The Omega Chronicles: Rise of the Red Rebellion

by DarkShiftRising

Omega,the God of feated by Zero in 22XX,his name faded from w,centuries later,the legendary crimson destroyer is back,and ready to raise a new kind of hell on a world that has all but forgotten him! BRING IT! Currently on hold indefinitely, due to RL shenanigans. Please do not expect updates any time in the foreseeable future.

38. Chapter 37: MAN OF A THOUSAND SERIES

WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?

A NEW CHRONICLES CHAPTER SO SOON?!

YES. YES INDEED.

BECAUSE TODAY ROCKED SO HARD I DECIDED TO SHARE THE WEALTH. SEE MY DEVIANT ART PAGE FOR DETAILS. ON WITH THE MOST INSANE CHAPTER YET!

Chapter 37: The Man of a Thousand Series.

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for any head explosions that may occur due to overexposure to the awesomeness of Ace Phoenix and Vent in this chapter.

...no seriously. This is an actual hazard.

Alternative title: One Does Not Simply Challenge An Otaku To A Duel Of Imagination.

Enjoy the show!

...and try not to leap out of your chair whooping with glee when you spot any familiar epic cameos. Because there are MANY REFERENCES.

And when actual song lyrics start appearing, you will FIND THAT DAMN THEME ON YOUTUBE, AND YOU WILL PLAY IT. LOUDLY.

Also: WARNING. CONTAINS DANGEROUS LEVELS OF HAM, HOTBLOOD AND GAR. SERIOUSLY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

---

Marino stared aghast at the readings on the screen.

The entire area where Ashe and Celtis had last been recorded as fighting Gearhead Granz's personal machine had gone dark, radiation warnings blaring all over it. Only A.C.E's elite sensor array, still possessing the technology required to detect and handle radioactive alerts, had given them an idea of the danger. It was because of this capability that Marino had even been able to realize what the energy signature was, Ace's crazy preparedness shining through once again.

Even as the battle raged, they'd been forced to reposition Fefnir, moving him to the edge of the radioactive zone. Thanks to that First Wave ability of his, it was actually possible for him to absorb the radiation, utilizing its power to fuel his other Wave techniques. Glaciers and colossal beams of unleashed thermal power tore apart the opposing forces in alternating waves, Fefnir deliberately not holding back, doing his damnedest to decontaminate the area as fast as possible.

In one stroke of luck, it seemed as though the nuclear signature that was Ashe had died down somewhat, as though it had finally stabilized. The bad news was that wasn't necessarily a good thing, considering the fact that said signature represented Ashe's current condition. Worse still, it seemed as though it were only temporary, the nuclear power reading slowly increasing again as it overwhelmed Granz's control rods one by one.

And then it had all gone mad.

The main screen had been overridden, new schematics and programs scrolling up at blinding speed. Something had alarmed the A.C.E mainframe, as though this information had simply been lying in wait for this moment. And through it all, one sign continued to reappear.

The spiked, winged A sigil that Marino had seen once before, in the moment that Model O had roared to life in the center of Legion City so long ago.

"What...IS this...?"

Her eyes flickering over the ceaseless stream of data, she caught sight of an unmistakable shape, green wireframes forming a transparent three-dimensional image of an all too familiar weapon.

"The Hades...!" She gritted her teeth. "I should have known...wherever that damn thing shows up, trouble's never far behind!"

Opening up a new line of communication, she patched herself through to Nana.

"Nana, you there?"

A crash of metal answered her, followed by a pained grunt from the girl in question.

"Urgh...y-yeah, Marino, I'm here!"

"What the hell was that?!"

"Nothing...I just had a minor 'disagreement' with a Crushpactor that didn't understand 'right-of-way'!"

"..." Marino stared at the screen in disbelief. "You played chicken with a CRUSHPACTOR?!"

Nana adjusted her glasses, struggling back into her chair.

"According to my calculations, going straight through them was the most tactically viable option!"

"IT HAS A GODDAMN SPIKED ROLLER ON THE FRONT! HOW DOES THAT COUNT AS EVEN REMOTELY VIABLE?!"

"...because I installed a pneumatic-powered pile bunker on the front of the Cruiser?"

"...huh." Marino blinked, "...yeah, that would count."

Pushing some stray hair out of her face, Nana dropped back into her seat, noting with dismay that she'd once again managed to pop the top two buttons clean off of the top of her lab coat, no doubt the result of the tremendous 'impact' caused by her crash.

"Damn...guess I'll have to fix this AGAIN." She groused.

Outside of the windshield, the Crushpactor's mangled features stirred, the ruined plasma cannon on it's front charging once more. Nana's eyes narrowed. With a single command, a section of the Cruiser's hull hissed open, a linear mag cannon blowing away the entire top half of the offending machine.

"Small talk aside, what's your condition?"

"Just fine." Nana assured her. "The Cruiser's a little scratched, but beyond that, I can be wherever you need me to be any time."

"Good." Marino's voice was tense. " I need you to get after Celtis and Ashe."

Nana's face clouded.

"I suspected as much. With that much radiation, I didn't think there was anyone in the city who could get a clear visual on them."

"Exactly. And not just that..." She pulled up an image of the data flowing in from A.C.E's core, all revolving around one particular handgun.

"This is..." Nana regarded the flickering screen intently, as if seeing a pattern. "...this is not good."

"What? Why, do you know something?"

"No..." Nana admitted, "But I can suspect. And judging from this data, I think we're finally seeing just what it is the Hades' version of the Dominion can do..."

---

"Guh...hah...!"

A hiss of steam, and a metallic snap, and Ashe pulled one hand free, the control rod pinning it to the wall now brittle and scarred from the power it had endured.

"God...dammit..." She gritted, looking down at her hand, the wounds already sealing themselves shut with the intense heat. With this power, it would be all too easy to just burn out these damn rods, Model O's regenerative power enough to heal these wounds...and yet she didn't break free.

She was still shaken by the realization of just how badly she had miscalculated this power. How much damage she had almost done, would have done, had Celtis not cut in.

As it stood, these damned rods were the only thing keeping her from going out of control again. But she hadn't seen Granz or Celtis since he had charged her earlier. Only the fact that she herself hadn't erupted in a nuclear meltdown told her that Celtis and Model O were still alive.

And so she was torn.

On the one hand, she could easily free herself...but without these restraints, the full burden of keeping her power in check would fall squarely back onto Model O, and she still didn't know if they were in the condition to handle such a burden.

Worst-case scenario, they would end up right back where they had started.

And on the other hand, she could stay here, focusing all her power on keeping this white-hot fury contained as much as possible, relying on Celtis and Model O to defeat Granz. But considering just how much damage Celtis had taken, she had no idea how long the Biometal would take to bring her up to fighting strength, or if it would even be able to with Granz on their tail.

And then the air in front of her...blurred, a ghostly pale figure in black fading into view in mid-run. In that instant, time seemed to slow, Ashe staring in disbelief at the person before her.

The Black Rock Shooter's head turned slightly, as if acknowledging the presence of Ashe as an ally, the blue flames in her left eye burning like a counterpart to the orange ones of Ashe's right.

Ashe's eyes widened, a strange feeling settling over her. In that brief instant, seeing that spectral image, a girl so pale she seemed almost like a ghost, that coat like the night made into cloth, the fine, almost elven features of her face, the slim lines of her body...Ashe realized that she was staring at something beyond the limits of any normal human, or even a Reploid.

A concept itself, given flesh and blood, a reflection without a source, burning with that spectral blue fire.

The girl turned her head, sparing a brief moment to see the one who lay trapped, burning with that infinite orange color.

For a minute, she felt as though she was looking at herself, an image of what it would have been like had she been born on the other side of the mirror.

In that moment, she saw the potential, the same heart that might someday lead this girl of orange flames to pursue the same path as her. A wandering spirit, fighting across many battlefields for the sheer happiness of being able to visit such new and wondrous worlds.

And then, as she heard the sound of her pursuer drawing nearer, she allowed herself a faint nod to the other, a sign of recognition from one wanderer to another-

And then she was gone, her deceptively slender frame tearing across the ground at an insane speed, leaping and flipping over the debris in her path.

"...Who the hell...?" Ashe breathed, feeling as though all the air had been sucked out of her.

And then with a roar, the fully revitalized Vermilion Vile Warwolf smashed straight through the rubble, engines flaring a brilliant blue as Granz howled out his challenge.

"COME ON, BLACK ROCK SHOOTER!"

[Cue Music: No Scared – ONE OK ROCK]

As if in response to that challenge, the BRS kicked off of another broken wall, leaping into the air and spinning around, the scarred black barrel seething with a spectral blue charge. The fire in her eye burned brightly and she fired, a colossal beam of eerie blue energy bursting from the cracked muzzle, a cascade of obliteration that slashed across the battlefield towards the Warwolf.

"AHHHH, NOW YOU'RE TALKING!" Granz laughed, playing the controls like a demon, the Warwolf skating around the beam with all the finesse and skill of a professional. One turn later, and he brought his arms up, aiming his fists directly at the airborne girl.

"RAPID VULCANS!"

Panels on the back of each wrist slid back, triple-barreled vulcan guns spitting a constant stream of death, thunder, fire and ice tearing apart the air in a scream of elemental rage..

Blue fire flashed in the girl's empty hand, a crooked black katana materializing in her grip. With just that, she moved, her blade dancing through the air in an almost invisible pattern, faster than the eye could see, vulcan rounds deflected with ease, pillars of ice erupting around her, flames exploding through the air, and lightning roaring as it crashed into the earth.

Granz's face was alight with pleasure.

"Yes, that's it! Come on, fight some more!"

He laughed madly as his hands danced across the keys. He'd never thought he'd say it, but this girl...this Black Rock Shooter...!

And as she touched the ground she leapt to the side, the Warwolf's boosters keeping it constantly in motion as it surfed and skated across the hard ground, never once letting up on the vulcans and missiles.

Her last-minute leap putting her ahead of the stream of bullets and explosions, she swung the ancient cannon up and over, bringing it to bear on Granz once more, opening fire again, each shell blasting out with a tooth-rattling metallic report.

Gritting his teeth, Granz brought the Warwolf up short, firing a blast of boosters that pushed him backwards and to the side, and another explosive burst from his engines to catapult him forward again, blue fire crashing into the earth around his zigzagging maneuver. Eyes glowing, the mecha whipped it's head around, the red optic beam carving a molten path through the surroundings as it lashed out at her.

"Excellent!" He laughed in delight. No, there was no doubting it now!

He was having more fun in this one battle than he had ever had in his entire career! Not even the fight with that demonic Saber had felt like this!

The BRS charged, leaping headfirst over the beam and twisting in a corkscrew, cannon held out in front of her and blasting away. With a roar, Granz kicked off of a nearby ruin, changing course in a ninety degree turn that brought him hurtling to meet her head on.

"GOT YOU!"

The devastating steel claws slashed across his vision, batting away her shots and leaving her open for a follow-up attack-

Before she dove to the ground beneath his next swing and came up in a roll, the cannon once more covered by that jagged black blade. Spinning around, the Warwolf's clawed foot swept out to cleave the legs out from under her, the BRS leaping into the air and somersaulting into a downward slash, the black blade giving a dull keening howl as it hurtled towards the steel helm.

Granz's claw swung around to block it, sparks flying as metal met black iron, both combatants springing back as Granz's chest compartment slammed open and unleashed a storm of micro missiles on his still airborne opponent.

And as they all exploded uselessly behind her, the Black Rock Shooter was suddenly past them, already in Granz's face before he could even blink.

"Wh-what?!"

In an instant, he saw the cause. Her coat-tails, flaring out behind her, had transformed, triangular tail fins of black and white steel, mechanical and rigid, flicked up and down, blue white power flaring from the engines mounted just above the back of her hips.

Acting on pure instinct, he twisted, the ancient blade slashing across the Warwolf's body and carving a diagonal scar across it's face. And as pain blossomed across his body, Granz gave a howl and fired off the grappling claw, talons slamming shut around the BRS and hurling her across the battlefield.

And for a brief moment, Granz looked down at his body, his REAL body, and at the gash carved along his chest, tracing up to his face, an identical to the one just struck against his machine.

"This is...!"

And then alarms blared, and the Warwolf leapt to the side as another charged beam of brilliant blue power tore across the field towards him, the Black Rock Shooter close behind.

