Hey all, and welcome to another chapter. I hope you have been having a good day so far. If not, then maybe this will change it. Wanted to get this posted before the end of the old year as a way to make up for my long absence, but the holidays had taken up my time. Still, I don't want to do a repeat of last year and leave my readers hanging, so I want to be at least a little more active with my story this year.
Now then, I think it's time to check in on the trio of Neptune, Dorumon and Ryudamon. They may have been split up by everyone else, but they aren't about to turn back now. They'll either find their friends and allies again, or doom themselves trying. Hopefully the latter shouldn't come to pass. With that in mind, let's see what Neptune and her two Digimon are up to, shall we?
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or the Hyperdimension Neptunia series. Both franchises belong to their respective companies.
Chapter 33: When Strikes The Ninja?
It had been several hours since the three of them started exploring their surroundings. Neptune, Dorumon, and Ryudamon had been looking around in search for any signs of their friends. Unfortunately, none of them found any clues to their whereabouts. Still, they were amazed by the other sights they've discovered. From plains and forests to even passing over a small creek. Much like the world of Gameindustri, the Digital World was filled with the wonders of nature. Unlike her world, though, she had never seen any of these plants and trees before, as they were vastly different from what she had seen in places like the Virtua Forest.
Still, it was nice to see some new things that were out of the ordinary. She wished she had thought about asking her adult counterpart to come with her. The lilac haired CPU wondered what else she could find in the Digital World as she continues to search for her friends. But as the group marched onwards to a mountain in hopes of finding anything that might help them in their quest, both Neptune and Dorumon were now experiencing one major problem. Neither one of them have had anything to eat since they arrived in the Digital World.
"Ugggh... I'm so huuungry...", Neptune groaned as her stomach growled.
"Me too...", added Dorumon.
Ryudamon, who didn't seem to be fazed, shrugged his shoulders.
"You should've brought something with you before we arrived in the Digital World", said the armored Digimon.
"I could only find the one cup of emergency pudding in my pocket", said the lilac haired girl.
"And even that wasn't enough for us. Ugggh... I could eat a whole Digi-Steak buffet right now", said Dorumon.
"Obviously you two never had to live off of the wilderness before", Ryudamon commented.
"Honestly, I could eat just about anything right now...", Neptune commented.
"Yeah, me too...", added the purple Digimon.
Both of them looked at each other hungrily, imagining each other as their favorite foods. Ryudamon, deciding he had to do something before they would start cannibalizing each other, stopped to look around for a moment, thinking of what they could use to eat for the day. Then he saw some plants up ahead. Moving towards them, he could see that the plants were big and purple, growing on some vines. The armored Digimon sniffed them for a bit before picking the purple plants off of the vines, believing that they're safe to eat. He then returned to the pair, wondering what he had in his hands.
"These are called Digi-Veggies. They're supposed to be good for your body", Ryudamon explained.
Dorumon stared at the Digi-Veggies in curiosity, wondering what they taste like. But when Neptune took one look at the purple plants, her eyes widened in a mixture of horror and disgust.
"Waaah! No no no! No way! Nuh-uh! Absolutely, positively, without a shadow of a doubt, NOT!", she exclaimed.
Both Ryudamon and Dorumon just stared at their partner in confusion as she was freaking out.
"Is something wrong?", the armored Digimon asked.
"There is no way I'm eating those! They look like eggplants! I would rather go hungry than eat such vile abominations!", said Neptune.
"Oh c'mon, Nep. They don't look like eggplants at all to me", Dorumon commented.
"Don't be a picky eater, Neptune. In times like this, you have to take what you can get. You never know when your next meal will be your last", stated Ryudamon.
"Nope. I humbly refuse your offer, as generous as it may be. I may be hungry, but even I have my standards, you see", Neptune said stubbornly.
"Are you sure about that? I mean, how bad can these be?", the purple Digimon inquired.
The answer was about to be made obvious to him. Dorumon took one of the Digi-Veggies and chomped down on it, tasting the purple plant. As soon as his digital taste buds met with the edible food, however, his face went wide eyed with displeasure. He spit out the Digi-Veggie, wiping his tongue with his paws.
"Yuck! That wasn't tasty at all!", he exclaimed.
"Not you too, Dorumon...", said Ryudamon.
"See? I'm telling you, purple is the color of evil!", said Neptune.
"You were right! I'm sorry I ever doubted you", added Dorumon.
"Aren't you two supposed to be purple, too?", Ryudamon deadpanned.
The armored Digimon just sighed in disbelief. He just could not understand how both a Digimon and his partner could be such picky eaters when it comes to a certain food. Shrugging his shoulders, he started eating one of the Digi-Veggies, not wanting them to go to waste. Ryudamon hummed in delight as he tasted the purple plant.
"Mmm~ Not bad", he said as he started to eat more of the Digi-Veggies.
Both Neptune and Dorumon just stared, unable to look away. The lilac haired CPU gagged a bit at the thought of just eating an eggplant or something that looked like one. The purple Digimon now understood, in a way, why his partner did not like them one bit.
"Ugh, now I need something to wash the taste off...", he said.
"You said it. Even though I haven't tasted one, I can just feel the icky texture in my mouth. Yucko-sucko!", said Neptune.
