AN: Here is the new chapter! It's a chapter I loved to write but still longer than the last one... I hope you don't mind long chapter ? It's the last "stand alone" chapter so enjoy it! Next chapter things will be really more serious, for this chapter I was really inspired from the spirit of the anime when they try to be more chill, I tried to be chill... I mean you can recognize my style right ? As I said, I want to be the most close to the series with my touch. Hope you will like the two guests of this chapter! It's so sad how in the game they are just... there...
Chapter 10: Force your Way
"Netto-kun!" exclaimed Rockman from the PET, which was currently recharging. "Yaito fell down the stairs and has just been taken to the hospital!"
As he was doing his homework, Netto looked up at the AI avatar in his machine, his face expressing concern. "Huh? Is she okay?"
The Navi nodded as he read the message he had just received. "Yes, Meiru-chan just sent an email about it. She's inviting you to come with her to visit."
The boy with the bandana froze for a few seconds as he looked at the screen, his mind lost in thought. He felt like there was a static electricity effect in his brain. "Netto-kun?" asked Rockman, noticing that his operator wasn't responding anymore.
"At the hospital?" Netto asked uncertainly.
"Yes. Where else would she go?"
The boy turned his head, his gaze empty as his mind searched for some kind of escape. "I'm not comfortable in hospitals," he muttered flatly.
Rockman tilted his head, trying to understand. "Why is that? Did you have a problem when you were younger?"
Netto turned his head again to look into his Navi's green eyes. "You see..." he began, embarrassed. "When I was little, I had some kind of trauma... But I don't remember what happened. And ever since then, I've had this bad feeling every time I step into a hospital."
He noticed that Rockman's eyes had narrowed and he was lowering them with a kind of shame, as if it were his fault.
"Hey, don't worry about it!" Netto exclaimed, embarrassed to see him in this state. "It's just a feeling! Once, Mama broke her leg and I had to accompany her to the hospital very often!"
The Navi raised his head, but his expression indicated that he didn't feel comforted by Netto's words. "If you say so..." he replied vaguely.
Netto slowly woke up, the bright sunlight dazzling him. He glanced around and realized he was lost in the middle of the desert. He had fallen asleep under one of the few trees in the plain. He rubbed his eyes and noticed the person next to him was gone. He frowned and a moving shadow caught his attention. Looking up, he saw Rockman perched on a branch watching him, tail frantically wagging.
Netto stretched and yawned, letting himself fall back against the tree. "Good morning, how are you today?" he asked with a smile, his eyes still foggy.
Rockman tilted his head, continuing to observe the child lying down. Netto adjusted his bandana and stood up, stretching again. "Have you been awake for long?" he asked.
Without waiting for an answer, Netto put on his cape and placed his bag on his back. He called for Rockman to come down so they could continue on their way. The Navi obeyed without a sound. On their way, Netto occasionally talked to Rockman, who followed him slowly at a certain distance. He remembered his dream, or perhaps he should say it was a memory.
For the first time in a while, Netto had a dream that was simply a memory. It wasn't like the previous ones he had that were either insignificant, or where he was separated from his mother, or even a traumatic dream similar to the one he had in Akindo City. No, unlike his other dreams, this one had upset him. But he tried to convince himself that it was just due to the stress of being stuck here and that he couldn't blame Saito for it.
The memory was just a moment that had happened shortly before the N1 Grand Prix when Yaito had sprained her ankle. It wasn't serious, but she had been hospitalized for a day. Netto had later accompanied Meiru to visit the little girl and everything had gone well. That didn't change the fact that Netto wasn't the biggest fan of hospitals; he just felt uneasy. After all, isn't it common to feel uncomfortable in a place full of sick people? This feeling had haunted him since his childhood. But ever since he had become a NetSavior he often ended up in the hospital due to suffering from serious injuries, so he had gotten used to it. The sensation wasn't really present anymore, although it remained like a scar.
Without realizing it, Netto felt gravity pull him towards the ground, which even surprised Rockman. The child got up, massaging his back, and realized that he had fallen into a hole. He called out to his Navi several times, but the latter looked down from above, his head sticking out from the edge. There were at least three meters separating him from the surface, and Rockman growled with anger upon realizing that his operator was stuck there.
"Rockman!" called Netto, catching his attention. "Get me out of here!"
The Navi stopped his growling and Netto swore he saw a more human expression in Rockman's eyes. The latter turned around and waved his tail towards the bottom of the hole. The child frowned, wondering why his Navi couldn't just come pick him up and bring him back up. With a sigh, he grabbed the end of Rockman's tail and, with the strength of his arms, began to climb up the wall. Even though it hurt, he continued to climb despite Rockman's growls of disapproval.
However, just as he was almost out of the hole, sounds and human voices could be heard. Rockman gave a big push, causing Netto to let go and fall back into the hole. The Navi then fled, leaving the child feeling betrayed and abandoned.
"What was that?" he heard from above.
"I think we caught something!"
Two heads appeared above the hole and Netto looked up at them, blinking several times, shocked to see the two men.
"A kid!" exclaimed one of them. "Are you okay? Nothing broken?"
Netto tried to sit up and put a hand to the back of his head. "I'm okay... Can you help me get out of here?"
The two men nodded silently and threw a rope down to the young boy. He grabbed it and the two men helped him climb out. Once out of the hole, the men asked him questions, concerned. "Are you okay? Are you alone?"
Although Netto appreciated their concern, he knew what he had to do. Instead of answering, he simply shook his head. "I'm with my Navi. We were supposed to go to Namico town."
One of the men opened his mouth, but the other offered him a smile. "I see. Just be very careful."
However, the second man approached him even closer, worried.
"But Namico town is on the other side of the sacred mountain!"
Netto took on a timid pose, hands behind his back. "I just need to visit a friend! Do you know how I could get there?" he admitted in his lie.
The two men looked at each other in silence before the both of them stood up, picking up their shovels and picks.
"Listen kid, if you want to get to Namico town as quickly as possible, it's better to cross the mountain. But without a guide, it's going to be complicated," said one of them.
"But you said you have a Navi, right?" asked the other.
Netto looked away. "My Navi has a really bad sense of direction."
The two men thought for a moment, then one of them shrugged.
"The best thing would be for you to go to the research camp. We're all hardworking miners, and the sacred mountain is our territory."
The other man nodded. "Yes, I think if you ask for a guide, you can get one."
Netto nodded, understanding that the two men couldn't accompany him. He set off in the direction of the camp they had indicated to him, smiling as he realized they had taken him as an independent person.
Rockman was still missing, but Netto wondered if he might be nearby and had overheard the conversation. As he looked around, the child began to notice several people dressed in the same manner as the two men he had met before. Dozens of tents stretched around him, and several people were busy with various tasks. Netto tried to approach various people for information, but no one paid him any attention. While he appreciated that the adults no longer treated him like a fragile little thing, he didn't want to be completely ignored. That's when some of the workers recommended that he go see a woman with red hair—the assistant to the camp director—who might be able to help him. Spotting the woman a little further away, Netto headed towards her. She was focused on reading a sheet and didn't seem to notice the child approaching her.
"Hey!" he said in a loud voice.
