Chapter 287

Dagomon was defeated, and now what lay before the Chosen Children was……

"Hey, everyone, are we running or not?"

Joe Kido asked; with two Ultimate-level Digimon at their disposal, and with LadyDevimon not currently in this Data Absorption Factory, escaping would be a piece of cake for them.

"Run for what? If we go outside, will there be hot baths every day? Will there be delicious food at every meal?"

However, a single sentence from Mimi dispelled everyone's thoughts of leaving.

It was indeed the case; going outside now meant sleeping rough and eating in the wind.

Whereas staying in the ancient castle meant enjoying top-class treatment.

Although they had to serve as data cows, the data extraction process didn't actually cause them any harm.

Which side was good, which side was bad — everyone could see clearly.

"But, my big brother……"

"Don't worry, Takeru Takaishi; your big brother is with Tai Yi, those two will definitely be fine."

Sora Takenouchi offered a word of comfort.

"Thank you all for lending a hand; if not for you, the books in the Library might have suffered damage, and the Digimon babies in the Nursery might have been harmed."

Broly, dressed in a Wizardmon outfit, walked over and thanked the Chosen Children, as if the Factory's survival depended entirely on them.

"This is what we should do."

Joe Kido replied politely.

"We still have two companions outside; I wonder if you could help us bring them here?"

Then, he asked further.

"Of course."

【They're right behind chasing us; if the castle couldn't move, we'd probably have been caught long ago.】

"However, this will take a little time; hmm, it's not early anymore; would you like to come with me to the Cafeteria for a meal?"

The Chosen Children didn't refuse; evolution might be the Digimon's business, but the emotional roller coaster also took quite a toll on them.

"Eh, what soup is this? It feels really good to drink."

In the Cafeteria, Dagomon was made into soup and served up.

After tasting, the Chosen Children and their Digimon were somewhat amazed at the flavor of today's soup.

"This is Continent Land Crab soup; the Continent Land Crab's meat is firm and delicious, and after stewing, all the flavor infuses into the broth — it's a dish I quite like."

Broly introduced.

Although Gizamon are ferocious by nature, Broly highly approved of their taste.

And today's further evolved form, Dagomon, tasted even better.

Of course, good cooking also benefited from Vegiemon's decent skills and the assistance of Nanomon's Data Separator.

Only by separating the Virus-species data inside Dagomon could they prevent the person or Digimon drinking the soup from suffering erosion by the Virus-species data within Dagomon.

Taking the essence and discarding the dross, the high-temperature stewed soup, paired with steaks made from the meat inside MegaSeadramon, left every Digimon present eating with great satisfaction.

Broly didn't eat much; he kept a share of Dagomon cuisine for Tailmon in his Personal Space, and after the Chosen Children and their Digimon ate and drank their fill, he urged them to the Data Extraction Room for the afternoon's data extraction.

"Eh, we still have to have our data extracted?"

Kabuterimon was somewhat surprised.

"Of course; your food and lodging here must be repaid with evolution data; however, considering you and Patamon can already Super Evolve, the number of times your evolution data is extracted can be reduced a bit."

Broly said.

"So I still have to thank you?"

Patamon was somewhat indignant.

They clearly helped the Digimon here, yet the result was they still had to be data cows.

"No need to thank me; this is all what you deserve."

Broly waved his hand.

Patamon: "……"

Super Evolution data being extracted — compared to the evolution data extracted at Champion level, whether in quality or quantity, it was far ahead.

"With the evolution data provided by the Crest of Love and Crest of Knowledge, we'll soon have our own Garudamon and SuperV-dramon."

The Forest Camp side also has V-dramon and Biyomon; although data conversion between different individual Digimon isn't one hundred percent.

But as long as we extract Ultimate-level data a few more times, we can forcibly raise a Champion-level Digimon.

"Then if I want to evolve into Lillymon, do I just need to absorb more evolution data provided by the Crest of Purity?"

Tailmon, standing behind Nanomon, asked.

"In theory yes, but because we currently haven't grasped Lillymon's specific data, I also cannot fully guarantee that just by absorbing the evolution data provided by the Crest of Purity, you will definitely evolve into Lillymon.

And, Tailmon, you are currently accumulating Vaccine-species data toward the Angewomon direction; most of what you absorb is evolution data provided by Angemon's Crest of Hope; wanting to turn around now and evolve into Lillymon is not a good choice."

