Chapter 114: I'm Going to Blast Your Mouth Apart!
BlackGatomon stood frozen in absolute silence. The sheer, mortifying weight of her embarrassing past had temporarily short-circuited her brain.
Kiwimon, however, was blissfully oblivious to the dark aura gathering around the feline Digimon. In his bird-brained logic, her silence meant only one thing: absolute, paralyzing terror at the mere mention of Lord Etemon.
'Sure enough, King Etemon is the strongest being in this world!'Kiwimon puffed out his feathered chest, his beak clicking in arrogant satisfaction.'Even this little bumpkin is scared out of her wits after hearing his name.'
Smugness radiated from the giant bird. "How about it? Scared, aren't you!" Kiwimon squawked, leaning in close. "You must be trembling in absolute fear after hearing the glorious name of the great King Etemon, right?"
BlackGatomon's head lowered. A dark shadow fell over her eyes. "...Cat..." she muttered, her voice a dangerous, vibrating whisper.
"Cat? What cat?" Kiwimon tilted his head, completely misreading the lethal drop in temperature. "If you're too terrified to speak clearly, it's okay~" He paced around her, sizing up her small frame with a condescending eye. "As long as you drop to your knees and surrender right now, I can generously introduce you to King Etemon's command. After all, your combat strength seems pretty decent for a stray."
"...Cat... Punch..."
BlackGatomon's small body began to violently tremble. Her gloved fists clenched so tight the leather groaned.
Kiwimon's eyes lit up. "Ah! You're trembling with joy! You're completely incoherent at the prospect of serving him, right?" He threw his head back in a triumphant laugh. "I knew it! The glorious name of the great King Etemon will definitely—"
"CAT PUNCH!!!!"
The screech tore through the air, completely drowning out the bird's monologue. Before Kiwimon could even blink, a small, black-gloved fist connected squarely with his beak.
The sheer kinetic force of the impact shattered the sound barrier. A shockwave rippled outward, instantly cratering the thick wooden deck beneath Kiwimon's feet. With a deafening crash, the giant bird plummeted through the splintered floorboards. BlackGatomon dove right into the gaping hole after him, pinning the dazed bird down.
Then, the absolute slaughter began.
"Etemon! Etemon! You just had to keep talking about Etemon!" BlackGatomon roared, her fists blurring into a storm of rapid-fire strikes. "Are you completely brain-damaged?! Etemon is dead! He's gone!"
"Quack! Wait—!"
"He was a liar! A tone-deaf fool! If you ever mention that singing monkey to me again, this old lady will blast you into raw data!"
"Gyaaaah! Stop!"
"Damn Etemon! I don't want to remember! I refuse to recall that unbearable, humiliating past!" BlackGatomon shrieked, her eyes burning with manic fury. "Cat Punch! Cat Punch! CAT PUNCH!!!!"
Bang! Bang! BANG!
Deafening impacts echoed from the bowels of the ship, accompanied by the horrific sound of splintering wood and bending metal. Through the jagged hole on the top deck, Impmon peered down into the darkness. He watched, wide-eyed, as Kiwimon was driven through the second floor, then the third, then the fourth, completely helpless under BlackGatomon's relentless, shame-fueled assault.
If BlackAgumon hadn't finally rushed in to physically drag the frenzied cat away, BlackGatomon likely would have punched the bird straight through the ship's hull and sunk the entire vessel out of pure, unadulterated embarrassment.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Now that is the consequence of following the wrong king."
Impmon shook his head, watching Kiwimon twitch weakly in the wreckage while BlackGatomon continued to hiss and spit in the background. He let out a deep, philosophical sigh. Putting himself in their shoes, the purple demon could easily understand the tragedy unfolding before him.
Whether it was BlackGatomon's violent mental breakdown over having her humiliating past exposed, or Kiwimon's utterly clueless arrogance getting his beak caved in—wasn't it all just the tragic result of pledging loyalty to a garbage boss?
'It really goes to show,'Impmon thought, a smug little grin spreading across his face.'Lord Myotismon is truly the only wise ruler in this digital wasteland!'
Sure, his temper was notoriously terrible. And yes, he had a nasty habit of physically punishing his subordinates for the slightest infractions. And fine, he completely refused to pay any sort of wages.
But at least the guy was still alive! That was a massive point in his favor. Plus, Impmon could still comfortably throw Lord Myotismon's terrifying name around to bully weaker Digimon.
'When you really think about it, Lord Myotismon is a fantastic boss!' Impmon nodded to himself, his mood instantly brightening as he strolled away from the carnage.
Across the vast, sun-baked expanses of the Server Continent, the wheels of fate continued to turn for both humans and Digimon alike.
While BlackGatomon and her crew violently commandeered Kiwimon's desert cruiser, Yagami Taichi and the rest of the Chosen Children had finally reached their destination. Before them lay the sprawling, vibrant oasis—the very same paradise miraculously carved out of the wasteland by Mizuki and Belle.
"I really didn't expect to find an oasis this massive all the way out here..." Taichi muttered. He sat perched atop Greymon's broad, scarred snout, shielding his eyes from the glaring sun as he surveyed the lush greenery. His gaze drifted past the crystal-clear water, locking onto the colossal stone structure casting a long shadow over the trees. "But why is there a giant pyramid sitting right next to it?"
He squinted, taking in the massive craters and scorched earth surrounding the ancient monument. "And it looks completely wrecked. Based on the sheer scale of the damage, there must have been a massive battle here not too long ago."
Izzy adjusted his laptop strap, his brow furrowing as he analyzed the destruction. "Hopefully, whoever fought here has already moved on. We can't let this affect our search for the Crest."
