We open up when Brendan, May, Takuya, Koji, JP, Zoe, Tommy, Zach, Jason, Marina, Patrick, Lisia, Munchlax, Mime Jr, Bokomon, and Neemon were looking at the new warrior, but he was very familiar to eight of them.
"He mentioned that he's the real Warrior of Darkness, so what's his deal? I thought Loweemon is the Warrior of Darkness," May pointed out.
"He is. You see, Koichi used to be Duskmon. He was under Cherubimon's manipulation when it happened. He made Koichi fight against his own brother and he almost succeeded in his plans. Working together, Takuya and Koji worked together to free Koichi from the evils of Duskmon and Cherubimon," Bokomon explained.
"But how could Duskmon be here when Koichi is standing right here with us?" Brendan asked.
"I don't know, but I think we're not gonna like the answer," Bokomon said.
Koichi just looking at Duskmon, not believing what he was seeing.
"What's the matter, Koichi? You look like you're seeing a ghost. You might as well be looking at one since I'm a ghost from your dark past," Duskmon said.
"There is no way you're here, Duskmon. Koji and Takuya destroyed you," Koichi said.
"Oh, I am here, Koichi. Take a good look at me. I'm everything that you used to be," Duskmon said.
"No! You're nothing I used to be! It's through between us!" Koichi exclaimed.
"Is it?" Duskmon asked. He was getting a rise out of Koichi. "You should know better than anyone that you can never escape from your past. Even before Cherubimon found you, you had a strong amount of darkness in your heart. You were feeding those dark fires over the despair you felt for your mother and the anger you felt when your father married that other woman. No matter what you try to do, you cannot escape from your past! I am a part of you, and I always will be!"
"Koichi, don't listen to a word he's telling you! Everything he's saying is a lie!" Brendan said.
"No, he's right. Everything Duskmon said to me is true. The darkness in my heart was taking its toll on me. I was letting it grow and I became Duskmon, and I hated Koji for what everything that my mother went through," Koichi said. Duskmon grinned evilly. "But I don't feel any hatred for him anymore." Duskmon was puzzled. "I made peace with it, because Koji and the others accepted me and made me part of the team after I rejected Cherubimon and became Loweemon. What I learned from my experience as Duskmon is that light and darkness aren't good or evil. Light and darkness are both neutral. It makes perfect sense that Koji and I would inherit the Spirits of Light and Darkness from AncientGarurumon and AncientSphinxmon, because we're a perfect balance. Cherubimon couldn't use me for a second time and I don't see you trying to do the same thing! If a being of the darkness is all they'll see me as, then I do not care! I would rather die than betray my brother and my friends!"
Everyone was moved and touched by Koichi's words, especially Koichi. Brendan, May, and Lisia were stunned to hear Koichi had been through so much under the darkness. But they all felt proud of him.
"You don't believe in that ridiculous thing you just said, do you?" Duskmon asked.
"I do. You can say whatever thing you want, but nothing you do can destroy the bond I have forged! So, if I'm going to put the past behind me, once and for all, I'm going to face you here and now! After all, there can only be one Warrior of Darkness!" Koichi said.
"Well, that last statement is what we both can agree on. Only one of us deserves to be called the Warrior of Darkness. Therefore, one of us has to go," Duskmon said.
"No," Koji said, stopping him.
"What do you mean no? Why not?" Brendan asked.
"This is his fight," Koji said.
"He's right. Koichi has to do this himself," Takuya said. Brendan dismissed his Keyblade, seeing no other choice but to stand down. Koichi took out his Digivice and he undergoes his transformation.
"Execute! Spirit Evolution!" Koichi has transformed into his warrior form. "Loweemon!" Both Warriors of Darkness stared at each other as Loweemon readies his lance, and Duskmon retracts his blades. "Time to settle this once and for all!"
"Yes. And as you said, there can only be one Warrior of Darkness," Duskmon said, rushing at Loweemon. He clashed his blades against Loweemon's lance.
"Shadow Lance!" Loweemon shouted, swinging his lance. Duskmon ducked and came at him, striking Loweemon.
"Is this the best you can do? Perhaps Cherubimon made a mistake with you. What a waste," Duskmon said.
"I'm just getting started!" Loweemon said, charging up. "Shadow Meteor!" He fired his attack, hitting Duskmon on the mark. "Still think I'm a waste?"
"I admit, I briefly underestimated you. That is a mistake I won't make a second time. Lunar Plasma!" He slashes a full moon-like arc with his blades, absorbing Loweemon's power and making it his own.
"I don't think so!" Loweemon said, throwing his spear at the moon, shattering it. He rushes at Duskmon. "Dark Rocket!" He does a pole-vaulting kick on Duskmon.
