Note: Cybersystem Gaiden is set to occur in the world of Cybersystem Chronicles, but entered on another character that is also in the Cybersystem Gaiden RPG.

Chapter 4: Power of Friendship! Full Synchro Mode!

Two weeks have passed since Arisa and Ryuu spent time in training together, figuring out their shortcomings and helping each other cover their weaknesses. Slowly but surely, they managed to climb up through the ranks, finally reaching the top division.

"Ryuu-kun..." Arisa calls to Ryuu as they walk together to class.

"What is it, Arisa?" Ryuu asked as he stops to look to his partner.

"I just wanted to say... thank you..." Arisa says to Ryuu as she momentarily looks to the ground, "Without your help, I would probably still be in the bottom division."

"You're welcome, Arisa..." Ryuu replies, smiling as he blushes slightly, "Actually, I should also thank you for becoming my partner, Arisa. I wouldn't have realized about the many things that I couldn't handle by myself."

"Awww, now look at that..." Earl mocked as he and Jian pass by, "The lovebirds are finally getting along. Not that it matters though, since Jian and I will just mop everyone here and take the top rank. Isn't that right, Jian?"

Jian merely shrugged as he continues to walk, not minding what his partner mentioned. He did pass a glance at Arisa and Ryuu, as if he knows something about the way they have managed to reach the top division.

"Hey!? I'm talking to you!" Earl called at Jian as he ran after his partner. Soon, Earl's voice fades away as they continue off in the distance. Ryuu simply glares at the two as they walk away, making sure that those two will be proven wrong.

"Anou, Ryuu-kun?" Arisa asked as she then stood beside Ryuu.

"Is there something wrong, Arisa?" Ryuu inquires when he noticed that Arisa has a worried look on her face.

"We'll make it, right?" Arisa asked as she looked at Ryuu, "I mean... Jian and Eric are really strong. Nobody has beat them even once since they are paired together."

"Don't worry, Arisa-san," Ryuu assured Arisa as he gave a thumbs-up sign, "All we need to do is to follow what we trained for and what we did in previous fights, and we'll surely win!"

"Hai, okay Ryuu-kun!" Arisa smiled as she replied. The two of them then proceed to the site where the finals will be held.

The match starts, with the pairs set to fight with one another. Arisa and Ryuu manage to clear one match after another with little difficulty, surprising each and every pair that they encounter. Soon, they come face-to-face with Earl and Jian on the final match.

"So... You guys have gotten better since the first time we've met..." Earl said as he follows Jian in plugging his PET in, "But Jian and I are still better than you!"

"That's what you think, Earl!" Ryuu remarked as he and Arisa plugged in as well, "Iris, Gaius! Let's show them how well we have trained for this."

"Let's go, Iris!" Arisa calls to her Navi as she slots in some battlechips into her PET for Iris to use.

"Hahahaha! Do you think you can get away from us?" Earl mocks as he sets in a Shadow battlechip, causing Shade to meld into a shadowy form and moves along the ground towards Iris. Jian slots in a set of five different Sword battlechips into his PET as he sends Zan to go after Gaius.

"Now, Iris!" Arisa then called to her Navi just before Shade is about to swing the blade. Iris vanished at an instant as she dropped down into the ground with the use of a battlechip. Gaius proceeded to block Zan's sword attack, rendering the attack worthless as he parried the attack aside with his armored arms.

With Earl still surprised at how his attack missed, Arisa then called on Iris to fire a Zap Ring at Zan's direction as soon as Gaius parried the sword aside. Taking this opportunity, Gaius then used his own Sword battlechips to create the Life Sword and delivered a wide swathe with the weapon. The power of the Life Force sends both Shade and Zan falling back as Earl started complaining at how they were repelled.

"Give it up Earl! You can't win against us this time!" Ryuu then said after Gaius used the program advance, "We have figured out your strategy and made a way to render it ineffective."

"Heh... Don't count on it, Ryuu..."Earl said as he brought out a battlechip that has a different marking on it, with Jian taking out a similar battlechip, "We still have one trick up our sleeves..."

