Chapter 51: A Heart Yearning for Stability
Nearly a week had passed since the decisive battle with Devimon.
Despite their victory, neither Mizuki nor Tai was in any hurry to venture forth to the Server Continent. The experience had left them with much to consider.
For Tai, the memory of Devimon achieving his Ultimate evolution was a stark and terrifying lesson. It had forced him to confront his own shortcomings with brutal clarity. If a mere boss on the "beginner" island of File was that monstrously strong, what horrors awaited them across the sea?
He desperately wanted to go home, to see his family again. But a colder fear now eclipsed that desire: the fear that he would be unable to protect his precious little sister, Kari, and the friends who depended on him.
And so, he had made a decision. Before they took another step forward, he and Agumon needed to become stronger. Much stronger.
Mizuki, on the other hand, faced the opposite problem. In his eyes, his partner Belle's growth had been far too rapid, too explosive.
When the shadow of Devimon loomed over them, that breakneck pace of evolution had been a necessary evil. But with the immediate threat vanquished, Mizuki had to think about the long-term consequences. He had to consider the most fundamental factor determining a Digimon's true power: its Data Volume.
There was a saying in the Digital World: a Digimon's inherent authority determines the upper limit of its potential, but its Data Volume determines the lower limit of its combat power.
Undeniably, Belle's current state as Belphemon was overwhelmingly powerful. Boosted by her Data Overwrite ability, her strength far exceeded that of most ordinary Ultimate Level Digimon. And that wasn't even accounting for her "Final Mode," a bug-like authority so potent it could likely place her at the very pinnacle of the Digital World's hierarchy.
However, even she had a critical vulnerability. Because of her rapid, successive evolutions in such a short time, her foundational Data Volume was inferior to that of ancient powerhouses like the Royal Knights or the Seven Great Demon Lords.
To put it in simpler terms, her maximum mana pool was insufficient.
Data Overwrite and the Factory Code she could access provided a continuous, regenerating supply of data, but they didn't increase the maximum size of the tank itself. It was like having an infinite spring feeding a tiny cup.
Perhaps Final Mode could ensure Belle remained undefeated in the battles to come, but Mizuki knew that eliminating even a single potential weakness was always the right choice.
Thus, driven by their respective needs, Mizuki and Tai had reached a quiet consensus.
"Want to spar?" Tai had asked, a determined glint in his eyes.
"You read my mind," Mizuki had replied.
And so, in a quiet forest clearing not far from the Village of Beginnings, the two boys and their partners stood facing each other.
"Mizuki, sorry to keep you waiting," Tai called out, his face brimming with a newfound confidence. His eyes shone with fiery resolve. "Let me show you just how much Agumon and I have grown this past week."
"Interesting," Mizuki murmured, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he felt Tai's surging fighting spirit. He gave a small nod to the formidable figure standing beside him. "Belle, switch forms. This is a perfect chance to solidify your foundations. Don't waste it."
"I understand, Mizu," she replied, her voice a low hum of power. Even without his instruction, she would have done the same.
A brilliant flash of light consumed her. The heroic, trench-coated figure of Belphemon vanished, and in her place stood an angel. With eight radiant wings fanned out behind her, she radiated a sacred, inviolable aura that seemed to purify the very air around her.
Belphemon Data Switch—Angewomon.
"I won't bully you, Agumon," Angewomon declared, her voice now softer but no less firm. "I'll fight you using only the strength of an Ultimate."
"It wouldn't matter even if you didn't!" Agumon shot back, stepping forward boldly. The aura emanating from his small, reptilian body was surprisingly potent, refusing to be cowed by the presence of a fully evolved Ultimate. "With Tai by my side, I have nothing to fear!"
"Alright, let's begin—" Tai started, reaching for the Digivice at his hip.
But just as he was about to trigger Agumon's evolution, Mizuki's eyes flickered towards the treeline. He quickly raised a hand, stopping Tai in his tracks.
"Hold on a minute, Tai."
"Huh? What's wrong?" Tai asked, confused. He and the two Digimon turned to follow Mizuki's gaze.
Mizuki raised a hand and pointed just behind his friend. "Looks like you brought a cute little shadow with you."
"?"
Before Tai could process the words, a familiar figure slowly peeked out from behind a thick tree trunk, her expression a mixture of surprise and guilt.
It was Kari.
"So, this is what Big Brother and Brother Mizuki have been secretly doing all this time?" she asked. Her lower lip was pushed out in a slight pout, her face clouded with a faint, unmistakable sense of grievance.
Seeing that expression, Tai immediately panicked. He scrambled over to her side, his hands flapping nervously. "Uh, Kari! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to keep it from you, I swear!"
"It's okay. I understand what Big Brother is thinking," she said.
Seeing Tai's flustered, guilty state, the hurt on Kari's face melted away, replaced by a soft, gentle laugh. The usual calm and serene gentleness returned to her features. "Ultimate Level Digimon are too strong. I understand why you feel so much pressure, Big Brother."
She looked up at him, her eyes clear and sincere. "So, I won't try to stop you from working hard. But in return, please don't hide things from me anymore, okay? After all," she added with a small smile, "my strength might come in handy if you overexert yourself."
"Kari..." Tai breathed, his heart melting at her quiet understanding. If he weren't so worried about embarrassing himself, he would have pulled her into a hug right then and there.
He took a deep breath, composing himself. When he looked back at Mizuki, the fire of battle had been reignited in his eyes, now burning brighter than ever.
"Alright! In that case, Kari, you watch closely!" he declared, puffing out his chest. "You're about to see how Agumon and I beat the stuffing out of Mizuki! Hehe."
Having exchanged similar banter many times over the past few days, Mizuki simply raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Feeling bold today, are we?"
"You know it!" Tai shot back with a grin. "I'm feeling super bold!"
"Then let's see if your strength has grown as much as your ego."
"Just you wait! Prepare to be amazed!"
Just as the two were about to fall back into their usual bickering, Kari, who had been watching with a fond smile, suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right," she piped up gently. "I wasn't the only one who followed you."
"Huh?!" Tai yelped.
"The Phantomon are here, too," she explained calmly. "They were worried about me." She tilted her head. "And not just them. Koushiro and Tentomon are here. And Sister Mimi and Palmon—"
One by one, as if reading from a menu, Kari listed off all the shadows that had been trailing them.
The next second, the forest erupted. Heads poked out from behind trees and bushes, followed by a wave of surprised gasps and awkward exclamations.
"Joe-senpai, what are you doing here?!"
"Mimi? Why were you following me?"
"Big Brother?! You're here too?"
"..."
"Don't look at me like that! I was just worried about you... I wasn't stalking!"
"Me too— Wait, Biyomon, don't call me Mom!"
"What do you mean 'stalking'? We, the Three Phantomon Brothers, are here to provide righteous protection for Lady Kari!" came a synchronized cry from three identical specters.
The previously quiet clearing suddenly exploded with the noisy chatter of children and Digimon.
Observing the lively, chaotic scene, both Tai and Mizuki wore identical, subtle expressions of dumbfounded disbelief.
"Seriously, what is everyone doing here?" Tai groaned, burying his face in his hands.
"...Mizu," Angewomon's voice sounded quietly from beside him. "Are we still fighting?"
Mizuki pondered her question for a long moment, his gaze sweeping over the happy, bickering crowd of their friends. A helpless laugh escaped his lips.
"Let's... see how things go."
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