The young woman looked up, searching around before finally noticing him.
"Uh? What do you want, kid?" she asked, scanning the surroundings to see if he was alone.
"I was told you could help me," said Netto. "I'm looking for a guide to cross the sacred mountain and get to Namico Town."
The woman blinked, surprised by the child's request. After a sigh, she replied, "Okay, follow me. It would be best if we went to see the director to find out who might be available to help you." She started walking and turned back to Netto. "We have a lot of work to do, after all." The child followed her in silence, happy to have finally found someone willing to help him in his quest.
The child nodded silently and watched as the young woman led him through the crowded work area. The buzzing of tools and the shouts of direction mixed into a confusing and exhausting cacophony. He was relieved to not be alone, even though he didn't know the woman who was helping him or where he was.
Soon, they arrived in front of a massive tent that stood proudly among the other modest shelters. The young woman lifted the tent flap, letting Netto enter. He was greeted by the smell of damp earth, a heavy and slightly unpleasant scent. The room was filled with wooden dressers, but his attention was drawn to a large desk cluttered with papers and books. Sitting behind the desk was a man hunched over his work, apparently indifferent to the arrival of the newcomers.
"Sir!" exclaimed the young woman once she was by Netto's side. "We have someone who needs a guide."
The boss finally looked up from his documents and gazed at Netto with curiosity.
"A kid?" he responded, surprised.
Although he could have become angry again, Netto lowered his head while twisting his mouth. He explained his situation with a stutter.
"Um… I want to go to Namico Town to find a friend, but I got lost with my Navi and I just learned that I have to cross the mountain to get there."
The young woman looked at Netto with surprise but did not ask any further questions, keeping her curiosity to herself. On the other hand, the man closed his eyes and took a moment to think.
"Ah yes, the sacred mountain..." he began thoughtfully. "There's a labyrinth up there and for people who have never really studied this mountain, they risk getting lost."
"A labyrinth?" repeated Netto, who was confused.
"This mountain is a temple filled with inscriptions or hieroglyphs that are not fully decipherable at the moment. We only know that it must have been created by people who used to worship the Cybeasts when they were among us."
Netto's mouth fell open in surprise upon learning the secrets of the mountain. Now he was even more curious, wishing to learn more about what he had heard about the Cybeasts. The man looked through some documents on his desk and then let out a sigh.
"Unfortunately, I don't think we have anyone available to be a guide," the director continued.
Netto let his eyebrows fall over his eyes, revealing his sadness. The young woman, moved by his despair, approached him to comfort him.
"It's okay... I'll just climb… Or go around the mountain. My Navi will protect me," Netto said, shrugging and forcing a smile.
But the young woman, panicked, knelt in front of him and tried to dissuade him from going alone. "Oh no, that's not the right solution! The mountain is very dangerous to climb. It's better for you to wait until someone can free up their time!" she insisted with concern.
Despite her attempt to convince the child, Netto was not reassured.
"Well, actually," the director began with an enigmatic smile. "We do have two people who could be available!"
At first, the child seemed happy with the news, but the young woman next to him displayed an increasingly panicked expression.
"You mean...them?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Netto was perplexed by the woman's worried look. He looked between her and the director with a questioning expression. The director stood up and placed his hands on his wooden desk.
"Could you please call Mister Press and Horisugi Dotarou?" he asked.
The young woman hesitantly took out her PET and began to write a message. Netto began to wonder if there was a problem with the two people in question. All he wanted was to cross the mountain and get to the next town. Deep down, he wondered how he could bring Rockman with him without being seen.
"They'll be here in a few minutes," the young woman announced, putting away her PET.
They waited for a few moments until Netto was suddenly and violently propelled to the side, as if caught in an explosion.
"We're here, boss!" he heard a strong and resonant voice behind him.
"What's our new mission-gozarou?" echoed another voice, slightly higher-pitched.
The child got up, aided by the young woman. He then observed the two individuals who had just entered the room. One of them was an imposing man with a big red nose and hair shaped like a drill, or perhaps like a rocker's pompadour. He had an aura of confidence and leadership emanating from him. The other individual, on the other hand, was his exact physical opposite: skinny and wearing protective glasses, a visibly lost tooth showing when he spoke. Netto slowly approached the two men, moving away from the woman standing next to him. The two newcomers didn't seem to have noticed him.
"Well, as you have understood, we have a little client who wishes to cross the sacred mountain," declared the director in front of the two men, who in turn opened their mouths, stunned and incredulous. Their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
"What? The sacred mountain? You're joking, right?" asked the man with the pointy hair, looking worried. "We have hardly ever set foot there since our superior doesn't want us to go!"
"Well, I authorize you to go there," added the director, taking his chin. "This will be your new challenge: to escort a client safely to the other side of the sacred mountain." He paused, fixing his gaze on the two men as they held their breath. "If you succeed, I will give you the S rank of Digger. That seems like a satisfying reward after the incident that occurred... Isn't that right, Horisugi?"
The man with the pointy hair and dark nose began to grind his teeth, lowering his head almost ashamed.
"That's great! We can be S rank Diggers again!" exclaimed the second man, his hat on his head. "But where is the client?"
"He's right here," the director said, gesturing with his hand.
The two men turned their gaze in the same direction, but saw only the young woman. They began to think it was a joke, but heard a clearing of the throat and lowered their heads to see Netto looking at them with a simple smile. The two men frowned and turned to their superiors.
"A kid?!" exclaimed the one with the dark nose. "You want us to take care of a kid? But..."
"He's just another client, everyone has the right to be guided in the labyrinth," their boss declared.
The man did not answer, but his teammate placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Dotarou, it's just a mission after all," he said confidently.
He looked to the side and saw Netto still watching them without any ulterior motives.
"Yes, but how do you expect us to guide someone in a mountain we don't know well enough?" Dotarou asked.
"You'll receive a map in your PET. Do you have any other questions?"
The two looked at each other and then shook their heads slowly.
"Very well. Now, what are you waiting for? Escort our client."
Feeling his irritation rising, the stronger of the two spoke up.
"Fine! Come on kid, let's go!"
They turned on their heels and left, followed by Netto at a slower pace. He waved goodbye to the two other adults before leaving the tent.
The young woman was trembling slightly, her voice was filled with worry as she shared the depths of her thoughts. "Sir... I'm worried. Those two are troublemakers. And this child..."
"Don't worry, the child will be fine. Someone will pick him up. As for the other two... They won't bother us anymore," reassured her superior, speaking in a firm and calm tone.
The young woman seemed even more perplexed by this enigmatic response. "What do you mean, sir?" she asked.
The superior shrugged. "You don't need to concern yourself with that. Now, get back to work," he replied in a firm tone, indicating that the conversation was over. The young woman hesitated for a moment before ultimately complying, going back to her tasks with a certain apprehension in her heart.
Netto followed the two men silently, observing their behavior with curiosity. Once outside the camp, he scanned the area in search of Rockman, hoping to find him hidden somewhere. Instead, he caught the man with the cap and blond hair panicking while looking at his PET.
"Oh damn, this maze makes no sense, there are paths that lead to the same rooms-gozarou!" he exclaimed, finishing his sentence with several stressed groans.
