Holy War

by Griff4823

The sequel to "A Dragon in Shining Armour". The Royal Knights secured victory and peace set over the continent, but it isn't to last. The autocratic Metal Empire, a team of amoral mercenaries, and a mysterious Digimon in the shadows; it's up to the Order of the Royal Knights to intervene. Can they stop things from spiraling out of control, all while dealing with their own issues?

45. Chapter 32: First Encounters

(Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 32! I'll get to replying to all those great reviews ASAP.

To Deus Queen: It's nice to meet you. Thanks so much for reading through all that! If you want to translate my story into Spanish, of course that would be awesome. The stories are so massive though, but if you want to attempt that, it would definitely be okay with me. As you said, all I'd want is the writing credits. Thanks so much for the offer. Don't force yourself though. It's definitely a big job. Feel free to message me if you have any questions about it or anything. ^^

I'm also trying to add some BGM that I use while writing to a soundcloud, so I might post a link on the A Dragon in Shining Armour's tumblr blog at some point.

To all the readers, enjoy this next chapter! Read, review, and enjoy.)

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Chapter 32: First Encounters

At long last, the sun re-emerged over Splendour's Reach. The warm rays shone down across the verdant, grassy landscape, ridding the emerald blades of the rainwater. All that remained were the tiny dew drops that rested on the surfaces of the plants and leaves, shimmering beautifully in the morning sunlight. The slightly wet sheen gave the fields the faint resemblance of a tranquil, green sea.

It made for ideal training weather for the new recruits of the Strike Forces. The air was warm and the ground was no longer slippery. The majority of the veteran Strike Forces was off doing field exercises in the territory surrounding the castle. Meanwhile, the recruits were gathered in the training grounds of Castle Albion. They were in the middle of morning combat drills.

With perfect synchronicity, the recruits stood in two lines that faced opposite to each other. Each Digimon was spaced far apart from the Digimon next to them so there was plenty of room. They each faced a partner opposite to them. The recruits were practicing sparring. For safety, each Digimon had the training program installed in their weapons in order to make them non-lethal and release only a mild electric shock upon impact.

SaviorHackmon stood in a prepared stance. His legs were bent, his posture was hunched, and his arms were crossed in front of his body. His golden eyes were alert and his wrist blades were at the ready. He was like a predator eyeing his prey, ready to pounce as soon as his target let his guard down. The soft breeze didn't stir him as it blew across the training grounds. It only caused his red cape to ripple gently against his back.

He stood opposite to a fellow new recruit of the Strike Forces. He faced a tall, slender, yellow and black hornet man. TigerVespamon gazed at him calmly. Unlike SaviorHackmon, his stance was straight and relaxed. His posture was impeccable - level enough to draw on his back. He held in his hands his shining, twin, beam swords, the Royal Meisters, which he crossed in front of him. The two ends of his red scarf also blew in the soft, intermittent breeze. He gazed at SaviorHackmon calmly, his breaths no more than soft whispers. He stood ready to accept the dragon's attack.

They waited as Leftenant HippoGriffomon walked over to them. The Leftenant's leg now mostly recovered from the injury he sustained in battle against the Metal Empire. Walking with only a slight limp, the white gryphon stopped some distance behind TigerVespamon and turned his eagle-like head towards the two recruits. "Ready, group five?" he asked the pair. Upon hearing no protest, he gave the order. "…Commence."

Like an elastic band that was stretched to its limits and then released with a snap, SaviorHackmon was the first to move. He dug his bladed foot into the ground and pushed off, propelling himself towards TigerVespamon like a raging meteor. He glided across the ground, arching his arms backwards as he poised them to strike.

TigerVespamon didn't meet his charge. He took a step back and patiently awaited his opponent's assault. He was as calm and composed as the clearest lake, not faltering for a moment in the face of SaviorHackmon's aggressive charge.

SaviorHackmon surged towards him. He closed in on the bug before stopping abruptly in front of him. He plunged his two wrist blades in between the hilts of TigerVespamon's swords and then swiped his arms outwards sharply, pulling the crossed blades apart. With his foe's guard broken, SaviorHackmon took the opportunity to slash his blade down on TigerVespamon.

Moving swiftly, TigerVespamon angled his left arm behind him and turned his body to the left, narrowly avoiding the slash as it swept by him. SaviorHackmon grunted and slashed his left arm down diagonally. TigerVespamon anticipated this and took another step backwards to increase the space between them, dodging the follow up attack too. It was close enough that he could feel the unsettled wind caused by SaviorHackmon's passing blade.

SaviorHackmon narrowed his eyes in frustration and raised his bladed tail. He then stabbed it over his shoulder, like a scorpion, towards TigerVespamon's neck. Calmly, TigerVespamon tilted his head to the side, allowing the blade to pass by his jaw harmlessly. He still didn't raise his swords to retaliate.

Starting to become frustrated by the fact that he couldn't land a hit, SaviorHackmon growled and followed up with another vicious attack. He stabbed his right blade forwards, only for TigerVespamon to dodge. This time, SaviorHackmon adapted. Using the momentum of the thrust, SaviorHackmon ducked and spun around, using his right foot as the focal point. With his crimson cape fluttering upwards disruptively in front of TigerVespamon, the concealed SaviorHackmon delivered a roundhouse back kick. At the same time as he spun, he swung his bladed tail around with his left leg, unleashing a double slash onto TigerVespamon.

TigerVespamon flexibly bent his body backwards, nearly at a ninety degree angle, and buzzed his insect wings to keep himself from falling. The dual blades narrowly passed over him, with the foot blade barely brushing against his hard, protrusive, chest carapace. SaviorHackmon grunted and placed his foot down once the revolution was complete, using the added momentum to bring his right blade down in a slash.

Once again, TigerVespamon evaded. SaviorHackmon unleashed a storm of swipes and stabs onto TigerVespamon, but none of them were able to hit. The insect warrior dodged them seamlessly. His body was calm, relaxed, and fluid in its subtle motions. He moved like a gentle stream, completely in control of his movements - precise yet flexible in every action. TigerVespamon managed to evade SaviorHackmon's attacks with the least amount of movement required.

SaviorHackmon gritted his teeth and surged forwards, throwing a heavy spike-tipped punch at the evasive insect Digimon. With airy, graceful movements and weightless footsteps, TigerVespamon ducked under the punch and breezed past SaviorHackmon. Once he was beside him, TigerVespamon struck with surgical precision. He grabbed SaviorHackmon's arm and pulled it over his shoulder, flipping the armoured dragon man over his slender body, using SaviorHackmon's own momentum against him.

SaviorHackmon let out a winded gasp as his back impacted the ground. He felt choked for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. The dragon groaned and heard a soft droning hum above him. He opened his tightened eyes and looked up to see one of TigerVespamon's beam swords pointed at his neck. SaviorHackmon grimaced, realising that he had been defeated. "Damn it…" he whispered with frustration.

HippoGriffomon nodded and looked at TigerVespamon. "…Good, TigerVespamon," he said to the recruit. He turned his gaze to the dragon man. "SaviorHackmon, I know we are the Strike Forces, but if you focus only on offence, you will open up vulnerabilities in your own defences that your enemies can capitalise on. A strong defence is important. TigerVespamon used your attacks against you and waited for the perfect opportunity to strike."

"Yes, Sir…" SaviorHackmon said, breathing heavily and masking his disappointment in himself.

TigerVespamon placed his swords down in the grass and presented his hand to SaviorHackmon. "Please, allow me," he offered politely, his tenor voice tranquil, refined, and echoing like a soft breeze.

"Thanks…" SaviorHackmon responded, deciding to be a good sport and take his hand. TigerVespamon pulled him and helped SaviorHackmon to his feet. As soon as he was standing, SaviorHackmon looked at the hornet man with impressed eyes. "How did you keep dodging me?"

"Ah… I simply harmonised my spirit with my body, relaxed my muscles, and carefully observed your movements," TigerVespamon explained humbly as he bent down to pick up his swords. "Then I responded to your powerful attacks with redirection rather than force. That is the standard practice for the defensive martial art that I was taught in."

HippoGriffomon nodded and looked at the Ultimate level insect Digimon closely. "Yes, I did notice that… That wrist-throw looked familiar," he mused. "Were you a Royal Commando in the Royal Base's Covert Honey Corps? I thought that was a commitment for life."

TigerVespamon looked down with an abashed wince. "Er, um… N-No. I am not a member of the Royal Base, nor have I ever been…" he awkwardly replied.

"Oh. I see. Then, is it Taijitsu from the D-Brigade?"

"I am afraid not, Sir," TigerVespamon explained. "There may be some overlap in the general method, but the form is a hybrid martial art that I was trained in at the monastery where I grew up. It is derivative of the martial art that the Powers soldiers of the Heavenly Choir are trained in: the Way of the Feather. There is the philosophical side, which focuses on inner serenity and enlightenment, as well as the martial side, which incorporates redirection, joint locks, throws, and nerve strikes to subdue hostile opponents in a non-aggressive manner."

"Ah, yes, I should have guessed from the amount of evasion… It is a very pacifistic form of martial art," the leftenant observed. He looked at TigerVespamon with piercing eagle eyes. "You're joining the Strike Forces, TigerVespamon, so I assume that you know that fighting will be inevitable. You don't have to be bloodthirsty, but we don't have any room for pacifists in the Strike Forces. It will only get in the way. Is that going to be a problem?"