Meanwhile, Sora, Kairi, Riku, Naminé, Tai, Matt, Sora T, Izzy, Mimi, Joe, TK, Kari, Davis, Ken, Yolei, Cody, Amy, Max, Pikachu, Angel, Eevee, Azurill, and the Digimon left the Chessmon castle and continued to search for their missing friends.
"So, Sora 2, which way would we go?" Sora T asked.
"Maybe we should head that way," Sora said, pointing to the path ahead of them.
"You sure we should head that way?" Wormmon asked.
"Why there?" Max asked.
"Just a feeling I had, that's all," Sora said.
"It's good as anything at this point," Tai said.
"Maybe we can bump into Takato, Takuya, and the others that way," Davis said.
"Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's go," Sora said.
With that said, they went off to the path Sora had pointed to and decided to follow it.
Over to Hollow Bastion, Brian is still monitoring the Digital World from his end when he spotted Sora, Kairi, Max, the DigiDestined, and the DigiDestined. He went wide-eyed.
"No way! Sora!" Brian exclaimed. Just then, Setro, Ariel, Jade, Professor Layton, and Luke heard him.
"What about Sora?" Jade asked. Luke saw them inside.
"He's in there!" Luke said.
"And Kairi, too. How did they get in there?" Jade asked.
"I don't know. But maybe it's a good thing they're in there," Brian said.
"Do you think they can hear us?" Luke asked.
"Oh, that's just silly, Luke. There's no way they'd hear us," Brian said.
"Sora!" Luke said.
In the Digital World, they stopped when they heard a small voice.
"Did any of you say something?" Sora asked.
"No," Cody said.
"It didn't sound too far away," Izzy said.
"But where did it come from?" Max asked.
They all looked around until Amy found something. It was a small TV.
"I think I found it," Amy said. They all went over to the TV and they saw some faces on the screen.
"They're coming this way," Jade said.
"It appears they heard your voice, Luke," Professor Layton said.
"Setro, Ariel, Brian, Jade, Professor Layton, Luke?" Sora asked.
"Hi there," Jade greeted.
"It's been a while," Ariel said.
"Yeah, it has," Kairi said.
"Who are they?" Kari asked.
"These people are the ones who pointed us in the right direction when we went to different worlds to seal Keyholes," Kairi said.
"Eevee," Angel said.
"I'm surprised to see their faces again after that," Sora said.
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.
"As much as I'm happy to see your face again, Sora, we need to ask what brings you in the Digital World?" Brian asked.
"We were brought here by the DigiDestined to meet their Digimon partners, but things got complicated when we got separated from our friends," Sora said.
"That explains it," Jade said.
"An evil Digimon named Devimon was behind that," Max said.
"That also explains this," Brian said.
"What do you mean?" Mimi asked.
"Well, I've been picking up loads of readings and other weird stuff from my computer, so I've been looking into it, trying to figure it out. Now, thanks to you, I know part of the problem," Brian said.
"Is Traverse Town having troubles from Digimon?" Sora asked.
"We're not in Traverse Town. We're in Hollow Bastion," Jade said.
"What are you doing in Hollow Bastion?" Kairi asked.
"Hollow Bastion is the home our ancestors lived in before Ganondorf and an army of Heartless came and took over. That was until you two defeated him. After that, we came back to Hollow Bastion, and founded the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee to make it the way it used to be," Setro said.
"Maybe better. Maybe Hollow Bastion will become even more beautiful than it used to be," Ariel said.
"We wish the best of luck in making look good again," Yolei said.
"Changing the subject, I think it's a good thing you're there. Because we could use your help from in there," Brian said.
"You want our help?" TK asked.
"How?" Joe asked.
"You can help take out this Devimon if he's the source of the disturbance I've been picking up. Maybe things will settle down afterwards," Brian said.
"I strongly agree. I have a theory that Devimon separated us to keep us from uniting against him," Izzy said.
"Whatever the theory, you should find the others soon," Brian said.
"Brian, wasn't it? Could it be plausible if I download the link into my computer?" Izzy asked.
"I don't know if it would work, but knock yourself out, kid," Brian said. Izzy took out his laptop and took out a cord and connected it to his computer. He then downloads the data onto his laptop.
"Done!" Izzy said.
"What did you do, Izzy?" Ken asked.
"I downloaded the link just so we can communicate with one another whenever we choose to, no matter where we are," Izzy said.
"That's actually a great way to keep in touch," Professor Layton said.
"You're right We'll have eyes and ears from the inside. We'll let you know if we come across anything while you do the same," Brian said.
"Sure thing," Kairi said.
