Chapter 292: Flying Ancient Castle

"As for that Bakemon, I saw its data dissipate with my own eyes."

Takeru Takaishi questioned loudly.

"Fake, it's all fake. That dissipating data was a smoke bomb made from discarded data."

After being brought back to the ancient castle and seeing with their own eyes that the dead Bakemon was still alive, the Chosen Children finally realized the fact that they had been played for fools.

"That's too much, deceiving our emotions just like that?!"

Mimi complained, Yamato Ishida's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and the other Chosen Children's expressions weren't good either.

"Can't be helped. Who told you all to rely on the power of emotions to make your Partner Digimon evolve? This is all to help you, to achieve a further Super Evolution for your Partner Digimon."

Piccolomon apologized sincerely. No matter what, deception is deception, and he did feel somewhat sorry for this group of Chosen Children who had been kept in the dark.

"Gluttony Beast King, how was my performance?"

Yasyamon brought the late-night snack ramen, and with his two hands that looked like noodles, he sought praise beside Broly.

"Not bad. I'll give you two extra Data Capsules."

Yasyamon's performance was commendable. Plus, he was nearly killed by Megadramon's Ultimate Destruction Cannon, so this counts as extra compensation.

"Thank you, Gluttony Beast King. Many thanks, Gluttony Beast King."

Hearing he had a reward, Yasyamon hurriedly thanked him.

"Gluttony Beast? Aren't you Wizardmon?"

Hearing Yasyamon's address for the boy, Palmon asked strangely from the side.

"Hey, don't get close to my Abbu. What my Abbu is, is none of your business, okay."

Seeing Palmon lean over to ask, Angewomon decisively placed herself in the middle, stopping the other's approach.

"Wizardmon was just a disguised identity. As for Gluttony Beast, it's a title other Digimon gave me because I can eat quite a lot. And actually, I'm not a Digimon of the Digital World. Just like your partner Mimi, I'm also a Chosen Child."

Broly was still quite patient and explained to Palmon.

"Eh?!"

Hearing this, the Chosen Children who were eating ramen in grief and indignation all looked over at once.

"You're also a Chosen Child?"

Tai Yi found it somewhat hard to believe.

Not to mention that false Burning Flame, just that scene of him cracking the ground with one kick.

Is that something they, as Chosen Children, could do?

"Yes, Angewomon is my Digimon."

Broly pulled Angewomon over. The icy cold touch felt just like hugging a giant ice pillow.

"Angewomon, Ultimate level. And us, Child and Rookie levels. Even if we Super Evolve to Ultimate, we still got beaten seven-to-one by her. Isn't this gap a bit too big?!"

The other Partner Digimon looked at each other in dismay.

"What does this show? This shows my Abbu is the most, most amazing Chosen Child, more amazing than all your partners."

Angewomon put her hands on her hips, lifted her chin, and looked completely smug. Looking at her, the other Partner Digimon felt a bit angry but had no way to refute it.

"Since Angewomon is here on this side, and she defeated the bad guys here, why did you still need us to come over from File Island?"

Tai Yi asked.

"The one who defeated Son Goku wasn't Angewomon, but Broly. The reason I had you come over is because I and Gennai didn't communicate well.

Of course, even if we had communicated, you probably still would've been made to come over here. The main purpose is to train you, to let you improve your own strength.

Because after this, you'll still have to face even more powerful Dark Forces enemies."

Piccolomon explained.

"But we can't even beat Angewomon."

Takeru Takaishi said in a muffled, sullen voice. Having his feelings deceived and falling into a life-or-death crisis a second time put this little boy in a very bad mood.

"However, since Wizard—uh, Broly is also a Chosen Child, then he'll become our companion from now on, right? Thinking about it that way, I feel much more at ease."

Joe Kido relaxed instead. Having a powerful teammate who could beat all of them when he was an enemy gives a sense of security that's simply maxed out.

"Wait, Angewomon and I might not join your team."

Broly hurriedly interrupted.

"Eh, why? Aren't you a Chosen Child?"

Sora Takenouchi was somewhat confused.

"I am, but I don't want to go back to the Real World."

Broly nodded, then shook his head.

In the process of interacting with Tai Yi and the others, he knew the reason this group of Chosen Children was willing to keep going.