"Not at all, Leftenant," TigerVespamon assured him, standing up straight and holding his beam blades at his sides. "I have my morals, but I know what is expected of me… I am perfectly prepared to use force for the good of the Digital World. "

"Are you sure? I know that you're helping out High Physician Duskmon with your medical skills. Maybe you'd rather work under him officially, rather than have to compromise your way of life," HippoGriffomon suggested. "You did work under monks, after all."

"I have considered that option, but I believe that my skills would be best served in combat," TigerVespamon calmly explained. "My spirit will not falter. Not with the kind of enemy that we face. The demon Digimon have caused unspeakable tragedies in the past and they must be stopped. It is my duty to see that they are."

"Very well…" HippoGriffomon responded. He looked between TigerVespamon and SaviorHackmon. "You two switch partners. Run through the basic movements like you were taught," he said as he walked off to check the next pair.

"Understood, Sir," TigerVespamon replied.

"Okay, Leftenant," SaviorHackmon complied, saluting the griffon Digimon. He then turned to TigerVespamon and bowed formally. "That was a good match. You have amazing skills, TigerVespamon-san."

"Thank you very much. As do you, SaviorHackmon," TigerVespamon responded with a calm nod. "You had me on the back foot for much of that spar." The former acolyte looked at SaviorHackmon curiously. "However… I hope you do not take offence, but you seemed distracted. Is there anything on your mind?"

"Oh…" SaviorHackmon murmured, his eyes drifting to the side. "I guess so…"

"Would you like to unburden yourself onto me? I am a willing listener," TigerVespamon offered.

SaviorHackmon smiled sheepishly and raised his hand to readjust the collar of his cape. "It's not a big deal, really…" he admitted. "I just kind of wish I was able to go with Paildramon's team."

"I see…" TigerVespamon thoughtfully replied. "May I ask why?"

"GrandisKuwagamon… The guy that the Royal Knights captured recently. I heard that he's working with the Order now. I wanted to talk to him to see why he changed his mind…" SaviorHackmon admitted, frowning softly. He had many questions to ask the mercenary. When he had tried before, it was like talking to a brick wall. GrandisKuwagamon's replies were either dismissive or barbed and sarcastic. But now… things were different somehow. Grandis had been so adamant about his opinion on the Royal Knights. He didn't understand why he was working with them now. He wanted to know. He had hope for GrandisKuwagamon..

TigerVespamon stared at SaviorHackmon silently. "…May I give you some advice, SaviorHackmon?" he asked him, his composure and discipline reining in any and all emotion. His expression was unreadable and his voice was level. However, the warmth that TigerVespamon previously displayed seemed to cool.

"Sure, TigerVespamon-san," the dragon man responded, looking at the cyborg hornet Digimon.

TigerVespamon's crimson, compound eyes flickered coldly as he gazed at SaviorHackmon. "…Please, I advise that you have nothing to do with GrandisKuwagamon. He is violent criminal who has done unforgivable things in his past," he warned him calmly, despite the obvious distaste that was reflected in his choice of words. "It would be better for you to stay away from such an immoral Digimon."

SaviorHackmon blinked and frowned in response to the friendly Digimon's uncharacteristically harsh words. "What…? But… Digimon can change, TigerVespamon," SaviorHackmon countered, a bit defensively.

TigerVespamon turned his head and looked out into the distance. He released a calm, meditative sigh, attempting to settle his internal emotions. He regained his peace. "I agree completely, SaviorHackmon… However, a Digimon can only change if they truly wish to change… Anything short of that and they will simply fall back into their old ways…" He turned back to SaviorHackmon, gazing at him without malice. Instead, he emitted an aura of consideration and sincerity. "I do not believe that GrandisKuwagamon has any such intentions to change."

The caped dragon man folded his arms as he stared back at TigerVespamon. His gaze was both stubborn and curious as to how TigerVespamon felt so confident that he could make such assertions. "How can you say that unless you actually know GrandisKuwagamon? Do you have a history with him or something?" he inquired.

TigerVespamon looked away, a flicker of bitterness in his insectoid face; a single ripple on a tranquil pond. "It was…"

Before he could finish, a pair of Digimon walked over. TigerVespamon clammed up and turned to see a ShineGreymon and a WarGreymon walking over to them.

The ShineGreymon had a slender, athletic build and he was about a head taller than the WarGreymon. The dragon man was largely humanoid apart from his clawed toes, his expansive wings, and his draconic tail. His upper body was clad in shimmering, crimson breastplate that reflected the sunlight. His legs and reptilian tail were covered in pristine white armour, lined with red. Lastly, his ankles, wrists, and horned helmet were protected by splendorous gold. Extending proudly from his back were ShineGreymon's majestic, red, armoured wings. Each wing had six 'feathers'; long, red appendages that extended from the main wing in a layered folding pattern. Each appendage ended with a small but brilliant blue crystal. These sky blue crystals matched the larger orbs on the 'shoulders' of his wings, as well as the spherical crystal embedded above his abdomen. They all emitted a shining, sparkling, blue light ostentatiously. Similar in appearance to these resplendent crystals were ShineGreymon's bright, blue eyes that twinkled in the sunlight. They complemented a winning smile that he wore confidently and charmingly on his face. He had a relaxed, friendly demeanour that radiated self-confidence and audacity.

This demeanour contrasted with the WarGreymon beside him. The WarGreymon was a dragon man with a reptilian, humanoid body. His scales were light orange like the base of flames. The armour that we wore over his broad, muscular body was a shimmering silver hue and a bright yellow colour. The armour was fastened with thick, orange cords, which connected the thick, spiked shoulder guards to his breastplate. Two long, flat plates covered his back, absorbing the morning sun against them. They had the appearance of wings, and, when combined, they fitted together to form the Crest of Courage. These two segments could be removed to form a sturdy shield. Lower on his body, WarGreymon also wore protective black armour over his hips and groin, which had long faulds that protected his outer thighs and what was between his legs. He also had a pair of spiked, silver and red shin guards strapped over his reptilian legs. Placed over his forearms was a pair of heavy, dangerous-looking gauntlets. They were big, yellow gauntlets that were armoured on the outside and open on the inside, designed to cover his arms up to his elbows. The Dramon Killers, as they were called, were three, long, jagged claws that were several feet in length and were distinctly anti-Dramon weaponry. He had a chiselled draconic face with black metal covering from his jaw to his collar, and a horned, silver helmet that covered his head from his snout to the back of his head. Underneath the helmet was fiery red hair, which contrasted with his sharp, green eyes that stared intimidatingly at the two Digimon. He wore a soft, indignant frown on his lips and he strode over roughly and intimidatingly.

"Yo," the ShineGreymon greeted with a wink and an informal salute. "We'll be your new sparring partners."

"I guess…" the WarGreymon muttered in a deep, rough voice that was like mountain gravel.

"You probably recognise me as one of the Greymon Five," ShineGreymon suggested to TigerVespamon with a confident grin. "…Maybe not so much WarGreymon here, but he's in the team too. You know, for fairness."

"What was that, Sparkles?" WarGreymon growled, glaring at him.

"The Greymon Five…?" TigerVespamon inquired curiously, trawling his brain to try to figure out what he meant. "I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I do not know it… Having grown up in a rural monastery, I am not the most well-travelled Digimon."

SaviorHackmon nodded, having spent time with them on a few occasions already. "They're a specialized, elite team that was part of the Republic of Node's military, right?" He looked at ShineGreymon and WarGreymon for confirmation.

"Yeah, that's right," ShineGreymon exclaimed, walking up to TigerVespamon with a chuckle. "Yeah, it's us two and three others: VictoryGreymon, BlackWarGreymon, and KaiserGreymon. The five of us all come from the same town: Greyheimr. We've been best buddies since we were Child-levels."

"For some reason…" WarGreymon grunted. He thumbed over at ShineGreymon distastefully. "You don't know how annoying he is. Don't know why I put up with him…"

ShineGreymon stopped in front of TigerVespamon and looked at him with an infectious smile. "Name's ShineGreymon, by the way. Awesome to meet you, dude. We'll be partners," he said to TigerVespamon.

"Alright. My name is TigerVespamon. It is a pleasure to meet you," TigerVespamon responded kindly.

"Same!" ShineGreymon agreed, grinning winningly. For emphasis, he raised his hand up towards TigerVespamon and closed it into a fist. He smiled at TigerVespamon and waited for him to reciprocate the fist bump.

TigerVespamon looked at ShineGreymon and stared down at his extended fist blankly. "Um…" he said uncertainly, struggling to understand what was expected of him.

"Come on, man, don't leave me hanging," ShineGreymon said with a friendly chuckle, shaking his fist temptingly.

"Oh, um…" TigerVespamon nodded and awkwardly reached forwards. He took his best guess and clasped ShineGreymon's closed fist in both of his palms like he was picking up a grapefruit. "I hope that we can work harmoniously together, ShineGreymon," the insect Digimon said obliviously.

A bead of sweat trickled down ShineGreymon's head and he grinned with a mixture of amusement and incredulity. "…Good try," he said with a laugh, patting TigerVespamon's shoulder. "Apparently I have a lot to teach you."

"My apologies. I shall be your willing student," TigerVespamon answered, retracting his hand.

"Awesome," ShineGreymon responded positively, looking at the humanoid hornet. "So, you're a pretty new recruit, huh? Like, you joined in the past week or so?"

