Myotismon had clearly identified Zero as his biggest threat. Since Zero refused cooperation and couldn't be manipulated, death was naturally the only outcome left.
Therefore, immediately after leaving the Southern Wasteland, Zero looked up to find over a dozen Devidramon circling overhead.
As Virus-type dragon Digimon, their appearance resembled Devimon. Frequently serving as minions and chauffeurs for various bosses, they were reliable fighters in their own right, regularly seen within the Dark Army.
Belonging to the same Dramon lineage, Zero naturally felt no fear toward these distant relatives. His evolution line ranked among the strongest dragon-types—this level of opponent posed no threat at all.
Yet just as Zero was preparing to fight, a figure suddenly leapt from the shadows, soaring upward and greeting the leading Devidramon with a fierce punch.
Unable to dodge in time, the foremost Devidramon took a direct blow to the forehead, shrieked, and flew backward from the impact.
The figure who'd struck the blow flipped gracefully through the air, landing lightly and elegantly…
…It was a small feline-like Digimon, covered in pure white fur, its paws wrapped in golden gloves.
Zero immediately recognized her at a glance…
…A Vaccine-type, Holy Beast Digimon at the Champion stage.
And at the same time, one of the partners of the original eight Chosen Children—the one who joined later in the story, forming one half of the original angel duo…
…Gatomon~
Having driven back the leading Devidramon, Gatomon lifted her head and spoke lightly.
"So, still wanna fight?"
The dozen Devidramon hesitated, freezing momentarily at her voice. After tens of seconds in a tense standoff, the Devidramon actually retreated—intimidated by Gatomon alone.
"Heh, what a bunch of rabble~"
Having dispatched the Devidramon, Gatomon turned elegantly toward Zero's group, bowing courteously.
"How is everyone? Are you alright?"
Before Zero could even speak, Hikari's eyes were already sparkling excitedly.
"This Digimon's so cute! And so strong! Hey, hey, what's your name? I'm Hikari Yagami, nice to meet you!"
Zero felt caught between laughter and tears. Destiny truly was destiny—love at first sight looked exactly like this.
Hikari's enthusiasm far exceeded expectations, to the point that Gatomon herself seemed slightly uncomfortable.
"Uh, I… my name's Gatomon… I'm, um, traveling to fight against the Dark Army... that's…"
Perhaps the sheer force of Hikari's enthusiasm was too overwhelming, leaving Gatomon stammering slightly.
Normally, such a reaction would've been impossible. Gatomon knew herself—trained professionally, she excelled whether coldly dispatching targets or charming others into lowering their guard…
…The former honed through her days surviving amidst the Dark Army, the latter purely an advantage bestowed by birth.
It couldn't be helped: being cute meant absolute freedom—cuteness was justice!
Yet even with such formidable advantages, this time she inexplicably felt intimidated.
Zero and Taichi weren't the issue; in Gatomon's eyes, they were no different from past opponents—she could handle them calmly enough.
But somehow, the moment her gaze first met Hikari's, she felt her DigiCore shake uncontrollably.
An inexplicable feeling filled her with restlessness…
Unlike her first encounter with Zero, Hikari didn't immediately jump into a warm embrace—after all, Koromon was a familiar companion from her memories, while Gatomon was a new acquaintance.
So, Hikari just watched Gatomon quietly—but for some unknown reason, merely meeting Hikari's sparkling eyes and radiant smile made Gatomon tremble.
Observing this scene, Zero had already grasped ninety percent of the situation—after all, he'd read the script.
Gatomon's reaction was proof of her identity. Although theoretically there wasn't just one Gatomon in the Digital World, the one reacting this strongly to Hikari should only be this particular one.
And that particular Gatomon should currently be Myotismon's subordinate.
In other words, the earlier scene—and Gatomon's appearance here—made her objective crystal clear.
Well now, trying to pull the double-agent undercover routine on me?
Admittedly, Myotismon's plan wasn't bad—Gatomon's attributes were highly deceptive; she could easily infiltrate their ranks as an ally and then backstab them.
…But who the hell expects the Dark Army to send a Vaccine-type Holy Digimon undercover! Are you kidding me?
If he hadn't known the plot in advance, Zero might indeed have been caught off guard…
…But knowing the script, aside from wanting to laugh, Zero found himself slightly sympathetic toward Myotismon.
