Chapter 38: The Unspoken Rule of Battle: Announce Your Attacks!
"Mizuki, you—"
"Hm? Is something wrong?" Hearing Aegiochusmon's startled cry, Mizuki turned his head, his calm gaze meeting the Digimon's wide, surprised eyes.
"If you're worried about Ogremon, don't be. He's fine," Mizuki said, gesturing vaguely toward the unconscious brute. "He should wake up after a while. After all, he's a tough one."
"No, no, that's not what I was asking!" Aegiochusmon waved a hand dismissively, trotting over on its goat-like legs to stand directly before Mizuki. "What I mean is, your strength… could it be that you've already reached the Ultimate Level? Just like LadyDevimon?"
"No."
"No."
The dual denials came out in perfect unison from Mizuki and LadyDevimon just as Aegiochusmon finished speaking. They subconsciously exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them.
"You go first, LadyDevimon," Mizuki prompted with a nod.
LadyDevimon paused for a fraction of a second before turning to Aegiochusmon, her voice ringing with unshakable confidence. "Mizu is much stronger than me!"
"Eh?! Stronger than her?"
Aegiochusmon was completely floored. It had to admit, Mizuki's power had far exceeded its wildest expectations. But to say he was even stronger than LadyDevimon… that was just…
As the goat-like Digimon's stunned gaze shifted back to Mizuki, the boy chimed in with a gentle smile.
"That's not true. LadyDevimon is the stronger one."
"Mizu…" LadyDevimon's voice was soft, a hint of protest in her tone.
"There, there. Be good." Mizuki reached out and gently patted her sharp, metallic claw.
Watching the scene unfold—Mizuki's placating gesture and LadyDevimon's oddly wronged expression—Aegiochusmon silently reeled, trying to process the dizzying conversation. One thing was clear: Mizuki's strength had, without a doubt, reached the Ultimate Level. Even if he wasn't stronger than LadyDevimon, he was certainly powerful enough to take down some of the weaker Ultimates on his own.
Just as Aegiochusmon was wrapping its head around this new reality, Taichi, having finally recovered from his own shock, jogged over to Mizuki.
"I mean, Mizuki, you're seriously amazing!" he exclaimed, his face beaming. "It's only been a few days, and you can already beat Ogremon!"
Taichi's praise was genuine, his voice free of any envy—just pure, unadulterated joy for his friend's newfound strength.
'There's something genuinely comforting about being around someone so open and full of light,' Mizuki thought, a warm feeling spreading through his chest. He didn't forget to respond, "Don't just talk about me, Taichi. You're not so bad yourself."
He gave Taichi an appraising look. "Judging by your aura, you should be able to hold your own against a Rookie, maybe even a weaker Champion, right?"
"Even so, I can't compare to you!" Taichi laughed, relieved to see that Mizuki hadn't changed a bit despite his incredible power. He felt relaxed enough to clap a hand on Mizuki's shoulder. "An Ultimate Level… hehe, I bet no one would ever expect a kid to have that kind of power."
"I just got here a bit earlier than you all and had a head start, that's it." Mizuki gave the overeager Taichi a helpless, rolling glance. "If anything, you're the amazing one, managing to get this far in just two or three days."
"Taichi has been working very hard these past few days," Koushiro added, walking over with Kari. They stopped in front of the two boys, Koushiro adjusting his glasses. "He's pushed himself to the point of collapse several times, all to become as strong as you."
"Eh hehe," Taichi scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed. "I was just trying to get strong enough to protect everyone, you know?"
He didn't seem to think he'd done anything wrong, but a steady, knowing look from his little sister made him quickly change his tune. "Kari, I haven't pushed myself like that since last time, I promise!" he declared, holding up his hands. "And you can't push yourself either, understand?"
Kari said nothing, simply giving him a look that clearly communicated, 'It's fine as long as you know your limits, Big Brother.'
At this point, the rest of the children and their Digimon partners gradually drew closer. They weren't as familiar with Mizuki as Taichi's group, and it was only after seeing that the dynamic hadn't changed that they felt comfortable enough to approach.