Nanomon answered without turning his head; the evolution data provided by the Chosen Children is categorized and stored here in the Inverted Pyramid.

At the same time, this also includes some Virus-species data occasionally produced by the Kitchen and separated out by the Data Separator.

These data are often invested into the Dark Evolution Armor, increasing the Dark Ocean power inside Tailmon's Dark Evolution Armor.

"But I've already absorbed so much Vaccine-species data, yet there's not the slightest sign of evolving into Angewomon; what exactly is going on?"

At this moment, more than three months — nearly four months — had passed since the Chosen Children arrived on the Server Continent.

During this period, Digimon in the Forest Camp all accumulated enough data to successfully evolve into Ultimate-level Digimon, but as the one who absorbed the bulk of the evolution data, it was still stuck in the Tailmon state.

Even though as Tailmon its strength kept growing, able to use a Champion-level posture to beat up some ordinary Ultimate-level Digimon.

But not evolving as expected still made Tailmon somewhat restless; it was afraid it would disappoint Takeru Takaishi.

"The evolution conditions for an Angel-type Digimon are more stringent. According to the ancient books I've consulted, this kind of Digimon often appears alongside darkness, as an existence that serves as the nemesis of viruses."

"Your data volume is sufficient. I believe the reason you failed to evolve is that you're missing a necessary catalyst, just like the Partner Digimon of other Chosen Children."

"If you are also a Partner Digimon, then you definitely need something to make yourself achieve Super Evolution."

"Then what exactly is needed?"

Dorumon asked.

"Perhaps it's your undiscovered Badge."

Molemon said.

"What are you talking about?"

Just then, Piximon walked in from outside.

"We're talking about the Badge."

"What Badge?"

Piximon felt strange. The Chosen Children's Badges had all been found, hadn't they? "My Badge."

Dorumon replied.

"Ah, you're not a Chosen Child's Digimon, so what Badge could you have?"

Dorumon: "……"

Silence looked at it.

"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" Piximon felt weird being stared at.

"Piximon, it doesn't know?"

Dorumon asked Molemon.

"I never talk much."

Molemon used its steel fingers to make a zipper motion in front of its mouth.

Helplessly, Dorumon began explaining to Piximon.

"What, you're the Partner Digimon of the Eighth Chosen Child, and Gluttony is the Eighth Chosen Child?"

Piximon widened its eyes; this was the first time it had heard of this.

"Haha, Dorumon, you're joking, right? How is that possible?"

However, after being shocked, Piximon thought Dorumon was joking.

"It's true. Even when I was a Meowmon, I felt like I was waiting for someone, and while waiting, Abud suddenly appeared before me, and we encountered our first danger……"

Dorumon recounted the first time it ate a Gomamon—oh no, was attacked by a Gomamon—and finally pointed out that with Broly's help, it became stronger and evolved into Pupmon.

"Goddamn evolution into Pupmon, you clearly evolved by absorbing Gomamon's data, not by relying on the Holy Plan at all."

After listening to Dorumon's story, Piximon still didn't believe it, but that couldn't be blamed on it. After all, Broly's art style was indeed quite different from that of other Chosen Children.

One served as an evolution accessory for a Partner Digimon, stimulating emotional power to act as an evolution battery when encountering danger.

The other was Dorumon's thick thigh; Dorumon just needed to act spoiled and cute, follow along eating Digimon, and could easily achieve evolution.

The two were worlds apart.

"I've said all this and you still don't believe me, so how do I need to say it for you to believe?"

Dorumon had no choice and asked Piximon.

"Hmm, take out your Digivices. That thing counts as a dedicated device and can very simply prove your identity."

Piximon thought for a moment and said.

Then Dorumon was seen pulling out its Dark Evolution Armor and handing it over.

"What are you giving me this for?"

"Dorumon and Gluttony King's Digivice has already been fused into Dark Evolution Armor."

"Haha, Molemon, I didn't expect you to joke too."

"The Digivice you gave me is over here; I'm analyzing and copying it."

Molemon opened a metal channel, bringing Piximon inside to see the disassembled Digivice within.

Piximon fell silent for a while before asking: "You really are the Partner Digimon of the Eighth Chosen Child?"

"I think so."

Dorumon wasn't too sure either. The more it observed the normal art style of Chosen Children and their Partner Digimon, the more it felt its and Abud's art style wasn't normal, but it could only answer that way.

"If you really are a Partner Digimon, then I know why you can't evolve into Angewomon."

