With the dawn of the day, a part of the Digidestined started to mobilize to keep track on the Emperor's base. T.K and Killua rode Pegasusmon's back, while Cody decided to go on water with Submarimon.
The boys and their partners had scowls on their faces as they continued their course to find Ken. Their minds plagued by the information they learned the day before. The truth behind The Emperor's endgame, his final plan.
After their scouting yesterday, the boys returned with their leader and the girls and met Mystimon. The latter took them to his hiding place. It wasn't anything fancy, just a cave with a few illusory spells that kept it hidden from the Emperor's sensors. That's when Mystimon revealed what he knew to the ground...
"He's trying to what?!" Davis asked, shooting up the table with an expression of fury.
Mystimon closed his eyes as he recalled the information. "To create a new Digimon. A Digimon formed through the data of many others, an amalgamation, a chimera."
Killua's teeth grinded together at the name. Bad memories resurging over the events that he went through just a few months ago in his own world. "Of all the things..." He growled. "Now he's playing to be God."
"It's unforgivable," Cody said. "We can't let him do this! He can't just mess with lifes as he pleases."
"We still have to wait until tomorrow," T.K said. "It's late already and it won't do us any good to stay up late."
"From what we saw, the base was heading to the ocean," Kari said. "If its course is set, then we know where to look at it."
Killua nodded and then turned to Mystimon. "Where did you learn all of this anyway?" He asked. "Knowing Ken, he's kept this secret under lock and key."
"It's quite the confusion for me too..." Mystimon said getting up. "You see, while my barriers are effective, they're not a perfect. Digimon with great intuition could see through the illusion and enter if I'm not careful. And one day, a Digimon was here when I arrived after my scoutings."
The group was listening intently to what Mystimon had to say. Wanting to solve the mystery of who the informat is.
"He wasn't a Digimon I've met before," Mystimon explained. "Nor here, or in File Island. He was like an... Albino sabertooth tiger, white with black stripes, standing in all fours, and blue armor covering his head, legs and torso. He called himself SaberToramon, he said he used to be a prisoner of the Emperor, on a cell on his own base."
Killua stopped for a second at the description Mystimon gave about the informant. White fur, armor... All of those reminded him of a certain someone. 'Could it actually be him?'
Oblivious to the boy's growing suspicion, Mystimon continued. "He told me that when he broke out, he stumbled upon a room with a Digimon he'd never seen before. A Digimon with the characteristics of many others."
"Where is he now?" Killua asked. "If he's still around we can ask him more."
Mystimon shook his head. "I don't know... He said he didn't have time to dwell on it because of his escape, and the next morning he was already gone."
"Was he a ghost or something?" V-Mon tilted his head.
"Don't be ridiculous buddy, ghost ain't real... Right?" Davis asked. With all the craziness that it's their lives, one could never be too sure.
"Excluding the Bakemon, I don't think so..." Killua explained, while frowning. 'How could it be him? The descriptions don't match... Unless is an evolved form or a previous form. Still why tell this to Mystimon? What do you plan by ratting your boss out... Blademon?'
Killua sighed and shook his head. His thoughts on the sword-wielding Digimon momentarily forgotten.
"You know? I think Davis is going to be mad he didn't get to join us," Submarimon said, moving his eyes to look at Cody on his cockpit. "He's always going on about bashing Ken around."
"Why didn't we wake him so he could join us?" Pegasusmon asked.
"Somebody had to stay behind for the moment," T.K said. "Better to let them rest a bit more before we go for the full assault. And sadly, V-Mon doesn't have an evolution that can keep up with the base once where in the water. Raidramon is fast and all, but in water... I don't think so."
"We're still going to hear a lot of complaining when we get back," Killua said with a small smile. Said smile immediately vanished as he looked ahead. "We got a trail."
Ahead of them, passing some mountains and entering the ocean, was a long trail of Control Towers, all lined up on a perfect line.
The group frowned and picked up the pace. They finally had something to find the base and know where it was going. Now it was a matter of time.
Back in the forest, where the rest of the group was, Kari's D-Terminal beeped as she received a message from T.K giving his location and the trail they've found. "They found a trail full of Control Towers... The place where the base is going." Kari told the others.
"Let me see," Yolei said, peering over the terminal along with the Digimon around them.
Davis for his part stood apart, pouting and sulking at the fact that all the boys left without him. "Couldn't they've wait for another five minutes?"
V-Mon chewed on a piece of meat and pat his partner back. "Don't feel bad, Davith, we'll have our chance!"
On his base, the Emperor was enjoying breakfast while monitoring the movement of his ship. They were getting closer and closer to his target and he was just dying to arrive there.
Wormmon entered with some old news for him. "Ken... Apparently they are here..." He informed a bit hesitantly.
"Yeah, I know... Let them be for now. With my new toy, they won't stand any chance," He said taking a sip from his tea.
Back in the real world, the camping boys just received notification of their successors and the Emperor's next movement.
"Why is he going for the ocean?" Tai wondered. "Think he got a nag for fishing?"
"No time for jokes man," Matt said, frowning at the screen. "Whatever the brat is planning is bad."
Izzy just tried to find anything interesting on the zone where the Emperor was heading, but couldn't find anything of interest there. It was just the giant ocean that covered the Digital World, nothing else.
