Chapter 1832: NO.447: The Shackles of Ambition and the Ambition of Freedom

NO. 447: The Shackles of Ambition and the Ambition of Freedom

"Originally, the Hei'an Area looks like this, quite different from the photos I found online?"

"It's rare for humans to be able to film the Skeleton Arena; perhaps the photos you saw are not from here."

While entertaining the second guest whose appearance resembled a human, the Hei'an Knight Beast's eye-light showed no flicker at all, as if it had no dissatisfaction.

"Isn't this the place? The skeleton… really leaves no impression." In his mind there were no crystal nuclei, and the source energy he studied was all for developing magic power rather than targeting the brain; Bi Ze's memory was not particularly outstanding.

To the Hei'an Knight Beast, which has a considerable understanding of human world common sense, this cannot be considered anything but crude.

What identity is such poor acting trying to hide?

It still does not understand.

But attracting two human-shaped non-Digimon companions in succession—is it to better fulfill the duty of a Demon King by invading the human world, or to again oppose the Demon King's role, adding trouble to those Demon Kings whose scheming is obvious at a glance……

It also does not understand.

After all, the former king neither associated with the other Demon Kings nor wronged himself by doing all these winding maneuvers, rendering his past accumulated understanding meaningless; he could only look at what Barbeast. X has done so far——

Naturally, it is intermittent.

Although he never forgot to pay attention to the old leader, maintaining long-term surveillance in the Hei'an Area is quite difficult; the 'camera' is easily drawn in accidentally, and even more easily seen as a provocation by the not-so-slow old leader. Once the old leader seemingly runs off to the human world, expecting information updates becomes even harder, so he is hesitant about his own inferences, but one thing can be certain.

Raising his head, he saw the little demon beast trembling slightly from his gaze, shrinking back entirely; the Hei'an Knight Beast could at least confirm that the king's change is indeed significant.

So significant that he could allow the Grand Dracula Beast's surveillance to exist openly, essentially declaring a friendly alliance between the King of Gluttony and the Vampire King.

Truly strange.

This carries the risk of being seen as a subordinate relationship; if it were the former king, merely contemplating this risk would have made him furious, wouldn't it?

Although the backstage area of the Skeleton Arena is the most deserted among the Seven Great Demon Kings' halls, a place filled with wandering souls where it's hard to find witnesses who could leak information, there still exists a minimal maintenance crew capable of fulfilling that role.

Regardless of whether it spreads, that rumor might be true.

'Support my return here'——regarding the Grand Dracula Beast, Barbeast. X said this, although he does not believe the king would greet the other in a subordinate posture, but now……

The king is indeed ignoring such rumors.

And he appears busy, but it's unclear what exactly he's busy with, frequently entering and exiting the arena; now he's gone out again, leaving the two human-shaped guests here, forcing him to regularly attend to them for the sake of etiquette……

Honestly, it's quite bad.

The Hei'an Knight Beast once saw this sentence in human network information: 'What's harder than a parachuted leader is a parachuted leader who brings two kids for you to look after'—at that time he didn't care, but now thinking about it, it's practically a terrible prophecy.

But fortunately, compared to the detestable nature of those human infants described after that sentence, these two human-shaped fellows are not troublesome to receive.

One is silent and has extremely low demands, basically letting you busy yourself elsewhere without worrying about him.

One is talkative and curious about everything, yet also seems to deliberately keep distance as if knowing himself.

Usually this is not good; the king's guests' vigilance might transmit to the king, but here it doesn't matter.

After all, the king has been expecting his move from the start, and the guests' vigilance is currently reducing his workload, so he only needs to occasionally come by like now, respond with a couple sentences to the more talkative one, and then prepare to leave.

However, this time is slightly different, because the king has returned again.

This return comes at just the right moment, stepping in as he was about to say goodbye, directly stopping him in place:

"Hei'an Knight Beast, you no longer need to receive guests. I order you to prepare your own X Evolution Power Key while investigating the human forces cooperating with Barbeast and Light Beast Fallen Type."

"?"

"Perhaps they chose the wrong ally……" His king, who clearly should have become an ultimate form yet still appears as Barbeast. X, even has the patience to explain his purpose to him.

Although this level of introspection might not seem like an explanation, just opening his mouth is enough to make him again feel, like a human, the sorrow of things changing while people remain.

"Or perhaps you can use this opportunity to achieve your goal in another way, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"X Antibody, must I spell it out that clearly?" The red-covered book floating beside Barbeast. X moves on its own, as if synchronizing with the knowledge he speaks aloud, "In the Hei'an Area, Digimon do not reincarnate as Digi-Eggs upon death; those capable can devour everything of the defeated."

"But that does not include the Dark Crown," the Hei'an Knight Beast firmly denied, "Only fellow Digimon, or Digimon prepared for horizontal transformation, can inherit the Abyssal Dark Crown."

"But that includes X Antibody," Barbeast. X said.

"Hei'an Knight Beast. X."

"That is likewise your clan's rare pinnacle, isn't it?"

"But that……"

"I can grant you the technique to separate X evolution power, allowing you to switch freely between original form and X Antibody form like the other Demon Kings."

It was once said that the Hei'an Knight Beast is also a rather special category among Digimon. As an Ultimate Digimon that only needs to fuse a specific Digimon to reach the ultimate ultimate state, its X form is also the ultimate ultimate state, and moreover a state with no further progress.

Yet in Barbeast. X's words, even by taking this path to reach the pinnacle of the ultimate form, he can still freely revert to his Ultimate form and then charge again toward the Dark Bagra Beast/Hei'an Knight Beast (Gloom) realm.

Such temptation makes him ask even more calmly: "What exactly are you seeking?"

Such a sacrifice does not seem equivalent to merely helping with an investigation; conversely, what kind of dangerous equivalence lies behind the exchange condition of this help with investigation?

"The failure of the Seven Great Demon Kings, the failure of the Hei'an Area, what I want is to maintain the status quo, Hei'an Knight Beast."

"Eh? Barbeast……" Bi Ze finally realized that Barbeast. X was making a decision outside the plan, about to speak, but was interrupted:

"Quiet, Bi Ze."

Crimson light burst from his eyes, giving him the feeling of facing his close friend in earnest, "At this moment, I need your quiet and trust."

"... Hmm."

Having received the accurate response, Barbeast. X turned back to the Hei'an Knight Beast: "How have you considered it?"

"I want to maintain the status quo, but you can replace any Demon King's position, even all of ours."

"I have a question that will determine my decision," the Hei'an Knight Beast said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Ask."

"Is this also your condition of cooperation with the Grand Dracula Beast?"

"No. His help to me has no conditions, so I also do not trust him; on this we are clear. Rather than allies, he is more like an enemy feigning cooperation."

"……You should know my ambition goes far beyond the throne of the Demon King."

I don't dislike excessive ambition, because at that time everything will have nothing to do with me.

You still yearn for that so-called freedom, right?

Endless, just like your ambition, Hei'an Knight.

If so, let's establish the contract, Noble King.

(End of chapter)