And the Gearhead grinned, a savage delight he had never felt before bubbling up in his chest.

"Interesting...!" Laughing, Granz gunned the throttles, charging forward with all guns blazing.

The black steel tail fins snapping open behind her, the girl from the Silent World answered, her crooked black katana flashing as it shredded the storm of death heading at her.

Howling, the Warwolf smashed through the hail of burning blue shells through sheer brute force, ignoring the nicks and grazes to it's armor.

Two more steps, and she would be in his grasp...!

The Black Rock Shooter's expression did not change, the boosters behind her suddenly increasing in pitch.

One...!

Granz's claws reared back.

The pale girl accelerated, her legs leaving the ground.

Two...!

"DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!"

The steel claws swept down.

And in that instant, the black and white plain of the Silent World stretched out before the girl, as she stepped between the worlds.

One step.

Two steps.

Granz's eyes widened in shock as his claws passed through the girl with no resistance, the Black Rock Shooter literally ghosting right through the slashing talons, and straight through the mech itself.

The lights and colors of the real returned as she stepped back across the worlds, and in a single step-

"Magnificent...!" Granz breathed in awe, realizing the danger too late, and marveling at just how skillfully she had played him, even as he turned the Warwolf around, a deadly backhand lashing out.

-pivoted on her heel, the Black Blade slamming into place over the cannon-

And the Black Rock Shooter slashed the Warwolf's chest open in a single diagonal flash of steel.

And Granz roared, blood splashing out across the floor of his command center.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRGGHH!"

The Warwolf screamed in agony, staggering.

The Black Blade vanished, the cannon reappearing, that deadly blue fire shining in it's depths.

Granz shook, life support machines already racing to his side.

"No...not...YET...!" Breathing hard, he lifted his head, a new, bright light in his eyes.

Here, on the edge of death, having taken the first real wounds of his entire career, Granz found himself strangely...alive. This girl, a ghost in human form, who moved in ways surpassing humans and machine alike...for the first time, Gearhead Granz felt the thrill of battle in his blood, an aching desire to be there in person, to fight this girl...!

The Warwolf caught itself, talons digging into the ground as it steadied. The head came up, red and green lenses burning brightly.

"I'm...not...through...YET!"

Back mounted boosters exploded to life, and with a final roar, the Vermilion Vile Warwolf charged, a high, metallic scream of rage bursting from it's throat, the roar of Granz and his machine combining into one.

And the Black Rock Shooter fired.

And fired.

And fired.

And did not stop firing, an infinite barrage of burning blue shells hammering into the oncoming titan of steel.

And yet, not for one instant, did Granz stop. Bullet after bullet smashing into the Warwolf, the beast would not stop. Armor shattered, steel broke, pistons cracked, and yet the man called Gearhead Granz never let up.

"BLAAAACK...!"

His right shoulder erupted, armor torn away by another shell.

"ROOOOOOOOOOCK...!"

The left side of the Warwolf's face shattered, broken crystal lens fragments trailing behind him.

"SHOOOOOOOOOOOOTEEEEEEEERRRRR R!" A demonic smile on his face, Granz lunged forward.

Without a moment's hesitation, the cannon flashed, the Black Blade slamming over it again, and the Black Rock Shooter charged, the towering mass of the Vermilion Vile Warwolf looming over her, claws outstretched.

And as they slashed down, she thrust forward.

With the last of his strength, Granz gritted his teeth, blood splashing across the console, even as a wild laugh tore from his throat.

"LIIIIIIKE HEEEEEEEEEELLLLL!"

And despite everything, the Warwolf turned, the piercing blade glancing across it's chest, tearing it open as it passed, metal and oil splashing into the sky as it continued forward, shattering the machine's left shoulder, blasting it's arm clear off of the body.

And the Warwolf's remaining claw slammed shut around the girl, hurtling forward to slam her through the ruins behind them, its momentum unstoppable.

---

"..."

Throughout Legion City, four people stared at the images of that battle in slack-jawed disbelief.

"Wh..." Marino tried, only to find that she was still having difficulty forming words.

"Dear god..." Nana's hands were shaking as she reached for the keyboard.

Aile stared at the feed to her helmet, eyes wide.

"What...the hell...was that fight?"

Away from all of them, and with a front row seat, Ashe found herself unable to answer that very same question.

Fifty-five seconds.

That was how long that battle had lasted.

It had taken fifty-five seconds, for that...girl...to fight Gearhead Granz, in one of his personal war machines...and WIN.

Not even the crimson coated war devil called Saber had done as much in his battle against Granz.

She had barely been able to see any of it, that black clad girl moving with an impossible speed and grace, surpassing anything she had ever seen before. Not even the Chosen Ones she had seen in action could compare to that.

For the first time, Ashe began to realize the magnitude of what she had just witnessed. That was the skill, the movement, of a veteran of battle. A veteran who had not fought hundreds, nor thousands of battles...but a veteran that had fought and WON, hundreds of thousands of battles.

Someone beyond comprehension, who had fought, and fought, and fought. With no special abilities, just her own body, and the cannon at her side.

A legend.

The very concept of neverending battle.

The white star that burned with blue fire.

"...Black Rock...Shooter..." She whispered, awestruck.

---

She stared up at the beast before her, it's frame in ruins, armor shattered and broken.

Granz stared down at the figure beneath him, the image shot through with static, his one remaining claw crushing her against the floor.

Her face showed no emotion, even as a faint, crackled laughter echoed forth from the machine.

"Ha ha ha...I...see..." The Gearhead slumped back in his chair, one hand pressed to his bloodied and ruined chest.

"You...truly are...Assassin...aren't you...?"

The Warwolf's head turned slightly, it's neck sparking as it regarded the ancient and worn black cannon held by the girl.

"...A blade...that cuts the target...no matter where he may be..." He coughed. "So long...as a connection to his real body...exists..."

The girl's eyes flicked down to the weapon next to her.

"I...didn't even know...it was possible to use...Cyberspace in such a manner..." Granz managed a bitter smile. "To slash me even across...the distance between...puppeteer and puppet..."

He laughed again.

"Well done...Black Rock...Shooter..." The Gearhead's vision was blurring now.

"I wonder..." he mused, the screen beginning to disintegrate into white noise.

"Is this...that thrill of battling...on the precipice of life and death...that I've heard about...?"

A last smile crossed his lips.

"Perhaps...it's not so bad...to fight on the frontlines...after all..."

His head fell back against the chair, the life support machines racing in towards him.

The girl looked up as a single drop of oil slid from the machine's ruined eye, the light in it flickering.

"Heh heh...don't think...this will be...enough to kill me...!" Granz grinned, a hellishly bright spark in his eye. "I will...be back to face you again...! So...until then...!"

"Until...we meet again on the battlefield..." He gave a final, chuckle, "Fight on...Black Rock Shooter."

And the machine went silent, the glow fading from it's eyes.

---

Somewhere in Cyberspace...

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

WHAM.

Craft could ALMOST restrain himself from smirking.

"You were asking for that."

Rubbing the side of his face, Omega simply grumbled a few choice swearwords.

"Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That usually works!"

"Y-y-y-y-y-you...! Wha-wha-what the hell was that?!"

The girl, having scrambled several feet back from Omega, managed to get to her feet, a brilliant shade of red and looking on the verge of a nervous breakdown, clutching the tattered coat of her former disguise close, her short black hair messy and unkempt.

"Weeeell, it's called a French kiss, y'see, and-"

"N-NO! NOT...that...!" She stammered, going even redder, "H-how did you know?!"

"Know what?" Omega shoved his hands in his pockets and slouched back casually, a smug look on his face.

"...Do you mean how I knew you were a girl?" He grinned, a suddenly predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Or do you want to ask how I knew you weren't the real Gemini Cyto?"

The air seemed to freeze, the girl going pale. Heavy footsteps sounded, and Omega found himself spun around, Craft staring at him in alarm.

"What do you mean, she's not the real Gemini Cyto?!"

Omega raised an eyebrow.

"Well, for one thing, your Gemini is apparently a guy. And in case you didn't notice, this Gemini here kinda has boobs."

A pause.

"Rather nice ones too, might I add." He admitted, the girl giving another squeak and stepping even further out of range.

Catching the look in Craft's eyes, he held up his hands placatingly.

"All right, all right, I'll get to the point." He took a deep breath.

"You know my...'thing' for Cyberspace, right? Well, for this entire battle, you guys have been seeing something ENTIRELY different from me."

"Say what?" Grey scratched his head.

"You lot have all been seeing this Gemini Cyto guy. But all I've been seeing is a Gemini shaped figure, like a shell of sorts, wrapped around ANOTHER figure inside of it."

He pointed.

"And that would be her."

The girl was staring at him in disbelief.

"You...but...how?!" She demanded, "No-one's ever been able to see through my disguises before!"

" 'No-one' ain't me, girlie." Omega grinned.

"B-but how did you know she wasn't the real Gemini?" Grey asked, "With how scarce the data on Zone Technicians is, and with the tricks they can pull, it would have been easy for Gemini to just be a girl masquerading as a guy the whole time!"

Omega gave him a searching stare.

"...they can do that?"

"Um, yeah..."

There was a moment's silence.

Then Omega turned, a businesslike look on his face.

"Welp, nothing else for it. Come on, take off your pants."

The girl let out a strangled squeak of panic.

"Wh-WHAT?!"

Omega grinned, advancing on her.

"Well, I mean, come on, it's the only way to tell for sure whether you're a guy or not, right?" He shrugged, "After all, what with aaaaalll those 'tricks' you Technicians have, you've gotta be sure, right?"

"Eeek!"

Please excuse this brief intermission.

WHAM.

"Get back to the point, old one."

...or not.

Omega shot Craft a dirty look, rubbing the back of his head.

"I was just teasing her..."

The look in Craft's eyes shut him up.

"All right, sheesh...But anyway, from that outer 'shell' there was a trail of data leading WAY off into Cyberspace." He shook his head. "It wasn't until I finally hit her just now that I got the confirmation that the trail of data was the REAL power, and that she was just kind of...'channeling' it for lack of a better word."

"…right down to the powers that the real Gemini would have used." Craft finished, a terrible look on his face as he stared at the girl.

"Basically, yeah." Omega continued, "Although this means that the whole fiasco has been a colossal waste of time, since that Gemini chump didn't have the balls to come out and face me head on."

Craft was still staring at the girl, his expression suddenly cold and taut.

"Red Masquerade…" He said finally, the girl stiffening.

Omega turned, suddenly aware of the change in mood.

"Who?"

"Red Masquerade: One of the most unknown Zone Technicians. Ability: Perfect Double. Allows the Masquerade to take on the form of any other known Zone Technician, right down to perfectly duplicating their personalities and mindsets, with access to their powers, so long as the original Technician is willing to support her with them, using the Masquerade as a medium and thus allowing her to 'channel' them. An entirely unique Technician, as her power is almost parasitic in nature, the oversized egos of most Zone Technicians making it easy for her to be employed, particularly by those who don't wish to appear in person."

"A body double of sorts?" Omega's eyes narrowed. "Tch…no wonder he hired Granz…two back-row commanders like them should have gotten along like a house on fire. At least Granz had the balls to bring his personal machines out for me."

Craft towered over Masquerade, cybernetic eye glowing.

"Where is Gemini Cyto?"

The Masque held up her hands, shaking her head frantically.

"I-I don't know, I swear! I'm just the hired actor!"

Gritting his teeth, Craft turned on his heel. True, Masquerade's code was simply to act out the role she was given, regardless of whether it be for good or evil. Thus, she deliberately avoided asking questions like that, in order to maintain her impartiality. As a result, they'd never been able to arrest her, what with legal loopholes always letting her get away on the grounds that she wasn't actually the one committing the crimes. She had even helped Legion a few times, assisting Ace and Vent's Cyberspace operations from time to time, although she'd never met any of them face to face.

But this time…!

He glanced at the God of Destruction, their best hope for anything connected to Cyberspace.

"Is there any way to follow the trail?"

Omega simply rocked back on his heels, arms folded smugly.

"But of course... Just who the hell do you think you're dealing with?"

Craft stared at him.

"A minute ago you said they were too far away to track."

"Well yeah, but that was before I had…"He grinned wider, to reveal a single shining crystal of compressed data held in his teeth.

The Masquerade went as white as a ghost.

