In the forest, Aomori, having unleashed that punch, had also completely expended his energy.
He clenched his fist and muttered to himself, "One punch to kill an Ultimate. I can finally see Marcus Damon's taillights."
Marcus Damon could punch down Yggdrasil. He was still far from that, so he mustn't become arrogant.
Just then, Pidgeot descended from the sky with Gatomon, BlackAgumon, and DemiDevimon; they had met up halfway.
"Master, Master, are you alright?" Gatomon pounced into Aomori's arms, just like Salamon used to.
"How did you get here?" Aomori stroked her cat head. "And you even Digivolved into Gatomon on your own?"
"Hehe, I was worried about Master, so I came to find you. I accidentally Digivolved on the way," Gatomon swayed her head, constantly rubbing against Aomori's hand.
'So Great HellKnightmon is human.' DemiDevimon saw Aomori's true form for the first time and its heart skipped a beat.
But it quickly resigned itself. What did it matter if he was human? In fact, having learned Aomori's secret, it felt its relationship with him should be more intimate than with other Digimon.
Thus, DemiDevimon flew back and forth, eagerly claiming credit: "I told Gatomon it was too dangerous to come out, but I couldn't stop her, so I had to accompany her."
"Is that so?" Aomori glanced at DemiDevimon, saying faintly.
"That's right," DemiDevimon replied stiffly under his seemingly all-seeing gaze.
"Yes, it's true. It and BlackAgumon tried to stop me, but luckily I Digivolved into Gatomon and managed to get away," Gatomon's words helped clear its name.
BlackAgumon didn't get involved in their conversation. It walked up to the seven small Digimon and stared at Botamon for a long time.
"You're an Agumon, why are you so black?" Botamon and the others, having watched Aomori's battle, seemed to realize he wasn't malicious, so they weren't in a hurry to run. More importantly, they still needed to retrieve their Digivices.
"I am a BlackAgumon."
"Will I evolve into something like you in the future? You look so strange."
"I don't know."
"Probably not," the more knowledgeable Koromon said. "I remember Agumon being yellow."
"Who knows."
The seven small Digimon ignored BlackAgumon and began discussing animatedly among themselves.
Hearing their voices, Aomori finally remembered their presence. He placed Gatomon on the ground and walked over to them, coughing twice to interrupt their discussion.
The small Digimon immediately fell silent, looking pitifully at Aomori. "Can you return that thing to us?"
"Oh, aren't those Digivices? I have one too," Gatomon said with a smile.
"Yes, they are your former companions."
"Really?" Gatomon leaned in for a closer look and mumbled, "But why are they still in their Baby form?"
"That's a long story."
Aomori crooked his finger, and the Digivices floating in the air all returned to his palm. He gestured toward Botamon and the others, saying, "You want them back? Of course, you can, but you have to fulfill one condition first."
"What condition?"
"I have already reached a cooperation agreement with your 'parents,' so I have a responsibility to make you stronger. The condition is that you must evolve into Rookie-level Digimon using your own strength."
"Ah, that's too difficult," Botamon and the others wailed. They had been in this state for a very, very long time.
"It's not difficult," Aomori tossed the Digivices in his hand, letting them hover in the air. With his free hand, he pulled Gatomon and BlackAgumon in front of them, saying, "From now on, Gatomon and BlackAgumon will be your instructors until you evolve into your Rookie forms. Until then, I will keep the Digivices."
"Instructors? Yay! I want to be one!" Gatomon was excited.
"Alright," BlackAgumon stared at Botamon, seemingly very interested in it.
Botamon and the others couldn't resist, so they were forced to accept this fact.
DemiDevimon flapped its wings back and forth, anxiously saying, "What about me? What about me? Great HellKnightmon, I can be an instructor too!"
"You?" Aomori stroked his chin, saying meaningfully, "You have a different mission, one much more important than Gatomon's."
"Really? That's great!" DemiDevimon cheered. "I'll do my best!"
"Mhm, I'm looking forward to it."
With the battle against DeviEtemon over, the apparent threats within the Digital World had been cleared. Next was to await the arrival of the DigiDestined and the enemies from beyond.
"The Dark Masters... I wonder how their strength compares to DeviEtemon's."
…
Outside the Digital World, in the void within the firewall at the easternmost point of the Digital World.
An immensely colossal Digimon resembling a Kun, a mythical giant fish/bird, with four eyes and twelve blue orbs floating around its azure body, fought. Dense lightning surrounded it.
Its opponent was a clown-like figure, seemingly escaped from a circus. It held several flying swords, occasionally throwing them to stab into the blue Kun's body.
Although its size was far smaller than the blue Kun, it managed to suppress it completely.
"Azulongmon, give up. Wouldn't it be better to just let me seal you away? Save yourself the pain."
"Piedmon, you wish! We haven't lost yet!"
"Hmph, still so stubborn. Such an unlikable fellow." Piedmon's face was all smiles, but his actions were maliciously cruel. The flying swords in his hand whizzed out, cutting another chunk of flesh from Azulongmon's body.
"Hmph!" Azulongmon cried out in pain, mustering a trace of energy from within. It manipulated lightning to shoot at its opponent like an arrow rain.
Piedmon chuckled. Its figure moved like a ghost, walking through the arrow rain as if strolling, easily dodging all attacks.
"Don't waste your energy. After fighting for so long, I've seen through all your moves."
Four flying swords reappeared in his hand. Just as he was contemplating which piece of flesh to carve from Azulongmon, a beam of light shot from the Digital World with unexpected speed, grazing past him and blasting into the distant void.
"What the hell was that? It had the energy I hate most." Piedmon couldn't hide his surprise, his expression solemn as he looked at where the light beam originated.
"Hahahaha, that's the power of light! An angel has descended! You're doomed!" Azulongmon was overjoyed.
"Damn it!" Piedmon cursed, but its body suddenly trembled. A surge of power spontaneously erupted from deep within its body. This familiar sensation delighted Piedmon.
"It's Lord Apocalymon!"
"What? It can still transmit power?" Azulongmon was greatly astonished.
With greatly increased power, Piedmon looked back at Azulongmon and chuckled: "My apologies, but this time, you're the one who's doomed first."
Azulongmon fell silent.
The battle resumed, but this time, it was a one-sided affair.
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