TigerVespamon nodded affirmatively. "I was fortunate enough to arrive just in time for the enlistment process before the testing window closed. I was even more fortunate to have been chosen and accepted into the Order from the most recent batch of recruits, along with the others who qualified. I did not expect to be allowed in; both due to my faith and my lack of formal combat experience, but apparently those were not issues after all."

"It's a military-religious order, yeah, but the religious side isn't super-strict," ShineGreymon explained, obviously knowing quite a lot about it. "Sir UlforceVeedramon and Sir Examon both follow the Golden Faith and Huanglongmon, so it's not a huge deal. The Royal Knights care more about your morals and skills, rather than what god you believe created the universe."

"That is reassuring to hear… I am extremely gracious to have been selected. It is quite humbling, as there were undoubtedly many other deserving candidates. I simply wish to do my best for the Royal Knights and try my hardest not to hold everyone back," TigerVespamon explained.

SaviorHackmon smiled a bit at the prospect. He could certainly relate to him though… "That's a good attitude to take. I don't think you have to worry about holding anybody back, though; you just beat me pretty soundly," he admitted to his fellow recruit, as much as he hated to. SaviorHackmon walked over to WarGreymon and looked around. "So, the Greymon Five… Are your three other friends are here too?" he asked them.

ShineGreymon nodded and thumbed over to the pair of Digimon about ten meters away. One was a black-scaled version of a WarGreymon. He was clad in silver and black armour, and he had sharp, yellow eyes that matched his dirty blond hair. His Brave Shield was pitch black and lacked the Crest of Courage of WarGreymon's. He moved with precision and silent focus.

Standing across from the BlackWarGreymon was a KaiserGreymon that was clad in his species' standard, red, plate armour. This KaiserGreymon was different from the KaiserGreymon of the Warrior Ten – he didn't have pair of goggles, and he was just a bit less muscular, although still more brawny than the BlackWarGreymon. His movements were sleek, professional, and refined despite the large sword that he wielded. The two Greymon were in the middle of sparring with each other. BlackWarGreymon's claws clashed against KaiserGreymon's sword.

ShineGreymon placed his hands on his hips. "That's BlackWarGreymon and KaiserGreymon over there. KaiserGreymon's the leader of our little group, I'm the cool one, BlackWarGreymon's the quiet, mysterious one, VictoryGreymon's the cute one, and WarGreymon's… also there," he joked, casting a grin over at his friend.

"You're the obnoxious one who gets drinks thrown over you by the women you try to chat up," WarGreymon growled in correction.

SaviorHackmon chuckled a bit. "So, where's VictoryGreymon?" he wondered, looking around for the missing member of the Greymon Five. VictoryGreymon was the one he knew best, since he overheard him chatting about the Royal Knights and ended up getting into a few big discussions about their heroes. "He should be here, shouldn't he? He didn't get hurt again, did he?"

"V's off on a special mission with Over-sergeant Paildramon," ShineGreymon casually explained. "The mission with that shady-looking bug guy, I mean."

TigerVespamon grew quiet at his mention. He decided it was better not to speak up. He didn't exactly relish the thought of answering the question that SaviorHackmon posed to him before he was interrupted.

"Lucky for him," WarGreymon bitterly muttered. "It sounds more fun than doing combat drills that we've already done a million times in basic training."

SaviorHackmon frowned at this news. He was quietly envious that he didn't get to go in VictoryGreymon's place. "He is?"

"For some reason," WarGreymon complained with a roll of his eyes. "VictoryGreymon's as dumb as a plank and he trips over his own shadow. Why does he get to go? I wish Paildramon picked me to go instead,"

"You're too reckless. At least VictoryGreymon follows orders to a tee," ShineGreymon casually informed him.

"I'm too reckless? That's the pot calling the kettle black, Shine," WarGreymon retorted gruffly, a sour sneer on his face.

ShineGreymon snickered. "Uh huh. You're just mad because you have a crush on Paildramon," the solar light-based dragon man teased him.

WarGreymon growled and angrily shoved his friend at the suggestion. "I do not!" he protested vehemently. "She's just a friend! We've all known her since our days in the Republic's military!"

"Ooh, friend-zoned. Too bad, War," ShineGreymon joked, knowing it would annoy him more.

The red-haired dragon man in question snarled and decided it was best to just ignore him. "Why do we even have to do this recruit training?" WarGreymon complained. "We're the Greymon Five. We've been through all the training for the Republic's military already. Plus, we've proved ourselves enough to get promoted to our own elite unit!"

"Well, we've got to get used to the Order's way of doing things. They have their own strategies and formations," SaviorHackmon suggested.

"Yeah, exactly. Plus, the Royal Knights hold a higher standard! Training here is much more vigorous than it was in the Republic. The Order only accepts the best," ShineGreymon smugly explained. "And you call yourself a Royal Knight fan, WarGreymon. Any fan would know that."

"Tch," WarGreymon grunted. He folded his arms and closed his eyes. "Higher standard, huh…?"

"Yup. I mean, I won't have any trouble matching up to their standards, but you should probably step up your game, War," the winged dragon man boasted with a charming but cocky grin.

"I want to make sure that I match up to their standards too," SaviorHackmon agreed passionately. "I'm going to join them someday."

ShineGreymon looked at SaviorHackmon with amused interest. "Hey, you're ambitious. I like it. But, not if I join them first," he said with light-hearted competitiveness.

TigerVespamon stepped forwards tentatively. "Um, pardon me, but I do not think that any of us will make it that far if we do not return to our training. The Leftenant is currently glaring at us out of the corner of his eye, so perhaps it would be appropriate for us to continue our sparring," he suggested.

SaviorHackmon tensed up and stood up straight. "Right! Come on, WarGreymon! Let's get into position and work on those hand-to-hand drills!" he suggested with determination, not wanting to slack off.

WarGreymon sighed but nodded. "Okay, but I'm not going to go easy on you," he warned him.

Meanwhile, ShineGreymon grinned and casually slung his arm over TigerVespamon's shoulders. "Come on, Vespa," he urged him, ushering him back to their places.

TigerVespamon allowed himself to be walked along, although his shoulders were stiff at ShineGreymon's close contact. He was unused to the nonchalant invasion of his personal space, and his new, chummy nickname that dropped both his prefix and suffix. "Err, very well…" he politely replied, allowing it despite his discomfort.

As SaviorHackmon got into his place opposite to WarGreymon, he looked across at the Ultimate level dragon man. "So… How long is Over-sergeant Paildramon's group gone for?" he asked curiously.

"No more than a week, I think," WarGreymon said, removing his Dramon Killers and tossing them aside so he could work with his bare hands.

SaviorHackmon frowned. "Okay…" He took a centering breath and thought to himself. "I won't get distracted by GrandisKuwagamon. I need to focus on my training. That's the only way I'll be of any help to the Order… I'll have the chance to learn more about GrandisKuwagamon when he comes back. So, until then, I only need to focus on one thing."

WarGreymon smirked with competitive confidence and cracked his knuckles. "You ready?" he challenged.

SaviorHackmon narrowed his eyes and prepared for the sparring match with an ambitious grin. "Alright!"

---

"Attention, all passengers: this is Locomon, the conductor of the Northern Express Coastal Line of Locomon Rail. We are currently three quarters of the way to our destination of Ocean Cove," a deep, calm voice reverberated through the passenger carriages of the long, train Digimon. "We shall be arriving in a couple of hours. Ocean Cove's weather will likely be just barely above freezing temperatures. It will be a bit nippy, so dress warmly. There will likely be residual snow from the winter to give the city that beautiful, powdery white look that Ocean Cove is so well known for."

Omegamon, Dukemon, Sleipmon, and UlforceVeedramon all sat in a comfortable passenger car that was near the back of the Locomon. The carriage was completely empty apart from the four of them. They had purchased tickets for a private car to themselves. The reason for this was mostly for privacy; they were free to comfortably discuss the mission that they were currently on without having to worry about leaking sensitive information.

The Locomon's deep voice awoke Omegamon from his slumber. He stirred, sleeping upright, and felt something - a great warmth - against his right side as he was aroused from his sleep. His blue eyes flashed open from the shadowy eye ports in his helmet. He found that his head was resting against a smooth, rounded, crimson piece of metal. As he raised his head to take in his surroundings, he saw that he had been using a familiar spaulder as a shield. He looked above the slab of shoulder armour and saw Dukemon's amused face staring down at him. There was a look of levity in his gold eyes.

As his senses returned, he realised that he had fallen asleep against Dukemon.

"I was wondering how long you would sleep for," Dukemon teased him, grinning behind his visor. "I didn't think I was that comfortable…"

Omegamon's ivory face burned red as he calmly sat up straight with as much dignity as he could muster. "A-Ah… I apologise, Dukemon. I must have… shifted in my sleep," he explained sheepishly, looking down at his lap.

Dukemon chuckled. "It's fine. I was asleep for most of the trip anyways. I was using your head for a pillow up until one of your spikes poked me in the eye," he admitted good-humouredly.

"Don't worry, guys. I got a picture," UlforceVeedramon made sure to let them know, holding up a small, black rectangular device with a touch screen.

The device was a prototype that MetallifeKuwagamon had created, known as the LRAVC – Long Range Audio-Video Communicator. It was pieced together from the LRAC as its base, and built upon with Metal Empire technology and that of independent inventors. It was similar in function to the high-end device created in the Mamemon Kingdom known as the Eye-pod, named in reference to the Mamemons' bean-like shape; however, that device was a luxury model and it wasn't suited to military operations. Not only could the LRAVC communicate over long-ranges like the LRAC, but it could also take pictures and store it in its internal storage. Due to its size and complexity, it wasn't practical for combat operations, but its main function would be for reconnaissance operations.