"And these two are supposed to be my partners?", Ryudamon thought.
He then looked around for any signs of a water source. Then the armored Digimon thought he saw something beyond a thick veil of bushes. He then waved the pair over to the bushes. They push past the brush of leaves and branches, and were amazed to find what was past it. They could see a huge lake in front of them. It seemed to them that the lake was about a mile wide. On the other side of the lake, they could see that they were close to the mountain range, as they could see they were near the foot of one of the mountains.
"Looks like you're in luck, you two", said Ryudamon.
Both Neptune and Dorumon walked over to where he was and peered out to see the small lake and mountain range. Their eyes widened with relief as they gazed at what they believed to be their "saving grace" from the taste of the Digi-Veggies. Before Ryudamon could say anything more, he was trampled over by the pair, who made a break for the lake water. Grumbling, he got himself back up as he chased after the pair. When he reached them, they were already washing their mouths off. Somehow the armored Digimon couldn't help but feel underappreciated as he stared at the two.
"Would a 'thank you' do at this point?", he thought.
As the pair helped themselves to the lake's water, Ryudamon then noticed something else in the distance. On the other side of the lake, he could make out what appeared to be a stone structure. Something about it felt odd to him.
"Hey, do you all see that?", he said.
Neptune and Dorumon stopped what they were doing to see what their friend was pointing to. Noticing the stone structure at the end of the lake, they wondered what it was.
"What do you think guys?", Neptune asked.
"Not sure. But if feels a bit... off", said Ryudamon.
"Yeah, now I'm get that feeling", added Dorumon.
"Well then, it HAS to be something important. Let's go!", said the lilac haired CPU.
"Hold on, Neptune", said Dorumon. "We might be setting off a death flag here."
"No worries. That's why we have you to go 'Bam! Dragon Up!' and all that", Neptune said, making a reference to something.
"Neptune, even if Dorumon can Digivolve to Ultimate, there's no guarantee that he alone would be enough", stated Ryudamon.
"Has anyone ever told you that you can be a worry wort sometimes? Let's not sweat the details and stuff and get going already", the Planetune CPU said.
Both she and Dorumon then started to run off, finding a way around the lake. As they did so, Ryudamon just sighed in annoyance. He felt that they were starting to grow a little overconfident about their power. Sure, the purple Digimon may be able to achieve his own Ultimate level, but as far as they knew, he was the only one in the group so far that had achieved such a level. He was also unsure if the other CPUs and their Digimon had reached a level beyond their Champion forms yet, considering that they were all separated from each other. There was no way that the power of just a single Ultimate would be able to help them forever.
"I really hope they know what they're doing...", said the armored Digimon.
He then chased after the pair, not wanting to lose them before they get themselves into trouble.
Overlooking a deserted land full of shadows and darkness, ChaosDukemon stood on the balcony of his castle. He had been eager to know about the status of the CPUs and their Digimon ever since they had arrived in the Digital World. Ever since they had entered his world, he was looking forward to destroying them. However, his master had told him a long time ago that they should have their power grow first, and then offer them a chance to join him and his master. Though he felt otherwise, the indigo knight Digimon did not object to his master.
He was more curious about one thing, though. There was something familiar about Dorumon - one of the two Digimon who was partnered with Neptune, the CPU of Planetune. Just who was he? A part of him wanted to know more, but he also had his own orders to follow. Besides, he felt it would be useless to waste his time on the purple Digimon and his partner now. He knew that at their current strength, Neptune and her allies would not even stand a chance against him. No, he felt that the D-Brigade would be more than enough to deal with them all. And if not, then the real test would begin...
As ChaosDukemon pondered to himself on what to do until his master summons him again, he felt a dark presence behind him. He could only guess who it was.
"Is that you, DarkKnightmon?", he asked.
Stepping out into what little light there was at the balcony, a figure as tall as him approached. He had what seemed to be black and gold armor on his body. Part of his armor looked like a large silver skull as part of his chest, with a gold plate over the "forehead." Over his left shoulder was what looked like a giant axe blade, which was half as long as his body. On his right shoulder, there was what looked like a black helmet with a silver visor and two small red horns on either side, resembling that of a knight. Wrapped around his black and gold legs were what seemed to be grey straps, and around his neck was a silver collar. His head was a helmet with a silver face plate and a golden top with two horns. His yellow eyes peered out of his helmet as he gazed at the indigo knight Digimon.
"Very perceptive of you, ChaosDukemon", said the black knight Digimon. "I thought I'd stop by and see how you are doing."
"Spare me your unwarranted worries. What is it that you're really here for?", ChaosDukemon asked.
"Our master has recently contacted me, saying that I was to lend you my aid from now on", DarkKnightmon replied.
"Hmph. I do not need the assistance of a weakling like you", the indigo knight Digimon said.
"Alas, that's neither your decision to make, nor is it mine", his colleague stated. "I was still in the middle of another mission myself, but our master insisted that I help you with whatever tasks plague you."
ChaosDukemon hummed silently. He was a bit wary of his colleague's motives. Though he and DarkKnightmon were supposed to be allies who serve their master, the black knight Digimon had an air of mystery around him. The indigo knight Digimon could feel it ever since they first met. There was just something about him that even he could not trust. Still, he decided to play along.
