Shuriken16: Thanks for the tips, probably gonna limit it so I don't make more mistakes XD

vivilion10: Nope! The Arcadiamon was made by someone on purpose and cleverly made to look like an accident, Kuramon however came about pretty the same the way it did in the Movie just kinda born of a virus on the net. Only it made a friend so it being less of a psycho lol

Hope you guys are ready for some big "80s Samurai Movie" energy by the end of this chapter XD

Also it's a long one, enjoy :D

. . .

Sakura

Moments Earlier...

. . .

As Kai disappeared behind them, Sakura returned her attention fully to Kuzuhamon. The powerful warrior priestess digimon held her gaze through that mask, the human girl keeping her guard up. "How do we stop this?" She asked bluntly.

Kuzuhamon scoffed, "You don't, and if you think stalling me here is going to help anyone then you're a fool."

Sakura hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "Was there any truth to what Kotemon said?" She questioned, reaching out for a faint hope. "Was any of our time together... Was any of it real?"

Kuzuhamon seemed surprised by the question, shifting nervously in place. "... Yes, there was truth in the little ones words." She admitted, before tightening her grip on her staff. "And for a time, I enjoyed forgetting about my duties, and pretending to be human... To be your friend." Before she shook her head, "But that's over now, reality has returned and I must heed the call of my Lord."

"Why?" Sakura demanded, taking a step forward. "Why does this have to happen? I still don't entirely understand what happened, why you're even here other than to invade our world!"

Kuzuhamon closed her eyes and sighed heavily, "Very well, I suppose at the very least... You deserve a proper explanation, and then maybe you'll stop trying to fight this." Opening her eyes, "The Digital World is made up of Spheres, think of them like your planets but much smaller... How many there are, I cannot say." She began, forgoing the light show she gave Kotemon. "One day, a great calamity awoke somewhere in the Digital World, and began to unleash its terrible chaos across whatever Sphere it found itself in... I never saw this monster, but I heard it described as a terrible wyrm, cruel and with power unlike anything we had ever seen." She tapped her staff on the ground, "By the time we realized how terrible the threat really was, before our Lord could even face the monster himself, our world was ruined... The very presence of this beast had shattered the structure of our Sphere..."

Sakura took that in, slowly realizing this wasn't just about conquering, they were desperate. "That's... Horrible."

"Imagine if the very ground beneath your feet began to crumble," She went on, shaking her head. "If the earth was turned to magma beneath your cities, and you could do nothing but watch and listen to the screams of those not strong enough to escape..." Shuddering as she gripped her staff tighter. "Kazuchimon understood that even if he somehow defeated the Wyrm, our world was lost... So he nobly turned away from further battle and focused on saving what remained of our people, with the help of others like myself we opened a Gateway using his power as the catalyst."

Sakura swallowed nervously, "And... Your sister?"

"The wyrm attacked while we fled through the portal," Kuzuhamon explained, struggling to keep her voice from trembling as she remembered that terrible day. "Kazuchimon's strength was spent providing the power to open the doorway, and so Sakuyamon used her incredible strength to maintain the doorway until we could all escape."

"She saved you..." Sakura muttered.

"But the Sphere we reached through our gateway was not a welcoming one," Kuzuhamon scoffed, "Our people were attacked and hunted at every turn by the digimon that resided in that world, until only the strongest among us remained... And our Lord vowed to gift us a world greater than our original, no matter the cost." Before she sighed heavily, "Using my... Meager strength, I opened a doorway that allowed us to enter the network to reach this world, but my gateway was not strong enough to get us here all at once... So Kazuchimon sent Ravemon and myself here to pave the way for his arrival, so that we might find a better world... As my sister dreamed we would."

Having listened to everything, Sakura suddenly understood the situation her former friend was in, but even so... "You could have asked for help, you could have stood before humanity and tried to convince them to save your people!" She argued, "If our world leaders were to meet with Digimon and understand that-"

"Don't feed me those lies," She cut her off sharply, "What did your world leaders do when Dragomon invaded, huh?" She demanded, "They covered it up, they attempted to pacify the fearing masses because they'd rather everyone stumble in ignorance and fear." Kuzuhamon spat harshly, "No, humanity has shown time and time again that they cannot be trusted..."

"So you'll just conquer us?" Sakura scoffed, "Butcher every man and woman that gets in your way until everyone lives in fear of your Lord?" She questioned, "Is that the better world Sakuyamon wanted?"

