Book 9: Blasting Through the Stars
Chapter 7: A Planet Divided
Immigration Ship L-229, Command Bridge
After the three teams returned to the ship from Space Sector D, they took a moment to rest while Jason went to the Medical Bay with Eve as his escort, to heal his back wounds caused by a battle with Leibniz. Once Jason was healed an hour later, he, Eve, Gaius and Gunvolt went to the Command Bridge to give Prairie their report on Sector D, especially the encounter with Leibniz and his MA, the Garuda.
"Leibniz and the Garuda…" Prairie mused. "Just what is his real reason for attacking MAs, their pilots and support androids?"
"All he said was they were weak and support androids were annoying, I think." Gaius replied. "Does he even have an android partner since all Metal Attackers always have one plus a support animal drone?"
"Well… since you mention that part, I did see a choker Leibniz is wearing on his neck tied to a rope." Jason recalled. "And it's similar to the one Eve wore."
"Eh?" Eve gasped before looking at her choker on her neck. "But why is he wearing that choker?"
"If I were to guess… something must've happened to his android partner that made him so hostile and he's probably wearing that as a memento, the one thing left behind." Jason assumed.
"So either his partner died, or went missing." Gunvolt said.
"So that guy hides a secret that he'll never share." Joule said from Gunvolt's pendant. "I wonder where his home planet is?"
"Looks like we'll find our answers when we see him again at his base in Sector G." Gaius deduced. "And to do that, we'll need the access key. Since it's not in Sector D, that leaves Sector F to search."
"Very well." Prairie noted, pulling out Sector F's access key. "By the way Jason, are you healed from your injuries?"
"I should be fine, though I need to be careful in my next fight against Leibniz." Jason replied.
"Glad to hear it." Said the arriving Copen.
"Hey, Ix, Lola." Gunvolt greeted.
"Sorry we took a while, but we finished doing research on the Bangboos." Lola informed from Copen's pendant. "Now Ix will be able to make them, and he'll use the AI Cores on the silver and gold Bangboos for the two new Bangboos since they're so friendly to us. Don't worry, the Cunning Hares accepted our permission to remove the cores in exchange for two new AI cores for the two old Bangboos."
"So pretty soon, Team XDR will have two new Bangboos on our side using the AI Cores of the silver and gold Bangboos." Gaius said. "I wonder what they'll look like?"
"Nope, that'll be a surprise! But you'll definitely love the finished products!"
"But for now, we're ready to go for the next mission." Copen said.
"Good to have you back, Copen." Prairie smiled before turning to the unused keyhole on the console, slotting in the access key and turned, revealing a new space sector on the monitor. It was a planet that's split almost cleanly in two by dimensional distortions with one half having a sandy desert and the other half being a frozen glacier.
"...What the frick happened to the planet?!" Gaius exclaimed in shock with the others sharing the same expression.
"It looks like someone or something did a dimensional slash on the planet, now looking like this!" Gunvolt said.
"Did a boss mutant do this somehow? Or maybe a Gjallarhorn fragment?" Joule pondered.
"If it were the latter, then the Zikan Phones would get a reaction when in close proximity." Copen stated.
"But geez… I thought Planet Stranga was weird, but this one's a lot worse!" Lola remarked.
"Looks like we have something else to do besides looking for the access key. Though the boss mutant on that planet definitely has it." Jason stated.
"Any info on the planet, Kohaku?" Prairie asked.
"One moment…" Kohaku replied, typing a few buttons on her console. "According to the database, it's called Planet Divido, having both a desert and arctic area in two halves. But it looks like the boss mutant that caused the dimensional distortions is making the planet unstable. If we don't do something about this soon, the planet won't be able to last."
"Then there's still a chance for us to save Divido." Eve noted.
"Considering the planet has a desert and arctic area, we'll have to split into teams of two." Gaius stated. "That being said, my team will take the desert area."
"My team will be going with Gaius." Jason decided.
"Then that leaves my team and Ix's team to handle the arctic area." Gunvolt deduced.
"By the way Ix, the MA upgrades we've found so far have been installed onto G-Byakko, including the Auto-Cluster." Eve informed.
"Thanks, Eve." Copen noted.
"Alright then, get your teams ready and prepare to move out!" Prairie ordered.
"Yes, ma'am!" The others saluted before leaving the room.
"Kohaku, you know what to do." Prairie ordered.
"Roger. Turning the ship 45 degrees to the right and preparing Sector F's dimensional tunnel." Kohaku typed a few buttons on her console as the ship turned right.
Hangar Bay
Once the four team leaders and Eve arrived at the Hangar Bay with Gaius putting on his Geiz helmet, they made the call using their Zikan Phones to meet up for the exploration on Planet Divido. And the ones that answered the call are Cecilia, Charlotte, Laura, Anby, Billy, Vent, Aile, Grey, Ashe and Pela, with the Chosen MegaMen already in their battlesuits.
"Thanks for coming, guys." Geiz greeted the arrivals. "We'll begin our expedition on Planet Divido shortly, and we'll be splitting into teams. My team and Jason's team will explore the desert area while GV's team and Ix's team will deal with the arctic area."
"A planet divided into two areas due to dimensional distortions… this is the first time I'm hearing this." Anby remarked.
"To think the boss mutant can do that to a planet." Cecilia added. "We have to do something before the planet becomes too unstable."
"And we will." Jason nodded. "Now then, please decide which one of you will go to which team."
"I'll go with GV. I'm more familiar with snowy terrain due to the climate of Jarilo-VI." Pela decided.
"I think I'll pick the arctic area, so I'm going with Ix." Ashe decided.
"If Ashe is taking the arctic, then I'll go to the desert with Jason." Grey added.
"I'll pick the desert area, too. And I'll also join Jason." Aile decided.
"Guess I'll be going to the arctic, then. I'll go with GV." Vent added.
"I should be able to handle the heat, so I'm going to the desert with Geiz." Billy decided.
"Then I'll go to the arctic with GV." Anby added.
"I don't mind the arctic, so I'll go with Ix." Laura decided.
"I'd rather take the cold instead of the heat. I shall go with Ix." Cecilia added.
"Then that leaves me to go with Geiz to the desert." Charlotte also added.
"Okay, looks like we have our lineup for our teams." Gunvolt said, punching his open palm. "All set, guys?" This earned a nod from the group.
"By the way, how's Ichika's recovery process?" Joule asked.
"And where's Nekomata?" Lola also asked.
"For Ichika, his recovery reached 80%. He's almost there." Laura informed.
"As for Nekomata, she doesn't want anything to do with the desert or the arctic, so she's staying on the ship to help out others." Anby added.
"Guess she doesn't want to be a desert or snow cat." Billy shrugged. "Alright, it's showtime!"
The teams quickly boarded their respective vehicles as the dimensional tunnel for Sector F was created after the ship fired a beam. Once the vehicles were set onto the launchers, they blasted off into the tunnel to their next destination: Divido.
Space Sector F
Upon the four vehicles arriving at Sector F, the team was right in front of Planet Divido with two climate areas split by dimensional distortions caused by the boss mutant. And it looked like it's becoming even worse.
"Okay, this is seriously messed up." Billy remarked. "And I thought the moon being affected by the Hollow is bad."
"But things should be back to normal once the boss mutant is defeated." Anby stated.
"True. But it will take time for the planet to heal and go back to its natural state." Copen said.
"I wonder if people used to live on this planet?" Charlotte pondered.
"I'm not entirely sure, so we'll need to have a closer look at the two halves." Pela answered.
"And if we're lucky, there might be an MA pilot and support android in Divido." Eve added.
"Alright, guys. Time for us to split up." Jason declared. "GV, Ix, best of luck on your side, and take caution of the slippery ice traction."
"Thanks." Gunvolt replied. "Jason, Geiz, watch yourselves in the desert. And be careful of any quicksands."
"Gotcha. See ya soon!" Geiz replied as the Time Mazine and G-SOPHIA flew to the desert area of the planet while G-Rairyu and G-Byakko head for the arctic area.
Planet Divido, Desert Side
(Play BGM: Divido: The Split Planet - Blaster Master Zero 2 OST)
G-SOPHIA and the Time Mazine touched down near a Launch Point on the desert side of the planet with the MA making a hard landing to absorb gaia particles for energy.
"Geez… there's too many dimensional distortions to even count." Geiz remarked as they observed their surroundings with quicksand ahead and dark purple distortions above.
"I don't want to even think about going near or even touching those distortions." Grey said.
"Good, because you'll be completely vaporized on contact." Eve stated.
"...Okay, definitely staying away from those." Billy said.
"I also see quicksand ahead, along with more mutants." Aile observed. "But why did it have to be those annoying mutant cells?"
"Fortunately, we're inside vehicles, so we can easily make short work of them." Jason stated. "Right then, time to move out."
The two vehicles moved ahead, hovering over the quicksands and eliminated the mutant cells. But they reached a dead end with a distortion ahead and two sand pits.
"A dead end." Charlotte observed. "Now what?"
"Wait a sec…" Billy stared at the two sand pits. "If I know my video game knowledge, there's definitely secret paths hiding beneath some sand pits."
"So it's either one of those pits, or maybe both." Aile said.
"Splitting up is not a good idea if we don't have the map of this planet, so we'll have to stick together and pick a sand pit." Eve stated.
"In that case, let's pick the closest one." Geiz decided before the two vehicles went into the nearest sand pit. And below the pit, there was a domain entrance nearby to which the vehicles hovered and landed nearby.
"Okay, which one of us wants to search the domain?" Jason asked.
"Let me go this time. I need some action after being on that ship for a long while." Billy volunteered.
"I'll be going with Billy." Grey added.
"I'll go, too." Aile also added.
"A team of three, that should be enough." Geiz said. "Good luck in there."
Afterwards, Billy, Aile and Grey left the vehicles and entered the domain.
(BGM End)
(Play BGM: Divido: Scorching Sands & Crystalline Caverns - Blaster Master Zero 2 OST)
Upon entering the domain, the landscape looked like something out of an Egyptian tomb with sand on the floors and solid tiles, the former slightly hindering the trio's movements, but still manageable.
"Oh great, sands are gonna get in my shoes." Billy muttered. "Gonna have to pour them all out after we leave this domain."
"Sorry, Billy." Aile apologized. "Mine and Grey's battlesuits pretty much blocked the sands from coming into our feet."
"Whatever." Billy shrugged. "Let's just get this over with."
When the trio entered the next room, they saw moving sands nearby, one forward and the other in reverse. "So instead of conveyor belts, it's moving sands." Grey observed.
"Fortunately the two of us can just air dash above them…except for Billy. Again, sorry about that." Aile said.
