finding the Master Emerald shards, a task that would be made much easier with her newly acquired Master Emerald ability.[32]

With the fifth emerald retrieved from Isolated Island, the Freedom Fighters met up next in the Crystal Desert Zone, where the next emerald had been discovered and was being kept safe at a GUN bunker. The heroes arrived too late to see Metal Sonic making off with the emerald, however, and Sonic gave chase. In a sudden turn of events, both of them had accidentally ran through a Genesis Portal to the Burning Ruin Zone. Fortunately for Sonic, Silver the Hedgehog was in the zone, continuing his quest to close down Genesis Portals, and the two hedgehogs teamed up to outsmart Metal Sonic, sending the robot hurtling through anotherportal to the Distant Abyss Zone. Sonic returned to the Crystal Desert Zone through another Genesis Portal, with the newly retrieved sixth emerald in hand.[33]

The Shattered World Crisis was temporary interrupted by the appearance of Sigma, a Maverick from another reality who harnessed the power of the Genesis Portals to merge the broken parts of Sonic's World with Earth in the year 20XX as part of his plan to attain godhood.[34][35] Sigma's actions later would be erased from history by Xander Payne, returning Sonic's World to its earlier state.[36]

Elsewhere, after fetching Metal Sonic back from the Distant Abyss Zone, Eggman's initiative to harvest the energies released by Dark Gaia hit a snag when his refinery, Eggmanland, was infiltrated and taken over by Walter and Wendy Naugus.[44][45] In an