The raiders land onto large octagon surrounded by lava. Its center keeps the separate square. But now for the elephant of this room.

Eggman joints his Egg Mobile into a four-legged Bug Robot with Slot Machine.

- Eggman: Nice to see you traitors and you too, Tails. It certainly looks as if you... well, done quite a bit of a damage down there. But did you really think that YOU could challenge ME?

Omega and Tails raised their weapons. Shadow gestured them to hold the fire and approached the doctor with vigilance - "Now, doctor, tell me. What are these androids of yours? The ones that look like me."

Eggman grinned mischievously - "Indeed! You and Omega are my creations! But you betray me as you stand here before me! So now... I will turn all off you into scrap with my strongest creation yet: The Egg Dealer!"

Shadow widens his eyes for a bit then regains his senses and joins the preparation with others.

- Omega: Final target confirmed. Commencing combat.

Boss 6: Egg Dealer

Player: Shadow; Tails; Omega

The slot machines moves as Eggman boasts - "Once I'm done with you... you will be thrown in the junkyard! You will feel my wrath!" - the Egg Dealer drove back and heroes began the chase.

- Tails: Like we'd hang around to find out!

The 3 slots reveal red missiles. - "Get ready for a real blast! It's time for Missile Fever!" - At their signal, Egg Dealer fires them at enemies.

An idea surged into Shadow's mind - "I'll make you wish you'd never done that!" - while in the air, he spun around vertical axis, summoning Black Tornado. Flying into the windmill, missiles got disoriented and hit anything but the target.

Only speedster of the team could catch up with Eggman's latest creation. Shadow slams the slots by using the hooming attacks. For every time the hit lands, slot stops.

And the next synchronization shows the logo of Egg Robots much to Eggman's smugness - "Now you're in for a big surprise!"

A number of Egg Pawns emerge from the central square and leap through platforms onto octagon right in front of the Heroes.

Egg Dealer kept riding, while Shadow, Tails and Omega fought off the interference. Eggman's laugh gets louder as he makes the lap and reaches the heros from behind.

Instict was their only resort: Shadow run away from the device; Tails jumped away and spun his physiology to prevent fall into lava. He grabs Omega's hands and carries onto central square.

Seeing the situation Shadow calls out - "Omega, Tails! I'll handle the doctor myself! You stay there and be ready to intercept his reinforcements."

The robot and fox regain their bearings.

- Tails: Okay!

- Omega: Affirmative!

The group carried out their own parts plan.

Having caught up with Egg Dealer, Shadow proceeds with his hooming assault and stopping the slot machine with different icons in line, thus continuing the ordinary course of battle.

Omega and Tails unleashed their battling arsenal of rockets and lightning rings, lethal enough for the whole Egg unit.

Egg Dealer emitted sparks as sign of taken damage much Eggman's frustration - "At 100% or not, I won't go down that easily."

Throughout next chasing step, Shadow scored 3 images of himself on doctor's latest machine. Hell frezzes before Eggman passes the opportunity to laugh loudly - "You've asked for it! Get ready to be blasted into oblivion by Shadow Fever!"

Shadow Androids surround Omega and Tails. But this bunch emitted a very terrific hostile red aura.

Out of instict Tails (in his case only) and Omega fire at fake Shadows but they shrug the punishment off.

Robo hedgehogs slightly curled, making the sound of charging energy. With his eyes clenched, Tails pulls out the white jewel - "Chaos Control!" - and everything goes quiet and still... well except Omega's movements.

- Omega: What factor defines the Teleportation and Time Stoppage?

Opening his eyes one by one, Tails looks around the area, confirming Omega's claims as everything remained motionless.

- Tails: I... I don't know. But we'll worry about that later, Omega! Guns are useless against these red aura Shadows! Let's try to knock them out of the arena by using our hand to hand combat!

- Omega: Annahilate!

As Powerhouse, Omega knocked more Shadow Androids into lava. Not that he'd diminish the efforts of now exhausted Tails.

Unsuspecting of interference in time, Shadow and Eggman proceeded their battle.

Smoke and Sparks emitting Egg Dealer stoped the slots at Pink balls. Eggman reveals - "Now it's time for Bomb Fever!" - The machine shakened and dropped on its front - What?! No this can't be!" - and in that exact moment, Dealer leaves two presents right in front of itself - "Not don't drop it here!" - giving Shadow time to take the Yellow Chaos Emerald and escape the bomb's range.

With the Egg Dealer out of commission, Eggman crawls out of the cockpit, raising unspoken questions of his survival from explosion.