Kuzuhamon remained silent for a moment, before releasing a heavy sigh. "No, no it is not... But witnessing the fall of his entire world, and the subsequent genocide of our people, has hardened the once noble heart of Kazuchimon..." She shook her head, looking up as the pillar of light vanished, "But it is too late to negotiate, warriors are all that remain of our people, and they will have the world they were promised."

Sakura looked towards the exit as the lights faded, seeing many more shadows on the distant rooftops. And that light now emanating from a single source, "So what now? What are you going to do?" The aggression disappearing, a sense of hopelessness filling her as thunder rumbled overhead.

Kuzuhamon slowly stepped forward until she stood beside Sakura, staring out towards the light as well. "My mission is completed, Kazuchimon will handle the rest." Before she looked to Sakura, "Please don't fight back, you could be an ally to us, help convince more humans to accept Kazuchimon as their new lord!"

"She's right," The voice of her father drew Sakura's eyes back to him. He'd left his office, likely to witness the arrival as well. He had an almost manic smile on his face as he stared out at the distant light. "A true, divine being in our world... Truly our families name will etched into history for our services!"

Seeing him like this, Sakura felt a sudden surge of determination. His reminder of just how far this had gone, all because of family pride and desperation in maintaining some kind of Legacy. "No, no I'm not giving up any time soon." She assured, hand clenching tighter around the twin sheathe she'd found in storage. "As long as Kai and Madison are still fighting, I'm not giving up." Turning back towards the doorway, "I'm to help them any way I can!"

The moment she tried to run off, Gendo grabbed her by the wrist. "No! You cannot interfere! Our family needs this!" He ranted and raved, trying to pull her back even if it hurt his daughter. "You stupid, ungrateful child! This is how we will be remembered for eternity!" He was shaking her arm, starting to get violent in his crazed rambling.

Kuzuhamon watched with a sense of growing guilt, "Is this... Really what we did to this man? Our promises... They've driven him mad!"

She was about to step in, but Sakura was done letting him control her. "If this is all our family name amounts to!" Before she pulled back her free hand, and punched him square in the nose. Her knuckles striking hard enough to knock the older man back, he released her and fell on his ass. "Then we DESERVE to be forgotten!" Before she turned and took off running, ignoring the blood running from her fingers.

While Kuzuhamon watched in stunned disbelief, unable to say anything as Sakura ran towards certain doom. The weight of her actions locking her legs in place...

. . .

Kai and Madison

. . .

"Impudent humans, and your foolish digimon partners! Bow, or die, before our Lord Kazuchimon!"

"Ravemon," He flinched as the deep voice of Kazuchimon rumbled out, like thunder in the clouds. "Enough with your antics, tell me... Who are these humans, and these Digimon?"

"Ahem, yes." Ravemon bowed to him before continuing, "As we neared the completion of our mission, these humans and their traitorous digimon partners decided to stick their noses in our plan and even tried to prevent your arrival!"

Yasyamon saw his chance, and stepped forward. "This world is peaceful, I know the plight of your people, if we put a stop to this now we can find a solution that benefits everyone!"

Kazuchimon looked past Ravemon, meeting eyes with Yasyamon. "My solution does benefit everyone," He answered simply. "Humanity kneels, and in return they gain safety, and unification under my rule."

"If you knew anything about humans," LadyDevimon chimed in, "You'd know that will never work! You can't just show up and assert your authority over an entire world!"

Slowly Kazuchimon pulled one blade from its sheath. A honed edge of emerald lightning roared to life as he did so, "If I must rule them through fear, I will." He said firmly, lightning flashing in the sky above. "Anything to bring my few remaining people peace."

Madison grit her teeth, stepping forward beside her partner. "This isn't about peace or saving your people!" She barked up at him. "If that were true, why not find a peaceful part of the Digital World to live in, huh?"

"Watch your tongue!" Ravemon shouted down at her, "Or I will cut it out!"

But Madison kept pressing, "You just can't live in a world where you aren't the King, isn't that right? You could have saved your people without invading or hurting anyone else, but that would mean you wouldn't be the ruler wouldn't it?"

A great flash of lightning lit up the sky above, as Kazuchimon narrowed his eyes down at her. "I see you humans have no sense of self preservation, that is a shame." Before he looked to his surrounding forces, "Karatenmon, Vajramon, Hisaryumon..." And slowly aimed his blade at the four of them in the center. "Destroy them, and anyone else that gets in our way."