"Hey!" Hiroaki's voice called them out. "You better start helping out or we're turning around!"
Cringing the voice sighed and did their less, but safer, part of the whole charade.
Deciding to take on some action and go back their friends up, the rest of the Digidestined evolved their partners into their flying forms to take them over to where they were heading.
Sadly, Davis was an exception as he and Raidramon reached the shore. "Wait, Kari, Yolei!" He called out, Mystimon behind him on his partner's back. "Ah, dagnabit!"
"Don't worry, I got it cover," Mystimon said with a smile before he started floating and landed on one of the islands. He pushed the only palm tree on the small island, and to Raidramon's and Davis astonishment the island started moving forward. "Get on one you two!" He advised.
The partners looked at each other and shrugged. "Hey, I'm videogames you always listen to the wise mage," Davis said.
Raidramon hopped into one island and used his head to push the tree and just like with Mystimon, the tree started moving forward. "I wonder how they're doing this..." Davis mumbled.
"It's working though, we shouldn't complain much," Raidramon answered with a grin.
Up ahead, Pegasusmon looked around to try and catch a speak of the ship. He sighed in frustration and shook his head. "I don't see anything."
"Don't worry, we'll find it soon," T.K reassured, petting the side of his mane.
Killua looked down at the water with a frown. "Hope Cody is having better luck than us..."
On the water below, Cody had placed his D-Terminal right in front of him to check on the messages he receives from his friends. The device beeped and he pressed the keys to see. "What are they saying?" Submarimon's voice echoed in the small space of the cockpit.
"Just asking if we're having any luck..." Cody mumbled, typing down. "We haven't actually found anything so we... should..." He trailed off as he lifted his eyes to see a big rock in front of him. "What is that? ... Submarimon are you seeing this?"
"Seeing? Yes. Believing it? Not so much," Submarimon commented looking at the giant structure in front of him. "The sneaky bastard."
The structure in front of them was deep in the ocean. That was the reason why they couldn't found his track on the air. The Emperor had decided to move under the water. But why? Does he know they were following? Does he know they were nearby? Then so, why has he not attacked them. That was usually his modus operandi.
"Okay then Cody, we found the base, what now boss?" Submarimon asked as he tried to keep his distance from the building.
"First let me tell T.K and Killua," He said, typing on the D-Terminal. His eyes shifted between the base and the device, and his eyes landed specifically on a hole on the side. The eyes of the boy's widened as an idea came to his mind. "Hmmm..."
"'The base is underwater, I'm going to enter through a cavern on its side,'" T.K read out loud for his companions to hear. "That's what he said."
Killua sighed and shook his head. "I'm both in favor and against the idea. He can do some scouting and guide us around... But it is the enemy base, it could be really dangerous."
"I'll tell him to not take any risks," T.K said, typing on the terminal.
Below them, a whirlpool started to form out of nowhere on the water. Pegasusmon's eyes widened and he turned to the two passengers on his back. "Guys, look at that!"
The two boys looked down to see the strange phenomenon forming in front of their eyes. It was the biggest whirlpool they've ever had, it looked like it could swallow a whole group of Whamon's and have space for even bigger Digimon. The depths of this natural anomaly seemed to reach no end. All that it could be seen was a darkness that threatened to devour everything around it.
Killua looked at the abyss and the abyss looked back. He felt a shiver ran down his spine, as if a chilly wind passed through his body. All coming out of the ocean.
'Ocean... It's like that place where Kari was dragged...' Was this some sort of connection to that strange world? Or something else entirely.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at T.K's blue eyes, filled with concern. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked. "You kind spaced out."
Did he not felt that? "Yeah just... Wondering what this thing is doing here..." He answered as he looked down again at the whirlpool. The feeling was still there and Killua just wished he still had his typical turtleneck shirt with him.
Whatever was down there, only meant bad news on Killua's book. His eyes widened as he realized something. 'Ken is looking for something down there? And what?!' He narrowed his eyes. 'What are you doing, you maniac?'
The Emperor hummed and smiled as the screen showed the location of what he's been looking for after several days of travel across the ocean. "It finally appeared."
"And... What is that, Ken?" Wormmon asked, his small body trembling as he felt some sort of shift in the environment.
The Emperor chuckled and observed the image of the whirlpool on the screen. "From what I could gather is an entrance to a source of dark energy. There must be data of powerful Digimon down there that I can use. I will gather them and my new Digimon will be ready."
Wormmon stared at the screen, at the image of the whirlpool. His small frame shaking like a leaf in the wind as he could just feel something wrong with that strange phenomenon. "K-Ken... You shouldn't do it." He said.
The Emperor turned on his chair to look at him. His expression unreasonable, but deep inside he was already starting to feel annoyed by the bug's interference. "And why are you suggesting this, Wormmon?"
"I don't know how to describe it... It's just... It's just..." His eyes trailed off to the image. The dark depths of the whirlpool seemed to grow each time his looked at them.
And for a moment, he swore he heard a cruel, cold laughter deep below the abyss.
"It's something bad!" Wormmon blurted our. "I think there's something laying down there, complete evil!"
The Emperor shook his head and chuckled while getting up. "You stupid, cowardly wormn. That's exactly what I'm looking for," He said, walking out of his throne room.
"You can't go, Ken!" Wormmon begged, latching to his leg in a vain attempt to stop him.