"Very well. What news do you bring then?", he asked.
"I have received word from one of my operatives that one of the CPUs and their Digimon have been spotted near the Grand Mountains", DarkKnightmon explained.
"Is that so? Do they know who it is?", ChaosDukemon inquired.
"I believe he said it was the one called Neptune", said the black knight Digimon.
Now the indigo knight Digimon was very curious, and at the same time, he couldn't help but feel suspicious. Moments ago he was thinking back to both the CPU and her two Digimon partners. And now he was told that one of DarkKnightmon's operatives had managed to find them. Was it coincidence, or was it something more? Either way, he decided to pretend to be surprised.
"Really now? That's quite some news indeed", he said.
"Indeed. Shall I have him dispose of them?", said DarkKnightmon.
"No. Remember our master's intentions. The plan will not work unless all of them are together. Their power is that important", said ChaosDukemon.
DarkKnightmon stood there in silence as he stared at him. His colleague could see the disappointment behind the black knight Digimon's helmet, so he tried to reassure him.
"Do not worry. They will be ours to destroy if they choose to defy us rather than join us. Be patient", he said.
"As you wish. Though I must insist that I send my operative to engage the CPU and her partners, to test their skills", said DarkKnightmon.
"Very well. I will permit it", said ChaosDukemon. "You are dismissed."
The black knight Digimon bowed his head, taking his leave shortly after. ChaosDukemon then stared out into space once more, resuming his train of thought.
"Just what does that DarkKnightmon have in mind? Has he really been sent to aid me? He's always been shifty, but this is different. I shall have to keep my eyes on him", he thought.
Meanwhile, in another part of the castle, the black knight Digimon in question was heading for an isolated chamber where he would not be disturbed. Checking to see that he was not followed, he then opened a set of doors, entering inside the chamber. As soon as he was inside, he proceeded to close the doors behind him, then placing a seal that prevented any sounds from escaping the chamber. Now knowing that the coast was clear, he proceeded to call out to the darkness within the chamber.
"Fumamon, appear before me", said DarkKnightmon.
A figure about half as tall as him soon appeared from thin air. He looked like a ninja who wore black and dark grey armor. He had two clawed toes on each foot, and had yellow eyes that pierced the darkness. He had a black tail with a long blade at the end, and strapped to his tail were what appeared to be kunai knives. On his arms were a series of shuriken blades, which looked as sharp as his tail blade. On his back were a pair of ninjatÅ swords on his back, while on his hips were two smaller shoto swords, which were held by a belt wrapped around his waist. Attached to the sides of his waist armor were a series of scrolls, three on each side. Around his neck was a long black scarf. His face was concealed by a black mask and hood, and his head was adorned by a black headband with a red plate with a horn.
When he had appeared in front of the black knight Digimon, he kneeled in front of his superior, bowing his head in respect.
"You summoned me, DarkKnightmon?", the shinobi Digimon inquired.
"Fumamon, you said that the CPU and her Digimon were near the Grand Mountains, correct?", said the black knight Digimon asked.
"It is exactly as you said. They were spotted at a small lake near the foot of one of the mountains", Fumamon reported.
"They must be near those ruins then. I never thought that they would be found after so many years of being lost to time... We cannot allow them to discover what's over there", said DarkKnightmon.
"Why? What is over there, if I may ask?", Fumamon inquired.
"Legend has it that there is a pair of Digicores that contain a great power sealed within them. Such a power cannot be allowed to be obtained by the CPU and her Digimon", The black knight Digimon explained.
"My lord, with all due respect", the shinobi Digimon stated, "but weren't we told to-"
"Yes, I am well aware of what our master had said", DarkKnightmon said. "But our master also wants to make sure that they do not grow in strength too quickly, otherwise they may become uncontrollable."
He then paused ominously, causing his operative to look back up at him, before he continued.
"There's also another reason", he said. "There is something about the CPU's two Digimon that seem to unnerve our master. She believes that they are too important, though I do not understand why. Not yet, at least..."
Fumamon just stared at his superior in confusion as he went on.
"Nonetheless, if they advance their power any further, it may become... 'complicated', as our master put it, for our lord ChaosDukemon. Therefore, I would like for you to slow their progress as much as you can", DarkKnightmon said.
"As you wish, my lord", the shinobi Digimon said, bowing his head.
"You must retrieve the two Digicores and bring them to me. The power within them will be put to my use. Neither ChaosDukemon or my master will know", added the black knight Digimon.
"As you decree, so it shall be", said Fumamon.
The shinobi Digimon then vanished into thin air, disappearing into the darkness, leaving his master alone to himself.
"Our master may want to rule two worlds, but where ever there is power to be gained, I will be the one to truly rule over all...", said DarkKnightmon.
He then made his way to leave the chamber, unsealing the doors and exiting the room, leaving it in darkness. The black knight Digimon then vanished into darkness himself, wanting to attend to other matters of importance.
On the other side of the lake, Neptune, Dorumon and Ryudamon were nearing the stone structure that they laid eyes on from the other end. It took them at least minutes for them to go around to the other side of the lake. When they finally got close, the group now had a better view of the structure. It looked like a stone pillar that had a series of engravings on it. Neptune found it perplexing, however, as the markings looked like a language that she had never seen before. The lilac haired girl couldn't make heads or tails as to what it meant.
