Chapter 97: Savior
Entertainment options in the Digital World were, to put it mildly, dreadfully scarce.
At least, within the established worldview of this digital frontier, aside from the plastic-block streets of Toy Town and a scattered, dilapidated amusement park, genuine venues for leisure were practically non-existent.
This deep lack of recreation perfectly explained the absolute frenzy that had gripped the local Digimon upon hearing the news: Mizuki was going to sing.
Of course, a massive portion of that enthusiasm stemmed purely from their blind, unwavering adoration for the young man. To them, the logic was simple—as long as it was Lord Mizuki's voice, he could sound like a dying Numemon and they would still applaud until their claws fell off!
"..."
On the makeshift wooden stage they had hastily but lovingly constructed, Mizuki stood in silence. He could feel the sheer weight of hundreds of expectant, glowing eyes locked onto him from the darkness. He let out a slow, steadying breath.
'Since everyone is looking forward to this so much, I really can't let them down,' he thought, a gentle, amused smile tugging at his lips.
Just as he adjusted his grip on the instrument in his hands, a familiar, energetic voice pierced through the murmurs below the stage.
"Mizu~ You can do it!" Belle cheered. Her cheeks were flushed a deep, vibrant red, her hands cupped around her mouth as her excitement and anticipation bubbled over, entirely uncontrollable.
The moment Mizuki's eyes met Belle's, his fingers moved. He struck the first chord.
Ah~ Of course!
Swept up by the cool evening breeze, the towering bonfire in the center of the camp seemed to leap and dance in perfect rhythm. A passionate, driving melody instantly washed over the clearing, commanding absolute attention—
[The constantly falling sky is consuming every life in the world]
[Hope, spirit, everything is falling]
[In the distant horizon]
[Crowds of ghosts roam the ground]
[It's calling, it's calling, getting louder and louder—]
[Are we the future of this burning hell?]
While the Digimon had been vibrating with anticipation from the very beginning, it was only when the actual music hit their ears that they realized a fundamental truth: they had severely underestimated him.
This wasn't just pleasant.
This was simply divine music!
Every soaring melody, every vibrating note seemed to bypass their physical data entirely, sinking straight into their cores and echoing within their souls.
Almost instantly, the stunned silence shattered into an earth-shaking roar of cheers.
"Lord Mizuki!"
"This is incredible! It absolutely crushes that Etemon guy's garbage singing!"
"Are you stupid? Does the noise Etemon makes even qualify as a song? You're insulting Lord Mizuki by comparing them!"
"Ah, sorry, sorry! I just spoke without thinking~"
"Oh, for the love of the Sovereign, can you idiots keep it down?! You're ruining the acoustics while I'm trying to listen to Lord Mizuki sing!"
Despite the fanatical chaos erupting below the stage, Mizuki remained entirely unaffected. Having perfectly restored the song's memory in his mind as pure data, he poured his entire focus into the vocal delivery, letting the melodies guide him.
[This is a battle for Heaven, for our future]
[So don't give up, persevere]
[Until we break the spell]
[Free ourselves, seeking light in the darkness and despair]
[When you fall to the bottom]
[I will be your Savior—!]
"Lord Mizuki—!!!"
Like the vast majority of the Digimon present, BlackGatomon (LadyDevimon) was completely losing her mind. She aggressively waved a massive, hastily stitched flag bearing Mizuki's name, screaming herself hoarse with every passing second.
Yet, even in the throes of her fanaticism, she didn't forget to shoot a vicious, sideways glare at the Digimon standing right next to her: BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue)).
"Why are you standing there acting so calm, you deadpan lizard?" she hissed, her tail lashing. "Could it be that you have a problem with Lord Mizuki?!"
"..."
Hearing BlackGatomon (LadyDevimon)'s aggressive accusation—one that sounded exactly like a rabid, deranged superfan—BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue)) merely offered a helpless shrug.
"I really don't understand," the dark reptile muttered, his tone dry. "Before your digivolution, you were clearly the smarter one between us."
After all, he remembered perfectly well how he had been outmaneuvered and captured by her cunning schemes back then.
"Why is it that after your current digivolution, your brain seems to have completely regressed?"
"Huh? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" BlackGatomon (LadyDevimon) raised a sharp brow, her claws twitching in displeasure.
"I don't have a problem with Lord Mizuki. On the contrary, I believe my loyalty and feelings for Lord Mizuki are no less intense than your own," BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue)) clarified, his voice steady and calm. "The reason I am silent is because I am actually thinking."
Despite his small, youthful Rookie-level appearance, his face displayed a heavy, weathered maturity.
"I am thinking about the song Lord Mizuki is singing." He gestured toward the stage. "If you actually stop screaming and think about it carefully, isn't this an exact reflection of the current state of our world?"
He lowered his voice, the gravity of his words cutting through the surrounding cheers. "The rapid expansion of dark power. The relentless invasion of the Nightmare Soldiers. Although those monsters have been suspiciously quiet recently for some unknown reason, my instincts tell me they will definitely return soon. And when that happens, this entire world will be plunged into absolute misery."
Listening to BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue))'s grim, articulate breakdown, BlackGatomon (LadyDevimon) blinked, momentarily stunned into silence.
It was only then that she remembered a crucial detail: this guy standing next to her, whose dark, oppressive aura was currently no less potent than her own, used to be a fiercely righteous Vaccine-type Digimon.
Still, she shook her head, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Okay, but how does any of that relate to the song Lord Mizuki is singing?"
"'Savior'... If I'm not mistaken, that should be the title of this piece." BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue)) murmured, his gaze distant but sharp. "After all, the entire song gives me the distinct feeling that it is constantly conveying a desperate need to save something."
"Well, obviously! Lord Mizuki is the Savior, that makes perfect sense!" BlackGatomon (LadyDevimon) nodded vigorously, entirely satisfied with that conclusion.
"No. Lord Mizuki is not like that arrogant Etemon, who fills the air with endless self-praise." BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue)) shook his head, refuting her shallow interpretation.
"Given his gentle but resolute personality, I believe the reason he chose to sing this specific song is less about proclaiming himself as the Savior, and more about hoping that every single Digimon among us can find the strength to become their own 'Savior'."
BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue)) crossed his arms, his eyes never once leaving the young man commanding the stage. "What's more, judging by Lord Mizuki's relaxed demeanor, this thematic connection should just be a coincidence. But when multiple coincidences link together so perfectly to form the current scene... isn't this a deep form of 'Divine Selection'?"
He let out a quiet breath, the heavy maturity fading into something much simpler, much warmer.
"However, none of that actually matters to me."
"Whether it's Divine Selection, a grand prophecy, or some kind of inescapable destiny... I don't care at all."
His claws tightened slightly. "All I know is that Lord Mizuki brought me a future. When I was lost, he gently reached out his hand to me."
"Therefore, I won't waste my time worrying about lofty concepts like fate or Divine Selection. I will only follow Lord Mizuki's will!"
"That is all."
As BlackAgumon (MetalGreymon (Blue)) finished his quiet, resolute declaration, BlackGatomon (LadyDevimon) stood frozen. The sheer depth of his conviction had completely stunned her, but as his words fully registered, she gradually recovered her senses.
Subsequently, a sharp, intense hint of wariness crept into her eyes as she looked down at the dark reptile.
She hadn't realized it until this exact moment. This usually quiet, unassuming colleague of hers was actually someone incredibly skilled at reading the room and comprehending deep emotional subtext.
Which means... you are also my rival!
Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.
A deadly rival for Lord Mizuki's favor!
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