Intrigued, the child tilted his head, sensing that the two men were not very confident. He decided to encourage them a little more, speaking in a more positive tone.
"I'm sure we can do it!" he exclaimed in turn.
"Kid, I'm not sure you understand, but this maze is cursed. People can get lost in it forever, and even the most skilled of us come out with scars," declared the stronger man, taking on a dramatic tone.
The little boy closed his mouth, furrowing his brow at hearing this. He didn't want to let himself be discouraged.
"But I'm sure we can do it. I'm not afraid!" he replied confidently.
"Oh yeah? What are you normally afraid of?" asked the same, more pessimistic man.
The child thought for a moment, then put a finger to his lips.
"Mmmh... I don't know," he began. "But I'm afraid there won't be any vegetables in my curry! The taste would never be the same again!"
The other man looked at him strangely, then clenched his fists while twisting his mouth, still maintaining his dramatic expression.
"You don't have the same concerns as us, but at least you have your values," he concluded.
The child, embarrassed by the situation, looked down at his feet and blushed. He was proud to be true to his personality in these circumstances. Deep down, he didn't really know what his true fear was, but as long as he was with Rockman he had nothing to fear. The partner approached the child, smiling (with almost all of his teeth).
"You do seem like a brave child who's not afraid of anything-gozarou!" he commented, turning to his friend. "Look at him, Dotarou, he's got an adventurer's look!" he exclaimed, while touching the child's cape.
The other man crossed his arms, making a remark in response. "He reminds me more of that kid who got lost with his brother in the Forest of the Unknown, Press!"
The child blinked several times, scrutinizing the two men. It was the first time since he arrived in this world that he had met people so different from what he was used to. Although they were adults, their primary concern was not his age or the fact that he was alone, but rather his personality and appearance. The child suddenly felt understood, accepted, and appreciated for who he was.
"Press?" repeated Netto, trying to understand if he had missed something.
The blond man quickly stood up, almost embarrassed. "Oh yes! Sorry, we haven't introduced ourselves-gozarou!" He positioned himself between his teammate and the child, placing a hand on his chest to indicate himself. "I am Mister Press! And my friend here is Dotarou-gozarou!"
Dotarou raised his hand in greeting with a more confident smile this time. Netto did the same.
"My name is Netto! Nice to meet you!" he said joyfully.
"We feel the same way-gozarou!" replied Press while raising his hand.
Despite his smile, Netto bit his lower lip and slowly approached, showing a slight irritation.
"Mister Press, why do you say 'gozarou' every time? Are you a ninja?"
The man in question blushed greatly. Before he could even try to formulate a response, Dotarou gave him a pat on the back that almost made him stumble. "He's from Amerope! He learned Japanese by watching anime and dramas, so excuse him if he seems cliché, he's doing his best!" explained Press's teammate. Although he seemed taken aback, Netto nodded to show that he understood.
A voice suddenly echoed from nowhere. "Hey Press!" it exclaimed. Netto immediately recognized the sound effect coming from a PET. Mister Press took out his PET from his pocket and looked at it carefully. "Can I come out now?" he asked.
Press glanced at the child and then back at his PET's screen. "Well, it's just that... I'm not sure if the client is comfortable with Navis," he hesitated.
The child raised his hands in approval. "There's no problem! I love Navis!" he reassured.
Press nodded, raised the arm holding his PET in one direction, and shouted. "Plug in! Dustman, transmission!"
A blue light shot out like a sniper bullet and transformed into a gigantic form. It had an orange head, a green torso, and two long arms, each with a disc that had a point on one end and four points on the other. Dustman had a frightening shape; similar to that of Punk, the Zoanoroid of Yozora City. However, Netto felt safe since he was dealing with a Navi. "Aah, it feels good to be outside!" exclaimed the Navi.
"Yo, Dustman!" greeted Dotarou with a wave.
The Navi returned the gesture and turned to the child.
"So, he's our client for today!" he approached him, so gigantic that he cast a shadow over Netto's small body. "Nice to meet you! Glad to finally see a client who's willing to see me outside! I'm Dustman, the Navi of that wimpy Press!"
Although Netto reached out his hand to Dustman, he didn't move. "Sorry, if I had a hand I would shake yours," he apologized.
The child withdrew his hand, blushing at the awkwardness. Besides that, he found this Navi very friendly and cool. He turned to Dotarou, his face lit up with a friendly smile.
"And you, Dotarou-san, do you also have a Navi?" he asked enthusiastically.
If the atmosphere was initially joyful and friendly, it slowly transformed into a much colder one. Dotarou's face stopped smiling and he looked away. He furrowed his brows as if he were irritated by something.
"Yeah... I had one," he replied before walking away without adding anything else.
Netto slowly opened his mouth, watching Dotarou walk away in silence. The child felt bad, thinking that he had said something he shouldn't have said for the young adult to react that way. Before he could say anything, he felt Press's comforting hand on his shoulder.
"It's better to avoid talking about his Navi. It's quite...a sensitive topic," he explained.
The child nodded, looking at the ground. The words had been taken out of his mouth. He wanted to ask Press what had happened, but he concluded that it was not the time and that he would probably never know.
"Hey!" Dotarou's voice echoed in the distance, waving his arm in the air. "We're not going to stay here all day! We have to go to that mountain!"
The others nodded and hurried to join Dotarou to continue their walk. The imposing Navi of Press approached Netto with a curious smile.
"Tell me kid, do you have a Navi too?"
Netto wasn't surprised, but he forced himself to smile and felt a drop of sweat trickle down his temple as Press looked at him with excitement, curious to see what the child's traveling Navi would look like.
"Well... I have one, but he's not here," he replied, trying to sound natural. "He's not very sociable."
Dotarou continued to walk ahead without looking back and asked, "How will he join you on the other side of the mountain if he's not here with us?"
Netto felt his throat tighten as he tried to come up with an answer. "He's very good at finding me. I'm sure once we're on the other side, we'll be together again," he finally answered.
"That's weird, kid," added the same man. "If your Navi doesn't like people, you could have left him in your PET."
The child looked down. "It's...more complicated than that." He didn't want to talk about the breakdown of his PET and all the complications that had resulted from it. Fortunately, the other three didn't make any further comments and left Netto to his thoughts. The important thing was that he knew his Navi could find him.
The journey to the mountain had not been too long, but Press had asked the young boy strange questions throughout the trip. He had asked where his cape came from, if he was a traveler from afar, or if he was native to the country. Although his speech tic was a bit redundant, Netto had managed to answer his questions without too much difficulty using short and simple responses.
Finally, they arrived near the famous mountain, whose bare surface did not allow for the growth of vegetation. Climbing this mountain required great expertise, and bypassing the mountain range to which it belonged was impossible. Netto was looking for the entrance to the labyrinth when he caught a glimpse of a familiar tail behind a rock. He glanced at the two adults and the other Navi, hoping they hadn't noticed anything. Wanting to warn the creature he had seen, he was cut off.
"Here we are!" exclaimed Dotarou. "It's not going to be easy!"
"If this labyrinth is known to be a real puzzle..." started Dustman, "Why don't we just dig straight through?"
