Chapter Twenty-One: The Beast of Plenty

“Huh? Qin Fei, who’s that behind you…?”

When the two groups of children gathered together, Koushiro and the others noticed the unfamiliar figure following Qin Fei’s group and looked at him in surprise.

“Oh, that? That’s Andromon, a Digimon we found inside this factory,” Qin Fei explained, gesturing toward the robot-like figure behind him.

“Andromon? He’s a very friendly Digimon, Koushiro. There’s no need to worry,” Tentomon buzzed over, explaining to Koushiro, clearly delighted to have encountered Andromon.

Takeru and the other Digimon also crowded around Andromon, their eyes sparkling with curiosity as they asked questions.

“Andromon, is it true you’ve evolved many times?”

“Andromon, I heard you’re even stronger than Greymon and Garurumon. Is that true?”

“Andromon, you…”

“….”

While Andromon tried to respond to each question and was kept thoroughly occupied, Qin Fei turned his attention to Koushiro. After all, only with his computer skills could Qin Fei attempt the plan he had in mind.

“Wh-what is it, Qin Fei? Do you need something?”

Noticing the eager look in Qin Fei’s eyes, Koushiro’s heart skipped a beat. He had a feeling Qin Fei wanted to share some secret code with him.

“No rush—let’s talk about your discovery first. Didn’t you say you found something major?”

Qin Fei nodded, but tossed the question back to Koushiro.

“Yes, that’s right. I’ve made quite an important discovery.”

As he spoke, Koushiro sat down casually and opened his laptop, his fingers flying deftly over the keys.

Watching Koushiro’s nimble typing, Qin Fei couldn’t help but be impressed. His computer skills were far beyond what one would expect of a ten-year-old.

“I’ve discovered that in this factory, those rune-like symbols, which look like computer code, can actually generate their own energy.”

“So the blackout earlier—was that because of you?”

Sora and the others had only half-listened when Qin Fei mentioned this before, but Koushiro’s words made everything clear. The children began to understand.

“Exactly. But that’s not the most important part.”

Koushiro nodded awkwardly and continued, “It means that here, in this world, data and programs—things that are normally just virtual information—have become physical.”

“What? So things like virtual games or software become real, tangible objects in this world?”

Qin Fei chimed in at just the right moment, helping the others understand Koushiro’s meaning more clearly.

“Are you saying… everything in this world, even these Digimon, is made of data and programs?!”

Joe seemed to grasp the gist of Koushiro and Qin Fei’s explanation.

“How is that possible?”

“That’s unbelievable.”

“Is this world just fake data?”

“…”

Clearly, the shock of this revelation left everyone speechless.

“Hey, Agumon, are you really made of data and programs?”

Tai suddenly grabbed Agumon, squeezing and prodding him to see if what Koushiro and Qin Fei said was true.

“I don’t know. We were just born here on File Island.”

It was clear that the Digimon themselves had no notion of what data or information meant as the children understood it.

“Do you have any proof?”

As the children reeled from the news, Qin Fei suddenly asked. He could understand Koushiro’s reasoning since he was a transmigrant, but the others didn’t have his perspective or Koushiro’s intellect.

“I do. Come, take a look at this!”

Koushiro turned his laptop screen toward the others, showing them a three-dimensional model of an island.

“This is…”

“This is where we are right now.”

But as Koushiro finished speaking, he suddenly noticed his Digivice flashing on his backpack strap, the screen displaying a grid-like pattern reminiscent of Digivolution.

“Ah! Koushiro! I’m getting even hotter this time!”

Tentomon hopped around in distress, calling out for help.

“Hang in there! I’ll shut it down right away!”

From Koushiro’s expression, it was clear this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

But just as he reached for the power button, a hand stopped him.

“Qin Fei, what are you doing?”

Seeing Qin Fei’s hand restrain him, Koushiro grew anxious—he didn’t want anything to happen to Tentomon.

“Loretta, attack Tentomon.”

Without explanation, Qin Fei gave Loretta a meaningful glance.

“Qin Fei, you—!”

Yamato rushed over, grabbing Qin Fei by the collar and shouting, “Why are you doing this?”

Tai also moved to intervene.

“Koushiro, do you want Tentomon to evolve?”

Ignoring Yamato and Tai, Qin Fei spoke only to Koushiro.

It didn’t take long for Koushiro to understand his intention.

“Yamato, Tai, it’s all right. Let go of Qin Fei. Let Loretta and Tentomon have a match…”

“Koushiro?”

“Why?”

Everyone was confused as to why Koushiro was going along with Qin Fei’s plan.

Qin Fei finally smiled. With Koushiro’s intelligence as shown in the anime, there was no way he wouldn’t understand. According to the original plot, Koushiro had even used his laptop to help Tentomon evolve at this point.

This meant Koushiro had surely realized Tentomon’s abnormal state was related to evolution.

Bang!

At Qin Fei’s signal, Loretta kicked Tentomon through the air.

She seemed to be enjoying herself.

Though Tentomon wasn’t much of a match for her, the rare chance to stretch her limbs filled Loretta with excitement.

As the burning pain faded, Tentomon felt power flooding through his body.

“Tentomon, Digivolve!”

At last, after taking a few hits from Loretta, Koushiro’s Digivice emitted the light of evolution.

A surge of data radiated from Tentomon, enveloping him in a brilliant glow.

From within the light, a fierce, horned Pokémon emerged.

“Kabuterimon!”

“…”

Seeing the towering new form, everyone cheered in excitement.

“Hahaha, now things are getting interesting!”

Loretta’s smile grew wider, as if she’d finally found a worthy opponent.

“Qin Fei, can you have Loretta stop now? Tentomon has evolved,” Koushiro reminded.

“It’s fine. Let Loretta and Kabuterimon have a match. Consider it our way of saying thanks for your help…”

Koushiro: “…”

Kabuterimon: “…”

“Watch out, Loretta’s coming,” Qin Fei warned Kabuterimon, a “kind” reminder.

…

At last, when Kabuterimon devolved back into Tentomon, the battle between the two Digimon came to an end.

Loretta’s petite frame had given Kabuterimon quite the beating.

Her strength was astonishing, her movements nimble—she was nothing like the other Digimon at the same evolutionary stage as Agumon and the rest.

“Loretta is amazing!” Mimi exclaimed, suddenly wishing her own Digimon could be both as cute and as powerful as Loretta.

“Mimi…”

Seeing Mimi’s admiration for Loretta, Palmon looked a little downcast.

“Has Loretta really only evolved once?”

Tai and the others stared in shock at the small figure who had returned to Qin Fei’s side, realizing that the one who had been hiding his strength all along was none other than Qin Fei himself.