Hey there reader, and welcome back to the story.
So, after a bit of research and combing through the entirety of the chapters I've written thus far, I realized that all this time I have been misspelling Planeptune and have been typing it as "Planetune" without even knowing it. I couldn't help but be embarrassed by this, so before posting this chapter, I had to go overtime on spell-checking it and some other words in all of the other chapters, as well as make a few rewrites in some chapters so that some things make sense for the lore of this story. Now then, recap time!
On the last chapter, Nep and her two Digimon friends had stumbled near the edge of some ancient ruins, much to the dismay of a certain DarkKnightmon, who sends a ninja named Fumamon to stop them before they come across a pair of Digi-Cores. While Nep and Ginryumon went after the shinobi Digimon, Dorugamon stayed behind to deal with a seemingly never ending horde of Troopmons, and after he figured out a way to put them down for good, a mysterious being clad in black armor appears out of nowhere. What could he possibly want? And more importantly, can Neptune and Ginryumon reach the Digi-Cores before Fumamon? Let us see what happens as we begin the next chapter of this story. With that said, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or the Hyperdimension Neptunia series. Both franchises belong to their respective companies.
Chapter 34: Dragon Of Miracles
Both Dorugamon and the unknown black armored figure found themselves staring down one another, not saying a single word at all. The winged beast Digimon 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, Dorugamon 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?", he 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."
Dorugamon was confused by his statement. How did he know about his partner Neptune? Was he with Fumamon as well? Whatever the case, the winged beast Digimon wasn't quite sure of what to make of the situation.
"What do you mean? Who are you?", he asked.
The black armored figure did not respond, much to the dismay of Dorugamon. Nevertheless, he pressed on.
"How do you know about my friend? Are you working for that Fumamon guy too?", he inquired.
"You must leave this world. Your human friend does not belong in this world", said the black armored figure, not answering any of Dorugamon's questions.
"That doesn't really provide a clear answer", said Dorugamon, getting more frustrated. "Who are you? And what do you-"
"You and the others, along with the humans from their world, are all in great danger. As long as you remain here, you will only be one step closer to destruction", the black being interrupted.
"What do you mean that we're in danger? What are you talking about?", the winged beast Digimon asked.
"It is as I said. Or is your hearing as bad as your stubbornness to remain in this world?", said the black armored being.
Growling angrily, Dorugamon felt offended by the unknown entity's comment. He charged towards the black armored being, but he quickly took to the air, much to the surprise and frustration of the winged beast Digimon.
"Hey! Come back down here!", he snarled.
The black armored figure just stared down at Dorugamon, his red eyes gleaming with tension. Then, as he kept looking at the Champion level, he noticed the red jewel on his head. When he laid his eyes on the jewel, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. It was as if he had seen it from somewhere before.
"That jewel... Is he...? No, it can't be him...", he thought.
His train of thought was interrupted by Dorugamon shouting at him from below again.
"Answer me! Who are you? And why do you want us to leave the Digital World?", the winged beast Digimon demanded.
The black armored being did not answer again. He the started turning around to leave, infuriating the Champion even more. Growling furiously, Dorugamon prepared to attack.
"Don't ignore me! Power Metal!", he exclaimed.
He then launched a large metal sphere at the unknown being, who just hovered in place as if the attack wasn't coming at him. Once the sphere came close, however, he suddenly revealed his left arm from his cloak, which looked like the head of a dragon with three horns. Then, a long blade quickly sprouted from the "mouth" of the arm. Turning around, he quickly swings his blade at the large sphere, creating a clean slice that cut the sphere in two halves. Both parts of the split projectile went past the black armored being and were turned into digital particles.
Dorugamon's jaw dropped as he stared on in shock. He did not expect his attack to be so easily destroyed. In the blink of an eye, the winged beast Digimon was now shaking, unsure of what to do next. This black armored figure was unlike anything he had ever faced before. If he was able to stop his attack, he could possibly destroy him and his friends without an ounce of hesitation. Dorugamon feared that there was nothing he could do against this type of enemy. Just who was he? And why does he want the CPUs to return home?
As these thoughts and more, the black armored figure retracted his blade and hid his arm back inside his cloak. His red eyes stared coldly at the winged beast Digimon. He could not believe that this creature was foolish enough to try and attack him despite being outmatched by a wide margin. Either he was very brave or he didn't know what he was getting himself into. And yet, this type of brash behavior reminded him of something again, as if he had seen it from somewhere before. The feeling quickly went away, however, as he broke the silent tension once more.
"Find your human friends and leave the Digital World. Otherwise the next time we meet, I will force all of you out", he stated.
With that said, the black armored being turned around once more and then sped away, leaving Dorugamon by himself. Once the unknown figure was out of sight, the winged beast Digimon collapsed to the ground, his body now enveloped in a bright light. His body then began to shrink, eventually stopping as the light disappeared. He had turned back to Dorumon. As he laid there on the ground, he was panting and sweating, as if he had worked out all day long. Never had he felt helpless or underpowered in his life, nor did he feel like his life was in complete danger until now. he tried to get back up, but he found that he couldn't, either out of fear or from him expending so much energy from his fight with the Troopmons or his encounter with the black armored figure.
"Damn... I felt like I was about to be deleted back there... Who... Just who was that guy?", the purple Digimon said, his voice cracking a bit.
As he laid there by himself, he decided it would be best to rest for a moment so that he could catch his breath. As soon as he was able, he would go and find both Neptune and Ginryumon and inform them of what had transpired. He could only hope that they were alright and that they hadn't got taken out by Fumamon...
Inside the ruins of an ancient temple, both Neptune and Ginryumon had just started exploring the building as they searched for Fumamon's whereabouts. Despite its age, much of the interior had still held up. The pair also couldn't help but be amazed by the architectural design of the temple. Currently, they found themselves in a large room full of various antiquities, ranging from large vases to even statues, many of which had long since broken or crumbled away from erosion.
Neptune and Ginryumon were both stunned and amazed by the amount of damage the temple had suffered over the many years it seemed to have received. They had never seen anything in such disarray before. They wondered how long it had been since anyone had set foot in these ruins, as well as who used to live here before it became abandoned. So many mysteries, yet so little time for them to ponder on.
"You'd think they'd leave a few people to do some spring cleaning every now and then", Neptune commented aloud.
"It does not look like anyone or anything has been here for many years", Ginryumon stated.
"How old do you think this place is?", the lilac haired girl asked.
The armored Digimon looked around the whole room, checking the walls, ruined fragments, and other items of interest, examining them closely. After about a minute, he had reached a conclusion.
"Hmm... Judging by the markings and style of this place... By your calendar, I'd say these ruins are fifty years old", he said.
"Fifty years? Umm, I'm no expert when it comes to things falling apart, but I think it takes longer than that to turn into a junkyard", said Neptune.
