Onsen madness.

As DragonierMan battled closer to the viruses, the viruses began giving up ID tags. The tag on the disembodied hands read 'Handy'. The other virus, which looked a little like a pig face on a fiery body, was called an EarthDragon. Huh.

Interestingly enough, the Handy viruses apparently could submerge themselves in the ground. A fact not lost on Destin. But he furrowed his brow anyways in slight confusion at how it was possible for disembodied hands to be so skillful at burrowing. He began scrolling through his chips.

Meanwhile...

DragonierMan raged more. His armor had suddenly turned a deep crimson to match his hidden face. Howling and making all kinds of din he lashed out with all his limbs, sending a barrage of energy blasts all over the place. The river splashed and the earth rumbled and shattered where each tiny explosion fell. Leaving the area pockmarked and scarred.

Then just as suddenly, and for no adequately explained reason, DragonierMan darted away... Right through the middle of the virus horde again. However, this time he was barreling through, on fire!

Where before he was just mimicking the effect of fire, this time he spread his arms to either side like a great phoenix and burst into flame. His crimson armor burned hot as he steamed his way through the virus horde once more, raising a great cloud of obscuring mist in his path.

Inside DragonierMan, we both didn't know what's been going on. However, we do know what the game was, and he was going to play it. The game in question was something akin to a certain genre of gaming called "first-person shooters", where things get hit by bullets.

Things certainly got hit by plenty of bullets. One group of Marina had their lives ended quite quickly by the barrage. The remaining Handy met a sadly similar fate, leaving the EarthDragon as the only one left on the field. If you asked it how it was feeling, it would probably ask you angrily if you were too blind to see. Nevertheless, it charged out at DragonierMan anyway, only to be denied a hit by the Navi's dodging skills. It barely had enough time to retreat, using up the time instead to evade a gigantic wave of fire that DragonierMan conjured up.

MarinaA: DELETED
MarinaB: DELETED
MarinaC: DELETED
HandyA: DELETED
HandyB: DELETED
EarthDragon: 200 HP [North Normal] [Vulnerable]

Terrain:
60% Sea
20% Normal [South]
20% Normal [North]

Objects:
TimeBombA: 100HP (1 turn remaining) [North Normal]

DragonierMan.EXE: 150 HP (25HP barrier) (25HP casing) [North Normal]

As the EarthDragon dodged away from DragonierMan, an unnatural chill ran up DragonierMan's spine. During the last few minutes, things had felt off. Someone or something somewhere was making ripples through the Nets. DragonierMan could feel it in his corrupted core.

But he still had a fight to win. Monsters (other than himself) to slay. So he put those thoughts to the side.

Cupping his hands together in that classic stance of his, DragonierMan began to build energy for another empowered blast. However, this time he began focusing it into a high-density shell, instead of an exploding one. The chaotic energies condensed and flared much less as they settled into a perfect, crystal-like sphere, shaped and fed by his own inner strength.

As he built up the energies for this attack, he watched the EarthDragon. Suddenly, a bolt of energy leapt from in front of his faceplate at the virus. The pellet of energy whisked across the field toward the virus' midsection.

Another followed a few moments later. The bullet of light buzzed at the virus like an angry bee. While this was happening, DragonierMan was attempting to lead the EarthDragon. His breath attacks were meant as a distraction, to get the EarthDragon to jump around and leave himself open to his real attack.

Confident in his strategy, and taking careful aim during both distractions, DragonierMan launched his energy sphere at its peak. The shell screamed through the air as it flew, churning water and whipping strands of grass in its wake. It was a solid slug and would take a chunk out of its opponent should it hit.

But it wouldn't be enough, powerful as it was. So DragonierMan ran up the embankment, armor gleaming, past the bomb, and leapt at the EarthDragon. He spread his arms wide to either side and stuck out his armored belly as he fell at the EarthDragon, intending to crush it into the earth with his armored weight. Also there would probably some splash of dirt or mud following the belly-flop/face-plant.

And if the bomb exploded... at least he 'hit the deck'.

Catching the PotDragon while it was in a vulnerable position, DragonierMan easily executed the virus with a few devastating moves. The TimeBomb went off, but he was protected quite well by his mountains of layers of defense.