"It's fine." Billy waved off. "Though I do want some hover shoes someday."
"Maybe later. For now, let's navigate carefully." Grey replied as the trio took the forward sand path to move on. When they're about to reach the next room at the end, they saw fire slug mutants patrolling, leaving fire trails behind.
"Well that's new." Aile observed. "Shooting them at a distance should do the trick."
"Leave that to me!" Billy complied, stylishly shooting down the fire mutants with charge shots from his X-Baton Blasters.
"Nice going." Grey praised before the trio head for the next room.
From there, after shooting down more mutants, they saw a green stone pillar blocking the path to the next room and nearby is a green colored switch with tile floors around it. "Looks like we need to hit that switch to get this rock out of the way." Billy observed.
"Let me handle that." Aile complied, moving close to the switch, causing it to reveal itself. With a single shot of her X-Buster, the stone pillar submerged, opening the path forward and allowing the trio to move on.
As they moved ahead while destroying a spiked balloon mutant, they saw distortions on the sides. "Man, I'm glad the Hollows inside don't have those kinds of distortions, or we'd be in big trouble." Billy said.
"Yeah, that'd be really bad." Grey agreed as they moved to the next room.
From there, they saw an orange switch on the right and another path on the left. "Let me hit that switch. You two go and see what's on the other path." Grey said before heading for the switch while the other two head for the left path.
After the duo reached the end of the path and shooting down another balloon mutant, they saw an orange stone pillar rising to block the sand flow after Grey hit the switch, and revealed a map data chip nearby. "Alright, map data for Divido!" Aile cheered, heading for the chip and retrieved it.
"Well at least it's not on a planetoid this time like in Sector E." Billy said. "That kinda annoyed Geiz."
"Grey, we got the map data for this planet! Time to go!" Aile called out.
"On my way!" Grey replied and hurried to their side.
"Let me be the one to create a wormhole thanks to the Zikan Phone you guys made for me." Billy said, holstering his guns, pulled out his red and black Zikan Phone in Blaster Mode and created a wormhole nearby. "I'm really tempted to try this feature inside a Hollow… but I don't wanna risk it. It'll probably hinder me instead of helping."
"Wise choice." Aile agreed.
"Okay, I'm here." Grey said as he arrived. "Let's go."
(BGM End)
After the trio entered the wormhole, they appeared back to the vehicles. "Good news, guys! We found the map data for this planet!" Billy informed.
"Great job, you three." Eve noted. "Just give me the chip and I'll handle the rest."
Billy returned to the Time Mazine while Aile and Grey boarded G-SOPHIA. The map data was given to Eve by Aile, and she got right to work downloading the data, then copying it to the Time Mazine and two extras for Gunvolt and Copen in the arctic side of Divido via Zikan Phone. "Thankfully, the map shows both halves of the planet, so this will be easy for all four teams to navigate." Eve observed Divido's map on the MA's navigation screen.
"So where should we start?" Geiz asked from a smaller screen.
"Right now, there's two mutant guardians. One from below and one on the center." Eve observed the two mutant icons on the map before looking at the left and pointed at the MA icon. "And we're currently here."
"I see a Launch Point right over there." Grey pointed at the Launch Point icon on the upper right. "I'm guessing that's where GV and Ix landed."
"Let's just focus on searching our half first before we rendezvous with the others." Charlotte stated.
"Then let's go after some items first." Aile pointed at the green hexagon near their current location. "I see a LIFE-UP here…" She then pointed at the blue dot below the hexagon. "And an item there, but I don't see any openings or tunnels to reach that."
"Guess we'll have to keep moving and find out. Let's go to the other sand pit in the previous area so we can go right." Jason said.
"Copy that." Geiz replied as the screens vanished before the vehicles hovered above the sand pit they took earlier.
Afterwards, they went under and over sand pits while avoiding the distortions above them until they reached an entryway for the next area. But then Geiz noticed something on the upper path, cracks on the distortion which led to a tunnel on the other side.
"There's cracks on the distortion?" Geiz remarked in surprise.
"Does this mean we can break it?" Charlotte pondered.
"Maybe, but we need some kind of weapon to do that." Grey replied. "Our current ones won't be enough."
"Let's remember that info as we go ahead." Jason stated as the vehicles moved to the next area and ignored the cracked distortion.
"If I remember from the map, there should be an item below this area. There's a chance that we need to go down a sand pit to find it." Eve recalled as the two vehicles arrived at the next area.
"Then let's search for the pit." Geiz replied as the vehicles went down a hole and destroyed another Mother Brain, and a mutant on the sand that creates sand tornadoes. They then went down the sand pit on the left and discovered what the item was: a planetoid data chip that's guarded by a walker mutant. After the team quickly disposed the mutant, Charlotte briefly left the Time Mazine to retrieve the data chip before returning.
"Planetoid 'F-1'." Charlotte said after using her Zikan Phone to scan the data. "I think we'll pay a visit there once we're one with this planet, no?"
"Mhm." Geiz nodded. "For now, back to the exploration."
The vehicles then went back up the sand pit and later the hole, then moved onward, navigating the obstacles and destroying another sand mutant before reaching another area. From there, they quickly destroyed more mutants ahead while avoiding the distortions above them until they reached a path split: one above and one below.
"Wait a sec." Jason spoke up. "If I remember from the map, I think the mutant guardian is on the upper path."
"In that case, let's take care of it real quick." Billy said before the two vehicles leaped to the upper path and into the next area.
…Unfortunately, the way to the mutant guardian's domain is blocked by a cracked distortion. "Oh, come on!" Billy complained. "Curse you, distortion!"
"If you want to curse on someone, it's the boss mutant." Grey pointed out.
"Him, too!"
"Well, so much for that idea." Geiz sighed.
"No choice but to leave it alone until we have the weapon to break it." Aile stated before the vehicles returned to the previous area and took the lower path down the hole, shooting down more mutants, going down a sand pit below, and went up another sand pit further ahead until they stopped near a Recharge Point to take a break.
"So where should we go next?" Charlotte asked.
"Let me check the map again." Eve looked at the map on the MA's navigation screen and saw a red dot on the right. "Hm? There's a strange reading at the far right of our current location."
"Is it a mutant?" Jason asked.
"Not sure, but it's worth checking out."
"Right then, let's have a look." Geiz declared as the vehicles moved ahead, avoiding the distortions and destroying the mutants, including mutant worms that came out of the distortions. They soon reach a sand pit and an entryway ahead to which they hovered towards it and went inside.
From there, they saw something unexpected. A small person standing in front of a distortion. "What the?" Billy blinked as he got out of the Time Mazine and approach the person.
The person revealed to be a short, young girl with no nose, long flowing aqua blue hair, with long bangs that completely cover her eyes. Her outfit consists of a blue dress with white gloves, a white collar with yellow trim, and yellow wing-shaped decorations on her shoulders. On her head is a robotic headset that her hair passes through the back of, and a blue hat with a visor and bow that resembles a very large and puffy police cap.
"Umm…" The young girl spoke. "Excuse me… Are you an MA pilot?"
"Actually, I'm just a passing through Starlight Knight." Billy replied. "Call me Billy. Though the one in the red MA has a pilot named Jason, and I'm good friends with him. I'm surprised a human girl like you would be running around in a place like this."
"I'm… actually not a human. I'm an automaton, that is, a support android."
"A support android?" Eve gasped in surprise. "Does this mean this planet has an MA pilot?"
"Correct." The girl nodded. "I'm Mr. Tank's… I mean, NORA MA-03 'ATOM''s support android. Please call me Tesset."
"Nice to meet ya, Tesset." Billy replied. "I'd introduce you to my friends, but let's get you to safety first." He then offered. "Come with me if you wanna live."
"Umm… okay." Tesset nodded, taking Billy's hand and was escorted back to the Time Mazine… just barely avoiding the distortion that appeared right behind them from above. "Kya!"
"Geez, that was close!" Billy exclaimed.
"Get back in the Time Mazine! It's getting unstable here!" Geiz ordered.
"No need to tell me twice!" Billy complied, carrying Tesset in a bridal carry and hurried back inside the Time Mazine before the two vehicles retreated to the previous area.
"Okay, I think we're safe now." Aile sighed with relief.
"...T-Thanks for saving me." Tesset spoke to the group. "I would have been trapped in between the distortions if you guys hadn't done something."
"Just doing my job, kid." Billy replied.
"Now then Tesset, if you're ATOM's support android, where's the pilot?" Jason asked.
"Well… actually… I've lost him." Tesset answered.
"Come again?" Grey asked.
"Myself and Stein, ATOM's pilot, were chasing a boss mutant… but… it created a dimensional distortion and… I got separated from Stein and Mr. Tank."
"No wonder you're all alone back there." Charlotte noted.
"Don't worry, we'll find your pilot and defeat the boss mutant so this planet can turn itself back to normal." Jason assured.
"T-Thank you so much!" Tesset replied with gratitude.
"Good news is that we found the domain leading to the boss mutant." Aile said.
"Bad news… the way was blocked by a cracked distortion, and we don't have a weapon to break it." Billy added.
"A cracked distortion…" Tesset repeated. "...Actually, Mr. Tank might have a weapon to break it."
"Really?" Eve gasped.
"Mhm." Tesset nodded. "It's called the Full Accel Burst, a powerful large gaia energy sphere. But it uses up a lot of energy to create it and will take a long while to recharge."
"Full Accel Burst… Could this be a variant of the Acceleration Blast?" Jason thought.
"Why am I reminded of Wargreymon's Gaia Force after hearing that?" Geiz also thought.
"That sounds awesome!" Billy remarked in awe. "Now we have another reason to find that Stein guy!"
"Wait, I just realized something." Grey spoke up. "Tesset, where were you and Stein at before the separation?"
"Umm… when Stein and I were chasing the boss mutant, we were in the desert area…" Tesset answered. "Then when we're about to go to the arctic area, the distortion happened… and we were separated."
"I see. If that's the case, then Stein and ATOM are in the arctic area." Grey deduced.
"I will send a text message to our other teams in the arctic area to keep a lookout for Stein and his MA." Charlotte said, using her Zikan Phone to send a text message.
"Good idea, Charl." Geiz said.
"Huh? You mean… there's more of you on this planet?" Tesset said in surprise.
"Yup." Jason confirmed. "We came to this planet to find the access key to Sector G and defeat the boss mutant that's causing these distortions on Divido."
"We've already saved several planets along the way, and we'll definitely save this one. Have faith in us." Eve added.
"Wow…" Tesset remarked in awe.
