Chapter 139: Preparing to Depart for the Holy Capital

Qin Fei felt a warmth spreading through his body, as if he were soaking in incredibly soothing hot water. Throughout his internal organs and every limb and bone, a familiar energy seemed to be kneading his flesh and blood with the expert precision of a master masseur, making him want to groan in sheer comfort.

Under the "remodeling" of this energy, he felt his flesh and bones become more "vibrant" and robust. It was as if he had transcended the limits of humanity; even his soul felt a sense of addiction to the sensation. Gradually, Qin Fei seemed to hear BanchoLeomon’s guidance to Marcus Damon, as well as the shouts of Yoshino and Thomas, yet it was as if he heard nothing at all.

He was sinking—or rather, his consciousness or soul was sinking. This feeling of weightlessness was not terrifying; instead, it made Qin Fei feel light and airy, as if he possessed an unbridled sense of freedom. Finally, as he seemed to reach the very depths of his soul, he was astonished to discover two types of energy—one black and one white—residing there. They chased and played like children in the depths of his heart, merging into gray one moment and separating into black and white the next... much like the Digisoul itself.

However, as if they had suddenly sensed his presence, the two black and white energies surged toward him with a hint of joy, leaving Qin Fei’s mind in a state of bewilderment. But the moment they made contact with his body, an irresistible force pulled his descending consciousness back upward in an instant... He snapped his eyes open and stood up from the ground.

Indeed, Qin Fei had awakened from his meditation.

"I... did I succeed?"

Calming his heaving chest, Qin Fei looked at the gray halo shrouding his hands. He felt as if he suddenly possessed an inexhaustible supply of strength, sweeping away his previous fatigue. With a thought, he brought out his Digivice iC and channeled his brand-new Digisoul into it. Sure enough, after a flash of white light, the Digivice transformed from its original gray to white, taking on a new form—what might be called a Digivice Burst.

"It evolved!?"

"Yes, the Digivice itself absorbed your willpower... and evolved."

Not only Qin Fei, but Marcus and the others were also slightly stunned as they looked at the new forms of their own Digivices.

Watching Marcus and the others staring blankly at their devices, BanchoLeomon nodded and said with a sense of satisfaction, "You now possess the Burst Digisoul, capable of allowing your partners to reach Burst Evolution..."

"Really?"

Upon hearing this, Marcus jumped up in excitement, immediately becoming inseparable from his new Digivice.

"Yes, it is time to leave. You have successfully completed the trial of the Digisoul. Go now; your Digimon partners must be waiting for you..."

"Thank you very much." Yoshino bowed slightly toward BanchoLeomon.

"No need for thanks... Regardless of the outcome, everything must ultimately depend on your own strength..."

BanchoLeomon shook his head. Though his expression remained stern, his eyes seemed to soften significantly.

"Big Brother!" Seeing the four of them walk out of the shack, Agumon was the first to run over excitedly.

"Hahaha, I've gained even greater power! Agumon, let's go and defeat all those enemies!"

"I always believed in you, Big Brother!"

Watching Marcus get carried away with excitement, Yoshino reminded him helplessly, "We don't even know where those enemies are yet; you'd better take it easy."

"That's right, that scoundrel Akihiro Kurata has already fled back to the human world. We'll go back to the human world to find him! I'll make sure he pays!" Marcus, hearing this, burned with impatience and wanted to rush toward the Digital Gate within the Infinite Ice Wall to return to the human world.

"Don't be impulsive, Marcus. Akihiro Kurata has significant influence in the real world, and he even has ties to the Sakurada government. If we return rashly, we might fall into the hands of the military, which would be extremely dangerous."

"I agree with Master." Thomas remained much more rational than Marcus; he strongly advised against returning to the real world at this time.

"Then where should we go?" Marcus, hearing this, calmed his urgent heart and looked at Thomas with a puzzled expression, waiting for his suggestion. But Thomas, also resting his chin in his hand, could not reach a decision.

The fighting in the Digital World had temporarily ceased. Mercurymon had returned to the palace in the Infinite Ice Wall, prepared for battle with Kurata, while those Gizmon had either been destroyed or had escaped through digital wormholes. Meanwhile, the injured Digimon were recuperating... It seemed the only options were to stay in the Digital World and wait for Kurata's next move, or sneak back into the human world to investigate Kurata's plans.

"If you cannot make up your minds, I can offer a suggestion..."

Just as they were racking their brains, BanchoLeomon suddenly walked over. "You did well to obtain the Burst Digisoul in such a short time... I originally thought you would need at least two or three days of training."

After offering this praise, BanchoLeomon pointed into the distance and said, "If you don't know where to go, head to the Holy Capital!"

"It needs your strength..."

"The... Holy Capital?"

"Is Akihiro Kurata's next target the Holy Capital?"

BanchoLeomon nodded, confirming their suspicion, and then said with a stern face, "Farewell."

"Wait!!" Suddenly, Marcus called out to him. "I will definitely settle things with you one day!"

Marcus was looking to pick a fight again...

BanchoLeomon smiled and turned back to look at his "son," saying, "If that day truly comes, I shall be happy to oblige..."

Watching BanchoLeomon walk away, Marcus rubbed his chin and said somewhat strangely, "I have a feeling BanchoLeomon's gaze toward me is a bit odd."

Qin Fei nodded without hesitation. It was the look of a father watching his son grow up; it was quite normal...

"Well then, let's go. We'll go to the Holy Capital and see. Since BanchoLeomon said so, perhaps there really is danger waiting there." After settling his emotions, Marcus looked in the direction the Digimon had pointed and spoke with renewed determination.

"Are you sure? Why don't you look at the sky first..." Yoshino glanced speechlessly at the hot-blooded Marcus and Agumon.

Looking at the starry night sky, Marcus scratched his head in embarrassment; it was indeed not the right time to travel.

"Then let's rest for the night. The shack BanchoLeomon left behind is still there, just enough for us to..."

"Crash..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the dilapidated wooden shack before them collapsed instantly, turning into a pile of broken rafters and wood.

Marcus: "..."

"Well, at least there's a pile of wood left. We won't need to look for firewood for our campfire later..."

"Hahaha..."

Everyone shared a laugh. Although they were incredibly exhausted from the day, their spirits were higher than ever. After all, they had gained new power and the confidence to keep fighting against Akihiro Kurata.