Note: Cybersystem Gaiden is set to occur in the world of Cybersystem Chronicles, but centered on another character that is also in the Cybersystem Gaiden RPG.
Chapter 11: The Breaking of a Partnership
"What was that...?" Ryuu asked as he looked around the network through Gaius' eyes, feeling the evident movement that shook the area.
Another earth-shaking tremor ran across the network, causing the emerald green Navi to brace himself in order to avoid stumbling from the force.
"The network seems to be falling apart..." Gaius mentioned as he managed to get upright, "We must leave as soon as possible!"
"All right, we should plug out then," Ryuu answered as he sets up the log-out program of his PET. The PET did not respond, with Gaius still in the network. The PET instead displays a critical error, stating that it is incapable of recognizing the command.
"Ryuu, there is something wrong with the PET's system!" Gaius noticed as nothing happened at where he is. The network shudders once more. This time, cracks begin to form along the walls and floors of the network, running through the entire area of the network.
"Gaius, run!" Ryuu called out to his Navi when he realized the scope of the situation. There is no way for Gaius to escape through the PET, which means whatever is going on will destroy Gaius completely if he does not escape the network.
Jyagatsu merely laughed maniacally, as he managed to produce a strange data in his hand.
"Fools! There is no escape from the network collapse!" Jyagatsu declared as his body begins to glow, with several lines of data surrounding it, "Only sanctuary you will find is the Undernet!"
Without further explanation, Jyagatsu vanishes from sight. The human-turned-Navi has escaped once again before the network begins falling apart into non-existence, leaving Gaius to escape on his own, running as fast as he could as the area behind him breaks and disappears into nothingness.
Ryuu's phone rang at this moment as he tries to figure out how to help Gaius out, with Jian speaking from the other side of the receiver.
"Ryuu, head back to Hokuto's primary server," Jian stated to Ryuu bluntly and without fanfare, "The administrator has set up a shortcut there that leads directly to the Undernet. Tell anyone else you meet to follow Gaius so to avoid further casualties."
"Got it," Ryuu replied as he then looks back to Gaius, who has just managed to get out of the Yuekage Network. It was a terrible sight to behold: it was as if Ragnarok has taken place in the networks, and there is no stopping it in any way. Any attempts at delaying the collapse only resulted in vain; with many Navis that are unable to get away fast enough from the collapse simply vanished without a trace.
"Everyone, to the Hokuto primary server!" Gaius called out to the other Navis nearby, motioning for them to follow as he leads the way. The collapse has started to pick up its pace, gradually moving faster as more and more of the network fall apart and vanish. Even at their fastest, some Navis are starting to fall behind and are becoming ready prey for the bottomless void.
Without another thought, Ryuu engaged Full Synchro with Gaius to head back and pull out the Navi that almost got caught in the collapse.
"Help him get to Hokuto server!" Ryuu and Gaius' voice spoke as they continue to lead those who can still run and handing the exhausted Navi to another one that has some sort of transport in use.
After minutes of close shaves as they make their way to the main server, Gaius can see that the others are still managing to keep the Hokuto server stable.
"Jian, how is it possible for the Hokuto server to still stand up to all this?" Ryuu asked as he joined Jian and Earl outside Jyagatsu's base.
"We're tapping onto the Undernet's structural integrity..." Jian replied as he looked to Ryuu, "Apparently, only the Undernet is unaffected by the network collapse. However, the stability reinforcement can only stand for a few minutes more. Better tell Gaius and whomever he is leading along to get to the gateway now before the time runs out."
"All right, everyone through the gateway!" Gaius calls on those whom he has lead along to the Hokuto server, then noticing a group of Navis seemingly working on something on the upper levels of the primary server.
"What are those Navis doing?" Ryuu pointed out the sight to Jian and Earl, seeing that it looked like something crucial, "Why aren't they getting through the gateway yet?"
"The Council is trying to figure out a way to build self-contained networks within the Undernet," Earl stated from his position at the outpost they set up outside Jyagatsu's base, "The data they are constructing will provide the Navis heading there with a safe area against the powerful viruses inhabiting the Undernet."
"Zan, how much longer do they need to complete the data?" Jian asks his Navi as Earl explained to Ryuu on the importance the data carries.
"About one minute more, Jian-dono," Zan responded as he supervises the data construction to make sure nothing goes wrong.
"That's good then, isn't it?" Earl asked from where he is, "Since the network integrity can still hold on for two..."
Another powerful tremor shook the network, with the structural integrity cracking slightly from the pressure of the collapse outside.
"Spoke too soon..." Earl cursed as he works on recalculating the time they have left, "The network collapse just got stronger, we will be short by five seconds!"
"What? You can't be serious about that!" Ryuu exclaimed as he got to where Earl is standing to check, "Are you sure it wasn't just a miscalculation?"