"Okay, the message was sent." Charlotte informed. "Let's continue to explore the desert area and wait for the news from the other teams."
"Right." Geiz noted. "Let's give the bottom path a closer look. Tesset, you'll be staying inside the Time Mazine as our navigator."
"Umm… I'll do my best…" Tesset replied as the two vehicles went down the bottom path and below a sand pit where they saw two more sand pits.
"Hold on, G-SOPHIA's sensor is picking up an item hiding below one of the sand pits." Eve informed. "I think it's on the right."
"Wait here, I'll have a quick look." Geiz replied, driving the Time Mazine down the right sand pit before coming back up a minute later. "The item is planetoid data for 'A-2'."
"'A-2'... Looks like we need to return to Sector A later to explore that planetoid." Grey said. "Okay, let's keep moving."
The two vehicles then went down the left sand pit and hovered ahead across another sand pit while eliminating more sand mutants until they reached an opening above at the end. After hovering up the hole, they landed at a domain entrance to their left.
"Right then. Billy, Aile and Grey already had their turn, so now it's mine, Charl and Jason's turn to have a look." Geiz said.
"Billy, watch over Tesset while Geiz and I are gone." Charlotte requested.
"No problemo. She'll be alright with me and the others around." Billy replied.
"Jason, Geiz, Charl, stay safe." Eve said.
"Thanks, Eve." Jason replied as he, Geiz and Charl, who quickly donned her IS, left the vehicles and entered the domain.
"Now then, since we're staying here, would you like to know more about us, Tesset?" Aile asked.
"Umm… sure. I don't mind." Tesset replied.
Once inside, the trio went left and destroyed an urchin mutant before discovering green and yellow switches and stone pillars with the green pillar blocking their way forward. When Jason got close to the green switch, it revealed itself, allowing the green pillar to submerge after shooting the switch once. After passing through and destroying urchin mutant, they went to the next area on their right and saw a large maze filled with moving sands, colored switches and stone pillars, distortions, and more mutants including the fire slugs.
"This is gonna take a while navigating this area." Jason remarked.
"Let's take it nice and slow so we can traverse safely without getting lost." Charlotte advised before the trio moved on.
After several minutes of navigating through the maze, they managed to reach the next area on the far right. From there, they saw a Recharge Point along with two paths: the left leading to the arctic area and the right leading to more desert.
"So which path should we take? The ice or more desert?" Geiz asked.
"Well, slipping on the ice can be troublesome. Same goes for the desert sands slowing down our movements." Jason said. "I'll leave that choice to you two."
"You know what, we will continue exploring the desert." Charlotte decided.
"Alright then, desert path it is." Geiz declared as the trio took the right desert path.
From there, they saw cracked walls ahead which were quickly blown open by Jason's grenades before moving on and eliminating more mutants. They soon entered the next area further ahead filled with distortions and sand floors, until the doors on their left and behind them closed up, causing groups of mutants to appear from the wormholes.
"These guys really don't quit, huh?" Jason remarked as they prepared themselves.
"Well you know the mutants, they won't stop until the planet is destroyed." Geiz shrugged, arming his Zikan Zax Yumi Mode.
"Let's quickly eliminate them and move on!" Charlotte declared, firing her heavy assault rifles plus the micro missiles at the approaching mutants.
"Time to try this out." Jason used the Reactive Comet sub-weapon to call forth four shield bits from his suit to protect him from energy projectiles before ordering them to attack the mutants in a spiral pattern.
"Arrow Legion!" Geiz called forth the Arrow Legion from his Legatus on his wrist before he and the Legion fired energy arrows at the mutants.
A few minutes later, all of the mutants have been eradicated, causing the doors to open. "Huh, those shield bits of mine sure are useful." Jason commented as his bits vanished.
"Guess Cecilia's not the only one who has drones." Charlotte said. "Though your bits can't shoot lasers."
"That's fine, ramming them at enemies also works."
"Anyway, moving on." Geiz said as the trio entered the next area where they found themselves in the arctic with mutant ice slugs moving around, creating ice floors in its path. There's also a north and east path to take.
"Guess it's time to go to the arctic." Jason remarked. "At least the area is not too cold."
"And those slugs… they're making the floors slippery." Charlotte noticed.
"Well…" Geiz slotted the Wizard Ride watch on his weapon. "We can't have that happen." He then fired pyro arrows at the ice slugs, melting them into nothing on contact. He also fired a few more pyro arrows to melt the ice floors. "That's better."
"At least we have something to fix our ice problems." Jason said before looking at the two paths. "So which way is next?"
"Those ice slugs are guarding the east path, meaning something is over there." Geiz answered.
"Then let's head that way." Charlotte declared as the trio plus the Arrow Legion took the right path and saw a Recharge Point ahead along with a path to their left.
After taking a quick recharge, they went into the next area filled with ice floors and bottomless pits. In addition, the door closed behind them, causing drones and mutants, especially the slugs, to appear from the wormholes.
"Charl, hold off the enemies while Geiz and I melt the ice!" Jason ordered, setting his rifle to Flame Shot.
"My Legion will provide support!" Geiz added as he and Jason fired flame shots to melt the ice.
"Roger!" Charlotte complied, firing her rifles with micro missiles at her targets with support fire from the Arrow Legion.
Once the ice were melted, Jason and Geiz assisted the French IS pilot in dealing with the rest of the enemies. Several minutes later, all of the enemies were eliminated as the team holstered their weapons and the Legion returned to the Legatus. "Okay, I think this wraps up our domain exploration." Geiz deduced as Jason noticed a light blue data chip with orange outlines nearby.
"A new data chip for my suit. And since it's light blue, I wonder if it's ice related?" Jason examined the chip after retrieving it and inserted it into his suit.
=ABSOLUTE COMET UNLOCKED=
Deploys bits that protects from attacks and launches with ice attacks onto enemies.
"That was a very good guess, Jason." Charlotte said.
"Well, we are in an arctic area after all… even though we ventured through the desert earlier." Jason replied. "Still, now my shield bits can shoot ice… this will prove useful later."
"First fire, then electro, and now ice. You definitely have some elemental coverage on your arsenal." Geiz said.
"I wonder if this is all we could explore on the desert side of this planet?" Charlotte pondered.
"Maybe. We can't go any further until we get the Full Accel Burst from Stein, and he's on the arctic side." Jason replied.
"Then we'll have to wait for GV and Ix's response on the arctic side." Geiz stated. "In the meantime, let's wait near the boss mutant's domain."
"Understood." Charlotte replied as she and Jason nodded before Geiz used his Zikan Phone to create a wormhole, allowing the three to enter.
Planet Divido, Arctic Side
An hour earlier…
During the same time G-SOPHIA and the Time Mazine landed on the desert area of the planet, G-Rairyu and G-Byakko made a hard landing near a Launch Point at the arctic area.
"Okay, touching that is definitely a no-go." Lola said as the two teams noticed the distortions below the floating platforms.
"I'm starting to wonder if there's any survivors at all on this planet." Joule remarked.
"If I were to guess, highly unlikely considering what the mutants have done." Pela answered.
"The least we could do to avenge the fallen is to eliminate the boss mutant." Gunvolt stated.
"But in order to find it, our first priority is to locate Divido's map data." Copen added.
"Hmm… to think this would be my first time visiting the arctic." Anby remarked.
"Though those distortions are the main problem." Laura stated. "Let's not waste time and get moving."
The two MAs carefully leaped across the platforms until they entered the next area at the end. After eliminating a walker mutant and a Mother Brain, they saw a snow pit before them.
"I wonder if the MAs will sink in this kind of snow?" Cecilia pondered.
"Definitely." Lola confirmed. "But there could be a new path below it."
"Or how about we explore the other area ahead before we go down?" Ashe suggested, noticing an entryway far ahead.
"Let's go with Ashe's suggestion. Better not leave any stones unturned." Copen declared as the MAs leaped across the snow pit until they reached another entryway ahead after dealing with another walker mutant.
In the next area, they were met with cell mutants, and snow mutants on snow pits that create ice tornadoes. But they were still no match for the MAs' weaponry. The MAs then leaped across another large snow pit until they reached a smaller snow pit at the end. "Okay, something's definitely hiding below this pit." Lola said.
"In that case, going down." Gunvolt replied as the MAs went down the snow pit and into another area below where they had to destroy another cell mutant. Afterwards, the MAs moved ahead into another area until they saw a domain entrance further ahead.
"Let's hope this domain has the map data for Divido." Copen said as the MAs parked near the entrance. "Anybody wanna go in and have a look?"
"Perhaps Laura and I will go since our IS frames can hover over any ice floors." Cecilia volunteered.
"I'll join in too since I got A-Trans forms to melt the ice." Ashe added.
"Alright then, good luck item hunting." Gunvolt said as Ashe, Cecilia and Laura left the vehicles, the latter two donning their IS frames, and entered the domain.
Inside the domain, the trio saw bottomless pits and ice floors around the room with an entryway ahead. "As expected, there's ice floors." Ashe observed. "Fortunately, I got something to melt them. A-Trans!" Using Model A's power, she quickly changed into Model F, donning orange colored armor with a head guard similar to Model F's Biometal, and two upward forward-facing horns, resembling the lower canines of a dragon. With her Knuckle Busters, she quickly melted the ice floor for safe traversal.
"Good to see you have a solution to your slippery problem." Laura said.
"And this is why Model A's A-Trans is useful." Ashe smirked.
"Okay, let's go." Cecilia declared as they moved to the next room where they saw ice floors, bottomless pits, mutants and moving snow.
"I don't think I can melt that moving snow even if I tried several times." Ashe admitted.
"We'll cover you during the traversal, Ashe." Laura said with Cecilia nodding.
"Appreciate it." Ashe smiled before heading for the forward moving snow while the IS girls eliminated the mutants ahead.
Eventually, they reached the end with another entryway on their right and a distortion that cracked open, leading to a small desert patch. "Wait… the distortions can be broken?" Cecilia noticed in surprise.
"It seems that a powerful weapon is able to do that kind of damage." Laura took a closer look at the cracks around the opened distortion.
"I get the feeling we're gonna need that weapon to handle the boss mutant's distortions." Ashe said. "But first, let's explore this domain first."
"Mm." The IS girls nodded before the trio went to the next room.
From there, it was a large maze with moving snow, ice floors, bottomless pits, several patrolling mutants, and colored switches which can cause colored ice pillars to emerge from the floor. "Oh boy, this maze is gonna take a while." Ashe observed.
"Don't worry, we have your back." Cecilia assured before the trio began the maze traversal, starting with the moving snow on their left.