MarinaA: DELETED
MarinaB: DELETED
MarinaC: DELETED
HandyA: DELETED
HandyB: DELETED
EarthDragon: DELETED

Terrain:
60% Sea
20% Normal [South]
20% Normal [North]

DragonierMan.EXE: 150 HP (25HP casing) [North Normal]

-- BATTLE 03, VICTORY!! --

-- REWARDS --
840z

As the smoke cleared, DragonierMan coughed. His armor was still gleaming, untarnished by all the fights thus far. But the navi was visibly shaking.

"I'm still waiting for that challenge!"

He threw his hands up and howled at the sky, still enraged. Destin could only cough into his hand.

"Just... Just wait. You will stumble into a real challenge soon enough."

Operator explained, trying to placate his navi. The navi just stomped off in the same direction he had been moving since he started. Leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

[Requesting Battle 4.]

Heading into a small winding pathway along the area, DragonierMan set out to find some more things to stomp under his foot. He soon realized that the road was sloping down, leading down into a valley of some sort. Viruses soon blocked his path, however, in the form of a trio of googly-eyed Lark. Alongside them, however, were three more viruses, previously unidentified. Their bodies were like blobs of opaque white goop, forming a basic head, body, and arm. Atop it was an oversized dark blue nightcap, decorated with white stars and a yellow crescent moon at the end. Each carried a large fluffy pillow that they dragged behind them.

Far behind, a small Rush examined the hostile-looking DragonierMan, and without a word, proceeded to attempt to scram.

-- ENEMIES --
Snoozy A: 60 HP (Soil)
Snoozy B: 60 HP (Soil)
Snoozy C: 60 HP (Soil)
Lark A: 100 HP (Normal)
Lark B: 100 HP (Soil)
Lark C: 100 HP (Normal)
Rush: 4 HP (Normal, far back)

-- NAVIGATOR --
DragonierMan.EXE: 150 HP (Soil)

-- TERRAIN --
30% Soil (Winding pathway)
10% Coal (Scattered around)
60% Normal (Everywhere else)
Note: Path is sloping down at a slight 15° angle.

-- BATTLE 04, READY? START!! --

[x3] [x3] [x1]

DragonierMan roared at the start of battle, as was his character; trying to intimidate his enemies before launching a barrage of attacks. His defenses layered upon his form once more, bulking him up to look more menacing. The Rush picked up on this, and attempted to flee. DragonierMan smiled inward at that. That virus was the smart one.

"Throw this at the white blobs. The terrain they're standing on will give it a power boost."

Destin chimed in as he slotted the Boomerang1 battlechip into his PET. The large wooden boomerang appeared in the hands of the navi, as big as a bow. DragonierMan brought it up over his head as if he were to charge into battle with it, but instead stepped forward and swung the boomerang downwards. He let go of it as it neared the middle point of the swing and it took off like... a boomerang.

The air would bend its arc and send it sailing across the area where the Snoozy's were. It would be up to fate as to whether the wooden moon would hit anything. So it was time to move. The spikes coming out of the warrior's armor glinted as he jogged off to the side. Watching his opponents. Looking for an opening.

He waited until the Larks made their attacks. He slipped and slid across the uneven ground. Brandishing an armored shoulder once in an effort to splash an attack over him without harm.

When they stopped, he turned to them and charged. Steel spikes glinting as he plowed over the terrain. He dashed through the viral horde, attempting to bawl them over with his great bulk and strength. As he neared the other side of the horde, he spun around. He pitched forward and brought a heavy boot down, causing tremors, and splits in the earth across the path he just took.

Bump.

A Boomerang thrown towards the Snoozy managed to catch two of the blobs off-guard, though one got away. As it teleported to DragonierMan for an attack, however, its attack was dodged handily. The Larks also started opening fire, but their attack was cut short by DragonierMan's reckless charge, shredding through one of them. The Shockwave later hit one and wounded it slightly. Throughout the attack, two blue waves from the Larks' attacks hit DragonierMan's defenses, and he wasn't even fazed.