"Uhhh... what's with all the squiggly lines and stuff?", she inquired.
"It's called DigiCode. It's the language we use in the Digital World", Ryudamon explained.
"Yeah. You really never noticed we speak it too?", asked Dorumon.
"Whatcha talking about? To me, you're speaking my own language", said Neptune.
"To us, it's DigiCode, so I don't know what the problem is here", the purple Digimon stated.
Neptune was more than ever as she wondered how the language she speaks was like that of what Digimon speak. As she contemplated on it, Ryudamon examined the writing on the stone pillar, wanting to know what it said. Dorumon, curious to know what the DigiCode said as well, looked at the structure all over.
"So, what does it say?", he asked.
"Is it a cheat code? A way to skip to the next level? Or maybe it's a secret recipe for the ultimate pudding!", Neptune commented.
"No", Ryudamon deadpanned. "I'm not sure of it myself, but I think it might be a riddle of sorts."
"A riddle? What's it say?", asked Dorumon.
"'Those who seek strength often meet with failure. Only by seeking wisdom will one find what they need'", the armored Digimon read aloud.
The three of them were quite puzzled as to what the riddle meant, though by way it was written, it seemed very important. To what extent, however, was another matter. They pondered over what it meant, but they had no definite answer to what it had said.
"Ugh, I can't figure it out. Histy or Nep Jr. are better at this sort of stuff than me", said Neptune.
"Maybe Ryudamon knows what it is. What do you think, buddy?", the purple Digimon inquired.
The armored Digimon didne't reply, however. He had suddenly tensed up, squinting his eyes and looking at the group's surroundings. Noticing this, Neptune and Dorumon were puzzled as to what was happening.
"Hey, are we missing something here?", the lilac haired girl asked.
"Yeah, what gives?", added Dorumon.
"Shh!", Ryudamon shushed the pair.
Both of them looked at each other in confusion before turning back to their friend. What neither of them realized, however, was that a murderous vibe was being felt all over the area. As a warrior Digimon himself, Ryudamon was the only one who could feel such an intense wave of dread in the air, as if some dark force was watching them from the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He kept his eyes and ears open, his body as still as a rock, and his senses as sharp as a knife, keeping alert at all times. Then, through the rustling of the trees and leaves, and the light wind that blew past the group, he could make out the sound of metal unsheathing.
"Everyone move, now!", he exclaimed suddenly.
Alarmed by his warning, both Neptune and Dorumon moved out of the way, while Ryudamon jumped clear from the stone pillar. All of a sudden, a shuriken had sliced through the structure, cleaving it in two. It then turned into data particles, resulting in the pillar's destruction. All three had managed to narrowly avoid the surprise attack. But now they were left wondering as to who or what had caused it in the first place.
"Yikes! Talk about a close shave. Who's the wise guy that tried to give me a little off the top?", said Neptune.
Dorumon growled ferociously as he looked at where the shuriken had cam from. Now that he knew that they were under attack, he could now sense the bloodlust like Ryudamon did. He was, however, curious as to how the unknown assailant could hide from his own senses.
"Whoever this guy is, I couldn't smell him. He must've been downwind", he said.
"If you were more like me, you would've felt him out immediately. My warrior's instincts are telling me that we have an assassin after us", stated Ryudamon.
"An assassin?! Is it like a bald guy with a homing briefcase?!", Neptune panicked.
"Whoever it is, they're sticking to the shadows. Watch yourselves, and keep an eye out for anything that's out of place", the armored Digimon warned.
Both the CPU and the purple Digimon kept their eyes and ears peeled, looking for any sign that their mysterious assailant was lurking around. The air grew tense with unease and suspense, and the light wind that blew around the group became cold with bloodlust. Then, they heard the sound of multiple blades coming near them. A series of shurikens flew towards the group, causing them to scatter in different directions. While both Dorumon and Ryudamon attempted to outpace some of the deadly blades, Neptune ducked her head, nearly getting her lilac hair shaved by another incoming blade. She thought she was now in the clear. But when the Planetune CPU turned around, to her horror, she could see the shuriken coming back towards her like a boomerang.
"Yikes!", she exclaimed
She then started speeding off away from the incoming weapon, but the blade was catching up to her fast. She even changed directions a few times to try and get out of the way, but it was no good. No matter where she went or what she did, it continued to home in on her. It was as if the blade had a mind of its own. As she tried to think of another solution, not paying attention to where she was going, her foot tripped on a rock, causing the lilac haired girl to fall face first. It was a lucky coincidence, however, as the shuriken went over her and went through a nearby tree, slicing it off of its base and turning it into digital particles. Neptune sighed in relief, seeing that she had narrowly escaped certain doom.
"Boy, someone really doesn't like me today. Who could hate on the main character of main characters?", she wondered aloud.
Meanwhile, Dorumon was still trying to outrun another shuriken that was chasing him around. Despite being a little quicker than his partner Neptune, the purple Digimon couldn't seem to shake off the pursuing blade. Desperate to get away, he decided to take a risk and face against the incoming projectile.
"Metal Cannon!", he exclaimed, firing an iron sphere out of his mouth.
