Chapter 133: I Think I Might Need a Break
"Finally finished..."
"The Mega-level digivolution of light power—"
Holy energy cascaded around her in shimmering ribbons. Feeling the boundless power surging through her newly transformed data, Belle—now having achieved her Magnadramon form—couldn't stop the triumphant curve of her lips beneath her silver winged visor.
She still remembered the exact words Mizuki had whispered to her.
"When the powers of light and darkness intersect, and both sides reach a perfect resonance, they will give birth to a brand new miracle."
Mastemon. She was one step closer to making that miracle a reality.
Belle clenched her clawed fists, the sheer density of her holy aura making the air hum.
"Just you wait, GranDracmon."
"The day I achieve digivolution into Mastemon will be the day I tear you apart for what you did to Mizuki!"
In that fleeting moment, Belle's fierce gaze seemed to pierce straight through the dimensional fabric, spanning across layers of space and time to lock directly onto the ancient entity lurking in the deepest abyss of the Dark Area.
Deep within the Dark Area, GranDracmon lounged comfortably. Watching the live image displayed on the floating dark-energy screen, the demonic beast didn't feel the slightest bit of offense or dissatisfaction at the dragon-girl's death threat. Instead, his lips curled into a highly amused, almost predatory smirk.
"I didn't expect another round of Mega-level digivolution to be completed so quickly. Young people these days are truly terrifying..."
It might have been a trick of the dim lighting, but the three card-playing companions sitting around the table swore that when GranDracmon purred those words, the ancient demon lord's entire aura shifted into something distinctly lecherous.
A blink later, his elegant, aristocratic composure returned as if nothing had happened.
"Magnadramon? A quite rare individual."
The speaker was a Seraphimon. After spending the past few weeks trapped in the Dark Area, this particular Seraphimon—the one who had been captured first—had gradually adapted to his imprisonment. In fact, he had adapted a little too well. To some extent, his posture was currently even more slouched and casual than GranDracmon's.
Hearing this, the second Seraphimon sitting across the table twitched his hidden eyebrows beneath his golden helmet. "I honestly thought that child would evolve into Ophanimon."
"Pair of Aces," GranDracmon announced, tossing two cards onto the table.
"Can't beat that," the second Seraphimon grumbled.
Sitting to the side, Lucemon waved his small, chubby hand dismissively. "Actually, given that child's brutally aggressive fighting style, it would be far stranger if she actually evolved into Ophanimon."
"That's a fair point." The first Seraphimon nodded in agreement, then dropped two cards of his own. "Pair of fives. By the way, GranDracmon, could you get me another drink?"
"What flavor do you want?"
"Strawberry."
"Got it."
GranDracmon casually waved his claw toward the pitch-black depths of the cavern. Before long, a nervous-looking Devimon scurried over, carefully balancing a tray with four brightly colored iced beverages.
Silence descended upon the table. Watching these three entities happily sipping their fruity drinks through little straws, the third Seraphimon—who had been standing off to the side—pondered his existence for a long moment before finally letting out the heavy burden on his soul.
"I say, aren't you all a bit too adapted to life down here?"
The clinking of ice cubes stopped. Lucemon and the first Seraphimon paused mid-sip and slowly turned their heads.
Under the flat gaze of the two Digimon, the third Seraphimon puffed out his chest. His voice rang with righteous indignation. "Do not forget yourselves! We are supreme Digimon of the light side! Even if we cannot defeat GranDracmon in combat, we absolutely should not become this degenerate!"
Silence stretched across the cavern.
Looking at their companion's incredibly impassioned, righteous demeanor, the first Seraphimon and Lucemon exchanged a long, deadpan look. Then, in perfect unison, their eyes drifted downward, landing squarely on the large, family-sized bag of potato chips currently clutched in the third Seraphimon's left hand.
The atmosphere instantly thickened with awkwardness.
A few agonizing minutes ticked by. The impassioned Seraphimon's shoulders stiffened. He pulled the chip bag slightly behind his back, his voice suddenly stuttering. "W-What's wrong! I am not like you slackers! In my original world, I managed countless territories and governed the entire Digital World all by myself! What is wrong with a hardworking ruler relaxing a little bit now?!"
"Tsk." Lucemon rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with absolute disdain. "You literally handed all your paperwork and world-saving duties over to that human kid, Yagami Taichi, and his Veedramon, Zeromaru. If we are talking about being degenerate, you are clearly the one who peaked in laziness."
"Alright, alright, stop the nonsense," GranDracmon interrupted, gesturing to the scattered deck in front of him. He flicked two face cards onto the pile. "Pair of Kings. I have one card left."