"This is an archaeological site, Dustman-gozarou. A whole part of our history is in there!" replied Press.
Netto then approached the group and asked, "So? Are we going in or not?"
The group turned towards the child and Dotarou closed his eyes as he tried to make a good decision.
"Listen kid, we don't know what we might find inside. Maybe bloodthirsty monsters or even Balrogs!"
"Those don't exist, Dotarou-san..." commented Dustman, looking disappointed.
"That's why, if we have to face all of that, we have to prepare!" Dotarou continued without paying attention to the Navi behind him. "I hope you're ready, Netto-kun."
The child nodded with a determined look and clenched fists. He was ready to do whatever Dotarou would tell him to do.
"I told you, I'm not afraid of anything! What do we need to do to prepare?"
Dotarou began to think while giving his best smile.
"The best preparation we can do would be..." he paused, creating a small suspense. "To eat!"
The three others nearly fell over, and Press looked at his watch a little impatiently. "But it's not time to eat-gozarou!" he announced.
With his fists clenched, Dotarou wasn't intimidated. "So what? We're going to travel through a labyrinth that we know nothing about. We might as well fuel up before we go!"
No one knew what to say, except maybe Netto, who shrugged with a smile and moved closer to the young adult with spiky hair.
"I guess that's a good idea, and I haven't eaten anything this morning!" the child admitted while moving closer to Dotarou.
Dustman let his arms drag on the ground, looking bored, while Press silently approved. Finally, they decided to sit on some rocks with the child sitting on a larger one facing them, each taking food out of their bags for an impromptu picnic. The only Navi inspected the surroundings, watching for any viruses. Netto took out some onigiri he had bought in a village the day before, and everyone ate in their own way. Dotarou hurriedly ate his meal in one go while Press, sitting next to him, looked at him almost judgmentally.
Meanwhile, Netto noticed a strange noise behind him. He turned quickly and saw Rockman crouched behind the rock, waiting for him to give him something. The child's eyes widened when he saw him, almost losing his balance. He looked at the two other men and neither of them had noticed Rockman, and the Navi that was watching the area was too far away to notice anything. Netto tried to ignore him to avoid suspicion, but the wild Navi made too much noise that sounded like moans begging for his attention. He took one of the rice balls and gave it to Rockman, feeling relieved when he took it with both hands.
"By the way, Netto," Dotarou began. The child quickly turned his head towards him, trying to smile as if nothing was wrong. "Where do you want to go after crossing the mountain?"
"I'm going to Namico Town, I have to meet a friend there."
"Oh, he lives there?" Press added between bites of his food.
"Well..." Netto stopped, realizing that he had not thought about how Saito would get to this town. He looked at the entrance of the labyrinth, wondering how he would find him if he got lost. Unless he took another path, but that was impossible because there was only one path to reach this town. He would have liked to answer, but Rockman's whining distracted him again, begging for another onigiri. The Navi was scratching the rock with his two clawed hands, annoying Netto.
"Are you okay, kid?" asked Dotarou, having noticed that Netto was looking elsewhere.
The child looked at his hidden Navi, who was still demanding something. He forced himself to smile once again and grabbed an onigiri that he threw behind him.
"I'm fine, why?"
The two men looked at him in disbelief, having seen the child throw away food as if it were normal. Subsequently, Dustman approached them, ignoring what had just happened.
"There's no sign of a virus, we're safe for now," he announced.
The two men nodded while the Navi turned to the child to listen to his response. It was then that he noticed something strange: a green tail was wagging frantically behind the young boy. Dustman immediately became concerned.
"Kid, be careful! What is that?!" he exclaimed.
Netto turned around to see Rockman's tail standing up behind him. He widened his eyes, opened his mouth to respond but stuttered while searching for his words. Before he could say anything, Rockman suddenly stood up, his helmet poking out of the rock. Dotarou quickly stood up while Press spat out what he had in his mouth.
"What is that?!" Dotarou almost shouted, pointing his finger.
Netto tried to respond, but Rockman suddenly growled and jumped off of the ground to stand in front of the labyrinth entrance, showing his teeth in a threatening manner. Press and Dustman backed away in panic (Press jumping into his Navi's arms) while Dotarou looked at Rockman with anger. He wasn't afraid, but rather...he felt hate.
"A Zoanoroid, huh?" he said with a sarcastic smile.
"I... I don't want to be infected with the Beast Factor!" resonated Dustman, trembling as he held his operator in his arms. Netto quickly placed himself between the two, arms raised, standing with his back to Rockman to face his guides.
"Stop!" shouted Netto, desperate. "Rockman is not a Zoanoroid, he's my Navi!"
Dotarou became even more angry. "If he's really your Navi, why does he have the emblem of Gregar on his head?!" he roared.
Rockman immediately reacted to the name Gregar, roaring like a fierce tiger. Netto tried to calm him down in panic, but it only made the young adult smile.
"Yeah, of course, it's Gregar again! Gregar, you came to get me, right?" he mocked.
"Don't be so dramatic, Dotarou-gozarou..." Press said behind him in a slightly more panicked voice.
Netto focused on Dotarou, lowering his hand and taking on a lighter tone. He glanced at Rockman, making sure he wouldn't attack. "What are you saying, Dotarou-san?" he asked.
Dotarou frowned, his eyes still fixed on the Navi in front of him. "Gregar took Groundman from me! He turned him into that...monster."
Netto heard Rockman growl behind him, sending shivers down his spine. He could understand Dotarou's hostility, but he couldn't let his guard down. He had to protect his Navi. "Rockman isn't Gregar! He had nothing to do with it!" he protested, stepping back and shaking his head. "He protected me against other Zoanoroids and never hurt me!"
As Netto thought, an idea came to his mind. He remembered what Rockman had done to Elecman and Videoman just two days ago. Rockman had the ability to heal Zoanoroids and sometimes even delete them. Was there a reason for that? And if they met Dotarou's Navi…
"Rockman can heal Zoanoroids! I've seen it!" he exclaimed.
"What?" the other three repeated, but Dustman's voice was the loudest.
"It's true! He can heal Navis, he's done it twice on two different Zoanoroids!"
"Wait, are you saying he can save fallen Navis?" Dustman asked, placing his operator on the ground.
"I think so. Rockman has this power..." the child turned to his Navi, his eyes shining with hope. "Isn't that right, Rockman? You can save Navis?"
Rockman immediately squatted to face him, his two hands on the ground. He growled and made a strange gesture against his stomach. Netto sighed, took out his bag and gave him the last onigiri he had, which Rockman eagerly devoured under the amazed eyes of the others.
"What?!" they all exclaimed at the same time.
"A Navi who can eat?!" added Dustman, astonished.
Netto looked at them with some timidity, not realizing that Rockman was now an exceptional case for some reason. "Rockman is...special..."
"So a Zoanoroid can eat-gozarou?"
Netto frowned this time upon hearing that. "I told you he's not a Zoanoroid! He's a Navi!"
Dotarou stepped forward, almost towering over the child who backed away with suspicion while keeping his arms raised.
"If he really is a Navi, are you sure he won't harm us?" he asked in a deep voice.
