"What exactly is this?"
Koushiro stared at his screen in confusion. Yesterday, he'd received an IP address from the mysterious user called Wizard, with explicit instructions to log on today at noon. He had done exactly as instructed, and now found himself watching a live video feed, displaying an explosive battle unfolding within cyberspace.
The fierce battlefield, filled with bullets and explosions, was far more gripping than any CG movie he'd ever seen. Even through the screen, Koushiro swore he could almost smell the acrid scent of gunpowder and smoke.
But what does any of this have to do with the DM organization? What am I even looking at? Is it some special-effects film or an in-game cutscene?
Yet neither explanation seemed right. Everything appeared to be happening in real-time, alive and vividly real!
This was clearly beyond Koushiro's comprehension, but what really drew his attention were several figures darting through the chaos.
Though the metal army's firepower was incredible, the true star of the battlefield was undoubtedly that humanoid figure, no taller than two meters. He moved like a superhero straight from the movies, facing off against terrifying killing machines with impossible power.
Charging fearlessly into enemy ranks behind a shield, he tore straight through nuclear-blast mushroom clouds without hesitation, before unleashing a breathtaking Terra Force that obliterated the most troublesome Tankdramon on the spot.
Watching the Tankdramon dissolve helplessly beneath that blazing, sun-like sphere, Koushiro gulped involuntarily.
Amazing!
Though he didn't have a clear concept of their strength, the mere sight was enough to convey their overwhelming power beyond words.
Inevitably, his gaze shifted toward the Yagami siblings…
Because no matter how hard he tried, there was no mistaking them. He knew Taichi and Hikari far too well.
"Is that… Taichi?"
The battle was swiftly nearing its end. Thanks to Zero's decisive actions, the Dark Army's combined forces had been wiped out completely. Amidst the wreckage, Zero reverted to his Agumon form, waving cheerfully back at the siblings behind him.
"Taichi, Hikari, it's done~!"
"Mm, good job, Zero! You too, Gatomon and Hajime~"
Hearing the familiar names, Koushiro's last doubts vanished instantly—it really was Taichi and Hikari. But why on earth were they here?
Then, Koushiro suddenly recalled something Taichi had mentioned yesterday in an email.
These past two weeks? Well, I guess you could call it an incredible adventure.
Battling digital monsters and going on an unbelievable journey through an impossible world…
Initially, Koushiro thought Taichi had been describing a video game. But now…
…Could all this actually be real?
Then, he remembered Wizard's earlier words. What did this scene have to do with the DM organization?
Could it be that the terrifying monsters Taichi and Hikari fought were what they called "DM"?
Digimon… Digital Monsters!
The video feed abruptly closed, replaced almost immediately by an email notification. The sender was still Wizard…
Inside was another address, but this time the signature included another unfamiliar name…
…Gennai!
Koushiro didn't hesitate. After seeing all of this, he was irresistibly drawn to uncovering the hidden truth. That insatiable hunger for the unknown, the thrill of discovery, drove him forward.
He clearly understood: the world in front of him was something utterly foreign, something that might overturn all his previous assumptions.
Yet, instead of fear, what filled him was barely-contained excitement.
Opening the new link brought up another video window. After a few seconds of static, the screen revealed an elderly man.
"Ahem…" The old man coughed lightly, confirming the connection had succeeded, and smiled warmly.
"First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gennai… Nice to meet you, Izumi Koushiro-kun…"
Next to Gennai, another figure appeared—a being wearing a wizard's robe and a pointed hat, who spoke in an equally friendly tone.
"And I am Wizardmon. This should not truly be our first meeting, though…"
Instantly, Koushiro understood.
"You're Wizard?"
Wizardmon nodded, confirming Koushiro's suspicion. He indeed was the mysterious "Wizard" who had exchanged emails with Koushiro, slowly guiding him toward discovering this hidden world.
As for why Wizardmon had done so… after encountering Taichi and Hikari, he'd grown curious about humans.
