Chapter Seventeen: An Unexpected Evolution

"That Digimon is charging straight toward us—aren’t you all going to run?" Qin Fei reminded the group in a flat tone as everyone else remained frozen in shock.

"Ah, right! Everyone, run!" At last, Tai snapped out of his daze, calling to the others as the Firemon rampaged down from Mount Mihalashi.

Flames spread to the foot of the mountain, and the ferocity of the fire was nearly enough to engulf everything in its path. Countless Biyomon, led by the children, scrambled in panic toward the rusted shipwreck in the dried-up pond, squeezing inside through a hole at the keel that offered shelter.

The sheer number of Biyomon left Qin Fei genuinely amazed—a dense, endless stream of pink, like a long ribbon, flowing toward the hull.

"Hurry, T.K.!" As most of the Biyomon had already entered the ship’s hold, Matt called for his little brother, wanting him to get to safety first.

Sora, noticing Biyomon perched atop T.K.’s head and realizing her own partner was still outside guiding the others, felt a sudden pang of unease. Compared to these Biyomon, whom she barely knew, she cared far more for her constant companion.

"Biyomon, you need to escape too! Otherwise, you’ll be attacked by Firemon!" Sora shouted anxiously to her partner in the distance, even forgetting the Biyomon still fleeing past her.

"It’s fine, Sora! These Biyomon are all my friends. I can’t just abandon them," Biyomon insisted, determined to help evacuate every last one.

"Idiot! Even now, you’re still trying to help them?" Gritting her teeth, Sora threw caution to the wind and ran after her partner, intent on bringing Biyomon back herself.

......

"Did you also expect Biyomon’s evolution?" Qin Fei paused in helping the Biyomon evacuate and glanced in surprise at LorettaBeast by his side. "You knew Biyomon would evolve?"

"Of course. Why else would you keep glancing at Sora and Biyomon?" LorettaBeast replied coolly.

Qin Fei fell silent. He supposed his attention had been too obvious; after all, in the show, it was precisely in facing Firemon that Sora and Biyomon’s mutual concern sparked the latter’s evolution into Birdramon.

Even knowing the outcome, he couldn’t help but want to see it with his own eyes.

"Let’s go, LorettaBeast…"

"Hmm? Okay." With the task done, Qin Fei didn’t follow Mimi and the others into the ship, but instead led LorettaBeast up the other side of the dry pond. Though puzzled, LorettaBeast quietly followed.

"Is it time for me to take down Firemon?" LorettaBeast licked her lips with anticipation. "Or maybe finish it off if it’s wounded later?"

That had been her approach with Seadramon before.

"Not this time," Qin Fei rejected the idea without hesitation. Firemon was originally the guardian of Mount Mihalashi—a good-natured Digimon, only driven wild by the influence of the black gear. The Biyomon here still needed its protection over the spring.

Digimon were sentient beings, with thoughts and feelings, just like Biyomon, who could experience joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. With that understood, Qin Fei couldn’t bring himself to harm them.

As for Greymon and Seadramon, they had acted of their own will to hurt the chosen children, so Qin Fei had finished them off without much remorse. But Firemon was different.

"Tch!" LorettaBeast pouted, disappointed at missing the chance for a fight.

"There’s something more important for you to do soon," Qin Fei assured her, glancing at the battle raging between Agumon and Firemon.

"Qin Fei, where are you going? It’s dangerous over there!" Mimi and Joe called out in alarm as they spotted Qin Fei and LorettaBeast climbing the pond’s edge—right next to the Digimon’s battlefield.

"Don’t worry. I’ll explain later," he replied, waving them off before disappearing out of sight.

"What’s Qin Fei doing?!" Joe fretted helplessly. As the oldest, he saw himself as the leader, responsible for protecting the group.

"I’m going to bring him back!" he declared.

"Wait for me, Joe!" Gomamon hurried after him.

"This is a mess!" Matt complained, frustrated as the group scattered in every direction. Agumon and Gabumon had gone to protect Sora, and with Mimi at his side, Matt couldn’t leave either.

Just then, Firemon’s form suddenly swelled, becoming even more violent and terrifying.

"It can absorb fire!" someone shouted.

"What do we do?!" The children panicked as they realized their Digimon’s attacks were only fueling Firemon’s power.

"S-Sora! Sora’s in danger—I can’t give up now!" Struggling to his feet, Biyomon saw the despair on Sora’s face. With all its strength, it spread its wings, determined to shield her from Firemon’s onslaught.

"I have to protect Sora!" Biyomon’s resolve exploded forth.

In an instant, a familiar, dazzling white light burst from Sora’s Digivice.

"Biyomon, digivolve!"

A surge of data transformed Biyomon into a radiant figure. With a sweep of flaming wings, a majestic firebird emerged.

"Birdramon!"

"What?! Biyomon… digivolved?!" Sora cried in shock, springing to her feet. A giant bird of blazing flame soared into the sky, knocking Firemon back to the pond’s edge, away from the children.

"Ha! Fire Punch!" With a roar, Firemon gathered a massive fireball in its hand and hurled it furiously at Birdramon.

Birdramon’s back was about to take the full brunt of it—when, unexpectedly, the fireball veered off course. Whether because Firemon noticed Joe or due to the butterfly effect of Qin Fei’s presence, the attack shot beneath Birdramon instead.

There, right in its path, was Joe, still chasing after Qin Fei.

"Joe!" Gomamon, seeing the fireball, instinctively threw himself in front of Joe, determined to protect him.

And then, something Qin Fei hadn’t anticipated occurred.

Joe’s Digivice erupted in a blinding light.

"Gomamon, digivolve!"

A torrent of data cascaded down, pouring into Gomamon, who transformed into a massive white-furred, saber-toothed beast.

"Ikakumon!"

Ikakumon, who was never meant to evolve here, appeared all the same.

"What? Gomamon digivolved too?… Ikakumon…" Joe’s terror quickly gave way to overwhelming joy as he gazed up at the creature shielding him. The other children broke into delighted smiles as well.

"Just like that?" Qin Fei alone wore a look of surprise utterly different from the others—because only he knew that Gomamon’s evolution wasn’t supposed to happen here.

"Meteor Wing!"

At the last moment, Birdramon unleashed her ultimate attack on Firemon.

"Damn, there’s no time to dwell on this. LorettaBeast!" Qin Fei snapped back to attention at the crucial moment.

"I’m ready!" LorettaBeast nodded.

"Card Slash!" There was no time for dramatic poses. Qin Fei swiped the Seadramon card through his Digivice, sparks crackling.

"Seadragon Ice Arrow!" LorettaBeast’s bone axe shifted and morphed, turning into a beautifully crafted crimson folding fan, misted with icy energy.

"Aim for the black gear I mentioned before!"

"Leave it to me!"

Struck by Birdramon, Firemon quickly shrank. In the next moment, a black gear was expelled from its body, spinning upward to shatter in the sky.

"Now!" On Qin Fei’s command, LorettaBeast leapt into the air, snapped open her fan, and swept it powerfully.

"Freeze!"

A wave of chilling mist enveloped the black gear, instantly turning it into an ice sculpture that crashed to the ground.

"Did we do it?" Qin Fei punched the air in excitement at the sight of the frozen chunk lying on the earth.