The Emperor did stopped, but only to glare at him with rage. "YOU DON'T BOSS ME AROUND!" He delivered a kick that sent the small Digimon flying across the room.
Wormmon whimpered as he stood alone on the room. The Emperor preparing for his new mission.
"A whirlpool?" Nefertimon asked her partner.
Kari nodded as she looked at her D-Terminal. "That's what T.K and Killua said they've found. And apparently the Emperor is heading there."
Yolei frowned. "And Cody of all people is now inside the base," She mumbled. "Hope he doesn't get hurt."
"If they're already inside, then they might not know about it," FlyBeemon said, referring to the whirlpool.
"We have to tell him. Whatever Ken wants from that place can't be good," Kari said, typing the message to the boys.
The D-Terminal beeped and T.K read the message out loud. "'We have to tell Cody about the whirlpool,'" He sighed and typed back. "We already tried, he's out of reach."
"Well there has to be a way to reach him, or for us to enter..." Killua dared to look down at the dark swirling formation below them with dread. "If... If Ken is going in there, to inspect this thing, then his base will be visible for us to enter. Maybe by the same entrance as Cody."
"Whatever the case, I say we do it fast... Before things get even worse," Pegasusmon said with a shiver.
"Yeah, and.. Guys," He turned to look at his leader. "Why are you feeling so... Tense now?"
"You mean you can't feel it?" Killua asked, rubbing his arms together absentmindedly.
"Feel it?" T.K asked.
"In the whirlpool... There's something... I don't know..." Pegasusmon said, looking unnerved at the sight of the distortion in the water.
T.K looked down at the whirlpool to see what his friends were talking about. Immediately, he felt like something went through his body and the hairs on all his body shot upward, like he was in the middle of a blizzard all of the sudden. "I-I feel it! What's down there?" He murmured.
"Something bad... Something I think Ken shouldn't be messing with," Killua said, clenching his fist as his frown deepened.
Having successfully infiltrate the base, Cody and Armadillomon moved around its hallways in the hopes off finding a new form of entrance where their friends could enter from.
As they climbed along a large corridor of stairs, Armadillomon suddenly stopped as he stared at a window that overlooked a really large room below. "Cody, you might wanna see this."
The boy stopped and turned around to stand next to his partner and observed the room. It had a giant technological pillar in the middle of it, with various bridges connected to it. Lights twinkling all around while making whirring sounds.
"This must be the engine room," Cody said. Something so big explained how the base could swam beneat the water or float in the sky.
"Want me to enter and wreck some things?" Armadillomon said, before a shiver ran down his spine and he started to run his arms together.
"No, not now. We need to find a way for the others to enter," Cody said, looking ready to continue the scouting.
"Okay... Cody, is there any air conditioner in here?" Armadillomon asked as he continued to rub his arms.
Cody quirked an eyebrow at him and looked around. "Ummm, no I don't think so... Why?" He asked.
"That's weird... Then why am I feeling so damn cold?" He asked while continuing to rub his arms together in attempts of warming up.
In front of the base, one of the walls lowered to reveal a team of Mechanorimon on the ready, all of them sporting a Dark Spiral on their arms.
From the bridge of the colossal fortress, the Emperor observed as they got closer and closer to his objective. Wormmon at his side continuing to plead for him to see reason. "Ken, please, you don't need anymore data. Your new Digimon is okay, you can use it. Don't do this, you might not be able to regret it later. Please listen to me."
The Emperor almost wanted to scoff. Listen to him? To the insignificant worm? He had no need. He knows what he's doing, he is a genius. No one should be allowed to tell him what to do. And once he gathers the last bits of data he needs he will prove the worm wrong, and he will crush the Digidestined in one simple swoop.
"Begin." His command was short and to the point. The base started moving and the metallic Digimon were ready.
Killua watched as the base started moving beneath the waves of the water. "He is going strong to the whirlpool."
"Dang it," T.K swore under his breath. "I hope Cody is okay."
"This is our chance..." Killua said. "When the base enters the whirlpool, we'll have a way to get close to the base and find a way in."
Both partners of Hope nodded and waited patiently, while also worrying about their youngest member's safety inside the enemy base.
"Did ya felt that?" Armadillomon asked as they entered a new room. "I think this place is moving."
"Quiet," Cody said, making a shushing motion with his hands as they entered a new hallway. As they walked, Cody's eyes widened in horror as he saw cages lined up on the hallway. Inside of them, were completely dejected Digimon. "This is... The Emperor's prison."
"Then what should we do now?" Armadillomon said. "We haven't found a way to get the others in."
"They come first, Armadillomon," Cody said referring to the prisoners. "Pteramon is too big... Think as Submarimon you can use your harpoon to open the cells?" He asked.
"I can try," Armadillomon said with a shrug, before going back to rubbing his arms together in cold.
"Okay Digimental..." Cody interrupted himself as he looked up and saw the image of the whirlpool on a screen. "What is that?"
At the sight of the whirlpool, Armadillomon's shivers came back with a vengeance and he started to rub himself to regain some warm, each time they got closer and closer the cold on his back just felt worse and worse.
Davis sat cross-legged on the small island him and V-Mon were using to transport themselves to where the rest of the team was. Completely bored out of his mind. "Can this things get faster?!" He moaned and fell on his back.