That was to return to the Real World. But he could only stay in the Real World for so long, so he fundamentally had no intention of returning to the Real World.

"Ah, this... you don't want to go home?"

Mimi widened her eyes.

"I don't have a home in your Real World. This side is my home. Angewomon is my family. And the group of Digimon under me are my companions and friends. Of course, you all are my friends too."

Broly answered.

Once these words came out, the Chosen Children all fell somewhat silent. Tai Yi and the others daydreamed a lot in this moment.

And Koushiro Izumi's feelings were the most profound. Only because he had long known his biological parents had already passed away. The parents in reality were just his adoptive parents. Of course, they treated him very well, so Koushiro Izumi wanted to go back.

And with some daydreams about Broly's Real World family situation, the Chosen Children seemed to have forgiven him for cooperating with Piccolomon to deceive them. With great interest, they chatted with the boy who was the behind-the-scenes scriptwriter about the inside stories behind the trials they'd undergone over these five-plus months.

Among them, the Roli Ball Beast Village's experience was undoubtedly the most impressive.

"At first meeting, the pressure Angewomon brought was really too strong.

And the Roli Ball Beasts' acting was also amazing. It was practically just like they were really suffering oppression and enslavement."

"Yeah, and those Gazimon and Pagumon too — they looked just like they'd really been beaten to death, couldn't tell at all it was faked."

The Chosen Children marveled at the first trial scene, all wanting to know how Broly and his side managed to act so realistically.

"The Roli Ball Digimon in that village weren't acting — they really suffered oppression and enslavement from Gazimon and Pagumon."

"Ah?"

"As for Gazimon and Pagumon, they didn't just look beaten to death — they really were beaten to death."

"Aren't they your own people?"

"Not at all, we don't know Digimon like that."

"So they really died?"

"Mm, really died."

Taichi Yagami crossed his arms, leaned back against the dining chair, and asked: "So the Digimon we've encountered since then, the ones we killed — they were all ones you don't know?"

"Some we know, some we don't, but rest assured — the ones you killed were basically never our Digimon, they were all bad ones."

Tang Sanzang's journey to the West had eighty-one tribulations; among the monsters who acted as extras with powerful backers, which one actually died? The Yagami Taichi group's experience was similar — the Digimon who truly died were basically never Broly's side's Digimon, mostly unknown cannon fodder, mere consumables on the Partner Digimon's Super Evolution path.

"Now, I still have a question."

Joe Kido asked it.

"What question, you ask."

Broly looked at him.

"Can we still stay here?"

"Of course."

"However long we want to stay?"

"As long as you provide Evolution Data, you can stay however long you want."

In response, Broly gave his answer, feeling Molecule Beast would be very happy.

Night had fallen, the Chosen Children who had discovered the truth of the trials.

After eating a late-night snack, each returned to their own rooms.

This night was destined to be somewhat unsettled, many tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Next day, when they got up, except for Mimi, everyone more or less had dark circles under their eyes.

And after learning they didn't need to act anymore, the other Digimon in the castle became more sincere in their attitude toward them.

The Chosen Children and their Digimon also learned the even more emotionally deceptive version of the finale's plot arrangement.

"Haha, originally we were supposed to perform too, act as the good friends who sacrifice themselves, but the two of us evolved into Lillymon early, so it wasn't suitable for us to appear."

Two Lillymon who had a good relationship with Mimi's Palmon said this, and there were actually quite a few Digimon like them who couldn't participate in the final scenes because they evolved into Perfect Digimon early.

Mainly because their level was too high, afraid the effect wouldn't be good when they all came up to deal with LadyDevimon together, so their scenes were cut.

"There are way too many tropes, and they're all aimed at deceiving our feelings and tears."

Learning that so many Digimon they had decent relationships with all wanted to act against them, the Chosen Children became somewhat indignant.

"Never mind if it's tropes or not, just ask — have your Digimon Super Evolved or not?"

"They have Super Evolved, but..."

"Since they've Super Evolved, that's enough, isn't it?"

When it came time to confront the plot designers, Broly's words directly left them speechless.

If this matter is to be blamed, it's still Homeostasis the Holy Plan designer's fault — after all, it was the other side who designed the Chosen Children's data production method this way.

