Chapter 170: Sins Do Not Easily Disappear
The lingering tension that had previously choked the air between the group had finally dissipated, replaced by a fragile but genuine camaraderie. Yet, a heavy shadow still loomed over them—a critical, unspoken issue that demanded their immediate attention.
The matter of Yggdrasil.
As a former Royal Knight, Gallantmon possessed an understanding of the world's underlying mechanics that far surpassed anyone else present. Standing tall beneath the collective gaze of the group, the crimson-armored warrior fell silent. He seemed to be organizing the vast, heavy truths in his mind. When he finally spoke, his voice was measured and grave.
"The X-Program... I presume you all possess at least a rudimentary understanding of it?"
WarGreymon X and MetalGarurumon X exchanged a solemn glance before nodding. Breakdramon, however, merely tilted his massive head, a massive question mark practically hovering over his snout.
"We know the basics," WarGreymon X rumbled, his deep voice vibrating in his armored chest. He sifted through the grim intelligence he had gathered over countless battles for survival. "It was deployed as a culling mechanism. The Digital World's capacity was pushed to the brink by the rapidly increasing Digimon population. To ensure the world's continued operation, a purge was initiated." He clenched his clawed fists. "Only a fraction—the chosen Digimon—were meant to survive and be transferred to the New Digital World. This is the Ark Project."
"You are remarkably well-informed," Gallantmon noted, his visor gleaming as he scrutinized the dragon warrior.
"I had to be," WarGreymon X replied, his tone hardening. He subconsciously pressed a hand against his chest armor, right over his Digicore. "I have spent my entire existence searching for a way to defy the fate forced upon us. Because of that relentless drive, I managed to resist the X-Program's erosion. Even without being chosen by the gods, I survived. I forged my own path and obtained the X-Antibody."
Gallantmon held his gaze for a long moment before slowly turning away.
"Regarding the parameters of the plan executed by Yggdrasil... it is exactly as you described." The knight paused, the silence stretching taut. "However, you are only half right."
The air around them seemed to drop several degrees.
"The Ark Project—the systematic slaughter of Digimon via the X-Program—is merely the first phase of the initiative." Gallantmon's voice remained perfectly calm, yet the words he delivered carried the weight of a death sentence. "As for the second phase... it mandates the total annihilation of all remaining Digimon."
"What?!" MetalGarurumon X's jaw dropped, his optical sensors widening in sheer horror. "Kill all remaining Digimon?! You mean... not just the anomalies who survived by mutating the X-Antibody, but even the chosen ones? The ones Yggdrasil specifically selected to live?!"
"Yggdrasil... why would He..." MetalGarurumon X's voice cracked, overwhelmed by a deep, crushing sorrow.
WarGreymon X, however, reacted entirely differently. The dragon warrior's chest heaved as an inferno of rage ignited within his Digicore. Sparks licked at the edges of his armor, his claws digging deep into the earth. Yet, tempered by the brutal trials he had already endured, he forced the fury down. He took a slow, jagged breath, his glowing eyes dimming back to a controlled simmer.
"...Perhaps you are right," WarGreymon X muttered bitterly. "A creator who would make such a cold, absolute decision... is no longer the god we once knew."
"I could not accept this reality," Gallantmon confessed, his grip tightening on his holy lance, Gram. "I could not turn my back on the justice forged into my very core. That is why I chose the path of treason."
"Or rather," Mizuki's voice cut through the heavy atmosphere, calm and perceptive. He leaned against a nearby rock, his dark eyes fixed intently on the Royal Knight. "You want to find out the true reason behind all of this. Am I right?"
WarGreymon X snapped his gaze toward Gallantmon, his voice dropping to a dangerous, rumbling octave. "Find out the reason? Do you still harbor some naive hope for Yggdrasil?"
Under the dragon's intense scrutiny, Gallantmon remained silent. The wind howled softly across the desolate landscape, carrying the dust of a broken world. Just as WarGreymon X's patience began to fray, the knight finally spoke.
"On one side of the scale rests the survival of the entire world. On the other, the lives of its inhabitants." Gallantmon looked down at his gauntleted hands. "When such an impossible equation is presented, a choice must be made. But... how can the value of a living soul and the fabric of a world ever be accurately weighed against one another?"
He slowly raised his head, his crimson visor locking onto WarGreymon X with piercing intensity.
"Rest assured, WarGreymon X. My desire to investigate the truth is not born from a wish to absolve Yggdrasil of guilt."