"I... Don't... Think... So!" V-Mon said, trying to push the palm tree even further to see if it could do as his partner asked.
Mystimon, from his own island, chuckled at the two and started to float to their mass of land. "Would you let me try?" He asked.
"Sure go ahead," Davis mumbled, pouting at their lack of speed and/or wings.
Mystimon stood in the opposite end of the island and shot his hands forward. This time glowing a green color. Suddenly his hands released a shot of wind that caused the island to sped forward.
Davis and V-Mon yelped and almost went overboard at the sudden burst of speed. Before they started whooping in joy. "Oh yeah, now this is what I'm talking about!" The boy said.
With renewed vigor, they were now sure they would reach the others soon enough.
The base of the Emperor broke through the swirling wall of water surrounding the center of the whirlpool. The group observing the base's full appearance for the first time, could only gap in slight awe at its size. "That thing is huge," Pegasusmon commented.
"Now we have to descend and find the cavern in which Cody entered," T.K said. "Let's hope we don't get detected by the Emperor."
Pegasusmon started to fly down to inspect the surroundings of the base to find the opening. Meanwhile T.K and Killua both looked around the interior of the whirlpool, trying to find the source of this discomfiting feeling they've been having ever since they looked at the distortion.
Out of the blue, from the walls of water around them what seemed to be spirits came out. Swirling around the group, before merging inside of the walls again.
"Now we're dealing with freaking ghosts?!" Killua asked as the shivering got worse.
"How can this be even possible?" T.K asked, cowering a bit as the specters flew around.
"No... Those are more like manifestation of the negative energy of the whirlpool..." Pegasusmon said. "What truly worries me it's what is down below. On that abyss..."
Both boys looked down at the eternal darkness that seemed to be below them. The shadows stretching far and wide and apparently trying to crept out of the depths of the water. It was almost... Mesmerizing.
"Don't look at it!" Pegasusmon warned. "Or you might fall..." He said.
Killua shook his head to get rid of the feeling. "Right, right... There's the cavern," He said pointing to a hole on the side of the base.
He couldn't help but be marveled at the pit of pure darkness below him. It was so alluring that he almost wanted to jump down and see what was in the button. If it contained the power he was looking for, then what else could it be hiding?
"Ken... Are you okay?" Wormmon's voice snapped him out of that trance.
He shook his head. "Yeah, yeah... Deploying the Mechanorimon, now," He ordered.
A group of the three mechanic Digimon jumped down to the abyss to find the data their master was asking for. However they didn't managed to made it that far. Almost immediately after jumping off, their systems all started crashing and they plumped to the darkness below.
"What's happening?!" The Emperor asked as he observed the scene before him. "Respond! What's the status?!" He asked, but received no answer.
Wormmon shivered. "I knew this was a bad idea..."
The Emperor gritted his teeth and turned around. "Useless. The lot of them! I'll deal with this on my own!" He said getting out before Wormmon could protest.
It was a bit difficult, but Submarimon has started to use his harpoon to bring down the prison bars on the cells holding the Digimon. He had to crawl himself around, but that was better than being Pteramon and bring down the entire building on their heads.
Cody observed the Digimon with no small amount of sympathy. His anger for the Emperor's actions growing as he observed their relieved expressions at finally being free after how many months. Who knows how long has the Emperor kept them locked like animals.
"Cody!" The voices broke him out of his thoughts. He turned to see his friends arriving on the area, Pegasusmon having reversed back to Patamon.
"Hey guys," He greeted and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry I didn't actually found another entrance it's just... This Digimon were all locked here and..."
"It's okay," Killua said, smiling at the boy. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to help. Need some help?" He said, stretching his fingers.
"Don't worry pal," Submarimon said, blasting another set of bars. "I got it cover!"
The boy nodded and noticed T.K staring at one of the screens. This time the image showed the interior of the whirlpool instead of an overview of it. "That Emperor what is he planning?" He muttered narrowing his eyes.
Killua stared at the screen. Just remembering the sensation was enough to send shivers to his spine. Killua was no stranger to terrifying sensations—Illumi, Hisoka, Pitou, The Spiders—But something in that pool of darkness simply gave him wrong vibes. Not scary or bad, just... Wrong.
The Emperor ignored all of the goosebumps he was feeling as he dived into the whirlpool inside of a deactivated Mechanorimon. He was close, too close! He wasn't going to let something as insignificant as fear interrupt him.
"Ken, please pull back!" Wormmon's pleading voice came from the intercom.
"Shut up," He gritted out, already fed up with the insect's constant whining. He was lucky to still be around, specially after Blademon's betrayal. He didn't needed anyone, he had his genius and that was enough.
Speaking of which...
His descent lead him to the depths of the whirlpool. Where the atmosphere just felt tense with all of the darkness this place was filled with. He shrug it off and put his Ten up, just in case there was something hostile.
His eyes widened when he found something near the bottom. Sticking out of the walls of water was a Digimon that was said to be a myth.
All of the three veterans of the first adventure gasped at the sight on the screen. "Devimon?!"
"How- What is Devimon doing in a whirlpool?" T.K asked, his fist clenching unconsciously.
Patamon shivered as a realization hit it. "I didn't want to believe it... But maybe the whirlpool is an entrance to the dark zone!"
"The... Dark zone?" Killua asked, the name was familiar to him. It was something like hell for the Digimon. So it would make sense that Devimon is there.
