Chapter 586: The First Appearance of Emperor Limo, Return to the Real World

Looking at the “red jelly” continuously oozing from beneath the Vermilion Sacred Domain, even the Four Sacred Beasts wore grim expressions.

The Vermilion Beast flapped its wings, summoning flames, but the defeated Emperor Limo was merely a tiny fraction of its entire body.

Only after the Four Sacred Beasts joined forces were they able to temporarily repair the shattered Sacred Domain and use barriers to hold back the ever-emerging Emperor Limo.

But the Four Sacred Beasts knew well: this seal was only temporary and could not contain Emperor Limo for long.

The emergence of Emperor Limo was a catastrophe for the entire Digital World; every Digimon had a duty to join this defense.

The reason the Four Sacred Beasts sought out Golemon was simple: they hoped Golemon, as the “Light of Evolution,” could use his evolutionary power to boost the Digital World’s strength.

After understanding the Four Sacred Beasts’ request, Golemon directly used his power to unleash “Burst Evolution,” bathing the entire Digital World in evolutionary light.

At that moment, every Digimon residing in the Digital World, under the illumination of the Light of Evolution, completed collective evolution.

Mature-level Digimon evolved into Ultimate-level; Ultimate-level Digimon evolved directly into Mega-level.

In less than a minute, the Digital World’s combat power surged exponentially.

Moreover, the Digimon touched by the Light of Evolution seemed to simultaneously understand their mission and began marching toward the Four Sacred Beasts’ territory.

“Emperor Limo’s goal is to destroy the Digital World and then achieve physical form in the Real World through quantum conversion, dragging humanity into the same crisis as the Digimon.

If the Real World is destroyed, the Digital World will not survive either.

So, children of humanity, and your Digimon partners—the battle on the side of the Real World is yours to fight.”

After speaking these words, the Azure Dragon Beast immediately brought Shengzai and the others to the ruins left behind by humanity’s former research into the Digital World.

At the same time, Keiichi contacted the head of the Network Security Bureau, Yamaki, via a special communication device and met the research team’s creation: the Ark, a vehicle capable of traveling between the Digital World and the Real World.

When the Vermilion Beast saw the human children and their Digimon boarding the Ark and leaving the Digital World, she was deeply displeased.

“I still can’t understand why you seem to have such faith in those humans?

Those human children and their Digimon nearly wiped out my Twelve Emperor Demons, and now you’re just letting them go?”

In response to the furious Vermilion Beast, the Azure Dragon Beast rumbled: “Understand this—this is a crisis for the entire Digital World, not the time for personal grudges.

Also, don’t underestimate human strength. Compared to Digimon, their power is negligible, but they are intelligent.

Emperor Limo’s target isn’t just the Digital World—it’s the Real World too. We are now on the same side.”

The Azure Dragon Beast never easily became anyone’s ally, but he clearly understood that only by joining forces could humanity and Digimon survive this crisis.

Was he betting hope on those few human children?

No—he was placing his hope on all of humanity in the Real World.

Letting those children go was a gesture of goodwill toward humanity.

It was also through those children that he intended to inform humanity of the crisis about to strike both the Digital World and the Real World.

As one of the Four Sacred Beasts, the Azure Dragon Beast did not scorn all humans as the Vermilion Beast did.

Don’t forget: Digimon were born because a human research group originally pursued them out of curiosity.

The barrier between the Digital World and the Real World, once thought insurmountable, has now been effortlessly crossed by humans with their so-called “Ark,” retrieving those children.

This further proves that human intelligence must not be underestimated.

Perhaps the ultimate way to defeat “Emperor Limo” lies in human ingenuity.

Compared to the crisis facing the entire Digital World, the petty grudge over the Twelve Emperor Demons under the Vermilion Beast’s command means nothing.

Upon returning to the Real World, Keiichi and the others, when picked up by their parents, explained the situation in the Digital World to Yamaki and the others.

However, due to the failure of the previous extermination plan, Yamaki had been removed from his position as director of the Network Security Bureau, and the entire department had been disbanded.

Although Yamaki recognized the severity of the situation and reported it to his superiors, the higher-ups showed little concern.

To the elite, Digimon were merely toys developed by a 1970s research group; now claiming they threaten global catastrophe seemed exaggerated.

As for what happened to the Digital World, humanity cared even less.

After all, to those in power, Digimon were inherently unstable elements—if they could be eradicated entirely, they would even thank “Emperor Limo.”

Unable to get his warnings taken seriously, Yamaki once again, in his personal capacity, gathered the original research team, including Jianliang’s father, Li Zhenyu.

After returning to the Real World, most parents, upon seeing their children return from their adventure, wept with joy and comforted them; only Kato Hajime, Tree’s father, remained cold when he saw Tree.

Tree’s family situation was complicated: her father, Kato Hajime, had fathered her with her deceased mother.

Later, he remarried and had a younger half-brother with his new wife, forming a four-member household.

The family ran a small snack shop to make ends meet; because the shop was always busy, Tree often came home right after school to help.

She also had to care for her young brother while her parents were occupied, and to soothe him, she always wore a stuffed doll on her left hand.

Her stepmother treated her like a biological daughter, but her biological father, Kato Hajime, treated her with extreme coldness.

Due to her family circumstances, Tree suffered psychological trauma and harbored many dark thoughts, yet she never showed them, always presenting a cheerful smile.

Shengzai knew the plot of Digimon Adventure 02; frankly, compared to Tree, he had once preferred the cool, stylish Rika.

After all, in the later part of the series, Emperor Limo evolved and grew stronger largely due to Tree’s despair and negative emotions.

But after truly understanding Tree’s family situation, Shengzai suddenly felt it wasn’t really her fault.

Living in such a family was deeply oppressive; she had finally found a lion Digimon who saved her like a prince—only to watch him killed.

After returning to the Real World, instead of comfort from her family, she received only blame.

Given all these factors, it was no surprise that a fifth-grade child might break down—any adult in her place might have turned dark as well.

(End of Chapter)