The child nodded slowly. "I swear, as long as I'm here, he won't do anything."
Dotarou glanced at the Navi who was staring at them with his bloody red eyes.
"If he really isn't a Zoanoroid, I absolutely don't like the look of your Navi. How can a kid own a Navi that takes the form of a Cybeast that terrified more than one generation?" he launched.
Netto lowered his eyes, wishing he could answer that question, but he couldn't say anything without looking suspicious. The heavy silence that followed was broken by Dustman, whose voice betrayed some concern. "So, is he really going to stay with us? Can he at least go back into his PET? I don't really want to travel with a Navi who has a Beast Factor on him..." Press nodded along.
Netto understood their concern, but he had to take a saddened tone to respond.
"I'm sorry... But his PET is broken and I can't control him from there..." he admitted.
"Broken?" exclaimed Dustman. Netto thought he saw the Navi shudder. "How can your PET be broken if your Navi is right there?" he asked, pointing to the softly growling Navi.
Before answering, Netto took his PET out of his bag, wanting to show what he was talking about. "My PET is just broken. It exploded during a battle and since then I can't do anything..." he explained before turning to his Navi, who seemed resigned.
"You should still be careful with your PET. If it's destroyed, the Navi it belongs to will be deleted forever!" warned Dustman.
Netto raised his head abruptly, his eyes wide with horror. The words of the Navi in front of him seemed almost unreal, as if the ground had just slipped from under his feet. He held his PET tightly in his hand, desperately seeking an answer to the situation. Rockman was there, in front of him, but something was wrong. Had the malfunction of his PET affected his Navi's mind?
Seconds passed, slow and endless, while Netto intensely scrutinized Rockman's eyes. Finally, he let out a sigh of relief. "For now...he seems to be okay...and I'm sure he'll get better," he murmured, trying to reassure himself as much as his Navi.
On his side, Dustman did not try to argue any further. He knew that Netto's Navi was here "in good health," at least for the moment. "Well... Then I guess I'll have to go back," he declared finally, turning away from them.
"Eh? But you don't have to do that!" exclaimed Netto, feeling a pang of remorse wash over him. He didn't want Dustman to leave because of Rockman.
But Dustman didn't seem inclined to listen to the human's protests. "Kid, you humans can hang out with people who have contagious diseases, but I don't think you'd stay with those people without protection," he calmly explained.
The orange Navi turned to his operator, who had his PET in his hands, disappearing without a word. Netto lowered his eyes, feeling a bit ashamed. He didn't like the comparison as he didn't see Rockman as someone who was sick, but he couldn't deny that Dustman was right. The child turned to face his Navi, trying to offer him a reassuring smile. Dotarou, still wary of the wild Navi, approached him slowly, causing the Navi to hiss like a cat.
"I don't want to sound mean, but I want your Navi to walk at a certain distance from us," declared Dotarou, looking defiantly at the wild Navi.
Netto opened his mouth to protest, but Mister Press quickly passed by, placing himself in front of him and heading for the entrance, trembling with fear at the thought of approaching the beastly Navi. With hesitation, the child slowly approached Rockman, trying to calm the Navi down.
"Did you hear him? Please, do this for me. Don't worry, they won't hurt me," Netto pleaded softly. The Navi growled in response, and his operator responded with a small smile, trying to reassure him. He stepped back and then followed the others into the cave while Rockman waited for a moment.
Once inside, Press pulled out a flashlight to illuminate the surroundings while Dotarou stood with his arms crossed, examining the walls. "They were speaking gibberish before, weren't they?" he remarked.
"We could think of them as hieroglyphics, like in Netfrica," Press explained, scrutinizing the drawings with care. Netto also looked at the walls filled with strange drawings that had no apparent meaning. They depicted different people, each of them unique. The question was: who were these people? Had they created this labyrinth?
"Well, we're not going to spend the whole day here! Let's go find that exit!" Dotarou exclaimed, eager to get out of the cave. "Come on, kid, let's go!" He headed left and Press, his eyes fixed on his PET, followed closely. Netto cast one last look at the mysterious drawings on the wall before setting off, followed by Rockman far behind them, his footsteps echoing in the underground maze.
As they moved forward, they got lost multiple times, which particularly annoyed the man with drill-shaped hair. Every time they reached a dead end they had to backtrack, sometimes even retracing their steps. It was like a huge puzzle that made Dotarou's brain boil while the man with glasses began to stress out.
Netto, on the other hand, noticed the walls. Although they all looked similar, some characters were drawn bigger, probably to indicate their importance. He then understood that these characters were either humans or Navis, and the big difference between them was the circle on the Navis' chests. This discovery intrigued him even more, especially if it had been made within the last thirty-five years.
As nobody was paying attention, the child noticed a hole in the wall, letting light filter through.
Netto deftly slipped through the narrow passage, his small body easily passing through. He followed the light, moving from room to room. Suddenly, he felt a sensation of being watched, but he saw no one. He turned slowly, scanning the darkness around him, but he was alone. He realized then, with the foolishness of his decision to follow the light, that there was no one else. He was now lost, with no way to go back and find his companions.
The child took a deep breath and regained his confidence. He had to keep going towards the light, no matter what lay ahead. He finally arrived in a large room illuminated by several lamps with four massive pillars supporting the ceiling. He carefully observed every corner of the room, trying to better understand these enigmatic drawings.
It was then that he noticed a strange shape on the wall, which he immediately recognized. The massive form of Duo was depicted on the wall in front of him. Netto quickly approached the wall, placing his hands on it. He examined every detail of the representation, trying to understand why the legendary Navi had been depicted here. He sighed, finding nothing but an indecipherable text below Duo. He noticed that the "description" of the space program had been done in a twisted way, suggesting that the person who had done it was terribly angry.
Netto froze upon hearing a noise behind him, a human voice. He began to step back while holding his breath, trying to see where the noise was coming from. He spotted a young adult with brown hair facing another wall, dressed in a red jacket and a cap on his head. He felt like he knew this person, but couldn't remember where he had seen him before. He quickly noticed what the person seemed to be studying, his eyes widening just as much. The massive forms of the Cybeast Falzar and Gregar were depicted on the wall, their emblems painted on the sides. The child tried to get closer to see them better, but he wasn't paying attention to where he was stepping and hit something metallic that made a loud noise, freezing him in place.
The man turned around, and Netto noticed glasses on his face. He seemed shocked to see him while the child had lost all reaction. Initially speechless, the young man approached, raising his hand to say hello.
"Hey, are you okay? Are you lost?" he asked, trying to reassure the child.
Netto stepped back, curling up on himself. "I was just looking!" he replied timidly.
The adult in front of him stopped and looked at the walls with a fascinated smile. "Oh yeah, I can understand!" he added, gazing at the frescoes depicting the Cybeasts. Netto straightened up but couldn't help but look at the fresco where Duo was located again.
"Tell me, do you know what these drawings represent?" asked Netto, curious. The young man scrutinized him again and slowly approached one of the frescoes. He tried to be as clear as possible in his explanations.
"Well, I think it's about operators and their Navis over the years," he replied, examining another fresco. "Who exactly are they? I have no idea."