"It's actually way older than you think it is", Ginryumon replied.
"Uhh... now you lost me...", Neptune said, confused by her partner's statement.
The armored Digimon sighed. Understandably, he was not surprised by her confusion. He turned to face her as he tried to explain to her.
"The Digital World is a different world than your world of Gameindustri, right?", he asked.
"Yeah, but what about it?", the Planeptune CPU asked.
"Well", Ginryumon started, "in other dimensions, time tends to flow differently than what someone from another world is used to. In this instance, time in the Digital World moves much slower than that of Gameindustri. I think it's safe to say that time here moves at one tenth the speed that your world, so it could be at least hundreds of years that this place had stood here."
Neptune just stared at her partner, looking like she had not understood anything he had said. The armored Digimon sighed again, swearing that he could even see smoke coming out of the lilac haired CPU's ears.
"Okay, I'll make it more simple then...", he said. "Time here goes slower than in Gameindustri. Temple ruins could be hundreds of years old here."
"Ooohhh. I get it now. I don't understand a bunch of that other stuff, but I think I get it", she said.
Ginryumon just stared at her blankly, not believing one word.
"You have no idea what I just said at all, do you?", he deadpanned.
"Nope, not really", Neptune said with a smile.
"Ugh! Why are we wasting time here then?! I swear, we could be after Fumamon instead of discussing something you don't seem to get!", the armored Digimon yelled in frustration.
"Yikes! Calm down, my Digi-dude. Just because I don't understand doesn't mean I'm not listening", said his partner.
"In case you haven't noticed, this is a serious situation we're in. For all we know, Fumamon could be getting away or hunting us down", said Ginryumon.
"You think I don't know that? I try not to think about that stuff cause it messes with my mojo, ya know?", Neptune replied.
"How can you be so relaxed about this?", Ginryumon inquired, getting more angry. "We're being hunted down, our friends are missing, and for all we know, they could be in danger too. And on top of that, we left Dorumon all on his own to deal with the enemy! And if we don't hurry up, we might be too late to help him."
"Well we just need to live long enough make sure we all get back together again, right? It should be as simple as that", stated Neptune, now getting a bit frustrated herself.
"If it were that simple, do you think we would have already found them by now?!", shouted the armored Digimon. "The more time we waste with all of these shenanigans, we give our enemies another chance to try and conquer both this world and yours! If you can't take this seriously, then I question why we're even partners at all!"
"I KNOW THAT! ! ! I already know all of that!", the Planeptune CPU snapped back.
Ginryumon was shocked and surprised by her retort. He did not expect Neptune, of all people, to yell back like she did just now, as it was completely out of character for her. Usually she was much more calm and chipper than that, but this was different. As he stared at her, he had noticed her eyes had started to tear up just a tiny bit. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, the lilac haired girl spoke up.
"I might look like I don't get how serious things are, but I don't let it get to me..." she said. "Maybe if I just treat it like we're in a game or if it's like a big joke, it takes less stress on my mind..."
The armored Digimon just stared as he listened on to his partner. He had no idea about this. He remained silent as the Planeptune CPU continued.
"I only ever get serious when I want to be", she said. "I mean, you seen how my personality changes when I go HDD. I just like to go with the flow, ya know?"
Her partner was unsure of what to say now. Never had he seen someone who would take a serious situation and treat it like a fun challenge or a practical joke. It was maddening to him. And yet... he could not help but find some sort of appeal to it. Perhaps this was her way of dealing with the odds that stack against her and her friends. Was she right?
"Neptune...", said Ginryumon, wanting to apologize to his friend.
Suddenly, an earie laughter echoed inside the room that they were in, causing the pair to tense up. They knew from the sound of the laughter that it was Fumamon. Both the lilac haired girl and the armored Digimon were now on guard, not knowing where their adversary was at. In a room where there was hardly anywhere to take cover at, they felt completely exposed. Then, out of nowhere, a series of kunai knives had rained down upon the pair. reacting quickly, Ginryumon pushed his partner out of the way. They moved just in the nick of time as the knives nearly grazed the both of them, hitting the floor where they were standing on. Both Neptune and Ginryumon were sweating a bit as they stared at the deadly weapons before looking for where the shinobi Digimon had attacked from, but they had no such luck.
"Impressive. Even as a Champion level, you have great reaction speed. But you are still no match for me", Fumamon's voice echoed.
"Why don't you come out, Fumamon? We can end the suspense here and now", Ginryumon called out.
"Patience, my fellow warrior. Right now, I'm after something else here. And I cannot allow you to interfere with my search", the shinobi Digimon replied.
With that said, the pair then heard something coming their way. It was a pair of shurikens flying right towards them. The Planeptune CPU and the armored Digimon, looking on in horror, had no choice but to flee, unable to fight against such an attack, especially in such a confined space. Running as fast as they could, the pair race through the room and saw a way out in the form of a hallway.
"This way!", Ginryumon exclaimed.
They ran towards the hallway, the shurikens still chasing them as they went further inside the temple. Unsure of where they were going, they were reluctant to slow down for even a moment. Then, as if things for them weren't already bad enough, Neptune has stepped on a fake tile in her haste, causing it to press down as if it were a switch. Some of the walls opened up and revealed a series of hidden holes. Suddenly, the holes started shooting a wave of darts and arrows as they ran by, nearly skewering them, causing them to pick up speed.
"Damn! Even the temple is trying to end us!", shouted Ginryumon.
"All we're missing now is a boulder chase like in one of those adventure movies I've seen!", added Neptune.
The armored Digimon hoped that she hadn't jinxed them both as they raced onwards, desperately trying to outpace the shurikens and arrows. After a few agonizing seconds, the arrows stopped, giving the pair some breathing room. They still had Fumamon's deadly weapons to worry about, however. Just up ahead, they could see a fork in the path up ahead. It was two different path ways that went in opposite directions. When they reached the fork, the pair decided to split up at the last second Neptune moved to the left, while Ginryumon went to the right. Their last second decision caused the shurikens to miss them both. The blades went through the wall, however, causing it to crumble apart. The damage then spread to the ceiling, and soon enough, debris began falling down. Neptune tried to reach her partner, but was cut off by the falling wreckage.
When the ceiling finally stopped caving in and the dust settled, the lilac haired girl was horrified to see that the pathway had been completely cutoff. She was now separated from her partner, who was on the other side of the wall of wreckage. Unsure of her partner's condition, Neptune tried to move some of the debris in order to reach the armored Digimon, but to no avail. Most of the wreckage was either too heavy or was stuck underneath more obstacles. She then tried banging on some of the debris, hoping that she could get her partner's attention.
"Hey! Can ya hear me? Are you out there, Ginryumon?", she called out.
"Yes, I'm here!", her partner replied, much to the CPU's relief. "I'm alright, but I can't reach you like this."