While tracking the Dark Army through the Digital World, Wizardmon had stumbled into cyberspace, noticing a group of human hackers chasing after the Dark Army's Digimon.
Without understanding the nature of Digimon, it was nearly impossible for humans to fight them using ordinary programs—unless, due to some special circumstance, their programs mutated after corrupting a mainframe.
…For example, the D-Reaper from Digimon Tamers was precisely that kind of mutated program.
The hackers had no knowledge of Digimon, so naturally they'd been thoroughly toyed with.
But among these human hackers, Wizardmon noticed one particularly intriguing boy:
Izumi Koushiro…
Wizardmon had initially taken an interest in Koushiro simply because of his connection to Taichi, feeling instinctively that this boy was somehow special.
After several tests, he became certain of Koushiro's extraordinary potential.
Thus, together with Gennai, Wizardmon orchestrated events to draw Koushiro in, eventually exposing the existence of Digimon to him directly.
"What exactly are those strange creatures? And Wizard… Wizardmon, are you also one of those mysterious beings?"
Wizardmon nodded. Koushiro had already come this far; he deserved the truth.
"Correct. Those are Digimon… beings who live in a world different from your own—a truly incredible place."
The Digital World… Digimon…
Gennai and Wizardmon quickly gave Koushiro a simplified explanation, enough for him to grasp the current situation.
"If you wish to know more, perhaps you should ask Taichi-kun directly."
Immediately, Koushiro recalled the earlier footage. As expected, Taichi was already deeply involved in this incredible event.
"So you're saying Taichi and Hikari have already entered the Digital World and had adventures there? And right now, they're fighting Digimon from the Dark Army, who are trying to invade the Real World?"
The scenario itself wasn't terribly complicated. With Koushiro's intellect, understanding it was trivial.
"Then what was your purpose in deliberately drawing me here and revealing all this?"
He knew such secrets wouldn't normally be shared so easily. Gennai and Wizardmon surely had some deeper intent.
"Very simple. To combat the Dark Army, we need trustworthy allies. You have the necessary 'talent' for this task. So, we hope you will lend us your aid…"
"!"
Though Koushiro had already guessed as much, actually hearing it caused his heart to skip a beat—not from fear, but from excitement so intense he struggled to contain it.
Something so extraordinary… Could he really become part of it?
Suddenly, the window started glitching badly, the image shaking as static filled the screen, distorting the audio.
"It seems interference has begun. Unfortunately, we must end our conversation here today. Koushiro-kun, if you're willing, please accept this…"
His computer screen suddenly flooded with chaotic streams of code. These characters coalesced into a dazzling sphere of white light.
Koushiro froze. After a brief hesitation, he slowly reached out his hand…
…The moment his finger touched the screen, the sphere passed straight through it, gathering in his palm.
As the glow intensified, a palm-sized, mysterious white device appeared in his hand.
"This is a Digivice—the proof of a Chosen Child!"
With those final words, the window closed completely, leaving Koushiro staring blankly at the screen.
He sat silently for several seconds before quickly attempting to trace the connection—but there were no records, no traces whatsoever.
If not for the Digivice in his hand, he might have believed it was all just a dream.
"Digimon, the Digital World… I won't forget."
...
Elsewhere, Taichi, Hikari, and Rina naturally had no idea that Gennai and Wizardmon had already made contact with Koushiro…
They'd just successfully defended the new relay station from the Dark Army's assault.
But this was merely the beginning. Until the "Wall" was fully constructed, the Dark Army would relentlessly continue their invasion.
Completing the Wall Project would mean an extremely busy period ahead.
Thankfully, Taichi and Hikari had already informed their family. Using the excuse of a "school field project," they'd secured enough freedom.
As for Rina, nothing more needed to be said—she'd long been prepared for a drawn-out battle.
This was the first real step towards full war against the Dark Masters, a race against time.
Would the Dark Masters complete Spiral Mountain's invasion of the Real World first, or would Zero's side finish the Wall in time to halt their advance?
"Looks like things are about to get busy~!"
---
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