Netto blinked while looking at the drawings the man was observing. "What do you mean?" he asked, perplexed.
"Even though this cave was made in recent years, we can't find any witnesses who could explain its origin," explained the man. "We can't find the author or even the artists of these drawings. But we have noticed that they are signed with this emblem." He pointed to a symbol that Netto recognized as a circle cut in half, with half of another circle inside.
The man turned around and moved away from the wall, still looking around the room, and gave Netto a gentle smile.
"But..." He stopped, unable to finish his question. Netto looked at the wall where Duo was and lost himself in thought. None of this made any sense, why was Duo here? Had he ever set foot in this world? Refocusing on the Cybeasts, he tried to find an answer. "The Cybeasts... Why are they here exactly?" he asked again.
The man chuckled and approached the wall where the two beasts were depicted. "There are theories that this cave was created by ancient Cybeast worshipers. Isn't it normal that we depict the gods who once ruled this world?" he replied with a mysterious smile.
Netto watched the man with suspicion as he dangerously approached the Cybeast wall. With a furrowed brow, he listened to the words of the stranger, who seemed to admire the virtual creatures.
"Don't you think the world misses them? Without them, life seems so...empty," he declared, raising his hand to slowly stroke the drawing of Falzar. Netto found the gesture repulsive and stepped back, wary.
The young man turned to him with a smile. "I suppose you want to get out of here, don't you?"
Netto froze, searching for a way out. "I... I'll first find my companions to get out," he replied cautiously.
The man approached even closer, kneeling in front of him and trying to show kindness. "We can always wait for them outside, you don't have to worry about that," he assured. Netto lost the little trust he had given to the man, slowly backing away. But before he could escape, the stranger grabbed his hand, freezing him like a scared animal.
"You see, you're a child, and I only want to protect you," he murmured, bringing Netto's hand closer to his face. The boy struggled to break free, feeling panic rising within him. The man forced his hand against him, breathing in his scent. "Aren't children the future of our world?" he added.
The gesture made Netto's heart race, a suppressed anger rising within him. He quickly pulled his hand away and backed away slowly, realizing that his instincts were justified. He had once again put himself in a dangerous situation.
Dotarou and Press didn't realize that the child who was supposed to be following them had disappeared. They were so preoccupied with complaining about getting lost that they didn't notice the absence of the young boy's soft voice. Suddenly, a bestial growl was heard, plunging them into a panic. Press threw himself into Dotarou's arms. As they turned around, they directed their flashlight behind them and came face to face with Rockman's synthetic red eyes. If they could see the details, they would have noticed that his eyes were slowly distorting.
"T-that's the kid's Navi..." Press reassured, despite the fear on his face.
"Kid, can you tell him to step back, please?" Dotarou asked, keeping his gaze fixed on Rockman, trying to keep his head held high.
"Kid?" the bigger of the two asked one last time. The silence that followed only heightened their concern.
Each of them scanned the surroundings in search of the missing child, but Rockman—also on alert—sniffed the air with fury and growled louder and louder. The two men backed away slowly, seeing the Navi's violent reaction, which seemed ready to threaten them. However, after sniffing one last time, he suddenly turned on his heel and disappeared into the opposite hallway. The two men blinked, surprised by this unexpected reaction.
"Do you think he'll find the kid?" asked Press, a little worried.
Dotarou thought for a moment. "Yeah..." he finally said, taking a deep breath before releasing his teammate and clenching his fist with determination. "And so will we! We can't leave that kid alone! He's our client, after all!"
"Yeah!" exclaimed Press, also raising his fist, ready to follow his friend.
The two friends resumed their walk, following the tracks left by the bestial Navi, but despite their efforts they ended up getting lost once again. They had already taken several different paths and were starting to feel discouraged when their ears were drawn to distant cries. They immediately set out in search of the source of the noise, moving with caution and in silence. Finally, they arrived in a brightly lit room where they discovered Netto with an unknown person.
"Kid!" exclaimed Dotarou upon recognizing the child.
Netto turned around, beaming with joy at the sight of his friends. "Dotarou-san! Mister Press!" he exclaimed.
The relief of finding the child took hold of the two men, but their joy was short-lived when Netto tried to join them and his cape was held back by a force.
"I'm sorry, little one, but I really can't let you go elsewhere," said the voice of the third adult.
As Netto struggled to free himself, Dotarou pointed at the man in question. "Hey, I recognize you! The sort of nerd who always hangs around with the boss!" he said.
"My name is Daisuke!" he replied irritably. "And I received a message from the director to find the child that you must bring. Now, I have to continue the path with him!"
"What? But the boss didn't mention you, gozarou!" Press added just as surprised.
Daisuke put his glasses back on his nose, his smile sinister. "I guess he absolutely doesn't trust you, as if you're capable of bringing a child back from the other side of a maze like this!"
Netto observed his two companions. Press looked at the ground with sadness, broken by what he had just heard, while Dotarou clenched his fists with anger and frustration. Daisuke brought Netto back with the cape he still held. "Come on, little one, let's get out of here!"
The child frowned and turned back, retreating while looking at him with contempt. "No. I started my path with them, and it's with them that I'll get out of this mountain!" he declared firmly.
Daisuke grunted, then produced a strange device in his hand and pressed it, causing a deafening explosion and an earthquake. The three companions looked at each other, frightened, as a cloud of dust and debris filled the space. When the dust settled, they realized that their only way out was now blocked by a pile of rocks.
Dotarou shouted in anger, pointing at Daisuke. "What did you do?! You just condemned us!"
Daisuke shrugged, an ironic smile on his lips. "Not really. I have a way out of here, but I'm not sure you can come with me."
He paused, fixing the group with a calculating gaze. Then he approached the child, who was looking at him threateningly.
"I can blow up this mountain," he said, pointing the device towards the rocks, "or I can take the kid to get him out and leave you to find a way out yourselves."
Press trembled against Dotarou, terrified by the situation. Dotarou, on the other hand, raised his fist towards Daisuke, furious with his attitude.
"That's just disgusting what you're doing!" he exclaimed.
Daisuke shrugged, showing no sign of remorse. "I know what I'm doing, and nothing will stop me from achieving my goal."
Netto clenched his fists, annoyed by Daisuke's arrogant attitude. He approached him, determined to confront him, exasperated. "You really have a problem being so obsessed with me..." He widened his eyes when he realized something that made him react immediately. "You're a member of a sect, aren't you?!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Daisuke.
The latter widened his eyes, then began to laugh softly as if he had been caught red-handed. He lowered his head, sighing. "You're a kid who seems smarter than children your age," he said, taking out an amulet from the pocket of his sweatshirt. He held it out to Netto, who could see the symbol of a cybeast. "I'm a soldier of Falzar."
If Netto wanted to add something, Dotarou approached the child, anger taking over him. "Member of a sect?! When everyone finds out, you're going to be in the worst possible trouble!"
Daisuke laughed again. "Only if you get out of here!" he retorted with a mocking smile.
"Why are you kidnapping children?" asked Netto, keeping his cool while remaining on his guard. "What do you want from us?!"
"If you came with me, maybe you would have your answer."