"Can you force your way in? Try using that spear-and-mouth thing you did before", Neptune suggested.
"I don't think that's an option. If I try to blast the debris out of the way, I fear more of this place will come down on us", Ginryumon stated.
"Well we can't sit around and play twenty questions! We got to get outta here! I'm too adorable to be a skeleton here!", said Neptune in a panicked tone.
"Calm down, Neptune. We'll have to find another way out. I'll see where this path leads. You go the other way. Alright?", the armored Digimon said.
"Are you sure? If one of us bumps into that ninja-mon or whatever, we'll be in trouble", the Planeptune CPU said worriedly.
"We may have no choice in the matter. Whatever he's after here, we can't let him get his hands on it", said Ginryumon.
Neptune couldn't help but be nervous. Even she knew that it wasn't a good idea to go alone in a dungeon they knew nothing about, especially when a foe like Fumamon is lurking around somewhere, waiting for another chance to strike. It was a difficult choice for her to make. In the end, though, she sighed and reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Alright. But don't go fighting that creep without me!", said Neptune.
They then went on their separate paths, both of them hoping that they will find their own way out and that they will reunite soon. Once they were far enough away from each other, however, emerging from the darkness of the hallway, Fumamon silently chuckled. His plan to separate the pair had worked as he had predicted.
"Now then, let's see if this Digimon can be swayed. And if not... well, at least it will be a quick diversion", he said before vanishing back into the darkness.
Dorumon was making his way towards the direction where both Neptune and Ginryumon had chased Fumamon. He had to rest for a moment after his battle with the Troopmon horde and his encounter with the black armored being. After he had taken a few minutes to catch his breath, he went on his way to find friends. He ran as fast as his small legs could allow him, but he was still a bit tired from before.
"Man, what a day. First we all get separated, then we get attack, and now we're split up again", Dorumon said aloud.
As he kept moving, he had more thoughts floating around in his mind. Why were they all separated from one another? Where were the other CPUs and their Digimon? Who were Fumamon and the black armored figure? All these questions and more swirled around his head as he thought to himself.
"It can't be a coincidence that all of this has been happening in one day", Dorumon thought. "I'm starting to think we got suckered into a trap the moment we reached the Digital World. I wonder if that's what that mystery guy was talking about when he said for us to leave."
His thoughts then went back to his encounter with the black armored being. The purple Digimon still wondered who he was or where he came from, and why he wanted the CPUs and their Digimon to leave the Digital World. Was there a hidden danger that none of them knew about? Or was there something more going on than what everyone realized?
"Just who is he? I don't know what's going on, but I definitely need answers", he thought.
Just then, Dorumon's train of thought was interrupted by the sight of some stone structures that looked crumbled or eroded. He figured he was getting closer to his destination, so the purple Digimon kept up the pace as he raced on. After about another minute of running, he could see what appeared to be a large temple in the distance. He had just arrived at the entrance when he heard an explosion in the distance. It seemed to have come from inside the temple somewhere.
"Uh oh. I think think they're in trouble. I gotta hurry up and find Nep and Ginryumon!", Dorumon said aloud.
The purple Digimon then rushed on inside the building, hoping that he wasn't too late for the action. Wherever his friends were, he had to search for them quickly before something bad happens.
It had been at least ten minutes since Ginryumon was separated from Neptune. He was now traveling down an old pathway in the temple, looking for either a way out or another path that would lead him back to his partner. Though in his mind, the armored Digimon knew that this was all a trap made by Fumamon.
"That Digimon is probably trying to pick us off one by one. That won't stop me, though", he said to himself. "I've fought on my own many times before. This will be no different."
He ventured onwards, taking care as to not set off any traps like before. He also had to keep an eye out for any signs of Fumamon, as he was no doubt preparing his next move. At the same time, however, he found himself thinking back to both Neptune and Dorumon. He wondered if they would be alright by themselves. He had never really considered anyone else's safety until now, as he thought that everyone else could handle themselves just fine. And yet, as he kept thinking about the others, he mostly thought about Neptune.
In his mind, he believed her to be one of the most immature and undisciplined out of all of the CPUs. He wondered why he had even been partnered with her and Dorumon. And yet... he couldn't help but feel that there was a certain charm to the nonsense. From the strange things the lilac haired girl said sometimes to her cheery attitude despite being in a bad situation. At that moment, the words she said before rang inside his head.
"I only ever get serious when I want to be. I just go with the flow, ya know?"
Ginryumon's face changed to that of a perplexed expression. Was there really a method to her madness? Could she really be more serious than he had realized and was just not showing it? Just then, something had interrupted his train of thought. Up ahead he could see what seemed to be a glowing light. It looked it was his way out. Moving quickly, he went towards the direction of the light.
Reaching the end of the passageway, he found himself outside once more. He could see that the Digital World's sun had gone down some. It was going to be sunset soon. Looking around, the armored Digimon could see that he was in some sort of courtyard. It was wide and open, with nowhere to take cover at. It seemed to Ginryumon that Fumamon had led him to this place on purpose.
Everywhere he looked, the armored Digimon saw that much of the area was either in ruins or had been overtaken by digital plant life. He then noticed something in the center of the courtyard. It looked like a large statue in the shape of a dragon. Its body looked snake-like in appearance. Like with many of the other things he had seen in the temple, however, it was falling apart, so he wasn't able to get a good impression from it. To him, it was a sad sight to behold for Ginryumon.
"Even the greatest works made in the Digital World cannot withstand the test of time", he commented aloud.
"That's one way of looking at it, at least", said a voice.
Caught off guard, Ginryumon looked around to see who it was. Then, walking from behind the statue, he could see a ninja-like figure coming out of hiding. It was the shinobi Digimon, Fumamon. The armored Digimon growled as he stared at the assassin.
"Fumamon! What is it that you're after here? Why go through the trouble of trying to kill us only to run and hide?", Ginryumon snarled.
"Why such venom in your voice? I do not wish to fight you. Yet", the shinobi Digimon responded.
The armored Digimon growled as he stared at Fumamon angrily, not taking an eye off of him for even a second.
"I'm sure you felt it even before you got here. You see", the assassin explained, "this temple, as well as everything relevant to it, was once a sacred ground for warrior Digimon such as yourself."
"What do you mean?", Ginryumon inquired.
Fumamon then turned back to the statue, staring at it as he started to explain further.
"Long ago, there were Digimon here who had worshiped a dragon deity, a warrior of warriors. They strived to become just like him one day. But it would become their own undoing. In their strive to become powerful, they fought amongst each other to the point that a belief came forth. If only one remained, they could become the dragon deity itself. Unfortunately, it never came to pass, and eventually they destroyed themselves, leaving behind a land long forgotten. Too much power destroys the hands that wield them, and this is the result."