It took several minutes to traverse through the whole maze, lowering and rising the ice pillars by hitting the switches, and eliminating mutants along the way. But eventually, they reached the next entryway on the far west where they saw a Recharge Point and another entryway on their left. After taking a quick recharge, they find themselves in another empty room… until the door behind them closes up and mutants, especially the ice slugs, appear from the wormholes.
"Well at least there's no pits and ice floors to worry about." Ashe said as the trio prepared themselves. "But I'm not letting those ice slugs turn the floors slippery. You girls can handle everything else."
"Very well." Cecilia replied. "Laura, shall we?"
" Ja, let's crush them!" Laura complied as she fired her shoulder railguns at the mutants with support laser fire from Cecilia and her drones.
As for Ashe, she fired her Knuckle Busters to destroy the ice slugs along with melting the ice floors. Once the slugs were eradicated, she joined the IS girls with exterminating the remaining mutants until the room was cleared a few minutes later. "And that's all for this domain." Ashe concluded, reverting back to Base Form.
Laura then found a LIFE-UP nearby and retrieved it. "A LIFE-UP. So it's not Divido's map data."
"It's better than nothing, at least. Let's look for another domain for the map." Cecilia said, creating a wormhole using her Zikan Phone, allowing the trio to enter.
"Apologies." Laura said as the trio appeared before the MAs via wormhole. "We found a LIFE-UP instead of Divido's map data."
"That's okay, because our desert team sent us a little gift while you girls are busy. It's Divido's map data." Gunvolt replied.
"That's great!" Cecilia smiled.
"Geiz made the right choice splitting us up." Ashe smirked as the trio returned to the vehicles with Laura giving away the LIFE-UP so it can be installed onto the MAs.
Once the installations were done, they checked the map data of Divido. "Hmm… looks like there's a mutant guardian near our current location." Pela observed.
"In that case, perhaps we should go there next?" Anby suggested.
"Then let's go for it. The sooner the better." Copen replied as the MAs made their way back to the previous area with the large snow pit.
Upon arrival, the MAs went down the snow pit and landed on some floating platforms above another snow pit along with more mutants waiting below. After disposing them with Hexa Missiles, they went west until they reached another area ahead. But unfortunately, the way to the mutant domain is blocked by a distortion.
"Are you gacking kidding me?!" Ashe complained. "Why must there be a distortion to block our path?!"
"Damn it, there's no way we can go in. And our current weapons aren't enough to shatter it." Lola muttered.
"Perhaps we should try and find an alternate route to the domain." Pela suggested.
"Guess we have no other choice," Joule said as the MAs returned to the previous area and took the east route, leaping across the distortions and eliminating the worms that appeared on them until they reached another entryway. From there, they continued leaping across snow pits and eliminating any more mutants that impeded their path until they reached another snow pit at the end and another tunnel.
"So which way? The tunnel or the snow pit?" Cecilia asked.
"Hmm…" Pela examined the map on G-Rairyu's navigation screen. "I think we should go down the pit and head west. There should be an item in that area."
"Guess we're skipping the tunnel this time." Gunvolt said and the MAs went down the snow pit and moved east, leaping across more snow pits and destroying more mutants ahead until they reached a path split: a nearby hole and a snow pit ahead with breakable rocks underneath.
"Now what?" Laura asked.
"Keep going west, there should be a way to the item ahead." Pela answered.
"Copy." Copen complied as the MAs leaped onto the snow pit until they landed on something breakable. "Hm? I think we landed on something breakable."
"In that case, a little drilling should do the trick." Lola advised.
In response, the MAs used their Drill Smashers to break through the rocks below and landed on another snow pit and saw another hole above. The MAs then wall jumped till they reached the top and saw a planetoid data chip guarded by three Mother Brains.
"These brains are really starting to get on my nerves. No wonder Samus hated them." Vent remarked.
"Well then, they need to go." Joule said as the MAs quickly disposed the brains with Hexa Missiles.
Afterwards, Laura briefly left the MA, donned her IS and retrieved the data chip before returning to the vehicle. "So this planetoid data is for 'F-2'." She informed after scanning the chip with her Zikan Phone.
"We'll have to check it out after we're done with this planet." Anby stated.
"Right then, let's go to the other path." Gunvolt declared as the MAs made their way back to the previous area and took the bottom path before heading west.
They soon discover a cracked distortion along with a snow pit nearby. "A cracked distortion, just like the one we saw at the first domain we've explored." Cecilia observed.
"At least we know which distortion we can break open. But again, we need a new weapon to do that." Copen stated.
"Then let's go down the pit." Ashe declared as the MAs went down the snow pit and landed on a platform with a Recharge Point nearby and another snow pit below.
After a quick recharge, they went down the snow pit and moved west while eliminating more mutants ahead and carefully traversed through the narrow paths filled with distortions above until they reached the entryway at the end. The MAs then navigated through another area with more distortions above along with destroying more mutants ahead, then going up a snow pit at the end where they destroyed a walker mutant, and then went down a hole with another Recharge Point nearby. But then they saw something unexpected below them. A brown tank that looked like it fused with a 19th century steam locomotive, four tank threads, and green windows on the cockpit. And it was moving inside an entryway.
"Hey guys, that frame, that was a Metal Attacker, wasn't it?" Lola asked.
"There's no doubt about it. A battle tank looking like that is definitely an MA." Laura confirmed.
"That explains how Planet Divido was able to survive for so long, an MA was protecting it." Vent realized.
"I wonder if the pilot's looking for the boss mutant in charge of those distortions?" Anby pondered.
"Let's find out by asking the pilot." Gunvolt replied. "Better leave the talking to me and Ix. None of us want to accidentally antagonize the pilot like what happened on Montoj and Stranga."
"Wise choice." Copen agreed before the MAs went down the hole and go after the brown MA.
They then find themselves in a large room where they saw the brown MA at the end of the room. "Excuse me! Pilot of the brown MA! Can you read me?" Copen called out, earning the pilot's attention as the MA turned to face them.
"What's this?! Enemy reinforcements?!" The pilot exclaimed in a male voice with hostility.
"Enemy rein- H-Hey wait a second!" Gunvolt tried to interject. "We're not here to-"
"I've never seen those types of Mutant Attackers before… Are those some kinds of new models?!"
"Mutant… Attacker…?" Joule repeated in confusion.
"Is there such a thing?" Pela pondered.
"Well… the only thing that comes to mind is the Mutant Core that infected SOPHIA-III months ago." Lola recalled. "I guess you can count that as a Mutant Attacker."
"But if that male pilot saw a Mutant Attacker before… does that mean there's another one somewhere in this world?" Vent pondered.
"I think we can think about that later, because that guy feels like he wants to kill us before we could explain properly!" Ashe stated.
"Guys? I think I found the reason why he's not listening." Pela spoke up. "I tried to use G-Rairyu's receiver to make contact, but the receiver on that brown MA is not set to output audio."
"Are you kidding me?! Is that why he didn't hear us even though we can hear him loud and clear?!" Joule gawked.
"Ugh… we're gonna fight him, aren't we?" Lola groaned.
"Come at me, Mutant Attackers! I'll knock those eyes out of your heads!" The MA pilot declared as the brown MA armed its weapons.
"I'll take that as a yes, unfortunately." Copen answered. "Remember, don't kill the pilot, just shut down the MA!"
"Copy that!" Gunvolt complied as G-Rairyu and G-Byakko armed themselves. "Sorry about this, pilot! But this is for your own good!"
=WARNING=
THE HOSTILITY OF
"NORA MA-03"
=ATOM=
(Play BGM: OPEN FIRE - Valkyria Chronicles 3)
The brown MA called ATOM immediately moved forward and fired powerful energy blasts from the front of the MA, causing G-Rairyu and G-Byakko to dodge by hovering and retaliated with Hexa Missiles. ATOM took plenty of damage, but turned around and moved in reverse while still shooting the energy blasts. The other two MAs still hovered to evade while firing Hexa Missiles at ATOM until it stopped moving and shooting.
Next, ATOM hovered diagonally and fired a missile barrage, causing the other MAs to stop hovering and made a hard landing on the ground to absorb gaia particles, then retaliated with Auto-Clusters to shoot down the missiles before attacking ATOM, causing it to make a hard landing after taking damage. Then ATOM kept moving and shooting both energy blast and missiles, forcing the other MAs to evade by hovering and using their respective Flashfields to block the missiles while retaliating with more Hexa Missiles.
"Geez, this MA sure is durable compared to EIR. And it really hits hard." Lola remarked as the MAs made hard landings on one side of the room while ATOM turned around and stopped moving on the other side.
"Fortunately, it's a little slow, too." Copen stated. "But I get the feeling that's not all this brown MA can do."
Soon enough, the pilot jumped out of ATOM, holding a large green crystal. The pilot was a very muscular, grey and hairy man with a pale complexion, black mullet hair, shaved beard and pointy ears, black sunglasses, a brown army hat, and parts of his body glare a greenish glow with crystals stretching out on his back, to the point part of his brown army jacket has been torn through by the crystal's length.
"Is that the pilot?" Gunvolt noticed the pilot as he slammed the green crystal onto ATOM's engine before jumping back into the cockpit.
"He looks like he's from a military unit." Laura commented.
"But what happened to his body? And why did he shove a large crystal onto the MA?" Anby pondered.
"Don't know about the first one. As for the second one, I think he's trying to recharge his MA." Vent answered.
And true to Vent's word, ATOM was not only recharged, but super-charged in a green glow. "Uh, Vent? He didn't just recharge the MA, he super-charged it!" Ashe pointed out.
"Tch, we should've intervened earlier!" Copen muttered. "GV, stay alert!"
"Gotcha!" Gunvolt complied as ATOM moved forward and fired energy blasts at a faster rate, forcing the two MAs to evade by hovering and retaliated with Hexa Missiles, but the damage ATOM took was lesser than before.
"Is it just me, or our attacks aren't doing as much damage as before?" Lola noticed.
"It's probably because of that green crystal that super-charged the MA." Joule answered. "We'll have to wait for it to power down before we can strike."
"Then let's save our energies and go on the defensive." Copen stated as the MAs avoided ATOM's energy blasts until it stopped while the MAs made hard landings to absorb more gaia particles.
Next, ATOM began hovering diagonally again, along with letting out a smokescreen to block the two MAs' views. "I didn't know that MA has a smokescreen weapon." Pela remarked.
"Ix, the Impact Wave! Use it to blow away the smoke!" Gunvolt advised.
"Roger!" Copen complied as the MAs armed the Impact Wave and let out a sonic blast to blow away the smokescreen around them and activated their respective Flashfields in time to block ATOM's oncoming missile barrage. In addition, the smokescreen also detonated into explosions.
