Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Compile Heart, Idea Factory, Sega and whomever else worked on it.
Time for the showdown against Dark Black
Chapter 59
"A Dark CPU?" Black Void asked. "What's so special about them besides the size?"
"...In my world, even one of them was capable of destroying entire dimensions, rending all life on the planet and just being around them would cause the sky itself to crack into pieces." Purple Heart said as she looked at Dark Black.
"So how do you beat it?" Chrome asked as she walked forward and Purple Heart shook her head. "Neptune?"
"I... Without a Sharing Field, we can't trap it and weaken it enough to hurt it." Purple Heart looked down and trembled. 'Why? Did I trip a bad end flag somewhere? Author, can I reload my save file so I can try again?'
"Hmph!" Black Void snorted as she looked at Dark Black. "Kei, you bitch, even if you're larger, you're going to die."
"Noire!" Purple Heart suddenly yelled out as Black Void's blasters built up power. "It won't work!"
"I am CPU Black Void, this is my nation! I won't allow some giant creature destroy what's mine!" Black Void yelled. "And even if it's impossible, I don't care! I'd rather go down fighting than do nothing at all! Pulsar Blaster!" The ends of Black Void's blasters glowed before firing a shot of power from each barrel that connected with each other and grew larger before slamming into Dark Black's body, causing the Dark CPU to cry out in pain as she staggered backwards.
"How?" Purple Heart asked in shock.
"Um, maybe this is a stupid idea, but..." Rom spoke up. "Maybe she hasn't fully adjusted to the power yet?" Purple Heart spun on Rom, staring in shock. "It sounds like you fought this thing before, big sis, but this thing was more used to its power when you fought it? So maybe that's why?"
"I don't know," Purple Heart said as she turned back to look at Dark Black. "But right now that sounds good to me and if that's the case, then let's go with it."
"And what are we supposed to do against something that's almost thirty meters tall?" Chrome asked. "No offense, but I'm not in a mood to try crashing into this one like I did with that other robot."
"Brave," Black Void told her, "his name was Brave. And that's a good point, I can shoot it, but..."
"You think I became a giant or we somehow made them shrink down to our level?" Purple Heart asked rhetorically. "The problem is, we need to contain Dark Black so it can't get away."
"Is that all?" Black Void asked in a haughty tone. "Do you really think that I didn't have some sort of counter-measures involved for every situation I could think of?"
"...A thirty meter tall giant is a situation you thought of?" Chrome asked and Noire twitched at the question.
"...I thought that I would need to build a thirty meter tall giant robot to fight against giant space aliens, okay?" Black Void huffed in annoyance.
"...So Chuuni." Purple Heart muttered softly as Black Void blushed.
"Stop teasing me or I'll let her squish you first!" Black Void yelled at her. "And, no, I don't have a giant robot, it was too impractical to build one that size. But I did make a forcefield that could contain things that size."
"...If we get through this, I'll introduce you to my sister." Purple Heart told Black Void. "She could build you the giant robot you wanted."
Jerking, Black Void stared at her and then she looked at Dark Black. "Well then, I can't lose here, can I?"
"Neptuna?" Peashy spoke up, "what should we do?"
"Peashy, I need you and everyone else to get away from this fight." Everyone looked at Purple Heart in surprise. "This isn't a normal fight, and unless you can fight at a long range, fighting back against Dark Black will be impossible."
"If that's the case," Chrome looked at Rom and Ram. "Take them with you."
"But..." Purple Heart jerked and Chrome looked at her seriously.
"Part of becoming a CPU is to face dangerous situations, Neptune." Chrome gave the other CPU a wry smirk. "You need to trust them."
Purple Heart sighed and nodded, she knew that. She did.
That didn't mean that she had to like it.
Black Void looked at Uni. "...I want you to go with the others and get away from here."
"No way!" Uni yelled and before Black Void could do anything more, Uni was next to her, hugging her elder sister. "I nearly lost you once because of that bitch, do you think I want you to go and fight her without me?"
Black Void looked at Uni sadly and sighed. "Uni, I just..."
"You know," Chrome spoke to her, "what I said applies to you as well." She gave Black Void a sideways glance, "I swear, younger CPUs put too much pressure on themselves to do everything on their own." She sighed softly. "This whole world is such a mess because we CPUs kept trying to do everything on our own and not working with each other."