After his explanation was finished, the shinobi Digimon turned back to Ginryumon, who couldn't help but be somewhat disturbed by the dark history of the land he was in. Although it was no wonder that he felt at home in this land, he had no idea about the legacy of this temple. It was quite a tragic tale to listen to.
"Though that isn't why I'm really here", Fumamon continued.
"Then why are you here? What's your purpose?", Ginryumon asked.
"Well, if you must know", said the shinobi Digimon said, "there was something here that had been left behind. Two Digi-Cores containing a great power, said to have been used by the very dragon deity himself."
"And let me guess: You're going to try and get your hands on them so you can use their power for yourself, right?", said Ginryumon.
"Very good. You're very perceptive", Fumamon complimented.
"But what makes you think I'll let you reach them and abuse their power for your own selfish desires?", the armored Digimon stated.
"Because I would like to offer you a choice first. I've notice that you had a bit of an... altercation with your human friend", said Fumamon ominously.
Ginryumon just stared at the shinobi Digimon, unsure what he was up to.
"Somehow I don't think that you're quite happy with your arrangement with her and that other Digimon. Are you certain that they are where you belong?", the assassin continued.
"Where are you getting at?", Ginryumon inquired, suspicious of the shinobi Digimon.
"If you don't feel that your contributions are appreciated by them, then you can join me and my master", Fumamon offered.
The armored Digimon couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was his adversary actually giving him a chance to change sides? It was madness to him.
"Think about it. Your talents are wasted on that human and her little dog", the shinobi Digimon went on. "But if you join us, I will see to it that my master gives you all the power you can imagine."
Now Ginryumon wondered what he should do as he stood there in silence. It was true that he did feel a bit underappreciated ever since they had reached the Digital World. And it was also true that he had an argument with Neptune before. Despite all of this, he wasn't sure about leaving both her and Dorumon. Ever since he met them, he felt that they would provide a great challenge for him so that he may one day surpass his own limits. This was especially so when he became capable of Digivolution via a Digivice. Though it wasn't his own strength, it was what made him realize that finding greater power on his own wasn't a viable option. Both Neptune and Dorumon had helped show him that it was not a sin to seek out help from others who help in return. The armored Digimon stared down Fumamon, his eyes now burning with passion, while the shinobi Digimon stared back with a disappointed expression in his own eyes.
"Judging by that look in your eyes, I take it that you already made your decision", he asked.
"Indeed. I will seek strength in my own way. And you have nothing that I want", Ginryumon said defiantly.
Fumamon sighed, disappointed that the armored Digimon would rather reject his offer of power than join him and his master. He turned his gaze back to his opponent, his yellow eyes now giving off a murderous vibe.
"So be it. If you will not join us, then you will be deleted", he said coldly.
He then readied himself in a fighting stance, preparing to strike at Ginryumon, who also stood at the ready. The wind howled as some stray leaves flew around. The two stared at each other unblinkingly, not taking even one eye off of one another, waiting to see who would make the first move. After a tense minute, both Digimon charged at one another, ready to battle to the death...
Somewhere inside the temple, Neptune was still navigating the pathway that she was trapped in. She had no idea where she was going or where she would end up at, but the lilac haired girl believed that if she kept venturing forth, she would either find a way out or meet up with Ginryumon again. The passage was somewhat dark, but there was just enough light for her to see where she was walking.
"Everything feels so old here. It's like I'm playing Crypt Looter here, but without any jump-and-gun action", Neptune commented.
She continued to look around for any signs of her partner or a way out. She was trying not to think about Fumamon, though. For all she knew, she thought that he would be lurking around somewhere out of sight, waiting to ambush her.
"Oh, I wish I could just transform and roll out! Not having HDD feels like an unfair game hack", the Planeptune CPU rambled on.
As she went on, she wondered if both of her Digimon partners were alright. She wanted to believe that they can handle themselves without any assistance. In her heart, however, an aching feeling gnawed at her relentlessly. Ever since she had met both Dorumon and Ryudamon, she almost grew close to them. And even though she only knew the purple Digimon longer, her thoughts of the armored Digimon were just as great. He was quite different than anyone else she had met. He was honor bound, loyal to a fault, and was much more serious than any of her friends. It almost reminded the lilac haired girl of herself whenever she transformed into her Goddess form. Though she did respect those aspects of him, she wondered if Ryudamon has ever found a moment to just relax for once.
"If he never once found a chance to chill out, then I say he's not having any fun...", said Neptune sadly.
Thinking for a moment, the Planeptune CPU wondered what she could do for her partner. Then, an idea flew into her head.
"I know! We'll have a party when we get back home. There will be games, pudding, and friends to chat with!", she said excitedly.
As the lilac haired girl was thinking of how to plan out such a party, not paying attention to her surroundings, her foot pressed down on a tile on the floor. A feeling of dread then overcame Neptune as she heard the sound of a tile clicking like a large switch. Realizing what she just did again, she gulped.
"I should learn to stop stepping on stuff...", she said half-jokingly.
Suddenly, she heard something moving behind her. Looking back to where she came from, she could see a ramp lowering just a few yards away. Then, a horrifying sight had caught her attention. A large boulder started running down the ramp and then rolled down the passageway, straight towards the Planeptune CPU!
"Writer, next time I ask for a boulder chase, just ignore me!", Neptune yelled to no one in particular.
Running for her life, she tried to get away from the rolling death trap, hoping that she could out pace it. It did her no good, however, as it was catching up fast. She desperately picked up the pace. Her legs were now moving so fast, the lilac haired girl could almost swear that they were moving like how a certain hedgehog ran.
"To bad there aren't any gold rings to save me! Oh, where are the others when I need them?", she said to herself.
Neptune was now running like a bat out of hell, moving as fast as her legs would let her. When she looked back, she could see that she was actually outrunning the rock. She felt that she could get away. However, as she was distracted, she tripped one of her feet on herself and fell hard on the stone floor. She couldn't pick herself up as she stared at the speeding boulder coming towards her. She could feel her heart race as she witnessed what looked to be her end.
"I'm too young to be turned into a Nep-flavored pancake!", she exclaimed.
She then shut her eyes, preparing for the worst. It looked like that the Planeptune CPU was about to meet her end. However, at that very moment...
"Metal Cannon!"
Out of nowhere, a series of iron spheres were launched at the boulder. They penetrated the large rock and broke it down into pieces, causing it to crumble before it could crush the lilac haired girl. She opened her eyes, surprised to see that she was still alive somehow. I was nothing short of a miracle to her. But how? The answer was soon made obvious when she saw something coming down the hall towards her. Within the faint light, she could make out a moving purple creature. Her eyes widened with joy as a smile formed on her face.
"Doru, my mon! You're here!", she said happily, grateful to see one of her partners again.
"Nep! Glad I found you in time. Otherwise we would've had to change your name to 'Splatune!'", said Dorumon.
"I'd rather be same little old me than a squid kid, that's for sure", said Neptune.