Planning to deflect the shuriken away from him, Dorumon had aimed his attack at the deadly blade. When they both connected, the iron sphere exploded, while the flying weapon flew in another direction. The purple Digimon smirked, thankful that his gamble had paid off.
Meanwhile, Ryudamon was still trying to dodge another shuriken that was flying towards him. Each time he did, however, it would just come back at him like a boomerang, as if it knew where he was. Then, a question had entered his mind.
"Is someone controlling these blades?", he thought.
The armored Digimon then looked at the shuriken flying back towards him. If there really was someone or something controlling the directions of the deadly blades, then they should be nearby. As he dodged the shuriken again, Ryudamon started to feel out the air around him, trying to sense the attacker. He still had to keep an eye on the attacking shuriken, however, as it was still out to destroy him. Then, feeling a wave of bloodlust amongst the trees, the armored Digimon focused his attention there. He had picked up the attacker's position.
"There!", he thought as he made his move. "Katana Attack!"
Launching an iron blade from his mouth, Ryudamon took aim at the direction of where he felt the negative energy from. Suddenly a figure jumped out from the trees before the blade could reach its destination. Everyone stopped what they were doing to see who it was. It looked like an armored ninja armed with two different pairs of swords, a tail with a sharp blade and kunai knives strapped to it, a series of scrolls on his hips, and a red headband on his masked face. As he landed on to the ground, the shurikens that were chasing everyone changed direction once again. This time, however, they returned to the mysterious shinobi-like creature, slowing down and then attaching to his arms.
Everyone stared at the individual. Ryudamon's suspicions were confirmed. This was the attacker who was controlling the shurikens. And judging from his calm demeanor, their attacker did not seemed fazed from being discovered. In fact, it looked like he was anticipating it. It unnerved the armored Digimon a bit. Even Dorumon was growling in response. Neptune's eyes sparkled as she stared at the shinobi-like creature.
"Woah! A ninja! This is so cool. It's almost like the time I met Marvy. Except she never attacked me before", the lilac haired girl commented.
"This guy's not so very friendly. I smell something really bad about him!", said Dorumon.
"Be on guard, everyone. This one is unlike any other opponent we've faced", Ryudamon warned.
Reaching for her Digivice in her pocket, Neptune was going to scan the attacker. Reacting quickly, however, the shinobi-like creature grabbed a kunai off of his tail and tossed it at the Planetune CPU. It quickly struck the ground just a few inches from her feet, causing the lilac haired girl to go wide eyed and stumble backwards in shock.
"Holy danger daggers, guys! He almost struck me!", Neptune exclaimed.
"I would suggest you keep that device holstered. I will not allow any scans or Digivolutions to go unpunished", the attacker said ominously.
"Just who do you think you are, buster? Why are you attacking us?", Dorumon demanded.
"I am Fumamon. And you do not need to know my intentions. All you should be concerned about is your own lives", said the shinobi Digimon.
"Are you threatening us? Because we do not respond well to such statements", stated Ryudamon.
"It is no mere threat. It's a certainty. You are going to cause problems if left unchecked. I'm going to make sure that your trip to the Digital World is a short one", said Fumamon.
His yellow eyes stared at the three, watching them all like a hawk. Neptune couldn't help but feel like she was being undressed by his eyes, and the very thought sent shivers down her spine.
"Don't know about you guys, but he's giving me the creepy-jeepies", she said.
"Challenging me will not end well for you", Fumamon continued. "But I can be merciful. Return to your world at once, human, and I may spare you and your weak little friends."
"Who are you calling weak? Sorry, but we don't play that way. We're not going anywhere!", Dorumon shouted.
"Agreed. We came here to save this world, so stay out of our way!", added Ryudamon.
"Well, you heard them, ninja boy. We won't just run away like this is a random encounter. You don't scare us!", the Planetune CPU said defiantly.
Fumamon simply sighed in disappointment. He could not understand why they would rather risk their own destruction instead of saving themselves the trouble and leaving. Whatever the reason, he couldn't help but admire their resolve. Still, he had his orders to carry out, and he would see it through no matter what.
"So be it. I thought you would be smart, but it seems I'm mistaken", said the shinobi Digimon.
He then grabbed one of the scrolls from his hip and unraveled it, placing it on the ground. Next, he clasped his hands together, then he started to make strange hand signs, causing a series of purple glowing symbols and glyphs to appear on the scroll. The strange actions unnerved the group. Whatever the shinobi Digimon was up to, it wasn't good. Finally, with a final hand sign, his yellow eyes flashed with evil intent.
"Dark Return!", he exclaimed.
Suddenly, a series of large magic circles appeared all around the scroll on the ground. They glowed the same purple color as the glyphs on the scroll. Then, something started to emerge from the ground. A series of bodies sprouted upwards and began to take shape. They had big grey bodies that looked baggy, three fingers and toes on their hands and feet, a long tail, and three small horns on their heads, two on the sides and one on the back. They were also wearing white masks with two tubes coming out from them, which lead to a backpack on their backs, probably used as a breathing apparatus, and in their hands were rifles, loaded and ready. Dorumon looked at the new group of creatures, recognizing them upon right away.
"Hey, those are Troopmon!", he exclaimed.
