Hajime still looked somewhat weak, but overall there weren't any serious issues. And even though her body was still frail, her spirits were surprisingly high.
After all, she'd just faced Devimon head-on, breaking the myth of his invincibility on File Island—and more importantly, she'd realized something.
Even though she still wasn't strong enough to defeat that demon, the gap between them was no longer insurmountable. With just a bit more effort, it really was possible to personally avenge her lost friends.
This realization mattered far more than the outcome of the previous battle itself. Simply put, she'd gained a healthy mindset. With such confidence, their next fight would carry a greater chance of victory.
Of course, fully recovering first was still crucial. Zero's group held a clear advantage here.
Toy Town was essentially a giant amusement park—food, drink, play, leisure—it had everything.
Though currently, many residents had been abducted under the Black Gears' control, causing many facilities to shut down, at least the basic infrastructure was still operational.
Thus, that night, Zero once again tasted food that wasn't just natural—but truly refined, prepared through multiple meticulous processes.
This entire journey, they'd relied on nothing but roasted meat and wild fruits. Though edible enough to fill the belly, those could hardly be called proper meals.
Having turned into a Digimon, Zero knew he shouldn't be picky. Just surviving in a place like the Digital Forest was challenging enough; who'd still fuss about having delicacies?
Therefore, tonight's meal practically brought Zero to tears. Though Rina didn't seem especially fixated on food, even she could clearly tell the difference between finely made dishes and rough, self-prepared rations.
Thus, at the dinner table, Zero devoured the food like a whirlwind, while Rina rested her chin in one hand, smilingly watching him sweep through the dishes. She herself leisurely picked up a fork and enjoyed a slice of apple pie.
Leomon appeared to be a rough martial artist, yet his table manners were unexpectedly refined. It seemed the only one out of place here was Hajime.
Though she could sense the food tasted significantly better than before, that was all. To her, food existed purely to fill the stomach—nothing more.
From the moment of her birth until now, she'd never understood food as something that could be "enjoyed." She didn't know that for many people, tasting delicious food wasn't merely about satisfying hunger—it was simply about savoring its flavors.
But, of course, she couldn't be blamed for that. For Hajime, born and raised in the Digital Forest, food indeed had only that single attribute.
Thus, she couldn't yet understand why Zero was so happy. The happiness that came from "enjoying delicious food," which felt utterly natural to Zero, was still an extravagant concept for Hajime.
Halfway through his feast, Zero finally noticed the atmosphere at the table and coughed awkwardly, slowing down his eating.
"Ah... sorry, I lost myself a bit just now—cough cough!"
"Haha, that's why I always say, don't speak with your mouth full~ Here, drink some soup first~"
Watching Zero gulp down some soup to clear his throat, Rina continued smiling warmly.
"It's strange—I feel like I've known you forever, Zero. But now that I think about it, we've only been traveling together for just over a month~"
Zero swallowed the food that had gotten stuck, then smoothly responded:
"Oh, maybe that's the suspension bridge effect?"
After all, they'd faced constant dangers along their journey, relying on each other during critical moments—which naturally accelerated closeness.
"Eh? You sure know a lot, Zero-kun~ If you were human, I'd even let you become my boyfriend~"
"..."
At these words, Zero broke into a cold sweat. Even as a joke, it was terrifying.
Not because Rina wasn't beautiful—in terms of appearance, she was unquestionably among the most attractive girls Zero had ever met. After all, 2D anime girls inherently crushed any real-world competition.
But just considering her terrifying physical capabilities, one couldn't help but feel concerned for her future boyfriend. If they ever argued, it could instantly escalate into a real-life action blockbuster.
Besides, with her level of strength, if they ever got intimate... it'd be hard to say who'd end up on top. A girl who could literally kick the asses of the Seven Great Demon Lords wasn't someone ordinary men could handle.
Seeing Zero's frightened look, Rina herself burst out laughing. The table atmosphere instantly grew lively again—except for Hajime, who remained completely out of the loop…
…One person's joy is another's noise. All I can hear is how loud they're being.
After finishing their meal, darkness gradually descended. Going to pick a fight with Devimon today was obviously out of the question—they'd have to wait until tomorrow morning.
Naturally, the group planned to rest well and recharge tonight…
…Or at least, that was the idea. But Zero had already been knocked unconscious and slept for who knows how long earlier, leaving him too energetic now to feel any sleepiness at all.
Unable to sleep, he decided to stroll around Toy Town under the moonlight. Surprisingly, he soon found out he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep tonight.
Beneath the moonlight, Zero spotted two figures—one tall, one short—clashing swiftly back and forth. Amidst flashing shadows, the smaller figure suddenly spat out blue flames in a surprise attack.
The taller figure swiftly unsheathed a sword from his waist, countering with a swift horizontal slash, blocking the flames. Immediately afterward, blazing flames ignited around his clenched fist.
"…[FIST OF THE BEAST KING]!"
The taller figure punched forward; the smaller figure couldn't dodge in time and was sent tumbling through the air.
Instead of pressing the attack, the taller figure lowered his stance and moved forward to check on his opponent's condition.
"Are you alright?"
Zero immediately understood and quickly approached.
"Leomon, Hajime-chan... Are you two sparring?"
Hajime, having just been knocked flying by Leomon's fist, coughed awkwardly.
"Um... I couldn't sleep and came out to walk around. I ran into Leomon training..."
Seeing Leomon diligently training even late at night, Hajime, deeply admiring his perseverance, had asked to join the special training session.
Leomon readily agreed, and thus it ended up like this.
"...Ah, I see."
For a moment, Zero didn't know what to say. Leomon's training style was based on his way of life—as a wandering martial artist, naturally, he couldn't slack off in his practice.
But whether Hajime would benefit much by imitating his training methods... Zero wasn't sure. However, he couldn't say that out loud—it would crush Hajime's enthusiasm.
"Well then…" Suddenly feeling interested, Zero added, "…How about counting me in too?"
...
Early the next morning, as Rina yawned and stretched comfortably in the morning sunlight, she stepped outside—only to find a scene resembling a crime scene:
Zero, Hajime, and Leomon sprawled across the ground in random poses, surrounded by a group of Toy Agumon pointing and chattering excitedly.
"…Uh, can anyone explain to me… just what happened here?"
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T/N: >.> heh Zero being a digimon wouldnt stop me...