Mizuki didn't pay it much mind. It was natural for power to inspire a certain amount of fear or hesitation in others. He would befriend those who were open to it and wouldn't force a connection with those who weren't. His decision to help these children stemmed less from a nostalgic fondness for the anime of his past life and more from an innate kindness he couldn't suppress.
However, that kindness didn't mean he would blindly coddle them.
With that thought, Mizuki's gaze swept over the assembled group before finally landing back on Taichi, who was now enthusiastically recounting the events of the past few days.
Watching the boy's cheerful, energetic demeanor, Mizuki let a faint smile touch his lips. "Speaking of which, Taichi."
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to become stronger?"
"Is that even a question? Of course I do!" Taichi nodded without a moment's hesitation. "After everything that's happened, I get it now. This world isn't safe. The Village of Beginnings is great, but we can't stay here forever if we want to find our way home."
His expression grew serious, his eyes shining with a brilliant light. "Whether it's to protect my friends and my family, or to have the chance to repay you for your help someday, Mizuki… becoming stronger is the only way!"
The sincerity in his voice was absolute, his emotions raw and pure. Looking at the boy who radiated warmth like a small sun, Mizuki couldn't help but sigh internally. 'That's Taichi for you.'
"Since that's the case," Mizuki said, his voice carrying over the quiet clearing, "let me give you, and everyone else, a little hint."
"—About how to become stronger."
"Eh? Are you sure? Won't it be too much trouble?" A few of the children looked interested, but Taichi's expression was one of confusion. He hadn't befriended Mizuki to gain some advantage or learn a secret to power. He simply felt Mizuki was a friend worth having. That was all. So, when Mizuki offered to guide them, his first reaction wasn't joy, but concern.
"Taichi is right," Koushiro agreed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Mizuki-san, you've already helped us so much, and we have nothing we can offer in return…"
"Hey, what are you two saying?" Mizuki interrupted, putting on a mock-offended look. "Aren't we friends? Are you looking down on me by saying things like that?"
"Ah… I… I didn't mean that—" The shy Koushiro had never been in a situation like this. Flustered by Mizuki's words, he could only shoot a pleading look at Taichi.
After a moment's thought, Taichi made a decision. "Alright, Koushiro. Since Mizuki put it that way, let's accept his kindness. But in return, we have to remember all of this. We have to remember everything he's done for us."
"Mhm!" Koushiro nodded vigorously. Even if Taichi hadn't said it, he had already engraved Mizuki's help deep in his heart.
"Alright, alright, look how serious you all are. It's no big deal." Mizuki looked at the children with a helpless smile, then waved his hand, his expression quickly turning serious.
"After living in this world for a few days, I'm sure you've all noticed, haven't you?" he began. "Aside from accumulating data, your emotional state—your feelings—can directly boost the strength of both yourselves and your partners."
Seeing Mizuki's solemn tone, the children exchanged glances. Thinking back, they realized it was true. Whether it was Agumon's evolution or the visible surge in power during Taichi's training, it was all tied to his conviction.
Mizuki's voice cut through their thoughts again. "A large part of the reason you were brought to this world is because, as children, your minds are still untainted by society. You retain one, or even multiple, pure qualities. And these qualities, when fueled by conviction, emotion, and other factors, can draw out an incredible force."
He paused for effect, raising a fist. "This power, you can call it… your Digi-Soul."
As the words left his lips, a torrent of raw, crackling data materialized around his clenched fist.
'Digi-Soul…'
Staring at the energy surging around Mizuki's hand, Taichi and the others felt as if a thick fog obscuring their path to power had suddenly lifted.
The next second, a brilliant light, as dazzling as the sun itself, erupted from Taichi's own fist.
"This is… my power!?" he gasped, looking at his glowing hand in astonishment.
Mizuki nodded to himself, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. The concept of the Digi-Soul was from a later season of the anime he'd never actually watched, but based on his analysis of the world's underlying principles, it made perfect sense. The children from the first season—especially Yagami Taichi—were more than capable of achieving it. Ultimately, all of this power originated from the human heart, an idealistic concept that was greatly amplified within the Digital World.
