(Author's Notes: Here's the third and final part of Chapter 13. Enjoy!)

Chapter 13: Redress (Part III)

Dorbickmon leaned, arms folded, against the stone walls of Drakrieg. After sending the letter to the Royal Knights, he travelled from Dragon's Peak to the smaller, eastern town, so as to not draw attention to himself. He figured that since this town was close to the Free Area, it would be the safest place to meet.

However, the draconic mercenary began to grow impatient. He had been waiting there for a few hours and he still didn't see them.

Finally, Dorbickmon released an irritated rumble from his throat and stood up from the wall. He decided it would be better to wait inside the town, as he was probably starting to look suspicious. He was also getting hungry.

The red dragon man turned and walked to the gate, giving the Lighdramon guard a nod as he walked through to the town. Immediately upon entering Drakrieg, there was a sprawling town square with a fountain in the center. Along the sides of the open town center were stores, restaurants and inns.

Dorbickmon began to walk towards the fountain where a bunch of Digimon were gathered around. It was a common meeting spot of both local Digimon and visitors. As he stepped into the crowded square, he looked over his shoulder one more time, just to be certain. To his relief, he could see two silhouettes approaching the town from the sky. He was certain that one of the two was Examon.

He turned around completely to get a closer look at the approaching Digimon. He saw that the figure with Examon was Dukemon standing atop Grani. Dorbickmon stood in place, knowing that they would be able to spot him. When he saw Examon wave to him, Dorbickmon slapped his face; he was supposed to be undercover.

The mercenary sighed and rolled his eyes when the Royal Knights and Zero ARMS landed outside of the gate so that they could walk inside the entrance. He watched Dukemon dismount and walk alongside Examon over to him. Grani followed behind the two Royal Knights.

"Took you guys long enough…" Dorbickmon stated as the three approached. He then looked at Examon. "And I'm supposed to be undercover, remember? Don't wave at me; we shouldn't even be seen together in public."

"Sorry," Examon responded, rubbing the back of his neck. The dragon couldn't help but look around the familiar square. He and Dukemon were receiving a few curious glances. There were a couple smiles and excited whispers among the Digimon.

However, it felt different from before. It used to be that he could comfortably be around many of these Digimon. But now that he was a Royal Knight, each time he came to the UDC, he increasingly began to feel like an outsider. He thought that maybe it was because Digimon here were beginning to view him as a Royal Knight rather than their protector Examon.

"Forget it," Dorbickmon said to him, glancing around the area. He walked over to the fountain and sat down, prompting the three to follow him. "You're here now, at least."

"You said you had news on a certain trio of bugs?" Dukemon asked him, standing near the fountain where the mercenary was sitting, but making it seem like he was talking to Examon and Grani instead of Dorbickmon.

"Lots of news," Dorbickmon responded, flipping a coin into the air with his claws and catching it. "You'll want to hear this."

Dukemon arched an eyebrow and glanced at him briefly. "What could be so important with those three? All they did was steal blueprints from the Metal Empire and we haven't really heard from them since," he stated.

Dorbickmon gave a toothy smirk as he caught the coin again. "Yeah, well… They're a lot more involved than you guys realise…"

Examon exchanged looks with Grani and Dukemon. "…How so?" he asked his friend.

"I was in a bar in Dragon's Peak a few days ago," he stated nonchalantly. "I got a tip that Black Pincer Company was meeting with a client there. Well, not a client, but an intermediary for their client. Unfortunately, I still don't know who they're working for."

"What happened?" Grani asked him.

"I overheard them talking with the Wizardmon," Dorbickmon explained. "He was offering them a new job. They've been working for him ever since Facture, I think." He flipped the coin again and allowed it to fall into the fountain's basin with a wet 'plunk'. "Whoever their client is… They're playin' you guys and the Metal Empire off each other."

Dukemon's golden eyes hardened. "What?" he demanded.

Examon frowned as well. "What do you mean?" he asked their informant.

Dorbickmon turned his violet eyes towards Grani. "I overheard what their new job is. Their client wants Black Pincer to dust one of your recon patrols."

Grani's cerulean optics narrowed. "What? They plan to destroy one of my patrols?" he asked, his calm voice becoming agitated. "I refuse to allow it from three, pitiful, low-rent brigand—"

"Grani," Dukemon spoke to calm him down, although he was clearly furious too. "What does this have to do with the Metal Empire?" he asked the mercenary.

"They were supposed to make it look like the attack was done by the Metal Empire," Dorbickmon explained, looking at them seriously. He watched as their expressions hardened and decided to continue. "Now… I can't prove what I'm about to say, but… I think that the Black Pincers were responsible for that attack on your castle too."

"What…?" Dukemon incredulously asked him.

Examon narrowed his eyes and thought about the idea. "It's… possible," he conceded. "It could easily be the D-Brigade, but if what you're saying is true, then it could have been Black Pincer Company too…"

Grani was quiet for a few moments as he contemplated the prospect. "The Bolgmon could have been the one who fired the shot," he agreed. "It's worth investigating."

Dukemon glared bitterly. "But why would this mystery Digimon want to play us off the Metal Empire?" he asked.

"No clue," Dorbickmon responded casually. "I just know what I heard. Somebody's definitely using those three bugs to start something between you guys and the Metal Empire."

"What about the Wizardmon?" Grani asked him.

Dorbickmon gritted his teeth and shrugged. "I dunno. I was planning to kidnap him or scare him for information on who he works for, but GrandisKuwagamon got in my way and the runt escaped," he explained.

"Kidnap him?" Examon asked, giving him an unamused stare.

"GrandisKuwagamon? Did they find you out?" Dukemon inquired.

"Nope," Dorbickmon responded. "I managed to talk my way out of it. I think he bought it, but he seemed kind of suspicious. I have to be careful around them from now on."

"Make sure you are," Examon told him with a concerned expression.

Dorbickmon waved his hand. "I will, I will…" he dismissively said. A grin then re-emerged on his face. He looked at the three Order members again. "But at least I have some good news too."

Dukemon arched an eyebrow. "Go on…"

"I heard them say that their hideout is in the Dragon Mountains," Dorbickmon explained with a satisfied, tooth-filled smirk. "They're probably staying there now."

"That's good news, but the Dragon Mountains span half the coast of the whole UDC," Examon pointed out. "It won't be easy to find it, even if that narrows the field by a lot."

Dorbickmon grunted indignantly. "I guess…" he admitted, a bit annoyed that Examon took the wind out of his sails. However, he tried to remember the conversation. "Uh… Wait… I think I remember hearing Bolgmon say that one of your patrols nearly came across their hideout and that they should have blasted them then?"

Grani frowned at this and began thinking systematically. "…When was this conversation exactly?"

"Yesterday," Dorbickmon answered.

The Zero ARMS closed his eyes and began to think about all of the scouting routes that his Reconnaissance Squadron took yesterday. "Hmm… That was likely Aquilamon's group… They would have intersected with the base of the Dragon Mountains at…" He paused to think about the coordinates. "…beta seven, upsilon two."