"Explosive smokescreens?!" Cecilia gasped. "Thank goodness the MAs were able to blow that away in time before we're caught in those explosions."
"For such a heavy MA, it sure has a lot of unexpected surprises. I'm impressed." Laura remarked.
After ATOM landed, it let out another smokescreen before moving ahead and fired both energy blasts and missiles. The two MAs quickly evaded by hovering while activating their Flashfields to block the missiles, then used the Impact Waves to blow away the smokescreen in time before they explode. Eventually, ATOM's glow faded as it stopped on one side of the room while G-Rairyu and G-Byakko landed on the other side.
"He's coming out again!" Anby noticed the pilot coming out of ATOM with another green crystal in hand.
"Cecilia, Laura, intervene!" Copen ordered.
"Roger!" The IS girls complied, coming out of the MAs in their IS frames and quickly flew towards the pilot to stop him.
But right before they could reach him, the IS girls and the two MAs were suddenly struck by high speed lasers from above, with the MAs being pushed back and the IS girls crashing onto the ground.
"The heck just happened?!" Ashe exclaimed.
"The MAs' shields took damage, but we're fine!" Pela informed.
"Cecilia, Laura, are you girls alright?!" Vent asked.
"Ugh… we're fine." Cecilia replied as she and Laura slowly recovered. "But who just hit us?"
"...That one." Laura answered, staring at a new figure standing beside ATOM.
It was a woman with dark-blue eyes and long dark-blue hair tied into a ponytail with a ribbon. Her attire consists of a dark-blue military armor with facets of red on the armor torso's side, dark-blue pauldrons, her left gauntlet matches the dark-blue sheen of her armor while her right gauntlet is black, black gloves, a black belt, standard military pants and combat boots. As for the mostly grey and blue weapon she wields, it looked like a fusion between a single-edged greatsword and a heavy assault cannon.
"Sorry I'm late, Stein." The woman said to ATOM's pilot.
"Heh. Was wondering when you'd come to my aid, Imca." Stein smirked after slamming the green crystal onto ATOM's engine. "Now get in! We got mutants to exterminate!"
"Roger!" Imca replied as the two jumped inside the brown MA.
"I see. So the pilot's name is Stein and the woman is Imca." Laura mused. "But what kind of weapon is she holding? It's both a greatsword and a cannon?"
Cecilia's eyes widened after noticing ATOM glowing green again. "We failed to prevent the recharge!"
Laura's eyes widened in shock after hearing that. "Tch, we lost our advantage!"
The front of ATOM began charging up energy, which caused Cecilia's eyes to widen in horror. "That's…! Everyone, get to higher ground now!"
"What?" Gunvolt and Copen asked.
"Just do it!" Cecilia shouted before flying to the top.
"Wait for me!" Laura quickly flew after her.
"I think we'd better listen to Cecilia and go up!" Joule stated.
"Then we need to go!" Gunvolt replied as G-Rairyu and G-Byakko wall climbed up the side of the room and then the ceiling, barely avoiding the large green laser beam fired by ATOM… and it can still move forward during the process.
"...That's an Acceleration Blast!" Copen gasped.
"And it can still move while firing that weapon?!" Lola also gasped.
"We can't prolong this battle for too long. We need to end it before we take too much damage." Vent stated.
"Hm?" Ashe then noticed a new text message from her Zikan Phone, making her eyes widen in surprise before going serious. "Leave that to me. A-Trans!" Using Model A's power, she changed into Model P.
"Why are you using A-Trans?" Lola asked.
"You guys said that you need to end this fight ASAP, right? I'll handle that part, just need to wait for an opening." Ashe answered.
"Okay then." Copen replied as they watched ATOM moving around while unleashing the Acceleration Blast.
Moments later, the laser was ceased before ATOM stopped at one side of the room. Stein and Imca then got out of the brown MA to look around. "Did I get them?" Stein asked.
"I'm not sure." Imca answered. "There should be explosions to prove that they're destroyed. But more importantly, I not only attacked those two vehicles, but also two girls in exo-suits."
"Two… girls…?" Stein blinked. "Huh, I didn't notice."
"You didn't give them a chance to explain?" Imca glared at the pilot.
"Hey, they could be with the mutants, you know!" Stein argued.
"Wow, are you the stupid one." Said Ashe using Model P via A-Trans, appearing behind ATOM and the duo, the latter two had their shadows pierced by Ashe's energy kunais.
Shadow Weaving
"What the?!" Stein exclaimed as he and Imca tried to turn around, but were unable to do so. "I… can't move?!"
"What did you do?! And who are you?!" Imca demanded.
"I just planted my kunais on your shadows to prevent you two from moving. I learned that from another ninja. As for who I am? I'm just a passing through Chosen MegaMan." Ashe answered.
(BGM End)
"A… MegaMan…?!" Imca's eyes widened in shock. "You're just like X?!"
"...Excuse me?!" Ashe showed the same expression as Imca's in response and moved to see her face. "You know about that legendary Maverick Hunter?! Since when?!"
"It was a long time ago during the Portalstone incident. Strange portals appeared in multiple worlds which is how I was able to meet MegaMan X and Zero, and many heroes from other worlds to resolve the incident. My world of Europa is one that was affected by the incident, and that was during the Second Europan War where I fought alongside the Gallian Army Squad 422, 'The Nameless'." Imca explained.
"So there was another multi-dimensional incident that happened before… And it was because of a Portalstone instead of Gjallarhorn…" Ashe thought before speaking to the female soldier. "I see. Guess you got yourself into another huge mess during the war in your world. Though since the incident is resolved and you're sent back to your own world, how'd the war go?"
"...It was over, with Gallia as the victors." Imca smiled. "With the death of the Empire's leader, Maximillian, the two nations proposed a cease-fire to end the conflict, thus achieving peace. With the war over, The Nameless were disbanded as we all went our own separate ways, though we had to reunite one more time to celebrate the wedding of Kurt Irving and Reala Marcellis."
"That's good to hear." Ashe smiled before going serious. "Now then, could you tell me why you chose to attack us without giving us a chance to explain? Not helping that the pilot of the brown MA didn't turn on the output audio on the receiver."
"Stein…!" Imca muttered with gritted teeth.
"Hey, you never know if there's mutants listening to our conversations!" Stein defended.
"Oh boy." Ashe sighed. "Seriously, if we really were mutants, we'd kill you without a second thought. But we're not, because we're actually humans on planet Earth."
"Wait… you're not a mutant?" Stein blinked.
"Obviously not! And as for the two girls in those exo-suits, those happened to be my friends!"
Imca sighed. "I knew it was a mistake to attack them since they looked human. But they looked like they were going to kill Stein."
"They're only trying to restrain him so we can properly explain the situation."
"I see… I apologize on Stein's behalf. He was being overly cautious because of what the boss mutant did to this planet." Imca apologized.
"That's understandable." Ashe noted. "Ah, I didn't get your name, by the way."
"You can call me Imca. Now could you please free us? We won't attack you anymore."
"Consider it done." Ashe replied, heading for the planted kunais on the shadows and pulled them out, allowing Imca and Stein to move freely with the former holstering her weapon behind her back. "Oh yeah, my name is Ashe. A Chosen MegaMan, as in, I can transform into one using a Biometal." She added before turning to her teammates on the ceiling. "You guys can come down now! The misunderstanding is settled!"
"Eh?!" Imca's eyes widened in shock that the two Metal Attackers are on the ceiling. "How the…?!"
"Yeah… Planet Sophia really knows how to build their Metal Attackers, huh?" Ashe smirked as the MAs and the IS girls landed on solid ground, the latter two dispersed their IS frames.
"Nice work resolving the misunderstanding, Ashe." Laura praised as the other teammates left the MAs.
"Well there's another reason I wanted to end the fight immediately." Ashe answered before facing Stein. "Your name is Stein, right? ATOM's pilot?"
"Yeah, that's me." The muscular pilot answered. "Why'd you ask?"
"Do you know about your support android partner Tesset?"
Stein's eyes widened. "You know about the squirt?!"
"Mhm." Ashe nodded. "The other teams in the desert area of Divido sent a text message that they managed to rescue her from the distortions."
"There's more of you on this planet?" Imca asked.
"Gimme a moment to contact them." Ashe pulled out her Zikan Phone to call them. "Ashe here. Our team is currently with Stein now. Could you let Tesset speak to him?" She contacted before nodding. "Gotcha. Turning on the video call now." With a push of a button, a holo-screen appeared, revealing Tesset inside the Time Mazine.
"Stein!"
"There you are, squirt! I was wondering if you're still alive." Stein smiled.
"Um… You can thank the nice people from Xross Drive Rebellion for saving me." Tesset replied. "...I'm inside one of their vehicles now where I'm safe. Anyway… someone wants a favor from you."
"A favor?"
"I'll take it from here." Geiz took over the video call. "Nice to meet you, Stein. My name is Kamen Rider Geiz, one of the founding leaders of Xross Drive Rebellion. I need your help with something."
"Kamen Rider Geiz… Xross Drive Rebellion…" Imca thought.
"Well, since you've saved my partner, I don't mind." Stein replied to the Rider. "So what do you need?"
"Right now, our teams are in front of the boss mutant's domain that's blocked by a cracked distortion. Tesset mentioned that you have a weapon for the MA that can break it. Do you happen to have a spare data chip for that weapon?" Geiz requested.
"Ah, so the squirt mentioned the Full Accel Burst? Yeah, I have a spare." Stein confirmed. "I'd go there to meet you myself, but my MA doesn't have a Booster part for space travel. You'll have to come over here yourself to get it."
"Booster part?" Copen thought before looking at G-Byakko. "I wonder…"
"That's okay, we have another method of transferring the chip without needing to move to another location." Geiz answered to Stein. "Ix?"
"Just give the chip to me and I'll handle the rest." Copen said to Stein.
"Well… if you say so. Wait here." Stein replied before going to his MA, then came back with the blue data chip in hand. "Here ya go."
"Thanks." Copen took the chip and scanned it using his Zikan Phone.
FULL ACCEL BURST:
Creates a high-energy sphere of light using a large amount of the Metal Attacker's energy. However, the sphere can be damaged while charging.
"Hmm… I wonder if this weapon is a variant of the Acceleration Blast?" Copen thought before speaking. "Now if you'll excuse me." He added before returning to G-Byakko.
"Right. If there's nothing else, we need to go and prepare our teams to fight the boss mutant once the cracked distortion is shattered." Geiz said before briefly glancing at Imca. "Wish us luck."