The knight's voice hardened into absolute steel. "Regardless of His motives, His hands are already drenched in the blood of the innocent. From the exact moment I cast aside my title and chose betrayal, I prepared myself to personally bring an end to Yggdrasil."
He drove the butt of his lance into the ground, the impact echoing like a judge's gavel.
"I seek the truth merely to offer a final explanation to the Yggdrasil of the past. The god I once served."
No matter the justification, sins of this magnitude did not easily disappear. They demanded judgment.
Hearing the absolute conviction in Gallantmon's words, the last embers of anger within WarGreymon X's chest extinguished completely. In their place bloomed a deep, unshakable respect.
It was glaringly obvious how deeply Gallantmon had once revered his creator. Yet, the knight had refused to be blinded by blind devotion. He had weighed his loyalty against the unyielding justice in his heart and chosen the righteous, agonizing path.
WarGreymon X bowed his head slightly, his tone carrying genuine contrition. "Gallantmon, I apologize for my suspicion. I overstepped."
"It is alright... it is only natural to doubt," Gallantmon replied, shaking his head. A bitter, melancholic edge crept into his voice. "After all... even I find it difficult to believe that I would ever raise my lance against my lord."
Sensing the suffocating weight of the atmosphere, MetalGarurumon X cleared his throat, his metallic plating shifting as he deliberately changed the subject. "So, Gallantmon, how exactly do you plan to investigate this? Are you intending to march up to Yggdrasil and demand answers directly?"
"Regarding that..." Gallantmon shook his head gently. "Even if I were to stand before Him and ask, Yggdrasil would not offer a candid response. Not anymore. Therefore, I have decided to investigate the anomaly from its very source."
"The source?" Mizuki frowned, his brilliant mind already connecting the dots. "Are you planning to dive directly into the X-Program itself?"
"Clever," Gallantmon praised, nodding in approval. He cast an admiring look at the young man. "You are truly worthy of being the human who commands miracles and destiny."
"Of course he is! My Mizu is the absolute best~" Belle chimed in instantly. The dark-winged Digimon puffed out her chest with immense pride, her eyes sparkling with delight at hearing her partner praised by a Royal Knight.
Watching the warm, unshakeable bond between the human and his partner, a fleeting hint of nostalgia softened Gallantmon's visor. He quickly withdrew his gaze, refocusing on the grim task at hand.
"Wait, if you are going to investigate the X-Program directly, are you really going to be alright without an X-Antibody?" MetalGarurumon X asked, his mechanical ears twitching with concern. "If an X-Antibody is required—"
"Let me do it this time," WarGreymon X interrupted, stepping forward before his canine comrade could finish the offer. "I have possessed the X-Antibody far longer than you. Even if I extract it from my Digicore and give it to him, my body has adapted. I have a high probability of reawakening it on my own."
He reached toward his chest, fully prepared to tear out his own life-saving mutation.
"No, halt. Keep your X-Antibodies," Gallantmon ordered, quickly raising a hand to stop the dragon warrior's reckless generosity. "I have my own methods."
"The Data Space," Gallantmon stated, the name carrying a chilling resonance. "It serves as the ultimate graveyard—the final destination for all deleted data in this world. I will journey to that abyssal sector to conduct my investigation."
"The Data Space?!" MetalGarurumon X recoiled, genuine shock rippling across his features. "But... isn't that dimension exclusively accessible through death? You would have to be deleted to enter!"
"MetalGarurumon X, do not forget who stands before you. I am a Royal Knight," Gallantmon replied smoothly. He tapped his armored chestplate, the metal ringing with absolute authority. "Even as a disgraced former guardian of Yggdrasil, my core access codes remain intact. I still possess the administrative authority required to breach that threshold alive."
"But before I depart for the abyss, I must complete your training," Gallantmon continued, his gaze sweeping over the gathered Digimon. "The battles ahead will be merciless. If we are to survive, I will need your strength to confront my former comrades."
"Hah! Does that even need to be said?" WarGreymon X grinned, a fierce, battle-hungry light returning to his eyes.
As the Digimon enthusiastically shifted their discussion toward combat tactics and their impending future, Belle's sharp gaze drifted away from the group. She noticed that Mizuki had grown unusually quiet.
He stood slightly apart from the others, his arms crossed. A complex, turbulent light flickered in his dark eyes. He chewed on his lower lip, clearly wrestling with a heavy internal conflict. The silence stretched around him, isolating him in his own thoughts.
But slowly, the tension in his shoulders released. His expression smoothed out into a mask of unwavering determination. He had made his decision.
He looked at the crimson knight, a silent vow passing through his mind.
'Gallantmon... so this is your resolve.'
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