"Y-you! How did you get-?!" And then she slapped both hands over her mouth, going a brilliant red as it dawned on her just HOW Omega had managed to 'extract' that data.

Craft simply stared at him, a deadpan look on his face.

"…seriously?"

"Heh, I told you, where Cyberspace is concerned, you can't top me!" He flicked the crystal through his fingers and back, amused.

"What, did you think that whole tongue-tangling session was just for the fun of a good make-out?"

Omega considered that question for a moment, and hastily threw up a hand as Craft opened his mouth to reply.

"…on second thought, don't answer that." He said quickly. "At any rate, I was able to extract the encrypted data seed she was using to relay power from the real Gemini to her. So all I have to do…"

He tossed it up.

"Is break that encryption!"

His jaws slammed shut, steel fangs crushing the delicate crystal as it came back down. A sound like breaking glass, and suddenly a brilliant red road burst from the ground in front of Omega, shooting off into the depths of Cyberspace. Grinning, he turned back to the others.

"Ladies and gents, we have our back door!"

Craft blew past him, Dullahan roaring as he tore up the slope.

"Wh-whoa, what the hell's HIS rush?!"

Omega staggered off balance from the near miss, before giving an angry growl and starting up the road after him.

"N-Nooooo!"

Only to be hit in the midsection by sixty pounds of flying Masquerade grabbing him around the waist.

"Ow! The hell?! GERROFF!"

"NO!" Masquerade shot back, grabbing him tighter "I can't let you stop Gemini!"

"Wh-what?!" He demanded, "WHY?!"

"B-because…if I do that…" She looked up at him, tears of despair running down her face.

"I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET ANOTHER JOB AFTER THIS!"

Omega tripped over his own feet and crashed to the floor.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NEVER GET ANOTHER JOB?! IS THIS REALLY THE BEST TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT YOUR CAREER, WOMAN?!"

"B-but all my other jobs as Masquerade always turn out horribly! And I'm ALWAYS the one who has to run from Security when it always goes sour!" She yelled back, straddling him, "Do you have any idea how HARD it is to get a job as a Zone Technician when all you can do is imitate another one, and even then only when they're ALLOWING you to access their powers?!"

"Well then, just do it WITHOUT their permission!"

"I…huh." She blinked, surprised, "I uh…I hadn't thought of that…"

Omega stared at her in disbelief.

"Are you KIDDING me?!" Bloody hell she really WAS a ditz! Either that, or just naïve beyond all compare!

"A-and also…" She lowered her head slightly, her black hair failing to conceal the pretty blush on her cheeks.

"A-also…?" Omega asked, suddenly nervous for some unexplainable reason.

"Th-that was…" Masquerade twiddled her index fingers together shyly.

Every instinct in Omega's body was suddenly screaming at him to run, to get away, to FLY, YOU FOOL!

"That was my first…k…k-kiss…!" She looked back up at him, a scared and determined look on her face.

"S-so…I-I'll have you take responsibility for that…!" Masquerade ducked her head, overcome.

"I-I'm s-still inexperienced, but I'll d-do my best so…P-please take care of me!"

There was a brief silence.

"E-eek!" Masquerade jumped in surprise as Omega's claws slammed shut on her shoulders.

"O-oi, you…" The God of Destruction's head snapped up, a manic look in his eyes, breathing hard, with blood gushing from both nostrils.

"S-Say that again…!"

"Uh…um..e-er… 'I-I'm still i-inexperienced, b-but I'll do my best, s-so…please t-take care of me'…?"

There was silence again.

---

Craft gunned the throttle, charging down the scarlet road with a grim look on his face.

"Dammit…pick up, Marino…!" He gritted his teeth, dialing the A.C.E Command Center. If this was indeed one big distraction, then there was only one place important enough for their enemy to go through all of this for…only ONE place, with a prize valuable enough to risk such an immense undertaking!

"The Legion Mainframe…!"

The single largest collection of data in the entire world. Every record, every file, every piece of digital information that existed in this world, was held in those databanks. The holy grail sought after by every cybercriminal in the world, the Legion mainframe was a prize with an incalculable cost. And more importantly, it also held some of the records on the most dangerous examples of Lost Technology known to human kind, or used during the Maverick and Elf Wars. If any of that were to fall into the hands of a Zone Technician, it would be sold to the highest bidder within hours, with the only worse result being that the Technician simply kept the data to himself and used it to establish an unparalleled amount of power.

And then the commando's increasingly grim thoughts were interrupted, a colossal pillar of crimson power exploded behind him, shaking the entire road, even Cyberspace itself resonating with the monstrous surge of energy.

"Wh-what the devil-?!" Craft stammered, tires screeching as he fought to control the bucking Dullahan.

"TEEEEEEEERRAAAAA CUTENEEEEESSS OVAAAALOOOAAAAAAD!"

And then something that looked almost EXACTLY like the apocalypse itself, incarnated in the form of a God of Destruction at suddenly 120% overpower blew past him in a hurricane of demonic crimson energy, laughing madly as he brandished the Zweihander wildly, the road itself cracking with the pressure generated from his passage.

Watching the berserk crimson disaster rocket off into the distance, Craft could only stare after him in disbelief.

"What the…hell?"

Somewhere behind him, Grey and Queenbee picked themselves up, groaning and coughing up smoke.

"O-oww…M-master was suddenly so intense…!"

Grey glanced over at the fainted figure of Masquerade, upside down in the crater left by Omega's sudden explosion.

"…Is this what Ace means when he says 'the power of moe-verload'?"

---

"And so the fools approach…" Gemini Cyto, the REAL Gemini Cyto, stared out at his screens, a dangerous smile on his face.

"But alas, too little, too late!" He turned to stare up at the colossal edifice of gold that was the Cyberspace representation of the Legion Mainframe. From the moment the battle outside had begun, he had been here, inside Legion, stealthily breaking in through its defenses until he could finally stand here, face to face with the Holy Grail sought after by all Zone Technicians…!

At last, all of the secrets of Legion, the history of the world dating back to the Elf Wars, the personal data for every living citizen of Legion City since time immemorial…their bank accounts, their lives, their loves…EVERYTHING!

Finally, it was his! The treasure trove of information that every Zone Technician strove for!

Gemini couldn't help but laugh, even as his programs began scouring the mainframe, already picking the best information for himself.

And then the alarms went off.

"That's far enough, Gemini Cyto!"

Gates slammed shut all around the mainframe area, locking the Technician in. Not showing any alarm in the slightest, Gemini turned, heaving a sigh.

"So, you've finally come, Rose Hurricane."

Marino glowered down at him from the screen above, dozens of digital gun turrets materializing around the walls of the mainframe area, all trained on the intruder.

"Damn straight I have…Now stand down and surrender to Legion Security at once!"

And Gemini Cyto laughed.

"Really? REALLY?! You expected me to come here, to finally obtain the greatest prize of all, and then simply lie down and surrender because you point a few pitiful constructs at me?!"

A gesture, and with a dull roar, the thirteen divine pillars of Cyto's Onbashira plunged down around him, crushing the walls, the gates and gun turrets alike with an earthshaking crash.

Through the smoke, the Zone Technician's blue visor burned.

"Don't make me laugh." He sneered coldly. "I am Cyto, GEMINI CYTO! A ZONE TECHNICIAN! ONE OF THE GODS OF CYBERSPACE! I WILL NOT BE STOPPED BY A FEW PALTRY DEFENSES SUCH AS THIS!"

He raised his hand, the massive pillars orbiting around him.

"My Zone is a contradiction against the laws of reality itself! What do you think you can POSSIBLY do to me?!"

And a new voice cut through the conversation.

"It's funny you should ask that…!"

"Who-?!" Gemini whirled, another voice speaking up as well.

"Aye…after all, you say your infamous Zone is a contradiction of reality itself?"

A laugh rang out.

"Then all you have to do…is POINT IT OUT!"

And at that moment, one voice roared, a shout loud and strong and triumphant!

"OBJECTION!"

[CUE MUSIC! ULTIMATE MARVEL VERSUS CAPCOM 3- THEME OF]

PHOENIX WRIGHT!

And the green world shattered, everything in front of Gemini exploding inwards in shards of green.

"Wh-WHAT?!" He staggered back, shielding his face. "No, THIS VOICE-!"

As the light of the real world shone in, even through the rapidly re-closing gap, he saw the legendary scarlet coat.

The most hated enemy of Zone Technicians the world over!

The man with the one of a kind ability, to breach the barrier of any Zone in the world! As long as he can identify the contradiction against the laws of the world, the bending of the rules that governed Cyberspace and reality, there is nothing that can escape the long arm of the law!

"You...!" Gemini roared, visor flashing with hate and rage, "The Anti-Zone...ACE PHOENIX!"

Ace stood in the gap, one finger still extended and pointing directly at the furious Zone Technician. The same finger that had just forced the laws of reality back into place for that one moment of glory, revealing the real-world server room behind him. When even reality itself is forced to recognize the fundamental contradiction of there being an entity capable of interfering with the very programming of the universe, ALL Zones will be temporarily broken open, allowing the one who made that contradiction known to enter.

Only three things are needed: To be present within the Zone's reach in reality, to know the true identity of the one responsible for the Zone, and an iron conviction that not even the universe's natural programming can turn aside.

"The one and only!" He grinned, blue eyes flashing.

"Damnation…I was told you would be out of the way until I finished here!" Without wasting a minute, Gemini hurled all thirteen pillars straight at him, the air shaking with the force.

"And I'm VERY interested in just who told you that…" Ace's eyes narrowed at the oncoming attack. "But unfortunately, I've got another friend here who'd like to talk to you first!"

Seizing one of the sides of his coat, he yanked it open. The scarlet cloth flared out, and for a brief instant, the inner surface of that coat showed something else, a window from Cyberspace back into the real world.

And in that moment, blue and red light burst forth from it, flashing through the void in a ceaseless spiral of brilliant energy.

"GIIIIIGAAAAAAAA!"

The gate to Cyberspace now unlocked, Vent hurtled forward, cerulean and crimson light roaring through the energy, a spiral of power wrapping around his forearm and expanding into a colossal drill of energy, blue and red intertwined in a raging revolution.

"VEEEEEEEENT!"

The light roared, the red and blue spiral expanding until it dwarfed Vent, power exploding around him as he rocketed forward.

"BREEEEAAAAAAAAKAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The Onbashira shattered, a solid wall of power slamming into them as Vent crashed through, the massive drill obliterating everything in it's path.

Gemini screamed, his right arm twisted apart into nothingness, the original Chosen One blasting past him with a roar.

Data fragments flew, Vent's boots smashing the ground as he skidded to a halt, the massive drill dispelled in another burst of red and blue power.

"And so long as there's someone to open that path to Cyberspace…" He grinned, "There's no enemy I can't pierce!"

"HELL YEAH!" Ace crowed.

"Although seriously…are you SURE there's no better way to get me here?" He gave Ace an irritated look.

"Dude, shut up." Ace groaned. "I keep telling you, I can only get myself in with the 'Anti-Contradiction' move, and I can only open the gate for someone else once I'm IN here…"

"Well yeah, but…"

"Just take your damn Dynamic Entrance and go with it, would you?!" Ace snapped. "Now let's TAKE this turkey before he does any more damage to the mainframe!"

Gemini clenched his one remaining fist, data spiraling around his ruined socket to form a new one.

"Fine then..!" He turned to face the charging red and blue duo. "I'll smash you both ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

The Mainframe behind him flashed, luminous blue lines racing up its surface.

"Dammit!" Marino's eyes widened, alarms blaring. "Ace, he's taken over the mainframe! He's using it to boost his own processor power!"

"Nothing like a challenge!" Vent grinned, power already flaring around him.

"AGREED!" Ace laughed madly.

[Cue Music: Necrofantasia Remix- Demetori]

"CHARGE! ARK OF THE WORLD!"

Gemini roared, the world shaking as he cut loose. From thin air, a whole slew of beasts and Mechaniloids burst forth, hundreds upon thousands of them barreling towards the two heroes of Legion. Every known species of deadly beast ever recorded in the Legion Mainframe, every recorded model of offensive Mechaniloid, all summoned at once and charging forward in a blind rage.

"OI, Vent!" Ace called, grinning.

"Yeah?"

"You taking this one, or should I?"

"Nah, relax..." Vent laughed aloud, skidding to a halt and raising a hand towards the oncoming horde. "I GOT THIS!"

