49. I'm done being a Champion level, Datamon!

(1/3)
"Welcome, Chosen Child~"
Datamon crawled onto RustTyranomon's shoulder.
As a Mega level, it possessed an even taller frame than MetalTyranomon. That entirely mechanical body stood a staggering 50 meters tall!
"Do you like the gift I've prepared for you? This is a Mega level that cannot possibly be seen in this day and age!"
"I can finally confirm it now that I'm seeing you in person. As I expected, you're just as lacking in taste as I imagined, Datamon." Taichi sneered, looking up at RustTyranomon, who was letting Datamon stand atop it. "To be able to control even a Mega level, you really are quite capable."
"Normally, of course, that wouldn't be possible, but you shouldn't underestimate my intellect," Datamon smiled benignly. "As long as I scatter their wills while they are still in the Champion stage, turning them into mindless puppets, no matter how much they evolve afterward, they are nothing more than toys for me to toy with as I please."
"It's just a pity; I originally had my eyes on that Greymon in the arena. If I had used him as material, I suppose I could have evolved an even more powerful Mega level!"
Taichi gazed intently at Datamon. "Vandals of dark power like you... each one is more sickening than the last."
"Sickening?" Datamon retorted. His tone was utterly buoyant, practically bubbling with laughter. "You call me, the creator of a Mega level, sickening? Heh哈哈哈! Taichi, don't go getting arrogant just because you defeated a few Ultimate levels. The chasm between a Mega and an Ultimate is beyond anything you can imagine!"
Datamon tapped his left eye with a finger. Through his technological prowess, he had modified this eye into a combat power analyzer identical to a Digivice, capable of analyzing a Digimon's numerical values.
"Ever since you set foot on Server Continent, I have been observing you. The data from every single one of your battles has been analyzed and cracked by me. I am the person in this world who understands the two of you best."
"I know your power increases as your emotions and battles intensify. So don't worry, RustTyranomon will use its full strength right at the start of the battle, and I will destroy you before you can become strong enough!"
"Behold this terrifying genius of mine, this divine talent of mine!"
"Do you understand now, Taichi! Relying solely on a Champion level, it is impossible for you to defeat me!"
Faced with Datamon's arrogant tone, Taichi didn't say much in response, simply asking calmly, "You said you've been watching me all along. Then, did you also see what happened with Piximon?"
"Piximon?" A flicker of disorder crossed Datamon's eyes. Clearly, even the Black Cables spanning across Server Continent could not pierce Piximon's barrier.
"I see. No wonder yesterday none of my monitoring equipment or radar could detect you two," Datamon realized with a start.
(1/3)

(2/3)
"Is that so?" Taichi twitched the corner of his mouth, a sense of amusement inevitably rising in his heart. "You just happened to miss the most crucial part~"
Datamon was clearly misled by Taichi's attitude. "The most crucial part? It doesn't matter. Your combat power has long since been excavated to the absolute limit of the Champion stage. Even if you've acquired the data volume from fighting an Ultimate level, you still won't be a match for RustTyranomon."
"Ah... as you said, the Champion stage ultimately has its limits. Once the potential has been completely exhausted, even if you absorb more data, you can no longer experience explosive growth like in the past. No matter how many battles you go through, it's ultimately just grinding away at stone."
"If you want to leap beyond the limit in one go, there is only evolution."
Datamon: "As long as you understand..."
"So what we're going to do," Taichi suddenly shouted, cutting Datamon off, "is break past the limits of the Champion stage!"
"What did you say?" A hint of unease inexplicably surfaced in Datamon.
Taichi raised his arm high, the Digivice flashing with golden light under his will: "Didn't you understand? I'm saying I'm done being a Champion, Datamon!"
"Zero-Maru and I are going to transcend the Champion stage!"
"Watch closely, this is our..."
"Armor Digivolution!"
The Digi-Egg of Destiny once again enveloped Zero-Maru, coating his body in a layer of dazzling gold.
Datamon instinctively activated his combat power analyzer, only to find that Zero-Maru's power readings were undergoing a leap in magnitude within an extremely short span of time. Furthermore, as time passed, the rate of increase showed no signs of slowing down at all; instead, it surged continuously upward as if there were no limits!
"Hey, is it really okay for you to stare at me so blankly?" Zero-Maru teased. Before Datamon could figure out what he meant, his left eye exploded from measuring numbers that were simply too massive.
"Absurd, utterly absurd! Armor Digivolution? What kind of incomprehensible nonsense is that?!" This development was clearly outside Datamon's expectations. "How despicable! To acquire such power behind my back!"
Taichi: "You have the nerve to say that to us?"
"Damn you, Chosen Child, just how long are you going to keep getting in my way?!" Watching Zero-Maru begin to vent a golden aura much like a Saiyan, Datamon began to babble incoherently.
A piece of armor at the back of RustTyranomon's head slightly unlatched, revealing the cockpit inside.
(2/3)

(3/3)
Datamon climbed in, and RustTyranomon's previously dim eyes instantly emitted a piercing green light.
RustTyranomon suddenly bent forward, aiming the huge cannon on its back straight at Taichi.
The barrel of the cannon unfolded in front, transforming into a massive electromagnetic cannon. Backed by the energy reserves of a Mega level, Datamon had also connected it to the Black Cables, continuously supplying it with dark energy.
"Giga Destroyer!"
Zero-Maru, on the other hand, fired a golden V-Nova Blast. Two earth-shattering energies collided dead center between them. One had to admit, the destructive power of a cyborg-type Digimon in the same tier was utterly off the charts; back at the Ultimate level, it already possessed nuclear-bomb-grade destructive power, and RustTyranomon's signature move far exceeded even that.
Even in its Golden Form, the V-Nova Blast was pushed back by the Giga Destroyer for a moment.
"Disappear right here, Chosen Child!"
"Don't make me laugh! This is our evolutionary debut; did you really think we'd take a hit this easily?!"
Zero-Maru excelled most at growing stronger continuously amidst battle. Pushing past his Golden Form into an overloaded state, the V-Nova Blast instantly swelled several times over, pushing the electromagnetic cannon—which had already reached right in front of them—back the other way.
"Tch!"
Seeing the V-Nova Blast drawing closer and closer to him, Datamon maneuvered RustTyranomon to retract the cannon array. Then, displaying explosive agility that belied its bulky appearance, it performed a backflip and dodged the V-Nova Blast.
Since that's the case, I'll look for an opportunity in hand-to-hand combat.
As for Taichi, seeing that their power was no less than the opponent's and that Zero-Maru held the advantage of a smaller frame, he also decided to engage in close-quarters combat.
Thus, with a subtle, mutual unspoken understanding between both sides, RustTyranomon and Zero-Maru strode forward toward each other.
(3/3)