The morning sun filtered through Lan’s bedroom window, casting golden streaks across the cluttered desk where his P.E.T. rested. The holographic screen flickered to life as Rock stretched within the digital world, rolling his shoulders with anticipation.
“Alright, Lan, tournament day! We’ve been working hard for this. Let’s go over what we’ve got,” Rock said, crossing his arms with a confident smirk.
Lan, still in the middle of pulling on his jacket, gave a lopsided grin. “You’re acting like this is an exam or something.”
But deep down, he felt the nerves too. Today wasn’t just another battle—it was their chance to prove they belonged here. He grabbed his P.E.T. and flopped onto his bed. “Alright, lay it on me. What’s the plan?”
Rock began pacing in his virtual space. “Okay, first off—we’ve sharpened up our reaction speed. No more getting caught flat-footed. I’ve been practicing quick-dodge maneuvers, so we can counter instead of just taking hits.”
Lan nodded. “Right, and we finally got some Battlechips to back it up. Those MiniBoomers will be good for ranged surprise attacks, and Cyber Shield should help when things get dicey.”
Rock smirked. “Not to mention Area Steal. That’s gonna mess with the opponents’ positioning.”
Lan pumped a fist. “Exactly! And I’ve been practicing slotting in chips faster. If we time it right, we can chain together a combo before the enemy even knows what hit ‘em.”
Rock struck a fighting stance. “And we’ve still got the Rock Buster as our reliable go-to. Even without chips, I can still fight.”
Lan grinned. “That’s the spirit. We’re gonna prove that we don’t need a fancy arsenal to hold our own. We just need skill and strategy.”
Just then, a knock sounded at his door. “Lan! Breakfast is ready, and don’t be late for your tournament!” his mom called.
Lan leapt up, grabbing his P.E.T. and stuffing it into his pocket. “Alright, buddy, final warm-up battle before we head to the arcade. Ready?”
Rock cracked his knuckles. “Let’s Rock!”
Lan grinned, tapping the P.E.T. screen. “And Roll!”
As they dove into one last quick practice match, the energy between them was electric—today wasn’t just about competing. It was about proving how far they had come.
With their final warm-up complete, Lan slung his P.E.T.onto his belt and raced out the door. As he reached the sidewalk, he kicked off, activating the wheels on his rollerblades. The smooth whir of the wheels hummed beneath him as he weaved through the familiar streets, the crisp morning air rushing past.
Under their usual meeting spot—a tall digital sakura tree shimmering faintly with augmented reality effects—Maylu was already waiting. She stood with one foot on her scooter, idly scrolling through her P.E.T.screen while tapping her fingers against the handlebars.
She looked up as Lan rolled to a stop beside her, raising one eyebrow. “Took you long enough.”
Lan huffed, straightening up. “I was running important last-minute combat tests.”
“Uh-huh,” Maylu mused, pushing off lightly with her foot to glide in a slow circle. “You mean messing around with Rock before breakfast?”
Rock appeared on the P.E.T.screen, arms crossed. “Hey, training is training.”
Roll materialized on Maylu’s screen with a soft laugh. “Whatever you say, Rock.”
Lan smirked, shifting his weight on his wheels. “Alright, Maylu, strategy time. What’s the game plan for the tournament?”
She adjusted her grip on her scooter’s handles. “We stick to what we’re good at—adaptability. Roll’s got speed and finesse, and you and Rock bring the heavy firepower. If we run into any team battles, we’ll use that to our advantage. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect,” Lan agreed, kicking off in a small circle around her. “And you know, Rock and I have been working on a few surprises.”
Maylu raised an eyebrow, pushing forward just enough to keep pace. “Oh? Care to share?”
Lan grinned, twirling once before landing smoothly. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
Maylu rolled her eyes, but the gleam of Lan could feel the adrenaline kicking in in them was unmistakable.
“Alright then,” she said, nodding down the street. “Let’s go. The tournament’s not gonna wait for us.”
With that, Lan pushed forward on his blades, and Maylu followed, her scooter gliding effortlessly over the pavement. Their PETs glowed in sync as Rock and Roll exchanged determined glances.
The Registration Surprise
Lan and Maylu approached the tournament’s registration counter, excitement buzzing between them. The arcade attendant quickly typed on her keyboard as she connected their PETs to the system.
