[bamthedoc]

Act III
Closing in on Project SIGMA

Yai and Glide really came through. They managed to find out the biggest possible hint. They used Yai's father's resources to find past articles on Red X and Project SIGMA. However, Nathanial Extravar was not ignorant to their progress and sent his strongest Virus Navi minion, yet, after them. Submarinous is hot on their toes.

Netto: Are you sure you know where you're going?
Rockman: Glide's the one who gave us the directions. He said it was here, in the Undernet.
Netto: I know Glide's trustworthy, but there's nothing here.
Roll: Can you two stop arguing so we can search?
Mairu: Yeah. It's getting annoying.
Netto: Oh! Yeah... We'd better get moving. Hmm? Maybe there's a hidden pannel or something.
Rockman: That's an idea.
Gutsman: Guts! Maybe I should smash the walls.
Deako: Yeah! Guts Punch!
Others: NO!!!!

It's too late as Deako sets up Guts Punch, and Gutsman.EXE follows through. Gutsman.EXE's hammered fist strikes the wall hard, only to be stopped. Gutsman.EXE leaves his fist against the wall for a minute, and then it starts pulsing in pain. Gutsman.EXE's hand flies off the wall and too his mouth as he yells in pain, and he starts blowing on it to stop the flames of pain.

Deako: Uh... What just happened?
Netto: We tried to warn you. Do you really think you can destroy a wall on the Net?
Deako: Why not?
Mairu: Why don't you think about it?
Gutsman: Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!
Deako: Uh? I don't know...
Netto: *sighing* The Net is protected against such attacks to prevent corruptive damage.
Rockman: Uh? I'm not one to interupt you when your on a roll, but we've got company.
Netto: *looking at his P.E.T.* What is is this time? Wait?! That's another Virus Navi!
Roll: He's an aqua/wood type.
Submarinous: I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Submarinous, the aqua dragon. You've managed to defeat my brothers. Typhoon was the eleq dragon, and MagmaCore was the fire dragon. I won't be as easy to beat.
Mairu: "aqua dragon"?! What is that supposed to mean?
Submarinous: *raising an eyebrow* You are nothing more than a pitiful child, and you expect me to answer you. I will not let you onto Red X's homepage.
Netto: Well, that confirms the name. Rockman! You know what to do!
Rockman: Right! I'm set!
Mairu: Be careful, with that type combination, he has no weaknesses.
Submarinous: I'm glad someone mentioned that.
Rockman: Ha! That also means you have no strengths outside your types! I can use fire and eleq against you with out worrying about you taking less damage.
Submarinous: I don't think you've thought this out, fully. Oh well, you will learn soon enough.

Submarinous aims his buster at Rockman.EXE and fires off a single shot. Rockman.EXE easily dodges as he retaliates, firing his own Rock Buster. Submarinous takes the shot easily, but he doesn't notice that Rockman.EXE has managed to get around behind him. With a fully charged shot, Rockman.EXE blasts Submarinous hard.

Submarinous: *looking over his shoulder* I must say; that impressed me. I won't let that happen again.
Rockman: Netto, I think we should get serious, now!
Netto: You don't think I realize this? What do you want to try?

Netto looks at his P.E.T. screen to see that Rockman.EXE is in a bit of trouble. Submarinous has renewed his assault, and he's not taking anything lightly. He's started using chips, though he has yet to access his P.A.

Netto: This isn't good... Rockman! It's time to go all out! Cyber Sword! Wide Sword! Long Sword! Slot-In! Download!
Rockman: Program Advance Activate!
Netto and Rockman: Dream Sword!
Submarinous: That didn't impress Typhoon, and you think it will have any more effect on me?
Netto: Attack!

Rockman.EXE rushes at Submarinous and swings Dream Sword. Before anyone else realize what's going on, Lan slides Aqua Blade, Fire Blade, and Eleq Blade in. Dream Sword 3 appears in Rockman.EXE's other hand, and Submarinous is really thrown back.

Submarinous: *kneeling* I...hadn't expected that...
Rockman: You don't think we wouldn't practice, do you?
Submarinous: This isn't over! Aqua Surge!

Submarinous' own P.A. screams out as a rush of water comes from behind Submarinous, himself. It looks like a tsunami, and likely has the same destructive force. Mairu and Deako activate barrier to protect their respective Navis, but Netto has been too focused on the battle to realize what battlechips he has.