LadyDevimon crouched low as the corvid warriors took flight, "Dammit, this is-" Before she gasped, feeling something in her chest. "This feeling..." It was just like at the shrine, "Maddie, Kai!" Maybe it was the gateway, or maybe it was some kind of miracle, but right now she was almost sure of it. "Use your Crests!" It felt like they were in the Digital World, maybe due to the gateway, or maybe the barrier between worlds was just thinner here?

Kai and Madison looked at one another, gripping their digivices and reaching for that power deep inside of them. "She's right!" Kai gasped, as his eyes lit up, "I can feel it!"

Madison nodded, her hair starting to glow pink as she activated her Crest. "Then we're not finished yet!"

Crest Digivolution

"Yasyamon Digivolve to!" The warriors body surrounded in light, giving the oncoming attackers pause as he grew in size, armor plating forming over his body before a great royal blue cape unfurled behind him. "Grademon!"

"LadyDevimon Digivolve to!" The shadows whirled around her, those once tattered wings erupting into feathered ones while her pale skin turned darker. Her white hair turned to a golden main, and out of the shadows stepped a demon reborn. "BelleStarmon!"

The Karatenmon hesitated for a moment in the air above, the Vajramon halting their advance as well. The warriors all looking to Kazuchimon for guidance. But the emerald lord of lightning simply planted his blade in the earth, sending cracks throughout the surface. "Well? What are you waiting for?" Noting how their eyes were less focused on Grademon, and more so on the demon that stood beside him. She was much smaller, yet even Kazuchimon could sense the power in her body. "Ravemon, get rid of her."

Ravemon clicked his tongue, scolding, "What a bunch of cowards, very well, I'll clean up this mess." Smirking wickedly, he leveled his blade with BelleStarmon.

Who simply twirled one of her magnums around with one finger. "I'm ready when you are, if you think you're ready to fight the true master of darkness." Before shooting Grademon a sideways look with all three of her eyes. "Are you gonna be okay down here alone?"

The golden knight nodded, one hand on each of his katanas as they rested within their sheath. "I'll be alright for awhile, don't play with your food."

Earning an amused chuckle from the winged demon. "Hey come on, maybe he'll have some cool hidden transformation he pulls out at the last second."

Grademon shooting her a disapproving look, "Tsu..." Preferring if she didn't lean too heavily into her darker side.

"Alright alright." She waved him off, taking in a deep breath before she sighed. Locking all three eyes onto Ravemon. "Let's dance." Before she attacked.

Her speed was nearly more than the avian assassin could even process, getting his blade up just in time to block her outstretched claw. The force of her charge carrying him off the Torii Gate and forcing them both up into the sky above the now ruined shrine. Ravemon's eyes wide with shock, seeing the cracks starting to form in his blade, "I-Impossible! She was hiding this much power!?"

Just before the blade could shatter entirely, Ravemon released the sword allowing it to fall while lashing out with his metal wing. Attempting to slice her torso while also unleashing a volley of razor sharp metal features. But BelleStarmon evaded them with grace, twirling in the air and batting aside the quills with her own claws, before raising her hand and pointing that double barreled magnum at him. "Fly Bullet."

Ravemon's metal wing was his only chance at shielding himself from the bullet at this range, but on impact with the armor it ripped right through and pierced his shoulder, "Gah!" He cried in pain as the strike knocked him right out of the sky. He was hurdling towards the ground fast, gripping his wounded arm, "Ngh! No... No I will not be beaten now! On the day of our Lords arrival!"

BelleStarmon was about to chase him in the fall, before quirking an eyebrow. "Oh?" As she noticed a glow beginning to emanate from his body.

"Hnnngh! Fine, I'll have to go all out!" Ravemon sneered, the power erupting from his body, lighting up the sky around him with amethyst light. His armor didn't change much, but was now a mixture of black and white. While his wings had fully reformed along both arms, and appeared to be made of purple light, almost like they were pure energy. "Let's see how you handle THIS SPEED!"

He seemed to kick off the air itself, whipping around fast enough to make BelleStarmon flinch as he appeared behind her. She turned her head just in time to avoid having it skewered by his outstretched talon, before catching him by the arm, "Ha! Knew it!" Before turning and throwing him across the sky. "So what do you call this? Doesn't look like a digivolution!" She called as she chased after him.

Ravemon corrected his coarse by spreading both wings, halting his flight in an instant. "The ability to unleash all your latent power, there are various names for it... But to me it is known as Burst Mode, and it will be your death!" Flashing his new amethyst talons, preparing to charge.

While BelleStarmon holstered her pistol, flashing her own golden claws. "I suppose we'll see about that."