The Planeptune CPU picked herself up from the ground, then ran over to the purple Digimon and both of them hugged each other. They both laughed cheerfully at their reunification. They soon ceased their laughter after a wave of realization came over them.
"Oh, right! Where's Ginryumon?", Dorumon asked.
"We were separated by that ninja guy earlier. I don't know where he is", Neptune explained.
"Fumamon might try to pick him off first! We gotta find him!", the purple Digimon exclaimed.
"But we don't where he is. He could be anywhere or nowhere. Or both!", the lilac haired girl rambled.
"I've seen some corridors that look like they lead elsewhere in this place", stated Dorumon. "I was lucky to have picked this path first."
"I get it. So basically, just keep exploring. Works for me", said Neptune.
"Let's hurry. For all we know, Ginryumon could be in trouble!", her partner said worriedly.
Nodding in agreement, the purple pair hurried along the path that Dorumon came through, hoping that they would be able to reach their friend in time. They feared that something bad was about to happen to Ginryumon at any moment, and they had to be there with him before it does...
Out in the courtyard, the armored Digimon was engaged in battle with Fumamon. Moments ago, the shinobi Digimon had offered him to join the assassin and his master, in exchange for power. He denied the offer, however, which led to a conflict between the two. Now Ginryumon was trying to fight for survival, or at least try to hold him off long enough until his friends eventually find him.
Fumamon launched his shuriken blades at the armored Digimon, forcing him to go on the defensive. He tried to evade the incoming weapons, but was cut by a few of them on the exposed areas of his limbs, where he was left unprotected. Moving his arms in a certain way, the shinobi Digimon redirected the shurikens back towards Ginryumon. He was ready for the blades this time, however, as he positioned himself to where they would hit his armor. This did not work, however, as the assassin moved his arms again, redirecting the flying weapons once more and moving them away.
"Why don't you fight me yourself instead of using these trinkets, you coward!", Ginryumon growled.
"I have no need to dirty my hands with a weakling such as yourself. All I have to do is wear you down and then finish the job", Fumamon replied.
Ginryumon, not wanting to waste his time on the blades, charged towards the shinobi Digimon, attempting to stop his flying weapons. He believed if he can distrupt him for even one moment, the shurikens would stop moving. Fumamon anticipated this tactic, however, and leapt backwards, then moved his arms to direct the blades at the armored Digimon's limbs. Some of them bounced off of his armor as he tried to defend himself, but a few still cut him in the unprotected parts of his flesh, causing him to stagger. Shrugging off the pain as best as he could, he tried another attack.
"Metal Armor Blade", he exclaimed as he launched an iron spear from his mouth.
He figured that if he couldn't reach his opponent, then an attack from long range would. This would not be the case, though, as Fumamon made the shurikens home in on the flying object, slicing through the iron sphere and destroying it, much to the shock of Ginryumon. And once again, the assassin made the deadly blades rush towards him and cut his exposed limbs in retaliation, causing him to roar in pain. Fumamon chuckled at his predicament.
"Face it. You cannot hope to defeat me. You may as well give up now and let me put you out of your misery", he said.
The armored Digimon was now furious. He couldn't fight against the shinobi Digimon as long as his shurikens were flying around. If he dared make an attack on him again, Ginryumon would most definitely suffer more punishment. He had to find a way to even up the playing field, and fast. As he tried to devise another method of action, he stared at some of the shurikens and saw something shimmer in the sunlight. It looked like a thin string of sorts. Judging by the size of the line, he deduced that it was a sort of invisible wire. An idea formed in his head.
"This little game of yours is over, Fumamon!", he exclaimed.
This caught the shinobi Digimon by surprise. He wasn't sure what the armored Digimon was thinking. Moving his arms once more, his flying blades moved in on his target, ready to deal a deadly blow to his opponent. As they were about to reach him, Ginryumon dodged at the last second, then he chomped down on where he believed the invisible wire would be. Feeling a bit of a tug in his mouth, he confirmed that he had the wire clenched in his jaws, much to the dismay of Fumamon. He did not think that the armored Digimon would be able to figure it out this quickly. Gripping tightly, Ginryumon then pulled with all of his might, until at last, the line snaps, causing his opponent to lose control of his shurikens, which fell to the ground harmlessly.
Ginryumon now stared down the assassin, who couldn't help but be impressed by his tactic. Though the armored Digimon succeeded in stopping the shurikens, it did not come without cost, for in his efforts to sever the invisible wire, part of his jaw was now bleeding a bit, caused by a cut from the string. Nevertheless, he maintained his composure as he tried to ignore the pain, all while keeping his eyes trained on his enemy. All of a sudden, the shinobi Digimon started slowly clapping.
"Very impressive. You figured out my trick. Then again, no one I deleted ever lasted as long as you have", said Fumamon.
"Looks like you'll have to get your own hands dirty after all", said Ginryumon confidently.
"Indeed. But just look at yourself. You can hardly stand now", stated the shinobi Digimon.
When the armored Digimon looked at his limbs, he could see that he was shaking. He thought it was the pain slowly getting to him at first, but he felt that there was more to it than he originally believed. He soon realized that it was also fear that he was experiencing. Never had he fought an opponent more difficult than Fumamon on his own. The assassin chuckled at the sight of Ginryumon's trembling.
"This is it. I gave you a chance to join us before. Now, you shall have the honor of witnessing my secret killing technique", he continued.
This made Ginryumon tense up. He wanted to move or attack, but found that he couldn't. He just kept staring at the shinobi Digimon, who positioned himself in preparation to strike down the armored Digimon. When Fumamon started reaching for the swords strapped to his back, Ginryumon found that everything around him and his opponent turned completely black, as if they were now suddenly in another world. Now he was trembling even more, as if he was now staring death in the face. Slowly, the shinobi Digimon started pulling out both of his swords.
Suddenly, before he could even blink an eye, he felt pain all over his body. A series of quick slashes had pierced his armored body, creating openings and damaging him all over. He yelled with great pain in his voice. After the attack on his body stopped, he fell to the ground, unable to move. Everything around him then returned to normal, as if he had never left the area at all. Looking up, he saw that Fumamon was standing above him, both of his swords pointing at his face.
"I didn't even see him move! There's no way he could be that fast!", Ginryumon thought.
He could feel the shinobi Digimon's cold yellow eyes staring him down as he tried to think of a way out of the encounter. But at this point he knew that no matter what he would do, nothing could stop this adversary.
"It seems that this battle has been decided. You fought well. But now I will delete you, and then I will take care of your friends next", said Fumamon.
He then raised his swords in the air, ready to deliver the finishing blow. As he watched the shinobi Digimon gearing up to finish him off, Ginryumon's thoughts ran back to his partner Neptune, and then to his ally Dorumon, and finally all of the other CPUs and their Digimon. He could almost feel a few tears forming in his eyes, as he believed he would never see them all again.