After a moment, she frowned. “Hmm… looks like both of you have 49 registered NetBattles.”
Lan’s jaw dropped. “You’ve gotta be kidding me—one match away?!”
Maylu groaned, thumbing through her PET’s match history. “How did we miss that?”
The attendant gave them an understanding look. “You need 50 NetBattles to enter. But don’t worry—you only need one more. Just one quick battle should do it.”
Rock appeared on Lan’s P.E.T. screen, crossing his arms. “Well, that’s an easy fix. Why don’t we battle each other real quick?”
Roll flickered into view on Maylu’s PET. “Sounds like a plan! A warm-up match before the tournament would be perfect.”
Lan and Maylu exchanged grins.
“Let’s do it,” Maylu said, stepping back and twirling her P.E.T. in her fingers.
Lan stretched out his arms, rolling his shoulders before grinning. “Alright, Maylu. You ready?”
She smirked playfully. “Let’s Rock.”
Lan grinned wider. “And Roll!”
Both of them activated their PETs in perfect sync.
“Jack in, Rock! Power up!” Lan commanded.
“Jack in, Roll! Power up!” Maylu echoed.
A bright flash illuminated their P.E.T. screens as Rock and Roll materialized inside the digital battlefield.
The Battle Begins
As Lan and Maylu squared up for their match, the battlefield flickered to life, the neon grid illuminating Rock and Roll as they took their starting positions.
Just as Lan was about to call out his first move, a booming voice rang through the air.
“GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! TODAY’S NETBATTLE IS DECLARED A STANDARD SUBMISSION NETBATTLE! THE RULES ARE SIMPLE: FIRST NAVI TO LOG OUT THEIR OPPONENT WINS! THIS WILL BE RECORDED ON THE P.E.T.! AND NOW, AS OFFICIAL REFEREE OF THIS TOURNAMENT, I SHALL OVERSEE THIS MATCH—ME, MR. REFEREE!”
Lan nearly dropped his P.E.T. “Wait—who the heck are you?!”
Maylu took a step back, equally bewildered. “Yeah, where did you even come from?”
Rock glanced at Roll. “Did… did anyone call for a referee?”
Roll shrugged. “I thought this was just a warm-up match.”
The enthusiastic man in the black-and-white-striped suit adjusted his visor and pointed dramatically at the digital battlefield. “It is I, Mr. Referee! Guardian of fair and exciting NetBattles! Wherever a match is sanctioned, I shall appear! It is my DUTY!”
Lan frowned. “You just… show up?”
Maylu crossed her arms. “Like, every time?”
Mr. Referee nodded far too seriously. “That is correct! When NetBattlers clash in official competition, I am there—watching, judging, ensuring absolute fairness! The integrity of the sport depends on it!”
Lan narrowed his eyes. “So… you’re not a hologram?”
Mr. Referee gasped, genuinely offended. “A hologram?! Young man, I am a licensed, highly trained professional!”
Rock leaned toward Lan. “I’m still not convinced he’s real.”
Mr. Referee ignored them, striking a dramatic pose as digital confetti rained behind him. “NOW THEN! COMPETITORS—ARE YOU READY?!”
Maylu sighed, rubbing her temple. “Guess we don’t have a choice.”
Lan huffed, still eyeing the “referee” with suspicion. “Fine, whatever. Let’s just do this.”
Mr. Referee cleared his throat and threw his hands into the air.
“VERY WELL! COMPETITORS—BATTLE START!”
The match was on.
Lan tightened his grip on the PET. Alright, focus—lead with defense.
“Mirror Code, Battlechip in, Download!”
Rock’s form flickered, and within a second, a perfect duplicate appeared beside him, standing at the ready.
Maylu was quick to respond. “Water Tower, Battlechip in, Download!”
The ground beneath Rock and his copy trembled before a spiraling column of water shot up, engulfing them both. The force sent Rock sliding back, barely managing to stay on his feet, while his duplicate fizzled out, reduced to stray pixels.
Rock skidded to a halt, shaking off the water. “Alright, that’s how we’re playing it?” He clenched his fists. “Fine by me.”
Lan nodded, already queuing up his next move. “Rock, get some breathing room—Area Steal, Battlechip in, Download!”
A flash of energy surrounded Rock, and suddenly, he vanished from his current spot, reappearing directly behind Roll.