With the slotting of the battlechips into their respective PETs, Shade and Zan started to change. Shade started to turn back into his Shadow Form, as Zan's body started growing swords at his arms and torso. Shade changes into a ball and attaches himself to Zan's body, suddenly changing Zan into a Shadow form as well as they combine into an entirely different form.

"Ryuu! Shade and Zan have combined!?" Arisa exclaimed as she let Iris stay in the safety of the drop hole.

"How is that possible?" Ryuu remarked, slotting in a Barrier for Gaius to use in case things get out of hand. Even he is not sure of how this combining capability actually works.

"I see that you are surprised," Earl said as he grinned from ear-to-ear, "Let us show you how powerful this combining ability is."

At that instant, Shade/Zan suddenly rushed forwards Gaius. Gaius responded by activating the Barrier to protect himself from any attack that the combination of their opponents will be doing. However, Shade/Zan decided on otherwise by extending two shadowy appendages towards Gaius, breaking the Barrier with a lash with the blades. With one swift motion, Shade/Zan pulls out two pairs of swords and struck them at Gaius consecutively. Gaius was sent lying on his back, despite the resistant armor that he possesses. Glowing data can be seen on the area where he is hit.

"Hold on Gaius!" Iris called out as she fires as pair of Kunai at Shade/Zan, hoping to deal a blow on the combined Navi and distract it. But Shade/Zan noticed the Kunai coming and reshaped to let the Kunai to pass along without hitting him. Shade/Zan then counters with the shadow blades. The blades stab Iris on her shoulders, pulling her out of her hiding place and pinning her down to the floor. Iris cried out in pain as she tries to pull the blades out in futility.

"Gyahahaha----!!! Now you see our true power!" Earl laughed, seeing as how they have this game in the bag, "So why don't you guys just give up and go home!"

"Ryuu! Iris and Gaius are outclassed with their Navi's combined form," Arisa said as she scans Shade/Zan's attributes, "Even if we are in our best condition, that Navi is more powerful than ours..."

"Not yet, Arisa..." Gaius mentioned as he manages to stand up, "Ryuu did promise that we would win this fight together..."

"That's right!" Ryuu mentions as he sends a Recovery battlechip to Gaius in order to heal some of the damage, "As long as we can fight, we won't quit!"

At that moment, Gaius began to glow a bright emerald shine. Ryuu's eyes seem to have the same glow as well. Gaius' wounds begin to close, sealing all traces of damage that has been received from the attack.

"Hey! What are you doing!?" Earl called out at Ryuu as he and Jian commanded Shade/Zan to strike with the other swords that are free to use. Gaius simply moved to a blocking position to negate the damage while Ryuu slots in a Sword into the PET.

"You think that a normal Sword can beat us?" Earl taunted as he sees Gaius activating the Sword onto his arm while approaching.

"We'll never know..." Ryuu mentions in unison with Gaius as they stand right in front of Shade/Zan, "But you'll be surprised..."

"Grrr! Let's finish him, Jian!" Earl said as Jian nodded and uploaded elemental Swords along with Earl. Letting go of Iris, Shade/Zan than has the swords activated and sent them down at Gaius to finish him off, when the Sword Gaius is armed with suddenly grew in size.

Moving much faster than the combined Navi, Gaius sends the Sword right through Shade/Zan's body with so much force; the two Navis separated and are forced to log out at the same time.

"W, what!? B, but how...?" Earl stuttered as he fell on his knees, shocked at what just happened. Jian remained calm however as he finally disconnected his PET from the terminal.

"That was a good match..." Jian finally said as he looks to Ryuu, "I look forward to fighting again some day..."

As Jian leaves the scene, Ryuu smiles as he sees that he has kept his promise. He then closes his eyes... and falls onto the floor.

"Ryuu! What's wrong?" Arisa calls to Ryuu as she notices that Ryuu's arms are bleeding, with cuts being visible on the spots where he is bleeding.