Chapter 6: If You Don't Want To, It's Okay to Run
"Why... why does everyone have to fight?"
The small, trembling question hung in the frigid air. Hearing Nyaromon's murmur, Elecmon's brow furrowed.
He didn't offer the stern lecture she might have expected. Instead, after a moment of heavy silence, his voice was low and gravelly.
"Fighting is an inescapable part of life." He watched the unfolding scene, his gaze distant. "Some fight to plunder. Some fight to survive. And some... some fight to protect."
As Elecmon spoke, Nyaromon's gaze was drawn back to the boy standing between them and the looming darkness.
—
'Did it work?'Mizuki took a sharp, steadying breath, his eyes fixed on the dazed Devimon. The demon hadn't moved, and more, Mizuki himself felt no new pain.'It worked, but not completely.'Just as he'd suspected, this new body wasn't just healthy; it held a spark of something more, some kind of special power.'Is this... a Digi-Soul?' he wondered, the term surfacing from a deep well of forgotten memories. That was a concept from Digimon Data Squad, wasn't it? A shame he'd never really watched much beyond the first season.
Shaking off the stray thought, Mizuki settled back into a fighting stance, his focus sharpening on Devimon once more. He didn't know how or why he'd been brought to this world, but he had been given a second chance—a life free from the sterile white walls and the constant hum of machines. In return, it only felt right to do something for this world that had given him so much.
The only regret, perhaps, was that he might not get to properly enjoy this life he'd fought so hard to have.
A faint, helpless smile touched his lips for a fleeting moment before his expression hardened into one of pure resolve. Though his frame was slender, the boy facing down the monstrous Devimon now seemed to embody the very essence of a hero from some ancient tale. The howling wind whipped around him, but his unyielding will felt like a tangible force, a vibrant scarf of courage fluttering defiantly against the encroaching darkness.
Nyaromon watched, her entire being imprinted with the image. Her small body still trembled uncontrollably, a primal fear warring with a powerful, burgeoning emotion. Driven by that new feeling, she scrambled forward, a desperate cry on her lips as she rushed toward the attacking Devimon.
Elecmon moved to stop her, his protective instincts flaring, but froze when he saw it—a soft, warm light beginning to bloom from Nyaromon's tiny form. He lowered his paw, his eyes wide with disbelief and a dawning hope.
'A DigiDestined?'
If you truly are one of those legendary beings, he prayed with all his heart, then please... bring a miracle to that child!
In that instant, the world seemed to grind to a halt.
Elecmon's desperate, silent plea.
Devimon's malicious, descending Death Claw.
Mizuki's firm, unyielding gaze.
Nyaromon's reckless, desperate charge.
Everything converged.
And the miraculous radiance enveloping Nyaromon, as if answering the call to end the conflict, swelled into an impassioned melody of power!
"Nyaromon—Evolve!"
Wrapped in an incredibly dazzling light, her body began to shift and grow. Just as Devimon's claw was about to tear into Mizuki, the evolution completed, and a new form unleashed its power!
Salamon!
"Puppy Howling!"
A wave of holy power gathered in her mouth. Amplified by the raw energy of her evolution, Salamon's super-high-pitched cry slammed into Devimon's arm, forcefully shoving the attack aside.
Seizing the momentary opening, Mizuki lunged forward, driving his fist into Devimon's chest and knocking the demon back another step.
The brief victory was costly. As soon as the attack was over, Salamon collapsed, her new form trembling with exhaustion. She had successfully repelled Devimon, but there was no joy in her expression, only a deep weariness.
"I've really had enough of this..." she whimpered, her voice cracking. "Fighting... I really—"
"Tsk. Well done, little one," Devimon sneered, his voice a low growl. "In that case, I can't possibly let you live!"
Mizuki's strength was growing, but it was still a far cry from what was needed to truly harm a Champion-level Digimon like Devimon. Recovering his balance, the demon decisively shifted his target. He raised his claw again, channeling his dark energy into a single, lethal strike aimed directly at the exhausted Salamon.
This time, the Death Claw contained all of his malice and power. He was determined to extinguish this Holy-type Digimon, this fledgling miracle with its infinite potential, in one decisive blow.
The terrifying pressure of Devimon's abyss-like aura washed over Salamon, paralyzing her. She could only watch, wide-eyed, as the claw of absolute darkness descended upon her.
At that critical juncture, Mizuki moved again. He threw himself in front of her without a second's hesitation, taking the full force of the attack across his back. The sickening sound of tearing flesh filled the air, and several deep gashes were carved into his back.
The sharp, coppery scent of blood filled Salamon's senses. Her body shook violently, and she began to murmur, her voice a broken whisper.