And as the world around him warped and twisted, the original Chosen One smirked.

"After all, when it comes down to numbers..." His eyes glinted with an unholy glee.

"KEKEKE! ZERG RUUUUUUUUUUUSH!"

And the hordes of the Swarm thundered past him.

"GODDAMN CHEAP-ASS ZERG PLAYEEEER~!" Ace yelled in outrage, diving out of the path of the stampede.

---

In the main control room of A.C.E, Marino sighed and pressed her head into her hands.

"Seriously…? HOW HAVE THOSE TWO NOT GOTTEN THEMSELVES KILLED YET?!"

Next to her, Cinnamon sighed, and offered her a drink.

"Oh, thanks Cin…" Ace's second-in-command said absentmindedly, taking a sip before spitting it all out in shock.

"Ci-Ci-CINNAMON?! Wha…how…where've you been?!"

Cinnamon simply sighed again.

"I've been working on refining the extra stuff for Mister Ace, silly! Remember, he's been putting a lot of physical stress on himself lately, and it's only a matter of time before he burns himself out again…"

Marino's expression darkened.

"I see…any luck?"

Cinnamon shook her head sadly.

"I can't do anything more than what we've already done for him. The most we can do now, is to get ready for when it does happen, to get him back on his feet as soon as we can."

"Damn it…" Marino growled, sinking back into her chair. Her eyes flicked over to the screen where Ace was currently in the midst of headbutting an enemy minotaur of some kind to the ground.

"Well, on the bright side, at least in Cyberspace, he doesn't need to worry about holding back…"

It was the one bright spot of their situation.

For it was only there in Cyberspace, the place where the laws of physics and reality didn't matter, that Ace could truly go all-out, fighting without needing to worry about limits of any kind.

…okay, to be fair, he never worried about limits in the FIRST place to begin with, but at least in Cyberspace, he wasn't likely to get killed because of it.

And then her console blinked, indicating that the Legion Mainframe was being accessed again.

"Dammit, here we go again…!"

---

Gemini gave a snarl of anger upon seeing his army stopped in its tracks.

"So you brought an army of your own, I see…!"

"DAMN STRAIGHT!" Vent yelled back, grinning fiercely, "But we got a BETTER one!"

As one, the massed forces of Vent's favorite swarm tactics gave a screech of rage and slammed into the center of Gemini's attackers, a condensed wedge of carnage hammering through the defenses.

Gritting his teeth, Gemini channeled more power through his connection to the Mainframe. His visor flashed, time beginning to dilate as the vast resources of the world's most powerful computing hardware surged through him.

"Blast it…Ace!" Marino's voice rang out, "As cliched as it sounds, he's using the Mainframe to boost his own processing speed!"

"He's…oh that is it." A vein pulsed in Ace's forehead. "He's increasing his processor speed to increase his ACTUAL speed?! COME ON!" Annoyance and cliched cheesy tactics aside, Ace looked up at the floating screen overhead.

"Marino, is there any way to shut down the Mainframe from here?"

She shook her head in anger.

"No can do, Ace. He's locked just about every means of access in Legion. We're getting reports of HUNDREDS of businesses and organizations complaining about downed servers and lost resources. I have our backups doing what they can, but we're losing connections faster than we can keep up."

"Well, just QUARANTINE the entire Mainframe! So long as we can stop him from getting into any other systems, the backups should be able to compen-!"

Any further ranting was cut off by Gemini appearing directly in front of the Scarlet Commander and slamming him fifty feet backwards with a point blank pillar summon moving almost at the speed of thought.

Vent's eyes widened, and he leaped back, hundreds of pillars hurtling down on the clashing armies with the speed and impact of a full scale aerial bombardment.

"Wiping out your own army, Cyto?" He taunted, "Not so much of a team player, are you!"

"SHUT UP, YOU!" Gemini snapped, a dozen smaller pillars materializing all around Vent and slamming inwards, only the Chosen One's phenomenal skill keeping from a crushing death.

"All right, Cyto, you wanna play a contest of speed? THEN LET'S PLAY A CONTEST OF SPEED!"

The angry yell echoed from in the distance, and Gemini turned to see Ace rising, a brilliant red aura around him. Light flashed, and a new weapon appeared in his grip, a white beam surging from the hilt.

"Let's go…!" Raising it to eye level, he charged.

"STRAWBERRY ON THE SHORTCAKE!"

[Cue Music: REVENGE- No More Heroes OST]

And the next thing Gemini knew, he was fighting for his life to parry a beam katana that seemed to be slashing and striking at him from every angle at once, cutting through his blocking pillars as fast as he could summon them.

"Wh-what the hell kind of move is this?!" He demanded, leaping out of the way as the flashing white energy blade sliced past.

"The craziest!" Ace laughed, blow after blow raining down. One swing around the left, a pillar slamming into his blade. One to the right, a pillar sacrificing itself to defend Gemini again. Another decapitating strike, the Technician dropping down and launching a counterattack with a pillar rocketing straight for Ace's gut. A flash of blue, Ace twisting to the side and away as eight copies of Vent blurred into the air around Gemini.

"CODE KIRIN: OVERDRIVE!"

One kick across the jaw. One punch smashing across the chest. A double hammer blow to the stomach. A whirling axe kick down as Gemini doubled up. As the Technician hurtled towards the ground, another Vent yanked him out of the fall, swinging him up and over before smashing him into the ground on the other side. As he bounced, another came hurtling in with a straight kick that crashed into Cyto's chest and hurled him across the arena. With a roar, the seventh met him halfway, open palm slamming onto the Technician's face and grabbing his head hard enough to crack the mask. Leaning forward, straining against Gemini's momentum, he smashed the Technician ninety degrees straight down, crushing a six foot wide crater in the ground with the back of Cyto's skull.

"And now the Grand Finale!" The copies disappeared in flashes of data, the eighth and final Vent, the real Vent, appearing high in the air, one leg drawn up.

"AAAAAATLAAAAAAAAANTIIIIIS…!"

Red and blue light howled through the air, coalescing around Vent's leg as he slammed it forward into a full body flying kick down at Gemini's motionless form.

"STRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!"

Space and time distorted, as a kick capable of breaking entire continents streaked down from the sky, smashing into Gemini, and blasting a sixty foot wide crater of broken green data into the floor as the Technician snarled in pain.

"WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA!" Vent roared, putting even more power into the attack, the ground cracking and twisting as the red and blue spiral raged around him.

And then, as the crater suddenly smashed even deeper, he leapt up and away, a rain of pillars slamming down around him like spears, one clipping him in midair and sending him spinning into the ground.

"YOOOOUUUUUUUU!" Gemini screamed in rage, blasting himself free of the earth again and causing the ground beneath Vent to explode in a new array of pillars that rocketed up towards the Chosen One.

"FLAAAAAAME BUUUUUSTEEEER KIIIIIIIICK!"

A meteor streaked down through the heavens, Ace launching an epic diving kick of his own that smashed straight into the side of the pillars and launching them flying like broken bowling pins across the room, crashing into one another and disintegrating into pieces.

Even as Gemini blasted the onrushing pillars apart with six well aimed new ones, Ace had used the momentum of his earlier attack to launch himself back into the air, beam katana reappearing.

"BLUEBERRY CHEESE BROWNIE!"

Slashing through the air multiple times, he launched sphere after sphere of destructive energy down at the Technician, each slash generating another one. They slammed down around Gemini like a meteor shower, explosion after explosion erupting around him.

"Guh...damn it, I need more!" Behind Gemini, the monolithic edifice of the Mainframe pulsed again, the Technician drawing more power from it.

"...well that can't be good." Vent deadpanned, standing atop one of the many pillars stabbed into the ground.

"Son of a- Ace, we just lost power to the entire Northern sector! He just knocked out the geothermal plants!"

"Geh...little busy here, Marino!" Ace gritted, before dropping the katana and dropping down to the floor below as a COLOSSAL blast of fire scorched past him, a screeching roar close behind it.

Rolling frantically behind cover, he hastily extinguished a stray wisp of burning hair and looked back out.

"Oh he is just ASKING for it now."

A massive spiked tail swept apart the clouds of dust, flames roaring up as what looked like a dragon made out of an entire volcanic mountain range reared up, a gigantic claw already swinging down at Ace' s hiding spot.

"Oh god DAMN it...!" Throwing himself sideways as the beast's claws tore through the pillar he'd been using for cover, Ace swore, manifesting his Scarlet Skin and blasting away with palm-mounted plasma casters.

"What's the matter, Phoenix?" Gemini gloated, his summoned dragon cutting loose with another eye-burning blast of fire. "Too hot for you?!"

"Oi oi, only I'm allowed to make the cheesy jokes around here!"

Gemini cursed and ducked, a dozen spectral blue swords shooting past his head. Swearing, he turned to see Vent with one hand outstretched, a dozen more of the ghostly swords spinning around him in a manner reminiscent of a certain Son of Sparda.

"Quit posing, you loser!" Ace yelled over the commotion, "You're cutting in on my screentime!"

"You snooze, you lose, Phoenix!" The Chosen One grinned, vaulting over the dragon's tail as Gemini turned it around, roaring angrily as he tried to crush Vent again, the man in question hurling all of the summoned swords after the Technician's head in retaliation.

"Hold STILL, you sonofabitch!"

"Sorry, but I'd rather not!" Landing atop the armored scales, the brown haired Guardian leader raced across the back of the beast, ignoring the pillars hurtling past him mere inches away. Light flashed in his hand, an epic chord ringing out in the void as Vent drew back the electric guitar, the engine in it revving like a chainsaw.

"FLCL...HOOOOOOOOOOOME RUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!"

BWAAAOOOOOOONG!

Guitar strings screamed out, Vent smashing the guitar STRAIGHT into Gemini's face with a wild whoop, sending the Technician pinwheeling down the length of the dragon's snout with an outraged yowl of pain.

Flipping backwards through the air, even as the dragon lunged down at Ace below, he recovered, feet slamming down on a new pillar and launching himself back towards Vent like a humanoid bullet. The Chosen One's eyes widened, cursing as he realized he'd never recover from the follow-through in time-

WHAM!

Gemini's armored helm slammed into his chest, Vent choking on blood as the impact hurled him clear off of the dragon's head as the Technician skidded to a halt in his previous position. With a malicious grin, Gemini straightened up and gestured, adding insult to injury as the dragon's tail lanced up and over, before rocketing down and smashing the flying Chosen One clear out of the air and into the ground with the force of a cannon blast, green shards of data hurtling in every direction.

"D...Dammit Ace!" Vent growled, wincing as he waited for his bones to re-knit. "You're the self-proclaimed pro at this, so start throwing down the wrath already, would you?!"

"GLADLY!" Ace snarled. "And now that you're FINALLY out of my line of fire, I can do just that!"

Scarlet Skin roaring, he seized the jaws approaching him in both hands, and with a blast of radiant scarlet power, twisted, hurling the massive beast tail over teakettle past him.

"You wanted to challenge ME, Gemini? ME. ACE GODDAMN PHOENIX, in the HEART OF LEGION CITY'S CYBERSPACE, to a duel of IMAGINATION?!"

He slammed his fists together and drew them apart, a single card spinning between the open fingers of his right.

"FINE THEN! LET ME SHOW YOU A REAL DRAGON'S POWER!"

A colossal magic circle blazed to life behind the Scarlet Phoenix, white lightning crashing through the air.

"COME! TYRANT WHO RULES THE HEAVENS!" He thundered, his scarlet coat-tails defying gravity as they whipped out behind him.

"BLUE EYES WHITE DRAGON!"

The magic circle shattered, the legendary dragon of white steel and burning blue eyes tearing a hole in the world, roaring its rage as it took to the skies, massive wings flaring. With an answering scream, Gemini's beast reared up, spewing devastating surges of fire after the airborne serpent.

Ace brought his hand down, savage delight in his blue eyes.

"TAKE HIM DOWN! NEUTRON BLAST!"

With a screech of fury, the massive white dragon did exactly that, thunder crashing through the sky as it snapped it's head forward, raw, uncontrolled electrical might blazing from it's jaws in a colossal blast of lightning.

Gemini screamed with rage as Technician and dragon alike vanished in a mammoth detonation that shook the reaches of Cyberspace for miles around-

-only to be torn apart as the Technician ripped the surge to pieces with his armored hands, armor cracked and battered, as his beast reconstituted itself beneath his feet, shoulders and neck exploding in a shower of gore as four additional heads tore their way free, each with a savage reptilian head on the end snarling with a different elemental power.