"Give that boss mutant a real good beat down for me." Stein grinned, punching his open palm. "And take good care of Tesset."
"You have my word." Geiz nodded.
"See you soon, Stein." Tesset added before the holo-screen vanished.
"Good to know Tesset's safe with your allies." Stein smiled while Ashe put away her phone. "It's too bad I'm gonna miss giving that boss mutant a piece of my mind."
"It's fine." Gunvolt replied as Copen came back, holding a Booster part.
"Okay, the data chip is installed onto the MAs and the copy was sent to Jason for G-SOPHIA." Copen informed. "Also, I happen to have a spare Booster part for your MA. Consider this returning the favor."
"Well how about that?" Stein grinned. "That'll definitely help with space travel. Give the part to me, I'll handle the rest."
"Sure, but I'll need to also repair your MA as an apology. We only attacked out of self-defense."
"No problem, though that's kind of my fault for not listening first. Let's get started, shall we?"
"Of course." Copen nodded as he and Stein got right to work repairing ATOM and installing the Booster part.
"Now with that out of the way, let me introduce you to my friends, Imca." Ashe spoke up. "This is Gunvolt, Vent, Anby, Pela, Cecilia, Laura, and the one helping Stein is Copen. All of us are from other worlds and joined Geiz as members of Xross Drive Rebellion, a multiversal team to protect the Xross-Verse, which is the name of our multiverse."
"I see." Imca mused. "If this team is formed, that means another multiversal crisis is happening?"
"Wait, another multiversal crisis?" Gunvolt blinked.
"According to Imca, it involved a Portalstone that caused portals to appear in multiple worlds, her world included. That incident happened way before the shattering of Gjallarhorn." Ashe explained.
"So the Xross-Verse was in danger before the formation of Xross Drive Rebellion…" Cecilia mused.
"Her world, huh?" Vent also mused before facing Imca. "I guess you got warped away from your world because of the Dimensional Quakes."
"Dimensional Quakes… so that's what that quake was which sent me to this planet." Imca noted.
"Huh, Vent's guess was spot on. At least it happened after your war and not during." Ashe said to Imca.
"Could you tell me more about Gjallarhorn and your team's mission?" Imca asked the group. "I wish to assist you."
"No problem, Imca. Glad to have you on board." Gunvolt replied as he and his teammates smiled.
"Before that though…" Laura pointed at the weapon on Imca's back. "What was that weapon you used earlier?"
"Oh, this?" Imca replied, showing off her unique weapon. "This is Var, a powerful weapon for both long and close range, and strong enough to destroy enemy armor, especially tanks. I made it myself."
"You made that weapon yourself?" Anby gasped in awe. "That's amazing…"
"Thank you." Imca smiled.
"Take a seat, Imca. This is going to be a long one." Vent said before explaining about Team XDR.
Planet Divido, Desert Side
Back in the desert side of the planet, G-SOPHIA and the Time Mazine were back at the cracked distortion leading towards the boss mutant. "Okay, was not expecting Imca from Valkyria Chronicles 3 to appear." Geiz thought. "I just hope the Dimensional Quake that happened in her world didn't occur during the Europan war, or we'd have a real mess in our hands."
"Okay, the Full Accel Burst has been installed onto G-SOPHIA." Eve informed. "Geiz, you might wanna stand back. Jason will test the weapon out on the distortion."
"Copy that." Geiz complied, driving his vehicle back a few steps.
"Jason, you're free to begin." Charlotte requested.
"Here goes…" Jason replied as G-SOPHIA began charging up a green energy sphere above it, filled with gaia particles.
"Okay, this is definitely different from how the Acceleration Blast works." Aile remarked as the sphere slowly began to grow.
"I wonder if the MA can still move while charging up?" Grey pondered.
"I think I can try a bit." Jason replied as he was able to move his MA forward and backward for a little while with the sphere still growing.
"Okay, good to know that it can move during the charge up sequence." Geiz noted.
"How long will it take to fire the sphere?" Billy asked.
"Just a bit more…" Eve replied as the energy sphere eventually grew massive. "Okay Jason, this will be enough! You may fire when ready!"
"Time to say goodbye to this distortion!" Jason declared, pulling the trigger to launch the massive energy sphere at the cracked distortion. And it was shattered on contact while the sphere kept moving ahead and ignored the terrain ahead. "And the way is clear!"
"Right then, remember who's going to the domain and eliminate the boss mutant." Geiz reminded.
"And… um… please be careful in there." Tesset added.
"Don't worry, kid. We got this." Billy assured as he, Jason, and Charlotte, who donned her IS, left the vehicles and entered the domain.
Once inside, they find themselves in the arctic side of the room with narrow pathways, bottomless pits, and ice floors caused by the ice slugs. "Careful not to slip on the ice, Billy." Jason warned, setting his rifle to Flame Shot. "Let me melt them first so you can safely cross. But be sure to shoot down those ice slugs before they make more of the floors slippery."
"Loud and clear!" Billy complied, twirling his X-Baton Blasters.
"Alright, let's go." Charlotte declared as the trio navigated through the narrow pathways with Billy shooting down the slugs in their way.
They soon reached a distortion that's cracked open, leading to a desert area along with fire slugs. After the trio went through the opening, Billy eliminated the slugs and entered the next area. Then they went through another room after crossing through a couple of cracked opened distortions, and find themselves in a large maze that's fused with both arctic and desert with numerous distortions, some of them cracked open, fire and ice slugs, moving sand and snow, bottomless pits and switches to move the pillars.
"This maze is going to take even longer than the previous one." Billy observed.
"We'll have to take things slow, we can't afford to get lost here." Jason stated.
"Care to take the lead, Jason?" Charlotte requested.
"Got it." Jason complied and moved to the arctic path ahead with the others following close behind.
It took several minutes to navigate through the large maze and disposing the mutants, but eventually, they reached the next room on the top right where they saw one last hallway to their right both in arctic and desert, bottomless pits, distortions that were cracked open, and more mutants. The trio pressed onwards and cleared the obstacles in the path and entered the next room with a Recharge Point, along with one final room to their left.
"Please tell me we're reaching the end…" Billy requested as they made a quick recharge.
"There's usually a Recharge Point near the boss mutant's room, so we're almost done." Charlotte answered.
"I don't know what kind of boss mutant we're dealing with, but be ready for anything." Jason stated, earning a nod from the others before the trio entered the final room.
And inside the room filled with a pair of purple switches and four submerged stone pillars, they saw the boss mutant approaching them from the far end of the room. It was a huge, six-eyed, mutant with teal plating all around it, and around its mouth are twelve large fangs, which are under and over the mouth in a circular fashion with many small but sharp teeth inside.
"So this is the boss mutant that's causing the distortions on Planet Divido." Jason observed.
"And boy is that thing ugly as heck!" Billy added.
"What's the plan?" Charlotte asked.
"Let's observe and evade its attacks. We should be able to figure out how to beat it once we know what to do." Jason answered as they prepared themselves. "Alright, time to free this planet from those distortions!"
=WARNING=
THE LAIR OF
"THE DIMENSIONAL GLUTTON"
=DIG-RAWLER=
(Play BGM: Steel Beast 6Beets - Metal Slug 3)
Dig-Rawler's six eyes began to glow and launched energy spheres at the trio, causing them to evade. But much to their surprise, the spheres also bounced around the walls, which made them go on the defensive.
"Okay, definitely was not expecting bouncing projectiles!" Billy admitted while the trio kept evading until the spheres vanished.
The mutant let out a loud roar with its mouth open, pushing them back with force. "Tch…! That's some roar…!" Jason muttered, trying to stand his ground.
"Hey, I think now's the time to shoot something inside its mouth!" Billy noticed. "Anybody got something explosive?"
" Oui!" Charlotte complied, materializing two pairs of M90 Assault Rifles, two on her arms and two on her sub-arms, each with a missile attachment underneath. She fired both bullets and missiles at the mutant's opened mouth, causing it to stop roaring as it took damage and closed its mouth.
"Good thinking there, Charl." Jason praised. "But I think we're gonna need bigger explosions to deal more damage. Do you have rocket launchers?"
"Um… no." Charlotte sweatdropped.
"Seriously?!" Billy gawked. "I know every first-person shooter game always has rocket launchers in their arsenals for situations like this!"
"...I'll be sure to equip that once I get back to the ship."
"At least I still have my grenades." Jason said as they noticed Dig-Rawler spitting out a couple of large urchin mutants from its mouth and left it open. "...Or maybe we can use them instead."
"So shoot those mutants inside the boss mutant's mouth? No problem!" Billy responded by firing charged shots at the urchin mutants, sending them flying onto Dig-Rawler's mouth and exploding on the inside, causing it to close its mouth again. "How's that?"
"Good." Jason nodded as they watched the boss mutant's next move.
Dig-Rawler then opened its mouth and began charging up purple energy, which made the trio gulp. "I don't like the looks of that!" Charlotte spoke with dread.
"Does this room have anything to shield us with?!" Billy asked as they looked around for a solution, until he noticed the submerged pillars and the switches. "Hey, I know what those switches can do!"
"Then let's hurry!" Jason declared as the trio hurried to the switches which revealed themselves upon close proximity. After shooting both switches at once, the four stone pillars rose up, allowing the trio to hide behind them.
And just in time too, as the boss mutant fired a massive beam that covered the whole room. Since the trio used the stone pillars as cover, they're safe from harm. Eventually, the beam ceased firing and the mutant's mouth was closed. " Sacre Bleu, that was close…" Charlotte sighed with relief as everyone stopped hiding.
"I'd use my Absorber to block the massive beam, but I don't think it can even survive that." Jason said.
"At least we're back in the fight now that we're safe." Billy stated as they awaited the boss mutant's next move.
Dig-Rawler then shook the entire room with another roar, causing rocks and urchin mutants to fall from above which forced them to evade, while also spitting out more urchin mutants from its mouth.
"Thanks for the free ammo!" Billy quipped, firing charged shots at the urchin mutants to send them flying into the boss mutants mouth. Charlotte also launched one urchin mutant with a single shot of her pile bunker. All of the urchins exploded once they reached inside the boss mutant's mouth, causing it to close its mouth and took heavy damage.
In response, the boss mutant opened its mouth again to charge up another large beam. "Great, it's this again…" Jason muttered. "Everyone take cover!"
The group quickly hid behind the stone pillars… except for Charlotte who's still out in the open. "Hey, Charl! You gotta hide unless you wanna get vaporized!" Billy shouted.
"I know. But I have to use Samus' little gift first." Charlotte replied, pulling out said gift which was revealed to be a Power Bomb, and armed it.
