The commotion caused by the terrifying appearance of SkullGreymon had finally subsided for the time being.
Master Makarov stood amidst the rubble, looking at the devastated interior of his beloved guild hall.
The corners of his mouth twitched in sheer financial anguish!
He cleared his throat loudly, his gaze falling squarely upon the guilt-ridden Ace.
"Ace, my boy," the Master's voice carried an undeniable, heavy finality, like a judge passing a life sentence.
"The repair costs for the damage caused by this little 'incident'... will be deducted from your future mission rewards. Every. Single. Jewel. Until it is all paid off!"
Ace's face instantly fell.
He looked around at the scene, which looked less like a guild hall and more like a dragon's personal stomping ground.
He silently calculated the astronomical figure in his head, realizing he might be working for free for the next year.
But since the Master had spoken—and considering he did almost bring the roof down—there was no getting out of it.
He could only brace himself and nod.
"Yes... Master. I'll work hard on missions to repay it."
Escaping the scene of the crime, Ace rushed back to the temporary dormitory room the guild had assigned him.
Closing the door and locking out the noise, he immediately calmed his mind and communicated with the system in his head.
The successive battles and the ensuing chaos had prevented him from checking his notifications until now.
[Ding! Detected that the host has defeated Gray Fullbuster. Reward issued: Random Rookie Level Digimon Summon x1.]
[Ding! Detected that the host has defeated Natsu Dragneel once again. Reward issued: Combat Power Increase.]
[Ding! Detected that the host has defeated Guild member Mirajane by rendering her unable to fight in battle. Victory achieved. Reward issued: Random Champion Level Digimon Summon x1.]
"What a great harvest today!"
Ace's spirits lifted instantly, the crushing debt momentarily forgotten.
Defeating three of the guild's heavy hitters—even if Gray was collateral damage—had paid off beautifully.
"System, use the two random Rookie level summons first!" Ace recited silently in his mind, rubbing his hands together.
Two arcane summoning circles shimmered into existence before him.
Amidst the flashing data particles and magical light, the first circle revealed a tall, fox-like Digimon.
It was predominantly gold in color, with purple markings and eyes as sharp and cold as blades.
"Renamon, at your service." The Digimon bowed gracefully, its voice calm and composed.
"Renamon!" Ace was delighted.
This was a Digimon from the Tamers generation, known for high intelligence, speed, and considerable combat power even at the Rookie level.
A perfect technical fighter!
The light from the second summoning circle dissipated, revealing a much smaller creature.
It was a green quadrupedal amphibian-like Digimon with a prominent red fin running down its back and a sharp horn on its head.
"Betamon! Are you my new partner?" It chirped, looking up with wide eyes.
"Betamon..." Ace nodded, processing the data.
He remembered its evolution line typically led to Seadramon.
While Seadramon was fairly average in strength at the Champion level, and the Ultimate form was standard, the Mega level—MetalSeadramon.
That was definitely a decent powerhouse to aim for.
Ace took a deep breath. Now for the main event.
"System, use the random Champion level summon!"
A significantly larger, more complex summoning circle lit up on the floor, hummed with power, and sent strong energy fluctuations filling the small room.
Within the blinding pillar of light, a majestic and powerful figure slowly emerged.
It stood on two legs, possessing a robust humanoid body rippling with muscle and covered in golden fur.
A beast pelt was wrapped around its waist, and in its hand, it gripped a massive dagger known as the "Lion King" sword.
Its eyes were sharp, filled with unshakeable righteousness and courage.
"Leomon! I have come in response to your summons! I wish to fight for justice!" The Champion level Digimon, Leomon, announced his arrival in a steady, powerful voice that vibrated in Ace's chest.
Seeing the noble lion warrior, a strange, intrusive thought flashed through Ace's mind.
'Wait, isn't this the guy who always dies in the anime? The walking tragedy? Lunchbox-mon... ah, no, no, it's Leomon!'
He quickly shook the unlucky nickname and the bad omen from his head.
Meme status aside, Leomon's combat power was top-tier among Champion levels, known as the "King of Beasts."
