Chapter 146: Is Belle's Possessiveness Resurfacing?
Lost... completely lost.
No, to be precise, there was no such thing as victory or defeat in this situation.
Because from the very beginning, she had already failed... hadn't she?
Belle knelt on the digital terrain, her usually vibrant face drained of color. Her shoulders slumped forward, and her eyes stared blankly at the ground, looking for all the world as if her very soul had been siphoned away.
Seeing his partner in such a desolate state, Mizuki let out a quiet, helpless sigh. He closed the distance between them, his footsteps soft against the earth, and crouched down by her side.
"Belle, actually, there is no need to be so depressed about this." His voice was gentle, carrying a warm cadence meant to soothe her frayed nerves. "After all, lacking a clear goal is not a big deal. If we didn't have one before, can't we just think of one right now?"
"Mizu..."
At the sound of his voice, the small, fuzzy ears atop Belle's head twitched. A faint spark of light returned to her previously hollow eyes.
She blinked, processing his words, and then her head snapped up. "You are right!"
The melancholy vanished as quickly as it had arrived. "We just need to find a goal right now!"
"Mm-hmm." Seeing the familiar, energetic spark return to her demeanor, Mizuki offered an approving nod. "So, what kind of goal should we set?"
Belle sprang up from the ground, her previous lethargy entirely forgotten. She spun in a cheerful circle, her movements light and bouncy.
"BlackGatomon and the others have made it their goal to take down Myotismon. How about we make that our goal too?" she asked, her eyes shining with anticipation.
Mizuki rested a hand on his chin, considering the pondering Digimon before him. He opened his mouth to offer a supporting suggestion, but Belle, who usually followed his lead without question, suddenly shook her head.
"Actually, I don't think that is a very good idea." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Although I really want to agree with your suggestion, Mizu... after all, I am already a Mega-level Digimon."
She puffed out her chest slightly. "Setting the exact same goal as them... wouldn't that feel like a giant bully picking on the little guys?"
Mizuki stared at her in deadpan silence.
'If I remember correctly,'he thought, fighting the urge to twitch his eye,'the actual little one here should be you, Belle.'
He swallowed the retort, opting instead to offer a conceding shrug. "That is true."
Having dismissed her own idea, Belle turned her wide, expectant gaze back to him. "Mizu, with your vast knowledge of the Digital World, do you know of any enemies that could serve as a proper goal? Someone who actually matches my current strength?"
"As for that..."
Mizuki raised an eyebrow. Unbidden, the imposing, shadowy silhouettes of four terrifying figures flashed through his mind. A chill brushed against his consciousness at the thought of their overwhelming power.
He quickly dismissed the idea, scratching his cheek with a slightly awkward expression. "If the information I have is not wrong, there really do not seem to be many enemies active right now who can go toe-to-toe with you, Belle."
The moment the words left his mouth, Belle's small face visibly deflated. Her shoulders slumped once more, and her ears drooped flat against her head.
She had worked so hard to become powerful. In any normal situation, reaching the pinnacle of Mega-level strength would be a cause for massive celebration. Yet right now, standing at the top only felt strangely isolating and depressing.
"This is really..."
Seeing her wilt like an unwatered flower for the second time in ten minutes, Mizuki rubbed the back of his neck. He stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on her head.
"Actually, Belle, you do not need to limit the conditions so strictly," he said softly, ruffling her hair. "It is true that you have become a Mega-level Digimon, but no one ever made a rule saying that you must use Mega-level power to take down Myotismon."
"...Mizu, what do you mean?"
Belle tilted her head up, peering at him through wide, watery eyes.
Meeting that pitiful, adorable gaze, Mizuki laid out his logic. "You said it yourself just a moment ago. BlackGatomon and the others are at the Ultimate level, and Myotismon is also at the Ultimate level."
He offered a sly smile. "In that case, why don't you just restrict yourself to using Ultimate-level strength as well?"
He paused, letting the idea simmer before adding a teasing lilt to his voice. "Of course, if you want to give yourself a bit more of a challenge, you could drop down another tier entirely. Down to the Champion level—"
"It is decided!"
Before Mizuki could even finish his sentence, Belle let out a sharp, excited exclamation.
