Atop Tokyo Tower, Koshiro hovered, a massive All-Seeing Eye suspended above his head as he coldly surveyed the world below.
"According to calculations, the probability of Joe falling into darkness and becoming the spokesperson for Apocalymon was indeed 13.76%. I was careless, failing to account for this possibility."
"However, for Homeostasis to pin the hope of saving the world on Takaishi Takeru... that probability is only 0.021%. What is it about Takeru that makes fate favor him so?" Koshiro's precise and rational mind rapidly analyzed the data.
Takeru's life had been smooth sailing from birth, encountering little hardship. When his parents divorced, he was still in swaddling clothes, too young to understand sorrow.
Traveling through the Digital World, he was always protected by his older brother, his journey comfortable throughout.
The Digimon he randomly partnered with turned out to be Angemon, known as the Devil's Bane.
Just when it seemed Angemon had sacrificed itself to defeat Devimon, finally a bit of setback, it immediately hatched again, meaning no real loss was suffered.
Such divine favor was truly unmatched.
In contrast, Joe's luck had always been the most ordinary tier.
Data flickered before Koshiro's eyes as he continued his analysis. Looking at Joe's entire life, it was a destiny written with one word, 'mediocrity'. He never overperformed in major exams, never won a prize in lotteries, only ever got the guaranteed minimum in gacha games, and it often rained the moment he stepped outside.
'When the ultimate 'Luck' faces the ultimate 'Mediocrity', what would the final outcome be?'
Koshiro waved his hand, and numerous complex data models constructed themselves before him, calculating the win rate for the two combatants.
A moment later, gazing at the final answer provided by the precise data model, "Interesting."
Koshiro's pupils contracted slightly, a curve of interest lifting the corner of his mouth.
On the screen, a cold conclusion was clearly written:
The Chosen Son, Takeru, vs. The Mediocre One, Joe.
Win Rate: 0.
"Aaaaaah!" Enveloped in holy light, Joe and Dagomon writhed in agony, letting out piercing screams.
Holy light possessed a near-nemesis level of suppression against Devil-type Digimon. Before reaching the Mega level or the level of the Seven Great Demon Lords, Devil-type Digimon stood almost no chance of defeating a Holy-type of the same level.
On the other side, Takeru, bathed in a halo of sacred light, looked solemn. All the pain and injuries on his body had vanished.
"Angemon! You came!" Takeru's face broke into a radiant smile as he rushed towards the figure that made him feel utterly secure.
From the mysterious Digital Gate emerged a majestic, pure-white angel. Covered in holy light, it radiated dazzling brilliance, like a divine son sent by God to save the world.
"Sorry I'm late, Takeru." Angemon gently caught Takeru, softly comforting him.
Then, his gaze shifted.
Looking down at Joe and Dagomon wailing on the ground, he said coldly, "But now that I'm here, it's all over."
The Digital Gate behind him possessed powerful holy attributes capable of suppressing all Devil-type Digimon.
Let alone a mere Ultimate-level Dagomon. Even the once-overbearing Myotismon, under the suppression of this Sacred Gate, could only meet his end.
"Joe, as one of the Chosen Children, you were easily corrupted by Apocalymon, raising your hand against Takeru. This is unforgivable." Angemon looked down upon Joe from a height, pronouncing judgment with an air of authority.
"Forgiveness? Ha... Ahaha, who needs your forgiveness! I tell you, I won't just kill him, I'll kill you too! Pluck your bird feathers, skin your hide! I'll make you high-and-mighty types see that the world doesn't revolve around you!" Joe, enduring the pain of the holy light's baptism, face contorted, roared furiously.
Angemon's expression gradually darkened, "Since you are so obstinate and unrepentant... For Takeru's safety, even if it means harming his former friend, I have no choice but to strike."
Angemon looked down at Joe, his right fist gathering orange-yellow holy light, preparing to launch his ultimate move.
"Heh, hypocrite. Even delivering a killing blow, you have to find a 'just' reason for yourself. Typical of your kind." Joe looked at Angemon, his gaze icy, laughing scornfully.
He dared to come here, naturally having calculated that Angemon might appear. Preparations specifically made to deal with him certainly existed.
"Dagomon, release that person from the Ink of Sin."
"Yes."
Squish, squish.
Dagomon responded, its massive, monstrous body making strange squelching sounds. A mass of black, rotting flesh, wrapped in jet-black Ink of Sin, rolled out from Dagomon's chest cavity. Encased within it was a person… a woman.
"Mom!" Takeru screamed in shock upon seeing the figure wrapped in the ink.
That's right. The reason Joe had chatted with him for so long since entering had nothing to do with nostalgia. It was to send Dagomon to stealthily infiltrate Takeru's mother's room and kidnap her.
The entire process happened in the instant Takeru was pouring tea, so he hadn't noticed a thing.
"Joe... you... you're too despicable!" Looking at his unconscious mother, her brow furrowed tightly, Takeru trembled with rage.
"Say what you will. From the moment I received this mark, there was no turning back. I will become the supreme one! I will become the strongest! All who stand in my way must be eliminated!" Joe struggled to his feet, his face maniacal.
"Heaven's..."
"Angemon, don't!" Takeru cried out in anguish, loudly stopping Angemon's attack.
He couldn't stand by and watch his mother die before his eyes. But Joe's fall posed a great threat to the world.
Takeru, believing himself the Chosen Son, was also unwilling to simply let him go.
This inner conflict caused Takeru to erupt with powerful emotional energy.
In Homeostasis's terms, this emotion of 'I don't know how to explain it, but I want it all' was called Hope.
But in the eyes of many, this emotion was merely a child's impotent rage when faced with the rules of the adult world.
Whoosh…
The immense emotional power catalyzed an even more dazzling light. Enveloped by this tremendous energy, a look of astonishment flashed in Angemon's eyes.
"It's the Crest of Hope! Takeru, you've reformed the Crest of Hope through your own power!"
Evolution, descend!
Bathed in sacred light under the power of Takeru's 'Hope', Angemon evolved into MagnaAngemon. The power of the entire being was sufficient to dispel the Ink of Sin from Takeru's mother.
"Joe, now, what do you have to say for yourself?" Takeru looked down upon Joe from his superior position, a scornful smile playing on his lips.
This was fate.
Under absolute divine favor, with the entire world assisting, what meaning was there in all the schemes, all the darkening, all the sacrifices?
Everything, everything, was merely foreshadowing for the protagonist's perfect counterattack.