Chapter 43: The Party's Not Over, It's Just Getting Started!
"Your little adventure ends here, DigiDestined."
NeoDevimon's voice, a low and chilling growl, echoed across the battered landscape. Having reclaimed his Ultimate Level form, his grip tightened around Tai Kamiya's small frame, threatening to crush the boy's bones to dust.
"I hold no personal grudge against you children," he continued, his tone laced with a cold, predatory amusement. "But to deal with that wretched LadyDevimon, your power will serve as a most welcome sacrifice."
What gave NeoDevimon pause, however, was that after a brief, frantic struggle, Tai's body went limp in his grasp. The demon lord could sense the boy was still conscious, but all resistance had ceased.
'Has his spirit shattered so easily?' The thought brought a cruel smile to NeoDevimon's lips. He suddenly felt there was no need to rush. A broken hero was far more entertaining than a dead one. If this was the most talented of the children, perhaps his despair could be put to use.
An idea, wicked and sharp, formed in his mind. NeoDevimon's six crimson eyes swiveled to focus on the boy.
"Your name is Tai Kamiya, isn't it?"
"...Mm." A faint, broken sound.
"Do you want to live?"
"...Yes."
"In that case," NeoDevimon purred, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "why not do a little something for me, hmm?"
"I promise you, as long as you are willing to land a single, secret blow on that brat, Mizuki, when he shows his face... I will let you and all your little friends live. What do you say?"
Tai's lips moved, but only a faint, inaudible murmur escaped. Annoyed, NeoDevimon lifted the boy, bringing him level with his monstrous face.
"Speak up. Give me your answer."
"M-my... answer... is—"
Tai gasped, sucking in a ragged breath as he stared into the demon's eyes. In an instant, the vacant fear in his expression was consumed by a defiant, burning ember!
"I'd never agree to a single word you say, Devimon!"
Before the stunned NeoDevimon could react, Tai, with a guttural roar, slammed his fist directly into the demon's mask.
"What!?"
Reeling from the unexpected burst of strength, NeoDevimon was caught off guard as Tai's second punch was already flying toward him. With a snarl of fury, the demon flung the boy away!
"Damn you, you little brat!"
"Ugh..."
Though his body slammed hard against the unforgiving ground, a look of triumph, not pain, was etched on Tai's face.
"NeoDevimon... you may be an Ultimate, but—" he coughed, pushing himself up on one elbow, "—everyone's attacks... they actually worked, didn't they!"
Crack!
As if to punctuate his words, a sharp, crisp sound echoed in the tense silence. A faint, hairline fracture had appeared on the surface of NeoDevimon's mask.
It was a tiny flaw, almost insignificant, but it was enough to reignite the flames of hope that had been swallowed by darkness.
"NeoDevimon," Tai taunted, a grin spreading across his face, "is there a problem with the quality of your mask?"
"You—!"
At that moment, Greymon forced his massive body to its feet, a low groan rumbling in his chest as he slowly moved to stand beside his partner.
"Greymon... can you still fight?"
"...Mm!" Greymon inhaled deeply, then let out a passionate, defiant roar.
"Alright then," Tai's gaze hardened as he pushed himself into a fighting stance. "Let's show him what we've got, one more time!"
"Every last one of you is so infuriating—"
NeoDevimon's clawed hand traced the crack on his mask. After confirming it wasn't a critical weakness, a raging fury ignited in his eyes. His gaze fell upon the shining Digivice clipped to Tai's belt, and a dark premonition coiled in his gut.
"Why can't you just close your eyes and obediently let me guide your souls to heaven?" he hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "Leomon! Ogremon!"
At their master's command, Leomon and Ogremon, who had been brutalizing Gatomon and Garurumon, immediately changed their targets, charging toward Tai and Greymon.
Simultaneously, NeoDevimon lunged, his own demonic claws outstretched!
"[Guilty Claw!]"
"But since you insist," NeoDevimon roared, "all I can do now is guide you all to hell!"
"The one going to hell is you, NeoDevimon!"