Rockman: Uh...? Netto!
Netto: Uh-oh... I...uh...don't have a barrier chips... Wait! Area Steal! Slot In!

Rockman.EXE disappears and reappears behind Submarinous with a fully charged Rock Buster. He fires it off, and Submarinous goes down. Not giving him a chance to recover, Netto loads Shotgun, and Rockman.EXE fires. When the dust settles, however, Submarinous is no where in sight.

Netto: Where'd he go?
Rockman: I don't know... I didn't delete him.
Roll: Wait! He's behind you!

It's too late as Submarinous lands a heavy hit with Aqua Sword. Rockman.EXE reels back as he takes the hit, and he lands, hard, on the ground. He barely is able to roll out of the way of Submarinous' next attack, and he has to continue rolling away as the Aqua Sword continues to persue him.

Netto: What...next...? Wait! Cannon! Slot In!
Submarinous: What?!

Submarinous is too close to Rockman.EXE to dodge the shot from Cannon. This time, he is engulfed in light as his data is erased from the net. Rockman.EXE is still on the ground, still recovering from just the end of the battle. Roll.EXE and Gutsman.EXE rush over to him, knowing he's take a lot of damage. Submarinous was a powerful Virus Navi, and that just lit Netto's desire to find and destroy Red X brighter and stronger.

Netto: Recover 300! Slot In!
Rockman: *jumping up* That feels better! Do we need to stop to recharge battle chips?
Netto: We've got plenty left where those came from. Let's find Red X's homepage! We know it's around here somewhere, now. Submarinous served as a warning beacon!

~~Meanwhile~~

Nathanial X: They managed to defeat Submarinous, did they? I knew they had a chance against Typhoon and MagmaCore, but I gave them all the wood type to enhance their power. What is Project SIGMA's status?
Lab Tech: We are ready to repel any and all intruders.
Nathanial X: Good. I want you to clear out all virii and Virus Navis from the area.
Lab Tech: Sir?
Nathanial X: I don't want to give them the chance to grow stronger. They will be eliminated by Project SIGMA's power!
Lab Tech: Yes, sir.

The lab technician begins clearing out Red X's homepage of all virii. That goal is accomplished quickly as Project SIMGA simply absorbs most of them. The Virus Navis, on the otherhand, take several minutes to clear out. Most of them are trapped in firewalls because of their emmense power and difficulty to control. They are downloaded to other areas of the Net as quickly as possible.

Lab Tech: Sir, the removal of all virii and Virus Navis has been completed.
Nathanial X: Perfect. Those kids should be invading at any moment. They'll be surprised by how empty my homepage is. Awaken Project SIGMA!
Lab Tech: Yes, sir.

~~Meanwhile~~

Netto: Where is that entrance?!
Deako: Wait! Gutsman found something!
Gutsman: Guts! It's over here. I don't know what it is.
Mairu: Roll, you should hack into the data there and see what's up.
Roll: I'm on it!

Roll.EXE extends her ribbons. Their use in hacking has been quite useful quite a few times. She quickly scans the data to find anything that might be out of the ordinary while Rockman.EXE and Gutsman.EXE keep watch. Nothing approaches and Roll.EXE is soon done.

Roll: There is definately a door here! It's secured through an illussion. I guess they figure no one would dare enter this far into the Undernet with how many virii there are here.
Rockman: That logic failed them. This is the best place to train. Netto, you have an ideas on how to enter?
Netto: I have no idea.
Mairu: There's nothing here... It's an entrance, but there's no door. It looks like it's too small for Gutsman, too.
Gutsman: Guts! I'll stay here and watch your backs, then.
Netto: You heard 'em, Rockman! You need only walk on through!
Rockman: Okay...
Roll: I'm right behind you!

Rockman.EXE walks into the wall where Roll.EXE indicates the entranceway to be. He easily makes it through to the otherside, easily. Roll.EXE follows closily behind, and she is met with the same lack of resistance. They are met with...no resistance on the other side, whatsoever. They look around the immense space, and Netto and Mairu are just as surprised at the lack of anything for defensive purposes.

Netto: What kind of trick is there? Isn't this Red X's homepage?
Nathanial X: Welcome to my parlor said the spider to the fly. You have fallen into my trap.
Rockman: What trap?! There's nothing here!
Nathanial X: Oh? I beg to differ. The very heart of the Net is here.
Mairu: What is that supposed to mean?
Nathanial X: I gave you the information to hack! You found this place because I want Rockman's power.

To Be Continued...