Grani continued to think about the location in question. "A hideout…" he mused softly, opening his eyes again. "Actually… I remember that there is a cave complex in those coordinates, built into the mountainside – the Southern Dragon Mountains. It was an abandoned tunnel outpost. However, I vaguely remember that, back during the DarkKnightmon crisis, I read a report from one of my scouts saying that there was activity there."

"Damn," Dorbickmon exclaimed, somewhat impressed. "Is he part-computer?"

Dukemon grinned a bit. "Sometimes…"

Grani looked at Dukemon and Examon. "I could take you there, if you want to investigate," he offered.

"It might not be a bad idea…" Dukemon mused. "But don't you have a job to do?"

"Yes, but I can drop you off and go on my way," Grani explained.

"That's okay, Grani. I can find it if you tell me the general vicinity," Examon spoke up firmly. "The UDC is my home, after all. I know the area."

Dukemon looked over at Examon. "So, you're okay with going to investigate?"

"We pretty much have to," Examon responded affirmatively. "If we have the chance to take them down before they can attack us, we have to take it."

Dukemon half-smiled and nodded. "I can agree with that," he stated. "It's time to take down some mercs."

Dorbickmon folded his arms. "There's one sitting right here, remember," he pointed out sarcastically. "I'd love to join you guys, but I don't want to make an enemy of every merc and criminal I know, so if the worst case scenario happens, you didn't get your info from me."

Dukemon blandly looked at Examon. "Your friend has so much faith in us…"

"He's always like that, unfortunately," Examon teased.

Dorbickmon stood up and sneakily punched Examon's arm. "You're welcome for the information, by the way," he sardonically added.

Examon grinned at him. "Thanks, Dorbickmon. You've been a big help," he sincerely replied. "You too, Grani."

"Yeaaah," Dorbickmon said, walking by them. "I've gotta go now. I'll stop by tomorrow or something. Good luck on your hunt. You might need it."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Examon told him, watching as he walked away.

Dorbickmon looked over his shoulder at him. "Make sure you do," he added before turning forward and disappearing behind a crowd of walking dragon Digimon.

Examon watched as his friend disappeared. He was thankful that he had at least one Digimon around here that still treated him normally. It was ironic, given how much Dorbickmon had hated him a few years ago. Despite that, he somehow felt comfortable with him. It wasn't always easy, and it was certainly hard when they first began to mend things, but he felt like they had made a lot of progress.

Once the mercenary was gone, Grani turned to the two Royal Knights. "I guess we had better get started."

Examon looked at Dukemon and nodded. "Yeah. While there's still afternoon left."

Hours passed and the afternoon grew late. The sun began to set over the horizon, painting an orange tint across the sky. Overhead, two half moons could faintly be seen in the sky as they orbited the Digital World. The evening began to set in as the sky started to grow darker.

The Dragon Mountains cast a long shadow over the grassy plains beneath them. Blocking the sun from view, they created a dark recess at the base of the rocky cliffs, adding a concealing shade to the landscape.

A cavern entrance at the base of the steep, mountain cliffs was hidden by the darkness. That was a benefit for Black Pincer Company. It was good to have a hideout that was especially hidden at night.

Sitting in the mouth of the cave was Bolgmon, who stared out into the blackening evening sky. Blitzmon stood behind him with a battery powered lantern. GrandisKuwagamon stood across from the two, leaning against the opposite wall with folded arms.

"We need to think about how we want to do this," Blitzmon said to the two.

"Yeah," GrandisKuwagamon agreed, spreading his scissor-like pincers slightly as he spoke. "This is going to be tougher than it sounds."

"I don't see how," Bolgmon responded with a nonchalant shrug. "All we have to do is blast some pricks to smithereens. Simple enough."

"You make everything sound so easy, Bolgie," GrandisKuwagamon said with a sigh. "If it weren't for me and Blitz, we'd probably be dead several times over by now."

Bolgmon shot him a glare. "Hey! I'm in charge of logistics!"

"Which is useful when your answer to everything isn't blowing shit up," GrandisKuwagamon explained. "We need to figure out how get the job done without becoming data dust in the process. This is the Royal Knights we're going up against, remember."

"I know, I know! I'm not an idiot," Bolgmon fired back, indignantly holding his cannon arms across his chest.

"You aren't?" GrandisKuwagamon teased, prompting another glare from Bolgmon.

"We know. You're smart when actually try to be," Blitzmon admitted. "Grandis is right though. There's more to it than just vaping a patrol."

"Okay, so what do you want to do, Blitz?" the large tank Digimon asked the humanoid bug.

Blitzmon closed his green eyes and thought about it. "We should wait here and let a patrol come to us. Then we'll take them out."

GrandisKuwagamon looked at Blitzmon sceptically. "It's not often that patrols come by here. We should move into the Free Area and attack from there."

Blitzmon glanced at the ebony insect. "That's too risky. The Free Area will be extremely secure after that last attack on the Royal Knights' castle."

"No more risky than attacking a Royal Knight patrol on our doorstep," GrandisKuwagamon countered.

"It won't be a problem if we destroy them completely," Blitzmon argued, narrowing his eyes at GrandisKuwagamon.

"The Royal Knights aren't idiots. If we destroy a patrol, they'd send more to investigate. I don't want this hideout getting found out by them," GrandisKuwagamon debated.

"And you think it'd be safer for us attacking them on their doorstep?" Blitzmon asked him calmly, but with a pointed edge.

"We'll attack them from somewhere else, then. The Republic of Node, maybe," GrandisKuwagamon stated.

Blitzmon closed his eyes and thought about it. "Okay. When?" he questioned.

"The sooner the better," Bolgmon responded.

"Nah, we should wait until a day or two before we're supposed to meet Wizardmon," GrandisKuwagamon said. "The longer we wait, the less amount of time we'll have to spend dodging the Royal Knights before our pay out. Then we can go underground."

Blitzmon thought about it. "Doesn't really give us—"

"Shut up. Cut the lights," Bolgmon suddenly said sharply in a hushed voice. "I see something."

GrandisKuwagamon narrowed his eye and stood up from the wall before crouching down. Blitzmon turned off the lantern and kneeled down as well, looking out of the cave opening. The cave went dark and the three insect Digimon stared into the dark blue sky.

Against the darkening backdrop, they could see an indistinct silhouette flying in the sky. It was dark, so it was hard to make out the figure. They were able to see the figure's two, broad wings flapping, but not much else. It looked like the figure was flying in their general direction.

"Bolgmon, can you ID it?" Blitzmon asked him.

Bolgmon fixated on the figure and numbers began to roll across his emerald optics. He narrowed his eyes and did his best to scan the figure in the distance. After a few moments, he glanced at his two comrades.

"It's a Royal Knight patrol," he told them.

"What? I can only see one Digimon. It's probably just a random Dramon," GrandisKuwagamon sceptically countered.

"No, it's a Royal Knight patrol. I'm sure of it," Bolgmon insisted. "And it's coming this way. Now's our chance!"

