Chapter 444: No. 27: I want to step on your foot like this .jpg

No. 27: I want to step on your foot like this. jpg

The next afternoon, Aomo attended the training of his subordinate horse girls as usual.

The three girls who had confirmed their respective race times received a stack of documents from the trainer.

Although Aomo himself preferred email, this kind of content involving countless athletes' data still had to be in paper form to avoid leaving a loophole.

And the reason they could confirm the rough list overnight and gather the corresponding character data was not only because Aomo sacrificed his study time that night, but also with the help of Barbaromon X.

I wonder how Witchmon would react……

Although the reason Aomo was able to meet Barbaromon X and Bi Ze yesterday was because Tea obtained that information from Witchmon.

Although this Witchmon lady is busy to death, she also has her own information channels; rather, Barbaromon X could be considered a famous beast in the Digimon magic-user circle, so even if Witchmon doesn't keep an eye on it, some Digimon would know its whereabouts.

But this is only true for this period.

It's hard to say whether Barbaromon X will end up residing in the real world later—if Bi Ze doesn't want to see huge food expenses, he probably wouldn't.

It doesn't matter; anyway, he initially wanted to inquire about Barbaromon X's situation, aside from being curious about the ownership of the Free Armor, he just wanted to find a temporary replacement information processor for Witchmon.

Although he wasn't sure whether the other party would agree, or under what conditions, at least there's something to discuss.

Nowadays, in the field of Digimon hacking, Aomo can be considered to have achieved some success.

Eighty percent of his study was for the sake of that person's initial cooperation, so he feels it's quite a pity to break it off.

Although Witchmon could also make use of it.

But the difference is like using an S-class license to drive a small car—it's rather wasteful.

After all, that was for researching the technology of ancient species' power, not for providing the partner Digimon with data tuning to evolve immediately.

However, these insights could probably be passed on to Bi Ze; anyway, he feels idle, so it might be better to let his brother give him some intensity.

Furthermore, it's precisely because of Bi Ze's relationship with Barbaromon X that Barbaromon X gave such decisive assistance.

Half a week ago he was hit by the Demon God Pillar Bal's ray in the online world, and half a week later he assisted work with a Digimon modeled after Demon God Bal, which is also quite moving.

After sighing, he then had to call the girls' attention to the few athletes circled on the document—those were quite promising in the information he'd gathered, and might become formidable opponents.

The corresponding information was also stuffed inside, so the documents were in stacks.

There is a trainer who is quite skilled in online information gathering, which is no less than receiving help simultaneously from the Sky Shrine and Pipa Dawn.

Although the three girls do indeed know both of them, and even the latter's sister was guiding their training yesterday, when it comes to race assistance, that's obviously not that intimate yet.

Probably……

Chazuo looked toward the Narita senpai who had also come today, then toward the other side where the trainer was chatting with Bopang about the recent morning training intensity.

The Spirit Horse Girl's expression is usually wooden, and at this moment it made an excellent disguise; Bopang, who was concentrating on the conversation, and Suzi, who was being pressed by Bairen to do stretches not far away, didn't notice this companion's oddness.

The trainer and the Narita senpai… so natural……

Chazuo felt somewhat confused about this.

The Spirit Horse Girl's intuition is not inferior to Bopang's; rather, it could be said that the three girls under Aomo haven't lacked inspiration at all.

Researchers and mediums are both professions that require necessary intuition.

And a certain cyborg's unreasonable revelation-type intuition goes without saying.

But at this moment, the only one who grasps the abnormality is her, Chazuo—along with her 'friend' who is usually absent most of the time, occasionally comes to check on her, and often chooses 'invisibility' when seeing the trainer.

... Abnormality.

... It shouldn't be… not me being paranoid……

... Probably……

Chazuo is a little lacking in confidence.

She already knows that Miss Narita uses the trainer as her phone wallpaper; although she has never exposed the screen in front of everyone, the 'friend' in a spectral form can always accomplish some unimaginable things.

For example, it can float behind her when Miss Narita senpai taps her phone without being noticed.