"I've had enough... I've really had enough..."
"Why... why am I a Holy-type Digimon?"
"Why do all the bad things have to happen to me...?"
"I—"
"If you don't want to, then run away."
"?!"
Mizuki's quiet words cut through her spiraling despair. Salamon stopped trembling, her large, innocent eyes staring blankly at the boy shielding her.
At the same time, Devimon lunged to press his advantage, but was intercepted by a bolt of lightning. Elecmon, charging at full speed, slammed into the demon.
"Kid, take Salamon and run! Now!"
This time, Elecmon was holding nothing back. Pushing his own data to the brink of collapse, he unleashed an attack that finally seemed to have some effect, staggering Devimon.
Mizuki seized the opportunity, scooping up the stunned Salamon and putting distance between them and the battle.
"Why..." she whispered, her gaze fixed on him.
Elecmon and Mizuki... they had both protected her, again and again. Especially this boy, who had just said something so unbelievable to her.
Under Salamon's questioning stare, Mizuki gently placed her down in a spot far from the immediate fighting.
"Salamon, take this chance and run," he said, his voice strained but steady. "Elecmon and I will buy you time."
"Don't even think about it!" Devimon roared, swatting Elecmon aside. "Death Claw!"
"That's my line!" Elecmon retorted, firing another desperate attack. "Flashing Thunder Strike!"
"Mizuki... why..." Salamon asked again, her voice small and lost.
Reflected in her wide, tear-filled eyes was Mizuki's gentle smile.
"Because you saved me," he said simply. "Now it's my turn to save you. For you... and for this miracle that allowed my life to continue."
With those words, he turned and charged back toward Devimon.
Elecmon was now caught firmly in the demon's grasp. If he delayed any longer—
"Devimon! Your opponent is me!"
"Tsk... you troublesome brat!"
Seeing Mizuki rushing back, Devimon clicked his tongue in annoyance and, to Mizuki's surprise, tossed the still-breathing Elecmon toward him.
Catching the injured Digimon, Mizuki held him carefully. He was confused as to why Devimon would spare Elecmon, but there was no time to ponder it. He had to set the question aside for now.
"..."
As Mizuki and Devimon clashed once more, Salamon watched the boy's back, her heart in turmoil.
Images from their short time together flashed through her mind.
His smile.
His words.
His gentleness.
They had known each other for less than a day, but Mizuki already occupied a special, irreplaceable place in her heart. He was the first person to ever thank her. The first person to ever seem to understand her.
The person who told her, 'It's okay to run away'...
But now, as she thought about him dying for her, a feeling she had never experienced before surged through her. It was a fierce, protective fire that momentarily burned away her deep-seated aversion to fighting.
'No,'she thought, a new resolve hardening within her.'I absolutely will not accept this!'
As the thought solidified, the light symbolizing evolution once again bloomed from her body, brighter and more intense than before.
"It's going to evolve again?"
Devimon, currently locked in combat with Mizuki, noticed the surge of light. It was precisely this momentary distraction that allowed Mizuki to land a solid, resounding punch squarely on his face.
The attack connected!
But Mizuki felt no joy, only a deep, sinking sense of dread.
Ignoring the demon he had just sent staggering away, he spun around and sprinted toward Salamon. It all clicked into place. The reason Devimon hadn't killed Elecmon wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he couldn't. The reason he'd been knocked back by a mere human punch...
He had become weaker. Or rather, he had distributed his power, leaving only an empty data shell behind as a facade.
And his true target was, without a doubt, Salamon!
In that horrifying instant, Mizuki understood Devimon's entire scheme.
But he was still a step too late.
Just as Salamon was about to complete her second evolution, the real Devimon materialized from the shadows directly behind her.
"The brighter the light shines," the demon whispered, his voice a venomous hiss right beside her, "the deeper the darkness becomes."
"Little one, I hope you understand this principle next time."
"Damn it!" Mizuki screamed. "Salamon—!"
"—!"
Just as Salamon's entire body was consumed by the blinding light of evolution, Devimon's true Death Claw reached out, plunging into the radiant energy.
It seemed Devimon intended to stop her evolution by force.
But would he succeed?
The answer was no.
Dazzling streams of light passed right through Devimon's claw, unimpeded. It was clear that Salamon's evolution was now an irreversible process.
Yet, for some reason, Devimon showed no anger at his apparent failure.
Instead, a sinister, triumphant smile stretched across his lips.
"If I can't stop your evolution," he purred, his dark energy pouring from his claw into the very heart of the light, "then I might as well give you a little... push!"
"—!"
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