"What?! How are you so fast again? Did you cheat?!"
Staring at the single face-down card resting under GranDracmon's claw, the three holy angels let out cries of absolute disbelief in perfect unison.
GranDracmon merely waved his hand with a dismissive, aristocratic flair. "I could cheat, certainly. But there is simply no need. Dealing with you absolute novices, cheating would be an insult to my own intelligence."
"Damn you, GranDracmon!!!" the three angels roared together.
"So, do you want to play another round?"
After confirming that the three holy beings were completely powerless to stop his victory, GranDracmon triumphantly flipped his final card and swept the pot.
Facing the demon lord's smug question, the three angels looked at each other. A silent, competitive fire ignited between them. They slammed their hands onto the table simultaneously.
"Bring it on!!!"
Just as the three increasingly degenerate angel-type Digimon and GranDracmon began shuffling the deck for another intense round, the battlefield on the Server Continent was reaching a boiling point.
Through the sleek, silver-winged visor covering her upper face, Belle stared down the towering form of Deathmon. After taking a few seconds to adjust to the dense, overwhelming holy data coursing through her newly evolved body, she raised a clawed hand and provocatively crooked her finger at the Mega-level ghoul.
"How about it? Do you still want to come at me?"
"How is this possible... She actually evolved?" Deathmon muttered, his single giant eye twitching erratically. "Is it Ultimate level? Or is it... Mega level?!"
Staring intently at the Magnadramon standing amidst the rubble, Deathmon instinctively reached back to grab his signature scythe, only to grasp empty air. He remembered with a jolt of panic that the weapon had already been shattered to pieces during their previous exchange.
Cold sweat formed on his grotesque gray skin. This Gatomon had already achieved her Ultimate-level Angewomon form earlier. Now that she had triggered another digivolution, could she truly have reached the Mega level?
No! That was absolutely impossible!
The moment the terrifying thought surfaced, Deathmon violently rejected it. He didn't want to believe it. He didn't dare to believe it.
After all, even a terrifyingly powerful and ancient existence like Lord Myotismon had not yet managed to break through to that absolute peak realm. A mere little girl, a stray feline, reaching the Mega level before them? Preposterous!
That was right! Exactly! She had to be an Ultimate level!
Deathmon squinted at her. Looking at her relatively compact stature, she was currently occupying a physical space even shorter than her previous Angewomon form. That had to be the answer! She must have been utterly exhausted, unable to maintain the high energy demands of Angewomon, and thus forcibly shifted into this relatively weaker, condensed Ultimate-level state just to keep fighting!
Just as Deathmon finished constructing this comforting delusion in his head, Belle inexplicably felt a phantom vein throb on her forehead. She didn't know exactly what the ugly cyclops was thinking, but the sheer, dismissive disrespect radiating from his giant eye was deeply offensive.
Dropping her center of gravity, Belle struck a flawless combat stance. "Are you not coming over?"
Her voice dropped to a dangerous, echoing purr. "In that case, I am coming over."
The moment the final syllable left her lips, Belle's body erupted.
A blinding pillar of holy energy shattered the clouds above. With just a single, explosive push of her foot, the solid bedrock beneath her cracked inch by inch, spider-webbing outward in a massive crater.
Seeing the silver-masked girl rocketing toward him like a comet of pure light, Deathmon took a sharp breath, forcibly suppressing the primal terror screaming in his code.
"Do not look down on me, you arrogant brat! I am a veteran of countless slaughters! I will not be mocked by a newly evolved Ultimate!"
Deathmon roared, throwing off his tattered cloak to reveal the massive, cursed claws hidden beneath. He slashed his talons through the empty air, carving jagged, glowing purple magic circles into the fabric of space itself.
Thick, suffocating black mist violently surged from the portals, completely engulfing the battlefield.
"Trying the same boring trick again?"
Plunging straight into the blinding darkness, Belle didn't even slow down. She waved her hand with casual, almost insulting grace. As the heavy, cursed chains hidden within the dark mist shot toward her throat, she simply flicked them aside. Her hand shot out, her fingers clamping down like a vice around the thickest iron link.
The seemingly delicate, petite girl planted her feet. Her muscles coiled, and with a sharp exhale, she swung the massive chain violently through the air.
The sheer, unimaginable kinetic force behind her casual pull whipped up a localized hurricane! The resulting shockwave of holy pressure completely shredded the black mist, blowing the darkness away in a single, devastating sweep.
"If your power is only to this extent, I strongly advise you to just—eh?!"