On the ground, Kai stood beside Madison as he watched BelleStarmon engage Ravemon once more. Their battle now seeming far less one sided, "You ever worry about her attitude in this form?" He questioned curiously.

To which Madison shrugged, "Eh, it's only her second time, and her first was against Mephistomon..." Thinking about it for a moment, "She's probably still just working through some stuff."

"Enough gawking!" Kazuchimon shouted, slashing a hand through the air. "Finish that one!" He ordered while pointing at Grademon.

And in an instant the Karatenmon suddenly found their nerve once more, swarming in the air overhead and descending upon the golden knight. Kai swallowed nervously as he watched, starting to sweat a little. "Come on, you've got this!"

Grademon closed his eyes, it felt like everything was slowing down around him, his grip tightening on his blades. "When surrounded by an enemy, with no clear escape, the optimal choice is to pick their weakest side and focus all your power in that direction." He surmised, as the sound of blades falling from above rang in his ears, while the stampede of hooves grew closer as well. "The Karatenmon are smaller than the Vajramon, and to attack from above they require an open air space..."

In an instant, he chose his path.

Eyes opening with a flash as he drew both blades from their sheaths, "Souken Gradalpha!" They erupted with a gust of wind, in a single swoop knocking aside the nearest blades while blowing away those with a lesser constitution, before Grademon turned his attention to the Vajramon stampeding towards him. He knelt low and dashed at them, taking the herd head on!

Kai clenched his fists tightly as he watched, "Go! You can win this Grademon!"

The moment they collided with one another, Grademon went low and began to spin. Realizing their reach of their arms was not quite a match for their height. He began to sweep the legs of many of the stampeding bull digimon. Causing them to crash and fall into one another.

Kazuchimon hummed in amusement as he watched, "Interesting..." His keen eyes catching the edge of Grademon's blades. Just before impact he was flipping them around, striking with the non-lethal side. "Bruising, but refusing to draw blood." Before he released a dismissive scoff, "But how long can this merciful attitude keep you alive?"

"Watch out!" Madison cried, as she saw the dragons that had been waiting on the wings finally begin their assault.

"Hnngh!" Grademon turned just in time to block the first one with a crossguard using his swords against it's powerful jaws, sliding on his heels as the mighty beast drove him back. Before he spotted the second on coming from the flank, "Too fast!"

The jaws of the second Hisaryumon found his arm, slamming into Grademon and clamping down hard. Those razor sharp fangs beginning to rip into his armor, while carrying him higher into the air.

"Gaaah!" He cried as the Hisaryumon's grip sent cracks through his armored arm, forcing him to drop his blade. "Let me GO!" But Grademon managed to swing himself in the beasts grip enough to kick it in the side of its head! Causing it to hiss and release him, leaving Grademon in freefall with an arm that wouldn't move.

Smelling blood in the water, the Karatenmon continued their attack with renewed vigor, swarming around him. Grademon managed to right himself in the air, gripping his remaining blade tightly. He blocked the twin strike a brazen bird brained warrior, before lunging forward and slamming his armored helm into its beak, causing the Karatenmon to recoil with a shriek of pain.

Before Grademon finally landed, crashing onto the surface of one of the still standing parts of the Servants house. "Dammit, get up!" He scolded himself, rising just as another Karatenmon attempted the same forward attack, Grademon's response was a rising uppercut with his armored gauntlet sending the avian warrior flying! "Fight through the pain, stay focused!" But more swarmed around him, their movements amidst the dust, the smoke, his eyes couldn't track them all or tell where the attack would- "From behind!"

He turned just in time to see the jaws of one of the two Hisaryumon lunging for him. Grademon held his ground and swung the blade with all his might, "HRAAAGH!" Cutting into the dragon's armored body was no easy task, and without the force from both arms he barely made the dent. Still, it was enough to deter the beast from a frontal charge.

Instead it turned sharply, spinning and slamming Grademon's chest with its long armored body, sending him flying from the rooftop. The ultimate level warrior hit the ground flat on his back, but rolled up to his feet as fast as his injured body would allow. He'd have no time to rest however, as the Vajramon attacked proper, their own blades attempting to cleave into him.

"Come on!" Their strikes were heavy, the weight behind them enough to make his only remaining arm shake. "I have to be stronger than this!"

"Tsu, Grademon needs help!" Madison cried into her digivice. "Are you almost done up there?!"

"I'm working on it!" BelleStarmon answered, as she evaded another bladed wing strike from Ravemon. The two of them were fighting high above the estate, dancing between the shadows of the clouds.