Neptune and Rydamon were shocked by what they were seeing. The last time they fought these type of Digimon, they had to deal with SkullSatamon in Gameindustri. It would stand to reason that these were not like the other Troopmons they faced, though, as something felt off about them. It was as if they didn't look alive. The fact that Fumamon had an ability to summon other Digimon to his aid was unusual. They would have more trouble to deal with if he had backup assisting him. Raising his hand, he point to the three, directing the attention of the masked Digimons to them.
"Destroy them. Make sure they live long enough to regret their decision to stay in this world", said the shinobi Digimon.
Obeying the command given to them, the Troopmons slowly marched towards the three, readying their rifles. Standing by, both Dorumon and Ryudamon waited for Neptune to Digivolve them to their Champion forms. As the lilac haired girl scrambled to get her Digivice out, Fumamon pulled out another kunai, then throwing it at her direction in an attempt to stop her again. Reacting quickly, however, both the purple and armored Digimons launched their own attack.
"No you don't! Metal Cannon!", Dorumon yelled as he launched an iron sphere from his mouth.
"Katana Attack!", exclaimed Ryudamon, blasting a metal blade from his own mouth.
Both attacks connect with the kunai, blowing it away in the other direction. Fumamon hummed in silent frustration, knowing that he unable to succeed in stopping their partner. Pulling out her Digivice, Neptune took aim at her two protectors and yelled out the code phrase.
"Digivolve!", she exclaimed.
Two purple streams of light shot out and engulfed both Dorumon and Ryudamon. The Digivolution process was beginning.
"Dorumon, Digivolve to...!", shouted the purple Digimon.
His body and wings soon started to become bigger, and his color pattern began changing to a darker hue of purple. Then his claws started turning to a light-red color, and his tail grew longer. Soon his Digivolution was complete.
"Dorugamon!", the winged beast Digimon exclaimed.
"Ryudamon, Digivolve to...!", yelled the armored Digimon.
His body became longer and a little bit more streamlined and became covered in more armor from head to tail. All four of his limbs were shaped differently, two claws forward and one claw on the back. His limbs also had metal bracelets and armor pads attached to them, and his neck was also a little longer. At last, his Digivolution was complete.
"Ginryumon!", the armor clad Digimon shouted.
Fumamon gazed at their new forms. While he was impressed by their rise in power, he believed it was not enough to concern him. He believed that the summoned squad of Troopmons would be more than sufficient while he carries out his other orders. The group of masked Digimon charged at the three, their rifles opening fire with red lasers. Neptune, Dorugamon, and Ginryumon spread out to avoid the laser fire and then charged at the Troopmons, ready to take them down.
Although she didn't have her CPU powers, Neptune was not afraid to join in the fight with her Digimon. With a katana at hand, she started to slice at the rifles of the Troopmons that were close to her, disabling their weapons. Forced to use their bare hands, they tried to strike at her with their fists, but she would move out of the way and swing back at them with attacks of her own with her katana, wounding or crippling them.
Dorugamon and Ginryumon would then take this opportunity to take out the disarmed Digimons. They moved in quickly, striking with their claws and teeth, even headbutting the Troopmons into submission. When another part of the squad started to charge towards them, Dorugamon chomped down on one of the fallen soldiers and tossed him at his comrades, knocking them over on to the ground. They were now open to a finisher.
"Power Metal!", Dorugamon shouted, blasting a large iron sphere from his mouth.
"Metal Armor Blade!", Ginryumon exclaimed, launching a spear from his mouth at well.
Both attacks hit their mark as they exploded upon contact with the Troopmons, turning them into digital particles. The trio smirked triumphantly. They showed that the squad of Troopmons were no match for their teamwork. They turned their attention back to Fumamon, who had been standing from afar and watching the entire event unfold.
"Looks like your a little short staffed. You should consider looking into getting some better hired help", taunted Dorugamon.
"You tell him, buddy. And now for the next boss fight!", said Neptune.
But then, Fumamon simply laughed, causing the three to become unnerved. They had no idea why he was not concerned over the loss of his henchmen, but the group was about to find out.
"What's so funny?", Ginryumon inquired.
"Did you really believe that they are so easily defeated? Look again", said Fumamon.
He then pointed towards where the Troopmons were deleted, much to the confusion of the trio. Suddenly, to their shock and amazement, the digital particles had zoomed back to the magic circle and started taking shape. Becoming a solid form, the group was horrified to see that the slain Troopmons had been revived! It was something that was thought impossible.
"What kind of rerun is this? Didn't we just beat these pushovers?", Neptune asked.
"Yeah, we did. Guess there's no vacancy in digital limbo at the moment", Dorugamon half-heartedly joked.
Ginryumon couldn't help but become concerned. How did the defeated Troopmons suddenly revive like nothing had happened? Were they immortal? Whatever the case, he wasn't about to let them get in the way for long.
"Take care of them. I have a mission to carry out", said Fumamon.
He then started to walk away to another direction. Not wanting to let the shinobi Digimon get away, both Dorugamon and Ginryumon moved to chase after him. However the Troopmons had gotten ahead of them and blocked their path. Growling angrily, the pair readying their attacks once again to blast them out of the way. Suddenly, Neptune called out to them.