"AS IF ONE PATHETIC BEAST COULD EVER KILL ME!" Gemini shrieked. "RIP HIM APART, HYDRA!"

Fire, ice and lightning crashed down around Ace, and through the air at his still flying creature. A fourth head roared, the ground beneath him shattering and blasting upwards, sharp chunks of rock slicing into him.

But even as a stray splinter slashed across his cheek, Ace never flinched, that same dangerous grin on his face.

"So one's not enough, is it?!" He laughed, throwing his free arm out to the side, palm upwards.

"That's fine by me!" A flash of brown and blue, and suddenly Vent was there, one hand slapping down on Ace's outstretched own. Light flashed from the space between them as the Chosen One turned away, Ace bringing two more spinning cards across to join the first one in his other hand, a demonic grin on his face.

"THEN HOW ABOUT THREE?!"

The skies split asunder, thunder roaring and lightning blazing, as not one, but TWO more Blue Eyes dragon tore through the green night, screaming their rage at the enemy before them.

Behind his mask, Gemini Cyto's eyes widened in rage.

"You...!"

"TRIPLE THREAT!" Vent laughed madly.

"THREE-WAY WHITE LIGHTNING BARRAGE!" Ace roared, the heavens themselves blasting downwards to smite the five-headed beast like the wrath of god.

"DAMN YOOOOOOOOOOOUUUU!" Gemini screamed, the blasts punching shattered holes in the barrier he'd thrown up, each one vaporizing one of his beast's heads in flashes of red. Even as his monster roared in pain, the Technician was pressing the attack, dozens of pillars appearing at his sides and blasting away like an entire array of artillery guns.

"IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH, YOU FOOLS!" He thundered, one hand thrust out as dozens of energy blasts tore up the area around the Scarlet Commander, the white dragons diving and looping as shells hurtled past them.

"THE HELL IT IS!" Ace roared back. Snapping both arms upwards, he gave a wild howl.

"IIIIIIKUZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !"

[Cue Music: BREAK OUT!-JAM Project]

Back to back with him, Vent flicked his fingers, a devilish smile on his face as a new card snapped out between them.

Above the two heroes, the three dragons came together with divine roars, weaving a spiraling, interwoven trail of light as they barreled upwards to the sky, before looping around and charging straight towards Gemini, darting and diving around the furious barrage from the Zone Technician.

"Damn damn damn damn damn damn DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAAAAAAAAAAMMMMNN YOOOOOOOOOOOUUUU!" Gemini screamed, rage and hatred in his mad eyes as he redoubled his assault.

"WHY WON'T YOU FUCKERS JUST DIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE?!"

"VENT!" Ace glanced back over his shoulder, a savage smile on his face.

"Yeah, I hear you!" The Chosen One gave an answering grin, his long hair whipping in the raging wind. Raising his hand, he threw that last card to the skies, a spiral of red and blue power erupting from it with a force that shook the world.

"YOU THINK THIS IS ALL IT TAKES TO TAKE US ON?!" He roared. "THEN FACE THIS!"

"THE WRATH OF THREE...!"

"...FUSED INTO ONE!"

And two voices roared through the green darkness, as Guardian Commander and Scarlet Commander stood as one.

"POLYMERIZATIOOOOOOOOOOOON!"

A scream of rage in the night, and Gemini Cyto's world shook. The mammoth hydra beneath him shrieked, the brilliant white colossus of the three headed Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon slamming into it in a full body blow, roaring with divine fury. Silver claws lashed out, the last two hydra heads spinning away in showers of blood and fragmenting data.

"I CAN STILL REGENERATE YOU FOOLS!" The Technician thundered, fresh heads erupting from the stumps. "And now you face TEN heads instead of five!"

But even as all ten of the beast's heads reared up, fire and death spitting forth, the legendary white dragon of legends roared, godly white power erupting to life in the jaws of it's three heads, rage and hate in it's eyes for the abomination before it.

And Ace and Vent spoke for it.

"FUCK YOUR NUMBERS AND YOUR REGENERATION...!"

"WE'LL JUST ANNIHILATE YOU UNTIL THERE'S NOT EVEN A SCRAP LEFT!"

Hands thrust out towards the battle before them, both Commanders howled their defiance.

"GO! ULTIMAAAAAAAAAATE...!"

"WHIIIIIIIIIITE LIIIIIGHTNIIIIIIIIIIIING...!"

"ATTAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"

With a scream of fury, the Blue Eyes Ultimate cut loose, a thunderous white beam of power blasting from each head, warping and twisting around each other to form a single monstrous wall of destruction that surged forward. Before the outraged eyes of the Technician, his own attacks vanished, devoured by the white storm that filled his vision, his hydra's entire body disintegrating into atoms under the impossible power.

"DAAAAAAAAAMN YOOOOOOOOOOOUUUU!"

Throwing his arms up before his face, he leapt clear of his beast, the brilliant beam of destruction erasing it in an instant.

"AND WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!"

The summoned Blue Eyes vanishing behind them, it's task completed, both Commanders charged, a burning steel fist and spiralling kick scything in towards the Technician from both sides-

And striking empty air, Gemini vanishing before their eyes.

"Slippery bastard...!" Vent gritted, even as the world around them warped and twisted, transforming into a massive spherical chamber, Gemini's power reconstructing the entire arena.

"You damned dogs of Legion...!" The Technician snarled, his voice resounding through the empty chamber. "To HELL with the Mainframe...if I can't have it, I'LL JUST BLAST IT TO FRAGMENTS ALONG WITH YOU BOTH!"

Marino gritted her teeth, alarms ringing out throughout the A.C.E command deck.

"Dammit...! Ace, Vent!" She yelled into the communications line, "He's taken control of the entire Mainframe area!"

She looked across at other screens, showing technicians battling the fires erupting from overheated servers, alarms going off throughout Legion's administration. No doubt the Masters were going to have a FIT about this...!

Ace and Vent stood their ground, looking up as every inch of the walls, ceiling and floor unfolded, hundreds upon thousands of pillars emerging from the smooth surface, all pointed directly at them. And as the ends of each pillar began to glow ominously, Ace grinned.

"Hey Vent..."

"Yeah, I'm thinking it too. That one combined summon we never quite found a reason to break out..."

"Now's about as good a time as any, eh?" Ace chuckled, red light erupting around his frame.

"Why not?!" Vent laughed, blue power exploding from his body.

The Scarlet Phoenix raised a hand to the skies.

"ROAR! THE CREST OF COURAGE!"

"HOWL! THE CREST OF..."

There was an awkward moment of silence. Ace rolled his eyes and gave Vent an irritated look.

"Well?"

"...do I HAVE to say this?" Vent hedged, looking mildly embarrassed.

"Oh come on, you say that EVERY TIME we try this!"

"Well what do you expect?!" Vent shot back, "It's easy for YOU, you have 'Courage' which still sounds cool!"

"Yours isn't bad!"

"Dude, yelling 'The Crest of FRIENDSHIP'?" The Guardian Commander winced, "It's just so...corny!"

"Oh for the love of...will you get over it already?!"

A bead of sweat slid down the back of Gemini's unseen neck, one hand still raised.

"Er...hello...? I'm uh...I'm still here...y'know, with a million cannons of death pointed at you...?"

Marino sighed.

"They'll uh...they'll be back with you in a minute. This happens all the time."

"...oh. Nah, it's cool. I can wait."

A moment of silence as Vent and Ace continued ranting at each other.

Then Gemini punched himself across the face, shaking his head.

"No, wait, what the hell am I saying?! This is perfect!" Snapping one hand out at the bickering duo, he roared triumphantly.

"OMNIDIRECTIONAL ONBASHIRA CANNON...FIRE!"

And as light burst forth from the muzzle of well over the million cannons, destructive power hurtling in towards the red and blue pair from every conceivable direction, Vent gave an angry growl.

"God, FINE!" Throwing one hand to the sky, brilliant blue power surging around him once more, he thundered.

"HOWL! THE CREST OF...CAMRADERIE!"

Ace gave him an outraged look.

"Oh, you WUSS!"

"BITE ME, ASSHOLE!"

And the energy screamed to life around them, a column of blazing white energy erupting from the void.

"COME!" Ace thundered.

"THE WHITE KNIGHT WHO GUARDS THE DARK!"

"OMNIMON...ZEEEEEEEEE...EEEEEEEEEXXXXXXX!"

[Cue Music: EVERYWHERE YOU GO! (X MIX) – Super Robot Wars OG]

With a curse, Gemini recoiled, a colossal tower of white light erupting from the ground, powerful gravitational waves stripping his beams from the air themselves and absorbing them into the vortex.

"What the hell is that-?!"

Red and blue light flashed, energy given form from nothingness.

The lights coalesced, the red solidifying into a massive version of the Model Z helmet, the blue condensing into a form not unlike the blue helm of Model X.

And then the helmets slammed shut, transforming into armored gauntlets that resembled streamlined mechanical heads, like armored claws. Light burst from the back of each, lashing out, knitting together artificial sinews, steel flesh and iron bone beneath powerful armor.

As the data continued to condense, it moved up, forming forearms, and shoulders, each emblazoned with the colors of their respective helmets.

The arm formed from Model Z burned a brilliant red and black, emblazoned with a familiar blue gem and scarlet fins.

The arm from Model X glinted blue and white, a red gem and rounded armor plates.

A hexagonal shoulder plate slammed into place on the left, marked with the crimson Z.

A semicircular band of steel on the right, an X shining on the joint where it attached itself to the shoulder.

"You wanted a fight, Gemini...?" Ace grinned, borne aloft by the scarlet power raging around him.

"Well, now you've GOT one!" Vent smiled dangerously, shoulder to shoulder with Ace as blue energy flared around his frame.

In the empty space between those two waiting arms, the white storm of energy burst apart, sparks crackling through the air as it took on a new form.

Cyberspace shattered, a blazing white cape billowing through the green world. Taloned boots materialized, metal impacts ringing out as armored sections locked into place, materializing from the boots and moving upwards.

The white steel ended at the midsection, a narrow-waisted, wide-shouldered black torso condensing from a spiralling swirl of darkness. And then as the light shattered, armor crashed into place on that chest, locking that black steel heart behind a high-collared breastplate of pure white steel.

With a crash that shook the entire space around them, the two arms slammed into place, shoulder sockets locking together on either side of that torso. They were still for but a moment, before light flashed again, and suddenly they writhed and flexed, power coursing through the artificial muscles as metal groaned and creaked.

And finally, from the empty space within that steel collar, the horned white helmet snapped up, finishing it's materialization even as it moved. Metallic cracks rang out as it twisted, the black neck snapping from one side to the other, as if working out the final kinks of the last few spinal connectors. That last preparation completed, the helmeted head dropped back down to the normal level. Brilliant green eyes flashed to life in the empty black sockets as it glared out at the enemy, golden fins flicking up on the back of the helm, a single white horn glinting on it's forehead.

Crossing it's arms over it's chest, the mighty mechanized knight of steel seemed to shudder for a moment, before snapping them out to the sides again, a colossal shockwave of invisible power blasting out from it. It's summon complete, the legendary Royal Knight in white iron, a Cyberspace construct conceived by Ace, so powerful that it required TWO minds working in tandem to manifest it, roared, not with a voice, but with a wordless steel howl that seemed to radiate from the iron body itself.

"Tch...!" Gemini lowered a hand from his face, glaring through the dying light with a hateful glint. "So THIS is your final hand, is it?! Ignorant FOOLS!"

Snapping one hand up to the sky, his visor burned brightly as the green walls around them both glowed, the sparks of charging Onbashira spreading out across them like the lights of the night sky.

"WHAT CAN ONE PITIFUL SUMMON DO AGAINST THE THOUSANDS OF GODKILLING WEAPONS AT MY COMMAND?!" Gemini laughed madly, and with a devastating sound like space itself being torn asunder, those cannons fired.

Blue light flashed in Ace's eyes, a savage grin on his face.

"YOU'D BE SURPRISED!"

[Cue Music: Touhou Mashup-Our Hisou Tensoku/All Mankind's Hisou Tensoku ]

"After all..." Vent grinned. "Even if all the lights in the sky around us are enemies, how could either of us call ourselves a hero if we were to retreat from something like that?!"