"HA! I've got you completely on guard!" Ravemon raved as he attacked over and over again, striking with rapid succession trying to wear her down. "I told you already! I am a master of the shadows, in this black sky you've no chance of defeating me no matter what form you take!"

"He sure likes to talk a lot..." She internally sighed, brushing off another swing with her own golden claws. "But I can't afford to play this game any longer, Kotemon needs me!"

With another, final strike she was sent tumbling back towards a particularly thick plume of dark storm clouds. Ravemon remained in place, panting lightly before chuckling. "Have you learned your place yet? A pitiful human-loving fool like you could never match up a warrior of a night!"

BelleStarmon narrowed her eyes sharply, "Let's get two things straight, first I only love one human." She scoffed, before she began to drift back into the cloud behind her. Disappearing and leaving behind nothing but the glow of her three pink eyes in the darkness.

Ravemon prepared to chase her, but something made him hesitate. The cloud she'd faded into dispersed, leaving no trace of her. "What? How did you-" His eyes whipping around for any sign of her.

"And second," Her voice echoed from all directions, like she was everywhere around him. Multiple sets of her eyes appearing in the black clouds. "You merely adopted the darkness, it has been and always will be mine." She hissed from just beyond his sight.

Ravemon was starting to sweat, turning rapidly. "I-I won't fall for you tricks! I am a servant of mighty Lord Kazuchimon! What are you compared to me?! NOTHING!" A great shadow loomed over him, like an apparition of BelleStarmon but twice the size, glowing eyes burning into him. He grit his teeth, raising his bladed wings, "Y-You can't scare me!"

Before a piercing pain shot through his back, and a golden claw erupted from his chest. "What am I compared to you?" She said in a deathly calm voice, as Ravemon struggled to even take his final gasps. "A Queen, a Demon, a Monster, take your pick." Before she violently ripped her arm free of his body, "But at this very moment, I'm alive, which is more than I can say about you."

"N-No," Ravemon gasped out, his body breaking down before her eyes. "I-It wasn't supposed... To be this way... Lord... Lord Kazuchimon... Save me!"

But his dying cries would be heard only by the wind, as BelleStarmon angled into a nose dive towards the battle below. "Now to save Grademon!"

. . .

Kuzuhamon

. . .

"What is this feeling?" She wondered as her heavy boots ran along the path, "This... This fear, this pain..." Chasing the trail of Sakura, as they grew closer and closer to the battle. "Kazuchimon is here... My mission was a success... I should be happy."

Her mind just replaying that moment over and over again, Sakura's passionate words ringing in her ears. "Then we DESERVE to be forgotten!"

Kuzuhamon stopped in her tracks as she finally spotted Sakura up ahead, watching as she scaled a treacherous pile of rubble to gain a vantage point over the battlefield. Risking scrapes and splinters as she made the ascent. "Where are you going? What are you planning?" She wondered, before jumping up onto a standing torii gate. Just in time to see the body of Ravemon fading from existence in the sky above, and Grademon's desperate fight against her allies. "They're still fighting... Even in this hopeless situation... Don't they realize that Kazuchimon is too powerful? That he is a god!?"

Before her mind returned to Sakura and everything that had happened between them. A realization slowly dawning on the warrior priestess as she looked towards her distant lord. "Is this how you felt? Caged by the will of another?" She wondered quietly to herself, "This crushing sense of despair... That your actions would always be dictated by another?" She looked down sadly towards Grademon, who appeared to be on his last legs. "What a fool I've been..."

"And you still never answered my question from before..."

"Is this what your sister would have wanted for you?"

"What about her wish for you to find a better world?"

Kuzuhamon released a heavy sigh, her eyes falling to the ground before her. "But... I guess it's too late for that now."

. . .

Kotemon

. . .

As BelleStarmon's shadow descended from the sky, she came upon a battlefield where Grademon stood alone, badly injured, struggling to fend off both Vajramon and Karatenmon. Even in this state however, the enemy seemed hesitant to engage him. His armor was cracked, broken in many places, his once regal cape reduced to tatters, and his only remaining sword looked to be on the verge of shattering.

"Looks like you've been having fun." She attempted to quip, but in that instant Grademon's body began to regress. Glowing as he de-digivolved. "Kotemon!" She gasped, realizing how bad a shape he was really in as she caught him. "Hang on," Completely losing her more aggressive and amused tone. "I've got you."

"A fool until the very end," Kazuchimon said aloud, as he slowly stepped down the path towards them. "How pitiful, a warrior of his strength should have slaughtered my forces a dozen times over."