The blocked Chosen Children were somewhat depressed; wanting to vent, they proposed fighting LadyDevimon once more, didn't leave the Data Absorption Factory Castle in a hurry, but chose to raid LadyDevimon as a raid boss here.

And with raid preparations done, six Perfect Partner Digimon in a six-on-one situation didn't present the completely one-sided scene like last night; although they still couldn't beat LadyDevimon in the end, they deadlocked with her for a while, consuming a lot of her power.

"So tired, Taichi."

"Sorry, A He, we still couldn't beat her."

Watching one Partner Digimon after another plunge into their partner's embrace, the strongly competitive LadyDevimon imitated them, throwing herself into the arms of the boy standing on the other side — but the moment she fell into Broly's embrace, she reverted to her white cat form.

And the result was...

"Eh, such a cute white kitty, this is LadyDevimon's pre-evolution form? Called Tokomon? Mhm, Tokomon, can I touch your meat pads?"

Fact proved Tokomon's appearance was very popular with girls; Mimi was attracted, leaned over with a look yearning to pet the cat, staring at Tokomon.

Tokomon felt very uncomfortable being stared at, originally wanted to refuse the girl's request, but seeing Palmon's hesitant look, extended her claws toward Mimi.

"Okay, but only letting you touch the meat pads — my body is not for touching."

"Great."

Mimi couldn't wait, rubbed Tokomon's magic hand claws, while rubbing said to Palmon beside her: "Palmon, Tokomon's claws are springy springy, so soft to touch, so comfortable..."

Palmon: "..."

Looking at her own plant claws, she inexplicably felt a bit down.

At this, Tokomon's cat mouth corners curled up slightly, her gaze as if saying: Look, your partner's been attracted by me too.

"Palmon, don't be sad, the flowers on your head are also quite vibrant and pretty."

Broly held Tokomon, saw Palmon's Happiness Value drop, and took the opportunity to comfort her.

Hearing this, Tokomon suddenly lifted her cat head, widened her eyes at him, directly pulled back her hand, wouldn't let Mimi touch the magic claws anymore, stood up, rubbed her head against the boy's face, and asked: "A Bu, do you think I'm pretty?"

"Eh, Tokomon, of course you're pretty."

Broly didn't understand.

"Prettier than the flowers on its head?"

Tokomon pointed at the flowers on Palmon's head and asked.

"Uh, of course."

Broly pondered for a moment, then still gave the correct answer.

"Great."

Tyrannomon was very happy, and rubbed against the boy's face again.

Palmon was dazed the whole time, only Mimi looked thoughtful.

"Gluttony King, Machinedramon's Ultimate Destruction Cannon only destroyed 22% of the Data Factory's external structural buildings.

Yet your one kick directly paralyzed the Mobile Module. Couldn't you have just thrown some vague fireballs last night to put on a show?"

In the evening, when Nanomon rushed over to this side to repair the Data Absorption Factory Castle, after checking the castle's damage, he started complaining to Broly.

The Ultimate Destruction Cannon of a Perfect-level Machinedramon actually caused less damage to the castle than their own King's acting performance of a ground-cracking kick last night.

"Uh, is it hard to repair?"

"The external building restoration project can probably be finished in one night, but the Mobile Module's damage requires making a new Mobile Module to replace it.

But this place is far from the Module Manufacturing Factory. Wanting to drag the whole castle over there for repairs is a huge workload. Better to just scrap it directly."

After a round of computation, Nanomon felt repairing this Data Factory Castle wasn't worthwhile, and proposed the suggestion to scrap it.

However, Broly felt this mobile building was still pretty good — at least he lived in it comfortably — so he voiced the idea of personally moving the whole castle to the Module Manufacturing Factory for repairs.

Thus, a group of Chosen Children and Digimon had the experience of riding a Flying Castle. After experiencing it, everyone firmly agreed with Piximon's opinion: what eighth Chosen Child? That's total nonsense. Where in reality is there such a superhuman? Even among Digimon, there are rarely guys who can lift thousands of jun and carry a whole castle into the sky.

"With such powerful power output, you want to tell me his real identity is a Spaceship Engine Beast? I'd believe it!"

Koushiro Izumi complained, and Nanomon was very interested in his complaint, asking about spaceship matters.

"Gluttony King, perhaps we should build a spaceship."

Broly: "???"

(Chapter End)