Chapter 149: BlackGatomon's Boundless Kindness
Night had fallen over the Server Continent, but the darkness offered no peace. Amidst the crumbling ruins of a once-grand castle, a fierce battle raged.
Dust and debris plumed into the moonlit sky. Facing a desperate, crazed barrage of attacks, LadyDevimon—having recently achieved her Ultimate level digivolution—moved with terrifying grace. She wove through the heavy, destructive strikes with the elegance of a dancer, her slender figure a blur of black leather and dark energy. With every fluid dodge, she swung her manifested blade of dark energy, carving deep, sizzling wounds into her massive opponent's flesh.
"You foolish, bloated tyrant," LadyDevimon sneered, her voice dripping with icy contempt. "Have you even bothered to listen to the cries of your own subordinates?"
She sidestepped a clumsy, devastating stomp.
"They poured their hearts out, working tirelessly all this time just to wake you from your pathetic slumber. And how do you repay them? You don't just dismiss their loyalty—you slaughter them!"
Her crimson eyes narrowed, flashing with dangerous light. "A brute like you doesn't deserve to be called a King!"
Finally slipping past a desperate, lunging pounce, LadyDevimon spread her tattered black wings. The dark plumage caught the wind, propelling her high into the air until she hovered directly above her opponent's head.
She looked down at the colossal Ultimate level Digimon thrashing in the ruins below.
The next second, boundless dark energy erupted from her form. It cascaded downward like a tidal wave of pure, suffocating malice, completely engulfing the massive beast.
"Darkness Wave!"
"Gerooo—!"
A shrill, miserable croak tore through the night. Swallowed whole by the corrosive dark energy, the giant Digimon thrashed wildly for a few agonizing seconds before its breath hitched, its massive body finally collapsing into the rubble with a deafening crash.
Silence reclaimed the battlefield.
Hovering in the air, LadyDevimon watched the unmoving form for a long moment. Once she confirmed her opponent had completely lost consciousness, she folded her wings and descended. The moment her boots touched the scorched earth, the oppressive dark aura receded, and her tall, imposing figure shrank down, reverting to her familiar BlackGatomon form.
From the shadows of the surrounding ruins, dozens of trembling figures began to emerge. These were the Digimon who had been desperately shielded by the other BlackGatomon clones during the chaos.
Hearing the timid shuffling of feet behind her, BlackGatomon turned her head, her bright eyes softening.
"It is just you guys," she said, her voice warm and melodic. "Gekomon. Otamamon. Are you all okay?"
The gathered amphibians stared at the small, gentle-faced feline in front of them. They exchanged bewildered glances, their wide eyes blinking in disbelief. It was entirely impossible to associate this soft, polite little creature with the ferocious, terrifying LadyDevimon who had just decimated their ruler.
Still, their shock did not override their survival instincts—or their gratitude.
"We are fine, gero!"
"Thank you so much for protecting us, gero!"
BlackGatomon offered a sweet, reassuring smile. "There is no need to thank me."
It had to be said—when it came to public relations, BlackGatomon possessed flawless poise. She waved her small paw dismissively at the bowing Gekomon and Otamamon, before turning her gaze back to the unconscious giant in the crater.
"I am sorry, though," she murmured, her ears drooping slightly in feigned regret. "I had to take out your King."
The defeated Ultimate level Digimon was ShogunGekomon.
True to his title, this massive amphibian was the undisputed King of the Gekomon and Otamamon tribes. As for why BlackGatomon had suddenly declared war on a local monarch, the answer lay in her true occupation.
While she ostensibly operated under the banner of the vampire lord Myotismon, BlackGatomon's true loyalty lay elsewhere. Her actual mission on the Server Continent was to scout, evaluate, and recruit suitable subordinates for Mizuki.
Whether it was the little Cake Digimon who had previously fled to the Desert Area, or the current tribe of musical amphibians, they all fell within BlackGatomon's targeting sights. These Digimon might not boast overwhelming combat power, but without exception, they possessed unique, specialized talents. That utility was exactly what caught her eye.
However, recruiting this particular tribe had not been simple. When BlackGatomon first approached the Gekomon and Otamamon with an offer of sanctuary, they had not agreed right away. Instead, they tearfully explained the crisis paralyzing their tribe: their King had fallen into a deep, seemingly eternal slumber.
Legend had it that ShogunGekomon had once lost a high-stakes music competition to a rival Digimon. Overcome by extreme sorrow and bruised pride, he retreated into a comatose state. The only way to wake him, the tribal elders claimed, was with a truly beautiful singing voice.
For years, the Gekomon tribe had exhausted themselves, holding endless concerts and singing until their throats bled, desperately trying to rouse their King. Unfortunately, their croaking voices never quite met the tyrant's lofty standards.
Upon hearing this tragic tale, BlackGatomon had immediately patted her chest and confidently declared she had a solution.
And she delivered. Relying on a secret audio recording of Mizuki singing during a rowdy banquet—a vocal performance filled with far more emotion than actual technique—BlackGatomon played the track. Miraculously, the sheer auditory impact of Mizuki's voice successfully shocked the colossal Ultimate level Digimon awake.
