One-sided

Zero: (to everyone) I know this is sudden, but it's time to move to the next phase of our plan.

Desmond: (cartoonish face) For real?

Zero: Yes, seriously. The plan to capture Kato Hamura. Since most of us are still recovering from the last battle, this phase will be handled by Dylan and Giles.

Giles: Huh?

Dylan:(points at himself) Me?

Zero: Yeah. Your technique will play a big role in what I'm about to explain. Now listen carefully. According to ■■■■■■, Kato Hamura will be going to see his mother in the hospital tomorrow. That would be his time to swipe Kato out of their hands.

Giles: Yeah. If ■■■■■■ already doing that part then what are Dylan and I supposed to do?

Zero: That's the tricky part. According to ■■■■■■, Ervin Hashido is scheduled to meet Kato at the hospital later. If that happens, our plan will fail. I need you two to stall him.

Giles: Oh boy… I had a feeling this would take a turn.

Dylan: Huh? Who's Ervin Hashido?

Giles: He's the strongest shadow of this era, according to ■■■■■■. He fought Eldon Snyder during the 2003 Incident.

Dylan: (suddenly realizes) WHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTT!!!???? And you want us to stall him!!??? You're basically sending us to our deaths!!!!

Zero: Not necessarily. The reason I'm sending you two is because Dylan's technique can buy us time by distracting him. If things get too rough, Giles, you'll be the one to fight him.

Giles: (cartoonish face) HUH!?

Zero: (cartoonish face) PLEASE??? YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE I CAN ASK TO DO THIS.

Giles: (sighs) Fine. But you better heal my injuries if I get any.

Zero: Alright. Alright.

Meanwhile, inside the barrier...

Ervin observed the barrier surrounding him, his eyes flickering over to Dylan and Giles who sat calmly atop a tree. The rest of the humans trapped inside struggled to break free, but it was futile.

Ervin: (looking up at Dylan and Giles) What are you, a couple of monkeys? Get down here.

Dylan: (cartoonish face) NO WAY!!!!

Giles: Don't mind my friend. It's just that he's scared of you and the strength you possess, Ervin Hashido.

Ervin: (surprised) Oh…you know who I am?

Giles: Yeah I do. And I know you're the one who Eldon Snyder fought back in 2003.

Ervin: (surprised) You know that much huh?

Giles: Yep. It's why my friend here is spooked.

Ervin: (to himself) Apart from the two of them in front of me, it seems that they aren't any other shadows or lighters. And two of them happened to be a shadow and lighter. They are Kaimi Daja members and I'm their target. And they seem to know a lot about me. But how did they know that I would be here? And why only send two people? Something's fishy about this but I'll access their memories after I take down this barrier to know what their plan is.

Ervin began to prepare his shadow energy for a shadow rush but that's when he noticed that his shadow energy he had planned to power up his shadow rush had been sucked into the barrier around him.

Dylan: (nervously) I think he figured it out.

Giles: Yeah I know that. Now that he knows what the barrier does, he shouldn't use his shadow energy or his techniques or they'll get sucked up.

Ervin: (thinking) It seems that this barrier absorbs shadow energy and techniques. The fact that they haven't used their techniques either proves this. Or the barrier could be the techniques of one of them. If it was anybody else they would have had them but lucky for me I KNOW how to get out of this.

Ervin then took a different approach. With a dark grin, he focused his energy on his shadow beast, KOU.

Giles: (surprised) HUUUHH!?

Dylan: (sweating in fear) WHAT IS HE DOING!!?

Ervin: [BLACK: SHADOW BEAST MANIPULATION, KOU]

A monstrous shadow beast appeared, roaring as it lunged at the barrier. The moment it entered, the barrier began to shake and crack. Dylan's body flushed red as if overheating.

Giles: (noticing Dylan's condition) Dylan, are you okay?

Ervin: (to himself) Seems it's working like a charm.

Ervin's shadow beast KOU has a special ability which allows it to fire shadow energy like a cannon. Which meant that it had a large amount of shadow energy. The Barrier surrounding them was an application of Dylan's Absorption Area technique where he could increase the range of his technique and create a physical barrier which could affect others.

However the barrier had a limit to the amount of energy it could absorb and after it had absorbed KOU, it had surpassed its limit and the barrier began to crumble. Dylan's body would also take some damage as well should the barrier surpass its limit.

As the barrier collapsed, the trapped humans saw Ervin's face and realized he was a shadow, a grave mistake.

But Ervin had prepared for this too.

Ervin: [BLACK: SHADOW BEAST MANIPULATION, MNEMOSYNE]

A feminine figure appeared from Ervin's shadow. Mnemosyne was the second shadow beast that Ervin Hashido possessed in his arsenal and like the Greek goddess, it had an ability which allowed it to access the memories of people. The shadow beast then erased what the humans had seen from their memories, causing all of them to pass out.

Giles: (to himself) Damn it! The barrier is down, and Dylan is in no shape to fight. We've stalled him long enough. (to Dylan) We need to get out of here!

Dylan: (struggling to move) I can't... I'm too weak...

Giles: Shit! (reaching into his inventory) I need to get us out—NOW!

But as Giles attempted to open his book inventory, Ervin appeared behind him, cutting off his escape.

Ervin: (sneering) You think I'll let you leave that easily? I've got plenty of questions for you. You're not going anywhere.

Giles opened his book inventory in a desperate attempt, but Ervin gathered his shadow energy into his right leg, compressing it for a devastating strike. Giles saw it coming too late.

Giles: SHIT!

Ervin: [BLACK: SHADOW RUSH]

Ervin kicked Giles who was able to use the book inventory to block the kick but it still sent him flying across the road and into the woods on the opposite side of the road. While Giles was still in the air, he noticed Ervin was in hot pursuit determination in his eyes.

Giles: (to himself) Why do I always end up fighting the strong ones? I have to find a way out of here.

Giles landed hard and quickly opened his book inventory. He summoned five shadow monsters from his book to charge at Ervin, hoping to buy himself some time.

Ervin: (grinning) Nice try, but I know how to deal with them. [BLACK: SHADOW BEADS]

The Shadow Beads Technique is another technique that was developed at the early stages of the shadow and lighter war. It allows a shadow to create giant beads of shadow energy and throw them at their opponents.

Ervin created shadow beads—massive, powerful orbs of shadow energy—and threw them at the oncoming shadow monsters. They were obliterated instantly.

Giles: (fuming) Are you kidding me?!

Giles quickly began to draw something else in his book inventory, but before he could finish, Ervin moved again.

Ervin: [BLACK: SHADOW BEAST MANIPULATION, ARATA]

A fearsome, ghostly figure emerged from Ervin's shadow—Arata, a creature with the ability to instill overwhelming terror in its opponents. As Arata's gaze met Giles, a paralyzing fear gripped him, causing him to fall to his knees, helpless.

As Giles fell to his knees, Ervin stood before him and dispelled Arata who returned into his shadow.

Giles: to himself) Damn it... Not like this...

Ervin: (looking down at Giles, smirking) Now let's wrap things up.