-- ENEMIES --
Snoozy A: DELETED
Snoozy B: DELETED
Snoozy C: 60 HP (Soil)
Lark A: DELETED
Lark B: 100 HP (Soil)
Lark C: 100 HP (Normal)
Rush: FLED

-- NAVIGATOR --
DragonierMan.EXE: 150 HP (Grass) (25HP Casing) (5 Strengthen)

-- TERRAIN --
20% Soil, 10% Grass (Winding pathway)
10% Coal (Scattered around)
60% Normal (Everywhere else)
Note: Path is sloping down at a slight 15° angle.

DragonierMan renewed his defenses and pressed the attack. An increase in strength flowed through him and a shield of shimmering golden light appeared then attached to his arm as he moved forward, protecting his front from the three monsters. A sword appeared in this other hand, glittering in the light. As the navi moved, it flickered and wavered.

He pushed forward into the heart of the Larks, swinging his wide-bladed sword. It slashed across the air, ringing as it sang. He swung thrice, two more wide slashes following the first. Each attempt reduced the blade in durability until it shattered.

He also discarded the potentially broken shield and picked up another out of the datum that surrounded them, binding them together. He crouched behind this new protection, moving it about as he watched his enemies and attempted to anticipate the direction of attack.

DragonierMan charged the Larks with his Guard raised, the shield quickly being taken out as he moved forward. Another wave crashed into his newly restored barrier as he closed in, but it wasn't nearly enough to stop him from tearing into the fish viruses with his sword. The triple slash brought down both viruses, leaving the Snoozy alone on the battlefield. It wisely chose not to attack the heavily fortified DragonierMan, simply sitting and waiting.

-- ENEMIES --
Snoozy A: DELETED
Snoozy B: DELETED
Snoozy C: 60 HP (Soil)
Lark A: DELETED
Lark B: DELETED
Lark C: DELETED
Rush: FLED

-- NAVIGATOR --
DragonierMan.EXE: 150 HP (Grass) (Guard1) (25HP Casing) (30 Strengthen)

-- TERRAIN --
20% Soil, 10% Grass (Winding pathway)
10% Coal (Scattered around)
60% Normal (Everywhere else)
Note: Path is sloping down at a slight 15° angle.

DragonierMan saw the Snoozy give up and instantly froze. His passions also seemed to melt away in that instant, and he became as still as a rock. Even though it would be a simple matter to delete the virus, something held him back.

"If you have lost the will to fight, go. Get out of my sight."

He stated to the virus. Destin watched on in silence.

Hearing DragonierMan's words, the Snoozy moved back slightly. It considered the alternative for less than a second before bending in a clumsy attempt at a nod and running away like the Rush before it.

-- ENEMIES --
Snoozy A: DELETED
Snoozy B: DELETED
Snoozy C: FLED
Lark A: DELETED
Lark B: DELETED
Lark C: DELETED
Rush: FLED

-- TERRAIN --
20% Soil, 10% Grass (Winding pathway)
10% Coal (Scattered around)
60% Normal (Everywhere else)
Note: Path is sloping down at a slight 15° angle.

BATTLE 4 COMPLETE!

-- NAVIGATOR --
DragonierMan.EXE: 150 HP

Rewards:
WideShot1, 700z

DragonierMan lifted the faceplate of his helmet up a crack and spit. Then secured it back into place and began collecting the loot from the field of battle. Destin brightened immediately as the data came in.

"Woo! We finally have enough money to purchase a chip I was saving for."

"It better be worth this..."

He pointed to the scarred terrain.

"There has not been a single worthy challenge since I got here."

"Oh don't worry, this new chip will be worth it."

"We'll se-."

DragonierMan suddenly got a whiff of a scent that was unlike the others until now. A grin spread from ear to ear under his helmet. And just like that, he tore off toward the origin of the scent. Meanwhile Destin was busy putting in a request to a vendor.

[Requesting Battle 5 (Aim).]

DragonierMan smelled several very intriguing, unusual scents. Somewhere nearby, some sort of medieval boiling oil had been freshly poured. Elsewhere, smoke was drifting through the air, indicating the burning of wood lit ablaze. There were also the scents of several navis... one of the navis appeared to be quickly approaching DragonierMan's position.