"Samus' Power Bomb?!" Jason gasped.
" Bon appetit, you disgusting mutant!" Charlotte threw the Power Bomb into the mutant's mouth before quickly retreating behind a stone pillar.
Dig-Rawler suddenly stopped charging the beam after swallowing the Power Bomb, until the latter detonated into a massive explosion that obliterated the former from the inside. Once the damage was done, an object landed near Jason's stone pillar, prompting the Blaster Master to retrieve it and scanned it using his helmet's Scan Visor. "The Access Key to Sector G. We got it." Jason informed as the others got out of their hiding spots.
(BGM End)
"Alright, we did it!" Billy cheered as they holstered their weapons. "Though Charl, that was pretty risky throwing a powerful bomb onto the mutant's open mouth as it was charging up a laser."
"Well, Samus gave me a Power Bomb to use in desperate situations. And this is one of them." Charlotte answered.
"Then it looks like I have you and Samus to thank for this victory." Jason smiled. "With this, there won't be any more new distortions on Planet Divido. Though it would take a long while for those current distortions to vanish."
"True." Billy agreed. "But hey, we did what we could."
"Right, time to head back and tell the others the good news." Charlotte declared, creating a wormhole using her Zikan Phone, allowing the trio to enter.
Soon after, the trio returned to the vehicles outside via wormhole. "Hey guys, we're all done here!" Billy waved. "Boss mutant exterminated and Access Key retrieved! Mission complete!"
"Great work, everyone!" Eve replied. "This should stop any new distortions from appearing on this planet."
"Thank you so much for saving this planet." Tesset thanked. "I'm sure Stein and Mr. Tank will be happy with the good news."
"Though we still need to bring you back to Stein before we leave, Tesset." Jason stated. "Eve, call in the arctic team. We need to set up a meeting point."
"On it." Eve replied and got to work while Jason, Charlotte and Billy returned to the vehicles.
Inside G-SOPHIA, Eve was able to make video contact with Gunvolt and Copen via Zikan Phone. "Mission complete, guys. Boss mutant neutralized and access key to Sector G retrieved." Eve informed.
"That's good to hear." Gunvolt smiled.
"Now this planet won't have to worry about any more distortions appearing." Copen added.
"Hah! Always knew you guys would get the job done!" Stein grinned. "Is Tesset still around?"
"Umm… I'm still here, Stein." Tesset waved from another holo-screen. "Everything okay on your end?"
"Better than okay! Not only did our friends from Earth repaired ATOM, but they also installed the Booster part for space travel!"
"That's great news!" Tesset smiled.
"Anyway, we should probably meet up somewhere so you and Tesset can reunite." Grey stated.
"How about the arctic side's Launch Point?" Pela suggested. "You should have the map to know its location."
"That'll work." Jason replied. "We'll head there now."
"Then it's decided." Copen noted. "We'll meet you there."
"See you on my side, squirt!" Stein smiled.
"Mm." Tesset nodded. "See you soon."
Once the holo-screen of the arctic team vanished, Aile spoke up. "Okay, time to get out of this desert. I could use the cold air of the arctic right now."
"Heh, we all do, Aile." Geiz chuckled before the holo-screen vanished.
"Then we're out of here!" Jason declared as the two vehicles made their way back to the desert side's Launch Point.
Planet Divido, Arctic Side
The arctic team arrived at the Launch Point after a few minutes, and now awaiting the desert team's arrival, while Copen, with Gunvolt watching over, used the Launch Point's terminal to call in Samus to bring some EDF troops to scout and eliminate any remaining mutants hiding on the planet despite the boss mutant's demise.
"Since you and Tesset are staying on this planet to clear out the remaining mutants, I decided to call in reinforcements to help you." Copen informed ATOM's pilot while working.
"Appreciate it, Ix." Stein smiled. "Don't worry, I'll listen to them instead of attacking them."
"I hope you learn your lesson." Imca said. "I'll be leaving the planet with them, so be good to the troops while I'm gone."
"No problem, Imca." Stein nodded. "And thanks for keeping me company while I'm searching for the boss mutant and Tesset."
"Call it returning the favor since you found me on this planet before the mutants did when I was a victim of the Dimensional Quakes." Imca smiled back.
"Ah, here they come now!" Gunvolt noticed the desert team's arrival from above and landed near the Launch Point.
Tesset quickly got out of the Time Mazine to hug Stein. "Stein!"
"There you are, squirt!" Stein grinned, patting his android partner's head. "Your new friends treating you well?"
"Mhm." Tesset nodded. "I got to hear amazing stories about Team XDR. They're really amazing…"
"Heh, figured you'd say that." Stein smirked. "I got to hear their tales while Ix and I are fixing up ATOM. And boy are they badass."
"Good to know, Stein." Geiz replied as he, Jason and Eve got out of their vehicles to greet the pilot.
"So you must be Kamen Rider Geiz, one of the founding leaders of Xross Drive Rebellion." Imca stepped forward and greeted with a salute. "A pleasure to meet you. My name is Imca, former member of the Nameless shadow squadron of the Gallian Army."
"Pleasure to meet you too, Imca." Geiz saluted back. "I take it my teammates informed you about Team XDR's mission?"
"Mm." Imca nodded. "To think there's a second multiversal crisis happening…"
"Wait, second?" Jason blinked. "What was the first?"
"The first multiversal crisis was because of a Portalstone which caused portals to appear in multiple worlds, including mine which happened during the war against the Empire in Europa. I had to work with the heroes of other worlds to resolve the crisis."
"Portalstone… Wait, is she talking about the plot of Project X Zone?!" Geiz thought in surprise. "I'm surprised that event happened before the shattering of Gjallarhorn!"
"Since the multiverse, or rather the Xross-Verse, is in danger again, I wish to lead you my aid to resolve this crisis." Imca requested to the Rider. "The rest of Team XDR agreed to my recruitment, but I want a final confirmation from the founding leader."
"I see." Geiz noted. "Is the war on Europa still happening in your world?"
"Don't worry, it already ended with Maximillian's death, causing both the Empire and Gallia to propose a cease-fire, and the Nameless were disbanded afterwards." Imca answered. "But we did reunite once more for Kurt and Riela's wedding."
"Oh, a wedding? How sweet!" Eve smiled.
"Okay, I'm all done here." Copen informed. "Samus and her team will arrive in a few minutes. So what's our next move?"
"I think we're pretty much done with this planet since there's no mutant and item icons on the map." Lola informed. "But we did find data on planetoid 'F-2' that we need to explore."
"For our end, we found planetoid data for 'F-1' and 'A-2'." Jason also informed.
"Three new planetoids…" Geiz mused. "Looks like the teams will go to a planetoid each before heading back to the ship, but since there's three of them, two teams will explore one instead. By the way Imca, you're coming with me aboard my vehicle."
"Understood." Imca nodded.
"Ix, your team will check out 'A-2'. GV, your team goes to 'F-2'." Geiz said.
"Then that means my team will go with you again to 'F-1', Geiz." Jason deduced.
"Well then…" Geiz spoke as the team faced Stein and Tesset. "It's been nice meeting you both, but we have mutants to exterminate in the other planetoids."
"...That's alright. Stein, Mr. Tank and I can handle the rest. And we'll work with your friends that are arriving soon." Tesset replied.
"Oh, before you leave…" Stein took out something from his pocket. An emblem resembling ATOM. "I found this weird thing next to Imca. Dunno what that does, but maybe you guys can figure it out."
"Another emblem resembling an MA?" Jason thought in surprise. "Where do those things come from anyway?"
"Very well, I'll see what I can do." Eve accepted and took the emblem.
"Right then, get back out there and kick some mutant ass!" Stein grinned. "Imca, take care of yourself!"
"Same goes for you and Tesset." Imca saluted. "I wish you the best of luck."
"Come back again soon… once this planet is stable first." Tesset waved as the team returned to their respective vehicles, and used the Launch Point to blast off into space once more. Once the four vehicles returned to space, they flew to their separate destinations for exploration.
Space Sector A, Planetoid 'A-2'
Once G-Byakko landed on Planetoid 'A-2' at Sector A after using the dimensional tunnel, the team only saw a ladder leading upwards to another area. "An exploration on foot this time." Copen observed. "I think I'll have a look. Anybody wanna come with?"
"Allow me to go with you." Laura volunteered.
"I think Ashe and I will stay here instead." Cecilia decided.
"Have fun, out there!" Ashe said as Copen and Laura, who changed into her IS, left the MA, climbed up the stairs and entered the next area.
From there, all they saw were a few floating platforms over a huge bottomless pit, with some crab mutants on guard. "Thank goodness we can fly with our battlesuits." Laura said. "But we still need to destroy those mutants. We can't let them stay here."
"Agreed." Copen nodded, using his armor's Bullit Shift to take flight. "Alright, let's go!"
"Roger!" Laura replied as the two flew ahead to deal with the crab mutants.
The duo evaded the mutants' bubble attacks and retaliated with Copen's Blazing Ballista and Laura's twin railguns that were enough to destroy them. They soon reached the end of the area and saw a yellow data chip on the last platform. "Another chip for Jason's suit. So what is it this time?" Laura pondered as Copen scanned the chip using his Zikan Phone after retrieving it.
ACCEL CHARGER:
Removes power limiters from Jason's suit and Blaster Rifle temporarily.
"Whoa… I think this must be some kind of temporary Super Mode!" Lola remarked.
"But only as a last resort." Copen stated, pocketing the chip and his phone.
"Maybe Jason will use it during his rematch against Leibniz." Laura said.
"Probably, since he won't realize Jason has that ability in his arsenal." Copen replied.
"Okay, we're all done here! Back to the MA and back to the ship!" Lola declared as Copen and Laura flew back to where they first came in.
Space Sector F, Planetoid 'F-1'
A few minutes later after leaving Planet Divido, G-SOPHIA and the Time Mazine landed on Planetoid 'F-1' inside a cavern where the two teams saw a couple of tunnels. One on the west, and the other on the east.
"Another huge maze. And I bet it's gonna involve a lot of tunnels." Grey observed.
"Should we split up?" Charlotte asked.
"I don't think so." Geiz replied. "Let's stick together for this one. Now which tunnel to start with?"
"Hmm… when in doubt, head left?" Billy suggested. "Or… west in this case."
"Worth a shot." Jason replied as the two vehicles entered the west tunnel.
From there, they encountered walker mutants and hostile turrets which the vehicles quickly destroyed them with Homing/Hexa Missiles in response. After climbing up a wall to the upper area, they saw another two tunnels with the east tunnel that can only be reached by crawling.
"Looks like some of us need to crawl under that to enter the east tunnel." Eve observed. "Any volunteers?"
