Aoi and the others reached the van and quickly Kusanagi jumped to the driver seat and floored the pedal.
Aoi had her identity exposed to SOL after trying to save her brother Akira but in fact had found something much worse. SOL was using Akira's knowledge as a template for their new security and Akira was still missing.
SOL weren't prepared to let Aoi and the group get away as the security drones begun to take off one by one to hunt them down as they sped down the highway from SOL's warehouses.
"Akira…" Aoi said as she held her hands to her chest as all Aqua and the other Ignis could do is look on.
"So how exactly are we going to avoid these drones?!" Takeru said at the back of the van, looking out via the windows.
"Guess you've never seen my impressive driving!" Kusanagi smirked as he moved gears and the speed increased.
The black drones clearly displaying the SOL logo were also catching up.
"Can't you just hack them again?!" Takeru replied.
"SOL would've reprogrammed them while they were offline." Yusaku said. "They're immune now."
"Then we need to tackle it!" Ai said.
"They now know Aoi's identity and I presume they know you guys as well now." Flame added.
"We have nothing to lose." Aqua added. "SOL want to capture us… this is purely self-defence."
The back of the truck opened up as the drones zoomed in with their cameras. It showed Yusaku, Aoi and Takeru holding their duel disks up with their Ignis appearing from within the duel disk.
SOL
The chess pieces watched as the footage from the drones was being screened to them in their office space.
The group remained silent as Aqua, Flame and Ai fired out coloured beams which matched their respective colours. The beams wiped out the drones and all the camera feeds shut off one by one.
"Now we have it confirmed… Yusaku Fujiki, Takeru Homura, Jin Kusanagi and of course… Aoi Zaizen." King said.
The heads of SOL looked to their screens as they showed profiles of the group from their Den City school. The drones had been able to x-ray scan inside the van before the group had showed themselves.
"They knew we would be able to scan inside the van but they came out and faced us head on anyway.." Pawn added.
"A show of strength." King said.
"They took down the Hanoi… and survived the Lost Incident… they were never going to fear us." Knight replied.
"Naturally…. but it was important for him to learn what he's up against."
Appearing beside the chess pieces was the virtual Akira programme Aoi had dueled last time around. The virtual entity being powered by the kidnapped Akira smirked.
Aoi
The group had arrived at a quiet street and Kusanagi had parked his van on the side of the road.
"We should be okay here for now. There's no security." Kusanagi said.
"That now leaves us with the key question…. what do we do now?" Takeru added.
Yusaku was about to think before he noticed sitting on the back of the truck with the doors opened. Her legs hanging out as she looked down.
Aqua came out of the duel disk which Aoi had placed to her side.
"Akira is safe and we will find him." Aqua stated.
"Just that was our one chance… and now we have no idea where he is." Aoi replied.
"He's somewhere within the network." Yusaku said.
"LINK VRAINS is only a small part of the actual SOL network… we could be looking forever."
"Lightning's new Cyberse World isn't located within the network… if Lightning wasn't so protective… we could work with him." Flame folded his arms.
"He would have us trapped back under his "protection" again as soon as we entered." Aqua replied.
"How can something exist outside the network?" Aoi asked.
"Even we don't know that." Aqua replied.
"If I had to take a guess," Yusaku intervened. "Lightning is hosting his own network…."
"His own network… not even us Ignis are the powerful?!" Ai spoke.
"Lightning must have found a way." Jin added.
"When the Hanoi wiped out LINK VRAINS... they also wiped out every other SOL server…. we were lucky they were targeting SOL owned virtual reality servers… imagine if they had tried to take down the entire network… the internet… everything which relies on it…." Yusaku said.
"If Lightning has something which could all that and more… we're in a worse position than we thought." Jin thought as he tried to think of a way to make his Ignis see sense.
"If Akira is somewhere within the network, we can't find him anyway." Yusaku continued.
"Because only Ignis can enter the actual network… humans can only login via virtual reality…." Aoi realized.
"Exactly. Before we try to even think of a way of finding your brother's soul… we need to worry about actually being to find him in the first place." Yusaku said.
"And it once again goes back to Lightning." Jin replied.
"Only he has the resources to…. turn you guys into Ignis-form." Aqua stated.
"I… Ignis-form?" Aoi stuttered.
"The network is filled with tunnels and data…. it's a confusing and scary place. It's the space outside of every server… everything connected to the network… you humans would need to be downloaded properly."
"Would you look at that… something I can do that Yusaku can't!" Ai mocked. Yusaku as ever just ignored his Ignis partner.
"Jin… I'm sorry but… I think you're our only hope now." Kusanagi said as he looked as his brother.