One of the nearby Karatenmon tensed up, he and many others looking to their leader in confusion. "Uh... Master?"

"He held back against you, fools." Their Lord harshly scoffed, "Refused to use lethal force, you're all lucky to still be alive."

BelleStarmon glared at Kazuchimon, "Yeah well don't count your chickens before they hatch, I'm not nearly as nice."

Kotemon winced in pain, even in rookie form his armor showed signs of damage, indicative of just how badly beaten he was. "I'm sorry... Just knowing what these digimon must have gone through, thinking they might be like Kuzuhamon... I couldn't bring myself to kill them."

"A warrior with a soft heart is no warrior at all," Kazuchimon rumbled, shaking his head. "You are weak."

BelleStarmon narrowed her eyes, "Keep talking night light," Before looking back to Kotemon. "Don't listen to him, you're not weak... You've just got a big heart," Before gently patting his helmet. "And maybe a really small brain..."

"I just... Wanted to live up to my ideals," Kotemon answered with a pained chuckle, "I wanted my sword to stand for peace, to be a tool of justice." Before his tone turned somber, "But... What justice is there in killing the desperate? These people who are more so refugees than invaders... Who've lost everything."

"He's really torn up over this," BelleStarmon thought, "I didn't realize this stuff really mattered to him that much." She stood up slowly, starting to carry him towards Kai and Madison. "Even with all the kindness in the world, some Digimon aren't worth saving."

"You were." Kotemon answered, giving her a tired smile.

She quirked an eyebrow, "You saved me from Mephistomon, but I wasn't as far gone as-"

"No, it was before that." Kotemon chuckled weakly, "But... That's not important now," Deciding to let painful memories rest. "I... I'll never regret, choosing mercy when I can."

Before she had a chance to respond, thunder rumbled across the area and lightning flashed. "I do not recall allowing any of you to leave the battle field." Kazuchimon stated bluntly, "That one stepped onto the field as a combatant, he either leaves the victor, or he does not leave at all."

BelleStarmon turned back towards him, "Is he really so obsessed with winning?" Clicking her tongue, "He's injured, I'll be your opponent in a moment."

To which Kazuchimon quirked an eyebrow, "You don't seem to understand..." Before slowly raising one of his lightning blades. "I will accept nothing but total victory."

"Shinden Shouraiko!"

With a swing of his blade, a destructive burst of emerald energy began to rip across the ground towards them. Tearing through the already tattered earth as it raced to meet its target. BelleStarmon's eyes widened, "This bastard, I have to get Kotemon out of here!" Preparing to spread her wings to take flight to evade, but then she realized the true danger. "Kai and Maddie! If I move now-"

Thinking fast, she turned and threw Kotemon towards them and spread her arms and wings. Her back facing the burst as she braced herself, while her partner watched in horror. "Tsu NO!"

The demon did indeed take the brunt of the blast, the destructive wave crashing over her before erupting in a terrible explosion. While Kazuchimon simply scoffed, lowering his blade. "Pathetic, to waste your energy defending those who cannot fight for themselves..."

Kotemon winced in pain, feeling Kai helping hoist him up a bit. He opened his eyes fully, looking up at BelleStarmon, "N-No... Tsu-" Her wings were in tatters, as if they'd been burned up, the back of her long coat in similar condition.

She stumbled forward a bit, but managed to keep one foot firmly planted to resist falling. "Hngh! I-Is that all you've got?" She asked, turning and glaring back at Kazuchimon, revealing her badly scorched and scarred back to her friends.

"Tsu!" Madison cried out, "Are you alright?" Taking a step closer and getting ready to support her if she fell.

"Hang on!" Kai added, placing his glowing hand on Kotemon's chest. "I'll heal Kotemon and then you!"

Kazuchimon narrowed his eyes, "If more is what you want," This time raising both blades. "I'll erase you from existence!" Slashing both blades through the air, unleashing two super charged waves of that emerald energy. "Shinden Shouraiko!"

BelleStarmon grit her teeth, showing their sharpness with a wild look in her eyes, "Bring it ON!"

The earth shook as she took another blast, and another, and another. While Kai and Madison were forced to avert their eyes from the dust billowing from each impact, Kotemon could not turn away. Watching, horror in his eyes and shame in his heart.

"You stupid, pathetic excuse for a knight." Mentally kicking himself, as the despair began to swallow him up. "What good are the heroic speeches, what good are the noble words, and what good are these ideals if I don't have the strength to back them up!?" He questioned, as his friend was brutalized before his very eyes. "I want peace, but lack the power to make it a reality..."

