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Chapter 69 - Chapter 69

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***

"Gatomon, BlackGatomon, Agumon, Gabumon—take him down!" I shout, pointing at Drimogemon. There's no time to waste. The people here are in danger, and this thing is blocking our only exit.

"Right!" Gatomon and BlackGatomon reply in unison, their eyes narrowing in determination.

"Let's go, Brother!" Agumon says, nodding at Gabumon. They're ready.

I can't fight this thing and protect the survivors at the same time. We need to leave.

"Alright, everyone, this way!" I yell, grabbing Gwen's hand. "Move, move, move! We need to get as far away from this thing as possible!"

I lead the group of survivors in the opposite direction, away from the battle and deeper into the tunnel. I trust Gatomon, BlackGatomon, Agumon, and Gabumon to handle this.

"Gwen, you need to go with them," I say, turning to face her. "I'll take care of this."

"No way," she replies, her voice firm despite the obvious fear in her eyes. "I'm not leaving you here."

I sigh. Of course, she isn't. What did I expect? "Gwen, I can handle this. But I can't protect you and everyone else at the same time. Please, just trust me on this."

Before she can argue, Drimogemon lets out a loud screech, drawing our attention back to the battle. Gatomon, BlackGatomon, Agumon, and Gabumon have surrounded the mole-like Digimon, but it's already spinning its drill, ready to tunnel.

"Gatomon, use Cat's Eye!" I shout, hoping to confuse it before it disappears underground.

Gatomon nods and focuses her gaze, but Drimogemon is too quick. With a deafening roar, it slams its drill into the ground and vanishes, leaving a cloud of dust and debris.

"Where'd it go?" Agumon asks, looking around nervously.

Suddenly, the ground trembles, and Drimogemon bursts out from beneath BlackGatomon, sending her flying. It spins around, striking Gabumon with its drill. Gabumon hits the ground hard. Before Agumon can react, it dives back underground, disappearing as quickly as it came.

"Damn it!" I curse. This thing is fast. It's going to be tough to pin it down. "Alright, new plan. Everyone, stay alert. It could come from anywhere."

I can see the fear in Gwen's eyes, but she stands her ground, refusing to leave my side. Fine, I guess she's staying then. I need to figure out how to beat this thing and protect everyone at the same time.

"Ethan, why don't we just evolve?" Agumon asks, looking at me with anticipation.

"This tunnel is too narrow. If you evolve into Greymon, you won't even be able to move, let alone fight. It'd be like trying to box in a phone booth."

As if on cue, the ground shakes violently again. Drimogemon bursts forth, creating even bigger fissures in the tunnel floor and causing chunks of the already damaged ceiling to collapse. People scream, scrambling for cover.

"Everyone, down!" I yell, pulling Gwen close and shielding her with my body.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Drimogemon spins its drill and hooks onto a large section of the train car, tearing it loose from its supports. With a mighty roar, it drags the mangled metal and debris down into the newly formed hole, disappearing into the earth once more. The ground settles, leaving an even larger gap in its wake.

BlackGatomon gets up, her voice full of anger. "That coward is getting away!"

"He is not going anywhere."

I grip Gwen's hand tighter and step toward the opening, the others following close behind. "Agumon, Gabumon, you guys first. Gatomon, BlackGatomon, stay close to Gwen and Cutemon—I'll bring up the rear."

"Got it, Ethan," Gatomon says, her expression serious. BlackGatomon nods in agreement.

We descend into the darkness, the air growing thick with the smell of dirt and ozone. The tunnel slopes sharply downwards, the walls uneven and rough. It's clear Drimogemon didn't bother with any sort of structural integrity when it made this escape route.

"Ethan, what the hell is going on?" Gwen asks, her voice barely above a whisper. "What are those things? And what was that thing that just destroyed the subway car?"

I sigh. I knew this was coming. There's no way I can keep her in the dark any longer. "It's a long story, Gwen. A really long story. But I promise, I'll tell you everything. Just… not right now. We need to focus on getting out of here and stopping that thing."

And so, I explain it to her. I describe the Digital World, Digimon, how they're drawn to strong emotions, and my role as a Tamer. It's a lot to take in, and I leave out a lot of details that can be discussed later.

By the time I'm finished, we've reached a wider section of the tunnel. Gwen stares at me, her mouth agape. "So, wait… Agumon and Gabumon were the… the monsters that were fighting back at Midtown High? And you were the one in the blue jacket?"

"Yeah," I reply, wincing a little. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. And please, you can't tell anyone about this, okay? This needs to stay between us. The world isn't ready to know about Digimon."

She nods slowly, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I… I understand. I won't say a word."

Good, that's a relief. The less people know about this, the better.

As we continue deeper, I notice a bright light at the end of the tunnel. It's not the natural glow of the city above, but something artificial.

"What's that?" Gabumon asks, his voice laced with curiosity.

"Only one way to find out," I say, quickening my pace.

We cautiously approach the light, and the tunnel opens into a large cavern. My jaw drops. Before us is a makeshift dwelling, cobbled together from scrap metal, discarded machinery, and other bits and pieces. It's like Drimogemon decided to become a master builder, only with really questionable taste.

"What is this place?" Gatomon asks, her eyes scanning the interior. "It's like a junkyard exploded."

"This has to be Drimogemon's hideout," I say, taking it all in. "It's definitely… unique."

The walls are lined with flickering lights salvaged from old subway cars, casting eerie shadows across the space. Wires hang haphazardly, and the air crackles with a faint electrical current. It's kind of impressive. Drimogemon managed to turn this dark cave into a liveable space. Liveable for a Digimon, anyway.

"Look at this stuff," Agumon says, poking at a pile of discarded tools. "I bet we can make something cool."

"Stay focused," I say, my eyes darting around the room. "We don't know if Drimogemon is here. He could be anywhere."

"I don't like this," BlackGatomon mutters, her claws extended. "This place gives me the creeps."

"Alright, everyone, stay close," I say, my voice low. "Let's see what this mole-rat has been up to."

***

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