Netto categorically refused to follow him, which caused Daisuke to put his hand on his hip and take out a PET. "In that case, you leave me no choice," he said, pointing his PET in front of him. "Plug-in, Quickman, transmission!" A red beam shot out of the PET, creating a blinding light that quickly moved to grab the child and appear next to Daisuke. Dotarou and Press could see a red-orange Navi with a yellow boomerang on its head, holding the child firmly despite his desperate attempts to struggle.
"Let me go!" yelled Netto.
Daisuke smiled smugly. "Well, I see our work here is done," he said, turning to the other two. "Gentlemen, I hope you make it in time!"
But before the Navi and operator could take a step, a loud noise was heard. Rocks shattered, revealing another creature on all fours. "Rockman!" exclaimed Netto, happy to see him.
Daisuke tensed up at the sight of him and Netto felt the Navi holding him had also reacted, unlike the two other adults who were strangely pleased to see him.
"What kind of soldier of Gregar is this?!" exclaimed Daisuke, visibly thrown off by the arrival of the wild Navi.
Without answering, Rockman rushed at Quickman who still held the child and, once attacked, he let him fall on his butt. The beastly Navi did not continue his attacks, instead remaining in front of Netto threateningly. Daisuke gritted his teeth and then smiled at him.
"I see... After all, it's a long-standing rivalry..." he commented, looking at Netto's Navi. He turned to Quickman with a wide smile, "Quickman, it's time for you to Beast out too!"
The "Navi" smiled and his teeth became sharper. His body transformed, releasing a pair of wings and more clawed hands and feet, but his color remained the same. The three friends widened their eyes as they watched the scene before them. Netto had not noticed the mark of the Navi, which was the emblem of the Cybeast Falzar.
Dotarou approached Daisuke, pointing his finger at Quickman. "Wait! How is it possible that your Navi can be a Zoanoroid?"
Daisuke replied with an imperturbable expression. "Because we chose it. I willingly joined the Falzar clan with Quickman, so it was obvious that he had to receive the Beast factor."
"You have to be a complete idiot to willingly join a sect!"
Daisuke grunted and raised his hand forward, signaling to Quickman. "Retrieve the kid!"
The Zoanoroid nodded and rushed towards Netto, but he was quickly stopped by Rockman, who held him back by his helmet. Despite Quickman's strong momentum, Rockman managed to push him back with force, hurling him against the wall. The red-orange Navi immediately came back at him, but Rockman stood ready to face him. Behind him, Netto felt Dotarou's hand on his shoulder. "Come on, kid, let's get out of here!"
Netto hurried to follow him, casting a last glance at the ongoing battle. His eyes trembled with emotion as he turned to join Dotarou and Press, hearing Daisuke's determined steps approaching them.
"No, you stay here!"
As he thought he was getting closer to the child, Daisuke felt the ground tremble. Everyone froze, including the Navis who were still fighting. Rocks and dust fell from the ceiling. Suddenly, a drilling noise filled the room and Netto jumped to the side as the wall broke into a thousand pieces. A strange vehicle had appeared, destroying everything in its path. But the child did not expect the drill to have a face.
"Groundman?!" exclaimed Dotarou, who was standing behind the child.
The so-called Navi, or rather the Zoanoroid with the emblem of Gregar, looked around before setting his eyes on the Navis who were looking at him with anger. His gaze then fell on Netto, who was still on the ground.
"I knew that following a strong scent of Beast Factor would lead me to a wonderful treasure," he said mockingly.
Without saying another word, the Zoanoroid rolled towards Netto. Behind him, the two other Navis also rushed towards him, trying to grab the child. But before they could do anything, Netto was propelled forward by a loud impact. When he opened his eyes, he noticed that Dotarou was standing above him, his eyes tight and forcing a smile.
"You okay, kiddo?"
Netto looked around, frozen, and saw a trace of blood on Dotarou's shoulder. Groundman, Dotarou's Navi, turned around and grinned widely upon seeing his operator.
"Oh! Look who's here! The one who can't even hold his drill properly!" he mocked.
Dotarou stood up to face his Navi. His face looked sad but determined.
"Groundman, are you still asleep? We have to dig to the depths of the earth! That was our goal!" he tried to reason with his Navi.
But Groundman maintained the same expression of madness. The words seemed to have no impact on him.
"Unless you side with our master Gregar, I have no interest in you!" he shouted, before charging at Dotarou again.
The panicked screams of Netto and Press filled the air, horrified witnesses to the scene unfolding before their eyes. But a buster shot rang out, slowing down the Navi-drill. Rockman had charged at Groundman with a quick attack to stop him from advancing.
Behind them, Daisuke and Quickman watched in disbelief as two soldiers of Gregar clashed. Taking advantage of the situation, the operator called his Navi. "Take care of the child!"
The red-orange Navi nodded and rushed towards the young boy. Unaware of Rockman's keen ear, the wild Navi had abandoned the Zoanoroid to attack the second Navi. Unfortunately, Quickman was much too fast for the other beastly Navi. Rockman had a hard time hitting him. On the other side, Groundman screamed, ready to attack as well.
Press, who watched the scene with concern, was interrupted by a familiar beep. A voice came through the speakers of his PET. "Press, get me out of here! I'll take care of Groundman!" Dustman shouted with unwavering determination.
Press grabbed his PET in panic and looked at the screen anxiously, shaking his head from side to side. "What? No! If I let you out, you'll be infected by the Beast Factor!"
Dustman did not let himself be discouraged and retorted forcefully, "It's better for me to be infected trying to save you than to do nothing at all! I'll take care of Groundman, and you all get out of here!"
Press forced himself to close his eyes, lowered the PET as he heard the bestial sounds of Rockman intensifying. He faced Quickman while protecting Netto from Groundman's attacks, who was trying to grab him. The Navi weakened and would end up at the mercy of the two Zoanoroids.
"Do it, Press!"
Press closed his eyes and bit his lip. He trembled as he raised his arms, then aimed the PET forward to release the big orange and green Navi. He watched him go with apprehension towards Groundman, stopping him with his arms.
"Hey, buddy!" he sarcastically greeted.
But Groundman did not respond, he was too blinded by the violence of the fight.
Press approached the huge hole that Groundman had created earlier. He gestured with his hand to call the two other humans who were now free. Dotarou immediately understood and signaled for the child to follow him. Netto, on the other hand, could not take his eyes off Rockman, who was being beaten up by Quickman.
"Where do you think you're going?!" It was Daisuke who ran towards them, wanting to catch the child. But Dotarou intervened and grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.
"What do you think you're doing?!" he roared as he pulled Daisuke's arm forward and without waiting for a response, he delivered a powerful punch to the man's face, shattering his glasses into a thousand pieces. "I can beat up pedophiles like you every day!"
As soon as Daisuke got up, he was immediately struck in the face by a powerful punch that sent him to the ground, his nose starting to bleed profusely. Netto, not really understanding Dotarou's words, was extremely worried about Rockman. Quickman, on the other hand, seemed to weaken the child's Navi in no time thanks to his exceptional speed. The red-orange Zoanoroid dodged Rockman's attacks with disconcerting ease and constantly injured him in the back with his boomerang. For Netto, it was incredible to see the wild Navi in his usual form have so much trouble defeating a simple Zoanoroid.