"Let's hope so," Taichi agreed, his expression turning serious. He hopped down from Greymon's head, his boots hitting the soft sand, and turned toward the girl in the yellow helmet. "Sora, have you sensed the location of the Crest yet?"
"Yes, Taichi," Sora replied softly. She stepped forward, her eyes focused on the dense tree line ahead. "It's very close..."
As she spoke, her hand subconsciously drifted up, resting gently over her heart. Deep within her chest, the innate power of 'Love' began to stir. A warm, vermilion glow seeped through her clothes, bathing her skin in a soft, radiant light. With every step she took toward the heart of the oasis, the crimson aura emanating from her grew brighter, pulsing like a second heartbeat.
The group followed her lead, pushing their way through the thick, vibrant jungle foliage. As they broke through the final line of bushes into a wide clearing, they froze. Standing right in the middle of the sunlit grove was an incredibly familiar figure.
Taichi's jaw dropped. He didn't even hesitate before shouting across the clearing.
"Mizuki?! What the heck are you doing here?!"
"Oh? So it's just you, Taichi."
Mizuki paused mid-swing, lowering the heavy longsword he had been practicing with. A relaxed, easygoing smile spread across his face as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "I was wondering why I suddenly felt such a loud, familiar presence blundering through the trees."
The sudden shout had also interrupted the intense training session happening a few yards away. Belle, who had been floating mid-air while listening intently, and Piximon, who was hovering with his spear, both turned to look at the new arrivals.
"Are these more human brats, pi?" Piximon buzzed his wings, tilting his small, pink, spherical body. "What's the deal, Little Mizuki? Do you know this noisy bunch, pi?"
"I do. They're all friends of mine," Mizuki replied, sheathing his sword. He walked over to Taichi and the rest of the dumbfounded children, with Belle and Piximon trailing closely behind. "We only just said our goodbyes a few days ago, yet the moment of reunion has already arrived."
Mizuki chuckled, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. "If fate truly has a physical form, it must be a very mischievous little brat."
Still smiling, Mizuki reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, carefully carved stone tablet that pulsed with a faint, vermilion energy. He held it out toward Sora, who was standing frozen beside Taichi.
"I assume you came all this way for this, didn't you?"
Sora gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. "This is... the Crest of Love?!"
Before her fingers could even brush the ancient stone, the Crest reacted. As if pulled by an invisible, magnetic force, the glowing tablet shot out of Mizuki's palm and slotted perfectly into the metal Tag hanging around Sora's neck. A brilliant flash of crimson light washed over the clearing as the two artifacts fused into one.
Sora clutched the glowing Tag to her chest, feeling the warm, comforting energy radiating from it. She looked up at Mizuki, her eyes shining with deep gratitude, and offered him a deep, solemn bow.
"Mizuki, thank you. Thank you so much for helping me find the Crest of Love."
Mizuki waved his hand dismissively, his tone light and casual. "There's no need to thank me, Sora. I just happened to stumble across it while cleaning up the neighborhood." He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at the group. "Instead of focusing on that, have you guys made any new discoveries today?"
"It's literally only been one day since we split up! How could we possibly find anything that fast?" Taichi rolled his eyes, utterly exasperated by the older boy's casual pacing. "We ordinary kids aren't like you, Mr. Cheat-Code. We actually have to walk."
"Oh?" Mizuki placed a hand over his heart, feigning absolute innocence. "I'll have you know I consider myself a very ordinary, perfectly normal guy."
"Here we go! Here we go!" Taichi pointed an accusing finger at him, his face scrunching up in annoyance. "It's that exact look! Every time you make that face, I get the overwhelming urge to punch you!"
Watching Mizuki's utterly unapologetic, trollish grin widen, Taichi cracked his knuckles. "No, that's it. I absolutely have to 'teach' you a good lesson today!"
Mizuki's eyes narrowed playfully. He shifted his stance, perfectly mimicking a certain flamboyant villain's dramatic flair. "Oh? Knowing how strong I am, you choose not to run away, but instead approach me?"
Taichi didn't miss a beat, marching straight toward him. "If I don't get close to you, how the hell am I supposed to beat the crap out of you?"
"Hoho!" Mizuki laughed, beckoning him forward with two fingers. "In that case, come as close as you like!"
The moment the dramatic banter ended, the two boys lunged at each other. Within seconds, the epic showdown devolved into a chaotic, flailing wrestling match in the dirt.
"Honestly, Yagami Taichi, I have put up with looking at that atrocious bird's nest on your head for way too long!" Mizuki shouted, successfully getting Taichi in a headlock and aggressively ruffling his wild brown spikes.
"Mizuki, do you really have the right to say that to me?!" Taichi yelled back, struggling wildly before managing to grab a handful of Mizuki's dark locks. "Your hair is practically as long as a girl's! Get a haircut!"
"Ouch! You little brat, you actually dared to pull my hair!"
"Hahaha! Now you see how good I am, don't you?!" Taichi cackled triumphantly, refusing to let go.
Amidst the breathless laughter and flying dust, this chaotic, everyday interaction between close friends breathed a warm, leisurely life into the quiet oasis.
Watching the two boys roll around in the dirt like overgrown toddlers, the rest of the Chosen Children couldn't help but share fond, gentle smiles. Though, naturally, those smiles were tinged with a heavy dose of utter helplessness. It was hard to believe that these two guys—who were usually the most reliable, fearless leaders when facing down terrifying monsters—were currently acting no different from a pair of ordinary, bickering children.
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