is here!" he proclaimed.

"Seriously Lan?!" Dex quipped from a display window. "We're gone for a little bit and you're already thinking about replacing us?"

"And who are you supposed to be?" GutsMan asked, eyeing 'Majin' warily.

"Eyes to the front." 'Majin' said dismissively. "Do you really want to waste time like this right in front of Omega?"

And with that, the Maverick Hunter in his menacing disguise took the lead, charging forward in an attempt to end the fight quickly. Another barrage of eye beams and a few more sarcophagi were vaporized. Another shot of the terrible bladed flying fist and a cohort of constructs fell. For his part, Omega just laughed.

"Finally something fun to do around here!" he shouted with psychotic glee as he jumped into the fray, bringing a flying fist down on 'Majin's' face plate. He didn't even bother dodging or blocking, or making any comments. He simply grabbed Omega's face with crushing force and blasted him point blank with a barrage of eye beams and the chest mounted blaster.

Omega just kept laughing harder and harder, before headbutting his adversary in the face and flipping backwards, giving him what could only be described as a shit eating grin as the dark energy seeping from him quickly did away with the horrible injuries from such an onslaught.

"What the hell have they been feeding him?" Lan asked out loud.

"From the looks of it, Nebula Gray's soggy leftovers." Hub said with a look of disgust.

Hub moved in to intercept, before Omega could do whatever he was planning to next. As if reacting to the abominable being in front of him, the strange power he was becoming increasingly acquainted with surged forth, gathering in his right hand. As Lan slotted in a Varia Sword chip, Hub channeled his power into the blade and swung it with both hands, tearing a burning gash into Omega's face. That actually seemed to wound him, as he howled like a crazed devil, clutching his face as a vicious red glow flooded his eyes.

Omega's deranged amusement seemed to fade, replaced by an unyielding rage. Before Hub could react, Omega kicked him aside, charged his fist with the same vile energy and jumped high into the air. Gallant and X started firing their Busters, their senses screaming in alarm, but their shots bounced off. 'Majin' moved in to shield them from whatever was coming, his own senses screaming even higher as an overpowering sense of deja vu took over.

As Omega's fist connected with the floor, there was a massive eruption of dark energy all around them, blinding and disorienting them. The conflagration was followed by a colossal tremor, and they found themselves falling...