Web: Hmm... Harry, are we under contractual obligations to answer each and every question that comes our way?

Harry: Nope.

Web: That's what I thought. So we don't have to explain what this information is, or where we got it?

Harry: Nope.

Web: Oh, good. But just for all of you who can't keep your curiosity in check, here's what I found: Inafune wants Axl dead. And so there's a good possibility that'll happen, it might only be for a game or so, but I decided to err on the side of caution.

Begin Chapter!

"HAI!"

A burst of light flooded the interior of a deserted room, as the blade of a saber ripped through the wall, tearing a nice-sized hole in the process.

The saber deactivated as a red and black Reploid stepped through the hole in the wall.

"She's here?"

"Yes." Merge wiggled through the opening and scanned the area for Ciel again. "Ms. Ciel is somewhere underground, below this spot."

Zero glanced around the room, and to his astonishment noted that aside from a computer system set in the back wall, the place was empty.

Warily, the Hunter took another step into the room, his eyes glancing about, searching for any potential traps. He kept one hand on his saber at all times.

As he did so, he took note of a door in the wall to his right.

"Zero, about time you showed up."

As the voice came through the air, the swordsman spun around to find the owner of it, his saber flaring to life.

And as it turned out, the person addressing him was none other that Lion VI.

"I knew you weren't dead." The squat robot ripped his mace out of his back, and gave it a preliminary toss into the air. The robot grinned cockily as he continued his speech. "You're too stubborn to be buried alive."

"Who are you? I don't think that question's ever been answered." The Hunter kept his saber raised defensively.

"I am Lion VI," the mace-packing robot rumbled, "A proud X Hunter under the command of Master Harpuia."

"X Hunter?" For a split second, Zero recalled the Mother Elf's warning that X was in danger.

"Yes, I have been reincarnated to track down the Cyber Elf form of X, and destroy you in the process."

"You want to put that in English?"

"Years ago." Lion VI explained, "After you sacrificed yourself for X. We, the X Hunters, scoured the country looking for your parts, after being reassembled, Master Sigma reprogrammed you to be loyal to the Maverick Revolution. It never worked, you refused to turn on your friends and assisted in overthrowing our glorious revolution. Now Master Harpuia has brought us back in our new forms, with the purpose of destroying you. Face the rage of Violin, in his new, unstoppable form! I am now, Lion VI-!"

The robot's rant was cut off as a powered blast of firepower rammed into him.

"Shut up." Zero stood there, his Buster smoking. "If we defeated you once before, then I'll just do it again."

"This battle begins!"

Lion drew pack his large mace, and then thrust his arms forward, sending the spiked sphere plying through the air toward his opponent.

The swordsman didn't break a sweat; he threw himself forward, underneath the wrecking ball's flight, and then burst into a dash at his opponent.

As he ran, Zero reminded himself that Lion's sphere would rebound back to its owner, so he'd have to get out of the way…

The swordsman tensed as he sensed something rushing up behind him. With a quick bound, the Hunter back-flipped into the air, just as Lion's mace rushed through the spot that he had previously occupied.

Grinning, Lion VI caught his weapon as Zero touched down.

Without a second's delay, the swordsman launched himself forward, his saber shooting through the air towards his opponent.

Lion VI saw the move coming and slipped to the side, just barely avoiding the deadly slash. Instantly he snapped his arms out as his claws slid into place, and prepared to retaliate. The robot sent his arms flying forward, claws outstretched at his opponent.

Zero's saber flashed through the air into a defensive position, just in time to catch the attack.

The X Hunter whipped back his arms, and struck again, aiming his own blades at Zero's face.

The red Reploid slammed his saber into Lion's claws, knocking them away from their intended target. Taking advantage of the fact that the X Hunter was off balance, Zero lashed out, kicking his foot at his opponent's midsection.

The move failed.

Lion snapped his free hand around to block the kick, and then launched into a kick of his own as his short leg shot through space towards Zero.

The swordsman broke away from his opponent and flipped away, avoiding the strike. As soon as he had landed he was back in motion, streaking towards the X Hunter.

Zero slashed with all of his strength at his adversary, gunning for his chest.

Lion VI had already guessed Zero's strategy, however. And was currently in the process of countering it. Deftly the squat robot hurled himself into the air, over Zero's attack, and twisted around to face his opponent as he reached the apex of his jump.

The swordsman's head snapped up, to see Lion VI hovering above his head, and the bucket of bolts had his massive wrecking ball ready to plunge down on his head.

With a battle cry, Zero lunged to his left, and went into a shoulder roll. He just barely managed to avoid the mace as the sphere slammed into the ground, sending debris flying, and digging a crater in the floor.

Zero made a mental note to avoid getting underneath that thing.

"You'll never defeat me!" Lion VI began to laugh wildly as his mace bounced back up to him. Somehow, the robot was able to hover in the air, and the position gave him the perfect position to strike from.

Lion sent his sphere spinning downward into the ground again.

The swordsman leapt into the air to avoid the attack. The wrecker plowed under him, creating another crater in the floor.

The second he landed, Zero was forced to scramble to one side as the X Hunter sent his sphere spinning at him. The ball slammed into the ground and rocketed back to its owner, who grabbed it and instantly sent it flying at the swordsman.

The swordsman vaulted out of the way up onto the wall. He barely had time to take a breath before he had to launch himself across the room to avoid that mace again.

As Zero scurried out of the sphere's path again, a plan began to form in his mind… If he could knock that guy off balance long enough to make his move…

As he thought, the Hunter's hand inched towards his Recoil Rod.

It was time to end this battle.

Lion VI grabbed his mace as it bounced back to him. With a smirk, he pitched it at his opponent again, putting all of his strength into the attack.

"Here goes nothing…" The Recoil Rod reached full power.

Screaming at the top of his lungs, Zero sent the weapon rocketing into the air to meet Lion's spiked sphere.

Mace met Recoil Rod.

Lion never knew what hit him.

The X Hunter had been watching his mace crash into Zero, when all of a sudden the sphere had reversed direction and come spinning right back into him. Not prepared to catch his weapon, Lion VI had been slammed by the wrecking ball, and been sent tumbling to the ground under the impact.

The X Hunter hit the ground for a split second, then Zero's Shield Boomerang shot into him, adding its power to the attack and its momentum sending Lion VI skidding across the floor.

Lion slid to a stop, and looked up to see Zero plunging down at him, the swordsman's saber glowing in green light.

Lion managed to shriek once, before it was over.

A muffled explosion shook the building.

Zero deactivated his blade, and turned to face the demolished robotic body of Lion VI.

"You loose."

End Chapter!

Web: Yep, time to start picking off the X Hunters. A few more chapters and I'll explain why Harpuia's gone nuts!