"Zan, tell those Navis to work faster on the data construction, it seems that we have time against use from here on," Jian contacted his Navi as he then looks to Ryuu, "We need some way to hold back the collapse a little more. At most, we need a total of ten seconds to fully escape the network collapse without taking in casualties. Do you think Gaius is up to it?"
"Paladin Shield is a firewall class defense program," Gaius stated through the PET and to Ryuu, "I believe we can buy more than enough time to keep the collapse from doing its destruction."
"Gaius..." Ryuu spoke, finding the rest of the words harder to say, "But we just used it... and even at Full Synchro..."
"We have been through the worst together, Ryuu," Gaius managed a smile as he turns to face his operator, "If this is where I will stand last, then I am glad to have known you as my operator."
"Gaius..." Ryuu looked to his Navi, and then to Jian, "All right then, the safety of all the other Navis depend on this. We'll do it."
Time seemed to slow as the three operators work on preparing the plan. Ryuu is to engage Full Synchro with Gaius as soon as the time runs out. During that time, Shade and Zan will help the remaining Navis to escape through the gateway with the network data, then come back to get Gaius out as well.
Ryuu held the battlechips firmly in his hands, waiting for the moment to bring up the shield and hold back the collapse.
"Five, four, three, two, one... Now!" Earl called out to Ryuu as soon as the network's stability begins to give way, giving the netbattler his cue to act quickly.
"Gaius, Full Synchro!" Ryuu called out as the battlechips come together into his PET, "Program Advance: Paladin Shield!"
The enormous barrier trembled under the pressure of the collapse as Ryuu and Gaius holds it back in the way a dam is standing up against floodwater after a storm. It is taking Ryuu all his concentration to hold maintain his barrier up and buy time for the others to complete their work.
Five seconds have passed when the barrier began to feel the effects of the collapse as well. Portions of the collapse lash out through cracks appearing in the barrier, easily damaging Gaius despite his protective armor. Blood flowed freely from Ryuu's right arm; on the same spot that Gaius received the blow.
"Gnnnhhh!" Ryuu grimaced as he felt the pain that seared right through his bleeding arm. Still, he knew people are counting on them to hold back the collapse until the construction data is transported through the gateway.
The collapse lashed out once more through the cracks and struck at Gaius' left leg, causing the Navi to fall on his knees as the barrier has worn thin in several places. Should the collapse strike once more, the barrier will no doubt shatter under the weight of the powerful collapse.
"Four... more... seconds..." Ryuu murmured under his breath as he kneels on one knee, still struggling to maintain the Synchro. Just then, a fused Shade and Zan arrived to carry the wounded Navi out of the site and bring him along back to the gateway.
"Hold on just a little longer, Ryuu, Gaius," a combination of voices came from the fused Navi as he dragged the now-battered Gaius along, "We're going to make it."
Fate, however, has other things in mind. Just a step shy away from the gateway, the collapse ruptured through their path.
"There's no time..." Gaius spoke as he used the remaining strength within him to expand the Paladin Shield, using the barrier to brush away at the collapse and create a path to the gateway. With his undamaged left arm, he sends the fused Navi straight into the gateway.
"Gaius, what are you-" was the last remark that the fused Navi was able to say before he was sent into the gateway and into the Undernet.
"You too, Ryuu..." Gaius spoke as he struggles his way to the gateway, "You'll end up being like the Solitary Star if you remained in Synchro with me as we enter the gateway, I can afford to let that happen."
"But if I do that, the Paladin Shield will deactivate," Ryuu responded, vehemently refusing to let Gaius do what he wants, "You can't do anything more at this degree of damage!"
"The shield has done its duty..." Gaius replied as he closed his eyes, "The Shieldbearer should not suffer the same fate as the shield."
Before Ryuu could protest, Gaius forced him to disengage, sending Ryuu back to his body. Ryuu tried to call out amidst the flow of the collapse, to reach out, to say that he is willing to do whatever it takes if it means keeping his partner alive in any way.
Everything was drowned out by the collapse. The barrier finally shattered as Gaius is swept away from Ryuu's reach like a raging flood. The operator could only stare in horror as his Navi slowly dissipated before him, vanishing completely as they are separated further and further.
The last thing Ryuu saw from Gaius is his peaceful state. Gaius accepted his end with courage as his entirety is consumed and ceased to exist.
"NOOOOO!" Ryuu cried out with what strength he has left, finding himself kneeling on the ground with his hands supporting him from falling over. Tears flowed without stopping from his eyes, streaming down along his face. Looking on the ground, the only thing that Ryuu could focus on right now is the PET where he once had Gaius. The device is bloodied and wet with his tears, with the monitor showing nothing more but static as communications have been completely cut off from the network.