(A/N: The Digital World depicted in this story so far is a pure future version of the Digimon Adventure 01 Universe. Hikari does not know BlackWarGreymon or Daisuke and the others, nor does she have the ambiguous relationship with Takeru from Adventure 02.)
A day had passed since Takeru's demise and Joe's defeat.
During this day, Koshiro had parsed the source code of the Crest of Envy into countless subroutines and sent them to Taichi, who was far away in the Digital World.
Using this source code, Taichi could mass-produce 'Envy Digimon' via the Metal Empire's production lines.
As long as the emotion of envy was strong enough, the power of these Digimon could expand infinitely. Digimon with the most intense flames of envy could even reach Jou's level, evolving into degraded versions of Leviamon.
'However, envy alone isn't enough. Ideally, I should analyze and decode Digimon of the calibre of the Seven Great Demon Lords, the Ten Legendary Warriors, the Four Great Dragons, and even the Royal Knights.' A data stream flashed before Koshiro's eyes as he murmured to himself.
Of course, it was just a thought. The true forms of these Digimon were the strongest beings accumulated over thousands of years of the Digital World's development.
He himself was merely a nascent form of Yggdrasil, born just days ago, his database not yet fully established. A single powerful Mega-level Digimon could finish him off, so how could he possibly defeat those god-like Digimon?
"Combat matters should be left to Taichi to handle."
"What I need to do now is monitor the world for him and find the second child chosen by Homeostasis."
Koshiro hovered in the air, the All-Seeing Eye activating once more. It scanned countless cities… Tokyo, Sapporo, Kyoto, Nagoya... Everything was calm. Until its gaze fell upon one location, causing Koshiro's eyes to flicker slightly.
"That location... Could it be? Is Homeostasis's second choice...?"
On the virtual screen, a dazzling white dot blinked incessantly. Its location was none other than the place across the ocean where Koshiro and Hikari had once gone to search for Taichi!
Across the ocean, in the United States.
Hikari dashed through a pitch-black alley, her eyes determined, seemingly chasing something.
"Koshiro said Onii-chan likely went to the Digital World. To find him, I must understand the basis of this Digital disturbance and open a gate between the real world and the Digital World." Hikari analyzed aloud as she ran.
Whoosh!
At that moment, the black shadow she had been pursuing traced a graceful arc in the air and instantly vanished from sight.
Losing her target, Hikari showed an expression of extreme disappointment, punching the wall.
Blood streamed down her tender palm, a shocking sight. But Hikari paid it no mind. How could physical pain compare to even one ten-thousandth of the agony in her heart?
"It's all my fault! If only I had noticed Onii-chan's unusual state earlier, perhaps I could have..." Hikari continuously pounded the wall, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably. Tears fell from her cheeks, drop by drop, onto the ground.
In truth, several weeks before Taichi's disappearance, something had already been off. He seemed listless, had a poor appetite.
Every morning when Hikari cheerfully woke him, he would just casually wave her off. Back then, Hikari thought he was just having a lover's quarrel with Sora and didn't pay it much mind.
Takeru's pursuit of her also greatly troubled the adolescent girl.
Emotionally, she felt no heartbeat for Takeru, only a faint friendship. But for the sake of appearances, with Takeru being Yamato's brother, the blood relative of her brother's best friend, she couldn't bring herself to harshly reject him and embarrass her brother.
After all, since childhood, Hikari had always loved her brother the most.
"But... I never imagined... your relationship had already deteriorated to this extent!" Hikari slid down against the wall, collapsing silently, tears streaming soundlessly.
She never expected the relationship between Taichi and Yamato had long been like fire and water.
Having his childhood girlfriend stolen was an immense humiliation for any man. Yet, unaware of this, Hikari, out of consideration for her brother's 'face', had gone on dates with Takeru.
This was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Taichi, who had already lost everything.
"If I had discovered it earlier... If I had cared more about Onii-chan... If my rejection of Takeru had been more resolute at the time..." Hikari murmured, distraught, her heart feeling as if slashed by knives.
"Would Onii-chan not have disappeared then?"
"Sigh..."
Just as the emotions of sorrow and pain were about to overwhelm Hikari's heart, the courage once taught to her by Taichi dispersed these negative feelings, reviving the light in her eyes.
"No, Hikari, you can't stop here."
"There's still hope of finding Onii-chan."
"Didn't Koshiro say he's in the Digital World?"
"If... if I can catch that black figure and get some answers..."
"I absolutely didn't see wrong. That silhouette, that armor... it must be Agumon's Ultimate form… WarGreymon!" Hikari looked towards the sky, in the direction the fleeting figure had vanished, her face filled with determination.
Agumon shared a deep bond with Taichi.
If Taichi went to the Digital World, the first thing he would do is find Agumon. And across the entire Digital World, the only Agumon capable of evolving to the WarGreymon level should be Taichi's partner.
"It's just... I don't know why WarGreymon's armor turned black. Maybe something happened in these ten years." Hikari shook her head, somewhat puzzled.
Flicker!
Just as she thought this, a light shining from afar instantly filled her field of vision.
'So bright!'
Hikari instinctively shielded her eyes. Peeking through her fingers, she saw that the light enveloped an extremely sacred Crest.
'A Crest appeared?'
Overjoyed, Hikari quickly retrieved this heaven-sent Crest from the holy light. It was sacred and pure, emanating an aura of justice and light.
Among the eight Crests, it was the one symbolizing 'Light'. Bestowed in the name of power given to the Chosen Children by Homeostasis, it fell into Hikari's hands.
In the distant beyond, a black figure stood atop the Statue of Liberty, coldly looking down upon the steel city below.
"So this is the United States, the most powerful place of humanity?" BlackWarGreymon's pupils contracted slightly, an interested smile curling his lips.
No one could have predicted what kind of sparks would fly when Hikari, embodying 'Light', and BlackWarGreymon, embodying 'Darkness', would collide on this land across the ocean!