He was a reliable, honorable, and powerful ally who could hold his own against strong mages.
"First of all, welcome, Renamon, Betamon, and Leomon!" A sincere, broad smile appeared on Ace's face as he looked at his growing team.
"From this day forward, we are partners who will fight side by side! Let's leave our legend in this world together!"
...
The next morning, Ace walked up to the guild's request board, full of renewed confidence.
He not only urgently needed to earn jewels to pay off his massive debt, but his new Digimon also needed combat experience to increase their strength.
His eyes scanned the parchment sheets and quickly locked onto a subjugation-type quest:
[Request: Eliminate the Magical Beasts harming the farmlands around Harugeon Village.]
[Details: Unidentified Magical Beasts have recently appeared, destroying crops and attacking livestock. The number is unknown, and the villagers are terrified.]
[Reward: 700,000 Jewels]
"This is the one!"
Just as Ace reached out to tear the request form off the board, a voice came from his side.
"Wait, Ace."
Ace jumped slightly and turned to see Master Makarov standing behind him.
The old man was shaking his head with a serious expression, his arms crossed behind his back.
"This quest is still too soon for you. Pick an easier one, like a delivery or finding a lost item. Leave the monster hunting for later."
"Master?" Ace was confused, his hand hovering over the paper. "Why? I'm confident I can complete this mission! I have strong partners."
He thought of Renamon's speed and Leomon's strength.
Makarov sighed, a hint of imperceptible worry clouding his eyes. "Ace, I know your summon are strong. I saw them yesterday. But subjugating Magical Beasts in the wild is different from sparring within the safety of the guild. Although this quest isn't S-Class, there are too few details. 'Unidentified beasts' means the mission is full of uncertainty."
The Master's voice lowered slightly, becoming grim. "Besides... Your greatest power, that skeletal dragon... SkullGreymon. While strong, it is a double-edged sword. Until you find a way to control it, I can't rest easy letting you face unknown dangers alone. If you were forced to use it again..."
Ace understood at once and he lower his hand.
The Master didn't distrust his ability; he was worried about his safety.
He was terrified that Ace might be pushed into a corner and forced to unleash SkullGreymon again, causing irreparable consequences or hurting innocent people.
Just as the atmosphere grew a little tense and awkward, a clear, steady and authoritative female voice broke the silence.
"If that's the case, then I shall accompany him."
Everyone turned their heads toward the source of the voice.
Standing not far away, clad in shining silver armor with a skirt of blue cloth, was a woman with vibrant scarlet hair.
She stood with her arms crossed, exuding a heroic and valiant aura that commanded respect.
It was the "Titania," one of the guild's strongest Mages—Erza Scarlet.
"Erza!" Ace and Makarov exclaimed simultaneously.
Erza walked to the request board, her armor clanking softly.
She deftly tore off the quest form Ace had been eyeing and looked at Makarov.
"Master, I will accompany Ace on this mission to ensure its successful completion. I will also supervise his condition and ensure he does not lose control. That should put your mind at ease, right?"
Makarov looked at Erza, his tense expression finally relaxing into a smile of relief.
"If it's you, Erza, then I have no objections. With you there, we can indeed handle any unexpected situation."
He had absolute trust in Erza's execution, strength, and judgment.
If anyone could keep a lid on a rampaging monster, it was her.
Erza nodded, acknowledging the trust, then turned to Ace.
Her gaze carried a hint of scrutiny as well as genuine curiosity.
"Ace, get ready. We leave in an hour. Let me see for myself the true power of those partners you call 'Digimon'."
To think he would be going on his first official mission with the Queen of the Fairies herself!
Ace's heart was instantly filled with excitement and anticipation!
He immediately straightened his back, saluted, and responded loudly, "Yes! Erza-san! I'll be ready right away!"
Watching Ace's retreating back as he sprinted toward his dorm to pack, Makarov stroked his white beard and spoke to Erza in a low voice.
"I'm counting on you, Erza. That kid has immense potential, but the burden on his heart seems heavy as well. Guide him."
Erza nodded solemnly, her eyes softening just a fraction.
"I understand, Master. Leave him to me."