After an intense battle, Gwen and Elina finally defeated the two clones that the Bugster had split off after collecting W and Accel's combat data, striking them until they disintegrated.
They immediately turned to assist Li Hua, who was entangled with the Bugster's main body. The three of them launched a coordinated attack that landed squarely on the Bugster.
The Bugster was smashed violently into the ground. Although it didn't immediately disintegrate and disappear, it was clearly like a machine that had crashed, completely losing its ability to move.
"Clap, clap, clap!"
A few crisp sounds of applause rang out.
"You really are worthy of being the candidate chosen by my human source bodies. You truly do possess the potential and capability to fully draw out the power of the Game Rider System.
"To defeat your opponent and clear the game so quickly—well done," Genm said calmly. Having effortlessly defeated Pierce earlier, he had been quietly observing the battle from the sidelines the entire time.
As he spoke, he walked over to the defeated Bugster and pulled the game cartridge out of the slot embedded in the Bugster's head.
"You were only watching us fight the Bugster just now and had no intention of intervening at all. Aren't you worried that after we defeat the Bugster, the three of us will join forces to deal with you?" Li Hua asked tentatively, seeing how relaxed and unhurried Genm was.
Genm shrugged noncommittally. He didn't even turn his gaze toward Li Hua, Elina, or Gwen, instead staring at the game cartridge in his hand as he spoke casually:
"The rules of the game were originally for the three of you to fight this Bugster. Naturally, I wouldn't break the game rules I set myself.
"As for the three of you turning on me after clearing the game—isn't that only natural?
"After all, your hostility toward me is quite obvious. But compared to my game, those things simply aren't important."
"What do you mean by that? Do you really think the three of us pose no threat to you?" Elina asked angrily, seeing that Huanmeng seemed to be paying them no mind at all, his attention entirely focused on the cartridge in his hand.
Only then did Huanmeng turn to look at Elina, smiling lightly. "If that's how you want to think about it, I won't deny it. To me, you really don't count as much of a threat."
Li Hua snorted coldly, leapt into the air, and charged straight at Genm. The Flying Dragon Holy Sword flashed with dazzling multicolored light as it slashed toward him.
"Perfect timing. This game is just missing its final step," Genm said meaningfully. He pulled out the Dangerous Zombie game cartridge, pressed the button, and inserted it into the driver at his waist.
Two illusory light phantoms overlapped with Huanmeng's body, forming a layer of radiant armor over him.
Genm raised his hand and directly blocked Li Hua's Flying Dragon Holy Sword. The powerful energies released by both sides collided violently, erupting into blinding, brilliant light.
"Come on, all of you at once. This level still isn't enough…" After a brief stalemate, Genm applied a bit of force and pushed Li Hua back, then turned to Gwen and Elina and spoke calmly.
Gwen and Elina exchanged a glance and nodded lightly, pressing the buttons on their cartridges.
"Finisher!"
Including Li Hua, all three of them activated the ultimate skills of their game cartridges, launching Rider Kicks toward Huanmeng.
"Excellent!" Genm nodded, an oddly satisfied tone in his voice.
He also charged up energy and met Li Hua, Elina, and Gwen's Rider Kicks with one of his own.
As the kicks collided, enormous amounts of energy were released—crashing, compressing, and merging.
"Is this all you've got? With just this level of power, you'll never defeat me. Is this really the extent of your resolve?" Even amid the terrifying energy unleashed by the clash, Genm was still able to speak calmly.
"Damn it!" Li Hua gritted his teeth.
Facing Huanmeng, his Rider Kick felt as if it had slammed into an insurmountable wall.
"If this is as far as you can go, then I'll go find someone else to continue my game," Genm said leisurely, deliberately provoking them.
Hearing his words, all three burst forth with intense resolve. Although they didn't fully understand what Huanmeng's so-called "game" truly was, they knew one thing clearly—ordinary people must not be dragged into it. Infection by the Bugster virus was extremely dangerous.
The three of them dug out even greater power from their game cartridges, pouring far more condensed and violent energy into their Rider Kicks.
"Very good—this is the power!
"Let the strength of your game gashats erupt into the most dazzling brilliance in this fiercest of collisions!" Genm suddenly laughed, his tone inexplicably excited.
As the swelling, violent energies collided even more fiercely, an overwhelmingly powerful shockwave and explosion erupted, blasting Genm, Li Hua, Elina, and Gwen all backward.
After steadying themselves, Li Hua, Elina, and Gwen stood in place, breathing lightly as they fixed their gaze on Huanmeng in the distance.
Genm suddenly burst into loud laughter. "It's finally complete!
"After collecting enough combat data, and then having you humans and me—a Bugster—use the power of game cartridges and drivers to collide and fuse, giving birth to the ultimate power that combines humans and Bugsters…
"The final game gashat is finally complete!"
"Now is the moment of completion!"
Huanmeng raised the game cartridge high and pressed the button.
The entire game field twisted and blurred, as if it were being absorbed into the game cartridge in Genm's hand.
"Have we been played by this Genm again?! Has he used us once more to complete his plan?" Gwen said irritably.
"Then we'll make sure he never gets another chance!" Li Hua snorted coldly and swung the Flying Dragon Holy Sword as he charged at Genm.
By now, Li Hua had more or less figured out the whole situation. Everything Genm had done before—whether it was the incident with Danny Rand, this time around, creating Bugsters to fight the three of them, or even personally battling them at the end—
All of it was to complete the game cartridge he was holding now. Without even thinking, it was obvious that this cartridge was extremely important and extraordinary.
So they had to stop him before Huanmeng fully completed it.
However, just as Li Hua was about to strike Huanmeng, Parado suddenly appeared in front of him and blocked the sword strike that was sure to land.
"Parado?!" Li Hua looked at Parado, who had transformed into Knockout Fighter. Though surprised, he wasn't shocked.
After all, Parado and Genm were allies to begin with. It wasn't strange for Parado to appear here. Still, Li Hua's heart sank slightly—Parado was a level 50 opponent. With him stepping in, it would be extremely difficult to stop Huanmeng from finishing his plan.
Before this, only Genm had appeared, which had given Li Hua a faint sense of luck—perhaps it really was Huanmeng acting alone.
After punching Li Hua away, Parado laughed and said, "This is the game gashat Genm promised me. I can't let you ruin its creation."
Moments later, all the Bugster virus that made up the game field was absorbed into the cartridge in Genm's hand, and the game field was completely released.
"Is it finished?" Parado asked excitedly.
Genm nodded and tossed the game cartridge to Parado.
Parado caught it as if it were a priceless treasure, cradling it in his hands. "This is the cartridge that can raise my game level to the highest possible…!"
Genm also seemed rather pleased as he said, "After absorbing this cartridge, you'll gain human genetic information.
"You'll be able to use the player driver designed by Dan Kuroto—one that humans can use—and, with the power of the driver, merge the two games within your game cartridge into one.
"Creating the highest-level game!"
Parado after hearing this, then impatiently pressed the button on the game cartridge he had received from Genm and inserted it into his body.
Once the cartridge was activated, it radiated dazzling light and directly fused into Parado's body.
(End of chapter)