"Neptune... Dorumon... Everyone... I have failed you all...", he thought sadly.
He then shut his eyes, not wanting to see his end with open eyes. Just as Fumamon was about to deal the final strike, however, he saw something coming towards him. Jumping out of the way, the shinobi Digimon dodged a series of iron spheres that were shot at his direction. This caught Ginryumon by surprise as well. There was only one creature that could make such a brazen attack out of nowhere.
Looking towards where the attack had came from, approaching from the other side of the courtyard, he could make out two purple shapes. His eyes were filled with hope again as he saw both Neptune and Dorumon running towards him. Their faces were filled with a mixture of relief and worry. They soon reached the armored Digimon, horrified by the extent of his injuries.
"Wow! You sure took a beating, buddy. You okay?", Neptune asked.
"I would say yes, but lying isn't really my strong point", said Ginryumon.
"Oh man, this is bad! I knew I should've packed some Nep Bull with me!", stammered Neptune.
Fumamon looked on at the group with disappointment. He had hoped that he would be able to take care of the armored Digimon before they could meet up with one another again. He was even surprised that Dorumon had managed to elude his Dark Return technique. But judging by his smaller appearance, he could tell that he had expended his energy for the day. The purple Digimon wasn't going to be Digivolving again any time soon, which made his job all the more easier. Now all the shinobi Digimon has to do is finish them all off and carry out his orders.
"Now everyone is here. Good. Now I'll have the pleasure of destroying you all in one fell swoop", Fumamon said. "You might as well say your farewells now. I can give you that much mercy."
Now the group was on edge. Neptune couldn't transform via HDD, and she wasn't sure if Dorumon had the energy to fight again and Digivolve straight into Ultimate. If even Ginryumon was no match for Fumamon, then they had no hope of facing against him themselves.
"Hey, uh, Dorumon, friend, pal, buddy... I think now might be a good time to go big again, ain't it?", the lilac haired girl asked.
"Sorry, Nep, but I don't got the energy for it. Even if I wanted to, I don't think I can even go to Ultimate", said the purple Digimon.
The Planeptune CPU, now getting more worried, turned to the fallen Ginryumon, who only stared at her with sad eyes.
"Neptune... I'm sorry... I'm a failure as a Digimon... Some partner I turned out to be...", said the armored Digimon.
His partner just shaked her head, not believing what he was saying right now.
"No way! You're not done yet. I know you still have some fighting stuff left in you. You know, I know it, and even Dorumon knows it", said Neptune, trying to encourage her partner.
"Hah! Your so-called partner couldn't even hope to stop me. What makes you think he can still stand a chance?", said Fumamon mockingly.
"Even when things are looking down, we can still keep on going. No matter what the odds are, we still fight on", said Dorumon.
"And we never give up on anyone or anything. That's what makes us strong!", added Neptune.
Ginryumon stared at his two friends, while a wave of realization rushed through him. His comrades were right. They never once given up despite the numerous odds against. It was no different when they faced against SkullSatamon a while back, and it was no different now. If they couldn't do it, then who else would? They had to keep fighting on because they HAVE to. The armored Digimon felt silly. How could he easily forget about this fact? He slowly got back up on his feet, despite the pain coursing through his body, much to the shinobi Digimon's amazement.
"So, you wish to be destroyed in a pointless fight to the finish? How foolish", he said.
"Why don't you shut your damn mouth?!", Ginryumon snapped back.
Everyone jumped in surprise by this outburst. The armored Digimon gazed at Fumamon, not even blinking for one moment.
"Nothing is pointless if it's worth fighting for", he continued. "They're right about one thing: We never give up on anything. And you should know, true power doesn't just come from what we gain or what we have. It's about never giving up on yourself or those around you. That's why we fight on no matter what. That's why we will never let you win!"
Suddenly, at that moment, Neptune's Digivice started to glow brightly in a purple light, while Ginryumon's body started to glow in the same color. As this happened, the wounds inflicted to his body started to heal. This caught Fumamon off guard, and it worried him. He knew that this light meant only one thing. Ginryumon was about to Digivolve again. This was something he could not allow.
"Oh no you don't!", he said.
The shinobi Digimon then tossed his remaining shuriken blades at the armored Digimon's direction, even tossing some of his kunai knifes as well. But then, the statue behind the trio started to glow just like Ginryumon and Neptune's Digivice. Then it started to crack, as it it was about to break apart. Finally, it did, revealing something inside. It looked like two orbs, one colored in orange and the other in green. The two orbs suddenly got in front of the armored Digimon, blocking the shurikens and kunai. The shinobi Digimon could not believe his eyes. Those were the Digi-Cores that he was seeking! But it was clear to him that they had chosen Ginryumon as the one to wield them, much to his dismay.
Meanwhile, everyone was shocked by what just happened. Theses were apparently the items that Fumamon was seeking to obtain. They were hidden inside the statue the whole time. As he stared at the pair of Digi-Cores floating in front of him, Ginryumon could feel that they sensed the innate nobility in him and his friends. The orbs were there to help him. He turned back to Neptune, who was still in awe.
"Do it, Neptune!", he said.
"You got it! As some once said: It's hero time!", said the lilac haired girl excitedly.
As Neptune pulled out her glowing Digivice, Fumamon desperately tried to stop them again as he reached for his swords, but Dorumon, reacting quickly, opened fire with his Metal Cannon attack. causing the shinobi Digimon to defend himself and block the attack with his words. While he was distracted, the Planeptune CPU seized the opportunity and shouted the code phrase.
"Digivolve!"
A purple ray of light shot out from her device and engulfed Ginryumon. His next evolution as about to begin.
"Ginryumon, Perfect Digivolve to...!", he shouted.
His body soon began to grow bigger and became more streamlined, as if like a snake. His body became completely covered in armor, no longer having any open points that would expose his flesh anywhere. The underside of his armor was a dark shade of red, while the upper side was black and scaly, with two golden blades spread apart from one another on his back. Four plates covered the upper parts of his limbs, while the limbs themselves had four braces wrapped around them. Parts of his armored body were gold, but it was most noticeable on his head, who's shape was akin to that of a dragon of ancient times. When the orange and green Digi-Cores reached the great dragon Digimon's front claws, his Digivoltuion was complete.
"Hisyaryumon!", he exclaimed.
Everyone looked on at this new Digimon both in shock and awe. Just like Dorumon, the great dragon Digimon had now achieved his Ultimate level. Even the purple Digimon couldn't help but be impressed by this. Scanning the new form with her Digivice, Neptune checked the information of this new Digimon via a holographic image.
"Oh, I'm liking this! He's called Hisa-... Um, Hiaso-... Hisi-... Hisoten-... Bleh! I can't say his name!", said the lilac haired girl.