Maylu’s eyes widened. “Nice move—but I saw that coming! Air Dash Battlechip in, Download!”
Roll executed a rapid sidestep, her form blurring as she slipped just out of reach.
Lan grinned. “Fast, but not fast enough. Rock, MiniBoomer x3, Battlechip in, Download!”
Rock leaped back and threw three baseball-sized bombs in a rapid arc.
Maylu barely hesitated. “Wide Shield, Battlechip in, Download!”
Roll swung her arm forward, generating a semi-transparent energy barrier just in time. Two of the MiniBoomers shattered against it, but the third curved around from an angle, forcing Roll to dive out of the way.
“Nice try, Lan!” Maylu smirked. “Let’s see how you handle this!” She slotted in another chip. “Plasma Dagger, Battlechip in, Download!”
Roll’s arm transformed, a sleek, crackling blue energy dagger forming in her grasp. She darted forward, feinting left before twisting mid-air and striking at Rock’s side.
“Rock, block!” Lan called.
Rock lifted his arm, deflecting the first strike, but Roll used the momentum to spin and slash again—this time connecting.
Sparks flew from Rock’s side as he staggered back.
“That’s one hit,” Roll teased. “Want another?”
Lan chuckled. “Not happening. Rock, Fire Sword, Battlechip in, Download!”
A flaming sword extended from Rock’s arm, its fiery edge burning brightly against the digital battlefield.
Roll’s expression flickered with excitement. “Ooh, going for the flashy moves, huh?”
Maylu responded swiftly, “Roll, let’s even the playing field—Electro Sword, Battlechip in, Download!”
The energy dagger on Roll’s arm expanded, now crackling with high-voltage electricity.
For a brief moment, the two Navis faced off, their energy weapons humming.
Then, they clashed.
Flashes of fire and lightning filled the battlefield as Rock and Roll exchanged rapid, precise strikes. Sparks rained down as their weapons met, neither willing to give an inch. Roll ducked under a heavy downward swing, only for Rock to twist and parry her counterattack.
Maylu narrowed her eyes. “Roll, flip over him!”
Roll took the command instantly—leaping into a handspring, vaulting clear over Rock.
Lan reacted. “Rock, Wide Sword, Battlechip in, Download!”
Rock’s sword expanded just as Roll landed behind him.
She turned—too late.
The blade swung in a wide arc, catching Roll cleanly.
Her form pixelated, beginning the logout sequence.
The words “NET NAVI LOGGING OUT” flashed boldly across the screen.
Mr. Referee’s voice resonated, “Net Navi logging out. The winner is Lan and Rock.”
After the Battle – Lan Reflects
Maylu sighed, shaking her head but smiling. “You got me this time. But only because I let you.”
Roll reappeared on Maylu’s P.E.T. screen, still grinning. “That was fun! Let’s go again sometime.”
Rock smirked, wiping imaginary dust off his shoulder. “Anytime, Roll.”
Lan watched Roll’s reappearance, then glanced down at his PET, his heart still pounding. They’d pulled it off—but barely.
He exhaled. “Man… that was close. One wrong move, and we would’ve lost.”
Rock crossed his arms. “Yeah, but we didn’t. We adapted, just like Dr. Light taught us.”
Lan thought about that for a second before nodding. “Yeah… yeah, you’re right. Doesn’t matter how close it was—we played it smart. That’s what counts.”
Setting Up Rivals – Meeting the Competition
Nearby, two students from Dentech Academy, Daiki and Sora, were strategizing. Daiki was a brawler-type NetOp, known for aggressive play, while Sora specialized in traps and counterattacks.
Just then, two older competitors entered the arcade—Jason and Matsuki, well-known NetBattlers from outside their school.
Maylu nudged Lan. “They’re here? This just got a lot tougher.”
Lan grinned. “Bring it on.”
Final Thoughts – The Tournament is About to Begin
Lan took a deep breath. “Alright, Rock. We’ve got our strategy, we’ve got our chips, and we’ve got our skills. Now we just have to prove it.”
Maylu nodded. “No backing down now. Let’s get ready.”
With their rivals set, their strategies refined, and their determination burning, the tournament was about to begin.
Lan grinned. “Let’s Rock.”
Maylu smirked. “And Roll!”
DrawingRobbie 