It was clear from UlforceVeedramon's smirk that he would be using that picture for devious reasons, such as tempting RhodoKnightmon and teasing his fellow Royal Knights.

"We will be deleting that," Omegamon promised him, still blushing as he shot daggers at UlforceVeedramon. "We're brought the LRAVC for field testing purposes…"

UlforceVeedramon chuckled and rubbed his neck. "Yeah, I know…" he half-heartedly complied.

Omegamon and Dukemon sat side-by-side as they didn't take up much room individually. Sitting across from them was UlforceVeedramon, who had the seat to himself to allow for his large wingspan. On the other side of the aisle, Sleipmon sat horizontally on the soft, green seat, with his six legs tucked against his sides. It was a bit cramped for Sleipmon, but he was generally comfortable. It helped that he was in a good mood. He smiled to himself and quietly enjoyed the smooth ride.

The Locomon conductor spoke up again. "As for the weather outside, the temperature is about six degrees Celsius. That temperature is likely to rise as we continue into the first spring month under the Sign of Qinglongmon. With the Month of Mihiramon in full swing, we are starting to shake off that cooler weather up here in the north," Locomon continued, amiably informing the passengers. "Outside, you will be able to see a few variable clouds…"

Regaining his composure, Omegamon glanced out the window to survey the skies overhead. He could see several patches of grey clouds blanketing the cyan sky. The porous sheets of gaseous vapour flickered with 'x's and '0's.

Dukemon raised his wrist, on which there was a device that looked similar to a digital watch. He pressed a button on the side and brought up a small, three-dimensional hologram that was about the size of a laptop screen. It took the form of a small topographical map made of fine vectors. It was a miniaturised version of the table in the War Room. It was simplified, so that it had less features but could fit in a smaller area.

"Let's see…" Dukemon murmured to himself as he input the coordinates into the watch. "Upsilon five… Gamma three…"

"Don't break that, Duke-kun. It's a prototype," UlforceVeedramon teased with a wry grin, looking across at the crimson knight. "It took Metallife a long time to make that, you know."

"I won't break it," Dukemon responded defensively. "And this is coming from the guy who was using the LRAVC to take weird photos of us."

A tiny glimmer of levity appeared in Omegamon's eyes. "You don't exactly have the best history with technology, Dukemon…" he pointed out.

"Shush you," Dukemon said to him, hiding a smirk. After a few moments, he successfully brought up a map of Cathode Tundra, complete with a single point glowing in the middle of it. Dukemon stared at the map uncertainly. "Are we sure these maps are good? I mean, I know that these maps are based off of Atlur's Atlas, but did AtlurKabuterimon really map out the Cathode Tundra correctly? I don't mean any offence to him, but there's a snowstorm raging at least a quarter of the time. It's easy to get lost."

"It should be accurate," Omegamon assured him. "He has an eidetic memory and he says that he travelled when it wasn't snowing."

"Well, okay then," Dukemon complied. He looked over at Sleipmon. "Do you think you can lead us there then?"

"Of course. I'll lead the way," Sleipmon answered with a smile.

UlforceVeedramon stared at Sleipmon quizzically, his reddish-gold eyes amused. "You sure are in a good mood for somebody who's about to go fight a Demon Lord, Sleip-chan," he pointed out with a playful tenor to his voice.

Sleipmon smiled and sheepishly ran his hand through his violet hair. "I'm excited to show you guys my hometown. It really is beautiful, despite the temperature," he explained enthusiastically. "With the Metal Empire campaign, I missed the Winter Festival this year, but I'm glad that we still get to visit, if only for a little."

"I'm honoured to see it, but we won't have time to sightsee, Sleipmon," Omegamon responded, his tone slow and apologetic. "As soon as we get off the train, we have to head straight to the northwest in order to reach the Cathode Tundra."

Sleipmon chuckled sheepishly and nodded. "I know. Maybe on the way back. If we aren't too busy, that is," he suggested, although he was still happy just to be seeing his city again.

"Belphemon may be in Sleep Mode, but it would be a mistake to assume that this will be an easy victory, Sleipmon," Omegamon soberly reminded him.

Sleipmon's smile faded and the seriousness of the situation began to sink in. He nodded professionally. "Of course, Omegamon…" he responded seriously, masking his disappointment with his sense of duty.

"Still, four Royal Knights should be enough to take down a giant, sleeping, demon-teddy," UlforceVeedramon figured, leaning back in his seat as he weighed their odds.

"That's the hope," Omegamon responded, frowning and looking across at the cobalt dragon knight. "I'm just saying that we cannot become complacent and overconfident."

"Yeah, okay, Omega-chan," UlforceVeedramon answered with a reassuring smile.

Omegamon flushed at the nickname and glanced out the window again. "Just 'Omegamon', UlforceVeedramon," he insisted.

Dukemon smirked and playfully nudged the white knight. "I think Ulforce is onto something. It's a cute nickname, isn't it, Omega-chan?" he teased him, following up his words with a sly, emphatic wink.

Omegamon continued staring out the window. "…I'll be forced to throw you out of the Locomon, Dukemon," he warned him, concealing his face.

The knight in question released a pleasant but slightly nervous laugh and slung his arm over Omegamon's shoulders. "I'm just kidding!" he chimed.

The Royal Knight tensed a bit at the motion and Dukemon's casual invasion of his personal space. "So… This operation," he suggested, wanting to get back to the topic that they faced. "How would you all like to proceed once we reach Belphemon?"

"Well, Belphemon is still in Sleep Mode, right?" UlforceVeedramon asked. "If so, then we should all unleash a concentrated attack to wipe him out at once. We don't want him to wake up and go ballistic, so we shouldn't even give him the chance."

"Yes, that makes sense," Omegamon reasoned. He turned his head to the left and looked at Dukemon and Sleipmon. "What do you two think?"

"Sounds good to me," Dukemon replied, nodding seriously.

"That does sound like the best strategy for this situation…" Sleipmon pondered thoughtfully. His eyebrows lowered gently behind his red helmet. "I don't feel good about attacking a sleeping Digimon, but if there is no other alternative…"

"Trust me, Sleipmon. You don't want to see this guy when he's awake," Dukemon explained, removing his arm from Omegamon's shoulders and looking across the aisle at the six-legged horse knight.

Omegamon nodded in agreement. "This is the safest move, not only for us, but for other Digimon," he explained to Sleipmon.

"With a Digimon that dangerous, we can't afford to take chances," Dukemon agreed. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, resisting the urge to habitually move a hand to his chest. He opened his bright golds and looked at Sleipmon with a reassuring smile. "Don't falter when taking the shot, Sleipmon."

Sleipmon offered a smile in return and he nodded affirmatively. "I won't. I know how important this is," he assured them.

"Good," Dukemon said as he settled into his seat. "Then all that's left is getting there. That should be the easy part..."

---

Two hours later, the Locomon arrived at its destination in Ocean Cove. From the northern port city, the four Royal Knights took off immediately to the northwest, following a beaten road towards the Cathode Tundra. The Cathode Tundra contrasted starkly with the sweltering Anode Desert to its west. At the height of winter, its temperatures would reach frigid levels. Even now, at the beginning of spring, its temperatures were sub-zero.

It took the Royal Knights another few hours to make it from Ocean Cove to Cathode Tundra. They found that the journey through the snow-capped landscape wasn't as easy as they had hoped.

They started off on foot through the snowy fields, but they soon found that the snow reached up to their knees at points. The four Royal Knights then proceeded to continue by air. They flew through the sky, but drifted close to the ground so that they would be able to see where they were going. There were grey clouds overhead which precipitated light flurries. It wasn't a heavy storm, but it obscured their long distance vision, so they had to rely on their immediate surroundings as a guide.

On top of that, it was freezing. The cold air stung their skin and sent shivers up their forms. Their armour was cool to the touch and it pressed numbly against their bodies. The descending crystals of snow began to build up on their shoulders and backs as they flew, lending their silhouettes a white outline. Despite the pain and discomfort, the Royal Knights persevered and pressed on with their mission. The soft numbness was nothing compared to the other obstacles that they had faced in the past or the ones that they would face in the future.

Sleipmon led the way through the sky, galloping gently on the air. He was followed by Dukemon, Omegamon, and UlforceVeedramon, who soared through the snow at reduced speeds to keep pace. The horseman Digimon looked around the area keenly as they continued flying forwards. His lavender eyes were sharp and alert. He was used to seeing through snowfall, and he was quite familiar with the Cathode Tundra. He served as their scout. Sleipmon carefully looked around for landmarks and the large body of Belphemon.

UlforceVeedramon flew behind the red digizoid covered Royal Knight. He held his arms close to his chest, trying to conserve body heat. He tried his best to keep his teeth from chattering. "How do you live in these temperatures?" UlforceVeedramon asked incredulously, looking ahead at the equine Royal Knight.

"Hmm? I don't mind all that much," Sleipmon responded, not taking his attention off of his task. "I suppose I'm used to it."

"I think having a thick coat of fur helps," Dukemon added with a wry grin, although he held his cape so that it was half furled around his body for warmth.