"Earth and Windy could also help us… but who knows where they are now." Takeru added.
"I'll contact Emma. She will know where Blood Shepherd is…. and Earth well…."
"Spectre is locked up in Den City youth confinement… we could also go visit him." Aoi reluctantly said.
"Great… getting back in contact with the Hanoi…." Takeru's face lit up with anger.
"You guys don't need to help me." Aoi stated.
"We said this before." Yusaku said. "It's our choice to help you."
SOL
"Now that the business of teaching the new AI Security Manager as to what the Ignis can do is done… how about we get back to business and come up with a plan to reboot LINK VRAINS…." Rook snarled.
"That's already been taken care of." King replied.
"Did you fancy sharing it with the rest of us?!" Knight hit back.
"The data material has long disappeared! The Ignis moved it to wherever they're now hiding!" Bishop added.
"That won't be an issue any longer… the Ignis can keep their data material."
"And in what reality do you intend to replace it with? We have nothing compared to that power!"
"Now we know who Blue Girl and her allies are… we have one simple thing left to do…"
"You can't mean?"
"We need them to make a new Ignis.. no… a brand new type of network creature!"
Aoi
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Kusanagi asked.
"It's our only way." Jin replied.
"Since Lighting was created after you, he should in theory be able to respond to you directly, similarly to how Aqua has connected to Aoi before." Yusaku added.
Jin looked up from his wheelchair as Yusaku placed wires and attached them to his forehead. The wires linked into Kusanagi's mainframe.
"This will echo out across the network… if Lightning is listening in as I'm sure he is, he should be able to pick up on you." Flame added.
"Do we know what's going to happen once we know where we are found?" Takeru asked.
"We can hopefully get Lightning to side with us again like he did against Hanoi." Aoi said.
"But is this new Akira AI even a threat? Would Lightning be willing to expose his new world in order to stop it and SOL?" Jin added.
"We have to make sure it sound as evil as possible of course!" Ai said with confidence.
"Or we could just state the truth." Flame said. "This new AI could well be learning… it could well discover Lighting's new world even beyond the realms of the SOL network."
"I'll try and tell him the truth." Jin said. "He gave me that Cyberse deck I used against Genome."
"That was for his own protection though." Aoi opposed.
"Still… I have to believe I can get through to Lighting." Jin replied. "Let's get this over and done with."
Kusanagi nodded back to Jin as he begun to type on his computers.
"Sending your brainwaves across the network… I have lowered it to the lowest sound wave… hopefully only Lightning will pick up on it." Kusanagi confirmed. "Now Jin… call out for Lightning… call out within your mind."
Jin closed his eyes and begun to focus as he pictured his Ignis and the memories he had of it in their conflict with the Knights of Hanoi."
"Lightning… I need you…" Jin thought with as much mental power as he could.
….
Mirror LINK VRAINS, the home of Lightning. The world was flowing with blue data material and looked just like the original LINK VRAINS but with a purple tint.
The Light Ignis was perched on a marble statue which reflected his deck. He put his hand out and the blue data material was flowing into a ball.
Lightning had been isolated for a while now so had all the time he wanted to build whatever he was building.
Just then though the Light Ignis could hear a vibration shoot through his yellow body.
"What was that?" he said aloud.
He put his hand out and several screens appeared.
"Nothing out of the ordinary…" Lightning looked up to the purple sky. "How did I sense something like that….?"
Lightning then felt it again and held his head.
"Who are you?!"
"Lightning… I need you…."
"It… it's the boy?"
"Lightning are you there?"
"How has he bypassed into my world… is it because he's linked to me? Those humans are smarter than I gave them credit for… but they have my fellow Ignis… who ran away… betrayed me when I tried to keep them safe!"
Lightning's anger screwed up his face as the words of Jin continued to go around in his mind.
"What on earth does that kid want?! As if I'll do anything to assist the humans again… they tempted my fellow Ignis to escape!"
"Lightning, I don't know if you can hear me but SOL are planning something and I really need you. I know we've had our differences but again I'm asking you to help us."
"SOL? I'm monitoring the entire main network… if they were planning something… I would know!"
Lightning turned around and look at the project he was building.
"Well then…. I guess it's your time to shine."
Real World
"Anything? Aoi asked.
"No response…" Yusaku said as he sat with Kusanagi at the computer screens.
"Why isn't Lightning responding?" Jin said.
"We must be really in the bad books…." Ai groaned.
Kusanagi went over to Jin and took the wires off.
"I guess we will try another time." he said.
"It should have worked…." Aoi thought to herself. As she was thinking the computer screens begun to light up.