Piximon looked at Dorumon with a somewhat complex gaze and said.

"What reason?"

Dorumon pursued the question.

"A Chosen Child's Partner Digimon, while still a Digimental, undergoes data debugging. Their data is easily influenced by the Chosen Child's emotions, but also easily has its evolution ceiling blocked when without a partner……"

The Digivice and Evolution Badge, put simply, are special tools that guarantee the bottom line. As long as the Chosen Child meets the conditions and outputs emotion to their Partner Digimon, the guarantee is at least an Ultimate Digimon.

But this guarantee doesn't really apply to Dorumon, because its evolution isn't achieved by relying on a partner's emotional power, but by stepping one footprint at a time—uh, well, one mouthful of data at a time, stacking data upward.

Below Ultimate it was fine; the Digivice didn't block the evolution ceiling so strictly. But on the road to evolving into Ultimate, if Dorumon didn't want to evolve according to the Holy Plan's regulations, it would easily get stuck at the Champion state.

"Wait, then how did my Lilymon evolve?"

Dorumon discovered a blind spot and asked.

"That's because the Digivice and Badge guarantee the bottom line of the light side's evolution, and likewise block the ceiling of the light side's evolution. Lilymon evolved from Dark Data, belonging to a detour situation, so it directly evolved successfully. Am I right?"

Molemon asked Piximon.

"That's one way to understand it."

Piximon nodded.

"What do I do now?"

Gatomon asked.

"Two options. First, get your Crest and unlock your evolution lock on the side of light. Second, accumulate more Vaccine data until you blow open the Holy Plan's evolution lock."

"Then where is my Crest?"

"If it's not in the Wild, then it should have fallen into some Digimon's hands."

Evolution Crests are things Homeostasis prepared. It hid some Evolution Crests, but some Evolution Crests fell into certain Digimon's hands for various reasons.

For example, Sora Takenouchi's Crest of Love was basically given by Molecule Beast, because that Crest was originally in Molecule Beast's hands.

"Alright, let's discuss exactly how much Vaccine data I need to absorb before I can evolve into Angewomon."

Finding the Crest, if there's no clue, the difficulty is about the same as finding a needle in the sea.

The Chosen Children could find theirs, thanks to the search function of the Digivice.

But now, Gatomon's Digivice had already become Dark Evolution Armor.

Using Dark Evolution Armor to search for the Crest of Light—this kind of thing, don't hold out hope.

"Hey, Molecule Beast, why aren't you talking?"

"What can I say? How much data is needed, there's no precedent, who would know?"

Gatomon: "…"

"Then my other evolutions shouldn't be blocked, right? Can I try evolving toward Floramon first?"

Gatomon asked.

"You need to first derive the evolution data of the Crest of Hope you've already absorbed. If possible, let the Chosen Child's Palmon evolve into Floramon first, figure out Floramon's data situation, that way we'll be more confident."

Molecule Beast's proposal was very well-planned, but how to make Mimi's Palmon quickly evolve into Floramon was a big problem.

Evolution Crests guarantee the lower limit of artificially interfered evolution, but they also block the upper limit of Partner Digimon's own effort-based evolution.

Meet the conditions, Super Evolution is easy, but if conditions aren't met, even if you strangle Mimi's Palmon's neck, it still can't evolve.

Fortunately, as long as you're willing to use your brain, there are always more solutions than difficulties.

"Partner Digimon of Chosen Children have many things to consider, but Digimon that aren't Chosen Children only need to consider whether their own evolution data is enough. Cacti, are you two ready?"

The two Cacti of the Forest Camp were brought over. Molecule Beast decided to use them for evolution experiments, feeding them large amounts of Crest of Purity evolution data.

"We're ready."

For this kind of good thing where they could get a lot of data for free, the two Cacti of the Forest Camp didn't refuse, and were very happy to accept the evolution experiment as the precursor for their own Gatomon boss.

Under the irrigation of evolution data provided by Mimi's Cactus, two huge flower buds grew on top of the two Cacti's heads.

After being nourished by data for about seventeen hours, two petite and adorable Floramon emerged from the flower buds, while below were the original Cacti's bodies turned into withered matter.

It must be said, Floramon's natural affinity is very high. Even Gatomon watching them evolve from the side felt the urge to rub against the two Floramon's calves.

Fortunately, Gatomon restrained herself and didn't do something that would lose face as a boss.

(Chapter End)