Omegamon blinked intermittently as snowflakes fell in his eyes. He increased his speed slightly and gazed at Sleipmon. "Do you see anything? Are we close?" he questioned.

Sleipmon nodded. "Yes. I recognize those trees and that frozen river over there," he said, pointing with the crossbow on his left arm.

Omegamon gazed over to the left and saw a small grove of coniferous trees. They stood about ten meters high and their sharp needles were blanketed with snow. The six or so trees grew out of the edge of a river. The long, broad river was embedded in the snowy ground. It was about a hundred meters wide, and it reached far into the distance, continuing long enough to empty out into the northern coastline. However, the surface of the river was frozen solid with centimeters of ice. Frigid, icy water continued to flow beneath the frozen surface, giving the ice a cloudy hue.

"The coordinates should be about a kilometer down this river," Sleipmon told the others. "That's where we will find Belphemon."

Omegamon nodded. "Then let's continue," he said, flying alongside Sleipmon. "Be careful, everyone. Remember, as soon as we see him, fan out."

"Affirmative," UlforceVeedramon agreed. He sped up slightly, now that they had a clear idea of where to go. Itching to speed up and reach their destination, he flew ahead of the three. However, he didn't go too far ahead of them as it would be poor strategy to stretch himself too thin.

They continued flying through the snow for awhile longer. The snow wasn't so thick that they couldn't see in front of them. It was only a few minutes before they saw a gigantic shadow a few hundred meters in front of them. They spotted a colossal, dark silhouette floating above the powder-dusted ground. The sable titan's body stood out strikingly against the white, snowy backdrop.

"It's him," Omegamon spoke up, looking around at the others. "Royal Knights, fan out!"

"Let's go!" Dukemon agreed, shooting off to the far right as they approached.

"Alright!" UlforceVeedramon exclaimed eagerly, darting over to the far left in response.

Sleipmon nodded at Omegamon. Omegamon returned the gesture and the pair flew forwards, taking the middle.

The four Royal Knights stopped at a safe distance from Belphemon, surrounding him in a trapezoidal formation. The Demon Lord floated in place about fifty meters in front of them. The Royal Knights took the opportunity to size up their foe now that he was in clear view.

Belphemon was in a deep slumber. Stuck in his Sleep Mode, all he did was breathe heavily. His eyes were closed and his furry head was covered in a thick layer of melting snow. The only thing that could be seen of his pudgy head was his cute, slumbering face. His actual body was untouched by snow, as the black flames that rose up from his chains melted the powder on him and surrounding his body. Belphemon: Sleep Mode's ears twitched slightly and his lips wiggled cutely.

"…That's a Demon Lord? He's so cute, though," Sleipmon professed, resisting the urge to smile.

"Don't let your guard down, Sleipmon," Dukemon warned him. "You've looked at his info; you know what he turns into and how dangerous he is."

Sleipmon frowned and nodded. "Yeah… Right," he responded, reminding himself that he couldn't be fooled by his appearance.

The group of four watched Belphemon carefully. He made no extraordinary movements or even any sign that he was aware of the Royal Knights' presence. The Demon Lord of Sloth was fast asleep, dreaming contently.

After a few moments of tension and anticipation, UlforceVeedramon turned to the other three Royal Knights. "He doesn't seem to notice us. I guess he really is asleep, huh?" he observed.

"They don't call it Sleep Mode for nothing, Ulforce," Dukemon noted, although not letting his guard down for a moment.

"Lucky for us. So, how do we want to do this?" UlforceVeedramon asked the others as he activated the Ulforce Sabres on his V-Bracelets.

"Maybe I can use Odin's Breath to freeze him in place and then we can all follow up as planned with a combination attack?" Sleipmon offered, raising the Niflheimr shield.

"Let's try that," Omegamon agreed. "Everybody be ready. Prepare to fire your attacks the moment that Sleipmon ends the storm."

"Alright," Dukemon said in agreement. He shook the snow off of the face of the Aegis and landed on the snowy ground, his boots sinking only slightly. He dug his feet into the ground and bent his knees, preparing for the back blast of his strongest attack. The Aegis shield began to glow and any snowflakes that even fell near the outward face of the shield melted immediately. Meanwhile, the triangular sigils circling the Zero Unit symbol began to slowly light up in a clockwise motion.

UlforceVeedramon raised himself into the air, puffed his chest out and extended his wings outwards broadly. The golden v-shaped crest on his armour began to shimmer brightly. The aurous 'V' glowed like a radiant beacon as UlforceVeedramon's energy began to concentrate within the piece of armour.

Likewise, Omegamon swung his left arm outwards, ejecting the Grey Sword from the dragon-shaped gauntlet in a sharp expulsion of smoke. Flames began to dance along the surface of the blade. Next, the Garuru Cannon burst from the lupine gauntlet of his right hand. He raised his arm and pointed the cannon straight at Belphemon. Shining white energy frothed from the muzzle of the Garuru Cannon, building up within the confines of the metal as he charged his attack.

"Everybody ready?" Sleipmon asked. He loaded a shining crossbow bolt into the Muspellsheimr while also pointing the Niflheimr shield at Belphemon.

"Ready. Concentrate your attacks on the center of his chest," Omegamon told the others.

UlforceVeedramon subtly angled his body in the air as his sapphire and pink wings kept his body aloft. His body was illuminated by the crest of his armour, glowing resplendently with holy light. As he prepared to activate one of his Ulforce Sabres in the case that they needed to follow up the attack, he suddenly stopped and turned his head. Alerted by something, UlforceVeedramon frowned and looked around suspiciously, his muscles tensing up firmly.

In the distance was a faint buzzing. It initially sounded like the rapid beating of insect wings. However, the sound was too uneven. It was a harsh, irregular, crescendo that pitched up steadily before randomly dropping.

"Wait a second… Do you guys hear that…?" UlforceVeedramon asked, attempting to gaze through the snow. The white precipitation obscured the source of the noise from his view.

Omegamon's bright, greenish-blue eyes narrowed and he gave a tertiary back-and-forth scan of the area. "Yes…" he responded, a foreboding sensation aggregating in his stomach.

"It's coming towards us," Dukemon explained, glaring over his shoulder.

The four Royal Knights listened carefully. As the noise grew closer, they began to be able to make it out more clearly. Rather than a buzzing noise, it became obvious that it was actually coarse, mechanical, and artificial. It grew louder and it was clear that it was the revving of an engine or some kind of machine. The puttering of exhaust and the snarling of an engine began to oscillate around the group of four. They could hear the noise transition from one ear to the other as it passed around behind them and then to the front. It was circling them.

Dukemon looked towards the sound. Although the distant entity was obscured from vision by the falling snow, he was able to make out a blur. He spotted a swift-moving, black figure circling behind Belphemon and coming back towards them along the riverbank in a counter-clockwise direction. Dukemon grunted and scowled, turning to the white knight opposite to him. "Omegamon!" he warned.

Omegamon's cyan eyes narrowed. "Ngh… Sleipmon, attack! We're seeing this through!" he called out hurriedly.

Sleipmon nodded and the Niflheimr shield began to surge with sub-zero frost. "Odin's Breath!" he shouted. The temperature of air in front of the shield and around Belphemon suddenly dropped and became frigid. The water particles in the air froze into ice.

Belphemon's soaked fur began to clot and thicken as ice formed and accumulated on his body. Ice began to coat his furry form, crawling up his massive stature. The flames of the chains initially began to melt the ice, but the subzero temperatures and Sleipmon's strength persevered; ice began to coat the chains and contend with the unholy flames for dominance, starting to snuff them out as the ice thickened on Belphemon's body.

"Prepare to fire!" Omegamon shouted, aiming his Garuru Cannon.

Dukemon dug his metal boots into the snow-swept ground and he prepared for the heavy recoil of his attack. "Ready! Final Elysion—"

The engine that circled them suddenly howled. The snarl of the engine intensified as it closed in on Dukemon.

"Dukemon, look out!" UlforceVeedramon called out to the knight opposite to him. He saw the black figure come into focus and speed towards Dukemon from behind.

Dukemon swung around and his eyes widened with shock and anger. He saw Beelzebumon closing in on him on his motorcycle.

The Demon Lord tore up the ground, sending snow and dirt into the air behind him. He raced towards the Royal Knight at full speed. Beelzebumon wore a giant, excited, demonic smile on his face as he stared at Dukemon. As he ripped towards the pivoting Royal Knight, he raised one of the Berenjena shotguns, levelled it with his eye, and pointed it at Dukemon. "Yo! Long time, no see, Pineapple Head!" he called out with a shit-eating grin as he stared down the sight his shotgun. "Double Impact!"

In a flurry of smoke and sparks, two bullets exploded from the sawed-off muzzles of the double-barreled shotguns. They soared towards Dukemon and slammed into his shoulder and breastplate on the right side of his body that wasn't protected by his shining shield. The slugs pounded painfully against the thick armour with enough strength to morph the metal of the bullets and send sparks and shrapnel shooting off his body.

Dukemon grunted with pain as he felt his shoulder bruise and strain against its socket from the velocity of the shots. His body was turned and he raised his shield towards Beelzebumon, firing the pent up laser at him on impulse. The pillar of holy light surged from the face of the shield and coursed towards Beelzebumon like a rushing river. The beam poured out of the shield powerfully - strong enough to send Dukemon skidding back a few centimeters - as it closed in on the motorcycle-riding Demon Lord.