"Um," Compa looked at Dark Black, "she looks like she's starting to recover from that attack."
"Then..." Black Void looked at everyone and looked down at her sister and nodded as Uni let go of the hug. "Let's hurry and deal with her." She then looked at Steamax, "Steamax, go with them and protect them."
"I apologize, Lady Noire," Steamax told her, "I cannot follow that order."
Black Void gave him a sharp look. "What?!"
"I refuse to go along with an order that would make it impossible for me to protect either you or Lady Uni." Steamax told her and walked up to her before taking a knee to her. "Please, forgive me, but I cannot let you face this threat by yourself."
"Steamax, just go with them!" Black Void yelled at him as images of his broken body flashed through her mind. "I can't..."
"Steamax," Purple Heart spoke up, "please do what she says." She looked at Black Void and then back at Steamax, "I promise you, on my life, that Noire and Uni will both return from the battle against Dark Black alive."
Everyone looked at Purple Heart in shock and Steamax slowly stood and nodded at her. "Very well, CPU Purple Heart, I shall hold you to that." He looked at Black Void. "Lady Noire, Lady Uni, please be safe." They nodded at him.
"It's time." Purple Heart said as she saw that Dark Black had fully recovered from that attack. "Go!"
"Right!" Compa yelled as she, Warechu, Filyn, Peashy, Gust, Linda and Steamax all quickly retreated from the upcoming battle.
"Neptune," Chrome walked up to Purple Heart. She stopped a few steps away from the CPU before hugging her tightly. "Good luck."
Purple Heart blinked in surprise and hugged Chrome back. "Thanks." She meant it too, it was really nice to have this feeling.
Chrome let go of the hug and smiled at her before cupping Purple Heart's cheek. "Please, come back alive."
Purple Heart smiled at her. "Put every ounce of faith you have into me. Pray if you have to. The more I have, the stronger I'll become."
"Of course." Chrome smiled at her. She then looked at Black Void. "...Can't believe I'm doing this, but I'll put every ounce of hatred I have towards Voids towards you."
Black Void smirked at her. "Thanks." It was odd, but considering that Voids needed negative feelings to power themselves, it was the only way that she could increase her abilities, even if just a little bit.
"Oh, and don't lose." Chrome said before running off.
"Let's..." Purple Heart trailed off and looked at her left hand. "What the..?"
"Big sis?" Rom asked and Purple Heart shook her head. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Purple Heart said to her. "Noire, can you get the force field into place? And will there be areas to walk on up there?"
Black Void smirked at her. "Of course, who do think I am?" She pulled out a small device and tapped it a few times as the air around them distorted. After that, she grabbed Uni and flew up while Purple Heart picked up Rom and Ram, flying up after her.
As they flew up, Purple Heart lightly bit her lip. 'I swear, I thought I saw...' It didn't matter, she had to focus on the upcoming fight against Dark Black.
(-)
As Chrome got close to the others of her group, she turned to look back at the giant and saw that the air was distorted around the creature. "Good luck everyone."
"Hey, Chromey, what should we..." Whatever Filyn was going to say was cut off as the sound of whirling blades filled the air. Turning and looking up, everyone saw a helicopter descend to the ground as three people jumped out of it when it got close.
"Dengekiko of Lastation Channel 5 news," a blonde girl with white shorts, a large red and black belt, a black top and black boots and leggings appeared with a microphone in her hand.
A girl with short orange hair, green eyes, a crown on her head and wearing a red shirt and a black miniskirt that was held by suspenders while having red shoes and white leggings on her legs spoke up next. "Famitsu of Lastation Channel 9 news here, what's going on?"
"Hey! It's Abnes with Lastation Channel 6 News!" The third person spoke up, "inquiring minds need to know."
"Indeed," Mr. Badd said as he walked up to the group, causing the three reporters to stiffen in shock. "What is going on?" The next thing he knew, he was being lifted off the ground by Steamax, "hey! Unhand me!"
"You were in on the conspiracy to harm both Lady Noire and Lady Uni," Steamax told him, "said scheme also brainwashed the CPU Candidates of Lowee, Leanbox, Eden and Lastation while attempting to eliminate Lady Noire."