She was trying to pronounce her partner Digimon's name, but was failing miserably. Dorumon, seeing that his partner was having trouble, decided to take a look and see if he could say it himself.
"No, Nep. It's Hisyaryumon", said the purple Digimon. "He's an ancient dragon Digimon, said to be a deity who soars through the heavens with the Digi-Cores in his claws. His attacks are Legendary Dragon Blade and All-Directional Wheel. He can even use the Digi-Cores themselves to attack."
"Ohhh. I don't know what any of that means, but I'm glad he's on our side!", said Neptune.
Fumamon just stared at the great dragon Digimon, who stared back at him with furious intent. He did not anticipate to meet the very deity that the temple had worshiped, let alone even think that his opponent would become the very deity himself. Although it was a rare sight to behold for the shinobi Digimon, it was also a problem for him. Because of this, his mission to retrieve the Digi-Cores for his master was a failure. And now that the orbs chosen the group as their protectors, it was unlikely that they would not go with him willingly.
"Very well then. If I cannot obtain the power of the orbs for my master, then I will ensure that no one will!", said Fumamon.
He then sent his shurikens flying towards Hisyaryumon, aiming directly for his limbs again. To his shock, however, the blades simply bounced off of his armored body. The great dragon Digimon snorted at this attempt and then roared before charging forward, his objective now clear to him.
"If you want these orbs, then try taking them!", he shouted.
He then tossed the orange and green orbs at the shinobi Digimon, their speed increasing with every second. Fumamon countered by deflecting them away with his swords, but the Digi-Cores came right back after hitting a wall. They were like a pair of high speed marbles going everywhere as he tried to bat them away. Their speed eventually started to overwhelm the assassin, for he was soon getting bombarded by the runaway orbs, his armor becoming cracked a bit. Once the attack stopped, the orbs returned to Hisyaryumon's claws.
"Yeah! That's showing that creep what for!", cheered Neptune.
Fumamon growled in annoyance and then threw a kunai at her direction in an attempt to silence her for good, much to the CPU's horror. She yelped as she cover her head. Moving quickly, the great dragon Digimon got in front of her, letting the kunai bounce off of his armor instead. The lilac haired girl sighed in relief.
"Whew... That was a close one...", she said.
"Your fight is with me, Fumamon. You will not lay harm to her or anyone else!", scolded Hisyaryumon.
"The moment she and her little dog arrived to help, they forfeited their lives away. So of course, this is their fight too!", the shinobi Digimon replied.
"Hey! How many times do I have to say that I'm not a dog?! Argh!", Dorumon exclaimed frustratingly.
"Still, if you really believe you can protect your allies, then how about you deal with this?", Fumamon continued.
He then started to make a series of hand signs. Whatever he was up to now, it was unnerving the group. At last, he stopped.
"Shadow Specters!", he exclaimed.
Suddenly, his body looked like it was separating. Soon enough, there was another Fumamon standing before them. But But that wasn't the end of it. Another shinobi Digimon soon emerged from the main body. Then another, and another, and another. It wasn't long before a small army of Fumamons were standing before them all. By his estimates, Hisyaryumon counted at least twenty of them. Both Neptune and Dorumon were now nervous, the odds now stacked against them once more. They had no idea that the shinobi Digimon had this kind of hidden power. He was definitely full of surprises.
"Now what will you do against a whole clan? Hahahahaha!", the Fumamons all laughed.
The clan the spread out, trying to make it harder for the group to track. No one could tell which one was the real Fumamon now. Hisyaryumon, however, was not going to waste any time with trying to identify the real one out of the replicas. Rushing in head long, the great dragon Digimon charged through the air and started attacking the clones, striking them one by one with his teeth, claws, and even the two blades on his back. He mainly targeted any replicas that went near either Neptune or Dorumon. To say that the pair were amazed by his ferocity was an understatement.
"Wow! He's really going at it! Maybe it's because of some epic theme the writer's listening to?", said Neptune, breaking the fourth wall.
"I don't hear anything", Dorumon commented, unsure of what the Planeptune CPU was thinking.
One by one, the great dragon Digimon beat down on the Fumamon clones, causing them to vanish when they were damaged enough. When the remaining replicas charged at him, Hisyaryumon tossed his orbs again, ricocheting them off of the bodies of the Fumamon copies, to the point where they were unable to fight They disappeared into thin air, and the Digi-Cores returned to the great dragon Digimon's claws once more.
"You may as well give it up now, Fumamon. You cannot hope to win", he said.
"Never! I will fight until either one of us dies!", echoed the shinobi Digimon's voice.
Looking up above, he could see that the real Fumamon was coming down from the air, attempting to strike at Hisyaryumon with his swords. Twisting around his snake-like body, he dodged the attack, then started to wrap himself around the shinobi Digimon, crushing his body as the great dragon Digimon tightened his grip.
"Urgh! Let go of me!", Fumamon exclaimed, struggling to breath.
"If you insist!", Hisyaryumon replied.
With that said, he rushed to the ground and threw the shinobi Digimon into the dirt with great force. Struggling to get back up, he looked up in time to see the great dragon Digimon flying towards him again.
"All-Directional Wheel!", he exclaimed.
Using his long body to surround the assassin in a ring formation, the great dragon Digimon attacked his opponent from every angle with his teeth, claws, and bladed back. Fumamon was unable to break out of the attack, resulting in both him and his armor becoming badly damaged with each strike.
"This is getting out of hand... I must escape from this...", he thought.
"Go get him! One last attack!", Neptune cheered her partner on.
Breaking the ring formation, Hisyaryumon soared upwards, while the shinobi Digimon stumbled to the ground. He looked up to see what the great dragon Digimon was up to. He was about to find out.
"Legendary Dragon Blade!", he exclaimed.
Suddenly, his body started to glow, and then it began to change shape. He soon became what seemed to be a gigantic sword. While both Neptune and Dorumon stared in awe, Fumamon was in total shock. Horrified by the prospect of being bisected, he tried to move, but he could only limp slowly, not fast enough to get away. The large blade soon plunged right at his direction.
"Nooo! ! !", the shinobi Digimon screamed.
With a mighty slam, the large sword hit the ground, creating a dust cloud and a shockwave to occur. The Planeptune CPU and purple Digimon were knocked of their feet by the shaking. But judging by the looks of things, it seemed to them that the battle was won, however they were unable to see past the dust cloud.
"Alright, he got him! We did it!", Neptune said excitedly.
"Way to go! Yeah!", added Dorumon.
But they were all about to find out that their victory would be short lived. When the dust cloud started to settle, everyone could see the destruction caused by Hisyaryumon. The tiled ground was either cracked or broken into pieces, leaving a small crater in the area of impact. Under normal circumstances, thr group would believe that they had been victorious. But they were shocked to see that it was not the case. Hisyaryumon's giant sword form had indeed split something in half. But it was not Fumamon that was split. Upon closer examination, they could all see that in the shinobi Digimon's place was a wooden dummy.
