Chapter 15: Heavens Divide

20:08 PM (Japan Time), Tuesday June the 16th…

"Colonel Talos, sir! There is no mistake, sir. The signal was being sent to this location. It's a small computer repair business, which is a cover for the North Korean secret services!"

"Interesting. What do you think of it, Chief?"

"Commendable, yet futile…"

Talos and Lezareno were talking inside of a small room.

It had a desk, two chairs, a metallic drawer set and a small garbage bin.

A man who looked like a technician given his blue overalls entered and brought a printed map in which a red "X" drawn on it.

Both officers were amused at the information while the technician remained firm as if awaiting further orders.

"You may go!"

The technician hit his heels and marched out at a military pace.

The door closed and Talos grabbed the phone's receivr.

He pressed a key and waited for something.

"Mr. Denpa? Our beloved NK gentlemen are interested in our gentlemen, it'd seem. Any suggestions, Comrade?"

"Keitai Denwa may have set this trail up because he knew it was believable and possible. He might be hiding closer than we think, even!"

"Although it could "DTV" or the spy… Who seems to be hiding among the police forces, according to a report by Mr. Barrel about his ramblings…"

"I'd be wary of relying on the name "Virus" being a lead…" Denpa warned.

"It is, though. We sent some agents to dig around the underground world. An enforcer by that name used to come inspect the businesses regularly and was very meticulous…" Talos argued back.

"One of them provided an accountability book which had a stamp with that name stamped on it as a sign of having passed the inspection…"

"And it was from 4 years ago…"

"Then it's true that they were an enforcer of Anaya and Izono…"

"At least we've gotten closer to figuring out who they are…"

"Although he always wore an outfit with a mask, so no-one knows what his real face is… The man was very careful not to leave fingerprints or other biological traces…" Lezareno warned.

"As we suspected, "DTV" was but a dead end… Alright. We will surveil those two, but we mustn't lose track of Keitai, either…"

"I tried making an enquiry about the policewoman that received the letter calling her to the office with the bomb… She's been given some days off, because she needed to recover from the shock… Name is Nishi Mitsuru…"

"Why do I feel like she's using that as an excuse to disappear?"

"It wouldn't be odd, given how Virus let it out… But that would explain how she moved around without calling for attention…"

"She probably hacked into the local database to make it look like she'd been sent there from Tokyo…" Denpa guessed.

"We'll use our own system to detect if Keitai or anyone else tries to use those micro robots to monitor the gentlemen…" Talos announced.

"Good idea. Fight poison with poison…"

"Mr. Zataki did say he's getting things ready to fight back the threat posed by the "Death Club"… He's readied some tools to turn the tide… However, he wants to keep them as secret as possible…"

"Good. Let's leave that front to him and the Officials, and we shall resume our hunt for those spies…" Lezareno nodded in agreement.

"As for the NK folk… The PSB will handle them, anyway…"

"Time to resume the hunt, gentlemen!"

20:15 PM (Japan Time)…

"… How is the loading going like?"

"90% complete… All systems green… Another 10 minutes… What did you do with the "Darkloids", anyway? Toss them in the Under Internet?"

"Correct."

"Let them stir some chaos before the "secret trio" comes to try to put them down…"

Death Shadow, Kurayami and Kanaya had gathered in a Cyber World shaped as a tall cylinder which had a large device built on the middle of it.

Blue energy formed intricate circuitry board drawings over its surface, extending downwards.

Trio stood at the very top where several cylinders marked with the "radioactive" and "poisonous" symbols were placed.

Kurayami was working with a holographic screen.

"By the way, Death… What did ya put in that empty compartment which isn't necessary for the core component's functioning?" Kurayami asked.

"An armored vehicle! Its armor strength and battling power are very high. It could turn the situation around if that repulsive pursuer were to try to challenge me again!" Death Shadow replied.

"Interesting! Better ready a trump card, true!"

"All systems green… 6 minutes left. We luckily found a spot where no – one will care if we use it as demonstration… Given how it was sealed off by the JSDF and everyone is still baffled at what happened there!"

"Excellent. HD has entered its final stage. And those repulsive pursuers cannot realize the fact!"

"Once they see this, they will regret leaving their saucer behind because they foolishly assumed it wouldn't be needed!" Kanaya sneered.

"They will be wiped out along all other weaklings!"

20:24 PM (Japan Time)…

"Good evening! Midorikawa Kero of the DNN reporting live from the airspace close to Mt. Fuji's peak! As you can see, the old Nebula factory is still there, lacking the section that disappeared after an accident caused by a rampaging experimental device last summer… We are keeping the mandatory distance of 300 meters from it. We've mobilized here given how we received information from an anonymous source claiming something totally worth our time will happen!"

