The night was young, and as Lan and Rock stepped into the arcade, the chatter and sounds of gaming filled the air, drawing them deeper inside. Neon lights flickered, and the place was packed with students eager to unwind. The walls were lined with all kinds of machines, from rhythm games blasting upbeat tunes to classic fighting games where players battled with button-mashing intensity. Racing simulators hummed as competitors gripped the steering wheels, and a small group was huddled around a claw machine, shouting in triumph when someone finally snagged a prize.
But at the heart of the arcade, as always, were the digital battle stations—each screen flashing the intense action of NetBattles in progress.
At the center, a crowd had gathered, watching as NetOps commanded their Navis in fierce duels. Maylu was already deep in a match, testing out her new Battlechips. Roll darted across the battlefield, her arm morphing into a sleek digital blade as she clashed against another Navi.
Lan wasn’t just watching—he was in the action too. He and Rock had jumped into the queue, eager to get more experience, but without any Battlechips, they were at a major disadvantage. Every match was an uphill battle, forcing Lan to rely entirely on Rock’s natural abilities. Even so, they managed to pull off a couple of wins with careful dodging, precise Rock Buster shots, and sheer determination.
Maylu finished her last battle, stepping away from the console with a triumphant grin. “Not bad, Hikari. You’re holding your own out there.”
Lan leaned against the machine, exhaling. “Barely. Everyone here has a full arsenal of chips, and Rock’s running on nothing but raw skill.”
Rock crossed his arms, nodding. “I think we could do better with some actual firepower.”
Maylu smirked, but her eyes softened just a bit. “Well, I guess that means I’m still ahead… for now.” She pulled out her PET, scrolling through her newly acquired chips—the ones she had won at school.
5 Elemental Busters – Fire, Water, Bamboo, Wind, Ice.
5 Elemental Swords – Wood, Plasma, Electro, Aqua, Flame.
10 Elemental Towers – Fire, Water, Electro, Wood, Ice, Wind, Rock, Metal, Plasma, Gravity.
Lan looked at her P.E.T. and let out a low whistle. “Yeah, yeah, rub it in. But don’t worry, we’re about to fix that.”
He motioned toward the other end of the arcade, where a brightly lit sign marked the entrance to Higsby’s Chip Shop.
Higsby’s Chip Shop: The First Step to an Arsenal
The small shop was filled with shelves of Battlechips, each one neatly organized and glowing under the soft blue lights of the display cases. The air smelled slightly of overworked circuitry and fresh soda, a strange yet comforting mix that made it clear this was a place for serious NetBattlers.
Behind the counter stood a tall, lanky man with round glasses, his tie slightly loose as if he’d been adjusting it all day.
“New to NetBattling?” he asked with an enthusiastic grin. “Name’s Mr. Higsby, but everyone just calls me Higsby!”
Lan stepped forward, grinning back. “Hey Higsby, I’m Lan, and this is my Navi, Rock.”
Rock gave a small salute. “Nice to meet you!”
Maylu joined him, motioning toward Roll. “I’m Maylu, and this is Roll. We just came from the competition at school, and I was hoping to test out my new chips.”
Higsby pushed up his glasses, nodding in approval. “Ahh, so you’re the winners, eh? Well, well! Good timing! If you want to know what types of chips will work best with your Navi, just jack into the shop terminal.”
Lan perked up. “Wait, seriously? You can do that?”
Higsby smirked. “Of course! My Navi, NumberMan, runs a scanning algorithm that can analyze your Navi’s code and tell you exactly what kinds of chips they’re best suited for.”
“Jack in, Rock! Power up!”
Rock materialized inside the shop’s Cyberworld, standing on a floating platform surrounded by streams of Battlechip data.
A round Navi with a calculator-like face and a green visor appeared, adjusting his monocle. “Welcome, welcome! NumberMan at your service!” He peered at Rock, then began scanning his data.
Code strings and statistics flashed across the screen as NumberMan processed the information. After a moment, he gave an approving nod.
“Interesting… quite interesting! Rock is compatible with an extremely wide range of chips, including…”
- Buster Upgrades – Enhancing his Rock Buster’s power and charge speed.
- Defense Chips – Shields, barriers, and countermeasures.
- Support Chips – Speed boosts and AI enhancements.
- Elemental Attacks – Can be adapted with the right modifications.
Lan grinned. “So basically… we can make him a powerhouse?”
NumberMan nodded. “With the right setup, absolutely!”
Higsby clapped his hands together. “Well, well, well! Looks like we’ve got a real competitor in the making!”
Training with the New Battlechips
Lan and Rock woke up early, the energy buzzing between them of the day ahead coursing through them. Rock materialized on the screen with an eager grin.
“Morning, Lan! Ready to test out these new Battlechips?” Rock asked, his digital form crackling with energy.
“Absolutely! Let’s start with Area Steal.”
Lan inserted the chip. “Area Steal, Battlechip in, Download!”
Instantly, Rock felt a surge of speed, dashing around the virtual space, easily dodging the viruses that suddenly spawned to challenge him.
“Whoa! This feels incredible!” Rock exclaimed, making quick work of the test Navi’s with his enhanced agility.
“Next, Cyber Whip! Battlechip in, Download!” The energy coiled around Rock’s arm, manifesting as a whip. But as he swung, he miscalculated, missing the virus completely.
“Uh… Lan?” Rock muttered.
Lan scratched his head. “Okay, let’s try again. Adjust your timing!”
Rock narrowed his eyes, focusing as he swung the whip again. This time, it snapped forward, entangling the virus and deleting it instantly.
“Nice! Took a second, but we got it!” Rock said with satisfaction.
One by one, they tested each chip, refining their techniques.
Some worked perfectly on the first try—others took a few frustrating failures.
“Okay, Cyber Whip’s a little trickier than I thought,” Rock muttered after another missed swing.
Lan nodded. “We’ll get it down. Keep the timing tight.”
After an hour of practice and a few good-natured groans, they finally leaned back, satisfied.
“Yeah,” Lan said, smiling. “We’re ready.”
Lan smiled, satisfied with their performance. “These are going to give us a real edge in the tournament.”
Rock nodded in agreement, his digital form emanating confidence. “We’re ready for anything. Let’s log out and head to the arcade.”
“Logging out,” Lan said, and Rock’s figure began to pixelate before shrinking away, the words “NET NAVI LOGGING OUT” boldly announcing his departure.
The tournament was only hours away, and for the first time, Lan felt like they had a real shot at victory.
“Let’s Rock and Roll!”
DrawingRobbie 