"I'll do it. It won't take long." Grey volunteered, leaving the MA and changed into Hedgeshock using A-Trans. Then he rolled into the small hole like a ball and entered the east tunnel.
"Did he just change into a robotic hedgehog?" Imca asked.
"Yup, that's Model A's special ability; A-Trans. Only Grey and Ashe can use it." Aile replied.
"I see."
A minute later, G-Hedgeshock returned to the vehicle and reverted back to Base Form. "I found a switch nearby and activated it. Maybe it's for a ladder or a door." Grey informed before boarding the MA.
"Okay, time to go west." Jason noted as the vehicles took the west tunnel.
Inside, they saw a water hole nearby with spikes on the walls. "Oh great… spikes…" Aile groaned.
"Looks like we need to be careful during the dive." Geiz stated.
"Wait, these vehicles can swim? Even the battle tank?" Imca questioned.
"Let's just say that these vehicles are very special, mostly the MA." Billy answered. "Alright, going down!"
The vehicles then dove into the water while carefully not touching the wall spikes. When they reach the bottom, they saw an east and west path.
"Which way now?" Charlotte asked.
"Let's go east this time." Geiz replied as the vehicles moved east. Soon after, they reached dry land and entered a nearby tunnel.
Beyond that, they saw several floating platforms above a pool of water, and a switch on the far end. "Another one of those switches like the one I found before." Grey noticed. "Though we need to do some platform jumping to reach it."
"Hmm… Mind if I give it a go this time?" Eve requested, much to everyone's surprise, especially Jason.
"Wait, are you sure about this, Eve?" Jason questioned.
"You guys have done a lot lately, so I figured I'd give it a try. Fortunately, there's no mutants or turrets in this area. Good thing I've done my gymnastics training along with having jet boots."
"That would be pretty interesting to see." Imca said.
"In that case, go for it, girl!" Aile supported.
Eve then got out of the MA with Jason following suit, with the latter only observing. Using the jet boots, Eve leaped across the platforms with ease, along with doing a few spins and flips, until she reached the switch. After activating it, she did the same acrobatic maneuvers on the way back and landed with a double front flip, earning applause from the teams.
"Looks like your training paid off. Nicely done, Eve." Jason praised.
"Thanks." Eve smiled. "Let's head back to the previous area and take the west route."
"Copy that." Jason replied as he and Eve boarded G-SOPHIA before the two vehicles returned to the previous area.
They then took the west route and reached dry land where they saw another tunnel. After going inside, all they saw was a ladder leading downwards. "So, anybody wanna go down the ladder?" Geiz asked.
"I wanna try this one, too." Eve volunteered. "But I also want Jason and Imca to come with me in case there's some mutants below."
"You really wanna stretch your legs, huh?" Billy mused.
"I wanted to have a workout after being inside the MA for a long while. I want to do my part, too."
"Ah, I know what you mean."
"Jason, Eve, let's get going." Imca declared as she, Jason and Eve left the vehicles and went down the ladder where they saw a tunnel below.
After entering the tunnel, they saw another switch ahead of a few small cliffs. "Huh, no mutants in this area either." Jason observed.
"Then let's get going!" Eve declared, running ahead and jumping over the small cliffs.
"Hey, wait for us!" Imca shouted as she and Jason quickly ran after Eve.
Eventually, Eve reached the switch first and activated it while Jason arrived second and Imca came in last. "I have to wonder what was activated once I pulled the switch. Maybe a new ladder in a previous area?" Eve pondered.
"Probably." Jason replied. "I think we need to head back to the Launch Point and take the tunnel we didn't enter."
"You two are very athletic, especially you in that battlesuit, Jason." Imca remarked.
"Well my training in the EDF can be a little rough, but the results are worth it. But you're not too bad yourself, Imca." Jason replied. "I wonder if you could use some jet boots for more mobility?"
"Hmm…" Imca looked at her own boots. "Now there's a thought."
"How about we save that idea until we get back to the ship? We still need to explore this planetoid first." Eve stated.
"Fair enough. Let's move." Jason replied as the three made their way back to the vehicles.
After the trio returned and boarded the vehicles, they made their way back to the Launch Point and entered the east tunnel. From there, they immediately destroyed the patrolling mutants with Homing/Hexa Missiles before diving into another water hole filled with spikes. They carefully traversed through the waters while shooting down more mutants in their path until they reached dry land and went down another hole, leading to a breakable rock which is a shortcut back to the previous area, and a ladder leading downwards.
"You know, I think my team will wait near the Launch Point after my MA breaks this rock while you guys go down the ladder which will probably lead to another switch." Jason said.
"Fair enough." Geiz replied. "See you guys later!"
"Don't take too long!" Aile replied back as the MA used the Drill Smasher to break through the rock and returned back to the Launch Point.
"Alright, my turn to stretch my legs!" Billy said.
"I will also join you. I could use the ladder as a way to train." Imca added.
"Whatever works for you, Imca." Billy replied as he and Imca left the Time Mazine and went down the ladder, leading to another tunnel below.
Upon entry, they saw another ladder leading upwards and climbed where they saw a switch after reaching the top. After Billy activated the switch, another ladder appeared before them, leading to a tunnel above. "Hmm…" Billy hummed while looking at the ladder. "Call it a hunch, but I think we should skip this ladder and head back to the Time Mazine."
"Are you sure?" Imca asked. "It could be something important up there."
"True. But in some cases, it could lead us to a trap. And we both know we hate traps."
"...You have a point there. Fine, we'll head back for now." Imca said as the duo made their way back by climbing down the ladder.
Soon after, they returned to the Time Mazine and boarded it before the vehicle went back to the previous area where G-SOPHIA was waiting. "Hey, guys! I think the switch you just activated revealed another ladder to climb!" Jason informed. "Aile and Grey already left to check it out."
"How long were they gone?" Geiz asked.
"Around a minute, so they should be on their way back soon." Eve replied.
And true to Eve's words, the two Chosen MegaMen climbed down the ladder and regrouped with the others. "Oh, you're back." Aile greeted Geiz's team. "While you're on your way back here, Grey and I checked the new area and found planetoid data for 'D-3'."
"Meaning we need to take a quick trip back to Sector D to go there." Grey added.
"I guess that's all this planetoid has to offer." Charlotte deduced. "Let's leave and head for Sector D."
Space Sector F, Planetoid 'F-2'
Meanwhile, G-Rairyu landed on Planetoid 'F-2' where Gunvolt's team saw a domain entrance nearby. "Right then, I'm going in. Anybody wanna come with?" Gunvolt asked.
"Allow me to join you, GV." Pela volunteered.
"Then Anby and I will wait here." Vent said.
"Be careful in there." Anby warned as Gunvolt and Pela left the MA and entered the domain… only for them to come out with an SP-UP on the Azure Striker's hand after less than a minute.
"Well that was quick!" Vent exclaimed.
"Having a Wind Glider has its advantages." Gunvolt replied. "Or I can also hitch a ride on Pela's bits."
"The item inside was… surprisingly close by." Pela remarked. "At least we don't need to take the long route involving moving platforms hovering over spikes and bottomless pits."
"...Oh." Anby responded. "Then… I guess we're done here. Back to the ship?"
"Back to the ship." Gunvolt and Pela replied as they boarded the MA and flew back into space using the Launch Point.
Space Sector D, Planetoid 'D-3'
After arriving at Planetoid 'D-3' on Sector D using the dimensional tunnel, they saw plenty of distortions and floating water ahead. "So there's distortions in this planetoid, too." Jason noticed.
"And according to the MA's sensors, there should be at least two items here." Eve checked G-SOPHIA's systems.
"Still, navigating through this area is definitely going to be a pain." Geiz remarked. "Charl, Grey, the both of you will have to explore while the rest of us stay here."
"Understood./Got it." Charlotte and Grey replied, leaving the vehicles and moved ahead.
The maze the duo had to traverse was huge and filled with mutants and danger, but thanks to Charlotte's skills as an IS pilot and Grey's A-Trans abilities, they can handle the challenges thrown at them. After several minutes, the duo returned to the vehicles with Charlotte holding a blue data chip and Grey with an SP-UP.
"There you guys are!" Billy greeted the arrivals. "That excursion took a while, huh?"
"A very long while." Charlotte answered. "You have no idea how many distortions and mutants we had to deal with to get these."
"Either way, we got the two items; an SP-UP and a new MA weapon called the Revol-Buster." Grey added.
"Revol-Buster, huh?" Jason mused.
"Okay, time to do the usual." Eve said as Charlotte and Grey boarded G-SOPHIA and gave the items to Eve for installation.
=REVOL-BUSTER UNLOCKED=
Fires fast and powerful armor-piercing shots. Can be fired six times before reloading.
"A cannon that shoots like a revolver. Sweet!" Billy remarked. "But why six shots instead of eight?"
"Who knows? But I'll take what I can get, especially if the shots are armor-piercing." Jason replied.
"Anyway, the other teams should be heading back to the ship since they're done exploring the planetoids. All that remains is Sector G, and we all know what that means." Aile stated.
"Yeah. My rematch against Leibniz and Garuda." Jason replied.
"I think we'd better take a break at the ship before we go to Sector G. I get the feeling we're nearing the end of this space journey." Geiz advised.
"This Leibniz… is he that strong?" Imca asked.
"Yes. Both in and out of his MA, the Garuda. And he'll definitely be improved in the rematch, so I have to be ready." Jason replied.
"I see, then I wish you the best of luck."
"Thanks, Imca."
"Okay, we've stayed in this planetoid for too long. Back to the ship we go." Eve declared as the vehicles blasted off into space using the Launch Point.
Chapter 7: A Planet Divided
End
(Imca has joined Xross Drive Rebellion)
Author's Note: With the completion of this chapter, we're reaching the endgame of this Book as the journey will reach its conclusion on Sector G. What will happen during Jason's rematch against Leibniz? And what ever happened to Leibniz and his android partner in the past? Only time… will tell…
As for what happened in this chapter which had plenty of changes compared to the original game, the distortions only affected the planet and not the whole of Sector F which saves the team plenty of time, especially if there's four teams. As for Tesset's rescue, they're able to take her to safety before she was trapped between the distortions. Not only that, Imca from Valkyria Chronicles 3 showed up and had participated in the events of Project X Zone way before the shattering of Gjallarhorn, which is why she's familiar with the multiverse. Fortunately, the Dimensional Quake warped her after the events of Valkyria Chronicles 3, so she's free to join the Rebellion since her squad was disbanded after the war.
Okay, that should be it for now, so stay safe and see you next chapter!