"What… They expect someone to say "abracadabra" and the missing section will return?"

"Like it would…!"

The twins (wearing navy-blue pajamas) watched the TV as they sat on their house's living room sofa.

Netto was amused while Saito was serious.

"Ms. Midorikawa! Look at the sky! NNW!"

"W-what in the world…?"

The camera suddenly aimed for a thick ghostly blue laser beam coming down from the sky and which impacted the factory (which was missing the upper section and the remaining section had been surgically cut in half, given the clean edges of the walls) yet it didn't destroy it.

It was stained in a large amount of "Omicron Factor" from which then Spark Bee Viruses began to form along with other types of Viruses.

The twins gasped and the helicopter's crew also gasped in fear.

"T-that's impossible! Viruses forming out of nowhere, into the real world! W-what in the world is this?" One of the crew gasped.

"Dunno!"

Cold, metallic laughter rang out from the radio.

"Who turned on the radio?"

"I didn't!"

"Have you witnessed? The power of the Heavens Divide Project! Rather… The power of the Ouroboros Project?" Death Shadow challenged.

"W-who's there?"

"Death Shadow! One of the "Death Club"! Despair! Thanks to Ouroboros… Your puny world is doomed!"

"W-what!"

"Hmpf! We have a new orbital weapon loaded with our "Omicron Factor! We repurposed an experimental system to materialize data to create it without the need of rockets and orbital assembly! Bypassing detection! When this great mutagen meets living beings, it can destroy the weak and make the strong evolve! It can self-generate energy! It would render nuclear power obsolete. However! You cannot find it on this planet! Why? Because I am the source of it! I shall spread it across the world!"

"You better start praying to the divine!" Kurayami taunted.

"Doubt anyone will answer, though…" Kanaya added.

"W-what in the…!"

"Yet! I am somewhat fond of dramas in which hypocrisy is exposed for all! Rock Man EXE! We want to see your power as the "hero"! Tomorrow! 0900 hours! I hate unpunctual types! Do not test my patience!"

"W-what!" The twins gasped.

"I shall declare a truce until then! The main cannon needs about 3 hours to recharge after each shot, anyway. And if you are listening, Vadous… Know that it is impossible for you to find us! Let despair possess you and realize your own powerlessness!"

"T-the radio has shut down on its own!"

"What an evening!" Midorikawa gasped.

"Goodness!" Haruka muttered.

Netto's PET rang so he answered to the call.

"Are you two alright!?" Zataki asked.

"Mr. Zataki, sir! Yes, we are!"

"Sheesh! That Dark Samus wannabe! It finally turned serious!"

"Altering those Navis into freaky monsters was but a distraction, then?"

"Sure was! That bloody, sneaky and conspiring jerk!"

"No dice, Boss! That thing nullifies radar and IR!" Omega reported.

"Sheesh! Naturally!" Sigma grumbled.

"If only I hadn't lowered the guard back then…!" Blood Shadow sighed.

"No use crying over spilled milk, Blood. What's done is done…"

"Roger, sir. I apologize for the whim, sir…"

"It's a natural reaction. I won't blame you for that…"

"By the way, Boss. Weren't you going to give them something?"

"True. I'll send you a special program which should be able to turn the tide if Death Shadow has become deadlier… But save it up until the very end, were it possible… I wouldn't want to reveal the trump cards too early!"

"Understood, sir…"

"I received it… It's labeled "VS Version 1.4"…"

"To be honest, I'd begun working on months ago but between one thing and the other, I'd been slacking on building of it and testing…"

"Can't be helped, sir. You're constantly jumping across the world…"

"I know. I'll also send Akashi and Delta new tools, too…"

"What about Kurayami and Kanaya? Are they very strong?"

"Hard to judge. Last time they ran away after a few blows…"

"But guess they'll be there to test you out, too…" Omega warned.

"Wouldn't surprise me…" Saito sighed.

"Did you receive the antibodies program I sent the other day?"

"I did, sir. I installed it already…"

"Good. Don't take anything for granted. Don't doubt to rely on your self-repair program if you need to purge portions of the body…"

"Roger, sir…"

"Ms. Hikari. I'm afraid I can't offer guarantees about the outcome…"

"I understand, Mr. Zataki. Such is life, after all…"

"We don't blame you, sir. It was an accident, after all…" Netto argued.

"I know. We underestimated the toughness of that program…"

"Say. That experimental tech they mentioned… Isn't it what Dad has been researching this year?" Saito brought up.

"True! Guess they stole it from there!"