"Be careful while you're in there," Ariel said.
"We will," Sora said.
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.
With that said, Brian broke contact, knowing they would be hearing from them again.
Back with the fight, Loweemon came at Duskmon, holding his spear against Duskmon's blades.
"Shadow Meteor!" Loweemon shouted, but Duskmon slashed through it.
"Is that the best you got?" Duskmon asked.
"I can do better!" Loweemon said, undergoing a change. "Loweemon Slide Evolution! JagerLoweemon!" Ebony Blast!" JagerLoweemon fired dark shots at Duskmon, hitting him.
"Duskmon Slide Evolution! Velgemon!" Velgemon flew upwards before came swooping down at JagerLoweemon. "Here I come, ready nor not!"
"Dark Master!" JagerLoweemon shouted as he charges at Velgemon with a dark aura. They both land a hit onto each other. Velgemon grabbed JagerLoweemon.
"Going up!" Velgemon said.
"Hang in there, JagerLoweemon!" Lisia said. Velgemon flew up until he was high enough to drop him.
"Going down!" Velgemon said, dropping him. JagerLoweemon fell as he screamed. JagerLoweemon lands on the ground, receiving heavy damage on his armor.
"Koichi!" Koji gasped.
"Time to finish this once and for all!" Velgemon said, flying around, creating a circle. Energy came out from the ground. Remembering what it is, JagerLoweemon ran out and jumped out. "Dark Vortex!" It completely closes, creating a crater where JagerLoweemon was.
"That was close," May said.
"You may have escaped, JagerLoweemon, but you won't escape the next time," Velgemon said, changing again. "Velgemon Slide Evolution! Duskmon!" He extends his blades. "You might as well just stop lying to yourself, Koichi. The darkness in your heart is calling to you. You cannot hope to escape from its evil grasp," Duskmon said.
"I told you before, light and darkness aren't good or evil. It's how someone uses them," JagerLoweemon said. Duskmon charges at Koichi, slashing JagerLoweemon, making him revert back to his human form.
"Is that what you really believe? Then, you are a waste. It doesn't matter how hard you fight me, because I am a part of you, and you can never be rid of me," Duskmon said. Koichi stood up on his feet.
"You're right, I can't beat you; not by fighting you, anyway," Koichi said.
"Then how?" Duskmon asked.
"By doing this!" Koichi said, holding out his Digivice. He then uses it to suck in Duskmon into his heart. Duskmon tried to fight it, but the pull was getting too strong.
"What are you doing?! Stop!" Duskmon exclaimed.
"What's he doing?" Patrick asked.
"I think I know. He figured if he can't defeat Duskmon head-on, then he would defeat Duskmon by absorbing him into his heart," Bokomon said.
"Wouldn't that either kill him or corrupt him?" May asked.
"I don't know, but I think we're about to find out," Bokomon said.
"You cannot do this to me! I won't let you!" Duskmon exclaimed.
"But I can! You said it yourself, Duskmon! You're a part of me! And you're going to go back into my memories where you belong! And the darkness will always be there, but it'll be in a place where not even you can reach it," Koichi said.
"I will...not...be...just...a...memory! I won't!" Duskmon yelled before he was completely absorbed into Koichi's heart. He then fell to his knees.
"Koichi!" Koji exclaimed. Everyone all ran up to him, but Koji caught him. "I got you, brother."
"Koji," Koichi said.
"Koichi, are you okay?" Brendan asked.
"Tell us you're still you," May said.
"I think so," Koichi said. He slowly stood up. "I am still me."
"You sure surprised us when you did that, Koichi," Lisia said.
"How did you do that?" Takuya asked.
"Well, I don't know if I can explain it, but I thought I would open my heart and trap him in it. I was worried something might happen, but it didn't happen to me," Koichi said.
"Just how were you able to resist Duskmon's evil?" Zach asked.
"I think I can answer that. It stems to reason that Duskmon was created by evil, so he gains his power from evil, but since Koichi is not under any evil influences, then Duskmon would have no power at all," Bokomon said.
"Mime," Mime Jr said.
"Man, I can imagine the look on Devimon's face when his little plan backfired," JP said.
"Same here," Tommy said, laughing.
"Devimon isn't done yet," Koji said.
"Koji's right. Devimon isn't going to take this laying down," Brendan said.
"And he'll be even more intent on getting us," May said.
Back with Devimon, he saw how his plans against the DigiDestined and the Keyblade wielders has failed.
"Blast it! Duskmon has failed me. It seems I will have to try even harder," Devimon said.
What sort of nasty tricks does Devimon has in store for the Keyblade wielders and the DigiDestined? And what of Hollow Bastion? Find out when we go on even further.