Yasu recognized DragonierMan's appearance as she approached, although some aspects had changed from back when she'd first met him. She appeared to have been running; although she did not look worn out, her flesh, which her outfit revealed much of, was glistening with sweat. "You there. You're the knight that attended the summit, are you not? I've got important business nearby, if you care to attend me," she informed him. It was easy to imagine that she might need his help more strongly than she was letting on, though, considering the state of her body.

"I do not know if you are an ally of the NeoShogun's army, but if you are, follow me immediately," she commanded him, running in the direction that DragonierMan had smelt smoke from just moments before. Interestingly, DragonierMan now spotted a small stone tower in the distance, but it didn't appear to be relevant to Yasu's interests, considering she was running in the opposite direction...

". . ."

DragonierMan started to open his mouth at Yasu's approach, then she ran off after giving him a quick order to follow, which caused him to close it. His face turned toward the stone tower for a moment. Wondering if that was where she came from.

"I guess you should follow her."

Destin added before DragonierMan shrugged his shoulders and took off after her. The tower was probably a border tower meant to give a vantage point to the area. If Yasu had come from it and seemed to be in a hurry, it could be assumed that something was on the way that would need to be dealt with. Since he had not heard anything else besides the sound of boiling oil.

The thought of potential battle did put a smile on his face though.

"So long as you're coming along, I guess I'd better tell you why you're coming," Yasu sighed, continuing her run at a furious pace, but slowing down slightly so that DragonierMan could keep up. "There's a woman I admire named Armor up ahead. She is a collector of armor and has some pieces that I think would be of great value to my Shogun's army. Just as the time came to visit her and place an offer for those armors, I visited her exhibit and found that she'd been taken captive by some unscrupulous people. I've tracked down those people on route to their base and plan to attack them."

DragonierMan may have wanted to ask at this point why Yasu was moving to attack them with no sort of support in the form of other soldiers, but the answer was clear to see: she felt that the immediacy of the mission was so important that she hadn't had time to get back-up. She'd seemed rather hot-headed at the meeting and her personality wouldn't allow her to act slowly while someone she admired was being mistreated.

"I've identified a few officers amongst the crowd. While I handle those, you will need to neutralize the guards surrounding Armor and get her to safety. Remember that the top priority is rescuing her, not defeating the guards, so as soon as you've gotten her in the clear, I'll come and join you," the eyepatch-wearing general further explained. It was interesting to point out that this plan seemed to imply that she wasn't going to be available to help DragonierMan. Perhaps the officers she'd mentioned were extraordinarily powerful?

Yasu and DragonierMan quickly came upon the enemies she'd talked about. Again, Yasu had brought the two of them there so quickly that DragonierMan had barely had any time to protest the details of the plan. Indeed, as Yasu had described, a woman in silver, medieval armor wearing some sort of cruel, wooden device around her arms was surrounded by several menacing navis. Besides a group of about eight men, each similarly designed with red robes and hats, there were two tall navis wearing bright red hoods that obscured their figures.

The devices restraining Armor seemed to consist of the wooden, medieval stock and shackles around her legs. She seemed worn out and unable to fight, judging by her hunched posture.

Yasu wasted no time engaging the group. "I don't know who you are, but you've gone far enough! Release your captive at once," she instructed them. She didn't seem terribly willing to honor the promise she'd made earlier at the summit, which called for non-violence, but perhaps this was for a good cause.

"GUILLOTINE... THESE ARE ENEMIES OF OURS... REDEEM YOURSELF IN THE EYES OF MASTER ROBESPIERRE... DESTROY THEM IMMEDIATELY..."[color=#E3319D][/color] the first robed figure spoke. No movement came from underneath the hood, although blue light was shining from behind it. A bolt of electricity sparked tellingly from where the face should have been.

"Ugh, more cretins? That one may have been permissable once, but look at her horrendous visage! She is scarred beyond repair,"[color=blue][/color] the officer named Guillotine chided the new arrivals, crossing her arms beneath her robe. "And the other... I can smell infection within him! He's nothing more than a common virus,"[color=blue][/color] she scoffed.