Halfway through her taunt, Belle blinked. The space directly in front of her was completely empty. Deathmon, who had been screaming bloody murder just a second ago, was nowhere to be seen.
Frowning beneath her visor, she instantly expanded her holy perception, scanning the surrounding data signatures.
A faint, rapidly retreating dark signal pinged at the edge of her range.
Sure enough, the cowardly ghoul had already turned tail and fled!
"So that desperate, angry final stand was just a theatrical cover for his escape?" Belle muttered, her lips parting in a cold scoff. "Deathmon, you really are a cunning old rat."
But as for letting the enemy escape? Belle, having just ascended to the Mega level, naturally had no intention of letting him succeed. She hadn't even properly tested the upper limits of her new destructive output yet!
Leaning forward, she prepared to launch herself into the sky for a high-speed pursuit.
However, before her feet could leave the shattered earth, a warm, familiar hand gently wrapped around her wrist.
"Alright, Belle. Let him go."
"Mizuki?!"
Looking over her shoulder at the dark-haired boy who had silently materialized behind her, Belle's fierce aura instantly evaporated. After a brief moment of stunned silence, she completely dismissed the idea of chasing the fleeing demon.
Although she didn't know exactly what Mizuki was planning, her trust in him was absolute. When it came to his judgment, Belle was always one hundred percent obedient.
At that moment, a small pink blur zipped through the air, hovering right between them.
"Mizuki, you reckless little brat! Could it be you want to—"
"As expected of Teacher Piximon. Nothing gets past you." Meeting the small fairy's sharp, inquisitive gaze, Mizuki offered a sly, knowing blink. "That's exactly right. I want to use Deathmon as a homing beacon to find Myotismon's hidden castle."
He crossed his arms, looking out toward the horizon. "After all, the Server Continent is massively expansive. Searching blindly without knowing the opponent's exact coordinates would probably waste a tremendous amount of our time and effort."
"Since that is the case—" Piximon gripped her spear, preparing to offer her escort.
Mizuki immediately shook his head, raising a hand to stop her. "Teacher Piximon, I actually need you to stay behind here."
"Why?"
"Because someone still needs to intercept Taichi and the others and explain my current situation to them. If they arrive and find this place a warzone with us missing, they'll panic." Mizuki gestured to the surrounding forest, where the terrified native Digimon were slowly creeping out of hiding. "Besides, there are still so many innocent Digimon here whose homes were just destroyed. They need a protector."
Piximon floated in silence. Watching the calm, deeply serious maturity in the boy's dark eyes, she slowly lowered her spear. She pondered his logic for a long moment before letting out a resigned sigh.
"Fine, fine. I suppose I owe you one, Pi."
She flew a little closer, her tone shifting into that of a strict but caring mentor. "I promise you, I will help stabilize the situation here and keep everyone safe. But in exchange, you and this terrifying girl of yours must also be incredibly careful."
She pointed her spear tip at Mizuki's nose. "Do you understand? Even though that arrogant fool Myotismon can no longer pose much of a direct threat to your current combat power, Pi... you must never forget his despicable, underhanded nature. If there is even a single moment of negligence, it is still entirely possible to suffer a fatal loss, Pi."
Seeing the genuine, heavy concern etched on Piximon's face, Mizuki and Belle exchanged a warm glance. They turned back to the small fairy and nodded in unison.
"We understand perfectly."
"Thank you for everything you've done for us during this time, Teacher Piximon."
"Then, we will see you another day, Pi!" Mizuki and Belle chorused together, perfectly mimicking the fairy's verbal tic.
Before Piximon could scold them for the teasing, Belle smoothly scooped Mizuki up into her arms. With a powerful beat of holy energy, the two of them launched into the sky, streaking off toward the horizon in the exact direction Deathmon had fled.
"Pi! I told you brats not to mimic my speech, Pi!"
Watching their rapidly shrinking silhouettes disappear into the clouds, Piximon angrily waved her spear in the air. But as the sky grew quiet, the fierce scowl on her round face gradually melted away, replaced by a soft, deeply affectionate smile.
After a long while, she lowered her weapon and whispered to the wind.
"Two silly kids... I will be waiting right here for you to come back, Pi."
"So, you absolutely must return safe and sound, Pi..."
Meanwhile, far away beneath a perpetually sunless sky, the looming, gothic spires of Myotismon's castle pierced the gloom.
"Unknowingly, has more than an entire week already passed?"
Standing on one of the high stone balconies, BlackGatomon stared up at the suffocating, dim clouds. A rare trace of deep, melancholic sorrow flowed through her golden eyes.