"What?" GrandisKuwagamon blankly asked. His red eye stared in disbelief as yellow energy began to build up inside Bolgmon's horn cannon. The electrons began to light up the mouth of the cave, drawing attention to them. "Wait a sec!"

Blitzmon didn't react. He moved out of the way and calmly watched Bolgmon react to the incoming threat.

"Stand back, guys. I'm taking this sucker down!" Bolgmon announced, angling his body forwards and planting his cannon hands against the ground to brace himself for the recoil. He forwent using the tracking screen in exchange for speed.

GrandisKuwagamon scowled and clenched his fists. "Bolgmon, I swear, if you—"

"Field Destroyer!"

A giant, yellow bean tore from Bolgmon's horn. It surged at an upwards angle towards the approaching Digimon, the strands of positrons crackling and howling as they flowed forwards. The bright, shimmering blast illuminated the cliff face and lit up the evening sky, revealing the targeted Digimon as Examon.

Examon had been approaching the mountainous sector to investigate the coordinates that Grani had given them. It appeared that Grani and Dorbickmon were right.

He watched as the beam streaked towards him unexpectedly. His eyes momentarily widened before he scowled and gripped his Ambrosius lance. His Caledfwlch wings already began to react evasively.

Dukemon dashed along the ground below Examon. He scowled with both surprise and anger as the beam suddenly rushed towards his friend. He raised his Aegis shield and tightened his hold on his Gram lance.

Turning his head up towards Examon, he yelled out urgently. "Examon! Incoming! Look out!" he shouted.

Examon gritted his teeth and flapped his wings strongly, flying to the side to avoid the beam as it closed in on him. Putting significant force into each buffet, he managed to get out of the way of the beam in time. The positron laser hissed and sizzled as it tore through the air beside Examon. He could feel the heat and the energy against his scales, indicating how close he was to getting hit.

GrandisKuwagamon scowled and turned towards Bolgmon furiously. "You fucking idiot! You didn't even kill him properly!" he snapped.

Bolgmon glowered defensively at the criticism as the beam subsided from his smoking horn and he recovered from the strong recoil. "So do something about it, genius!" he fired back.

Blitzmon narrowed his eyes and allowed lightning and crackle from his wrists and horn. "There's another one too," he told them. "It's the Royal Knights."

"This just keeps getting better and better!" GrandisKuwagamon shouted with sarcastic exasperation and anger.

Examon tried to quickly recover from narrowly avoiding getting caught up in the beam. He readjusted himself in the air by allowing his wings to catch himself. As he did this, he levelled the Ambrosius with the spot where the beam originated from and aimed precisely.

"Pendragon's Glory," Examon spoke, raising the Ambrosius and narrowing his eyes.

A comparatively thin beam ejected from the bladed muzzle of the lance and pierced the air. The surging laser shot towards the mouth of the cave and the three mercenaries standing there.

"Shit! Incoming!" GrandisKuwagamon called out to the other, throwing himself against the wall of the cave.

Bolgmon pushed Blitzmon back towards the opposite wall behind him and steamed into reverse to dodge. The laser tore across the cave entrance, ripping up rock and strafing the interior of the cavern. The three insect Digimon managed to avoid the laser, which passed in between them and down the center of the opening. They were saved from being sniped by the Royal Knight, but their hard bodies were still pelted with stones from the beam.

GrandisKuwagamon swore under his breath from his place against the wall and turned his head to look at the deep, smoking gash along the hideout floor.

Blitzmon stepped out from behind Bolgmon. "Let's retreat into the hideout. We'll create a bottleneck and keep them from getting in."

"What?! No way in hell am I fighting in a cave!" Bolgmon protested ardently. "I can't manoeuvre in there and we'll end up bringing the whole mountain down on top of us!"

"I'm with Bolgmon. Going into the cave is a death trap," GrandisKuwagamon said with a hiss. He extended the claws of his Gran Killers. "Even if there are other exits, they might seal them off. They came here for a reason. They came here for us."

"But how?!" Bolgmon asked, starting to spin the cannons on his hands to build up electricity.

"Either good intel or someone sold us out," Blitzmon stated.

"Doesn't matter right now. We need to fight out in the open," GrandisKuwagamon told them hurriedly.

"I'm down with that," Bolgmon agreed. He put his treads into full gear and sped out of the cave and onto the grasslands.

Blitzmon frowned. "Fine. Let's go," he submitted, jumping out of the cave and beating his insect wings.

GrandisKuwagamon lunged into the air as well, buzzing his X-shaped wings and readying his Gran Killer gauntlets for action.

"Bolgmon! Support us!" Blitzmon called out to him. He then turned to GrandisKuwagamon. "Which one do you want?"

"I'll take Dukemon," GrandisKuwagamon answered. "I think my melee skills are up to Royal Knight standards."

"I'll go after the other," Blitzmon agreed.

The two mercenaries nodded and broke off in different directions.

Meanwhile, Dukemon and Examon watched their movements. Dukemon readied himself and dashed forwards. "Examon! I'm going in; cover me!" he called out to the dragon Royal Knight. "And get on the LRAC and tell the others what's going on!"

"Got it," Examon answered, holding the Ambrosius with one hand while he used his other claw to set the long range communicator to the right data stream frequency.

As Examon did that, Dukemon lunged across the shadowy grassy plains towards the base of the mountains and the three mercenaries. He levelled his jousting lance and dashed towards them with determination. "We have you now!" he shouted out. "Surrender!"

GrandisKuwagamon rushed towards Dukemon in response. "Go to hell, tin can!" he yelled back.

Night was beginning to set in, but it was about to be illuminated with the light of battle.

Meanwhile, UlforceVeedramon remained in the medical bay. He was sitting up in bed with his legs hanging over the side and his feet hovering above the floor. His right leg was still in a cast and he found it hard to move it with the splint.

The blue Royal Knight glanced across the medical bay. He saw Duskmon sitting in his office, which was connected to the medical bay. The door was open, but the physician was focused on the paperwork on his desk.

Sensing an opportunity, UlforceVeedramon placed his left foot down on the ground. He put the majority of his weight on that foot and also placed his hands on the bed to steady himself. He gently pressed his cast-bound right foot on the floor and started to stand up, all of his weight still on his uninjured foot. He just wanted to try standing.

"Don't do that, UlforceVeedramon," Duskmon called out.

UlforceVeedramon winced and looked over at the physician. The multi-eyed doctor was still seemingly looking at his paperwork, although Ulforce had to assume that one of his many eyes had managed to catch him in the act.

The knight sighed and relaxed his muscles, sitting back down on the bed. "You know, you'd make a good jailor…" he remarked. The joke was there, but his usual mirthful cadence and expression were not.

Duskmon stood up from his desk and walked out of his office, making his way over to UlforceVeedramon. "Perhaps I should switch jobs with Reapermon for a bit. He can come here from Havelock Prison and give you your check ups from now on," he said with a dry sense of humour.

UlforceVeedramon gave him a ghost of a smile. "Yeah…" he responded. He looked down at his lap. "I wasn't trying to escape; I really just wanted to try standing for a few seconds."