With a flourish, she threw off her robe, revealing her silver hair, womanly figure, and blue cloak, which was lined with glinting guillotine blades. "Very well, Pebblewit! Have at you!"[color=blue][/color] she cried out, sending a guillotine blade soaring through the air towards Yasu. Yasu dodged, then approached with ninja speed.

"You're a disgrace to my lord's net!" Yasu roared, raising one fist in the air. The sound of metal on metal clashed through the air as the two fought each other back.

"THE REST OF YOU... GUARD THE CAPTIVE... AND DELIVER HER ONCE YOU ARE DONE... FAILURE SHALL NOT BE TOLERATED..."[color=#E3319D][/color] the remaining cloaked figure bellowed in a thunderous voice. "I WILL RETURN... AND REPORT TO MASTER ROBESPIERRE... I HOPE THAT YOU MAY YOU ALL RETURN AS WELL... WITH NEWS OF VICTORY..."[color=#E3319D][/color]

The men all nodded in response, then turned to face the enemy as the officer disappeared. "This fellah gonna try to take all eight've us? That'd take some bloody big bawls, wouldn' it? Cummon, chum, if ya got the baaawls for it! one of the men laughed, taunting DragonierMan by waving his torch forward.

Four of the men moved forwards towards DragonierMan, while the others stayed and surrounded Armor. DragonierMan made note of a small onsen pool behind the group, but he'd have to decide for himself if there was a way to use that to his advantage.

RoT Inquisitor A: 100 HP (standing behind Armor)
RoT Inquisitor B: 100 HP (standing to the left side of Armor)
RoT Inquisitor C: 100 HP (standing to the right side of Armor)
RoT Inquisitor D: 100 HP (standing in front of Armor)
RoT Inquisitor E: 100 HP
RoT Inquisitor F: 100 HP
RoT Inquisitor G: 100 HP
RoT Inquisitor H: 100 HP

Armor: 200 HP (bound and weak) (1 movement away)

DragonierMan: 150 HP

Terrain: 80% Normal, 20% Onsen

RoT Inquisitor [x8]

Quote (RoT Inquisitor)

"This fellah gonna try to take all eight've us? That'd take some bloody big bawls, wouldn' it? Cummon, chum, if ya got the baaawls for it! one of the men laughed, taunting DragonierMan by waving his torch forward.

DragonierMan cracked his knuckles.

His cloak caught an invisible wind and unfurled behind him like a flag. The obsidian tower on his white tabard twinkled as if the night sky had been miniaturized and worn as an ornament on his broad, armored chest. His hands came down to his sides, claws unfurled, and his legs bent in a posture reminiscent of a great beast ready to pounce. The dirt underneath his boots cracked and shifted under his weight. The navi bristled as a dull gray sheen began to envelop him, as if the earth itself was encasing him in rock.

"Smash and grab DragonierMan!"

Destin called out as DragonierMan pitched forward and roared in the faces of the four RoT Inquisitors that had stepped forward to dispatch him. The air reverberated with his bellow. And even though his faceplate was down, sweltering heat from his outcry swept over the terrain. Charring it. Forcing wisps of smoke to curl off the dried and crackling ground.

Then came the flames. A monstrous conflagration that thundered and howled. The wave of burning, searing heat licked across the landscape. It blasted the dirt and dust from the field, scouring as it roiled. And the earth churned and bubbled as it passed, quickly liquefying into a pool of murky, molten lava.

The unlucky few who would happen to survive such heat would then be melted within moments by the dangerous terrain now beneath their feet. As a heavy cloud of black smoke and soot settled over the bleak environment.

Which parted moments later in a huff as a silver streak plowed through it and any unlucky foes still standing there. Twin rays of bright light lancing from its sides like a disco ball as it tore by, potentially landing the critical blow to a weakened foe.

DragonierMan flashed across the battlefield in an instant, scattering plumes of ashes and cinders in his wake. And ran headlong into the Inquisitor that stood in front of the weakened and bound Armor. His heavy, spiked body came down like a hammer, heaving his weight into the unfortunate soldier like a wrecking ball.