"Hey, guys! We can't waste time with the creepers in masks. That ninja man is getting away!", she shouted.
Their partner was right. If the Troopmons were capable of reviving themselves over and over again despite being deleted, then it would be pointless to keep fighting them/ Not only would they exhaust themselves trying to find a way to permanently defeat them, but every second that was wasted with the masked Digimons would allow the mysterious assailant Fumamon to get away. They needed a plan of action quickly. As both Neptune and Ginryumon tried to figure something out, Dorugamon had an idea.
"You two, go after that guy. I'll stay and hold them off", said the winged beast Digimon.
"All on your own? While I like solo play as much as the next gamer, I don't think that's a good idea", said Neptune.
"I must agree with Neptune on this", added Ginryumon. "I should be the one to stay, though, as you're the only one of us who can become an Ultimate."
"Yeah, but remember what Mirei said. Ultimate level takes a lot of energy, and I'd rather save it for when we really need it", said Dorugamon.
The Planetune CPU and the armored Digimon were at a loss. They wanted him to come along for back up, but they knew they couldn't argue with their friend once his mind is made up. And the winged beast Digimon was right about one thing. His Ultimate form did take a lot of energy to use, so they could only use it as a form of last resort should things get out of hand. Seeing no other option, they had to put their faith in Dorugamon.
"Alright, we'll go after the creepy ninja. You just do your thing and win!", said Neptune, cheering on her partner.
"You got it, Nep", said Dorugamon, nodding in response.
With that said both Neptune and Ginryumon ran off to go after Fumamon, hoping that they would be able to catch up in time. As they ran off, the Troopmons moved in to try and stop them, but the winged beast Digimon wasn't about to let them get to his friends that easily. He leapt in front of the group of masked Digimons, who stared at him in surprised.
"Sorry guys, but you're going to have to contend with me now! Cannonball!", he exclaimed.
Dorugamon fired multiple large metal spheres from his mouth directly at the group of Troopmons, causing either some of them to get knocked down or be deleted by the attack. Those who were deleted, however, had their data particles gathered back at the magic circle and then reformed, soon reviving the once slain Troopmons from deletion. The winged beast Digimon growled in frustration as he tried to come up with something.
"How can I stop these guys if they won't stay down?", he thought.
He couldn't think of anything to stop the Troopmons other than to just hold them off for as long as he can until both Neptune and Ginryumon return. He could only hope that they come back quickly, as he wasn't sure how long he would be able to last on his own...
Elsewhere, both Neptune and Ginryumon were chasing down Fumamon in the direction that he went off to. They had no idea where he was going or what he was up to, but they knew for certain that it was no good. They couldn't allow the shinobi Digimon to get away. The pair had to figure out what he was up to, and what his motivation for attacking the group was.
As they raced onwards, they could see something along the path. They looked liked ruined structures just like the stone pillar they they were examining. It seemed to them that they were nearing some kind of ancient grounds of sorts.
"Wow! This place looks about as old as that writing we've seen", Neptune commented.
Ginryumon wasn't quite sure about it, but he could swear that it all felt like he was at home at these ruins. It was as if this place was calling out to him somehow.
"Hey, you alright? You look like you're zoning out there", the lilac haired girl asked.
"I think there's something here that's calling out to me. It feels strange, but...", Ginryumon said before trailing off.
Neptune couldn't understand what her partner was talking about, but she decided to ask more about it later. As they went forth, they could see what seem to be a large building up ahead. It looked just as old as the other ruins, possibly even older. They looked around all over, searching for any signs of their would-be assassin. They could not find anything out of the ordinary, however. Either Fumamon was not in the area or he had hidden himself very well. Whatever the case, the pair remained on guard.
"This is giving more heebie-jeebies than that the time I went to a spooky party in Leanbox. Vert went overboard with the decorations", Neptune commented.
"Shh! We don't know if Fumamon is here with us", Ginryumon quieted.
"Oh come on, it doesn't look like there's anyone here. I think they should do some renovating here and there", the Planetune CPU said.
"I think you're missing the point here, Neptune...", the armored Digimon deadpanned.
"Well, since we're here, we might as well check the place out. Maybe we'll find some long lost treasures, or some sort of doohickey form a long lost advanced civilization!", said Neptune excitedly.
"This isn't the time to start looting for something that doesn't belong to us, Neptune", stated Ginryumon.
"Hey, if no one's using it anymore, then it's finder's keepers. Besides, I want to bring back something nice for Histy", said Neptune.
"We can look for trinkets later", said Ginryumon sternly. "Right now we need to-"
"Okay, time for some tomb raiding! Let's go!", the lilac haired girl yelped excitedly.
She then rushed towards the entrance of the structure, not waiting for her partner Digimon to finish his sentence. Ginryumon sighed in frustration. He knew that she was hard to handle sometimes, but this was ridiculous to him. Though he was her friend, he was not used to her crazy antics and rash behavior. It was not like that of a warrior Digimon like him. He even felt that her traits were starting to rub off on Dorugamon at times as well, and it was unnerving.
"Those two never seem to take things seriously at times. I wonder if I made a mistake allying with them...", he thought aloud.
