Chapter 136: BanchoLeomon

“We should go help Mercurymon.”

Although the most powerful enemies had either been killed or driven away, Marcus and the others still did not dare let their guard down.

After all, the countless Gizmon were still rampaging through the Digital World, gathering the data energy of Digimon.

And Akihiro Kurata was hardly the sort to give up so easily. He still had an enormous number of Gizmon at his disposal—more than enough to gather the energy required to revive Belphemon.

Watching Mercurymon dart between the surrounding Digimon villages, Qin Fei nodded. They truly could not allow the Gizmon to continue their rampage. Given Kurata’s character, he would undoubtedly force Belphemon to awaken ahead of time.

However, with Mercurymon still here, there was also a greater chance of saving Ginkakumon, who had originally been destined to die beneath a fusion of Gizmon.

Qin Fei rose to his feet, but suddenly noticed Marcus sitting off to one side, his expression somewhat dazed. The fiery passion he had possessed when he first arrived in the Digital World was long gone from his eyes.

Qin Fei sighed inwardly. This string of recent defeats had dealt Marcus quite a blow.

First he had lost to Mercurymon, then to SaberLeomon, and not long ago he had been utterly crushed by one of Kurata’s subordinates...

For someone who had always prided himself on being Sakuramoto’s number-one brawler, the setbacks had been considerable.

“Look! A strange Digimon has appeared!”

Just as Qin Fei was wondering how to comfort him, an astonished commotion came from behind.

Qin Fei turned his gaze toward it and froze.

It was a Leomon draped in a black cloak, casually holding a blade of grass between its teeth.

“BanchoLeomon? It’s actually him... Or should I say, Marcus’s father?”

“...”

“Th-That’s incredible!”

Everyone stared open-mouthed at BanchoLeomon as he slaughtered his way through the Gizmon horde.

Judging by his performance, his efficiency in eliminating enemies was no lower than that of Mercurymon, one of the Twelve Olympians.

He was clearly an Ultimate-level Digimon as well.

“Let’s go too, Lolo. Don’t waste all this data!”

Qin Fei regained his composure, took out his Digivice, and charged toward the direction of the billowing smoke.

Gatomon and BlackDorumon followed close behind.

“We should go too. Let’s take out all these Gizmon!”

Watching Qin Fei’s departing back and Mercurymon battling in the distance, Ikuto gritted his teeth and pulled out his Digivice.

Marcus, Yoshino, and Thomas, however, could only watch helplessly as their Digimon partners stood covered in wounds.

After all, Agumon and the others had already exhausted themselves fighting the three BioDigimon.

...

“There are so many enemies to slaughter! This is wonderful!”

Arukenimon’s exhilarated laughter echoed through every corner of the battlefield. She seemed to be enjoying the thrill of watching her enemies turn into data and Digi-Eggs more than anyone else.

Webs invisible to the naked eye spread throughout the surrounding space, harvesting the data of every Gizmon that blundered into them.

Meanwhile, BlackDorumon evolved into BlackDorugamon and worked together with Gatomon to knock down one Gizmon after another.

Fortunately, most of them were Gizmon ATs rather than the Perfect-level Gizmon XTs. Otherwise, with Gatomon and BlackDorugamon still only at the Champion level, they would have been the ones in danger.

Qin Fei knew it was impossible for Kurata to mass-produce Gizmon XTs. With their Perfect-level power, they could never be manufactured in great numbers. Only the Champion-level Gizmon ATs possessed the necessary conditions for mass production.

Even so, Qin Fei believed that after suffering this setback and escaping, Kurata would send even more Gizmon XTs into the Digital World next time to collect the energy of its Digimon.

If Marcus and the others still could not evolve to the Ultimate level by then, they would be in grave danger.

With that thought, Qin Fei turned his gaze toward BanchoLeomon, who was fighting in the distance.

If Marcus’s father’s soul truly had taken up residence within BanchoLeomon, then he was a vital link in helping Marcus and the others successfully evolve to the Ultimate level...

...

Gradually, perhaps because the rapid depletion of the Gizmon was causing Kurata pain, the tide began to turn.

Under the slaughter wrought by Mercurymon, BanchoLeomon, and Arukenimon, the masses of Gizmon began to retreat, pouring into one Digital Gate after another.

Although the Digimon villages within Mercurymon’s territory had suffered severe losses, the sight of the Gizmon withdrawing brought the Digimon that had been hiding out into the open. They cried out in triumph toward the sky.

Mercurymon returned to the foot of the Infinite Ice Wall and gazed at the devastated earth, letting out a resentful yet helpless sigh.

Then, in dejection, he returned to the palace within the Infinite Ice Wall.

This catastrophe had allowed Mercurymon to see the true extent of Kurata’s power. Combined with what the boy Qin Fei had told him about Belphemon, a profound sense of powerlessness rose from the depths of his heart.

...

“Hm? The sound of a grass whistle?”

Marcus, sitting on the ground and resting while holding Agumon, suddenly pricked up his ears. A familiar melody had reached him.

Yoshino and Thomas immediately raised their heads as well.

To their surprise, it was the same Digimon that had slaughtered its way through the enemy ranks earlier, moving with the ferocity of a Leomon.

Now it was walking toward them with a blade of grass between its teeth. Its destination seemed to be Marcus and the others.

“Who are you?”

Marcus stood up and regarded the unfamiliar Digimon warily.

BanchoLeomon spat out the blade of grass and scrutinized them for a moment before saying, “Just a passing bancho... BanchoLeomon.”

“...”

Yoshino and Thomas exchanged hesitant glances.

“BanchoLeomon?”

“There’s no record of him in the DATS database...”

“I’ve never seen him either. Is he another unknown Digimon?”

“He helped us drive back the Gizmon. He shouldn’t be an enemy, right?”

“That’s hard to say...”

“...”

Marcus stood upright and stared seriously at BanchoLeomon.

“No... It can’t be.”

Everyone turned their eyes toward him at the certainty in his voice.

“There are no bad people among banchos!”

Everyone else: “...”

The group stared at him as though he were an idiot.

As Marcus gazed at him with complete concentration, BanchoLeomon secretly gave the slightest nod. He raised his fist and asked, “Want to taste this fist?”

Marcus’s eyes instantly hardened. Clenching his own fists, he answered without the slightest trace of fear, “Sounds interesting. I accept your challenge!”

“Marcus!”

Thomas and Yoshino cried out in alarm. Watching Marcus confront an opponent against whom he had no chance, they began to wonder whether the blows to his head had finally damaged his brain.

Yet as Marcus stared at BanchoLeomon, he suddenly felt an immense pressure descend upon him, as though a mountain had been placed on his shoulders, leaving him unable to move.

A flash of gratification passed through BanchoLeomon’s eyes at Marcus’s willingness to accept the challenge, but he immediately covered it with an arrogant remark.

“You are still one million and thirty-five years too young to exchange blows with me...”

“However, if you wish to improve your strength, then follow me!”

With that, BanchoLeomon strode away without looking back.

“What was that supposed to mean? Improve our strength? Can he really do that?”

Yoshino muttered irritably as she watched the overly theatrical BanchoLeomon.

Thomas, too, wore a puzzled expression.

“I’m going to find out. BanchoLeomon, was it? I can feel how powerful he is. Perhaps he really does know a way to improve our strength!”

Marcus clenched his fists. His defeats during this period had become a shadow that constantly clung to his heart. As a result, his longing for power had grown stronger than ever.

“I’ve decided. I’m going to give it a try!”