The physician sighed. "I can understand that, but you really shouldn't be trying it without me with you," he advised him. "You could fall and damage your leg further. That could set you back or even cause more serious injuries."

"Sorry…" UlforceVeedramon responded.

Duskmon looked at him with concern. UlforceVeedramon usually put up more resistance, but he seemed increasingly beaten down. "Are you feeling alright, UlforceVeedramon?"

UlforceVeedramon shrugged noncommittally.

A frown formed on Duskmon's many eyes. "What is it? I'm concerned about your state of mind."

The dragon knight sighed and rubbed his head. "I just hate lying around here being useless. And I feel like a dick for taking it out on Dukemon," he responded.

"I can understand your frustration, but you're healing. You've only been here for almost a week," Duskmon reasoned.

"I feel like I've been here for almost a month," UlforceVeedramon replied, downcast. His red eyes narrowed guiltily. "I feel like such a burden…"

Duskmon placed his hand on his left shoulder. "Maybe it would help if you spoke to a friend about it…" he suggested. "Want me to get Magnamon or somebody?"

UlforceVeedramon shrugged. "If you think it's best."

Duskmon nodded. "Wait here. I'll be right back," the physician stated. He turned around walked to the exit of medical bay, stepping out to find Magnamon.

UlforceVeedramon passively watched as Duskmon left. With the physician gone, he knew that he had an opportunity to escape. However, he had no intention of taking it; he didn't see the point.

The cobalt Royal Knight instead began fiddling with the LRAC around his wrist. Alphamon had given it to UlforceVeedramon so that he'd still be able to keep tabs on some of the things that were going on.

Unable to think of anything else to do, he turned it on and switched it to the Royal Knights' comm frequency.

At first, it was silent. He didn't hear any activity. He expected as much; there was rarely comm activity.

Just as UlforceVeedramon was about to lie back down on his, he could hear static coming from the LRAC. The hiss meant that there was another LRAC online that was trying to get though. UlforceVeedramon looked at the device interestedly.

"Hello, Control. This is Red-Eleven. Do you read me?" a deep, growly voice asked. UlforceVeedramon sat up straighter. He recognized the voice and codename as Examon's.

"Confirmed, Red-Eleven," the voice of the Guardromon working the communications room responded. "This is Control."

"Requesting that you patch me through to Black-One immediately," Examon said in a hurried voice. "Urgently."

"Acknowledged. Patching you through to Black-One's LRAC…" the Guardromon answered. "Hotline… Access… Connect OK. Black-One, there is an urgent message from Red-Eleven. You are connected. Black-One, please confirm."

UlforceVeedramon frowned and heard the static from Alphamon's LRAC. After a few moments, Alphamon responded. "Black-One, here. Yes, Red-Eleven?" Alphamon asked Examon.

"Red-Three and I are under attack at coordinates: beta seven, upsilon two. Requesting reinforcements to ensure the capture of three hostiles. One Knight should do," Examon said.

"I don't know if anybody will be able to arrive in time. It's at least an hour by flight," Alphamon answered. "Can you ensure capture on your own?"

"There is only one Ultimate, one Adult-class Hybrid, and either a Perfect-class Hybrid or an Ultimate. They shouldn't post a threat, but they may be able to outmanoeuvre us and escape," Examon calmly explained. "It would be- rrgh!"

The sound of a blast resonated through the speaker of the LRAC. UlforceVeedramon winced and stood to his feet with worry, putting his pressure on his good leg.

"Red-Eleven, do you read me? Are you alright?" Alphamon asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine. It's just—Rgh! He's on me!" Examon said between grunts of effort. It sounded like he was moving a lot and trying to avoid getting hit. "How can—This Blitzmon isn't ordinary. He moves too—This shouldn't be possible from an Adult-class."

"A Blitzmon?" Alphamon asked him with surprise. "Hold on, Red-Eleven, I'll—"

UlforceVeedramon flapped his wings and lifted his body off of the ground to take the pressure off of his legs. He raised his LRAC device to his mouth. "Blue-Seven here!" he suddenly spoke up with newly discovered determination in his voice. "Request acknowledged! Moving to reinforce!"

There was a moment of radio silence.

"…U-UlforceVeedramon?" Alphamon's voice asked, momentarily shocked enough to forgo his call sign. "But you're hurt. You can't!"

"I can," UlforceVeedramon responded, glaring with resolve. "I'm the only one who can!"

"But your leg, Blue-Seven," Alphamon protested.

"I'll use my wings," UlforceVeedramon answered stubbornly, flapping his wings and shooting out of the medical bay and soaring down the wide corridor. "I'm the only one who's fast enough to make it there in time! I can be there in twenty minutes. Can you and Red-Three hold for that long, Red-Eleven?"

"Affirmative, but your leg. The g-forces might—"

UlforceVeedramon soared to the end of the corridor and made a sharp turn at the stairs, flying up them with deft aerial manoeuvres. "Hang tight! I'm heading to the armory for my equipment. Blue-Seven out!" He switched off his LRAC and cut the communication to avoid hearing Alphamon and Examon's protests.

He narrowed his eyes and made a direct flight to the building's exit. "Hang on, Dukemon, Examon," he thought to himself. He made sharp turn at the foyer that caused him to wince. The swerve was hard enough to put pressure on his injured leg and sent a jolt of pain up his body. UlforceVeedramon ignored it and made his way outside.

"I'll back you up. I won't be a burden any longer…"

"Final Elysion!"

Dukemon raised the radiant Aegis as the symbols on the shield lit up one at a time. The shield glowed with bright holy light that lit up the darkness around him before it pulsed with energy. A beam poured from the Aegis and tore horizontally across the ground.

GrandisKuwagamon deftly lunged into the air, beating his wings rapidly to avoid the torrent of energy. He gracefully flew up and started making a direct route for Dukemon as the beam passed below him. The beam exploded into the mountainside and sent rocks toppling down, causing Bolgmon to drive full speed to get out of the way.

Dukemon kept his eyes on GrandisKuwagamon as the beam subsided. Instead of waiting for the insect man to come to him, he decided to take him on directly. Dukemon dashed forwards and lunged into the air, driving the Gram towards GrandisKuwagamon.

The black mercenary spun his body in the air and narrowly dodged the stab. He flew past Dukemon, down along the length of his arm, and then righted himself in the air. Once he was behind the Royal Knight, he drove his Gran Killers towards Dukemon's back.

Sensing the action, Dukemon grunted and threw his left arm behind him so that the Aegis covered his caped back. The clawed gauntlets scraped along the Aegis with a horrible screeching noise and a flurry of sparks. Dukemon drove his feet into the grass and skidded while turning around to face the mercenary. Getting into a crouch, Dukemon thrust his lance towards the insect.

With surprising flexibility, GrandisKuwagamon bent back so that the lance passed over his upper body. Dukemon used the opportunity to rush forwards and ram GrandisKuwagamon with his shield. The blow knocked GrandisKuwagamon off his feet, but not before he snapped his forceps shut, narrowly missing the top of Dukemon's head.