The colossus of white steel rumbled its approval, shoulders flexing with a metallic crash, the white cloak billowing behind it, green eyes burning as it stared down the coming onslaught, naught but a blazing fire of determination reflected within.

It casts a huge shadow upon the ground - natural, for a Fortress of Peace,
A 109-meter tall, 2-ton heavy machine.

Boots slamming down on the scarlet steel of the knight's shoulder, Ace snapped a hand out, roaring triumphantly.

"IKUZOOOOOOOOO!"

Wielding its ancient power for the sake of the world,
Carrying our hopes on its back, it's launching right now!

The legendary Royal Knight's eyes flashed, raising that powerful left arm. A flash of light, and pure green energy erupted from the end of the helmeted fist, solidifying into a long straight-edged blade of green hued steel, undecipherable writing blazing along it's length.

Bring light to the tear-stained Gensoukyou!
Now, with all your might!

Unleash your light, Suuuuuuper Roboooooooot!

And with a roar, it brought that infamous blade slashing across the world in a perfect circle.

"REEEEEED SWOOOOOOOOOORD!"

In an instant, the tables turned, that single swing enough to smash away Gemini's attacks and send them hurtling back towards their source, the White Knight's wordless roar thundering through the green-hued dark.

"WHAT?!" The Technician gaped in astonishment as explosions burst to life throughout his arrays of cannons.

Nuclear fusion levels at 97 percent! Hisou Tensoku, LAUNCH!

"MY TURN!" Vent thundered, landing atop the blue iron of the knight's right shoulder.

"GOOOOOOOOO!"

Iron Fists of Rage!

Iron Fists of Justice!

To crush all evil,

The cerulean right arm lifted, a colossal cannon barrel extending from the helmeted gauntlet, already blazing with a blue light.

"BUUUUSTEEEEEEEER SPAAAAAAAAAAAARK!"

The almighty cannon, forged from the records of history's strongest Reploid, roared, a monstrous blast of power slamming into Gemini's cannons. Hundreds shattered, annihilated under the impossibly powerful shell.

"UWOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

With a wild roar from Vent, the legendary knight of steel whirled, cannon blasting again and again, shattering the skies with each impact. Omnimon ZX's eyes were alight, flickering over the surroundings as fast as thought, cannon tracking each new target with an almost instantaneous response time.

Bursting Barrage!

Explosive Barrage!

Give 'em both barrels blazing!

"CLEAVE THE WOOOOOOOOOOORLD!"

A flash of steel, and the Red Sword tore a gash through the cannons again, reflecting beams with each stroke, Ace's blue eyes glinting as he snarled through the maelstrom, ignoring the beams slashing past him on every side. His will was the White Knight's, and in its own way, so too was the White Knight's will his own as well...!

Iron Fists of Hope!

Iron Fists of Our Wishes!

To bring back those smiling faces...

"WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE?!" Gemini screamed, cracks racing across his mask as he summoned cannon after cannon, his pillars blasting away in a barrage that turned the green world white with power.

Thermonuclear munitions!

A thermonuclear Warrior!
The machine we've dreamed of... Hisou Tensokuuuuuuuu!

"BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO CHALLENGE A HERO!" Vent roared, fury and an iron determination blazing in his eyes, the White Knight beneath him responding to that roar with one of it's own, twisting between another barrage, cannon blast shaking the world.

With that indestructible love, cast away your fears!
Unleash it - Yasaka Hurricane! Did you see the Power of Miracles?

"THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO CRUSH ALL EVIL!" Ace screamed back. The Red Sword flashed, shredding beams that could slay even the gods, tearing them apart even as it blasted them back the way they had come.

With perpetual nuclear fusion, with a geyser as hot as Hell,
Stand tall, Onbashira! Launch immediately!

"TO STAND AND KEEP FIGHTING, NO MATTER THE ENEMY!"

"EVEN IF THE WORLD WERE TO TURN AGAINST US..."

Igniting the fighting spirit slumbering in your heart,
Brandish that mighty light, Suuuuuuper Roboooooooot!

"WE'LL SMASH ON THROUGH YOU ALL!"

Mode Shift: Grey Thaumaturgy. Standby, OK!

That burning blue cannon roared, again and again, the legendary blade of blazing green cleaving through everything.

The might of Legion, the might of the Guardians!

Now, Scarlet Commander, and Biometal Commander stand as one!

The combined courage to tear apart those who would threaten the world!

Iron Fists of Rage!

Iron Fists of Justice!

Show no mercy for their schemes!

The man who pursues the dream of a hero!

Bursting Barrage!

Explosive Barrage!

Always getting back on your feet!

The man who pursues that lonely wish to protect!

Iron Fists of Hope!

Iron Fists of Our Wishes!

Tightly grasping this vow!

Scarlet and cerulean power screamed through the dark world, the legendary white knight, the Royal Knight of that digital universe never faltering! Born from one man's sheer courage, and the iron-hearted determination of another, that artificial construct, that being of white steel and data roared with a voice all it's own, inheriting that sheer burning drive, to fight, to win, to protect!

The mighty machine... Hisou Tensoku!

Thermonuclear munitions! A Thermonuclear Warrior!
The mighty machine... Hisou Tensokuuuuu!

As the green world shattered, the enraged Technician finally revealed, his cannon defenses breached at last, Gemini gave a scream of rage, space twisting around him.

"You...How DARE YOU DEFY ME!"

A colossal construct of solidified Cyberspace forming around him, a monstrous, dehumanized avatar of himself tearing free of the restraints of space and lunging forward, he threw a colossal pillar straight at them, the air vibrating with the force of it's passage.

As the shadow fell over them, Omnimon ZX turned, eyes widening, even as it realized it was too close, even as its two commanders swore, throwing up as many defenses as they could muster. With a yell of pain, Ace staggered, the pillar striking the Knight dead center and hurling it from the sky as Vent cursed, the impact ringing through his body.

A tremendous crash, the solid surface beneath it cratering with the force of the impact, the knight gave an angry growl and punched aside the pillar pressing down on it, Vent recovering first and bringing the blue cannon up once more.

Only for his eyes to widen, an outstretched claw bigger than Omnimon ZX itself descending and crushing them further into the ground.

"HOW'S THIS?!" Gemini cackled, his voice distorted by the monstrous avatar around him. "HOW DOES IT FEEL TO FACE THE WRATH OF GOD?! THIS IS THE UNSTOPPABLE POWER OF A ZONE TECHNICIAN!"

Ace gritted his teeth, blood running from a gash in his forehead. He could feel the Knight beneath him shaking, struggling to retaliate as well, alarms blaring through his vision, telling him that he was rapidly approaching the limits of what his mind could sustain. The White Knight growled, sword and Buster slammed up into the massive palm over it, it's clawed boots shattering the green floor beneath it as it fought the colossal pressure.

And yet, just like the Scarlet Phoenix standing atop it, the legendary Royal Knight would not surrender. A wordless hatred for the evil in its sight, the fusion of data and iron snarled, cracks running through its leg armor as it pushed its strength to the limit and beyond.

"Damn...!" Vent gritted his teeth in a taut smile, dropping to one knee as he struggled to hold off the crushing hand of the mad Technician, feeling the power beneath him shaking in response. "You...really are one of the tougher Techs, aren't you...?"

But a single chuckle escaped him.

"But too bad for you...that you picked US as opponents!"

The savage laughter of Ace Phoenix, the infamous Scarlet Commander rang out.

"Damn STRAIGHT!" He snarled. "'God'...? 'Unstoppable power'...?!"

Blue eyes flashed through the dark, a massive tremor shaking Gemini's hand.

"Wh-what is this?!"

Ahh! Overcome countless battles!

Now, GAGANGAN!

"DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!"

GAGANGAN!

The ground shattering beneath them, the unstoppable white knight rose once more! Armor cracked and battered, that tattered white cape flared out, green eyes blazing in that steel helm! An earthshaking steel howl, that soul of white iron and chivalry burning hotter than even the Inferno!

GAGANGAN!

"EVEN IF GOD HIMSELF STANDS IN OUR WAY...!"

SUUUUPER ROBOOOOT!

"I'LL BLAST ON THROUGH HIM!" Vent thundered.

Native Faith, operational! Energy, full throttle!

That legendary cannon roared, again and again, shockwaves slamming down around the rising knight, shattering the ground with the recoil. Despite his best, Gemini realized with a sudden terror that he couldn't suppress them, his overwhelming might crumbling as the repeated blasts pushed his hand further and further up.

"H-HOW?!" He screamed, unable to believe it. "HOW ARE YOU STILL FORCING ME BACK?!"

Iron Fists of Rage!

Iron Fists of Justice!

To crush all evil!

"CHAAAAAAAAARGING SPAAAAAAAAAAAARK!"

A single mammoth blast of blue energy exploded, obliterating Gemini's hand entirely and throwing him back with the recoil, screaming in pain as the feedback sent lines of pain racing up his real arm.

Bursting Barrage!

Explosive Barrage!

Give 'em both barrels blazing!

"BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU WERE THE DEVIL INCARNATE...!" Vent snarled, powerful boosters blasting to life beneath that brilliant cloak, Omnimon ZX charging straight for the colossal avatar's face with a scream of high-power turbines.

Iron Fists of Hope!

Iron Fists of Our Wishes!

To bring back those smiling faces...

"THIS SWORD OF JUSTICE WILL CLEAVE EVEN LUCIFER IN TWO!" Ace screamed, the Red Sword already blazing with power.

Thermonuclear munitions!

A Thermonuclear Warrior!
The machine we've dreamed of... Hisou Tensokuuuuuu!

"D-DAMN YOOOOOOOOU!" Gemini screamed, rage and fear in his voice, his avatar's right fist transforming into a colossal pillar that he brought hurtling forward at them, the air shaking with the shock of it's passage.

"SMASH ON THROOOOOOOOOOOOUGH!"

Iron Fists of Rage!

Iron Fists of Justice!

Show no mercy for their schemes!

With a roar like the sound of metal given a voice, white light blasted through the void, and Gemini shrieked in pain, the entire arm disintegrating as the legendary white knight tore through, blazing blade held forward as it shattered everything in its path. Brilliant blue thrusters screaming, that cape as white as snow raged in the wind! That Royal Knight who protects the digital barreled on through the maelstrom, one still-visible green eye burning through the storm with a furious anger towards the enemy that would threaten the world!

Bursting Barrage!

Explosive Barrage!

Always getting back on your feet!

And as that godlike sword slammed into the beast's heart, it's chest shattering, Gemini cursed and twisted, the massive blade nearly striking his real body as it staked his avatar to the wall behind it with a colossal impact, Cyberspace crumbling and collapsing around him as energy coursed through that weapon

Looking up, his eyes widened in hate and shock as he beheld twin streaks of red and blue barreling down the length of green steel towards him.

"GEMINIIIIIIIIII...!" Vent snarled, brilliant blue power raging through his left fist.

"CYYYYYTOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ace screamed, scarlet energy thundering through his right.

"You...!"Gemini's teeth gritted, terror, rage and pain rampaging through his mind. "VENT OF THE GUARDIANS...AND ACE...PHOOOOEEEEEEENIIIIIIIX!"

Iron Fists of Hope!

Iron Fists of Our Wishes!

Tightly grasping this vow...!

"BUUUUSTEERRRRR...!"

"FALCOOOOOOOOON...!"

"WOOOOOOLF!"

"PUUUUUUUUUUUNCH!"

Cyberspace shattered, twin tyrants of power blasting straight through Gemini, his chest torn asunder, armor broken and smashed, his body hurled into the air.

Thermonuclear munitions! A Thermonuclear Warrior!

"GAME...!" Vent skidded to a halt, energy blasting apart around him.

"OVER!" Ace thundered, crashing down with enough force to smash the ground, red flames vanishing.

The mighty machine... Hisou Tensokuuuuuuuu!

And the world exploded, the Legion mainframe reappearing as Gemini's ambitions shattered once and for all.

With a sickening crash, he hit the ground, rolling as fragments of his broken armor clattered off of him.

"...never speaking of this again?"

"Never speaking of this again." Ace confirmed.

Both men exchanged wordless brofists, and turned, a soundless rumbling from behind them as the massive figure of Omnimon ZX slowly descended.

Ace looked up and grinned.