He stood there for a few more seconds before going after Neptune, wanting to make sure that she doesn't do anything bothersome on her own. He could only hope that they weren't wandering into a trap. As he went on his way, from beyond his senses, Fumamon's yellow eyes pierced through the leaves and branches as he observed from afar. What the armored Digimon said, however, had peeked his interest in him.
"So, this one has doubts about his partnership with his human partner. This could work to my advantage if I play my hand right...", the shinobi Digimon said silently.
He then leapt from his hiding spot and jumped across the tree tops so that he could get ahead of the pair. If he could get the armored Digimon to fight against his comrades, then it could give him and his master an advantage. All he needed to do was to separate both Ginryumon and his human partner...
Meanwhile, Dorugamon was still engaged with the horde of Troopmons. He had launched an attack time and time again at the group of masked Digimon. Every time, however, the digital particles of the fallen enemies would return to the magic circle, revived once again by its power. The winged beast Digimon breathed heavily as he stared down the undying hoard of Troopmons. He was starting to get a bit weak due to using up much of his energy trying to put these vile creatures down for good.
"Damn... This isn't good. I can't keep this up forever. Maybe I should've joined Nep and Ginryumon after all", he said aloud.
The group of masked Digimon then opened fire on Dorugamon with their restored rifles, their red lasers nearly grazing the winged beast Digimon as he tried to dodge the attack. One of his wings was then hit, causing him to growl in pain. He was about to counter-attack with another round of his Power Metal, but he held himself back, realizing that it would just be a wasted effort.
"I can't keep this up forever. I've got to think of something to end this, and fast!", Dorugamon commented.
As he was trying to find a way to end the battle, he thought back to how the Troopmons kept reviving themselves via the magic circle. He then turned his attention to the spot where they were coming back to life. He noticed that the scroll that Fumamon had placed was still in the center of the magic circle. It seemed to glow the brightest every time a Troopmon was brought back from deletion. Suddenly, a wave of realization rushed through him as an idea formed in his mind.
"That's it! If I can just take out that scroll, maybe that will stop them from being revived!", he thought.
With a plan of action formulated, the winged beast Digimon started charging forwards, surprising the group of Troopmons. They opened fire once more as they attempted to subdue Dorugamon with their red lasers. Although a few of the beams had managed to hit him, it wasn't enough to stop his newfound rush of adrenaline.
"Cannonball!", he exclaimed as he blasted a series of iron spheres from his mouth.
The attack came at the horde of masked Digimon fast, and none of them were able to get out of the way in time as they were either hit or destroyed by the wave of spheres. Rushing towards the magic circle, Dorugamon charged up and blasted his Power Metal at the center, taking aim at the scroll. His attack scored a direct hit, disintegrating the scroll. With the spell broken, the magic circle slowly faded away, leaving no lingering trace of it behind. At almost the same time, the remaining group of Troopmons started to disappear as well, becoming nothing but digital particles. It seemed to the winged beast Digimon that without the scroll that created the magic circle, the horde of enemies just could not hold themselves together. He smirked triumphantly he watched the Troopmons disappear completely.
"Guess that takes care of that problem", said Dorugamon. "Now to catch up with Nep and Ginryumon and-"
Suddenly, he was cutoff mid-sentence as he felt something powerful approaching his way. It was a power unlike anything he had every felt. It made him feel uneasy as he looked around to see where the unknown energy was coming from.
"Up here", said a voice from above.
Dorugamon quickly turned his attention to the source of the voice. Looking up, he could see what appeared to be a gigantic figure in the air. His body was hidden in front of the sunlight, so it was hard to see who or what it was. Then, lowering down to the ground, the winged beast Digimon could make out the appearance of the unknown individual. He looked about two to three stories high, and was clad in what look like black armor. It was difficult to see what other features he had, however, due to a black cape and hood that was wrapped around his body. Underneath his makeshift hood, his eyes were a red color, and he had three horns on his head - two black ones on the back of his head and one frontal horn that was a faded yellow color.
Both the winged beast Digimon and the unknown being now found themselves staring down one another, not saying one word. Dorugamon felt overwhelmed by the newcomer's presence as he tried to keep a straight face about him. He could not turn his eyes away from the cold gaze of the unknown entity that stood before him. Whoever he was, the winged beast Digimon felt that this stranger was had a threatening vibe all around him. It was as if he was now staring death in the face itself. He tried to speak, but found that he could not.
"What is this feeling? Is this his doing? Who or what is this guy?", Dorugamon thought.
He wasn't sure what to do as he continued to stare down the black armored figure. Whatever the reason for his appearance was, the winged beast Digimon could only hope that the stranger was not looking for a fight, as he felt that there was no way he could win, especially with how long to took to defeat the group of Troopmons. After a long minute of silence, the black armored figure broke the quiet as he spoke up.
"Take your human friend and leave this world immediately."
I'm afraid that's where we'll have to end the chapter here for now. Sorry that this took so long. This was intended to be a single chapter, but more kept getting added on and now it looks like it's going to have to be a two-parter. Still, I'm kinda glad to get this one out of the way at least, especially with a new Neptunia game on the way soon.
But I digress. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you liked it, be sure to follow and favorite for more like this one in the future, and tell me what you think in the reviews. Next time there will be a little bit more action and another new appearance.
Until next time!