But the joyous reunion the tribe expected never came.
Instead of a new beginning, they were met with a disaster. ShogunGekomon, an incredibly self-centered and volatile ruler, did not just ignore the years of effort his subjects had poured into his revival. He woke up in a foul mood and immediately began attacking them.
If BlackGatomon had not been there to intervene, the entire tribe would have likely been sent packing back to the Village of Beginnings as Digi-Eggs.
Every time they thought about the sheer unfairness of it all, the Gekomon and Otamamon felt a deep, burning resentment toward their ancestors. Their predecessors had left behind strict instructions to awaken ShogunGekomon, but conveniently forgot to mention what an absolute tyrant the guy was!
If they had known ShogunGekomon was such a brutal dictator, they would have gladly let him sleep until the end of the Digital World!
Hearing BlackGatomon's gentle apology, the amphibians frantically shook their heads, their jowls flapping.
"It is fine, it is completely fine, gero!"
"BlackGatomon does not need to apologize at all, gero! It is better to let a brutal King like that sleep forever!"
"Our ancestors really set us up. They did not warn us he was such a monster."
"If we had known, we would not have worked so hard, gero, gero~"
Listening to the chaotic, grateful babble of the Gekomon and Otamamon, the corners of BlackGatomon's mouth twitched, threatening to curl into a very un-saintly smirk.
'Not yet,'she scolded herself internally.'It is not time to laugh yet! Hold it together!'
Maintaining a mask of deep pity and gentleness, BlackGatomon sighed softly. She looked at the gathered crowd with deeply sympathetic eyes. "Actually... I believe there is a reason why your predecessors did what they did."
"Gero?" The amphibians blinked, tilting their heads in unison.
Under their confused gazes, BlackGatomon cleared her throat and spoke in a slow, melancholic tone. "Do not forget, the world we live in has never been a gentle place. Especially here on the Server Continent. This land... it eats the weak."
She paused, letting the heavy words sink in. "Although I might offend you by saying this, your combat strength on the Server Continent is... well, it is far too fragile."
She cast a mournful glance toward the unconscious giant. "ShogunGekomon may be a tyrant, but he is still an Ultimate level Digimon. With him here, his mere presence ensured the continuation of your tribe."
"..."
A heavy silence fell over the crowd. The Gekomon and Otamamon subconsciously looked at one another.
Now that she mentioned it... it was true. Their tribe lived far more comfortably than the Digimon in neighboring regions. They had been so entirely focused on their music and their King's revival that they had not noticed the obvious.
How else could a massive group of weak Champion and Rookie level Digimon occupy such a grand, sprawling castle for so long without being slaughtered by invaders?
It was entirely thanks to the terrifying deterrent power of an Ultimate level Digimon sleeping in their basement.
Realizing this, the resentment in their eyes as they looked at the unconscious ShogunGekomon faded slightly, replaced by a complicated mix of fear and reluctant understanding.
However, understanding the past did not change the present. It was a factual reality that they absolutely refused to continue serving under such a maniac.
Slowly, as if guided by an invisible string, every single pair of amphibian eyes turned back to BlackGatomon.
They clearly remembered the battle that had just concluded. BlackGatomon's true form was also a tremendously powerful Ultimate level Digimon. And compared to ShogunGekomon's brutal, abusive nature, BlackGatomon's personality was a literal ray of sunshine!
She had just risked her life to protect a bunch of weaklings who were good for nothing but singing. Her kindness was practically boundless!
Not to mention, her LadyDevimon form was incredibly beautiful!
When laid out like that, it was not even a choice.
An elder Gekomon stepped forward, wringing his webbed hands nervously. "Um... BlackGatomon?"
BlackGatomon tilted her head, her large eyes blinking innocently. "...Hmm?"
"What you mentioned to us before the battle... does that offer still stand?"
'It is coming~!''It is finally coming~!'Looking at the amphibians' eyes—swimming with a desperate mix of expectation and nervousness—BlackGatomon was throwing a massive victory parade inside her head.'But—hold it! Still cannot laugh!'
She took a slow breath, preparing to deliver her final, gracious acceptance speech. She opened her mouth—
"NATURALLY EVIL DARKNESS DIGIMON!"
A passionate, thunderous lion's roar suddenly shattered the quiet night, echoing from the dense treeline bordering the ruins.
Immediately after, a tall, muscular figure leapt from the shadows, landing heavily between BlackGatomon and the terrified amphibians. He drew a massive sword from his waist, pointing the gleaming tip directly at her.
"You truly cannot change your vile nature of harming the innocent!" the newcomer bellowed, his mane flaring with righteous fury. "I, Leomon, will punish you!"
BlackGatomon: "..."
She stared blankly at the fiercely posing lion.
'Are you kidding me, buddy?'
Looking at the overflowing righteousness radiating from Leomon, BlackGatomon's head was currently filled with nothing but massive, pulsing question marks.
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