"Yusaku?" Kusanagi looked at his hacking partner.
"I have no idea…" Yusaku stood up and stepped away from the screen he was working at.
"This could be Lightning…." Aqua said as the glow from all the screens combined and fired outside the van doors. The group watched as the light begun to take shape out on the street where the van was parked.
SOL
Within the chess pieces talking, the fake Akira appeared once more.
"What is it now?" King asked.
"A movement on the network has been located and it's appeared in the real world." Akira said.
"In the real world? Another Ignis?" Bishop said.
"No, it's a different data signature… anyway… King's plan to take the children is already in motion. The Ignis are now irrelevant to you!"
"See to this new problem, at once." King requested.
"Of course, sir." Akira smirked as he faded away.
Aoi
The glow increased in size and took the appearance of a human. The glow then faded which shocked everyone.
The towering figure was dark-skinned and had long flowing brown and blonde hair which flowed to his shoulders. He also wore black body armour with golden edges with the lower half being mostly white. He had long black gloves with sharp golden blades. Across his body were numerous yellow star symbols.
"And who are you?!" Ai yelled.
The figure just observed the real world and then to the sky.
"So… this is where you've been hiding." he stated.
"I asked you a question buddy!"
The figure then looked down and saw Jin in his wheelchair inside the van as the others had come out of it and onto the street.
"My name is Bohman."
"And why are you here, Bohman?" Aoi asked.
"Someone from this position sent the Light Ignis a message. As his loyal servant, I am here to find out in person what this supposed threat is!"
"So he came to talk… that's good…." Yusaku said to himself.
"And I shall also bring the traitors known as the Water, Dark and Fire Ignis back home."
"You had to jinx it…." Ai groaned.
"Listen!" Jin said. "There is a threat and-"
"Jin Kusanagi, the boy that my master is modelled after. It was you who tried to contact the Light Ignis." Bohman stated.
"Yes because I need Lightning."
"Lightning… a name my master does not recognise. He built me to deal with matters in the real world so that he would never have to endanger himself again. He programmed me with the memories of himself… how he helped take down the Knights of Hanoi… but now he can be safe… along with the rest of the Ignis back in their new home!"
"So that means… Earth and Windy are…?!"
"The Wind Ignis disappeared along with the rest of you…. when the Earth Ignis distracted the Light Ignis to allow you all to escape…. the Earth Ignis is rightfully awaiting trial until the rest of you can all stand trial as well!"
"Trial?! What on earth is this?" Aoi hit back.
"That's disgusting… Lightning doesn't control us!" Aqua replied.
"Regardless of Ignis politics… tell me about this threat." Bohman pointed towards Jin.
"SOL Tech has a new AI which exists within the network. It's based on Aoi Zaizen's brother and her brother's physical body has been uploaded to the network, Akira Zaizen."
"I fail to see the relevance of this to us."
"We know Lightning and your new Mirror LINK VRAINS world exists outside of SOL's network but they are no doubt trying to find a way to gain access to it. Akira is a genius and now they have an obedient AI with that knowledge, your world is at even more risk!"
"If I may, Jin." Aoi said as she interrupted the pleas.
"So you're the girl." Bohman replied.
"Akira was taken in an incident… not even I know about. I'm trying to find him and I know you won't care about that but this is in everyone's interests to help!"
"If this threat is as real as you say… the Light Ignis has safeguards in place… and if need be… I shall defend Mirror LINK VRAINS!"
"Don't underestimate SOL or Revolver." Yusaku stated.
"Revovler? But the Knights of Hanoi disbanded?" Bohman questioned.
"That's not right. Revolver has gone on the run and trust me… he will find a way eventually."
"Along with my former friend, Miyu." Aoi added.
"You state these threats… and yet we are more than capable of defending our home. I judge these threats non-existent which means I must fulfil my other purpose! I shall be taking all of your Ignis back to our new world with me!"
"Well this idea failed…" Flame said.
"Well at least we tried." Takeru added.
"Since you're locked into your human's duel disks via a duel programme… it seems I have no other choice." Bohman said.
Bohman held up his hand and a green aura surrounded them.
"A digital field…." Aoi said as she looked around them.
"Your duel programme is effective… but once I beat one of you, this field will unlock the rest of your Ignis as well." Bohman stated.
"Then the question is… which one of us will duel?" Takeru said.
"It should be me." Jin said as he took out his Cyberse deck.
"You have no Ignis to lose." Bohman replied.
"Then I'll do it." Aoi said.
"You sure?" Yusaku asked.
