"Back at it, huh, bro?" Zack asks as they walk side by side once more, heading for the most recent cry for help from their Digivices.

"Yeah," Dolph says, his eyes flickering over to Zack. "You up for this?"

"Sure," Zack shrugs with an attempt at a brave expression. "Let's do it." They fall quiet as Dolph checks his Digivice once more to see the map, his bravery slipping slightly. So much has been going on; Heath is still missing, Palmon was deleted, and they've all been attacked and injured in one way or another the last few weeks. He can still remember how it'd felt to not be able to breathe, wishing Dolph was there. But it doesn't matter now, he is back, and they're a team again, and Zack has a side form for Patamon just in case.

"We're close," he says, both men tensing up as they look around for the cause of the problems. "C'mon, c'mon..." He turns in a slow circle, looking for something... anything... when Impmon grips his pants and tugs, his claws digging into the fabric of his jeans. "What, Impmon?"

"I feel... a large power." He frowns. "It... It's massive. I don't know..." They continue to look around for the cause of what Impmon is sensing. "I think we should Digivolve now. This doesn't... feel right... Something's wrong."

"Then do it," Dolph urges him, clutching his crest and Digivice, Zack doing the same thing next to him. Within moments, Wisemon and Hippogriffomon form, both floating up to get a better vantage point. Wisemon is about to say something when there's a blast of bright light and Hippogriffomon falls from the sky, skidding to the ground close to Zack.

"Why does this always happen?" Dolph wonders, peering around.

"Good question," Wisemon says, returning to the ground and helping Hippogriffomon back up. The two ultimate level Digimon stand side by side, waiting for another attack, when it comes- but isn't aimed at either of them, no the pulse blast is heading right towards Zack and Dolph, who are a few feet away from the Digimon. Wisemon immediately acts, freezing the attacks and holding it in midair.

Hippogriffomon flies up once more and aims towards where the attacks had originated. "Heat wave!" he calls out, blowing out a large, heated wind that whips all trees in the area back, burning the leaves to cinders. Only then does he spot the attacker- a tall, monstrous humanoid that makes him go weak as he collapses back onto the ground. "Oh no..."

"What is it?" Dolph asks, still unnerved by the lasers held in midair.

"Imperialdramon Fight Mode," Hippogriffomon offers. The name means nothing to Zack or Dolph, but Wisemon goes very still. "This is bad. What do we do?"

"He's a mega level," Wisemon explains to the humans. "An alternate form, no less. We... won't be able to defeat him at our strength levels. Even with all of the digidestined together, we probably wouldn't be able to win." He closes his eyes, trying to think.

"There has to be something," Hippogriffomon breathes out.

"Giga Death!" a rough voice growls out, a large energy beam coming out of the damaged trees and heading straight for them. Hippogriffomon is about to dive towards the humans, guard them, when Wisemon lifts his other arm and freezes it in place too. Finally Imiperialdramon Fight Mode shows himself and Dolph and Zack see why Wisemon is so pessimistic towards their chances.

"Son of a bitch," Dolph says slowly, staring up at the massive creature leering down at them. He's tall, covered in armor, with terrifying claws protruding from his feet. A large cannon blaster on one hand and red wings coming from his back finish off his frightening visage.

"Damn, bro," Zack hisses, clinging to Dolph's sleeve.

Hippogriffomon stares up at him as Wisemon continues to struggle holding onto the two devastating attacks, their determination to hit their targets making it harder and harder to hold on. He barely pays them any mind, however, his focus on their partners. "Imperial Claw!" he roars out, rushing forward with his claw extended, aiming right for Dolph and Zack once more.

"No!" Hippogriffomon cries, flying between them and parting his beak once more. "Sonic Voice!" Loud squeeching, enough to make Dolph and Zack cringe away, gripping their ears, washes over the infected Digimon but he barely flinches, determined to see his attack through. Hippogriffomon is batted away like a small bird and he crashes into a cliff not far away, skidding back to the ground in a painful collapse of rocks and dirt.

"Hippogriffomon!" Zack cries out before looking up to find Imperialdramon Fighter Mode approaching them, his claws eager to slice through blood and bone. It's stupid, it's useless, but it's the only idea Zack gets: He stands in front of Dolph, arms outstretched, as if his body- so tiny in comparison to Imperialdramon- could ever protect him, but at least he tries.

"No! Zack," Hippogriffomon cries out, struggling to free himself from the rubble, find the strength to get back to his feet. All Wisemon can do is watch, wait and hope for a chance.

"I- I won't let you hurt him," Zack says through gritted teeth. Dolph watches, agape, as Zack plants his feet and waits- waits... but then there's a blinding flash of light and Zack's Digivice thrums, a shield forming around them, keeping them from Imperialdramon. Hippogriffomon is out of the range of it, but Wisemon is there, holding onto Imperialdramon's attacks... and suddenly Zack knows, turning back to look at Dolph. "Wisemon needs to Digivolve," he chokes out.

The only other level left for Wisemon, outside of the digimental stage, is Mega. The same level as Imperialdramon. Dolph blinks in shock. "I don't... don't know if we can," he chokes out. "If I'm strong enough..."

Zack reaches out and squeezes his hand, rough enough to shake these feelings from him. "You are, bro," he says, voice unwavering in his confidence in Dolph. "You are. I believe in you."

Dolph stares at his digivice, the crest of friendship, and closes his eyes, turning towards Wisemon. "You heard the man, partner! Digivolve!"

Somehow... it works. Wisemon even successfully keeps the attacks frozen, his power lingering through the digivolution. "Wisemon mega digivolve to..." The book beneath his feet disappears. He grows taller, the shroud disappearing and being replaced by black armor. The stones in his hands reshape into two massive guns. He's a truly vicious looking creature with searching red eyes just visible under a purple mask. "Beelzebumon!"

"Whoa," Dolph breathes, the shield Zack's digivice had formed around them shattering just in time- Beelzebumon uses the barrels of his guns to twist the earlier attacks that Imperialdramon had attempted back at him, following them closely.

It all happens so fast that Imperialdramon barely has the time to blink before the laser slices into his chest, quickly followed by the energy beam. Beelzebumon himself finishes it off, following the two attacks with sharp claws into the injuries, officially destabilizing Imperialdramon's warped data and causing him to delete. "Noooooooooo-" he roars, collapsing to his knees before disappearing entirely into a sea of data.

Zack releases a breath before turning to get his first good look at Beelzebumon, Hippogriffomon joining them sluggishly, still feeling the affects of the attacks he'd taken. As Zack holds a hand out towards his partner, he eagerly dedigivolves back to Patamon and collapses into Zack's arms, large blue eyes peering up at Beelzebumon. "I guess you're the first one to get to this level, bro," he says with a small smile. "Congrats."

Dolph rolls his eyes, looking up at Beelzebumon before turning to Zack. "I don't think I could've without you, kid. Thanks." They pause awkwardly and then he slaps the back of Zack's head. "Don't shield me like that again though."

"Ow! Fine," Zack huffs, rubbing the now sore spot. "Next time I'll let the big bad Digimon slice right through you. Better?"

"Much," Dolph huffs, before slinging an arm around his shoulders and leading the way to the portal. "Hey, Beelzebumon, are you ever going to dedigivolve? You'll freak the others out..."

"So what?! I've never felt better!" Which lasts until Beelzebumon realizes how uncomfortable it feels trying to crouch- with his guns, no less- to see the digiportal, which is embedded in some rocks. "Dammit! Fine!" he huffs, returning to Impmon's much less cumbersome form. When Dolph laughs at him, he pouts and crosses his arms over his chest.