"Woah! Where did he go?", Neptune wondered aloud.
"I though for sure he had him! What happened?", added Dorumon.
Changing back to his normal form, Hisyaryumon stared at the wooden dummy in disbelief.
"It would stand to reason that he used some form of substitution technique. He somehow managed to give us the slip!", said the great dragon Digimon angrily.
Just then, a familiar echo of laughter could be heard from all around the trio. It was Fumamon's voice. By the sound of it, he was very much alive and well. They all looked around to see where he was, but it was no good, as there was no sign of the shinobi Digimon anywhere.
"Very impressive", Fumamon's voice echoed. "You actually managed to hold your own. But do not think for a moment that this 'victory' means anything. You haven't seen the last of me. And next time, I will be the victor."
Hisyaryumon scoffed under his breath. He could not believe that he was so close to defeating the shinobi Digimon, only for him to somehow get away at the last second. It infuriated him to no end. At the same time, however, he was glad to have kept his friends safe from harm. In the end, this was what mattered most. Glowing in a bright light, the great dragon Digimon's body started to shrink down to Dorumon's size, eventually reverting back to his Rookie form of Ryudamon. He fell down from exhaustion immediately afterwards. Both Neptune and the purple Digimon rushed over to see if he was alright.
"Hey! You okay? Do you need some emergency pudding? I sure hope not, cause I'm all out", said the lilac haired girl worriedly.
"Yes... I'm fine... I'm just tired is all...", said Ryudamon.
"Just take it easy for a while. You've earned a break, friend", said Dorumon.
The little armored Digimon just smiled and then chuckled, causing everyone else to laugh as well. Afterwards, the Planeptune CPU picked up Ryudamon in her arms and held him close.
"Neptune... I want to apologize for earlier... You were, well...", he said, trying to find the words within him.
"It's okay, little guy. Nothing ever really gets to me all the time. And besides, deep down I knew you didn't mean to be cranky like that", said Neptune.
"Are you serious or is this another attempt at being funny?", Ryudamon asked.
"Hey, I'm being dead-as-disco serious this time! Don't tell me you don't believe me?", the lilac haired girl inquired.
"Why, Neptune, I have no clue as to what you mean. It's so hard to tell sometimes", said the armored Digimon teasingly.
"Aw booo! Here I am making amends to you, and now you're making fun of me! When did you go from being my partner to a big bad guy?", the Planeptune CPU complained.
While the pair bantered on with one another, Dorumon just couldn't help but smile and giggle at their interaction with one another. It seemed to him that their bond with one another was steadily growing. When they finally started on their way out of the courtyard, he thought back to how hard his ally fought when he was Hisyaryumon. He was still amazed by his fighting prowess during the fight with Fumamon. He wondered if he could be an even match with him if they had fought one another.
Then the purple Digimon thought back to the black armored being that he had encountered from before. Even now he still wondered who he was, and why he wanted him and the others to leave the Digital World. And the more he thought on it, the more he felt like he had seen him from somewhere else before. Dorumon thought about telling Neptune and Ryudamon about his encounter once they rested up. For now, however, he would let the two have their moment. They all started on their way, wanting to get out of the area and resume their search for the other CPUs and their Digimon.
Somewhere inside of ChaosDukemon's castle, DarkKnightmon was waiting patiently in another chamber for his subordinate to return. He had not heard anything from Fumamon in quite some time since his departure. He had hoped that his minion would have retrieved the two Digi-Cores by now and was on his way back. This would not be the case, however, as he was about to realize.
Appearing from the shadows, the shinobi Digimon stood before his master, kneeling weakly and bowing his head in shame. From the looks of things, DarkKnightmon could tell that Fumamon had been badly damaged, likely from a battle with someone or something. The black knight Digimon awaited an answer from his subordinate.
"I have failed in my mission, master", said Fumamon. "The two Digi-Cores were acquired by one of the girl's Digimon, and had allowed him to reach a new evolution. I had no choice but to escape."
DarkKnightmon down at the shinobi Digimon, his yellow eyes filled with disappointment.
"Your failure is most... unfortunate", he said ominously.
"I have no excuse for my failure", Fumamon continued. "I had underestimated their resolve. I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit. Even if it means permanent deletion."
The black knight Digimon just stared at his minion for a moment before placing his hand on the shinobi Digimon's shoulder.
"Do not let yourself be overtaken by them again. You must be more vigilant, ruthless, and above all, do whatever it takes to succeed", he lectured.
Fumamon, grateful that his master showed him mercy, bowed his head in respect.
"Yes, my master. I will work harder than ever to meet your expectations", he said.
"Though this failure is most unsettling, we may have learned something from this as well", said DarkKnightmon.
The shinobi Digimon looked back up at his master, unsure of what he meant.
"The CPU's Digimon are growing more powerful with each day, and at a faster rate than we previously anticipated", the black knight Digimon continued. "One day they will discover their true potential. Needless to say, they must be stopped before that happens."
"I understand, my master", said Fumamon.
"Be patient, my subordinate. We will make sure that their journey comes to a painful end. For now, we will still be playing our master's little game, until our time to strike comes", said DarkKnightmon.
"What shall you have me do next, my master?", Fumamon inquired.
"For now, tend to your injuries. I will call upon you again in the future", his master ordered.
"As you decree, DrakKnightmon", the shinobi Digimon replied.
Bowing his head once more, he then disappeared into the shadows once more, leaving the black knight Digimon alone in the chamber. He then turned to exit the room, ready to tend to other matters.
"Fumamon may be just an instrument for my rise to power, but he's an important one, so he is quite useful to me", he thought. "Like many others, however, eventually he will be discarded once I have everything I need. And I will take my rightful place as ruler of two worlds."
He then exited the chamber, locking the doors behind him, then went on his way, a sinister plan taking shape within his mind. Unknown to him, however, someone else had been listening on to both DarkKnightmon and Fumamon. From around the corner, ChaosDukemon had been eavesdropping on their conversation with one another. The black knight Digimon had forgotten to sound proof the chamber this time, so he had no trouble listening in on the two. He did not know what they were up to, but he now felt he had to keep a constant eye trained on DarkKnightmon from now on.
"Just what are you up to, DarkKnightmon?", he thought.
ChaosDukemon would then take his leave, not wanting to be spotted by the black knight Digimon. Though he was still not sure whether or not to trust him, the fact that his "ally" apparently had his own agenda bothered him. Whatever DarkKnightmon was up to, he was going to find out eventually. For now, he would let the wheels of fate turn a little more...
And that's going to be it for this chapter.
Now Ryudamon has an Ultimate form. That leaves Neptune with two powerful partners. It almost kinda feels like cheating, now that I think about it. Oh well, I'm sure it'll be fine.
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Until next time. Stay safe and have a good one!