Chapter 776: NO.145: No Need to Curb Your Madness

No. 145: Don't hold back your madness.

The rain falls steadily in the black-and-white digital world.

Physical laws can be simulated, but the traits of carbon-based life are an irreducible complexity.

You can therefore fully enjoy the simulated rain in this data domain, without fear of catching a cold or fever.

—unless the rain is laced with a virus.

It's comparable to the toxin of an ultimate virus strain, but it's still just a minor problem.

A slight movement of the armored-clad fingers summons a massive barrier above their heads, known as the Noble King Barbaromon X; though it is in its ultimate form, it is equally adept at network analysis, a technical Digimon.

It is also the Digimon that, upon seeing Witchmon, transforms into Belzebumon and shoots his mother.

Thus Witchmon does not appear at the moment.

Even if we fought, it wouldn't matter much—there'd be no clear outcome quickly, and it's not hard to stop, but we should still avoid this chaos if we can.

So he arranged for them to meet at different times.

Barbaromon X will willingly go along with it, Witchmon will feel relieved to act, but he only sees it as a waste of time.

An ultimate-level virus rain—surprisingly, it's worth the commission fee.

As Biezé's partner, not Oumu's, enlisting Barbaromon X's help obviously comes at a cost.

This also shows that Biezé hasn't really tried to curry favor with Barbaromon X.

Or rather, their interaction has always been special—like Barbaromon X serving as his personal web-novel-style grandfather.

And his reward…

Don't forget our contract—you need to urge Biezé to analyze the free armor.

Obviously, while Oumu and Witchmon are getting along more naturally, Biezé and Barbaromon X are on the verge of breaking apart.

Since Biezé has been occupied with normal studies and work, he hasn't been focusing much on the digital realm—like a prelude to defaulting on a debt—but it hasn't made Barbaromon X anxious.

After all, he's been watching this partner for a while and knows that this seemingly 'normal' state won't last long.

But if it could happen a bit sooner, he'd be more satisfied.

No problem—actually, regarding our cooperation, whether it's the treaty or the actual content, I've sent him a copy.

Looking at the distant city blurred by water, Oumu says wearily, 'He seems to think this is a joke after Zero and Mr. Asakura arrived on Earth—a product of my dramatic flare.'

"That's your problem to solve." His finger rests on a floating page beneath a dark red glow; Barbaromon X's voice is as cold as his current demeanor, indifferent to Oumu's words.

That's true; this problem could actually be solved with just a photo, but I'm still considering whether to further cultivate his regret.

"Cultivate regret?"

There were once opportunities to meet, even take a photo together; chances to boast up close; chances to deepen understanding with a relied‑upon partner… and so on.

Oumu fiddles with the visible light screen in this state, responding one by one to the companions' messages above.

The more you miss, the more regretful and profound it becomes—in the end, it's just a lesson.

"I thought you were friends." Barbaromon X obviously considers this overly harsh.

Precisely because we are friends I keep reminding him, and I'll keep doing so—just wait until he truly wants to trust me.

"He just took it as a joke."

Indeed, it's all trivial stuff, but from the enthusiasts' perspective… well, time's up. Oumu shakes his head, glances at the light screen, then says, 'In the three o'clock direction, one kilometer out, there's a black‑haired youth who needs your backup.'

At the same time, in the ten o'clock direction two kilometers out, the cyber‑hacker and his Application Digimon partner are responsible for another teammate's infiltration work.

"If I go now…" Barbaromon X looks at the raindrops in the sky, then at Oumu.

Then we see him wave his hand, and between his moving fingers a card has already been clipped, unbeknownst when.

【GalactronMK2/Galactron MK2 Model】

Blades on the knees and arms, extra armor on the head; the card's face shows a far more ferocious posture than the original, often appearing in action like a completely berserk machine.

That suddenly protrudes—the palm covering the shield above has exactly the same shape.

"I see, farewell."

Barbaromon X gives a slight nod, then vanishes in the spinning red sigil; almost instantly, a blue‑black sigil expands beside Oumu, from which first emerges half a broom head.

Then immediately appears a red figure occupying the field of view.

"How strange…" It is clearly a witch, yet after appearing she sniffs like a dog, then is brought close to Oumu by the willing broom.

The latter had just pulled up the music software, playing the song titled «Out of Control Machine» by yucat (Kato Yukari); seeing her approach like that, he tilts his head and helplessly raises his palm.

He gently strokes the black cat peeking from her shoulder.

As if illustrating that the cat is liquid‑like, it wears an expression of utter comfort from being stroked, while black data‑flow flames rise during the petting.

The pitch‑black data flames easily ignite its body, and undiminished they envelop the witch herself, as strands of azure‑black data weave and overlap, almost encasing her in an egg‑shaped cocoon.

Two seconds after the egg forms, counting the levitating broom's boost, the data egg, which was only 1.6 meters tall, is suddenly hoisted to 1.8 meters, from which a woman in black leather bursts forth.

Evolution complete—Belzebumon.

Regarding how to use the Digimon Soul, Oumu has come to understand it ever more in terms of saving energy and reducing wind‑up.

Yet this does not prevent the opponent from pointing the gun barrel at his own forehead.

"Has Barbaromon X come by?"

Just as the song «Out ofControl Machine / Completely Out ofControl Machine» plays in sync, the three dark‑red eyes beneath the blue mask all stare at this quiet partner.

"I wish you would pay more attention to the massive beast behind you." Oumu shows a regretful expression.

"Although its form is no longer that beautiful and holy, it is nevertheless a new form forged by multiplying Galactron's strength, based on the axe framework you helped fish out last time."

Also, because it is still unfinished, its posture is unstable, its condition abnormal, and it could go berserk at any moment in the red eyes.

But for now, rationality may not be that important.

"Cut the chatter, I'm asking Barbaromon X!" Just a glance back at the vicious dragon behind him, then he turns and pushes the gun barrel of Belzebumon again, making it hard to see any rapport from their previous interaction.

But this too is still part of the norm.

He'll be staying on the other side for a long time; no need to rush this moment, right?

"We're partners, right?" As he said this, the Belsta Beast's gun muzzle was indeed moving away.

She actually didn't doubt that Aomo was deceiving her; after all, unlike Bi Ze, who hadn't seen him handle proper business much, Aomo in Belsta's eyes always wore a more stern, unsmiling expression than his gentle, easygoing self.

"As your employer, I might not be able to cheer you on." Aomo said calmly.

Not stopping is enough!

He completely put away his gun, then slung it over his shoulder; the black scarf around his neck, as it extended, turned into pitch-black fingers that gently wiped Aomo's face, which actually bore no trace; the Belsta Beast stood beside him, and together they gazed into the distance at the black-and-white city.

"Is it just to bring you in here? Want to, while we're at it, break something?"

If you can do that, I'll be all the more grateful.

He said this, slightly lowering his hand that held the card.

And above his head, the silver-white dragon partially wrapped in dark gold, at the same moment he drew the hand axe from behind his back, his eyes flared and he let out a roar no longer under control.

But also at this moment, the song playing beside Aomo's ear, which had begun to spread toward the distance, was also singing:

"Out of Control Machine?" / completely runaway machine

"Shall I give you a ride?" / Just let me drive you.