After one final, terrible burst, BelleStarmon hit the ground. Landing on her knees, rasping for breath. She had a vacant look in her eyes, like she wasn't even conscious. Before slowly, she raised one arm. "That... The best you... Can do?" She questioned, pointing her gun at Kazuchimon, "M-My... My turn-" But when she pulled the trigger, the weapon simply clicked, "Oh... Dammit." Before she fell back onto the ground, collapsing from her injuries.

While Kazuchimon simply quirked an eyebrow. "You've done nothing but delay their deaths, but I will commend you for your fortitude." He grunted, narrowing his eyes as he spotted movement approaching his foes from behind. "If only all my followers possessed a stalwart heart like yours."

BelleStarmon reverted back to Tsukaimon in an instant, her tiny body weak and injured. Madison quickly rushed to pick her up, "Kai you have to heal her quick!"

"R-Right!" But what good would it do now? He wondered, they were at the end of their rope here. Helping Kotemon up, "Get ready to move." He whispered, before moving over to Tsukaimon.

Kotemon felt his pain fading, his body tired but he'd hardly taken a beating on the level that BelleStarmon did. He watched as Madison held Tsu, that sensation of guilt coursing through him.

"We need her back in the fight, please Kai!" Maddie practically begged.

"I can heal her wounds," He assured, "But it won't restore her stamina... I'm afraid this might be our limit..."

Kotemon watched as she was slowly healed, her tired body twitching slightly. Before she opened her eyes just barely, staring back at Kotemon for a brief moment. She looked like she wanted to say something, but was too weak. Kotemon waited with baited breath, "Come on Tsu, you're the strongest one here... Give me something, anything!" For the briefest of moments losing all confidence in his own abilities, and hoping she would have an answer to fix this.

Instead, all she had to offer was a soft, gentle smile.

"Gngh!" Kotemon's entire body tensed up, as voices echoed in his mind, along with flashes of memories that felt so distant now...

"Have you found your credo?"

"My... What?"

"Your reason for fighting, the reason you wield your sword?"

Kotemon thought about how he met Kai, the struggles he had with his family life.

He thought about Sakura, and the burden they shared.

He thought about Musyamon, and the first life he'd ever taken.

He thought about Devidramon, and the moment he chose to save her life instead of take it.

He remembered the village, all those happy digimon living under the protection of his former teacher.

He remembered Knightmon's own struggle with doubt, and fear, the effects left by past trauma.

He remembered Tsukaimon's struggle with her past life, and her wish to be someone new.

He remembered Kuzuhamon, and the tragic story of her people... The same ones Kazuchimon seemed content to discard.

People and Digimon, forced into conflict because of others, lives ruined by those with power that abuse it.

He felt something slipping, and anger unlike any he'd felt before began to surge through him!

"HrrraaaAAAAAGH!" Kai and Madison's head's whipped back to Kotemon as he rose to his feet, the little digimon crying out as Kai's digivice burned to life. "KAZUCHIMON!"

The Divine Digimon quirked an eyebrow, watching as power erupted around Kotemon's tiny body. "Oh? Do you still have some fight left in you?" He chuckled in amusement, looking at Kotemon's empty arms. "Very well, shall I have one of my men loan you a proper blade?" He mocked.

"KOTEMON!" The familiar voice of Sakura sounded from nearby, their eyes finding her as she stood over the battlefield atop a pile of rubble. She was panting heavily, covered in dirt, no doubt having to forge her own path through the debris following those blasts. She was gripping something tightly in her hands, "You said you were going to make our dream a reality... You said you were part of our family." Taking a deep breath before she threw the object in her hands as hard as she could. "So win this for all of us!"

Kotemon only shot a sideways glance in her direction, spotting the object flying through the air. He recognized the shape instantly, and held out his arm to catch it, snatching the twin sheathed blades from the air.

Kai's eyes widened as he recognized the dusty old weapons. "Those are-!" Family heirlooms, of not just House Tanaka but of Sarata as well! Used to seal the pact between both families.

Kotemon's eyes turned right back to Kazuchimon as he held the weapons, feeling the power surging from within him ready to burst. "I said before that my sword was meant to be a tool for justice, and peace, never meant to be wielded in anger or hatred... But that's not true anymore!" He declared, and with each word he felt the final blocks holding him back fall away. "I know why I fight now, it's to defeat monsters like you, it's to make sure those who hate fighting never have to fight again!"