"Yeah plus me and Aqua have dueled before in these circumstances." Aoi added.
"If I recall… didn't you lose your Ignis before?" Bohman mocked as he used Lightning's memories of saving Aqua within the Hanoi base.
"Yes but I got her back. Now, let's get this duel done!"
"Very well!" Bohman gained a metal ring around his wrist; it was similar to a SOL duel disk.
"Let's duel!" both yelled.
Turn 1
Aoi LP: 4000 Hand: 5
Bohman LP: 4000 Hand: 5
"I'll start by summoning Larkspur Knight!" A purple knight emerged with a green sword. The sword had ivy wrapped around it.
Larkspur Knight ATK: 1900 DEF: 0 Light/Cyberse/LVL 4
"I use its effect! I can draw two cards!" Aoi declared. "Next I send one to my graveyard. I send Fern Strike Knight. And since I have Fern Strike Knight in my graveyard I can banish it to summon a second Fern from my deck and then you take 600 damage!"
A black knight with weeds around its sword in defence appeared. It fired a black blast from its sword into Violet.
Fern Strike Knight ATK: 800 DEF: 300 Dark/Cyberse/LVL 3
Weeds fired out and hit Bohman, he didn't flinch.
Bohman LP: 4000 – 3400
"I set Fern and Larkspur! Link Summon!" A green female with a pink sword with green handle emerged with a rose shield.
Double Flower Knight ATK: 1900 Wind/Cyberse/LINK-2/Left, Down
"I set two cards and end my turn."
"Cyberse cards… in human hands…"
Turn 2
Aoi LP: 4000 Hand: 3
Bohman LP: 4000 Hand: 5
"I shall draw! I will prove what Cyberse is capable of. Appear Balancer Lord!" A sliver knight emerged which held a shield and sword.
Balancer Lord ATK: 1700 DEF: 1200 Light/Cyberse/LVL 4
"Balancer Lord?" Yusaku repeated.
"His effect allows me to pay 1000 lifepoints to Normal Summon another Cyberse!"
Bohman LP: 4000 – 3000
"I summon Lady Debug!" A cybernetic pink ladybird appeared.
Lady Debug ATK: 1700 DEF: 1400 Light/Cyberse/LVL 4
"Now Lady Debug?" Takeru said.
"I can add a level three or lower Cyberse when it's Normal Summoned." Bohman explained.
"It must be Backup Secretary next." Yusaku said to himself.
"Backup Secretary!" Bohman added the purple female to his hand.
"Is he using your deck, Yusaku?" Aoi said.
"No. It's a Light-Cyberse deck." Ai explained. "We use a mixture of Cyberse… I guess Lightning didn't programme him with much creativity!"
"The Dark Ignis… such wit… Since I control a Cyberse I can Special Summon Backup Secretary!"
Backup Secretary ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 Light/Cyberse/LVL 3
"Since I control two Monsters with the same type, Cyberse White Hat can appear!" A shadowy figure who wore a white long coat was summoned.
Cyberse White Hat ATK: 1800 DEF: 2400 Light/Cyberse/LVL 6
"I set White Hat, Back Up Secretary and Debug to Link Summon!" All three Monsters fired into the sky and hit the link arrows. "I Link Summon, LINK-3, Cyberse Accelerator!" A white humanoid in a sliver digital suit emerged. It was pointing downwards to Balancer Lord.
Cyberse Accelerator ATK: 2000 Light/Cyberse/LINK-3/Left, Down, Right
"Since I used White Hat to Link Summon, Double Flower loses 1000 attack until the end of the turn!"
Double Flower ATK: 900
"Now I attack! And since I have Accelerator point towards Balancer Lord, I can use one of two effects! I increase Accelerator by 2000 attack until the end of the turn!"
Accelerator ATK: 4000
"Aoi!"
"Already on it, Aqua! I use the Trap Cyberse Extra Code!I target a Monster and if you attack your Monster loses halve of its attack!"
Accelerator ATK: 2000
"She wiped out its effect!" Takeru cheered.
"The attack still goes through!"
"And here's another! Double Flower Knight can't be destroyed once after being Link Summoned!"
Accelerator slammed into the knight but both Monsters bounced back to their fields.
Aoi LP: 4000 – 2900
"Next I use my second Trap, Link Lottery. I draw a card for each Link Summon you performed this turn." Aoi drew one.
"I end my turn." Bohman spoke in monotone.
"This guy comes around and speaks such big talk and then plays a generic Cyberse deck…" Ai said. "Even you focus on Code Talkers."
"It might be generic but he's building up to something." Aqua replied.
"And we can't let that happen." Aoi added.