The mercenary was sent skidding along the grass, but he was only down for a second before he did a backwards flip and got back to his feet in a fighting stance. He lowered his body and raised his Gran Killers. His red, compound eye glanced past Dukemon to see a light in the distance. GrandisKuwagamon smirked and flew straight up into the air.

Dukemon looked up at him suspiciously, raising his guard. "Huh?" he asked, surprised when GrandisKuwagamon didn't come back down.

"Ultimate Thunder!" Bolgmon called out from behind him. He released two orbs of lightning from his spinning arm cannons. The spheres pulsed out, connected by a single strand of electricity like a bolas. The lightning spun towards Dukemon, crackling and sparking dangerously.

Dukemon spun around and growled at the oncoming attack. He raised the Aegis as the electricity surged towards him. While he managed to block one of the orbs of lightning with the shield, the other one coiled around him and sent electricity shooting up his armoured form. The crimson Royal Knight momentarily seized up and snarled with pain.

GrandisKuwagamon grinned and saw his opportunity. He rushed down towards Dukemon and drove his Gran Killer towards him.

Through his pain, Dukemon noticed this and forced himself to act. Despite his twitching muscles, he spun around and slashed his Gram towards the descending insect.

The mercenary was forced to alter his course and flip over the slash to avoid getting hit. GrandisKuwagamon landed behind Dukemon and drove his leg backwards, kicking out the back of Dukemon's knee. Dukemon's leg buckled and he fell to a knee. However, the Royal Knight acted quickly by throwing his shield arm behind him, driving the steel rim of the shield into GrandisKuwagamon's side.

GrandisKuwagamon grunted with pain and was sent staggering away from Dukemon. He nearly fell to the ground but he stabbed a Gran Killer into the earth to stop him. He grabbed a clump of grass and dirt in his hand before catching himself and standing upright. Both he and Dukemon spun around to face each other as they stood meters apart.

"You've got some moves for a mercenary like you. I'm impressed," Dukemon grudgingly complimented him, although not lowering his guard for a moment.

"Save your condescending praise, pretty boy. You Royal Knights aren't as great as you think you are," GrandisKuwagamon spat, throwing it back in his face. "You're just pomp, ideals, and a nice suit of armour."

Dukemon narrowed his eyes. "If that's true, you shouldn't have any problem beating me," the crimson knight responded.

"You're right," GrandisKuwagamon answered. Without warning, he threw the clump of dirt he was holding straight into Dukemon's visor. The dirt exploded on contact with the helmet and showered his eyes and face, obstructing his vision.

"Damn it!" Dukemon uttered, recoiling and growling, trying to blink the dirt out of his eyes.

GrandisKuwagamon grinned and saw his opening. He darted forwards and plunged his Gran Killers towards Dukemon's unprotected abdomen. The Royal Knight saw him approach through his blurred vision, and side-stepped while pushing the Gram outwards. He managed to use the lance as a barrier to keep the mercenary from getting too close, but GrandisKuwagamon still managed to cut along his side, digging into the crimson belts a bit.

Dukemon pushed him away and then spun around to drive his boot into GrandisKuwagamon, kicking him away. "Royal Sabre!" he called out, sending white energy spiralling around the Gram and culminating at its tip. An arrow of light burst from the Gram and descended on GrandisKuwagamon.

The black insect brought his Gran Killers in front of him like an 'X' to brace himself for the attack. The beam blasted into his thick gauntlets with incredible, burning force. Although he was spared the worst of the damage from the attack, the shock was still heavy enough to send him flying across the grass.

GrandisKuwagamon came to a sliding stop and rolled onto his back. He lay there and panted for no more than a moment before sitting up, his Gran Killers smoking from the blast. "I hardly felt that…" he taunted, standing back to his feet.

Dukemon wiped the dirt out of his eyes and stepped forwards. "Who are you working for?!" he called out, glaring as he approached.

"Whoever wants to pay us!" GrandisKuwagamon responded defiantly. "Oh, and you might wanna look out."

"Anti-Ground Ultimate Thunder!" Bolgmon yelled from the air.

Dukemon looked above him to see Bolgmon hovering in the sky, aiming his arm cannons down at him. He started firing a salvo of beam bullets from his cannons like Gatling guns. A barrage of energy blasts came raining down on him, strafing the ground and kicking dirt up everywhere.

Dukemon acted quickly, raising the Aegis over his head like an umbrella. He grunted with effort as the powerful beam blasts pelted his shield and he strained his arm to resist them. The fusillade of beams tore up the ground around him.

GrandisKuwagamon started dashing towards the suppressed Royal Knight and signaled Bolgmon to stop, who was beginning to lose aerial propulsion anyways. Bolgmon stopped firing and began to descend towards the ground and GrandisKuwagamon rushed into the smoky haze that Dukemon was within.

When the barrage stopped, Dukemon was about to act, but GrandisKuwagamon burst through the smoke in front of him. The insect mercenary drove his spiked knee into Dukemon's gut and then opened his blade-like mandibles wide. "Grandis Scissors!"

Despite the pain, Dukemon reacted quickly. He raised the Aegis in front of him right as the pincers snapped shut, causing them to harmlessly hit the edges of his trusty shield. With his opponent directly in front of him, but too close for him to use the Gram, he started pouring energy into the Aegis. "Final Elysion!"

"Shit," GrandisKuwagamon swore, watching the shield glow with energy directly in front of his face. He drove his boot into the shield and kicked off of it, flying back into the air.

Instead of following through with the attack, Dukemon swept his arm out and threw the shield like a discus. The Aegis spun towards GrandisKuwagamon and went right between his mandibles, hitting him painfully in his face. GrandisKuwagamon let out a cuss of pain and fell out of the sky, but managed to land on the ground on a knee. Dukemon then levelled his lance with him. "Royal Saber!" he shouted, firing a beam of radiant power towards GrandisKuwagamon.

The insect mercenary dove out of the way in time but was sent reeling from the resulting explosion.

Meanwhile, Bolgmon hit the ground and floored it across the grass. While GrandisKuwagamon was busy with Dukemon, he turned his attention to Examon, who was contending with Blitzmon.

"Lightning Blitz!" Blitzmon spoke as he flew through the air. A bolt of lightning surged from his horn and snapped through the sky towards Examon.

Examon pulled up one of his Caledfwlch wings and used the chrome digizoid coating as a shield, causing the electricity to dance along the metal. The dragon winced at the numbing surge but soon swept his wing out and aimed the Ambrosius at the approaching Blitzmon.

"Hahaaha! Ultimate Thunder!" Bolgmon shouted out from below, a malevolent grin on his face as he aimed his spinning cannons at Examon. "Eat this, lizard!" The cannons surged with electricity and he fired the lightning orbs towards Examon.

Examon noticed out of the corner of his eye and immediately flapped his wings to fly up and avoid them. He watched the electric bolas pass below him and streak into the night sky. The Royal Knight spun in the air to aim his Ambrosius down at Bolgmon.

"Avalon's Gate!" he spoke, firing a shell from the lance down towards Bolgmon. The shell casing broke open midway during flight and released a multitude of anti-personnel ball bearings towards Bolgmon.

