Chapter Thirty-Two: The Battle That Arrived Ahead of Time

The entire File Island suddenly shuddered, as if the ground beneath their feet was being torn apart by some overwhelming force.

“What’s happening?”

Struggling to keep their balance, the trembling earth made both the children and their Digimon feel unwell.

“Look, the island is splitting at the edges!”

Sora crouched at the cliff’s edge, her voice trembling as she cried out to the others.

“How can this be? Is this all the work of Devimon?” Joe stared down the mountainside, fear and panic written across his face.

“Hahaha! Chosen children, I have a gift for you.”

Devimon stood atop the highest peak, a sinister palace exuding evil looming indistinctly behind him. Vast dark energy swirled around Devimon, as if preparing for some powerful ritual.

“What’s going on? My body is floating!” Tai suddenly shouted in terror, instinctively looking toward the others.

“Ta-Tai, I can’t control my body either!” Agumon’s feet kicked helplessly in the air, desperately trying to regain control.

But no matter how hard they struggled, it was all in vain.

“What are you trying to do to these children?” Leomon roared, mustering his last strength to charge at Devimon.

“So naïve.” Devimon sneered, pointing a twisted claw at Leomon.

A torrent of black gears surged toward Leomon.

“Leomon, stop! You have no chance in your condition!” Izzy called out anxiously, but suspended in midair, he could do nothing to stop it.

“Fist of the Beast King!”

“Death Claw!”

As expected, Leomon was blasted away by Devimon’s overwhelming dark power, collapsing to the ground, his fate uncertain.

With Leomon no longer interfering, Devimon swept his hand with satisfaction.

At once, the children, who had been floating in midair, scattered in all directions like the pieces of the island splitting apart, drifting toward the far-flung corners.

No one knew where they would finally end up.

“Well then, now we can finally settle things between us.”

Devimon lowered his grotesquely elongated hands, looking at the only child he hadn’t sent away, baring his fangs in a wicked grin.

“LorettaMon, it seems we’re in trouble,” Qin Fei said, gazing at the ground that still felt steady underfoot, a helpless, bitter smile on his lips.

“Yes, real trouble,” LorettaMon replied with a nod, gripping her flintlock tighter.

The Devimon before them seemed infused with some terrifying power, so strong that LorettaMon felt her heart tremble. But she did not give up, for Qin Fei still stood behind her. She could not afford to lose.

“I’ll give you a chance to beg for mercy. I might let you die a little more comfortably.”

Devimon looked at LorettaMon, admiration still flickering in his eyes.

“LorettaMon, my offer still stands. Abandon that cowardly human child behind you, and I’ll introduce you to our master. You can share in the wonders of the dark world.”

His coaxing tone made Devimon seem all the more like a vile demon straight from hell.

“In the Puppet King’s eyes, you’re still not worthy.”

Suddenly, Qin Fei stepped forward, staring unflinchingly at Devimon.

For a moment, the world fell silent.

Devimon’s smug expression froze, slowly turning to disbelief.

“You… You know our master’s name?”

Devimon’s ghastly face twisted further.

“Who are you? How do you know these things?”

The tall, gaunt figure seemed to shrink back in fear. Clearly, the Puppet King’s reputation among his minions was anything but reassuring.

“I know far more than you’d ever imagine,” Qin Fei replied, his tone brimming with the confidence of someone who knew the story’s every twist.

“Well, it seems I have no choice but to destroy you.”

With that, Devimon set aside all pretense, focusing intently on Qin Fei and LorettaMon. His arms stretched wide, making him resemble a fallen cross.

“Darkness, gather your power upon me!”

At Devimon’s command, LorettaMon’s heart skipped a beat, and she snapped her gaze to the sky behind her.

Not just there—black gears swarmed from every direction, darkening the sky.

“I’ve decided to make File Island your grave, child blessed by the gods.”

Devimon’s mocking words echoed as he looked down on Qin Fei from above.

Swallowing hard, Qin Fei felt a suffocating pressure from the towering figure before him. He hadn’t expected that the powerful enemy meant for the seven chosen children would now face him alone.

He glanced around—besides himself, only LorettaMon remained, her fighting spirit undiminished.

“Qin Fei!” LorettaMon called, her rare look of gravity deepening as she watched Devimon’s body swell ever larger.

“W-what’s wrong?” Qin Fei was startled by the seriousness in LorettaMon’s eyes.

“While I fight, you must escape. Find the others—I’ll buy you time.”

In that moment, Qin Fei caught the flicker of resolve in LorettaMon’s eyes.

“You make it sound easy. How am I supposed to do that?” Qin Fei managed a wry smile and shook his head.

“You’re right. Who knows where Devimon scattered the others. If it’s too difficult, then just promise me you’ll survive. Don’t come back.”

LorettaMon looked understanding. In her mind, Qin Fei was afraid—and who could blame him? Even she felt powerless against such a formidable foe.

“How could I ever abandon my partner and run away? Whether it was facing the ancient Greymon or Devimon now, I couldn’t do it.”

Qin Fei finally raised his head, looking earnestly at his Digimon.

“I told you—we’re partners who fight together. No danger can separate us.”

LorettaMon opened her mouth, suddenly at a loss for words.

“…”

“A Tamer and their Digimon are supposed to face the enemy side by side!”

Unconsciously, the image of Qin Fei raising his Digivice flashed before LorettaMon’s eyes.

“I’ll give everything to protect you.”

With a gentle murmur, LorettaMon charged toward the monstrous Devimon.

“Hmm? Did LorettaMon just say something? Never mind—no matter what, I’m not giving up so easily.”

Qin Fei pulled out his Digivice, focusing intently on the imminent battle.

He could only offer what little help he could from here.

“Have you prepared your last words?”

Devimon looked at LorettaMon—tiny as an ant compared to himself—with a cruel smile.

He swept his massive hand, sending a dark red beam toward her. But her agile form deftly dodged aside.

“Card swap—Defense Module G!”

A transparent shield instantly enveloped LorettaMon.

“So that’s how you enhance your Digimon’s power?” Devimon shot a dangerous glance at Qin Fei, a menacing smile on his lips.

“Your opponent is me!”

A bullet imbued with light struck Devimon, but against his massive body, the damage was minimal.

The gap between them had only grown wider.