Suddenly Mr. Badd stopped struggling and nodded. "Yes, it's true, I was working with Lady Kei. Please, put me down and I'll explain myself."
Steamax looked at Mr. Badd for a few moments before nodding and dropping him to the ground. "Speak then."
Coughing, Mr. Badd struggled to his feet. "Yes, oww, yes, I was working with Lady Kei." He rubbed the spot where Steamax had grabbed him. "I was not, however, on her side." He ignored the looks of disbelief he was getting and continued, "I worked for Lady Black Void and, yes, I had the news organizations spread news across Lastation to make Lady Black Void look worse than she was."
"Why?" Steamax asked, his tone displaying his displeasure at the thought. "Lady Noire deserves none of that."
"Because, as a Void, she needs negative feelings towards her, such as distrust and hate, to be able to transform and get power." Mr. Badd explained to them. "I knew people who worked for the previous CPU years ago and they explained this to me. If the people knew what Lady Black Void was doing for them, then they would lose their fear and distrust of her and start believing in her."
"Which, ironically, would weaken her." Chrome summarized, getting a nod from Mr. Badd.
"If it's true the you were not against Lady Noire, why did you work to undermine her?" Steamax asked and Mr. Badd shook his head.
"A few years ago, Kei came to me and convinced me that as Lady Black Heart did nothing to increase the power of the Fearicite on her own that she was unfit to be the ruler of Lastation, as her inner circle was doing more work than we should have."
"You're wrong," Steamax spoke up, "Lady Noire does more work than you think she does."
"I know," Mr. Badd agreed with him, "however, Kei laid out some convincing arguments and eventually convinced me that Lastation would be better off without a CPU." He shook his head. "I admit, she got the better of me in that exchange and I found myself agreeing with her to an extent."
"Oh?" Chrome asked him, "what extent?"
"Please understand that I merely want what's best for Lastation." Mr. Badd told them. "However, my ability to do so is... Limited outside of having the news reported on."
"...You own three news organizations?" Compa asked.
"I fund them, yes, but I do not own them. Think of it as me being a partner and making sure that there's stuff for people to watch." Mr. Badd told her.
"Um, boss..." Famitsu spoke up, "we really need to know what's with that giant there."
"CPU Purple Heart," Steamax started to speak, "said that it was a Dark CPU and has the power to destroy all of Gamworld if she and Lady Noire do not stop it here and now."
"But where did it come from?" Dengekiko asked, looking at it and shuddering in fear.
Chrome gave Mr. Badd a long stare before sighing and deciding that the people of Lastation needed to know this. "That thing, Dark Black, as Purple Heart called it, was what happened when Kei, who attempted to murder CPU Black Void, took the power of the Fearicite into herself."
"..So what you're saying is that Kei is that monster?" Mr. Badd asked, shock on his face and in his voice.
"What you see is nothing more than a reflection of her true self." Chrome told him and looked at the three reporters. "Right now CPU Purple Heart, CPU Black Void and the CPU Candidates of both Lastation and Lowee are fighting to stop it and protect everyone. Write it however you want, but that's the truth."
"Neptuna..." Peashy muttered softly as she looked at where the others were. "Don't worry! Pea will get everyone away from the bad monster! You just smash it!"
(-)
"I don't suppose you can create a walk-way with your force fields?" Purple Heart asked and Black Void snapped her fingers as the air shimmered into a circular platform around Dark Black. "Stupid question."
Black Void smirked as she put Uni down while Purple Heart did the same for Rom and Ram. "Any tips?"
"Close range combat isn't very useful, just spam skills on it."
"Fair enough!" Black Void said as she dismissed her sword and pointed her hips blasters at Dark Black. "KEI!" Dark Black suddenly turned and growled. "I have to admit, I'm actually kind of impressed. It takes some real balls to do what you did." She narrowed her eyes at the giant. "If you hadn't used my sister like that, I might have found use for you after this was all done."
"Ha ha ha ha! You still talk like that!?" A voice that was a distortion of Kei's and what sounded like Black Void's voice came out of the Dark CPU. "I will destroy you and take Lastation for myself! No, not Lastation. With this power I shall rule Gamworld!"
"She certainly has the power to do that." Purple Heart said. "She's coming!"
"LET US BEGIN THE SYMPHONY OF DESPAIR!" Dark Black cried out.