Kazuchimon twirled one blade in his hand, "So you'd turn your back on your ideals? Are all creatures of this world so fickle in their convictions?"

"If it means protecting the innocent from monsters like you, I'll surrender my ideals to keep the people I care about safe!" Kotemon replied, before internally smirking as he gripped the hilts of his weapons. "Besides... These aren't my swords!"

((Kotemon's Credo Theme - "Wada Kouji - Target ~Akai Shougeki~"))

Warp Digivolution

An explosion of light erupted around Kotemon, a pillar of red the same color as Kai's Crest shot high into the sky, rivaling even Kazuchimon's arrival. As the small Digimon within underwent his biggest change yet, both mentally and physically.

"Kotemon Warp Digivolve to!" His small body exploding from it's armor, before growing larger in size, reaching about the same height Grademon had been at ten feet before armor began to form over every inch of him. Though it was not pristine and knightly, it was dark with shades of black, bronze and crimson. A horned helm rested on his head, and a great white mane sprouted from behind, while the twin blades in his hands were twisted into wicked curved blades.

When his transformation came to an end, the lights faded and in the center of that pillar now stood a warrior that made all those in Kazuchimon's force look on in awe.

"Gaioumon!" He declared in a deep, rough voice.

And in the aftermath of his arrival, the lord of lightning looked out over his forces who seemed paralyzed with fear at the sight of him. "Well? Are none of you bold enough to face him now?" He questioned, seemingly amused. "Will you serve your Lord or-"

"I'm only going to say this once!" Gaioumon interrupted sharply, "I know that events beyond your control have lead each and every one of you to this moment... But right now I am giving you a choice," Even as he spoke aloud to the forces still surrounding him, his eyes never left Kazuchimon. "Stand down, and I promise I'll show you a world where you never have to fight again..."

The self proclaimed deity chuckled in amusement, "Am I being offered the same amnesty? Or will you still fight me if I stand down?"

"No" He answered coldly, gripping his blades tighter. "You've manipulated my family, you've forced others to fight in your stead, and you've hurt my friend." He listed with venom in his voice. "But I'm not going to fight you... I'm going to kill you."

Kazuchimon felt a twinge of excitement in his heart at Gaioumon's confidence, even more so when none of his warriors made any move to engage this newly evolved warrior. "Very well, then let our battle to decide-" Before he could even finish, Gaioumon charged him. Crossing the distance in the blink of an eye with one single leap, lunging no less than fifty yards in a split second. Kazuchimon got his lightning blade up just in time to block the attack. The impact alone sent a shockwave through the surrounding area, making some of his own forces shudder and duck for cover.

Gaioumon held his ground while pushing against him, eyes locked onto the larger Digimon's own. "I'm sick of hearing your voice."

Kazuchimon smirked within his helm, "So much rage, you're truly become something of a demon haven't-" Before Gaioumon pivoted and spun off the strike, allowing Kazuchimon to push him as he spun and delivered a heavy kick to the side of his helm. "Gah!"

Gaioumon flipped backwards through the air, landing on his feet with blades ready immediately. "You don't listen very well, do you?" Twirling one blade in his hand, "Or maybe you just like hearing the sound of your own voice..."

Kazuchimon glared daggers at the arrogant warrior, "So be it... I'll give you the full extent of the Storm Gods Wrath!" Raising both blades above his head, thunder roared in the dark clouds above as a great bolt of lightning struck the twin swords.

Gaioumon's eyes flashed, and in an instant both his blades ignited with cold blue fire. "Fine by me."

From further back, Kai watched alongside Madison and Sakura. "Kotemon, I hope you know what you're doing..." He muttered, gripping his digivice tightly, his partners newfound aggression in this form giving some small amount of concern.

"He's completely different," Sakura pointed out, looking to Kai. "Is... Is he usually this aggressive when he changes?"

"No, not normally," Kai replied, "He always gets pretty intense when he turns into Grademon, but this is... Something else."

While they watched on, Tsukaimon's eyes weakly opened to see the battle unfolding before them. She saw her friend, and felt a familiar darkness emanating from his armored form. It was unlike the darkness she'd felt before, unlike the darkness she knew resided in herself. It was not hateful and cruel, but grim and stoic, perfectly focused.

But could Kotemon handle it?

Both warriors lunged for one another, lashing out with their equal sets of dual blades.

Both powerful voices ringing out across the battlefield.

"Nito Serai!"

"Rinkazan!"

The clash of fire and lightning had begun.