Bolgmon raised his cannon arms to protect himself from the scattershot, which tore into the ground around him and ricocheted off of his metal body. "It'll take more than pellets to take me down, dumbass!" Bolgmon shouted up at him. "Now come down here so I can tear those wings of yours off!"

Examon was about to fire at him again, but then he remembered about Blitzmon. He spun towards the blue and yellow humanoid bug but was surprised to see that he was already upon him. Blitzmon closed in on him, his hands and wrists cloaked in electricity.

"Thor's Hammer!" he shouted. He raised his clasped hands over his head and brought down the electricity-charged fists down on Examon like a hammer. The fists slammed into Examon's face and sent a shock of electricity through him.

The draconic Royal Knight winced with pain as he was pushed down through the air. Reflexively, he turned the Ambrosius towards Blitzmon and fired a beam from the weapon. Blitzmon swerved to the side with extreme agility, enough to dodge the brunt of the shot. The laser seared across his armoured shoulder however, burning through it but missing flesh.

"Megaton Punch!" Blitzmon retaliated, shooting down at nearly lightning speeds and levelling a heavy punch with Examon's armoured chest. Although the armour absorbed much of the blow, Examon was forced back through the air.

Examon grunted and caught himself before aiming his lance again. "You aren't normal. A Blitzmon shouldn't be able to give a Royal Knight this much trouble."

Blitzmon grinned and hovered in place, letting lightning spark along his body. "Don't be fooled, lizard. I have enough strength to become a RhinoKabuterimon. Speed is just more my style than pure defence and firepower. Between my years of training and my X-Antibody, I'm more than a match for any Ultimate level Digimon," he explained. "Underestimate me all you want."

Bolgmon unleashed a cackle of bloodlust as well. "Ditto for me! Now try some of this! Field Destroyer!" He planted himself against the ground and aimed his cannon horn up towards Examon. He fired a beam powerful enough to push him down into the earth. The torrent of positrons streaked through the air towards Examon.

Examon grunted at the thick, all-consuming beam. Not positive he could avoid it, he cloaked his Caledfwlch wings around his body. The beam slammed into the chrome digizoid with crushing force. Examon snarled as he held against the blast, feeling the laser heat his wings to painful levels as it parted around him. He could tell from the sheer pressure of the beam that getting hit by something this strong might very well be a death wish. This Bolgmon was in the same level of Ultimate as well.

Finally, the beam weakened and subsided, allowing Examon to unfurl his smoking and pained wings. The Chrome Digizoid metal around them glowed a dim orange from the heat. He had also been pushed back in the air a considerable amount by the blast.

"I need to gain altitude," he thought to himself, flapping his wings and beginning to rise into the air.

"I don't think so," Blitzmon stated, sensing Examon's intentions. "Lightning Blitz!"

Examon saw a bolt of lightning pierce through the air towards him. He swooped to avoid it, narrowly missing the electrified stream as it shot above him.

Bolgmon drove out of the ground and started to build electricity up in his cannon arms again. He took aim at Examon and smirked darkly. "Ultimate Thunder!" he shouted, unleashing a dual blast of lightning from his cannon ports.

Examon saw this second blast of electricity shoot towards him, prompting him to flap his wings hard and shoot into the sky to avoid it. He snarled with annoyance. These two mercenaries worked well as a team. "Pendragon's Glory!" he said, aiming the lance at Bolgmon and firing a high-powered laser from the Ambrosius.

The thick laser tore through the air and plummeted down onto Bolgmon. The armoured insect braced himself for the attack as the beam swallowed his form and vaporized the ground around him. When the beam subsided, he was still standing, although his body was smoking and his armour was fractured in some places.

Bolgmon growled and drove out from the smoke and dust with an enraged look in his eyes. "Now you've pissed me off, lizard!" he shouted furiously. "I'm gonna choke you with your own tail!"

Examon ignored the threat and quickly turned towards Blitzmon, who shot towards him to take advantage of his distraction. He was prepared this time and angled his lance with Blitzmon right as the mercenary came close. "Avalon's Gate!" he shouted, unleashing a shell from the Ambrosius nearly point blank into Blitzmon's chest.

The shell burst open and coated Blitzmon's front with ice, knocking him back through the air. Examon then rushed forwards and drove his clawed fist into Blitzmon's face, throwing him away.

Finally getting a moment of reprieve, Examon panted and looked around, surveying the situation. He expected Bolgmon to target him soon and he assumed that Blitzmon would quickly recover. "Dukemon!" Examon called out, looking over at his friend to see how he was doing.

He saw that Dukemon was still in a brutal melee with GrandisKuwagamon. The insect pulled his hair and Dukemon responded by bashing him away with his shield and then following up with a lance strike to GrandisKuwagamon's thick carapace. GrandisKuwagamon slashed Dukemon's bicep with his Gran Killers, drawing three light cuts underneath the fabric. Dukemon winced and lunged into the air, driving his boot into GrandisKuwagamon's mouth.

Once there was distance between them, Dukemon unleashed a beam from his lance towards GrandisKuwagamon. Staggering from the blow, the insect Digimon just barely managed to jump to avoid the blast, though the resulting explosion threw him away further.

Dukemon panted and sweat dripped down his body. He turned to Examon. "Yeah?!" he called back.

Examon fired a high explosive shell down at Bolgmon as the insect tore across the grass, but the tank Digimon took a sharp turn to avoid the shell. The explosion rippled into the air and nearly knocked Bolgmon off of his treads. The dragon Royal Knight grunted and turned back to Dukemon. "How are you holding up?!" he asked.

"Okay!" Dukemon responded. "Didn't expect these guys to be this tough!"

"Me neither! I have my claws full right now! I think I can hold them off, but-"

"Behind you, Examon!" Dukemon called out to him.

Examon spun around and saw Blitzmon surging towards him with a sparking horn. "Lightning Bomber!"

The dragon gritted his teeth and raised his lance to retaliate. "Avalon's—

"Shining V-Force!"

A golden laser streamed through the sky and slammed into Blitzmon's side. The mercenary unleashed a surprised shout and was thrown out of the sky by the blast.

As the mercenary fell to the ground, Examon lowered the Ambrosius and turned his head. He saw a cobalt blur shooting towards them through the night sky.

Within moments, UlforceVeedramon appeared nearby. Clad in full armour, he stopped his flight and hovered in the air. His cast-bound leg hung limply and he panted with exertion but he managed a grin when he looked at Examon. "Reinforcements have arrived!" he declared.

Dukemon looked over with shock. "Ulforce?!"

UlforceVeedramon flashed him a half-smile and gave him the V-sign with his fingers. "I'm supposed to be in bed, you know; I really shouldn't be saving your butts like this."

Dukemon managed a slight grin and started running over towards the two Royal Knights.

At the same time, Black Pincer Company was also regrouping. Bolgmon helped Blitzmon stand up and GrandisKuwagamon landed nearby.

"Damn it," GrandisKuwagamon hissed, clenching his fists. "There's three of them now. What d'you say? We each take one?"