Facing a three-pronged assault, Tai showed no fear. The fire of his fighting spirit burned brighter than ever!
A smooth, familiar voice cut through the air. "He's got that right. The only one going to hell today is you."
Suddenly, the sharp crack of several gunshots split the sky.
Before Tai could even process the sound, a figure clad in black blurred into existence, a whirlwind of deadly grace. A spinning axe kick sent NeoDevimon's claws arcing harmlessly away as a storm of bullets erupted from twin pistols, peppering the demon's armored form.
"You are—"
Tai stared, momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar blonde woman who had appeared from nowhere. Just as he was about to ask who she was, that same familiar voice spoke again, this time from right behind him.
"Tai, getting distracted in the middle of a battle isn't a good habit, you know."
"Right! Leomon and Ogremon!"
Prompted by the voice, Tai whipped his head around, bracing for the sight of the two corrupted Digimon bearing down on him.
But the ferocious attack he expected never came. Instead, Leomon and Ogremon were sprawled out on the ground a short distance away, looking as if they'd been hit by a truck.
Noticing Tai's stare, a young man casually picked up the small satchel he had just used to knock Ogremon unconscious and gave him a wave.
"Yo, Tai."
Mizuki smirked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You're not looking so hot, you know. Is this some kind of performance art? 'The Despairing Hero'?"
"It's not art!" Tai shot back, a wave of helpless exasperation washing over him. But as he took in the sight of his friend, the immense weight on his shoulders finally lifted.
He hadn't been afraid to fight NeoDevimon, but that didn't mean he was confident of victory. Now that Mizuki was here, he could finally breathe.
"Mizuki, you're late," Tai said, a teasing grin replacing his weariness. "But judging by the situation, you got here just in time to catch the end of the party."
Mizuki raised an eyebrow, a matching smirk playing on his lips as he walked over to stand by Tai's side.
"I have to correct you on two points," he said, his gaze flicking toward NeoDevimon, whose expression was a mask of shock and disbelief.
"First, it's not 'I.'It's'we.'"
"And second—"
Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted from Tai's Digivice. A pair of immense, draconic wings burst from Greymon's back.
As Tai watched in astonishment, Greymon's body began to grow, to change, data spiraling around him as he was rewritten into a brand new, more powerful form!
"—the party's not over," Mizuki declared, his voice ringing with absolute conviction. "It's just getting started!"
Greymon—Ultimate Digivolve to...
MetalGreymon!
Staring up at the colossal cyborg-dinosaur looming behind him, Tai's face was a picture of pure shock and elation. Mizuki, however, let out a quiet, internal sigh.
'He can reach Ultimate without a Crest? No... this must be the true, innate power of the DigiDestined.'
His thoughts turning back to the present, Mizuki met the gaze of his own partner, who now stood between them and NeoDevimon.
"Are you ready?" he asked softly. "Let's end this feud with Devimon, once and for all."
The wind whipped across the battlefield, lifting a strand of beautiful blonde hair. Hearing Mizuki's words, his partner didn't reply. Her eyes remained fixed on their enemy, her resolve hardening into unbreakable steel.
Just as Mizuki had said, her mind was made up.
For him. For Mizuki.
This time, she would absolutely finish this opponent.
Nyaromon... Salamon... BlackGatomon... LadyDevimon... Looking back on the long road she had traveled, always with Mizuki by her side, she had finally, truly crossed the threshold. She had mastered the power known as the Ultimate Level.
Her black trench coat billowed in the wind, a stark contrast to her flowing blonde hair. Her tall, powerful figure was like a dark rose, blooming in the heart of the battlefield.
Her name was... Ultimate Level—
Belphemon!
[Translator Note: The raw text names this new Ultimate form "Belphemon" and describes her as a blonde woman with guns. In official Digimon lore, Belphemon is a Mega-level Demon Lord Digimon with a monstrous beast form (Rage Mode) and a cloaked form (Sleep Mode), neither of which match the description. This appears to be a custom interpretation or a potential error in the source material. We have preserved the name as written in the raw text.]
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