This is indeed unimaginable, after all, Miss Narita senpai has made her feel a huge chasm in source energy ever since they first met.

This makes her firmly believe that the other's five senses and spiritual perception cannot be weak either.

So, the 'friend' is really impressive.

But the focus right now isn't the friend, but rather a feeling of her own.

She silently gazed at the two people on either side.

Watching them initially greet each other, exchange training conditions, and discuss her own progress and scores with Suzi and Bopang, as well as the current training.

She had expected to see some strange unnaturalness, but what she saw was utterly natural.

At that time, the trainer's tone on the call was as if nothing was a big deal, which combined with the moment felt genuine; whereas yesterday she had cautiously asked nothing, as if she were overthinking.

Even the Narita senpai showed no strange behavior or reaction, as if the 'friend' had deceived her.

But that's impossible; a 'friend' like an older sister could never deceive oneself!

Even if she outwardly dislikes the trainer, she wouldn't do that to prank the trainer!

So……

How strange……

Normally… would one take a photo of someone else to use as a phone wallpaper…?

No way…? The 'friend' also laughed so maliciously then……

It's like… already having caught hold of the trainer's weakness……

So… there might still be a problem……

Feeling like there……

Chazuo continued to stand at the edge of the track with a wooden expression, watching the trainer and the Narita senpai approach from both sides again to say something; they looked calm, but it seemed……

The number of times their gazes met seems rather frequent, right?

Was it seven or six times……?

Chazuo wasn't entirely sure; she wasn't particularly sensitive to gazes not directed at her, but occasionally in her dreams, that 'self'—who often acted as a performer and frequently walked the edge of danger—was always good at observing.

If only the 'friend' were here today as well...

She sighed inwardly, feeling that this wasn't quite right either.

She was clearly holding the trainer's prepared materials, yet she couldn't focus enough.

"Chazuo! Come over and take your position!"

In the distance, the trainer was also calling out to themselves; beside them was Narita-senpai, who hadn't come to run on the track but was holding a stopwatch, apparently watching this time as well.

"Trainer..."

"I'll go to the restroom for a moment."

Saying that, the trainer ran off toward the edge of the training field.

Is that the direction of the restroom?

Chazuo felt a bit puzzled, but ultimately decided to gather her scattered spirit.

"Chazuo!" Narita-senpai also called out to herself, raising her hand to lightly pat her cheek.

Let's not think about that for now… training……

——

On the other side, Aomo jogged hastily toward the small grove beside the training field, and only after putting a considerable distance between himself and the field did a voice not his own sound.

"That black-haired horse girl has been staring at you."

"I know." Aomo said calmly.

"I mean the short one." That voice seemed worried he might misunderstand.

"But the taller one also feels strange."

"When you interact with Bi Ze, do you also remind him so enthusiastically?" Aomo asked.

"Yeah, he needs assistance."

Those words made Aomo pause in his steps, then continue walking as he sighed: "... I originally thought you had deceived him, but it seems he deceived you."

"Even a regular AI wouldn't report as meticulously and diligently as you do."

"He has this need; compared to the Moon Rush Symbol, he's just… too simple."

"You could just say he's stupid enough to need your care."

"Is your relationship with him not good?"

"Good enough to say that," Aomo said, halting his hurried run through the small grove, stopping and saying, "Right here—you can bring him over."

"Okay."

"I don't really understand why you're willing to choose him; care to explain now?"

"Asking about the Bar Beast X comes at a price."

"Why didn't you say that before?"

"……"

"At first, there was an applicant who made the Free Armor shake violently, but communicating with her was difficult; I need a collaborator who can communicate normally and make the Free Armor respond."

"... Sorry to ask, but was that initial applicant called the Golden Ship?"

"Yes."

"I'm more curious about how you wrote the recruitment to attract her."

"Can I tell you later? I've already prepared to bring Bi Ze over."

"Sure, can you add a protective spell to him? You should know similar techniques."

"Sure, but why?"

"I want to step on him."