Beelzebumon pivoted the Behemoth's handles sharply. He skidded in the snow for a few meters before stabilizing and veering off to the right. Nipping at his back wheel, the beam swept by the demon Digimon, narrowly missing him and continuing along the ground past him. A powerful explosion detonated in the distance behind Beelzebumon, creating a powerful shockwave that sent tremors through the ground. A long trench of melted snow was left in the wake of the laser's path.

"Demon Lords…!" Omegamon exclaimed, looking around.

"Damn it. It's Beelzebumon…" Dukemon muttered, his glaring, gold eyes locked on Beelzebumon's swift movements.

"Shit, what kinda half-assed greeting is that?! This is the first time we've seen each other since I was banished to that hellscape of a prison, babe! Is that the best you can do?!" Beelzebumon tauntingly teased Dukemon. His hellish grin widened as he gazed over at the armoured, holy knight. There was an excited, wild, competitive look in his three red eyes. "You owe me one huge, fucking rematch, big guy! You got lucky back in Lambent, but I'm gonna pay you back! Oh, the things that I'm gonna do to you…"

Omegamon scowled at Beelzebumon's ominous words and he turned towards the Demon Lord. "What?!" he angrily demanded.

"Forget it! I'll handle him!" Dukemon called out to the others, his shield still steaming from the aftermath of his attack. He took off into a run to intercept Beelzebumon, aiming the Gran towards him. "Focus on deleting Belphemon!"

Sleipmon narrowed his eyes and continued to take aim at the half-frozen Belphemon, whose mouth wiggled and eyes tensed in response to all the cold and commotion. The glowing bolt was ready in his crossbow groove. He prepared to fire.

"Don't think so, horsie! We need the furball!" Beelzebumon exclaimed, standing up on the back of the Behemoth, which passed by Dukemon in a feint and headed towards Sleipmon. The agile Demon Lord lunged off of the running motorcycle and soared high into the air. At the apex of his ascent he managed a forwards flip and dove towards Sleipmon, his dual shotguns ready.

Aware of the Demon Lord above him, Sleipmon was forced to turn his attention away from Belphemon to deal with the immediate threat. He looked up and aimed his crossbow at Beelzebumon. "Bifröst!"

"Double Impact!" Beelzebumon shouted, firing from all cylinders as he descended on Sleipmon. He fired two shells from his guns, followed by a second salvo immediately after.

Sleipmon fired an incandescent arrow at the same time that he was struck by the first shot. The shells burst open and rained down scattershot onto his body, peppering his body with sparks and metal. Sleipmon staggered slightly as the bolt was released from the Muspellsheimr. The arrow fired through the air and whizzed Beelzebumon's head, just narrowly grazing his cheek. As Beelzebumon fired the second pair of shots, Sleipmon raised his shield to protect himself. The bullets slammed against the Niflheimr but they weren't able to put a dent in the red digizoid alloy.

Beelzebumon took advantage of Sleipmon's defensive stance and used the opportunity to land on the Royal Knight's back. He holstered one shotgun, turned around on his heel and sat down, saddling Sleipmon like a horse. The demon man smirked and grabbed the base of Sleipmon's long, lavender hair. He then yanked Sleipmon's thick mane hard, jerking his head back violently. He placed the barrels of the Berenjena against the side of Sleipmon's head and leered down at Sleipmon's wincing eyes with a victorious grin. "Adios, horsie."

Despite the stinging pain in his head and the compromising position, Sleipmon acted swiftly. He bent his body forwards sharply and threw his hindquarters high into the air. He bucked Beelzebumon off of his back and sent him careening through the air right as the demon fired. The shot missed Sleipmon entirely and pounded into the ground.

The Behemoth wheeled around and drove towards Beelzebumon to catch him. Beelzebumon landed on the seat and took control of the Behemoth again. He grunted and circled around to attack the Royal Knights from a different angle.

Sleipmon rumbled and took off in a full gallop, running after Beelzebumon with his superior speed to keep him from moving freely.

UlforceVeedramon grunted, turning away from the distraction and back towards Belphemon. He cast his eyes over to Omegamon for a moment. "Omegamon! Let's do it!" he called out.

Omegamon nodded and aimed his cannon. "Garuru Cannon!" he shouted, firing a highly concentrated blast of trembling white energy from the brimming muzzle.

The burst of energy slammed into Belphemon's ample chest and exploded mightily. The blast fractured the ice on Belphemon's stomach and sent powerful tremors through his giant form before the freezing energy coated his body with ice once again.

Belphemon: Sleep Mode grunted sleepily from the disruptive impact. His eyelids flickered sleepily, briefly revealing a soft crimson glow underneath. He stifled a yawn and relaxed, remaining asleep.

UlforceVeedramon was ready to follow up Omegamon's attack, aiming to attack him in the same place to hopefully blast through him. The V-crest on his breastplate shimmered with radiant energy, ready to release its contents. "Shining V-Fo-!?"

The azure dragon man was interrupted by a sudden crashing sound to his left. It was like thunder rumbling in the sky and the ground splitting apart all at the same time. He spun around and looked towards the frozen river to see a massive, crimson body bursting through the ice.

Leviamon's gigantic body emerged from beneath the ice, shattering the thick layer of frozen water. Frigid river water cascaded around his rising body and chunks of ice were sent flying every which way. He had silently swum up the length of the deep river from the northern sea, swimming underneath the floating layer of ice and only announcing his presence by causing water to flow up slightly at the edges. Leviamon surfaced with a titanic splash. He roared and lashed his twin tails out towards UlforceVeedramon, his nearest target.

UlforceVeedramon flew to the side swiftly, avoiding the whipping tails. He then saw Leviamon jerk his head to the side and turn his massive snout towards UlforceVeedramon, which was long enough to reach the Royal Knight. Leviamon opened his maw and snapped his shut. UlforceVeedramon disappeared in a cobalt blur, shooting away from the snapping mouth and narrowly avoiding getting his wing torn off.

"Damn it! Another one!" UlforceVeedramon exclaimed, appearing at a different point in the air away from Leviamon's range. "Shining V-Force!" he shouted, firing his V-shaped laser at Leviamon instead.

Leviamon scoffed and saw the angular beam of holy light streak towards him from the sky. The crocodile demon swiftly dove underwater, swimming up the river and evading the powerful laser. The attack slammed into the surface of the icy river and exploded in a massive burst of blossoming water, ice, and steam.

Omegamon narrowed his eyes. He wondered how many more there were. With the others distracted with the other Demon Lords, Omegamon at least wanted to finish what they started before turning his attention to Beelzebumon and Leviamon.

The white Royal Knight raised his Grey Sword and pointed it at Belphemon. Without a word, he began flying soaring towards the vulnerable Demon Lord at full speed. He drew the giant Grey Sword back and prepared to plunge it into Belphemon's head as he closed in on him. With cold, blue eyes, he prepared his finishing stroke and pushed the blade forwards.

"Chaos Flare!" a deep voice shouted.

A swirling vortex of the blackest flames of hell suddenly crossed in front of Omegamon like a horizontal funnel, blocking his path to Belphemon.

Omegamon grunted and came to an abrupt stop before he accidentally flew into the infernal flames himself. The Royal Knight flew backwards and turned to his right. Flying in the air opposite to him was a cloaked, winged figure. He stared bitterly, recognising the garbed Demon Lord as none other than Demon.

Demon's violet eyes narrowed slightly as they beheld Omegamon from their shadowed position behind his hood.

"You will not be destroying Belphemon, Royal Knight," Demon warned him, his voice calm but bristling. "We need him."

Omegamon frowned and spun around, pointing his Garuru Cannon at Demon threateningly. "You need him for what?" he demanded.

"As if I would tell the likes of you," Demon answered scornfully. He raised his hands in front of his body and the black flames of hell flickered within his open palms. His baleful, blue eyes glared at Omegamon for a moment.

"Flame Inferno!" he shouted, his hands exploding with fire. He unleashed a powerful stream of flames towards Omegamon, billowing through the falling snow and melting any of the nearby data.

Omegamon glared and filled his cannon with energy. "Garuru Cannon!" he called out, pumping out three powerful blasts of cold energy, straight into the river of flames.

The two elemental forces of freezing light and burning darkness crashed into each other and exploded outwards. Streaks of flames ripped outwards and lashed the frozen ground. The energy orbs dissipated upon entering the thick of the flames, but they were enough to nullify the inferno's momentum. Neither attack overpowered the other.

Demon's eyes narrowed and he observed Omegamon hatefully. "Do not interfere with our rebellion, Omegamon… We are revealing the folly and falsehood of God. Somebody who follows the orders of a false god should not concern himself with our affairs," he bitterly ordered.

"The Royal Knights will concern themselves in the affairs of whoever threatens Net Security and the safety of innocent Digimon, Demon," Omegamon calmly fired back.

"Then the Royal Knights shall perish," Demon answered spartanly, his eyes flashing. His hands became wreathed in flames and he swept his wings out to rise further into the air, the flames illuminating his cloaked body with a hellish glow. He pushed his claws forwards and cast a torrent of sweeping fire towards Omegamon. "Algol's Flame!"

---

"Double Impact!" Beelzebumon shouted over the din of gunfire.

Dukemon raised the Aegis to deflect a high caliber bullet that tore against the face of the shield in a burst of sparks and shattering metal. He watched as Beelzebumon passed in front of him on his motorcycle, looping around behind him. Dukemon didn't take his eyes off the speeding Demon Lord for a moment.