"It is decided! I am going to use Champion-level power to blow Myotismon completely away!"
"Really?" Mizuki blinked, caught off guard by her sudden, high-spirited declaration. "Even though I was the one who suggested it, are you absolutely sure you do not want to reconsider?"
He crossed his arms, adopting a slightly more serious tone. "As an established powerhouse at the Ultimate level, Myotismon is among the absolute top-tier Ultimate-level Digimon in this world. Fighting him as a Champion is no small handicap."
Despite his warnings, Belle shook her head. Her expression was entirely resolute. "I have made my decision. After all..."
A sudden, unmistakable glint of craftiness flashed through Belle's eyes. The corners of her mouth curled upward into a sly grin.
"I still have you by my side, Mizu."
"I..." Mizuki froze. He stared at her playful, calculating expression for a long second before the realization finally clicked into place.
The tension drained from his shoulders, replaced by a deep, helpless sort of doting. He shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.
"You... So you have been planning this all along, haven't you, Belle?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Belle raised her head proudly, her fuzzy ears twitching in rapid, cheerful succession.
"After all, I have suppressed my strength all the way down to the Champion level. So, with your help, Mizu, it won't count as a big bully picking on the little guys, nor will it count as cheating, right?"
She beamed at him, entirely pleased with her own flawless logic.
Deep down, Belle probably did not even realize it herself, but the reason she was so utterly obsessed with this ethereal concept of victory and defeat was rooted in a much deeper desire. To some extent, it all stemmed from her intense urge to have Mizuki entirely to herself.
This underlying possessiveness had reared its head quite frequently back on File Island. However, because she had been constantly by Mizuki's side, and due to her naturally gentle personality, those intense feelings had been gradually smoothed over and suppressed.
But being suppressed did not mean the feelings had completely vanished.
In other words, all that possessiveness needed was the right catalyst to bubble back to the surface.
"..."
Looking at Belle's bright, expectant face, Mizuki's original intention to tease her a bit more melted away completely.
Seeing the unspoken agreement in his eyes, Belle let out a high-pitched cheer. Without a second of hesitation, she launched herself directly at him.
Catching the incoming projectile, Mizuki quickly willed his body to shift. The metallic sheen of his Zubamon form dissolved in a flash of data, reverting him back to his original human state just in time to catch her solid weight against his chest.
"Belle, be careful." He stumbled back a half-step to absorb the impact, wrapping his arms around her. "In my Zubamon form, I have quite a few sharp blades covering my body. It would not be good if you accidentally cut yourself—"
"Hehe! I know, but I believe Mizu will always protect me!"
Burying her face into his chest, Belle rubbed against him, acting entirely spoiled. As she nuzzled his shirt, a brilliant, blinding light erupted from her body.
The data around them swirled into a localized vortex. In the blink of an eye, the radiant glow of digivolution washed over the clearing. The light shattered into a shower of digital feathers, revealing her new form.
She had completed her digivolution into Angewomon.
"A human body really is so much more convenient."
Having finished the transformation, Belle leaned in close, her breath ghosting across Mizuki's skin as she pressed her soft curves against him.
"Is it Angewomon this time?"
While expertly handling Belle's aggressive nuzzling offensive, Mizuki curiously observed her current appearance. The striking contrast of her pale skin, the elegant holy armor, and the angelic wings spreading behind her was a sight to behold.
In response to his question, Belle leaned up, pressing a light, affectionate peck against his cheek. She pulled back just enough to let out a burst of melodic, cheerful laughter.
"What? Does Mizu not like it?"
"That is not it."
Mizuki shook his head. He inhaled the faint, unique scent of ozone and sweet incense—the signature holy aura of an Angel-type Digimon—and answered truthfully. "I am just purely a bit curious. After all, you usually prefer your BeelStarmon form, Belle."
"Hehe, actually, Sister Mimi taught me this."
At the mention of a certain pink-hatted girl's name, a hint of thoughtful curiosity appeared on Belle's otherwise innocent face.
"She told me that to truly capture a man's heart, maintaining a sense of freshness is absolutely essential." Belle nodded to herself, looking entirely serious. "Although I do not quite understand what Sister Mimi meant by those exact words, I feel like they really do make a lot of sense."
Mizuki: "..."
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