"Move!" Purple Heart yelled as she and Black Void dodged to the side while Dark Black swung her sword in an arc towards them, missing the two CPUs and nearly blowing the three Candidates off of the force field ground.
"Wow!" Uni cried out as she pulled out an energy rifle. "You bitch, if not for you..." Tears welled up in her eyes. "You nearly made me kill my sister!" She fired a blast at Dark Black and watched as the blast did little more than leave a small scuff mark on Dark Black's arm.
"Let me help!" Ram piped in as fire danced around her. "Inferno... BLAZE!" Several magic circles formed in front of her, each one releasing a torrent of white-hot fire that hit Dark Black in the shoulder.
"GAH!" The giant screamed out. "DISAPPEAR INTO THE LIGHT!" The sword on the giant's right arm started to glow and she swung down at the candidates.
"RAM!" Her twin cried out as Rom jumped in front of her and cast a defensive barrier spell, which was quickly augmented by Ram. "NGH!"
"HA HA HA HA! DIE!"
"I don't think so!" Purple Heart yelled as several large swords came out of nowhere and blasted the giant in the shoulders and legs. "Take this! VICTORY SLASH!" She rushed in, swinging her sword twice and dealing severe damage to the Dark CPU, leaving cracks in the helmet.
Floating above Dark Black, Black Void narrowed her eyes at the Dark CPU. "Kei, of all the people in Lastation, you were someone I didn't loathe with all my being." She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "But even if you were someone I tolerated, I won't go easy on you! Ionic Blaster!" Her hip blasters snapped forward and started rapid firing blasts at Dark Black, scattering them all over the giant's body.
When Dark Black cried out and swung her sword in a wide arc, the resulting air pressure blasted everyone into the force field barrier with such force that it took them some time to not only regain their senses, but also slide down from it.
"Holy..." Uni began, her eyes wide. "That was just the air pressure!"
Ram began to whimper as her feet touched the transparent ground. "I... I'm scared. What can we do against that?"
Rom looked at Dark Black and narrowed her eyes. "...Her sword! That's gotta be the trick to that attack!" As she watched the two CPUs fly around and get Dark Black's attention away from them, ideas started to form in her head.
"But there's no way we can just grab it and remove it!" Uni declared and looked at it. "Hell, we can barely scratch her, so what are we going to do about that sword?"
"...Destroy it." Ram said, shocking both of them. "Rom, don't you remember what we learned about storms and energy?" She pointed at Uni's energy rifle. "What if we..?"
"Oh! I get it!" Rom's eyes started to sparkle as she looked at Uni. "Want to really smash that evil bitch?"
The shark-like grin on Uni's face told her all she needed to know.
(-)
"Victory Slash!" Purple Heart called out as a sigil formed behind her while she rushed forward, her katana gleaming in the light. "Judgement!" She yelled as she passed by Dark Black, energy strikes hitting the horns on its helmet, shattering them.
"GAH!" Dark Black cried out as she jerked and stumbled backwards. "JUST DIE ALREADY YOU LITTLE PEST!"
"Sorry, not going to happen." Black Void said as she clasped her hands together while having her index and middle fingers extended upwards and focused her power. "ICE FALL!" Several large magic circles appeared around Dark Black and Black Void closed her eyes while slowly lowering her hands. "GO!"
Large glaciers of ice came out of the circles and slammed into Dark Black from several angles, piercing the skin and making the giant scream in pain.
"I have to admit," Purple Heart said while panting, "you're showing me stuff that would have given me a hard time when we fought."
"You're too small and fast for this to work." Black Void said as she panted. "Unless you stood still like this was an RPG or something."
"Speaking of standing still, why haven't you blasted her with that big shot again?" Purple Heart asked, wondering if maybe Black Void needed time to recover more SP or something.
Black Void looked away and mumbled something that Purple Heart couldn't hear.
"...What was that, Noire?"
The red-tipped, white-haired CPU sighed and hung her head. "It's got a cool down period of like two hours, okay? I can't fire it again until it's ready."
Purple Heart tilted her head and smirked at her. "So you blew your load in one shot and you can't get it back up again?"
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT IT LIKE THAT!" Black Void yelled at her, her face bright red while Purple Heart, who was blushing softly, laughed at her. "...Even if it is true."
