Chapter 140: The Urge to Stir Up Trouble Is Stirring Within Them
The cold wind swept across the desolate wasteland, carrying with it a hollow melody of deathly silence. Though it was the middle of the day, the sky bore down with an oppressive weight. Heavy, bruised clouds churned overhead like a pool of thick, indelible ink, suffocating every stray beam of light and smothering any lingering sense of hope.
Under normal circumstances, no Digimon would dare set foot in this cursed domain. Myotismon's fearsome reputation had long since festered into a primal terror, deeply lodged in the hearts of all who dwelled on the Server Continent.
Yet, today, this bleak environment welcomed two unexpected guests.
"We have arrived, Mizuki," a cute young girl announced, gently setting down the young man she had been carrying through the sky.
Mizuki stretched his stiff limbs, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at the gothic silhouette of the distant castle. The malice radiating from the structure was so dense it almost felt physical, reflecting darkly in his pupils. They had just come from the Desert Area, having finally tracked down this stronghold after their grueling victory over Deathmon.
"So this is Myotismon's Castle," Mizuki murmured.
"That Deathmon was truly cunning," Belle huffed from behind him. "Despite being severely injured, he kept up a ridiculous pace the entire time."
"Not just that. He deliberately took a massive, circuitous route just to throw off any potential pursuers."
Hearing the annoyance in her voice, Mizuki glanced over his shoulder, taking in Belle's deeply displeased expression. Her brow was furrowed, her lips set in a slight pout.
"If I was not absolutely certain he had not detected us, I would have sworn our cover was blown," she grumbled, kicking a loose stone across the cracked earth. It clattered noisily into the gloom. "Does that idiot not worry about bleeding out halfway there?"
"Alright, alright," Mizuki chuckled softly.
Compared to the cool, elegant, and dangerously mature aura of her BeelStarmon form, this current Magnadramon guise—manifesting as a vibrant, undeniably cute young girl—seemed to fit Belle's true personality much better. Amused by her pouting, Mizuki reached out and gently patted her head, ruffling her hair.
"Mizuki?" she blinked, looking up at him.
"Stop complaining, Little Belle," he said, his tone warm. "Even if Deathmon is not the absolute strongest out there, he is still an Ultimate-level Digimon who has managed to survive in this brutal world for years. If he did not possess that kind of paranoid alertness, he would have been deleted a long time ago."
"Mhm, I know," she hummed.
As Mizuki began to pull his hand away, Belle suddenly reached up, catching his wrist. She pressed his palm against her cheek, affectionately rubbing against it like a spoiled cat for a few seconds before finally letting go with a contented sigh.
"Little Belle?" Mizuki raised an eyebrow at the sudden display of affection.
"Just adjusting my mood," Belle chirped. She stretched her arms above her head, letting out a lazy, satisfied yawn. The blossoming, youthful beauty of her current form was on full display in the dreary wasteland, a stark contrast to the deathly surroundings.
Mizuki merely watched her with a gentle smile. There was no trace of improper thought in his gaze; his eyes held only a deep, unwavering, and doting affection for his partner from beginning to end.
"Alright, Mizuki energy fully replenished!" Belle declared, her previous annoyance vanishing entirely. She dropped into a loose combat stance, her eyes sparkling with eagerness. "So, what is the plan? Do we just smash the front gates and fight our way in?"
Mizuki could not help but laugh at her sheer enthusiasm. "If it were any other time, I probably would not stop you," he said gently, shaking his head. "But think about it for a second. Myotismon's castle does not just hold him and his mindless grunts right now."
Belle paused, lowering her fists as realization dawned on her face. "Wait, Mizuki, are you talking about..." She recalled the rogue group of Digimon who had spontaneously launched their own covert operation nearly a week ago. "LadyDevimon and her crew?"
"Exactly." Mizuki nodded, a mischievous, almost trollish glint flickering in his eyes. "Aren't you a little curious, Little Belle? I want to see exactly how far those kids have managed to get on their own."
Belle's lips curved into a wicked grin. The sheer urge to stir up trouble practically radiated from her expression, her eyes dancing with anticipation. "Now that you mention it, that does sound like a lot more fun."
"Right? Let's sneak in first and enjoy the show."
They exchanged a knowing look. Mizuki raised his hand and lightly snapped his fingers.
