Chapter Twenty-Nine: Cards Against the Demon

"It's a Unimon!"
Barumon shouted joyfully as the figure ahead became clearer.
"What is that?"
Mimi shrank back into the rock cave behind her.
"Don't worry, Unimon is a very gentle Digimon. There's nothing to be afraid of," Barumon reassured her.
"Is that so?"
Listening to Barumon's explanation, Mimi gradually relaxed, though she still hesitated to approach.
At that moment, Unimon circled above for a while before diving down towards a mountain spring.
Drawing close to the water, it seemed to check the area cautiously and, finding nothing amiss, lowered its head to drink deeply.
"See? It's not dangerous. It's just drinking water... This must be where it comes to drink," Barumon added.
"Its wings look just like the mythical Pegasus—so beautiful," Mimi gazed at Unimon's wings, a look of admiration appearing on her face.
But Qin Fei glanced oddly at its head, which resembled a welder's mask, and found he couldn't perceive its beauty at all.
"Let's go take a look. It's fine," Barumon said to Mimi with a carefree air, clearly having a good impression of Unimon.
"Well... alright."
However, just as Mimi and Barumon were about to step forward, Qin Fei suddenly stretched out his arm to stop them.
"Qin Fei, wh-what's wrong?"
Mimi was startled, looking in confusion at the boy beside her, whose whole body was tense.
"Do you really think that in a place where black gears are running wild, there can be many normal Digimon?" Qin Fei said without turning his head.
Recalling the sight of black gears flying everywhere, both Mimi and Barumon stiffened, abandoning the thought of approaching Unimon.
"So what do we do now?"
The path ahead, now blocked, was the only way to the mountaintop. Mimi was reluctant to just turn back.
"Wait. Let's observe for now," Qin Fei suggested.
Mimi nodded, having no objections to his plan.
In truth, Qin Fei knew that the Unimon before them had not yet been corrupted by a black gear. But regardless, he needed to obtain Unimon's special attack: Holy Shot.
It was, after all, the move he thought of most readily—a skill that could restrain Devimon.
So, this was no time to be soft-hearted.
Even if Mimi was watching, he would have to take it down.
As for what he was waiting for, Qin Fei was, of course, waiting for the moment when the black gear would rob Unimon of its reason and drive it into madness.
That way, when Loretta-mon killed it, he could at least retain a hint of false peace of mind.
"Qin Fei, something is flying towards us at high speed," Loretta-mon said, gripping her blood-red Bone Cleaver, eyes fixed intently on the sunrise.
But the increasingly dazzling morning light made it hard to see the approaching object clearly.
Unimon's long ears twitched, and it turned its head curiously in the direction of the sound, seeming to sense the rapidly approaching object as well.
"Shall I intercept it?" Loretta-mon flicked the cleaver in her hand and asked with utmost seriousness.
Qin Fei only gave her a deep look, saying nothing.
Loretta-mon instantly understood her tamer's meaning, smiled faintly, and stepped back.

"That's...a black gear!"
Soon, Barumon also spotted it.
"What should we do, Qin Fei?"
Seeing the familiar gear, Mimi became flustered and helpless.
Clearly, neither Mimi nor Barumon had noticed the subtle exchange between Qin Fei and Loretta-mon earlier.
But before Qin Fei could answer, the black gear shot like an arrow and struck Unimon straight in the back.
A pain-filled, savage cry burst from Unimon's mouth.
It was already too late to stop it.
"Don't go over there. Loretta-mon and I will check it out," Qin Fei said, raising his hand to reassure Mimi, then exchanged a glance with Loretta-mon and moved forward.
"Be careful," Mimi said anxiously, nodding reluctantly.
...
"Qin Fei, look at its eyes," Loretta-mon, hidden against the rock face, gestured to her companion.
Qin Fei nodded grimly, also noticing the now-maddened Unimon's eyes glowing red, making it look extremely dangerous.
As a Virus-type Digimon, Loretta-mon might not have the advantage over the Vaccine-type Unimon—Qin Fei wasn't entirely confident.
But now, there was no other choice but to try.
"Go, Loretta-mon."
Qin Fei pulled out the Kuwagamon card, pressing it firmly against his Digivice.
"Card Slash!"
"Scissor Claw!"
Unimon, now aware of Loretta-mon charging at it, immediately raised its sharp horn to retaliate.
A shrill metallic clash rang out as Loretta-mon’s crimson blade struck the horn.
But her attack wasn’t over; with a twist of her wrist, the long red blade scraped the ground, and her other blade swept low toward Unimon’s wings.
"Loretta-mon, dodge!"
Just as she was about to succeed, Qin Fei’s urgent shout made Loretta-mon tense. With fluid agility, she dropped low, hands on the ground, and pivoted to kick Unimon square in the jaw.
The attack knocked Unimon's special move off target, but the powerful Holy Shot still blasted the mountainside, sending rocks flying.
"Tch! That move seems to restrain me quite a bit," Loretta-mon muttered, pulling back to dodge the falling debris.
Unimon's Holy Shot had made Loretta-mon feel a primal sense of danger—such was the advantage of a Vaccine-type over a Virus-type.
Though Loretta-mon had avoided the attack, the frenzied Unimon, undeterred by falling rocks, charged relentlessly at her small frame.
It was clear she was now its target.
"Card Slash!"
"Seadramon Ice Arrow!"

Seeing Loretta-mon in danger, Qin Fei quickly swiped the Seadramon card through his Digivice.
"Freeze the ground at its feet!"
He called out.
Loretta-mon caught on instantly, waving her red fan to turn the ground ahead to slick ice.
The maddened Unimon, having lost all reason, paid no heed and thundered straight onto the slippery surface.
With a crash and a crack, Unimon toppled as expected.
Qin Fei's face brightened, and he immediately ordered Loretta-mon to seize the chance.
But it was still a moment too late.
With a flap of its wings, Unimon lifted itself into the air, dodging Loretta-mon’s attack.
"Ice Arrow!"
Seeing Unimon gather another Holy Shot in its mouth mid-flight, Loretta-mon instantly raised her hand and fired an ice arrow, disrupting its special move.
She could feel clearly that move's innate advantage over her.
"This is trouble," Qin Fei muttered, watching Unimon circle in the sky.
Without the ability to fly, Loretta-mon was at a disadvantage.
"Barumon, Digivolve!"
"Togemon!"
Just then, a flash of white light appeared behind Qin Fei, and a giant cactus with red boxing gloves dashed past him, launching an attack at Unimon in the sky.
"Prickly Bang-Bang!"
A barrage of spines forced Unimon, who had been about to attack Loretta-mon, to fall back.
"Qin Fei, the black gear is on Unimon's back! Take it out and it'll be safe," Mimi shouted from behind.
But Qin Fei paid her no heed—his aim was not merely to destroy the gear, but to claim Unimon's data and signature move.
"Loretta-mon, its wings!"
He loudly reminded the petite figure before him, stepping in front of Togemon as if by accident to prevent her from interfering in the battle.
"Ice Arrow!"
Driven back by the spines, Unimon had no time to dodge and its wings were instantly frozen by the ice arrow.
Unable to stay aloft, it finally plummeted from the sky.
"Card Slash!"
"Metal Scissor Arm!"
With Qin Fei's support, Loretta-mon immediately understood, gripping her crimson blades with all her strength and leaping down the cliff to pierce the falling Unimon with desperate force.
A final cry—
No blood, no gore—only data scattering and dissolving.
As a card gradually formed in his hand, Qin Fei finally let out a long breath.
"I'm sorry, Unimon. I had no choice," he murmured, putting the card away, but then caught sight of Mimi's pained gaze.