Seeing her usually hyperactive companion acting so subdued, BlackAgumon, who was leaning against the stone parapet nearby, couldn't help but ask with genuine worry, "BlackGatomon, what is wrong with you?"
He scratched his dark, scaly head. "Are you feeling unwell? I suppose it makes sense. This past week has been a bit too strenuous on our data..."
After all, over the last seven days, in order to perfectly infiltrate Myotismon's core inner circle, BlackGatomon and BlackAgumon had worked themselves to the bone. Not only had they successfully brought in a massive horde of rogue Digimon to swear loyalty to Myotismon, but every single recruit was a hardened Champion-level powerhouse.
As for exactly what methods they used to 'convince' those violent thugs to join? It was better not to ask.
"No, it's not physical exhaustion. I am just thinking." BlackGatomon shook her head, dismissing his concern. Her voice took on a slow, philosophical tone. "I have been deeply reflecting on the events of exactly one week ago. Regarding the 'me' from a week ago, I was wondering... how old will I be a week from now?"
BlackAgumon stared at her. His jaw went completely slack.
Under his utterly stunned, uncomprehending gaze, BlackGatomon held the dramatic pause for a few seconds. Then, she turned her head and flashed him a brilliant, slightly unhinged smile.
"Don't worry, I am perfectly fine."
She hopped up onto the stone railing, her tail swishing with renewed vigor. "After all, I swore a sacred oath to all of you that we must accomplish massive, devastating things! We must achieve greatness for the glory of Lord Mizuki!"
She clenched her small black paws into fists. "Promises exist solely to be kept. And to keep my promise to His Lordship, I will push myself to the absolute limit. But, in order to make these grand schemes of ours interesting enough to be worthy of him, they must be incredibly cool..."
Saying this, BlackGatomon paused once again, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
After a moment, she shot BlackAgumon a wicked, thoroughly scandalous smirk.
"And sexy~"
BlackAgumon stared.
This time, the sheer, suffocating silence between the two dark Digimon lasted for a full ten minutes. The only sound was the howling wind blowing past the gothic spires.
After what felt like an eternity, BlackAgumon finally managed to squeeze a single, strained sentence out of his throat.
"I think... you really need to go lie down and take a rest now."
However, before BlackAgumon could even finish his sentence, BlackGatomon's philosophical, dramatic posture vanished. She suddenly stiffened, her ears twitching wildly. The way she violently bolted upright looked exactly like a dying patient miraculously leaping out of a hospital bed.
BlackAgumon flinched back.
Without waiting for him to ask what was wrong, BlackGatomon grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently, her eyes wide with absolute, fanatical ecstasy.
"It's His Lordship! I felt His Lordship's glorious aura!"
She spun around, inhaling deeply through her nose, a blush spreading across her dark fur. "Ah! So fragrant! So mellow! So perfectly divine!"
"No, I am officially diagnosing you. You are actually sick in the head." BlackAgumon sighed, helplessly reaching out to pat BlackGatomon's head to comfort her delusion. "How could His Lordship possibly appear in a miserable, isolated place like this?"
Smack!
"That kind of doubt only proves that you are not loyal enough to His Lordship!" BlackGatomon violently slapped BlackAgumon's claw away, glaring at him with intense annoyance.
She huffed, turning her nose up at him. "Forget it. I cannot be bothered to waste my breath explaining true devotion to a brainless, uncultured brute like you. I am going to go see what is going on!"
Leaving those words hanging in the air, BlackGatomon dropped to all fours and dashed off down the stone corridor, sprinting madly in the exact direction the faint aura was drifting from.
Watching her rapidly receding figure, BlackAgumon stood frozen, his rejected claw still hanging awkwardly in mid-air.
He let out a long, exhausted sigh. However, before he could even decide what to do next, a massive, explosive crash echoed from the courtyard below, followed by a chorus of deafening roars.
"Yo! Megadramon! I am back again!"
"Welcome back, Ogremon! Since you are here, then—"
"Let's fight!!!" the two massive Digimon roared in perfect unison.
"Pummel Whack!!!"
"Mega Flame!!!"
Boom!
Standing on the balcony, BlackAgumon slowly closed his eyes as the castle shook from the shockwaves of the explosion. Listening to the chaotic destruction echoing behind him, he did the math in his head.
If he remembered correctly, this was exactly the ninth time those two idiots had fought to the death today.
Did they seriously never get tired?
BlackAgumon slumped against the cold stone wall, feeling a wave of inexplicable, bone-deep exhaustion wash over his data.
It seems it isn't just BlackGatomon who needs a rest.
I think I might need a break too...
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