Realization hit Killua a moment later. "If Ken it's fabricating a Digimon with the data of other Digimon, then he is recollecting Devimon's for if!" He turned around and glared at the screen. That idiot! Ken might be a Nen user, but he doesn't know what Digimon truly evil can do.
He hasn't experimented what they had with Devimon, Etemon, Myotismon and the Dark Masters. And he was planning to control the data of one of them. It will backfire... And badly.
A vacuum of all things appeared from the Mechanorimon's back and started to suck the image of Devimon on the ocean.
The Emperor's smile widened as the body of the devil started to vanish. "This is the last fragmen I need for my perfect Digimon!"
"And will you be able to handle the power of the shadows?" A cold, sinister voice asked. Echoing around the walls of the whirlpool.
The Emperor's eyes widened as he started to look around. "What was that? Who said that?!" He demanded.
"You foolish kid. Don't you dare underestimate the power of the darkness..." The voice warned, a dangerous edge on its tone.
The Emperor shook his head. "Ugh, a hallucination. Guess I've been up for too long working on my Digimon." He scoffed. "I'm really out of it. I'm the Digimon Emperor, the king of this world. There's nothing I can't handle!" He started to laugh outloud, but if anyone had been there to listen to him it would've sound hollow and forced.
Killua's frown deepened as he saw Devimon's figure disappear. It would be Ken's funeral soon enough if he kept messing with things he doesn't understand. Whatever this Digimon he was working on turned out to be, it was going to bite him in the ass sooner or later if he used something as Devimon's data for it.
He turned his eyes to see T.K clenching his teeth in anger. Killua's frown softened as he stared at his friend, this must be affecting him the most. Specially considering it that, out of all the enemies they had on the first adventure, Devimon was someone that left a mark on T.K. and Patamon.
Patamon had sacrificed himself as Angemon to defeat Devimon and allow them to continue on their journey. T.K, who was only eight at the time, had to watch his partner slowly desintegrate in front of him. A
And now, their current enemy. A boy who thought of himself above the rest, was daring to use the responsible for that event to access his agenda? This could only end bad.
"Damn him!" T.K exploded as he threw his hat to the floor in rage. "Digimon Emperor... You don't know anything... You don't understand anything... How dare you?!"
Cody turned at the outburst of the blond, while Killua watch him with a calm face. "T.K?" The younger boy asked in worry.
The blonde discarded his backpack and turned around. "I've had enough, I can't stand it anymore! I will end this!" He growled and turned to leave.
"But T.K-" Cody tried to discuss, but someone else intervened.
T.K was stopped in his track as a grip got hold of his arm. Killua was looking at him with frown, while making sure he couldn't escape his grip. "What are you going to do?"
"Didn't you hear me?!" The blonde fired back, all sense leaving behind only fury. "I'm going to end this! Make Ken see that he is nothing but an upstar kid!"
"And how are you going to do that?" Killua asked, his frown deepening. "Like it or not Ken is a Nen user!" He reminded making the blonde recoil. "I understand why you're angry. Did you forgot that I was there too? On the frontlines? I also know what Devimon is able to do, and I know Ken is messing with things he shouldn't control! But you can just charge recklessly against someone we both know can kill you easily."
T.K looked down at the reminder. As much as he hated it, as much as he wanted to swat Killua's hand away and storm up to Ken, he knew it would only result in him likely death, due to the self proclaimed Emperor's inexplicable ability to use Nen. He looked at Patamon who was looking at him with a nervous look and sighed, giving him an apologetic one.
Killua released his grip on the boy and took a deep breath. "That being said. I never said you couldn't go... Just not alone."
T.K looked up at this.
Killua let out his Nen and clenched his fist. "Give Ken a piece of your mind... And leave the rest to me."
T.K stared at his leader for a moment before nodding and giving a small smile. "Thanks."
"Don't worry," He returned the gesture. "Let's go."
"But wait, guys-" Cody tried to say He got bits and pieces from what the older Digidestined told them on the first day of August, but he didn't completely understood the reason behind T.K's anger.
"Sorry, Cody," Killua said, throwing a wave on his direction. "We have issues to deal with it. You release the prisoners.
And with that the two left the boy behind, with a great conrusi. But in the end he decided to comply with the petition the Hunter gave and focused on freeing the rest of the prisoners.
As he entered his personal throne room again, the Emperor kept shaking his head. Ever since he recollected Devimon's data, he's been having a killer headache.
And to top that headache, his monitor suddenly started beeped while showing a red dot on the map of his base. "What now?" He typed the control panel and two separate cameras showed the blonde and young kid of the Digidestined, both in different rooms. One having the gal of freeing his prisoners... Not like they are of any use for him anyway. "I don't have time to play with them... I'll finish Kimeramon first and then I'll kick them out of my house."
He typed a few keys on his control panel and the image of Kimeramon appeared and then the arms of Devimon were added to the three sets of arms the monster had. "Perfect fit!" He said, rising his voice despite his headache. "Now, to start the process of activation..."
Wormmon entered the room a while later. His eyes looking up at the image of the monster his partner had created and couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen with that thing...
As they continue to fly over the ocean, Kari couldn't help but frown over a problem that, compared to everything else at hand, seemed miniscule. "Umm Yolei, think maybe we should have helped Davis and the others fly with us... I mean like, him with me and V-Mon with you? Or vice versa?"
