Darkness Before the Dawn

Summary
Takuya, now alone in, finds himself in the Steel Sphere, where he encounters. Mercurymon taunts him, calling Takuya weak and using his home environment to his advantage by slipping from reflective surface to reflective surface, making it impossible for Takuya to hurt him. After a while, Mercurymon stops toying with Takuya and beckons him to the next sphere, the Light Sphere. Takuya enters, but only sees a cathedral and becomes suspicious. Before long, however, Mercurymon appears again and summons up 's Fractal Code, much to Takuya's anger. When Takuya demands that Seraphimon be released, Mercurymon complies—but changes him into by combining their data. ShadowSeraphimon easily batters around until he slide evolves into. Even with the added power, however, he is unable to injure ShadowSeraphimon and with one attack, BurningGreymon reverts to his human form, leaving Takuya at ShadowSeraphimon's mercy.

Outside, the others become desperate to help Takuya and spirit evolve in an attempt to break into Sakkakumon. As ShadowSeraphimon prepares to destroy Takuya, Bokomon pleads with Seraphimon's egg to help them again. It glows and gives power to Takuya, allowing him to fusion evolve into. ShadowSeraphimon attacks, but he has no effect on Aldamon and he is easily defeated and purifed. Seraphimon's data is returned to the egg and Mercurymon retreats to the Steel Sphere, Aldamon following. The two face off a final time and Mercurymon is defeated and purified, freeing Takuya from Sakkakumon at last. Rejoining the others, he sees Seraphimon's egg hatch into.