Purple Heart's laughter increased.
"YOU CAN JUST DIE NOW!" Dark Black yelled as power started to build up and she held her sword up into the air where it glowed and increased in size.
(-)
"NOW!" Uni yelled as the three CPU Candidates stood behind Dark Black.
"Let's go, Ram!" Rom began as she leaned in and winked for no reason while the air became ionized with electricity.
"Right behind you, Rom." Ram smiled and spun around before holding her arms in front of her while Rom did the same thing while Uni stood between them. "Ready, Uni?"
"Yes." Uni nodded as she pointed her energy rifle at the giant sword. "Let's go!"
"Ion..." Rom began as power built up.
"Storm..." Ram continued as winds erupted around them.
"CANNON!" Uni finished and fired a blue-white beam of energy that was larger than a tank ripped through the air so fast that no one could react, except to stare as the natural light was turned to blue-white, rendering all other coloration mute.
The three girls watched in awe as the blast tore through Dark Black's upraised arm, tearing bone and muscle apart while traveling up to the sword and shattering it in an instant.
When the attack ended, the three girls, their hair blown backwards, could only gawk in amazement as they saw the result of their attack.
Dark Black stood there with one arm completely blown away, screaming in pain.
(-)
"...Noire..." Purple Heart couldn't keep the awe out of her voice at seeing that attack.
"I saw it." Black Void said, her voice holding just as much awe as Purple Heart's voice did.
"...Our sisters are awesome!" Purple Heart was giddy after seeing that. "How about we end this?"
Black Void smirked at her. "You go first, I've got another attack for large enemies specifically." She blushed softly when Purple Heart raised an eyebrow. "I told you! I thought I might have to fight giant alien monsters from deep space or something, so I developed attacks for that."
Purple Heart ignored that and turned to Dark Black. "Then I guess it's time to end this here," she held up her katana as a large surge of power filled her, "with Neptune Break!"
"...You named an attack after yourself?" Black Void asked as Purple Heart rushed forward, slashing Dark Black. "That's it?" She stopped as Purple Heart rushed back and returned another slash at Dark Black, repeating the process over and over and hitting from different angles before finishing with a powerful horizontal slash and landing on her feet, sliding forward.
Purple Heart calmly threw her sword into the air and caught it on its way back down. "You don't give up, huh?! Have some more!" In a surprising surge of strength, Purple Heart knocked Dark Black into the air as she flew above the giant. Hovering in mid-air, Purple Heart held her katana high in the sky as power condensed around the blade. "You're through!" She yelled and slashed down, cutting through Dark Black's helmet and leaving a line cut down her body as the giant was forced back to the ground in a painful manner.
"GAAAAH!" Dark Black yelled as her helmet shattered, revealing Kei's shocked, hurt and scared face. "N...NO! THIS CANNOT BE! I WILL NOT LOSE!"
"You're sounding like a bad mustache twirling villain from those old cartoons." Black Void told her calmly as she floated up to Dark Black's head. "Goodbye, Kei." She looked at the giant somewhat sadly, "I wish that it didn't have to come to this." She held up her right arm as black energy swirled around her and erupted into the sky.
Dark Black stared at Black Void and reached for the smaller CPU with her remaining left hand.
"Too late." Black Void whispered as the hand got closer. "EXE attack... METEOR SABER!"
The energy erupted upwards and materialized into a sword that was comically large and would have been big even in Dark Black's hands. In Black Void's hands, it looked ridiculous to the point of ludicrous.
When Black Void swung her arm down and the sword came cutting through the sky, cleaving and bisecting Dark Black's head, Black Void could only watch as the sword cut through the Dark CPU's body, splitting it in half and causing her to scream out in pain before light erupted from parts of her body. "NOOOOOOOO!"
When the giant's whole body turned into bright light before shattering into particles of light and dust, Black Void just nodded. "Rest in peace." She whispered and turned away from where the Dark CPU had been a moment ago.
Kei Jinguji, who had taken on the power of a Dark CPU, was no more.
To be continued...
About time that bitch was gone.
...I hope the battle was good.
The part at the beginning, with Noire blasting Dark Black and it working is an homage to the battle against Shabranigdo in Slayers Evolution-R episode 13.