"For an experimental first run...you did pretty damn good, ZX!"

The massive white helm tilted downwards, regarding him intently, before nodding.

"...I'm still not sure if he's really sentient or not..." Vent whispered.

"He's sentient enough to have a sense of JUSTICE! So that's good enough for me!" Ace grinned.

"Urgh...you...bastards...!"

The Scarlet Phoenix's expression hardened, and he looked forward again.

"As stubborn as ever, Cyto..."

The battered form of Gemini Cyto pushed himself up on one hand, chunks of his torso now gaping wounds of data, one hand a ruined husk, and one side of his visor broken to reveal the mad glint in the brown eyes behind it.

"I am...still a Technician...!" He rasped, blood gushing from the cracks in his faceplate.

"I am still...a god...!" He spat, anger in his eyes. "I won't...allow you to win...!"

"Tch...!" Vent growled, blue power beginning to spiral around his fist again. "It's always the same...no matter how badly we crush them, these guys survive on ego alone...!"

With a creaking of metal, Omnimon ZX raised it's Buster, light already gathering.

Cyto grinned.

"Just TRY to kill me...!" He laughed. "I've already hacked into a dozen power facilities! The minute you attack, I'll overload all of them and trigger the biggest goddamn EMP the world has ever seen!"

Ace's eyes narrowed.

"You cheap asshole...!"

"This is the price you pay for meddling in the affairs of a god!" Gemini spat. "Now I'm leaving with that damn data, and NONE of you are going to-!"

The world trembled.

I Don't Think So, Mr. Cyto.

And then, for one brief moment, they were suddenly...elsewhere.

---

"Well..." Vix said hesitantly, "This is...unexpected?"

As if in response to her words, the Ultras ATX reached out cautiously and gave the Dreadnought in front of it a tentative poke. The Dread in question didn't respond, but rather simply tipped over backwards, crashing down lifelessly on the ground.

Hand still outstretched, the ATX looked down at it in bewilderment. Kitara pushed her goggles up with one thumb, eyes narrowing as she cast a practiced eye over it.

"No response here either..." She turned the ATX's head, surveying the battlefield and the suddenly still forms of all of the Granz Armada's forces. "Celtis and Ashe must have managed to take down Granz, then!"

Vix grinned.

"Of course she did! After all, we trained her, didn't we?"

Ignoring the voices coming from the ATX's speakers, the Colonel adjusted the brim of his hat, standing atop the remains of the last Doru Ghora, loud crashes sounding from around him as it's brethren plummeted powerlessly from the sky.

His eyes narrowed, a familiar vibration thrumming through the air.

"This is..."

Back aboard the Guardian Base, Aile cursed, a crack of displaced air shaking the sky, a massive silhouette falling over the airship. Looking up, her eyes widened.

"This is Aile to Helm! Hard to starboard, NOW!"

"A-Aye!" Came the startled reply, the Base heeling over sharply as it turned.

There was an almighty crash, one of its wings snapping off as a massive white armored form hurtled to the ground below with a crash, knocking over a ruined electrical tower with the impact and carving a mile long path of destruction across the city before its crash landing finally stopped.

"Wh-what the hell was that?!" Model X yelled in shock.

"I dunno, but it's got our faces on it's hands!"Model Z squawked.

"...wait, what?"

"ACE!" Marino's voice suddenly blasted over the channel, everyone wincing at the volume. "Ace, is that you?!"

"Ace...?!" Omega cursed, staggering upright. "Wait, this is-!"

Looking around, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"I'm back in the real world?!"

"A-apparently so, Master!" Queenbee stammered, picking herself out of the rubble of the building they had landed atop of.

"Us too!" Grey interrupted. "B-but how?!"

They first hint of the reason came from a terrified Red Masquerade. She collapsed to her knees, shaking hands reaching up to clutch at her head, her entire body trembling with sheer animal fear.

"No...no no...I-it's one of Them...! Why is one of those things here now...?! Nonononononononono...!"

Omega stared at the terrified girl, her wide eyes staring unseeingly at the ground in front of her, trembling with an abject fear he had never seen before, and a cold feeling began to run down his spine.

The Ultras barreled to the end of the crash site, chainsaw treads screeching as it skidded to a halt.

"O-oi, whoever you are!" Vix yelled, "Anybody alive in there?"

"Mister Ace?" Kitara added.

And then both girls were struck dumb, a metallic groan ringing out as the white form of Omnimon ZX slowly lifted itself up out of the smoke.

"Wh-wh-what the hell is that thing?!" Vix stammered, hands already darting back to her firing controls.

Ashe slumped against a rock wall, the remnants of Granz's control rods still in her, having been pulled out of the surface she'd been anchored to. At least she could still move this way...

"The hell...is that?!" She grated, looking up at the towering white Royal Knight. Distracted, she stumbled-

Only for a hand to catch her. Blinking in surprise, she looked up, to see the eerie blue eyes of the Black Rock Shooter on her.

"O-Oh." She stammered, off guard, "Th-thanks..."

The silent girl only nodded, before turning to look up at the knight.

A being of the virtual world existing in the real world...only one thing could do this.

"Sooooo cooooool...!" Kitara breathed, eyes sparkling. And then she gasped.

"Wait, it's hurt!"

And as the smoke cleared, the other combatants could see the truth of her words too. Omnimon ZX staggered, blood running down from numerous cracks in its battered and broken armor, one side of its face plate shattered, its cloak in tatters. Metal creaking, its steel head turned towards the Ultras, one green eye taut with pain and suspicion as it struggled to bring its cracked and bloodied cannon to bear on it.

"N...NO!" A new voice snapped out, the Knight halting. "They're...friendlies!"

As the smoke cleared, it revealed the tattered scarlet overcoat atop the machine's left shoulder, its color further darkened by its wearer's blood.

"ACE!"

The Scarlet Phoenix spat blood, struggling to stay upright, pain and despair in his eyes.

"Anyone who can hear me...get ready...!"

"Ready...?" Nana's eyes narrowed at the computer screen for an instant, before they widened in horror, the meaning behind Ace's words hitting her. "Oh no...No, not NOW!"

"VENT!" Aile cried out in shock, seeing her equally battered brother standing atop the wounded White Knight's right shoulder, half supported against the armor.

"Don't worry...about me, Aile...!" he gritted, one eye shut by the blood coursing from his temple.

"Even the Technician was just a ploy...!"

"What?!"

Of them all, only Marino knew the true horror of their situation. For Ace, Vent, and even their summoned construct, the Omnimon ZX, as well as all of the other Cyberspace forces to have been hurled back into the real world like this, it could only mean one thing...

"This is Marino! A.C.E, FULL ALERT! GET THE DIMENSIONAL FIELD GENERATOR UP AND RUNNING, NOW!"

And as a secret device in the depths of the hidden corporation powered to life, an invisible flicker racing throughout the entire city...

The sky shook, the sun suddenly blotted out.

Omega staggered, a COLOSSAL power suddenly shaking his senses, the world around him trembling.

"What the hell...?" He breathed, looking out at the city. And in that moment, for a brief instant, he...saw.

As though the very fabric of reality itself thinned, he could make out...a figure, huge and towering, filling the sky. An invisible shadow, with only the thinnest veneer of reality between him and it. But as a tremor suddenly shook the city, a shockwave racing out across the ground, Omega caught a glimpse of green, and for the first time, felt an outraged shock course through him, the vibration revealing, for a brief moment, the green matrix of invisible lines overlaid on the world.

"This is...Cyberspace...AND reality...?!"

"He's here...!" Ace gritted, the Royal Knight slowly raising it's weapons again.

[Cue Music: Pokemon Black- Ghetsis Theme (Orchestral Remix)]

The final barrier shattered, a monstrous white claw punching through, joints lined with red, and descending on the city. Bigger than skyscrapers, a second, matching claw tore through the walls of reality, descending on the earth below with a devastating crash, a wall of sound and destruction spreading out from it.

And the POWER radiating from the crack those claws had emerged from...!

Queenbee staggered, clutching at her chest.

"M-Master...!" She stammered, suddenly afraid, "What's...what's happening...?!"

Omega stood tall, staring into that black rift in the world, his blood racing. Even as one who understood Cyberspace far more than any normal being, what was happening here was something beyond even his capability to truly understand. Or no, rather, he might be the ONLY one who could understand the magnitude of what was happening here.

Red-banded forearms emerged, pulling something through into the weird fusion of reality and Cyberspace Omega now found himself in, gold banded wrists glinting in the fading light. Then, two smaller, three-clawed hands emerged, seizing both sides of the rift, and in a single brutal move, tore it open.

The sky shattered, the cloudy evening instantly replaced by the dark void of space, the lights of stars glinting in it. The ruined fragments of some sort of space station towered up from the broken horizon, their bases hidden by the faint, jagged ring of normal sky that remained visible. And in that sky, large and blue and beautiful, loomed an impossible sight.

"Th-that can't be...!" Grey gasped.

"E-earth?!" Ashe's eyes widened. "But...we're standing ON Earth!"

Omega's eyes narrowed.

No...not quite Earth. Not the Earth of today at any rate. This was the blue and green Earth of the past, before he had almost singlehandedly razed it to dust in the Elf Wars.

This was a recorded image, a scene brought to life by the one who controlled this strange fusion of Cyberspace and reality.

And then, he saw the shadow rising up before that Earth, the owner of those claws silhouetted by that blue planet.

A great golden ring floating behind it, blue energy flames bursting from eight equally distributed points on that circumference, white nozzles acting like exhaust vents. Hexagonal blue gems glittered between each nozzle, red lines tracing through the gold metal in angular patterns.

A mammoth, draconic torso reared up, the arms of the massive claws revealed to be originating from beneath two long, downward angled shoulder plates, eerie blue veins running through the metal where those shoulder plates disappeared beneath a more boxlike set of white ones, lined with red and with four white spikes arranged around the end of them. Directly atop each of those shoulders was a single transparent cylinder, pulsing with blue energy. Finally, the great head rose up, white armor plating running over the upper surface of an extended, serpentine neck, a network of cables running along the underside and ending in a streamlined head, an angular forehead protruding over a disturbingly human face and a long, underslung jaw guard jutting out beneath.

It towered over them, silhouetted in that artificial sky as it's cold eyes stared down at them with a supreme lack of interest, a monster more colossal than Legion City itself. As though it were a god looking down on mere bacteria, that terrible gaze swept over them all, ignoring them.

Until it finally stopped on its target.

"I-it can't be...!" Gemini stammered, stumbling backwards. "Y-you!"

Yes. Me.

The thing's mouth didn't move, but the world trembled at the sound of that voice, those with weaker minds crying out and falling, blood splashing from their ears and mouths.

One of the smaller hands suddenly darted out, talons larger than buildings slamming shut around the Technician.

Now. If You Don't Mind...I'll Be Taking That Data Now.

"Wh-what?! NO!" Gemini struggled, screaming in terror. "WE HAD A DEAL!"

Yes. We Did. And Now I'm Changing It.

Crunch.

Kitara blanched, Vix gritting her teeth as blood sprayed from between the massive talons.

Fefnir gritted his teeth, staring up at the monstrosity filling the sky.

"B-boss, what do we do?!" Gomorrah panicked.

"...nothing we CAN do...!" He gritted, blood welling up from his clenched fists. "It's taking everything the kid and Vent have just to stop that thing from just warping us out of existence on a whim..."

Blood splashed on the ground, trickling from Ace's eyes as he struggled.

Nearby, Vent wasn't in much better condition.

"Dammit...!" He grated. "Even Cyto was a set up...!"

Yes. He Was.

The talons opened, a single gleaming nexus of data shining in the bloody mess that had once been Gemini Cyto.

Hm. It Appears That He Was Unable To Get The Entire Mainframe.

The talons closed, an invisible flicker running through the world, indescribable power emanating from just that tiny movement.

At Least He Still Obtained The Important Part.

"Y-you..." Ace gritted, coughing blood. "What are you...after?!"

Behind him, Omnimon ZX raised its Buster, it's movements slowed by the massive stress being exerted on it's commanders, and still more by the grievous wounds it had taken against this enemy before. But still it would not yield, even despite all that.

The monster simply flicked one it's talons at it disinterestedly, and without even touching it, the White Knight was hurled clear across the city, it's sword arm blasted off by an invisible shock as both Commanders smashed into the ruins beside it

Ace choked, vomiting blood as he collapsed, bits of rubble raining down around him.