Having most likely bowled the target over. DragonierMan immediately reached for Armor. His muscles bulged under leather and steel plates as he attempted to lift Armor over his shoulders like a sack of grain. Then he bolted off towards the way he came, carrying her off like a prize. Heading little about the pursuit that was sure to follow.

"Blimey, he's a bleedin' dragon! one of the men called out. The men attempted to dodge DragonierMan's fire breath, but two of them were still caught by it. Growling, the men lifted themselves up from the lava and continued onward. They must be pretty devoted to their job to keep on fighting after such an injury. Strangely, the lava didn't seem to be hurting them.

DragonierMan drove his way through one, knocking him back down into the lava with a splat, then nearly plowed into another of the stationary guards nearby Armor. The others growled; DragonierMan noticed that they'd begun to equip themselves with gnarled, poorly fashioned cats-of-nine-tails.

The others behind him, however, already had theirs ready. As the knightly navi scooped up Armor (his body shuddered under the weight of her heavy golden armor), the enemies struck out vengefully with their weapons. Countless tiny hooks tore into DragonierMan, ripping apart his armor and cutting into his flesh. [10 x 14!] The others weren't attacking, but they were already chasing DragonierMan and staying close on his tail.

The situation was looking grim. DragonierMan's body wouldn't stand another assault like that, and Armor was extremely heavy, limiting his mobility severely. Either he would need to find another way to rescue her, find another means of transporting her, or simply drop her. If he could bide time till Yasu returned, that may also help (although Guillotine could come out victorious instead, worsening the situation). He might even need to escape to avoid her same fate.

If worse came to worse, he might be able to use Armor as a pretty good bodyshield. That would be sort of defeating the whole purpose of rescuing her, though.

RoT Inquisitor A: 100 HP (near DragonierMan) (varitails: 2)
RoT Inquisitor B: 100 HP (near DragonierMan) (varitails: 2)
RoT Inquisitor C: 100 HP (near DragonierMan) (varitails: 2)
RoT Inquisitor D: 100 HP (near DragonierMan) (varitails: 2)
RoT Inquisitor E: 100 HP (1 movement behind DragonierMan) (varitails: 1)
RoT Inquisitor F: 10 HP (1 movement behind DragonierMan) (lava) (varitails: 1)
RoT Inquisitor G: 1 HP (1 movement behind DragonierMan) (lava) (varitails: 1)
RoT Inquisitor H: 100 HP (1 movement behind DragonierMan) (varitails: 1)

Armor: 200 HP (bound and weak) (taken by DragonierMan)

DragonierMan: 60 HP (15 strengthen) (carrying Armor; slowed)

Terrain: 55% Normal, 25% Lava, 20% Onsen

Destin saw his navi's health status drop 60% in the opening minutes of the battle. That was bad. He pinged DragonierMan.

"Drop Armor off and switch to a defensive stance."

DragonierMan stooped down and rolled Armor off his shoulders to the ground, then turned to face the pursuing Inquisitors. His chest heaved with effort, and blood dripped out of the joints of his armor. He was a mess, but still had some fight left in him.

He raised himself up to his full height and roared again at the approaching navis. Twin bolts of energy flew from his mouth and homed in on the weakest navi in the back row. Skimming across the surface of the battlefield to find their marks on the head and torso of one potentially unlucky Inquisitor.

The dust kicked up around him like a barrier and armored scales grew upon his form. He drew deep within himself for more power, pooling the swirling energies. His wounds began to knit slowly before the enemy's eyes.

His first real battle in Yoka Net had started off a little too recklessly. But he would make them pay for their earlier successes.

He summoned a silvery sword out of the ether, brandishing it at his foes with both hands. He moved to engage the nearest group, and then shifted from side to side in front of them, baiting them to attack. His footfalls now light and dancing upon the dirt. He swung his sword across the first three Inquisitors, the blade biting and drawing a swath of energy through the air.

The warrior then jumped back and to the side, forcing them to chase him. Leading them away from Armor. Then rushed forward again as they pursued, cutting the air with another damaging swing from his mighty energy blade. The fluid edge rippling along as it swept at his opponents. His movements also seemed to become lighter as he attacked, his vigor returning to him with each passing minute.