Beelzebumon circled around Dukemon in a continuous loop, like a predator stalking its prey. Whenever he got into Dukemon's blind spot, he fired a blast from his Berenjena. The bullets pounded against Dukemon's armour, but he was quick to use his shield to his advantage by blocking most of the shots.

Dukemon looked back and forth alertly, always making sure that Beelzebumon was in his line of sight. He swiftly covered the right side of his body with the Aegis as another shot whizzed towards him. No more than a second later, another shot ran out from behind him, prompting Dukemon to spin around and block another shotgun slug from hitting his back. He angrily flinched and turned his head towards Beelzebumon, who smirked and wheeled around Dukemon faster.

The silver and red Royal Knight ventured a glance towards Omegamon, who he saw dodge one of Demon's attacks. "Omegamon!" he called out.

Omegamon flew to the side to avoid the swath of flames. "Be on your guard!" he warned Dukemon, his sword and cannon at the ready. He fired a blast towards Demon, but the Demon Lord was fast enough to avoid the shot.

"We'll handle Leviamon!" Sleipmon told the other two as he dashed across the snowy ground, towards the semi-frozen river.

Leviamon rose up from the water, sending giant water spouts up around his body. He gave a toothy smirk as he observed the Royal Knights through the cascading water. "Like hell you will…" he sassily retaliated. He opened his maw and prepared to attack the horse knight.

"What do we do if the other three are here?!" UlforceVeedramon asked, speeding in the opposite direction of Sleipmon in order to circle Leviamon. He swerved sharply to the side as a watery geyser erupted in front of him.

After getting showered by freezing water, UlforceVeedramon glowered and sped towards Leviamon in the form of a blue zigzag. He sped across Leviamon's back, dragging his Ulforce Sabre along his scales. However, Leviamon's hide was thick and durable, so the slash only caused a shallow cut across his massive back.

Leviamon snarled and whipped his twin tails around, lashing them brutally at UlforceVeedramon. "Cauda!" he boomed, bringing his tails down on UlforceVeedramon.

UlforceVeedramon deftly evaded with milliseconds to spare as the tree trunk-sized appendages came crashing down. The azure dragon man grunted and flew backwards, out of Leviamon's range. The tails impacted the ground hard enough to send snow and frozen earth shooting upwards. UlforceVeedramon's attack distracted the Demon Lord long enough for Sleipmon to launch an arrow at the colossal crocodile.

"Rostrum!" Leviamon snarled, spinning around with surprising speed and climbing onto the riverbank. He opened his jaws wide and tried snapping them shut around the large horse knight.

Sleipmon bent his legs and leapt high into the air, above Leviamon's crushing jaws and sword-like teeth. He felt the warmth of the crocodile's strong breath beneath his hooves. He quickly descended and began galloping away from Leviamon, circling around to get out of range.

Out of the corners of his bright, greenish-blue eyes, Omegamon saw the other Royal Knights doing battle with the Demon Lords. He didn't entirely know what they would do if the other Demon Lords showed up. He thought that seven would be too much for them to handle, but he didn't want to give ground. "Do you see any others?!" he shouted out to the other three.

"No, but the snowstorm is getting worse!" Sleipmon replied. "It's getting harder to see very far!"

Indeed, there was more and more snow falling from the cloudy skies. The snowstorm was starting to intensify, so visibility was reduced by the amount of white snowflakes drifting down. Belphemon was getting covered by even more snow, and his large, dark figure was obstructed by the heavy flurries.

Dukemon watched as Beelzebumon raced towards him, emerging through the veil of snow. Beelzebumon cackled and fired another pair of shots. One bullet whizzed by Dukemon's face, grazing the metal of his helmet, while the other showered his shield with scattershot.

"Haha! What's wrong, Dukemon?!" Beelzebumon called out to him with an energized smile. "Not man enough to fight me?! Afraid you'll get your ass handed to you?! I didn't have you down as such a wimp; you're disappointing me after all this time! I've gotten stronger fighting for myself in the Dark Area, but you've gotten weaker!"

"Tch…" Dukemon muttered, attempting not to rise to Beelzebumon's baiting. However, he did know that he had to go on the offensive. He couldn't keep defending against Beelzebumon's vicious and continuous assault forever. Dukemon suddenly lowered his shield and dashed forwards. Cutting through the snow, Dukemon raised the Gram and aimed it. Energy spiraled around the shaft of the Gram and aggregated at the tip. "Royal Sabre!" He thrust the Gram forwards and launched a incandescent beam towards Beelzebumon.

The burning strand of light poured towards Beelzebumon, meeting the Demon Lord of Gluttony head on. Beelzebumon's cocky grin morphed into a scowl as he sharply turned the handles of the Behemoth. The motorcycle drifted across the snow and he pressed his foot onto the accelerator. The wheels ripped against the snow and Beelzebumon steered out of the path of the beam. The laser slammed into the ground right beside Beelzebumon, erupting in a violent explosion. Snow, earth, and light cascaded outwards as shockwaves ripped through the ground.

Beelzebumon and the Behemoth were lifted off the ground by the heavy blast. The Demon Lord scowled and winced at the energy nipping at his body. However, he managed to land his motorcycle safely on the ground and continue driving. Beelzebumon grunted and wheeled around to look at Dukemon. "You've still got some moves, Dukemon. Good… I'm not wasting my time after all…" Beelzebumon muttered, his red eyes leering at Dukemon darkly.

Dukemon watched as Beelzebumon began speeding towards him. The Demon Lord holstered the Berenjena and raised his long, knife-like claws, smirking. Dukemon readied the Gram and Aegis, preparing himself as Beelzebumon charged him head on. "You really want to joust with me…?" Dukemon warned the demon Digimon. "Me of all Digimon?"

"Always, Dukey!" Beelzebumon laughed, only accelerating faster with brazen courage.

Dukemon glowered and met Beelzebumon's charge. He supposed that this was a good opportunity for the Royal Knights, since at least four of the Demon Lords were all in one place. If they could take at least one down, that would be good for them in the long run. He dashed across the ground before the speeding motorcycle. The two quickly closed the gap.

Knowing that he had greater reach, the Royal Knight stabbed the lance towards Beelzebumon's place on the Behemoth. Beelzebumon acted quickly and leapt off his bike right as the spear closed in. With impressive agility, he performed a somersault over the lance.

As the bike passed by Dukemon, Beelzebumon grabbed the Royal Knight's long, red cape in his claws in mid air. The demon then landed back on the Behemoth and took hold of the handles, jerking Dukemon off his feet.

Dukemon grunted as he was violently pulled down and dragged along the ground behind the Behemoth. "D-Damnit," he snarled, feeling his armoured body get pulled across the cold ground.

Beelzebumon looked over his shoulder and smirked down at Dukemon, enjoying the sight of the Royal Knight getting dragged behind him at his mercy. He pulled one of his shotguns off of his back and pointed it behind him at the struggling Royal Knight.

Dukemon acted quickly. He lashed his arm out with the Gram, the tip cutting through the end of the cape that Beelzebumon held in his grasp. Freed from the Demon Lord, the shotgun blast perforated the ground in front of him, and Dukemon rolled to a stop in the snow.

As Dukemon glared defiantly, he placed his lance and shield against the ground to help him stand. He looked forwards to see where Beelzebumon had gotten to, but he could only see a shadow obscured by the snow. Dukemon looked around to try to see the other Royal Knights. He could just barely make out UlforceVeedramon's and Sleipmon's blue and red bodies moving swiftly over around the riverbank. They faced the clearly visible, bright red form of Leviamon, who lashed out with his massive jaws, indomitable tails, and crushing water spouts. Dukemon turned his head. He couldn't see Omegamon against the white backdrop, but he could see blasts of fire and ice shooting through the snowy sky, trading blows with Demon's black and red attacks.

Dukemon looked around the area. He tried to track Beelzebumon, but the fast Demon Lord was hard to spot in the thick snowstorm. He could only rely on the sounds of the engine. They seemed to be coming from towards the giant, sleeping mound that was Belphemon.

Demon snarled as he barely avoided one of Omegamon's shots. As the Royal Knight closed the distance in an attempt to stab him, Demon fended him off with a funnel of infernal flames created in his hands. The Demon Lord of Wrath spun around, his eyes stern and narrow. "Beelzebumon! Stop fooling around! It's time to get moving!" he commanded him.

"I'm workin' on it! Get off my ass already! Yeesh!" Beelzebumon called back. Beelzebumon stopped his motorcycle right behind the giant, slumbering Demon Lord. He hopped off the back of the Behemoth and opened up a large, metal box that rested behind the seat. "Alright, furball. You better not be dead weight."

Beelzebumon took out a long, chrome digizoid chain with hooked latches on each end. He then hooked one of latches to one of the chains that were wrapped around Belphemon's body. He tugged at it to make sure of its security. Once satisfied, Beelzebumon hooked the other end of the chain to the back of the Behemoth.

Beelzebumon hopped onto the Behemoth and looked through the heavy snowfall towards Demon. "I'm ready!" he called out.

"Then go!" Demon ordered brusquely, unleashing a surge of darkness from his hands towards Omegamon. "Leviamon! Cover him!"

Leviamon growled and rolled into the river to avoid a Shining V-Force attack fired by UlforceVeedramon. After a mighty splash that sent water and chunks of ice flowing up the banks, Leviamon resurfaced. "Duo Cauda!" he rumbled, sending his massive tails rushing through the river water. The pair of long, serpentine tails caused the river to erupt. Four pillars of water surged into the air and came crashing down across the tundra. Massive waves of water gushed across the snow, drenching the icy particles and sweeping across the ground.