The young boy felt powerless. Without his PET, he couldn't do anything to help his endangered Navi.
On the other side, Dustman was defeated and lying on the ground, overpowered by Groundman's phenomenal strength. Press almost cried out in despair when one of Groundman's drills headed towards the orange body of the endangered Navi.
"We'll see if you'll become a Zoanoroid before we delete you!" Groundman jeered at Dustman, satisfied with his success.
"Groundman, stop!" Dotarou desperately tried to stop his Navi, but he didn't seem to hear.
Rockman, struggling to stay conscious, turned his head towards Groundman. He narrowly avoided another boomerang from Quickman and launched himself at the other Zoanoroid. Groundman tried to fight back but was caught off guard as Rockman grabbed his emblem near the wheels. A bright light burst from the emblem, passing through the arm of the wild Navi and was gradually absorbed by him.
Everyone around them was stunned, including Dotarou, who ran towards them in desperation to save his Navi from this "attack". Rockman turned away from Groundman once the light was absorbed, his head bowed and Gregar's emblem shone on his helmet. Dotarou fell to his knees as he reached Groundman, who looked exhausted.
"Groundman!" he exclaimed.
The Navi opened his eyes and no longer had the wild and insane look on his face. He looked at his operator with fear but also with relief.
"Dotarou... I..." Groundman began, but couldn't find the words.
Dotarou's eyes widened as he realized the change in his Navi. He didn't expect him to return to normal. Netto had approached, his eyes fixed on Groundman's emblem. He had returned to his normal state.
"I told you that Rockman could heal him," Netto said, smiling.
Dotarou looked up at the Navi in question, but Rockman hadn't turned around. He was facing Quickman who was terrified at what he had just done. He tried to strike Rockman with his boomerang, but the latter caught it with one hand, avoiding the attack. He then teleported behind Quickman, striking him with his boomerang and cutting off his right arm.
Quickman screamed in pain as Rockman used his claws to deliver an uppercut to his back, causing a part of his wing to die. With incredible speed, the wild Navi then struck the Zoanoroid's face, forcing him to spit out new data. The Falzar soldier was now at the mercy of Rockman. Without anything else he could do, Quickman felt his emblem being grabbed by Rockman. He widened his eyes with fear, waiting to be absorbed himself... But Rockman ripped the emblem from his body, turning the Zoanoroid into a rain of data.
The other humans were shocked. Netto felt devastated, wishing that Rockman could have saved the Navi instead of erasing him. Daisuke's eyes were troubled, his hatred growing, and with a teeth-grinding expression, he pulled out a new switch and pressed it. The ground began to shake violently, lifting the surrounding dust and debris. The tremors intensified, creating cracks in the ground.
"What's happening?!" shouted Dotarou, his voice muffled by the shaking.
Press moved closer to his Navi, allowing him to enter his PET as he looked around in distress. Netto turned to Daisuke, who had a smug smile on his face.
"I've activated the bombs! We're all going to die buried under this mountain!" yelled Daisuke, almost laughing in his madness.
Dotarou almost stood up to attack the young man with the cap, but was stopped by the sudden reaction of Groundman. The latter fully raised his body to the great surprise of his operator.
"I… I can get you out of here!" he said, struggling to stand up despite the violent shaking.
Dotarou turned around, shocked by what he was hearing. Groundman said nothing more and moved towards a wall, supporting the shaking ground in all directions.
"I'll dig a passage! Climb on me!" he shouted, starting up his drills.
Press approached and held on behind him. Dotarou, on the other hand, faced Daisuke. Although his gaze reflected his disgust for the man, Dotarou picked him up like a sack of potatoes as Daisuke struggled.
"Hurry up, kid, we don't have much time!" Dotarou yelled to the child.
Netto gasped and first looked for Rockman before being lifted up by the beastly Navi. The Navi ran towards Groundman, not climbing on the latter's back but following closely behind him. The little boy was held tightly against his Navi's chest, feeling his reassuring warmth and strength. After what seemed like thirty seconds, the two Navis reached the outside, soaring high in the air and landing on a grassy area. The two Navis breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they had escaped a deadly danger. The mountain still trembled several times, causing a few dangerous rocks to fall, but the Navis had managed to move far enough away to avoid any danger.
Dotarou got off Groundman, still carrying Daisuke on his shoulder, while Press followed him, observing the scene. The burly man patted his Navi proudly. "Thanks, Groundman. You can rest for now," he said, raising his PET so the Navi could enter it. He disappeared inside the PET without protest. Dotarou looked at his device with a smile. "Welcome home."
"What do you plan to do with me?!" growled Daisuke from his back.
Dotarou looked at him with a mischievous smile. "We're going to take you to the police station. You'll know what it's like to be behind bars!"
"That's not going to stop us!" the young man on his shoulder retorted.
"Sure thing..."
Press approached him and made faces, showing that he had lost anyway. Dotarou then turned to Netto, who was standing next to his Navi.
"Hey, you there! The weird Zoa… Navi!" Dotarou exclaimed, pointing his finger at Rockman. The child trembled, not knowing what to expect. "Thank you...for what you did!" A smile lit up his face and he turned to move forward, followed closely by Press. "Now let's go to Namico Town. We'll part ways there once this criminal is in good hands!"
Netto, on the other hand, displayed a radiant smile as he nodded several times. He turned to Rockman and looked at him with pride, even revealing a slight blush on his cheeks.
"That was really cool what you did, Rockman!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.
Rockman didn't say anything, but his expression spoke volumes about his feelings. He raised his hand towards the child, who giggled nervously in return. Then, closing his eyes, he felt a hand gently touching his head, softly caressing his hair.
Netto opened his eyes tenderly, realizing what was happening. His mouth opened slightly and his cheeks became even redder. He calmed down by smiling shyly, happy that his Navi was making a friendly gesture towards him. For so long, he had dreamed of sharing moments like this with Rockman. He gently took his Navi's hand and brought it close to his cheek. Although Rockman's body tensed up at his touch, Netto didn't let go. He was finally touching Rockman, despite his Navi's disapproving growls.
Rockman eventually withdrew his hand quickly and moved away by jumping on a tree as he usually does. The child watched him go with the same smile, but the cries of Dotarou and Press called him again, urging him to join them if he wanted to reach Namico Town before nightfall. Netto nodded in agreement, casting one last look at where Rockman was, but he had already disappeared. Blinking his eyes, Netto shrugged and set off to join his two new friends, leaving behind the memory of his little moment with Rockman. Although brief, this moment would remain etched in his memory for a long time.
To be Continued…
AN: Heyaaaa, I'm glad you just finished! Dotarou and Mr Press are really underrated right ? This is how I would imagine a story with them, they are perfect for that, in the anime they tried to make something with them but it's like... Eh ? It's touching but they just feel useless or comic relief, I tried to use them less then Comic relief. I hope you will get the reference they are sharing. Also yes, Quickman in the anime is a Zoanoroid from Gregar, here I changed it for an obvious reason and because it fitted him more.
I opened a discord server for fanfic (mostly this one) and artwork, if you want to be a part of it, just send a DM!