Yolei looked at her and blinked, before slumping. "Well we should have thought of that a bit earlier, shouldn't we?"
"DAMN STRAIGHT YOU SHOULD!" A voice came from behind them. Davis, V-Mon and Mystimon approaching at a high speed. All thanks to Mystimon's boost of wind.
"Wh- Davis is that you?!" Kari asked in surprise at seeing the boy approaching on top of an island.
Davis waved with a giant grin. "Don't worry about a thing Kari! Leave it to me to find the base and kick the Emperor to next week!"
V-Mon blinked and tugged at the boy's shirt. "Umm, Davith?" He said, calling his attention before pointing forward.
Davis looked and his jaw dropped at the sight of the Emperor's base emerging from the ocean and floating towards them. "I think he found us..." The blue dinosaur said.
Davis head dropped. "I can't win around here can I..." He perked up. "Oh! I can still kick him to next week!"
The Emperor felt like clapping and laughing in excitement as he saw the remaining Digidestined getting close to his base. "Perfect! This is just perfect! This is the ideal opportunity to put my newest creation to the test!" He laughed. "Go... Kimeramon."
From the depths of the base, three pairs of eyes opened and glowed red on the darkness. A platform started raising from the bottom, the ceiling above the head of the creature opening to give way for it to reach the top.
The sunlight greeted its eyes for the first time and the giant amalgamation gave out a roar that soared through the air and almost caused shockwaves from its sheer raw power. It deployed his two sets of wings and flew towards its objective, ready to complete the orders its creator gave it.
The Digidestined could see something coming out of the Emperor's base. Yolei adjusted her glasses to get a better look of it. "Something is coming." An instant later she regret it, as she finally took on the form of the monster coming their way. "What is that?!"
Having the same size as SkullGreymon, the creature seemed like something out of a nightmare. Six long arms and two wings, and a head with six eyes that looked in every direction at the same time. It gave out a roar as it charged at the Digidestined.
That was the Emperor's creation: Kimeramon.
V-Mon gulped. "Umm... Davith?"
"... Okay... We can at least try..." He said, looking at the giant monstrosity in front of him. Bombarded by flashbacks of SkullGreymon. "Digimental Up."
"V-Mon Armor Digimon to... Raidramon! The Storm of Friendship!"
In the interior of the base, Cody observed through one of the screens the horrific creation. Submarimon's eyes were wide as he stared at the screen. "I've never seen something like that!"
"... We have to hurry!" Cody said. "We have to free the prisoners and go out there to help!"
Submarimon nodded. "Got it partner!"
"Spike Attack!" FlyBeemon's missiles were launched at the monster in front of them, but the attack just bounced off its armored head.
"Curse of The Queen!" Nefertimon's headset shot two beams to the creature. With an ability not fitting his body, the monster managed to avoid the blast and charge at the girls.
The two flying Digimon tried to dodge the incoming beast, but on its tail it had the armored tail of a Monochromon that swatted them away.
"Okay, let's do this Raidramon!" Davis said from his back.
Mystimon summoned a sword that lit up in flames and got into a position. "SaberToramon wasn't joking... This thing is truly something to fear."
Raidramon jumped at the beast and his horn started glowing with electricity. "Lighting Blade!"
"Blast Fire!" A large burst of flames shot from the sword on Mystimon's hands.
Kimeramon turned and crossed all six of his arms over his body, blocking the blast and not showing any sign of damage whatsoever. It roared and swatted the two Non-Flying Digimon back to the island.
Nefertimon and Kari observed the back of Kimeramon, with the girl clenching her fists at the sight of the creature. "We were too late. He finished it..."
"To think he would go this far..." Nefertimon growled.
The Emperor was grinning from ear to ear as he watched the spectacle on his monitor. "The metallic head of Kabuterimon, the robust body of Greymon, Garurumon's strong legs, the long arms of SkullGreymon, Devimon and Kuwagamon, the wings of Airdramon and Angemon, Monochrmon's tail, the keen eyes of Gatomon, Greymon and Birdramon, and the hair of MetalGreymon... Simply for style," He laughed. "It's perfect, magnificent! My greatest creation!"
He stood up from his chair and extended his arms. "What do you think of him Digidestined?!" He exclaimed, a glint of mad pride on his eyes. "He will give me the rest of this land, and erase everything that stands in my way! ... Just what I expect from my partner..." He said with a content sigh. "Don't you think... Wormmon?" He asked, turning to look at the insect.
Wormmon whimpered and lowered his head. Nodding in reluctance at the fact that Ken's creation had apparently taken his place. The Emperor didn't even put a part of Stigmon on the monster...
With a sigh The Emperor started walking away from his throne room. "I have to see it for myself! The magnificence of my creation."
On the back of the ship, through the same cavern where they infiltrated, Cody helped the former prisoners escape from the fortress with the help of a rope he had on his backpack.
As an Elecmon made his way to the island below, Cody smiled. "That's the last one."
Armadillomon finished slurping on a yogurt to regain strength. "Then give me wings and let's help the others!"
Cody frowned and looked back at the cavern. "I'm worried about T.K and Killua though..."
"They can take care of themselves," Armadillomon reassured. "But right now I need ma' wings partner!"