"Damn it!" Dukemon shouted was water began pouring up to his boots. He had to leap into the air to escape the sweeping waves that followed.

Sleipmon and UlforceVeedramon likewise flew up from the ground to avoid the rushing waves, but they still had to contend with the surging water spouts and the erratic movements of Leviamon's tails. Fortunately, Leviamon didn't have enough water to work with than if he was in an ocean, but there was still enough to be dangerous.

"Dukemon!" UlforceVeedramon called out between dodging a pillar of water and a striking tail. "What's going on over there?!"

Beelzebumon slammed his foot on the accelerator as soon as the chain was taut. "We'll continue this later, Dukey!" Beelzebumon shouted behind him. "Wait for me! Hahaha!"

The Demon Lord began driving through the snow at full speed, towing Belphemon behind him. Luckily for him, Belphemon's levitation and lack of resistance made him easier to tow, but his sheer weight slowed Beelzebumon down to half his regular speed. He continued driving through the intensifying snowstorm, hauling his fellow Demon Lord behind him.

Dukemon scowled. "He's escaping with Belphemon!" he exclaimed, flying after them.

"I don't think so, Dukemon…" Leviamon said with a smirk. He opened up his massive maw and built up blue, aquatic energy within it. "Rostrum!" he shouted.

A sapphire beam ripped from his giant maw, wavering unevenly like a rushing river as it swept through the sky. It was nearly as big as Leviamon's throat. The massive swell of water energy surged between Sleipmon and UlforceVeedramon, and continued in front of Dukemon's path.

Dukemon growled and stopped just in time to avoid getting consumed by the crushing blast. The wall of azure energy howled as it passed in front of him, blocking Dukemon from giving chase to Beelzebumon and Belphemon.

Omegamon turned around and saw the quickly disappearing form of Belphemon. He could only make out small specks of brown as the storms raged and concealed their retreating forms from view. Omegamon turned around and began flying after them, not wanting to let the Demon Lords get Belphemon.

Seeing Omegamon turn his back to him, Demon took his opportunity. He rushed forwards after Omegamon and his hands became surrounded by a dark purple aura. "Double Dust!" he shouted, bringing his magic-imbued fists down on Omegamon's back.

The impact exploded with magical energy and created enough force to send Omegamon crashing into the snowy ground below. After observing the downed knight with cruel eyes, Demon shifted his gaze towards Leviamon. "Leviamon! Cover our retreat."

"Fine…" Leviamon grumbled, sweeping his tails along the icy surface of the river. "Duo Cauda!" he thundered, sending more pillars of frozen water down on Sleipmon and UlforceVeedramon.

"Damn it," UlforceVeedramon grunted, dipping and weaving in the sky to avoid getting hit by the torrents of water. After swerving past an aquatic pillar, he saw an opening. UlforceVeedramon began to speed away to try and give chase to Beelzebumon and Belphemon.

"Chaos Flare!" Demon spoke, summoning a massive tornado of blood red flames and dark energy right in the Royal Knights' paths. The tempest of unholy demon magic tore up the ground and threatened to suck UlforceVeedramon in if he didn't pull back.

"Can't get through!" UlforceVeedramon growled, summoning the Tense Great Shield from his other V-Bracelet as tendrils of flames and darkness lashed at his form. A heavy torrent of water crashed down on him and the omni-directional barrier. It was unable to get through, but Leviamon had enough force to send him down onto the ground, keeping him suppressed by the continual stream of water.

After creating the tornado, Demon cast a final stream of infernal flames from his hands towards Omegamon and Dukemon. As the fire swept in front of them, Demon flapped his wings and calmly flew off, following after Belphemon and Beelzebumon.

Dukemon jumped back from the wall of fire and used the Aegis to protect himself. "Sleipmon! Can you follow them?" he asked, wincing and looking over to his left to where Sleipmon and UlforceVeedramon were fighting Leviamon.

"I can't!" Sleipmon called back. He jumped out of the way just in time for one of Leviamon's tails to come crashing down and crush the frozen ground underneath.

"Anima!" Leviamon shouted, unleashing a devastating, black tornado from his mouth. The horizontal whirlwind ripped up the ground and slammed into Sleipmon.

Sleipmon grunted with pain and held the Niflheimr shield in front of him in order to protect himself from the majority of the attack. His hair and tail blustered in the heavy gust. His six hooves dug into the ground and his arm trembled as it held the shield in place due to the immense pressure of the attack. His eyes hardened and he managed to weather the abyssal storm.

Leviamon took the opportunity to make his move. He turned around in the river and began to submerge under the watery surface and broken chunks of ice. "So long, Royal Knights," he taunted, only the top of his snout visible as he sank. Leviamon's gold, reptilian eye lingered on Dukemon for a few moments before he dove deep under water.

Despite his massive body, he was able to swim quickly downstream, after the retreating Demon Lords.

The dark tornado subsided and Sleipmon lowered the Niflheimr shield, panting. "They're escaping…" he said, turning his head towards Omegamon and Dukemon.

Omegamon swept his Grey Sword outwards and extinguished Demon's lingering flames in a moment of frustration. "…I know…" he bitterly responded, composing himself.

UlforceVeedramon flew over to them, his fists clenched and his gaze stubborn. "I'll fly ahead! I can catch up with them!" he suggested resolutely.

"No, UlforceVeedramon… That isn't a good move," Omegamon regretfully explained. "If you do that, you'll be out on your own. You'll be outnumbered and the Demon Lords may not let the opportunity slip."

"Maybe if we all go now, we can still catch them," Dukemon said, also reluctant to give up.

"The storm is getting worse. There's barely any visibility," Sleipmon explained, frowning. "Beelzebumon already has a large head start on us. Even with Belphemon's size, I don't think we'll be able to find them like this. I can't be our pathfinder in a storm that's this bad."

"So we just let them go?" UlforceVeedramon asked in obvious frustration, the words sticking distastefully in his mouth.

"We may not have any choice…" Omegamon said with a sigh. "I don't like the idea, but we're in a disadvantageous position now. There is always a risk in chasing down a fleeing enemy; we don't know if the other three are with them as reinforcements. They could have set up an ambush. I don't want to risk our lives to continue a battle that we aren't necessarily going to win."

"Ugh… But this is the first time that we've had them in our grasps," Dukemon complained.

"Don't let an opportunity blind you to the risks, Dukemon…" Omegamon advised him. "There will be other opportunities. Better ones."

Although reluctant, Dukemon nodded and sighed. "Yeah… Fine," he conceded, although he wasn't entirely happy with it.

After deactivating the Ulforce Sabres, UlforceVeedramon rubbed his face with agitation. "Ngh… Alright," he agreed. "We'll leave them. This isn't good weather for fighting…" He raised his hands and looked at his blue, fingerless gloves and his pale, white fingers. "My fingers are numb anyways." He grimaced and looked in the direction that the Demon Lords escaped. "I just hate that we're leaving empty-handed…"

"We've confirmed that they're hostile and we've assessed their combat strength," Sleipmon offered optimistically. "We also know that they're planning something, considering that they wanted Belphemon."

"I guess…" UlforceVeedramon agreed half-heartedly.

"So, this means that at least four of the Demon Lords are gathered…" Omegamon figured. "I wonder if the other three are as well."

"We should assume that they are…" Dukemon replied, folding his arms and starting to shiver now that the heat and adrenaline of battle were wearing off.

"What do we do now?" Sleipmon asked them. As he spoke, he removed a loaded crossbow bolt from the Muspellsheimr's breech and placed it back inside of his shield.

"First of all, let's get out of this storm…" UlforceVeedramon suggested, rubbing his arms and pressing his wings against his shoulders for warmth. "We'll be buried in snow at this rate."

Omegamon nodded. "We should head back to Ocean Cove and wait for the next Locomon running south," he explained. "We need to report to the others as soon as possible."

UlforceVeedramon took out the LRAVC from his tights. The rectangular device was drenched in water and it was unresponsive. "Metallife's gonna kill me…" he murmured sheepishly, futilely attempting to turn it on.

"Yeah, he is," Dukemon agreed with a slight grin. He turned to Omegamon. "Once we get there, it will probably be several hours before another Locomon is ready to go," he guessed, readjusting the frigid armour on his body.

At this, Omegamon turned and levelled a tired but warm and sweet smile at Sleipmon. "…Enough time for you to show us around the city a bit, it sounds like," he suggested.

Sleipmon suddenly smiled broadly. "Well… Maybe if we have time," he reasoned diplomatically.

Dukemon nodded lightly. "I could do with something to help relax me…" he noted. Dukemon turned and walked over to Sleipmon.

"I could do with a towel," UlforceVeedramon muttered, shivering at his ice water-drenched armour and tights.

Dukemon smiled. "Come on, guys. Let's get moving."

Sleipmon began making his way through the slush-snow mixture, heading south to exit the Cathode Tundra the way they came. UlforceVeedramon and Dukemon slowly followed him, letting him lead the way.

Before following them, Omegamon cast an uncertain glance over his shoulder. He left a lingering gaze through the heavy snowstorm in the northern direction that the Demon Lords escaped towards. Putting aside his regrets, Omegamon closed his eyes and began walking after his friends.

He hoped he made the right decision.