Tokyo, Japan, Kamishiro Enterprises headquarters.
This was the birthplace of EDEN's virtual technology, the central nexus of the entire EDEN cyberspace.
Beneath this vast corporate building lay an underground research facility, buried dozens of meters deep. Only those researchers with the highest clearances, along with Kamishiro's upper management, were authorized entry.
Gathered inside this massive subterranean laboratory were the finest virtual-reality specialists from Japan and around the world, all dedicated to advancing EDEN technology to new heights.
The project's leader—Suedo Akemi—served directly as the right-hand man to Kishibe Rie, a top executive at Kamishiro Enterprises. He stood at the very heart of the entire research initiative.
But today, this ordinarily somewhat eccentric man appeared exceptionally solemn—so much so that Kishibe Rie couldn't help but suspect he had been replaced by something unknown.
"Oh my, oh my~! Who could this serious gentleman be?☆"
Her voice rose playfully in exaggerated tones, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the lab. Suedo Akemi's unusually grave expression genuinely startled those present.
"Hehe."
With a peculiar glance upward, Suedo stared at Kishibe for a moment longer than necessary, his eyes unnervingly intense, before slowly speaking:
"I've just worked out a solution to one of the challenges in our Digital Wave control scheme."
He didn't particularly care whether Kishibe believed him or not. After all, their partnership was strictly superficial; Suedo knew she felt precisely the same.
"Oh-ho~? Truly our great genius never disappoints?☆"
Her words were ambiguous—praise or ridicule?
Kishibe's exaggerated inflection emphasized something subtly hidden, making Suedo's brows furrow involuntarily.
"Digital Waves have always served as energy currents transmitting digital information," Suedo explained. "Identifying key nodes to generate and manipulate Digital Waves isn't particularly challenging. What's difficult is blurring the boundary between the physical and digital realms—achieving genuine manifestation into reality. In other words, achieving true 'Digitalization.'"
At this point, Suedo sighed meaningfully.
"If we succeed at 'Digitalization,' perhaps we could genuinely take hold of humanity's evolutionary trajectory."
Now it was Kishibe's turn to fix Suedo with a piercing, unsettling stare.
"What a wonderful idea?!☆"
After an uncomfortable pause, as though suddenly remembering something amusing, she burst into laughter again.
"I'll eagerly await that day, Suedo-chan~★!"
Before her words fully faded, Kishibe turned elegantly on her heel, departing from the laboratory. Her bewitching figure drew lingering gazes from every researcher present.
"Heh. Eagerly awaiting that day, hmm?"
Suedo murmured quietly, eyes still on her departing silhouette, revealing a meaningful, enigmatic smile.
"That day may arrive sooner than you expect."
The "seed" he had planted within the EDEN network had finally begun to sprout—that artificially-created Eater, moving according to some predetermined design. Perhaps from it, he could find the breakthrough he desperately sought.
What surprised Suedo slightly, however, was the target the artificial Eater had chosen—it was currently invading the Digimon Black Market.
Did you also realize this, Kishibe, and that's why you came here to test me?
He thoughtfully gazed toward the lab's exit, suspicions about the origins of the Digimon Black Market intensifying within his mind.
If it's you, then it truly makes sense that you'd create such a place.
...
Digimon Black Market, one of the smaller trade hubs.
Chen Ze had returned to his iconic hacker get-up—black coat, black pants, and black sunglasses—his beloved "Matrix" ensemble, strolling leisurely through this virtual-reality marketplace.
As for Piddomon?
He had resumed his guise as a youthful hacker, walking ahead of Chen Ze, leading them slowly toward the market's core area.
Of their trio, only Renamon chose not to disguise herself, openly trailing behind Chen Ze in her Digimon form, curiously examining everything around her.
Fortunately, unlike the earlier Dark Web market they'd visited, everyone who entered this Digimon Black Market was unquestionably a top-tier hacker accompanied by their Digimon.
Thus, while Renamon's openly curious gaze drew some mild interest, most nearby hackers merely glanced briefly and then moved on without further attention.
After all, among the countless hackers in this world, there would always be eccentric ones who disliked keeping their Digimon hidden away inside "Digimon Capture" programs.
In fact, according to big-data statistics, such hackers were not only plentiful but arguably represented the mainstream of Japan's hacker community.
Only here, within the specialized confines of the Digimon Black Market, did these hackers somewhat restrain themselves, choosing not to openly flaunt their Digimon.
Not because of rules or regulations—but because everyone here was powerful. Who could tell when someone might covet your Digimon and attempt to snatch it away through force or cunning?
Such scenarios were not uncommon. Many hackers lacking real strength despite having strong Digimon lost them in precisely this way.
Therefore, openly displaying one's Digimon in the Black Market generally meant one of two things: either you were an inexperienced newbie, or a formidable expert—and the odds heavily favored the latter.
Especially for an intelligent, humanoid Digimon like Renamon, always considered a highly desirable "commodity."
In other words, even though the hackers here saw Renamon's potential clearly, without fully understanding Chen Ze and his young hacker companion's strength, they chose caution—waiting silently for someone else to be the guinea pig.
"They seem to be deliberately avoiding us," Renamon remarked quietly.
Although unfamiliar with the unspoken rules of the Digimon Black Market, she could still sense the caution and wariness directed toward their group.
"Well, at least they've got sharp eyes," the young hacker leading them commented with a faint, mocking smile.
"A pity that they're all cowards at heart. They're doomed to forever hide away in this shadowy black market."
He offered no further explanation to Chen Ze or Renamon as they moved forward, eventually reaching the very center of this trading hub.
"It's been a while, Kei."