His plan itself was actually solid. Coming up with such a cunning scheme of infiltration proved he was a villain with brains.
Unfortunately, he was screwed by the script. What could one say about that?
Maybe offer him a consolation cartwheel~
As for such obvious free giveaways, Zero's personal attitude was naturally… good stuff—got any more?
If every opponent delivered their weakness to him, how much easier would things be?
Nearby, Hikari and Gatomon were already chatting enthusiastically. It appeared Hikari had absolutely zero suspicion toward Gatomon, and even Taichi didn't seem as wary as when he first met Zero.
This led Zero to quietly sigh inwardly…
…Damn, being cute really was a privilege.
Probably Taichi was also deceived by Gatomon's harmless appearance, believing such an adorable little creature couldn't possibly pose any danger. Zero knew from the script that she was here undercover, but had no intention of exposing her.
If it had been anyone else, that'd be different—but Gatomon? Zero welcomed her with open arms.
A compromised undercover agent was incredibly easy to control; handled well, she could even become a reverse trap for Myotismon. Besides, Gatomon didn't even need special tactics to manipulate.
Zero even suspected that if he did nothing, Gatomon would end up surrendering herself after prolonged interaction with Hikari… one glance sealing a lifelong fate~
In the original story, just one distant glance at Hikari had nearly caused Gatomon to fall from the rafters. Now they were face-to-face—there was no doubt she'd surrender soon enough.
"I see. Since you're also fighting the Dark Army, then we're comrades. It's perfect—we're the same."
Zero approached Gatomon openly, as if completely unaware she was a spy sent by Myotismon. His tone was perfectly natural.
"We just arrived here and are looking for like-minded companions. Are you traveling alone? Would you like to come with us?"
Gatomon hadn't expected Zero would invite her along so readily. She'd prepared many elaborate excuses to gradually win their trust, but before she'd said a word, Zero proactively invited her.
What the heck? Isn't this guy too defenseless around strangers? Myotismon-sama specifically warned me about this supposedly troublesome opponent…
While repeatedly thinking "That's it?", she effortlessly put on a flawlessly adorable smile—enough to instantly KO an entire group of tough guys.
"Is that so? Alright, I was looking for companions too. I've also heard about you… The Greymon from File Island whose strength even Myotismon fears. Surely you'll be a reliable partner~"
Clearly, it was flattering praise meant to boost Zero's ego. But praise was praise—Zero accepted it calmly. Neither Taichi nor Hikari voiced objections.
Thus, the three-person squad welcomed its newest member.
With Gatomon on board, Zero generously revealed their next plans—naturally hiding his true intention of collecting DigiChrome, simply stating… their goal was to raid Etemon's lair.
"That guy's a real pain. It'll be troublesome if he interferes again when we face Myotismon. Better to deal with him early and eliminate one Dark Army threat on Server Continent."
Zero's reasoning sounded completely logical. Dealing with easy targets first was sensible, and Etemon had proven himself an annoyance to both Myotismon and Zero before.
Night gradually fell. The four companions, having traveled all day, gathered around a campfire as Zero outlined their next moves. Gatomon pretended casual indifference while carefully memorizing the plan.
Dealing with that troublesome Etemon first, huh? Seems logical enough. Might as well tag along for now.
As darkness settled in, Taichi and Hikari yawned sleepily.
"Go rest if you're tired. It's getting late~"
The siblings happily complied, trusting Zero's protection, quickly falling asleep.
Zero and Gatomon sat by the fire, keeping watch through the night…
Halfway through the night, footsteps rustled faintly in the distance. Zero stood quietly from the fire.
"…I'll go check that out. I'll leave things here to you, Gatomon~"
Gatomon was momentarily startled, then immediately smiled.
"Mm, no problem~"
Watching Zero vanish into the dark, leaving only Taichi and Hikari sleeping nearby, Gatomon was astonished.
"…An opportunity this easy?"
She approached quietly, claws raised—but as she gazed at Hikari's sleeping face, her paw froze midair.
"What's wrong with me…?"
Suddenly, Hikari opened her eyes drowsily.
"Gatomon?"
"!"
Their eyes met—and Gatomon froze completely, unable to move an inch…
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T/N: heiahieiaehiaheihaie