Cody nodded and brought his Digivice out to make his partner take his avian form.
On the dark hallways of the base, a very determined T.K walked ahead, Patamon flapping behind him. "T.K, wait! I know you're angry, but I think we should go out to see if the others are okay."
He might be right, but at the moment he didn't care. He needed to find the Emperor and finally put that upstart brat on his place for thinking he can actually deal with forces beyond his understanding.
The universe must have been on a generous mood, because just at that moment, his objective turned around the corner.
The Emperor didn't seemed surprised to see him. He stood in front of T.K with that cocky smile of his. "Wow... You know, out of all of you I thought it would be Zoldyck the one to get in my base. But hey, I must admit that you are a brave one, entering the base of The Emperor, leader of the forces of darkness and future ruler of this world."
T.K gritted his teeth at him and glared, before the sentence fully settled in with him. He tried to stiffle his laugh, but only managed to turn it into a chuckle.
That irritated the Emperor. "What's so funny?!" He asked.
T.K sighed and looked at The Emperor. "Listen, Ichijouji. How long are you going to keep throwing that phrase around? 'Conquering the world'? Don't make me laugh, you really think it's all a game?" The Emperor seemed taken back by T.K's words. "And... That other phrase: 'The power of darkness.' Do you even know what that means? Do you? If you don't, then that means it could cause you serious problems. C'mon Ken, grow up already."
The Emperor was trembling in rage now. How... How dare he?! How dare he talk to him like that?! He was the king! T-The master of this world and of the... The darkness! And him? He was just. "Scum! Scum! Scum! Scum! SCUM!"
T.K looked at him boredly. "Is that all you can say?"
"SHUT UP!" His Ren flared up and he went for his whip. He slash it out, the cord ready to smash against the boy, before something behind the blonde caught it. "Uh?"
"... Ken... I know I can't beat you..." T.K said. "For all your nonsense, you are a Nen user, and that's the only thing you actually have going for yourselve. But... Where you go all on your own, I have people to rely on when I can't do things on my own."
The thing that caught the whip from the shadows let go of it and finally revealed itself. Blue eyes covered by a veil of white emerged from the hallway, glaring at The Emperor with such an intensity that the tyrant for a moment felt like he was being drowned on the ocean.
Killua Zoldyck smiled at the Emperor, a smile that sent chills to the tyrant's smile. "Hello Ken..." He greeted. The former assassin looked down at the whip with mock disappointment. "You're behavior is really childish... Someone says something you don't like and you resort to violence."
The Emperor actually took a step back. "N-No..." He gritted his teeth. Ghost pains from the last time they faced each other coursing through his body. And more importantly, how did Zoldyck got here?! His cameras didn't detected him! He only saw the fourth grader and the blonde! How was this possible?!
"No?" Killua tilted his head. "Are you trying to say it's not true? ... Well I guess it doesn't matter. Tell me... Are you done then?"
The Emperor didn't say anything, his grip on his whip growing weaker as he stared at the deep blue eyes of his opponent.
"Then... I think I should start, right T.K?" Killua said, cracking his knuckles.
T.K nodded. "I'm really sorry I have to leave the hard part to you."
"Hard?" Killua snorted. "This isn't hard at all."
The Emperor barely had time to blink before a fist collided with his face.
Kimeramon has gone on the complete offensive, firing the Heat Viper attack. Blast of overheated energy that came out from his mouth crashed against the water as it tried to hit the newcomer.
Pteramon joined the fight by launching his missiles at the monster's back to call his attention and let FlyBeemon and Nefertimon time to set their partners down on one of the islands. It was working... Sort of.
"Hot! Hot! Hot!" The pterodactyl exclaimed as he narrowly dodged the blasts from the monster.
On one of the islands, the girls waved at their partners as they went back into the fray to aid Pteramon. "Nefertimon, be careful!"
"Beat him to a pulp, FlyBeemon!" Yolei cheered.
Raidramon glared at Kimeramon, while also cursing his lack of wings. "Davis, I can't get a clear shot at him!" He said.
"A dang it!" Davis mumbled and turned to Mystimon. "Do you have something, wizard guy?"
"I think..." Mystimon nodded as his hands glowed gray and extended it at Raidramon, who started to glow the same color. "This will make you lighter, but it's all I can give you."
"It shall do..." The armored Digimon said. And with that the jumped into action along with all of the Digimon. "All at once!" Raidramon said.
"Rosetta Stone!"
"Spike Attack!"
"Missile Storm!"
"Blue Thunder!"
"Blast Fire!"
All of them surrounded the monster and launched their attacks. A cloud of smoke was formed at the impact and everything was quiet for a moment... Before a blast came from within the curtain towards Nefertimon and FlyBeemon.
The two managed to dodge the blast, causing it to go flying towards the base.
The Emperor tried to block each hit that came to him or dodge it, but Killua always managed to sneak a punch or two beyond his defenses.
Killua for his part was barely trying. Unlike on their first encounter, Killua wasn't assessing him or wanting to let out a lot of rage he was feeling at the moment, this was only to teach Ken a lesson and a favor to T.K since he was unable to do so himself, and Ken didn't had the chance to take off his gloves so he couldn't use his ability.
He finally gave the Emperor a right hook that sent him to the floor, and Killua loomed over him ready to pummel him.
However, their brief brawl was interrupted when the base was shaken and an explosion could be heard somewhere below the base.