Blitzmon grimaced at the situation. "No… We should retreat. We lost our numerical advantage and I don't know if we can face them one-on-one in a straight up fight," he explained. "I don't feel good about our chances."

"What?" GrandisKuwagamon asked incredulously. "We can't run! And look at that guy!" He pointed to UlforceVeedramon. "He's in a cast! Just kick his bad leg really hard!"

"He's got a point, Blitzie," Bolgmon said.

"He's the fastest Royal Knight out of all of them," Blitzmon argued. "There might be more of them on the way. They came here to take us down, so that's what they intend to do. We should run and fight another day."

GrandisKuwagamon narrowed his eye. "Yeah, but… our hideout! We can't abandon it! All our money's there!" he protested.

"All our stuff too!" Bolgmon agreed.

"You think I don't know that?!" Blitzmon fired back with uncharacteristic anger. "We don't have a choice! We don't have time to get it. The longer we stay here, the more screwed we are!"

"Damn!" GrandisKuwagamon swore angrily, realizing the truth in Blitzmon's words but not wanting to admit it. "I can't believe this. And I just got that new dartboard too. ...Looks like we've got no choice."

"Damn it! Those fucking Royal Knights! How did they find out about us?! They're going to pay for this!" Bolgmon raged, glaring hard at the three Royal Knights in the distance. He began to build energy up in his nose cannon and he raised the tracking system on his back to get a lock on them. "I'm gonna fry those bastards…"

Meanwhile, the Royal Knights gathered themselves. UlforceVeedramon and Examon hovered a few meters above the ground while Dukemon looked up at them. "Are you sure you should be here, Ulforce?" Dukemon asked, looking at his leg with concern.

"No," UlforceVeedramon admitted with a slight grin. "But I couldn't just sit around while you two were in danger."

"If you're going to help us fight them, you should stick to strafing, Ulforce," Examon advised him.

"Yeah, I guess," UlforceVeedramon said.

Dukemon was about to speak, but he suddenly frowned when he saw energy brimming from Bolgmon's horn. "Look out, guys!" he announced, gripping the Aegis and raising it up.

"I'll handle this," UlforceVeedramon told them, flying forwards.

"DIE!" Bolgmon shouted in a savage rage. "Field Destroyer!"

His two comrades stood back as a pillar of energy ripped from his cannon. The positronic beam roared as it hurdled towards the three Royal Knights, tearing up the ground and vaporizing everything in its path.

UlforceVeedramon jumped in front of Dukemon and Examon, who came up behind the cobalt dragon knight and pushed against him to help him brace for the impact. "Tense Great Shield!" he called out, extending a barrier from his V-Bracelet that swept out around the three Royal Knights.

The beam slammed into the barrier and tore against it. The shield held firm as tendrils of positrons split out around the shield and obliterated the ground around them. UlforceVeedramon put all of his pressure onto his good leg, but he was able to stand firm thanks to Dukemon and Examon behind him. They pushed his body and kept him from being pushed back, forcing them to dig their feet into the ground to do so.

The laser finally subsided and there was a massive, smoking trench leading from the Royal Knights to Black Pincer Company near the base of the mountain. The three Royal Knights slackened momentarily and UlforceVeedramon retracted his barrier. Once he did, Dukemon raised the Aegis towards the mercenaries, Examon aimed the Ambrosius, and UlforceVeedramon began to build up energy into the golden crest

They watched as GrandisKuwagamon slide-evolved into his larger GranKuwagamon form.

"Do they still want to fight?" UlforceVeedramon asked, preparing to attack.

Dukemon narrowed his eyes at the three mercenaries. To his surprise, he watched as GranKuwagamon grabbed hold of Bolgmon, and Blitzmon jumped onto his winged back.

"Zone Black Hole!" GranKuwagamon said bitterly, tearing a rift in the fabric of space. "Later, suckers!"

Dukemon's eyed widened. "They're trying to escape! Examon!"

Examon's gaze narrowed. "Avalon's Gate!" he said, firing at shell at GranKuwagamon. The shell was loaded with a paralyzing virus that would keep GranKuwagamon from moving.

However, as soon as he fired, GranKuwagamon was already moving with his passengers. He flew through the spatial rift and disappeared within the dark abyss. As soon as the rift closed, the virus-loaded shell shot through the air, exactly where he had been standing.

"Damn it!" Dukemon swore with frustration. "They got away!"

Examon grimaced. "Sorry…" he apologised for not firing quickly enough.

"It's not your fault…" Dukemon said with a disappointed sigh. He turned his gaze towards the mouth of the cave where Bolgmon had fired the first shot from. "Well, at least there's still their hideout."

UlforceVeedramon grinned a bit. "Yeah. That's still a victory. Maybe we'll find something useful," he pointed out, flapping his blue and pink wings so that he could hover off of the ground.

"Let's check it out, guys," Dukemon said to the others. He looked up at UlforceVeedramon. "Do you need any help?"

Examon looked at him too. "How's the leg? Did the g-forces cause you problems?" he questioned.

UlforceVeedramon shook his head. "I only need help walking," he replied to the first question before looking at Examon. "My body can handle those speeds. My leg might be a little swollen right now though. No big deal."

"If you're sure," Examon replied. He began walking across the battle-torn grass, towards the cliffs of the Dragon Mountains.

Dukemon walked along beside him. "It's too bad they got away. They were tough, but I think we could have taken them down," he stated.

"We've deprived them of their hideout, at least," Examon replied as he walked along the deep trench that the beam blast had created.

"And I'm sure the UDC will thank you for getting a few mercs out of their territory," UlforceVeedramon said, flying along at a leisurely pace so that he didn't get ahead of Dukemon and Examon.

Examon smiled a bit. "I don't know about that…" he answered resignedly.

Dukemon turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Examon sighed softly and rubbed the back of his head. "Nothing really…" he responded dismissively. As they began to approach the hideout entrance, Examon took a step forward. "I'll go in first. You help UlforceVeedramon, Dukemon. I don't think there's enough room for him to fly in there."

Dukemon looked up at UlforceVeedramon a bit uncertainly. "Uh… Is that okay with you?" he asked him, not wanting to step on his toes again.

UlforceVeedramon appeared sheepish. "Yeah, it's fine," he answered, landing beside Dukemon and balancing on one leg.

Dukemon placed his left arm around UlforceVeedramon's back, underneath the base of the dragon man's wings. UlforceVeedramon responded by placing his arm over Dukemon's caped shoulders so that he could stand comfortably.

Examon led the way inside, making his way down the dark entrance tunnel. He noticed an electric lamp lying on the ground, so he picked it up and turned it on to light the way. The dragon Royal Knight ventured forth inside the hideout, being careful in case of potential traps. However, it didn't look like there were any.

Dukemon and UlforceVeedramon followed behind him, treading cautiously. There was an uncomfortable silence between them.

Ahead of the three was a large room, lit up by a single lantern on a table. Examon walked ahead and entered the room, looking around. "They have a couch," he observed. "And a dart board…"

"Not what I was expecting from an evil hideout," Dukemon admitted, following him inside with UlforceVeedramon.