Vent shuddered, but managed to remain standing, even though he felt the capillaries rupturing inside of him from the force.

But still, neither one would let that stop them, even as Ace struggled to get back up, both of them fully aware that they were one of the only things keeping this enemy from simply...erasing them all with but a flicker of it's mind. Such was the degree of Cyberspace control possessed by this creature, enough to force the world itself to obey, forcing Cyberspace and the real world to overlap. This was the godhood that Gemini Cyto had spoken of, but had never actually possessed.

This...was the pinnacle of Cyberspace manipulation, what Zone Technicians both dreamed of and feared.

This...was a Dead End.

The Dimensional Field generator, that even now was humming away beneath Legion HQ was one defense against the Dead Ends, generating a protective 'plane of existence' between Cyberspace and reality, enough to stop the monster from simply erasing them with but a thought. However, even that wasn't foolproof, and taken by surprise as they were, the field hadn't gotten up to full strength.

Thus, it was only Ace and Vent alone, of those gathered there, with the mindset capable of controlling Cyberspace like the Technicians they had fought, who could take up the slack.

In a sense, it would not be amiss to say they were probably the only thing standing between this monster, and the instant...unmaking of everyone here.

"Dammit...if only we were at full strength...!"

Then You Would Have Had A Chance. Nothing More.

The empty white eyes stared arrogantly down at them. And then, for a brief moment, Ace felt the pressure bearing down on himself and Vent lessen, someone else's power rising up against the invisible force emanating from the creature.

It's head tilted sideways, blinking in surprise.

Then slowly, it turned to look away from them, at something further to the west.

Ah. I See. So It Was Your Power I Sensed.

"...who's he...talking to...?" Vent gave a strained whisper.

"The hell...should I know...?!" Ace snapped back, one hand clutched to his chest. "So long as they keep him...off of us...for the next few minutes...! The Field's almost up...to full!"

And sure enough, the splintered horizon that still showed the normal sky, was beginning to climb, the shattered edges reforming as more and more of the enemy's rift was forced back.

The great red and white head glanced around at it with a mildly irritated look.

It Seems As Though I've Worn Out My Welcome.

It paused, as though considering whether or not to simply smash the advancing field...

But I Have Gotten What I Came For, So I Shall Leave It At This For Now.

The massive main claws releasing the ground, it began to lift back, revealing that only a tiny portion of it's body was visible, the rest of it's vast bulk vanishing into the depths of the empty space around the city.

Ah Yes...

The monster stopped, it's head suddenly snaking forward to stare at the cameras feeding into A.C.E's command deck, a suddenly cruel look in it's eyes.

Miss Rose Hurricane...

Ace's eyes widened, in rage and a sudden stark agony.

"NO!" He coughed, staggering to his feet, forcing himself upright even as he felt blood vessels rupture with the effort. "Stay...AWAY from her...!"

The horrible monstrosity that had once been a man called Colonel Redips gave a ghastly smile, the red jawguard dropping to reveal a hideous maw of serrated teeth.

Spider Says Hello.

Inside the A.C.E Command Center, Cinnamon flinched as, with a snapping sound, the railing came apart in Marino's hands.

"I SAID..."

Great Redips' head snapped to the side in alarm, a wordless metallic snarl ringing out.

"...GET AWAY...FROM HER!"

The monstrosity gave a roar of pain, as the scarlet armored Red Sword hurtled through the air, the blade burying itself in the thing's left eye. The scream of rage and pain shook the entire city, the world itself trembling before the wrath of Great Redips.

YOU...!

[Cue Music: HisouTensoku's Theme- Touhou Youyou Kengeki Musou]

Ace spat blood, rage and hate in his eyes, the massive form of Omnimon ZX towering behind him, cold wrath in it's one remaining eye, that legendary cannon up and aimed unwaveringly at the monster, having hurled it's severed sword arm like a javelin into the beast's eye moments ago.

"You'll PAY for that one, Redips...!"

With a snarl, Great Redips tore the Red Sword free and hurled it aside, rounding on the two of them.

I Had Thought To Spare You Worthless Insects My Wrath Out Of A Misguided Pity For Your Current Condition, But As Always, You Test My Patience, Phoenix!

That cruel smile was back.

...Much Like The Previous Owner Of That Body-ARGH!

The blast of a Buster Spark slammed into Redips' face, Vent's eyes as cold as the colossal White Knight behind him, smoke rising from it's right arm.

"Shut it."

Redips' eyes burned through the smoke, his face unharmed, save for the sheer rage barely contained beneath his controlled expression.

So Be It. Today You All Die.

Ace gritted his teeth, knowing his rash reaction had probably just damned them all. But for what this bastard had just done to Marino...

His one still-working fist clenched tightly.

He'd do the same thing all over again, and the consequences could kindly go FUCK THEMSELVES IN THE FACE.

And then Redips reeled, an invisible force slamming into him, a power in Cyberspace great enough to force even him back.

What...?! Who Dares...!

And at that minute, the Field reached full power, the rift around Redips beginning to shrink inwards at an astounding rate.

No, Damn You!

Redips cursed, already beginning to retreat back into his own space. In his anger towards Ace and Vent, he'd been distracted from holding back the Field's advance, and now, it was too late to stop.

Not only that, but what the HELL was this power pushing against him?! If Redips hadn't known better, he would have sworn it was ANOTHER Dead End! There was nothing else that should be able to do this...

Unless...He turned, seeing once more the same source that had distracted him from Vent and Ace moments ago, seeing the shape of that power outlined faintly against the boundary of Cyberspace and the real world.

A massive, ancient looking white armor, a purple mane of hair billowing behind it, a black, full frontal helm with only red lines of light where eyes should be...

You Should Be DEAD...! And Now You Stand Here, DEFYING Me...?!

Redips' anger peaked, a tidal wave of force slamming into the impertinent interloper. If it had any effect, it didn't show, the red lines on it's visor glowing, before the power pressing against the Dead End redoubled.

...the beast gritted it's teeth, knowing it had no other option. While it was still easy enough to win any fight here, Redips had achieved his goal already, and any further conflict would be meaningless.

Very Well...Redips snarled, I Will Retreat For Now, Ace Phoenix...

Redips raised one of his smaller claws, the data crystal Gemini Cyto had been sacrificed for glowing in it's grip.

But I've Still Won This Battle.

And then the abomination called Great Redips was gone, terrible and cruel laughter echoing over the city as Cyberspace and reality separated once more, the wounded Royal Knight vanishing back to the digital green world as Ace staggered and fell.

"...Marin...o...!"

"Hey, easy there." Vent winced as he caught the Scarlet Commander, his own regenerative powers the only reason he was in better condition. Glancing down at the bloodied Phoenix, he gave an annoyed growl. "And of COURSE, I'm going to have to be the one to clean this up, aren't I..."

Sending out a call to the Guardian Base for a pickup, he turned to look at the empty sky.

"...but the Field alone wouldn't have been enough to force him out so quickly..." The Guardian Commander's eyes narrowed, "What the HELL could have enough power to force even a Dead End back?!"

---

Craft stared out at the city, already hearing the belated alarms going off. He heaved a sigh, watching the sunlight begin to filter back through the clouds of smoke and ash.

"Impressive, God of Destruction." He murmured to the figure standing next to him. "I didn't think even you were capable of something like that."

Omega didn't respond.

"Not many can claim to have faced the ultimate evolution of a Zone Technician in a straight-out battle of force and to actually push it back, much less survive." He gave a bitter smile. "I did warn you."

"Go...fuck yourself..." Omega replied, his voice halting. He still stood in the same spot, his body stiff as he stared out at the city, at the empty space that Redips had occupied. "...you...even LOOK at me...right now, Craft...I swear to God I will fucking murder you."

"Does your pride mean that much to you, Omega?" Craft asked, his voice quiet as he looked away.

"It's...all I...have." The God snapped back bitterly, before turning his attention elsewhere.

"Queenbee." He rasped.

"Ah, yes Master...?"

"Come...over here...for a minute, would you...?"

A frown creased Queenbee's face, as she trotted over. Something was wrong...

"...Master...?"

"Where...are you...?" The God of Destruction's voice sounded strained.

"M-Master, I'm right..." Afraid now, she darted around to his front, and stopped, frozen by the sight that met her, "...i-in front of you..."

And then she staggered, the full weight of her Master crashing down on her as his iron self-control gave way. His knees buckling, Omega collapsed against her, Queenbee almost a foot shorter than him as she stumbled.

"Mister Saber!" Grey yelped, starting forward-

Only for Craft's hand to snap out in front of him, blocking the young Reploid's passage.

"M-mister Craft...?"

Craft shook his head, a sad look in his eyes.

"Leave him, Grey."

"What?! But...he's hurt!"

"Grey." Craft's voice was pained. "He doesn't want our help."

"But...!" And then he saw the look on Queenbee's face.

She stood there for a moment, her eyes wide in shock, still horrified by what she'd just seen. She felt the warmth against her, that terrible, hot wetness soaking into her clothes as Omega slumped against her, his breathing harsh and ragged.

"M...Master...!" She managed to say, her voice choked by panic and fear, tears welling in her eyes.

And Omega's voice rasped in her ear.

"Get me...OUT of here...!"

"Y-Yes, Master!" She swallowed, tears running down her face. Without another look back, she leapt off of the building, her wings flaring, her Master held tightly in her arms as she desperately raced towards their shared home, somewhere alone and quiet, where her Master could recover.

And all the while, she tried very hard to prevent herself from holding him too tightly, so she wouldn't have to feel the shattered steel of his pulverized skeletal frame. And the sickening softness of liquefied internal components, all but dissolved under the intense physical stress. Or to feel that terrible, terrible wetness spreading against her, refusing to let herself see her hands, with that hot crimson fluid spilling onto her, from the mechanical capillaries and synthetic veins burst throughout his body.

And she sobbed, trying so hard to forget the image of the face pressing into her shoulder, and of the one, pain-dulled eye, the normally bright crimson iris now a blank red, and the river of blood that streamed from beneath the closed, horribly sunken left eye.

In the darkness of his mind, Omega silently raged. When he had finished recovering from this...and he WOULD...

SOMEBODY was going to have a very, VERY bad day.

---

A/N:...

…

…

What...the HELL did I just write?

No, seriously.

WHAT.

I don't even

ASADFGHJHGFDFGHHJKLGFDSASDFG HJ

…

...a-anyway...

This FINALLY marks an end to the Zone Technician battle. It seems a bit abrupt, but don't worry, that's fine. The next chapter finally puts a lid on this, and together with the chapter after that, will hopefully explain the insanity of what happened to Celtis, what the HELL the Black Rock Shooter is doing here, etc etc.

And also, for those of you who keep whining about how the plot is apparently moving too slowly, rest easy. The conclusion of this will drop QUITE a bombshell on you.

I mean, assuming Supra Force Metal Redips turning out to have become a borderline Eldritch Abomination wasn't ENOUGH of a kicker for you.

And for those of you saying Omega should TOTALLY have taken him down there, two things:

Omega's used to Cyberspace, or reality. Not both at the same time. Which is WHY he only attacked Redips using just raw manipulative force, rather than simply creating something like Omnimon ZX. He'd've needed to recalibrate a LOT of things for it to work, since reality tends to introduce a few not so great variables into any calculations that'd require Cyberspace-only conditions. The only reason the Great even saw a shadow of the original, Armed Phenomenon God of Destruction was because of his own abilities as a Dead End.

And two, Redips is now a Dead End. And Dead Ends can basically A) Overwrite REALITY with Cyberspace, B) Essentially unmake you if they feel like it. C) Basically just pull all KINDS of God-class hax. So if you really say Omega should have tanked him, it means you're still going by the Command Mission power levels. Redips is now much MUCH stronger. Adjust accordingly.

Rest assured though, nothing permanent happened to Omega, he should be more or less back up, and TWICE as pissed come the next chapter.

Suffice to say, it would not be inaccurate of me to say this Zone Technician arc marks a major turning point for the Chronicles, both in writing style, and in terms of the story itself.

Those of you who have stuck with me this far, I can't thank you enough. For your continued support, and your enthusiasm for the Chronicles. Those of you now joining in, welcome to the insanity! And for those of you who don't like the direction this is taking...well, everyone's got their own opinions.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

DarkShift Out!