Killua lost momentarily his balance and The Emperor took his chance to shove him away and get his whip. In a cowardly tactic, The Emperor lashed his whip out towards T.K, yet in his moment of panic and despair he forgot to use Shu on the object.
T.K catched the whip without any kind of problem, much to the Emperor's surprise. "W-what?"
"Attacking the defenseless, Kenny?!" Killua asked as he wrapped his arms around The Emperor's torso and make him a suplex. He flipped over his body, pinning him down to the floor and smiling with satisfaction. "Dick move!" He said and started to punch his face.
Wormmon walked around the corner to look for Ken after the explosions. He gasped when he saw his partner pinned down and getting punched by the boy with white hair. "Ken! Sticky Net!" From his mouth a large shot of strings was launched.
Patamon saw this and acted. "Boom Bubble!"
The bubble broke through the net and impacted against Wormmon. "Ugh!" The worm grunted before getting back up, glaring at Patamon as he landed in front of him.
"Wanna go?!" Patamon asked as he stood in front of the opposing Rookie.
"Yes! If you don't get away from Ken, I'll make you!" Wormmon warned.
The two glared at each other while the Hunter and the Emperor continued their brawl. Or well... More like Killua hitting his face over and over.
"Poison Stinger!"
"Rosetta Stone!"
FlyBeemon tried to used his stinger to attack the head of the Digimon, while Nefertimon launched her slab of rock at it. However, both attacks proved useless as they bounced off the head of Kimeramon.
FlyBeemon tried to fly away while clicking his teeth. "Nothing's working!" He didn't get that far as one of the hands of Kimeramon slammed him away.
FlyBeemon soared down before crashing on the Emperor's base's roof. Kimeramon looked at his pray before charging another Heat Viper.
Luckily, Mystimon acted fast. He floated to FlyBeemon and focused his magic to move it away before the attack could harm him. Kimeramon fired the attack but it only impacted against the base again.
Kimeramon's blast went through the upper walls of the hallway where the Emperor was receiving his beat down, interrupting once again the brawl between the two Nen users. "What was that?!" T.K asked.
They all looked up the hole the explosion caused and saw Kimeramon in all of his deformed glory.
"That's Kimeramon. A Digimon I created!" The Emperor declared proudly. "Isn't it impressive? Even with all of you together, you won't defeat it! Hahaha!"
"Oh my god, shut up!" Killua said, before punching him again. The Hunter turned towards the blonde. "T.K! Time to leave, we were too late to stop his abomination from being created, but we may be able to stop it!"
"All right! Patamon, Digimental Up!" T.K said and raised his Digivice.
"Patamon Armor Digivolves to... Pegasusmon! The Flying Hope!"
Both boys mounted the horse and got out of the hole, but not before Killua added salt to the wound. "Better luck on the next round, Kenedy!" He mocked.
The Emperor sat down slowly, blood trickling from his lip and parts of his face. Wormmon hopped to his side. "Ken!"
The Empero grit his teeth before taking off his gloves and leaving them completely discarded on the floor. "You'll both pay for this..." He swore.
"..." Wormmon just watched as his partner got up and walked towards the main bridge. The Emperor's aura to anyone able to see it, was changing between white, dark purple, and then... To a strange black and red mix.
Outside, T.K and Killua observed with surprise as Kimeramon caught the four Digimon in four of his arms. The other two at the ready to attack.
"Equis Beam!" Pegasusmon's green blast was launched at the hands. Its holy power enough to force the monster's hands open.
They all were freed and the flying Digimon all went to Pegasusmon side. "Thanks for the save," Nefertimon said. "But what do we do about that thing? It's unstoppable!"
"... Is it?" Killua asked as he stared at the monster. "It seems like it's slowing down."
Like he said, Kimeramon was heaving and sweating profusely, struggling to even turn around.
"Must be because he was just created," FlyBeemon said. "It isn't used to fighting yet!"
"Then let's take the chance," T.K said. "Retreat!"
Not needing to be told twice, they all landed on the mobile islands and started them up to escape with the freed prisoners. Today wasn't a defeat, but it wasn't a victory either. Not with that monster in the loose.
"Here, T.K," Cody said after they got to a safety distance, handing over T.K's hat and backpack.
"Oh, thanks," He said as he took his possessions.
Davis was sitting on one of the islands with his arms crossed. "Dang it! We couldn't stop Ken from finishing his science project."
Killua sighed as he sat at the edge of the island. "At least we know it has a weakness we can exploid. That thing is basically a newborn, it doesn't have stamina, we can take advantage of that."
"For now we should go back to mainland and rest," Kari suggested. "Then we can try again!"
"Aye!" The Digidestined replied, not wanting to let their spirits go down.
Mystimon walked up to Killua after a while. "I talked to the prisoners... There was no SaberToramon between them..." He revealed. "That means your theory is probably right."
The boy nodded and frowned. "So SaberToramon and Blademon are probably one and the same... He wasn't on the base guarding Ken, so it's possible that he was discovered and ran away. That's one less headache..." He sighed.
Still it just leave a new question on the air: Why would Blademon betray the Emperor, despite learning of Kimeramon's existence? Why join him in the first place? Where is he right now?
Killua narrowed his eyes as he thought of the Reaper. 'Who are you, Blademon?'