"Even mercs need to relax," UlforceVeedramon pointed out.

Examon looked to the tunnel on the other side of the room. "Why don't I go ahead?" he suggested. "You two can look around here."

"Sounds fine with me," Dukemon agreed, glancing around at the room. "If there's any trouble, call out."

Examon nodded and walked across the room to the tunnel leading deeper into the hideout. Once there, he peered down the dark tunnel and walked inside. Fortunately, he was roughly around the size of Bolgmon, so he was able to fit through the tunnels without too much effort.

Meanwhile, Dukemon helped UlforceVeedramon sit down on the couch. The blue Royal Knight leaned back against the sofa and glanced at Dukemon. "Thanks…" he sheepishly said.

"No problem, Ulforce," Dukemon responded. He began to turn so that he could look around the room.

"Uh, Dukemon…" UlforceVeedramon spoke up, stopping him.

Dukemon turned and looked at him curiously.

The Royal Knight looked away from Dukemon's gaze and gazed down at his lap in shame. "I'm… sorry," he said, wincing as he spoke. "I didn't mean what I said… About you and…" He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know what I was thinking."

Dukemon stopped and turned towards UlforceVeedramon with surprise. "It's… It's okay, Ulforce," he responded, offering a half smile.

"No, it's not… I shouldn't have lashed out at you," UlforceVeedramon said ashamedly. "I was angry at my situation so I took it out on you… I hate that I used the Digital Hazard as a cheap shot. You know I didn't mean it, pal..."

Dukemon smiled more genuinely. "I didn't exactly handle the situation great myself… Tact was never my strong point," he admitted.

"Not mine either," UlforceVeedramon said, grinning as well. He sheepishly offered his hand to Dukemon. "So… Yeah. Sorry for being an ass."

The crimson knight took his hand. "I'd shake it if I wasn't worried about dislocating your shoulder," he teased.

UlforceVeedramon chuckled and lightly shook Dukemon's hand.

Dukemon let go and placed his hands on his hips, looking at the cobalt knight curiously. "So… What made you have a personality swap?" he asked him. "Was it getting beaten by Suijinmon?"

UlforceVeedramon pulled his hand back and scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Not really…" he responded. He closed his eyes. "I guess I felt guilty…"

Dukemon frowned and sat down on the footrest across from UlforceVeedramon. "Guilty…?" he asked quizzically.

"Yeah… Like I was holding all of you back," he admitted, looking at Dukemon and giving him a forced smile. "I think if I'm not helping out or doing something productive, I feel like I'm a burden."

The smile disappeared and he sighed. "All those days lying in bed, doing nothing while you all were preparing for a war… I felt useless," UlforceVeedramon explained. "I felt like I was dragging the rest of you down with my injuries. If I can't help the Order out then…" He paused. "I just feel guilty if I can't contribute in some way. Even if it's something as small as a joke to lighten the mood." He smiled resignedly. "It's dumb and conceited, I know. You guys would be perfectly fine without me."

"It wouldn't be the same without you, though," Dukemon told him with an amicable smile. "You're an important member of the team, Ulforce. You're never a burden. Dumb jokes and all."

"Hell, you're making me blush, Dukemon," UlforceVeedramon said with a laugh, rubbing the back of his head, though he really was tinting a bit. "...Hey, I never said my jokes were dumb!"

The two knights laughed and Dukemon began to walk around the couch. "Okay," he said, walking over to the nearby desk. "I'd better start looking around for stuff."

On top of the desk was a map of the Free Area, bought from a cartographer. Below the more official map was a crudely drawn map of Castle Albion. Scribbled on it were arrows indicating possible approaches. Dukemon took note that there was a circle around where MetallifeKuwagamon's room was located inside the castle.

Dukemon glared at the piece of paper. "…So, it really was them…" he muttered.

UlforceVeedramon looked over from the couch. "Huh?" he asked him.

"Black Pincer Company," Dukemon explained. "They were the ones who attacked us."

UlforceVeedramon sat up in his seat. "What?!" he demanded. "Them? But I thought…"

Dukemon winced. "So did I… Dorbickmon said that they were hired to play us off the Metal Empire. They wanted us to think it was the Metal Empire who attacked us. And we fell for it…"

"It's not like it made much of a difference. The Metal Empire attacked us without any prompting. We're at war whether we like it or not," UlforceVeedramon said bitterly. "This won't change anything for Chaosdramon."

"You're right… Still, I don't understand who's benefitting from this," Dukemon spoke. "And how did they know about MetallifeKuwagamon? We've kept his involvement with us a secret. Only the Warrior Ten know about him, and they know not to mention him to anybody. It doesn't make sense."

"I'm sure the Metal Empire suspects that we've been harbouring him," UlforceVeedramon reasoned. "We can't rule out the idea that somebody from the Metal Empire is their client. Maybe somebody who wants an excuse to go to war with us, or maybe it's just Chaosdramon's way of making it seem like he isn't the aggressor."

"It's possible…" Dukemon said with a sigh. "Either way, we need to tell the others."

"Dukemon," Examon's voice called out from the tunnel he walked down.

Dukemon turned towards the passage and saw Examon emerge. "Did you find anything?" he asked him.

Examon nodded. "A lot of documents. A list of jobs they've taken… contracts… bookkeeping for their earnings and expenditures," he explained. "And also…"

"What, Ex-sama?" UlforceVeedramon asked him.

"I also found their stockpile. There's a lot of money there… Probably from ill-gotten means," Examon explained.

"Interesting…" Dukemon said. He turned to UlforceVeedramon. "Ulforce, I want you to fly back to the castle. Examon and I will look around and secure this place. Tell the others what we've found and tell them to send a team so we can clear the place out. There might be more information that we missed."

UlforceVeedramon grinned. "Do I have to…? I'm not ready to face the wrath of the nightmare doctor yet," he joked.

Dukemon smirked. "You'll be fine, but I can't guarantee he won't strap you down for the next week," he replied, walking around the couch. He offered his hand to UlforceVeedramon. "I'll walk you out."

"Okay, okay," UlforceVeedramon complied, taking his hand and getting pulled up. "Wish me luck, Ex-sama."

"Good luck. And thanks for showing up," Examon told him.

"My pleasure," UlforceVeedramon said, putting his arm over Dukemon's shoulders. He gave Dukemon a meaningful look of appreciation.

Dukemon responded with a warm grin. "Okay, let's go…" he said, beginning to help UlforceVeedramon walk up the tunnel leading outside. "And… I have something I want to tell you and the others at some point."

UlforceVeedramon was intrigued. "Sure thing," he said to him. A smile formed on his face. "Maybe if I'm still in one piece after the others are through with me."

Dukemon laughed and helped UlforceVeedramon outside. "Just lay on that Ulforce charm."

Examon managed a smile as he watched the two Royal Knights disappear up the dark tunnel. He closed his eyes and thought to himself. "Even if there's not a place for me in the UDC anymore, there's still a place for me with the Royal Knights… I can relax, knowing that…"

With that thought, he went back to his duty of searching the captured hideout.