The reason the original DigiDestined never manifested it was likely a combination of incomplete early world-building and the influence of the world's administrator. But this wasn't the anime, and there was no screenwriter pulling the strings. As for that administrator… since It had chosen him, Mizuki figured he had the right to do things his own way.
Following Taichi's breakthrough, the other children began to manifest their own Digi-Souls. However, perhaps due to their mindsets or other factors, their power was nowhere near as strong as his. The light emanating from Mimi and Takeru, in particular, was the faintest of all.
Mizuki wasn't surprised. It wasn't that he looked down on them, but Mimi, as the bearer of the Crest of Purity, needed to undergo more trials and growth before her mindset would truly shift. The same applied to Takeru, who was still just a young child. That very innocence, the source of their pure hearts, was also the greatest hurdle to their growth.
'And why can Kari match Taichi?'Mizuki mused.'One look at the maturity she sometimes shows, a wisdom far beyond her years, and you have your answer.'
After a brief internal reflection, Mizuki seemed to remember something and snapped his fingers.
"Oh, right!"
"The power of the mind, emotional qualities… I know these things might sound abstract and hard to grasp right away," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "But, there is a way to make it easier to understand, a way to help it along."
"Hmm? What is it?" Taichi asked, his curiosity piqued.
"That would be—"
Under everyone's expectant gaze, the corner of Mizuki's mouth slowly curved into a delighted, mischievous smile.
"When you're fighting, shout out the name of your attack as loud as you can! ☆"
"Shout out the name of the attack?"
The children exchanged puzzled looks. Finally, as always, Taichi raised his hand.
"Um, Mizuki… wouldn't that be a little… embarrassing?" he asked tentatively. "I'm not doubting you, of course, I just feel like doing that is a bit…" He rubbed his hands together, searching for the right word. "A little too… chuunibyou?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Mizuki clicked his tongue, completely understanding their reaction. As they were from Japan, the so-called 'land of chuunibyou,' it wasn't surprising they knew the term. But—
"Do you remember what I said?" he asked, his voice regaining its serious edge. "The power of the mind, the mental energy we humans possess, is our greatest weapon in this world."
He gestured toward LadyDevimon, who stood silently beside him. "LadyDevimon, humor me for a moment. Let's show them just how cool—er, ahem, how much shouting an attack name can stir the mind and awaken your emotions!"
"..."
LadyDevimon remained silent, looking at Mizuki's impassioned performance. She had a strong suspicion that he was just indulging his mischievous side again, but as his partner, she still gave a slight nod, indicating she was ready.
"Alright then!"
Under the children's gazes—which ranged from curious to skeptical to expectant—Mizuki gripped his parasol with both hands, holding it horizontally before him like a sheathed sword.
"Seal Thirteen—Decision Start!"
As his vigorous words echoed through the clearing, LadyDevimon responded in a deep, resonant voice: "—Acknowledged!"
"LadyDevimon, LadyDevimon, LadyDevimon—"
Mizuki began to chant, reciting his partner's name over and over, his tone incredibly firm and full of power. With every repetition, the parasol in his hand pulsed with a flash of brilliant light, leaving the children completely dumbfounded.
Taichi muttered under his breath, "So, why is it all 'LadyDevimon'?"
Mizuki ignored him, his voice rising to a crescendo. "This is the battle to save the world!" he declared. As his final word fell, the parasol in his hand was consumed by holy light, transforming in a blinding flash into a beautifully crafted, gleaming longsword.
Taichi: "Eh?"
Koushiro: "The parasol turned into—"
The children: "A sword?!"
Kari watched, her eyes wide but silent.
Under their collective shocked stare, Mizuki raised the longsword high and slashed it fiercely toward an open patch of ground!
"Ex—calibur!"
A cataclysmic wave of power surged forth from the blade. The moment it struck, the level ground erupted. Shards of rock screamed through the air as a massive cloud of dust and debris was blasted high into the sky by the sheer, overwhelming force.
Mizuki, the cause of all this destruction, simply let the holy sword dissolve back into its parasol form with the casual air of someone setting down a teacup. He then turned to the stunned, speechless children and flashed a smug, triumphant smile.
"Hmm? How about that? Have you now witnessed the power of shouting out an attack name during battle?"
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