"During the attack on the MoS the other day… Death Shadow acted as the decoy to draw all attention while those two snuck into the database and stole the research materials… Fortunately, Dr. Hikari kept backups outside of the Cyber World, so the progress hasn't been lost…"

"Sheesh. To think they used that to avoid detection by radar…"

"We were careless in that aspect, too…"

"But who could've imagined that jerk would make things so huge?"

"Nobody! Thought it'd be content with turning Navis into freaks…"

"Speaking of which… We just got a report. The missing Hunter's Guild Darkloids have shown up deep in the Under Internet…"

"What's the status there?"

"Mist Man, Dark Man and Yamato Man are on it…"

"Alright. Let's leave it up to them, then…"

"Sure. We must save up energies…"

"I think I should go with Rock Man as a backup. Maybe Death Shadow will shrug at it since he has a mania with wanting to overcome me, too…"

"Good idea. Two are better than one…"

"Let's hope the media don't come barging in next…" Netto grumbled.

"Or mistake Delta for me…" Saito sighed.

"Looks like they're busy questioning the Minister of Defense…"

"Better that than having a crowd of them out there…"

"I did set up the home phone to refuse calls outside from family, friends and official organizations such as police, firefighters or hospitals…"

"That should save up some headaches, too!" Haruka sighed.

"I apologize for the inconveniences, ma'am…"

"You needn't, Mr. Zataki! It's hardly your fault, sir…"

"I apologize. I have a bad habit of wanting to take responsibility for all, even if that's something beyond my control…"

"While being aware of responsibility is important, sir, it's not good to try to bear everything by yourself…"

"You're right, ma'am… I apologize for my ramblings. Especially now that we should focus on how to deal with this menace…"

The entrance bell rang.

"It's Ijuuin – kun. I'll open… Good evening!"

"I apologize for the sudden visit, ma'am… I did make sure that the media wasn't chasing me… I would like to coordinate with them…"

"But of course. Come in…"

"Excuse me…"

Enzan came in after changing his sneakers for slippers.

"Hello, young Ijuuin. It's been a while…" Zataki greeted.

"Mr. Zataki. What's the status?"

"Death Shadow wasn't bluffing. We've checked several methods, but nothing works to locate that blood artifice…"

"What about those Viruses in the Nebula factory site?"

"They were materialized data, just like the gel itself… But they're unstable and they soon break down… Can't travel long distances, either…"

"What about the energy generation talk?"

"Its effect is limited to the Cyber World… Although its output is huge…"

"Sheesh. I managed to sneak out of the ONBA HQ just as the media raided, followed by some activists that protested the usage of it…"

"They can't tell the difference between you and the power companies?"

"Or maybe they just wanted to stand out… Even though nobody said anything about using it, they were jumping the gun…"

"Truly! That thing is too deadly. Deadlier than radiation…"

"Anyway. We've been hunting down those "harvesters" across the nation, but I guess there's still plenty of them…"

"We've been doing the same across Vietnam, too…"

"I heard from Laika and Mr. Barrel that they've been hunting them down across their respective nations, too…"

"Guess that even if they study the duo they caught, they won't find clues to the whereabouts of their accomplice so easily…"

"Naturally…"

"Sir. I'm back. I and Zero destroyed 8 units in the Osaka prefecture…"

"Well done, Blues. Take a break and submit the report…"

"By your orders, sir…"

"News from Mist Man… They caught the trio after some struggle…"

"No wonder. They ARE strong…" Zataki shrugged.

"Those two were trying to taunt them but it didn't work…"

"Because they're all very serious…"

"Which is of help. That way they can focus on the task hand…"

"What about that spy man?"

"Keitai? I know the "Committee" are hunting him, but since he's sneaky then it won't be easy to locate him… At least it's better than that DTV or Ootsuka or whichever his name for the season is…"

"True. And now we must focus on the task at hand… I hate to admit it, Hikari, but I'll have to count on you this time around…"

"Don't mind it, Enzan. It's a chance to prove that we're not afraid…"

"At least we can operate from the safety of home…"

"I asked young Obihiro to help me. As soon as the link is open, we'll take control of it and add emergency escape routes to retrieve you if things take a turn for the worse… If they try to come with numbers, then I'll do the same and send the musketeers to fight them head-on…"

"OK. We'll do what we can. If we need to pull out, we'll do so…"

"I'll handle the pesky media. I'll redirect them to some tale about spies and illegal loans and such… That should distract them…" Enzan offered.

"Thanks, young Ijuuin. That'll be of great help to reduce pressure…"

"A collective effort? That'd be wise…" Omega agreed.

"By your orders, Lord Enzan…" Blues confirmed.

"Let's ready a good dinner so you're full of energies for tomorrow!"

"That's the spirit, ma'am! Let's prove they don't impress us…"

"Delighted! I'll show them what we're made of!"