Instantly, a brilliant, data-rich light erupted from both of their bodies, illuminating the bleak wasteland. The digital glow swirled and compressed, rewriting their physical parameters in a matter of seconds. When the blinding radiance finally faded, the human youth and the humanoid Magnadramon were completely gone.
In their place stood two small, unassuming Digimon.
"Wow, Gatomon... it really has been a while since I have used this form," Belle mused, examining her white paws and the familiar Holy Ring on her tail. She wiggled her ears, trying to adjust to the sudden shift in perspective. But before she could fully settle in, she turned her head and jumped back in shock at the sight of her partner.
"Mizuki?! How did you turn into a Digimon?!"
"Aw, you recognized me immediately?" The small, golden-armored Digimon sighed, his voice carrying Mizuki's familiar dry amusement. "I was hoping to surprise you."
Belle, now a Gatomon, stared in disbelief at the creature before her. He was clad entirely in gleaming golden armor, a pristine white cloak fluttering softly behind him in the desolate wind. He gave a helpless little shrug before stretching his metallic limbs.
"This is Zubamon," Mizuki explained, inspecting his golden claws. "It is a Rookie-level form I managed to temporarily simulate by accessing and rewriting the data we gathered from the Holy Sword, Duramon."
To demonstrate, he casually swiped his hand through the air. A sharp, whistling sound tore through the wind, and three deep, jagged gouges instantly appeared in the solid rock beside them. The casual display of force was a stark contrast to the small, seemingly harmless body he now inhabited.
"This way, slipping past the guards will be a breeze," Mizuki said, nodding in satisfaction at his handiwork. He flexed his golden shoulders, finding the digital physiology surprisingly comfortable. "After all, a human wandering around out here is just a giant target."
"I suppose that makes sense..." Belle murmured. She began to slowly pace circles around him, her feline eyes narrowed in intense scrutiny.
Mizuki stood still for a moment, but as her circling continued, he started to feel slightly unnerved under her intense gaze. "Belle? Why are you staring at me like that? Is something wrong with the disguise?"
"No, not at all," she replied, stopping to poke his golden armor with a white paw. "I just think it is crazy how much you actually feel like a real Digimon right now. You know I am extremely sensitive to data fluctuations, but even I can hardly detect any human abnormalities in you. It is flawless." She grinned, her whiskers twitching. "With this, we definitely do not have to worry about blowing our cover."
Seeing her prepare to start circling him again, Mizuki let out a helpless sigh and reached out, gently pulling the Gatomon in front of him to stop her pacing.
"Alright, focus. Whatever mischief you want to cause, save it for after we have successfully infiltrated the castle," he instructed, his tone shifting into a more serious, strategic cadence. "Let's get our stories straight right now. I am Zubamon, a Rookie-level Digimon. You are Gatomon, a Champion-level."
Belle nodded, her ears perking up to listen.
"We are just two rogue Digimon wandering the Server Continent," Mizuki continued. "We heard rumors that Myotismon is currently recruiting new subordinates to expand his army, and we decided to offer our services in exchange for protection and greater strength. As for why a Champion-level like you is traveling with a lowly Rookie-level like me—"
BOOM!
A violent explosion suddenly shattered the deathly silence of the wasteland, cutting Mizuki off mid-sentence.
The ground trembled beneath their paws. Both Mizuki and Belle whipped their heads toward the source of the sound, their eyes locking onto the jagged silhouette of Myotismon's castle in the distance.
Through the swirling dust and oppressive gloom, two incredibly familiar figures burst into their line of sight, tearing across the barren landscape just outside the castle grounds.
"Wait, is that—" Belle raised an eyebrow, her feline jaw dropping slightly. "LadyDevimon and MetalGreymon Blue?!"
"Why in the world are those two fighting each other?" Mizuki muttered, genuine confusion breaking through his usually calm demeanor.
He squinted through the haze, tracking their erratic movements. A second later, he realized his initial assessment was entirely wrong. The massive, cybernetic dinosaur was not engaging the fallen angel in combat.
"Hold on," Mizuki corrected himself, his golden armor clinking as he leaned forward. "They are not fighting. MetalGreymon is running for his life. LadyDevimon is chasing him!"
Watching the bizarre, high-speed pursuit unfold before them, Belle's expression shifted into something incredibly subtle, a mix of utter bewilderment and deep amusement.
"Seriously..." she whispered, her tail flicking back and forth. "What on earth are those idiots up to?"
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