Rock & Roll Start Strategizing
Rock braced as another blast zipped past his shoulder.
“Lan, we can’t just sit here playing defense—it’s reading me like a book!”
Lan blinked. “Wait, you’ve been tracking that?”
Rock scoffed. “Uh, yeah? It’s counting my shield intervals and countering every time. We’ve gotta change it up.”
Maylu’s eyes widened. “Roll, what about you?”
Roll peeked out from cover, analyzing the enemy’s movement. “It’s reacting faster than me, but not instantly. There’s a gap when it fires off a sequence. If we force it to repeat a pattern, we can create an opening.”
Lan grinned. “Alright. Let’s take control of the fight.”
The Turnaround
Lan and Maylu began calling out different strategies.
“Rock, cut your shield time in half—shift left!”
“Roll, fake left, then hit from the right!”
The change was instant. Dr. Light’s Navi fired where it expected Rock to be, but Rock sidestepped at the last second, raising his shield just long enough to block the next attack.
Roll, meanwhile, did a quick fake-out, pretending to move left before slipping through an opening on the right.
For the first time, Dr. Light’s Navi hesitated.
“There it is!” Roll called. “Lan, go!”
“Rock Buster, full power!”
Rock charged his cannon, energy surging at his arm’s core before he fired a powerful shot. The blast hit head-on, sending Dr. Light’s Navi skidding back.
The club gasped.
“They actually landed a clean hit!”
But just as quickly as they gained ground, Dr. Light’s Navi reset its stance and rushed forward, launching a new flurry of unpredictable attacks.
They weren’t just fighting Dr. Light’s Navi anymore.
They were up against the clock, and every second counted.
The Final Exchange
The Coding Club watched in awe as Rock and Roll charged back into the fight, refusing to back down even as the battle clock ticked toward zero.
Dr. Light’s Navi dodged, countered, and adjusted—but so did Rock and Roll.
Roll moved in sync with Rock, using his attacks as distractions to land quick, precise hits.
Rock, in turn, absorbed damage for Roll, covering her blind spots.
BZZZZT!
The battle timer hit zero, ending the match before a winner could be decided.
Dr. Light stepped back from the terminal, folding his arms.
“Match concluded.”
Rock and Roll both stood tall, breathing heavily from the exertion.
“Man, I was just getting warmed up,” Rock muttered, adjusting his visor.
Roll smirked. “Sure you were. I counted at least five close calls.”
Rock chuckled. “Guess that means we both need to step it up.”
Dr. Light’s Lesson
The room fell silent, every student waiting for Dr. Light’s feedback.
Finally, he looked at Lan and Maylu.
“Your NetNavis have potential. But potential needs refining.” His tone wasn’t critical—it was encouraging. “You both have strong instincts, but instincts alone won’t be enough.”
Lan and Maylu listened intently.
“Right now, you’re reacting. A truly skilled NetOp reads the battlefield before the enemy even makes a move. Rock and Roll complement each other, but if you don’t train them properly, that synergy will only go so far.”
He gestured toward his own Navi.
“You saw how my Navi adjusted? That’s because it doesn’t fight in patterns—it watches, learns, and counters accordingly. If you want to improve, you need to be one step ahead.”
Lan took a deep breath. “So… we need more battle experience.”
Dr. Light smiled. “Exactly. Battles like these, against different opponents, will teach you more than any class ever could. Learn from every win, and more importantly—every loss.”
Maylu nodded firmly. “We’ll keep working on it.”
A New Beginning
Lan and Maylu could barely contain their excitement as they unplugged their PETs.
They had just fought their first real NetBattle, and even though they hadn’t won, they proved they could compete.
As students packed up, several club members approached them, offering praise and excitedly discussing strategies.
“That was awesome. Your Navis are seriously cool.”
“If you ever want a rematch, let me know!”
Lan and Maylu left the club that day with their heads held high.
This was only the beginning, and they both knew it.
No matter what challenges lay ahead…
They were ready.
Together.
The Next Challenge: A Competition on the Horizon
The afternoon sun bathed Maylu’s home in a warm glow, the intricate wooden carvings on the exterior reflecting the soft light. The gentle trickle of water from a koi pond blended with the faint chirp of cicadas, adding to the serene atmosphere.
Inside, tradition met modernity—tatami mats lined the floor, while sleek holographic displays floated in the air, shifting between digital interfaces and soft ambient lighting.
The heart of the room was a large workstation, stocked with the latest in NetBattle and programming tech.
Lan whistled, looking around.
“You’ve got quite the setup here, Maylu.”
Maylu grinned.
“My parents bought all this for my sister—she’s into soccer now. No point letting it go to waste.”
She patted the main console, where two P.E.T. docks sat, ready for battle simulations.
“Perfect place to fine-tune our Navis.”
Lan and Maylu plugged in their PETs, and the large display lit up.
A Digital Reflection
“Jack in, Rock! Power up!”
“Jack in, Roll! Power up!”
A pulse of energy surged through the system, and Rock and Roll materialized in the Cyberworld, glancing around at their new environment.
“Whoa, it’s so spacious in here,” Rock said, stretching his arms.
Roll performed a little spin.
“It’s beautiful, Maylu. Definitely different from the school’s system.”
Maylu chuckled. “Thanks, Roll. My dad helped me set it up—we wanted it to feel more like home than just another training ground.”
Lan leaned forward.
“So, how are you guys holding up after that battle with Dr. Light?”
Rock rubbed the back of his head.
“Not gonna lie, I’m still feeling it. That guy’s Navi was relentless.”
Roll nodded. “We held our own, but yeah—we’ve gotta sync up better. I could tell when Rock was in trouble, but reacting fast enough wasn’t easy.”
Lan and Maylu absorbed their feedback, nodding as they processed the insights.
“Maybe we should work on linking your movements more,” Maylu suggested.
“Or develop some counterattacks that work off each other,” Lan added.
The Invitation – Dr. Light’s Challenge
Just as Lan was getting ready to leave, Maylu’s terminal chimed with a new message.
A video file from Dr. Light.
She opened it, and Dr. Light’s face appeared on the holographic display. He looked as composed as ever, but there was a spark of excitement in his eyes.
“To test your abilities, I am officially announcing the first-ever Dentech Academy NetBattle Competition!”
The screen behind him shifted, displaying a shimmering tournament bracket alongside the words:
“COMPETE. CODE. ADAPT. WIN.”
The video ended with a simple message:
“Competition Begins Tomorrow. Are You Ready?”
Lan and Maylu exchanged a knowing glance.
“Well,” Lan crossed his arms, grinning, “leave it to Dr. Light to go from zero to tournament overnight.”
Maylu smirked. “Dr. Light doesn’t mess around, huh?”
Lan nodded, excitement building.
“Then I guess there’s only one thing left to say.”Maylu grinned.
“Let’s Rock and Roll!”
DrawingRobbie 