"Doctor! At last I'll hear the truth from you!" - silently vowed Shadow as he approached his target.

While laying on the ground, Eggman glares at Shadow - "You ungrateful little pest... I made you... and this is how you repay me?!"

Concealing the Chaos Emerald, Shaow points out - "Even if I am the copy of the real Shadow the Hedgehog, created by you, doctor, why was I asleep in Seaside Hill away from other Androids?"

Unknown to hedgehog, Eggman discreetly presses the flash clicker, blinding all of his enemies.

By the time they regained their vision, Eggman flew away in his spare Mobile Ship - "Next time we meet, you won't be so lucky! Just you wait and see!"

Massive explosions surrounded the area and Lava Shelter started to collapse. Magma flow was rapidly rising.

Seeing the square, where Omega held the unconscious Tails, started to drown, Shadow forces out the energy from both of his emeralds as his power of justice is insufficient enough to avoid the strain - "Chaos..." - he quickly leaps toward the team, reaching it. - "...Control."

The trio warps away from dissaster.

Iron Jungle

Earlier, Omega destroyed the whole unit of Eggman robots, which is why the jungles remained quiet, until the trio appears.

Omega kept himself standing, while Tails slept on robot's hands.

Shadow drops on one knee - "Damn it... I can't... die here." - unable to withstand the strain he collapses, again.

The last of E-series robot places fox next to hedgehog - "The rings I've discovered should regain your life force back." - and charges the energy into his allies.

It took the whole magical jewelry for stabilisation. Shadow reawakens - "Thanks, Omega."

The red and black robot turns away - "Continuing to pursuit of Eggman!" - and leaves the group.

Making sure there are no witnesses, Shadow attempts to pickpocket sleeping Tails. Sensing the danger fox quickly rolls away and faces the marauder.

- Tails: There's something I need to know.

Snarling Shadow gets in his fighting stance - "And what is it?"

- Tails: If you're as bad as G.U.N. make you out, you would've taken my Emerald back at the Castle and leave.

Shadow remained silent, permitting Tails to proceed - "But instead you helped Amy and I to rescue Cream. You didn't have any reason to rescue Charmy, yet again you did. Why?"

- Shadow: He and detectives had an information off my origin.

- Tails: Yet it contradicts the logic of you being a rogue android.

As Shadow digested the the information, Tails calmy asks - "Who do you believe you are, Shadow?"

That question pierced Shadow's mind as he tried to sort out the information he gathered.

Westopolis (Last Night)

- Black Doom: Perhaps, Professor Gerald has done more to your memories than I imagined.

- Shadow: What Professor did you just mention?

- Black Doom: Hmm... Strange that you don't remember your maker.

The ARK (50 years ago)

Winded Shadow and Maria flee the pursuing G.U.N. soldiers - "Target is fleeing with a civilian!"

Prison Island (First Reawakening)

From a risen up capsule Shadow awakens hearing Eggman's voice - "What's that? Is that you, Sonic? Are you trying to spoil my plans again?"

Eggman looks closer at silent hedgehog - "Wait a minute, you're not Sonic. This is impossible!"

Space (First Reawakening)

While plunging into the Earth's atmosphere Shadow reflected on his promise and actions - "Maria... This is what you wanted right? This is the promise I made to you."

Seaside Hill Base (2 years ago)

As Shadow opens his eyes he jumps out of the capsule and pushes Rouge away from Omega's crossfire.

The albino bat called out his name, but Shadow commands Rouge - "Stay here." - and begins fighting against Omega.

Iron Jungle (Present)

Seconds felt like hours within Shadow's mind. Earlier he might've forced the Emerald out of Tails' hands and be done with it.

Yet he feels unexpleinably secure to answer - "I don't want to believe myself being an Android. But to know for sure I need to find all of the 7 Chaos Emeralds."

Tails looks quizzical - "I want to help you Shadow. That's the least I can do after what what we recently went through. But I need you to be honest with me. How exactly the Chaos Emeralds would help you in finding the answers?"

Having weighed down his options, Shadow spoke - "Alright. I'll start from the beginning."

AN: Phew. Now let's sort the Stages by Arcs.

Arc 1: Invasion from Past (Stage 1 - Boss 2)

Arc 2: Cyber Raid (Stage 6 - Boss 4)

Arc 3: Pursuit for Eggman (Stage 9 - Boss 6)

Since Eggman retreated to his base, it safe to say that Black Arms would've won without Shadow's interference at Sky Troops.

Arc 4 shall reveal what Black Doom and his minions have prepared and what Earth's defenders are going to do about it.

Peace.