Chapter Thirty-Eight: Another Egg

"Uh, what’s wrong?"
Perhaps affected by the angel's evolution light, Qin Fei let out a strained groan and gradually woke from unconsciousness.

"Qin Fei, you’re finally awake."

Seeing Loretta Beast before him, Qin Fei managed a faint smile, but his gaze was instantly drawn to the six-winged angel high above in the sky.

"Angemon! Patamon evolved!?" Qin Fei was stunned for a moment, and his clouded mind cleared instantly.

"What happened? Have Tai and the others found us?"

"No, but Patamon really did evolve, and Devimon has appeared."

Loretta Beast shook her head, then nodded.

The moment Qin Fei heard the name Devimon, he immediately struggled to stand, but his legs gave out and he collapsed once more beneath the toy tree.

Only then did he realize that he and Loretta Beast were still in the Village of Beginnings, not having left at all.

However, unlike the original story where Ogremon and the mind-controlled Leomon appeared, this time Devimon himself had come.

"Loretta Beast, go help Angemon. I don’t think Devimon is someone he can defeat alone," Qin Fei said, breathing heavily as he watched Devimon’s increasingly gigantic form.

According to the original plot, it took all seven children uniting their strength and the help of the Holy Plan Digivice to finally defeat Devimon—at the cost of Angemon’s sacrifice.

Although Devimon in the distance seemed much smaller than Qin Fei remembered, he felt that leaving Angemon to face him alone was extremely dangerous.

"…Alright, I can. Qin Fei, do you still have the strength?" Loretta Beast gripped her newly formed Bone-cleaver Axe and looked at Qin Fei in concern.

Understanding her meaning, Qin Fei braced himself against the tree trunk and stood.

"Card swap!"

"Holy Shot—Sacred Bullet!"

Clutching her flintlock tightly, Loretta Beast nodded to Qin Fei, then charged back into the fray.

Meanwhile, though Angemon’s attacks imbued with the power of light were highly effective, the overwhelming boost from the black gears kept Devimon from falling behind—even allowing him to steadily suppress Angemon.

If the standoff continued, Angemon might well be defeated.

Bang!

Just as Angemon struggled to withstand Devimon’s assault, a bullet filled with holy energy struck Devimon in the eye.

"Argh! You again!" Devimon staggered back in pain, glaring with resentment and caution at Loretta Beast, who had appeared silently by his side.

"Heaven’s Knuckle!"

Angemon gave Devimon no time to react, soaring behind him and slamming down with a fist blazing with holy light.

Thud!

Devimon reeled, clearly suffering a heavy blow.

"How’s that? I made it in time, didn’t I?"

Loretta Beast blew on the still-cool barrel of her flintlock, then flashed a smile at Angemon.

"You also carry the scent of darkness," Angemon said after briefly scrutinizing Loretta Beast, his tone tinged with reluctance.

"Just say whether you need my help or not," Loretta Beast snorted, equally displeased by Angemon’s aura.

As expected, Virus-types and Vaccine-types rarely get along.

Glancing at the now-upright, imposing Devimon, Angemon finally nodded. "It seems we can only cooperate this once."

"Tch," Loretta Beast scoffed, raising her flintlock and firing at Devimon.

This time, she was more experienced—if her own attacks lacked power, then she’d simply create opportunities for Angemon to shine.

So, she deliberately targeted Devimon’s weak spots: eyes, nose, ears, lower body—wherever would hurt or humiliate the most, she aimed several shots.

With Loretta Beast’s interference below and Angemon’s attacks from above, Devimon was quickly overwhelmed.

"To think light and darkness would join forces—how humiliating!" Devimon, watching their seamless teamwork, could only roar in frustration.

But Loretta Beast and Angemon paid him no mind, continuing their relentless assault.

"Heaven’s Knuckle!"

"Sacred Bullet!"

But soon, Devimon rose again even after being knocked down.

Empowered by the black gears, his tough hide and sturdy body would not be so easily defeated. Yet, he now considered fleeing.

"Evolution… If only Loretta Beast could evolve, then Devimon would never escape," Qin Fei muttered through clenched teeth, hesitating.

For some reason, he felt a similar reluctance toward evolution as Loretta Beast.

He didn’t know if he truly wished for Loretta Beast to evolve into the form he designed, or if he wanted her to 'mis-evolve' into Dark Spider Witch.

He still cared about the words that Dark Spider Witch had said before reverting.

If she evolved correctly, would he ever see Dark Spider Witch again?

Qin Fei suddenly felt almost foolish.

"Eh?"

Just as he unconsciously reached for his Digivice, he realized he’d been tightly gripping something familiar in his hand all along.

"What’s this…"

When he looked clearly at the object, Qin Fei’s eyes widened in disbelief.

It was the Holy Plan Digivice.

"How—could it be that it wasn’t a dream?"

Suddenly, as if realizing something, Qin Fei spun around.

He saw a Digi-Egg bearing a familiar pattern quietly lying where he’d previously been lying.

"Gulp."

"So it wasn’t a dream after all."

Swallowing, Qin Fei walked over in a daze, even the nearby battle between Loretta Beast, Angemon, and Devimon forgotten.

He nervously cradled the Digi-Egg beneath the tree, feeling a wave of happiness emanate from within, deeply moving him.

"The Holy Plan? Impossible—why do you suddenly have its aura?" Devimon, too, turned and stared at Qin Fei. From his previously empty form, a loathsome aura now radiated.

Just moments ago, there had been nothing.

"A Digi-Egg? You have another Digi-Egg?!"

At the sight of the oval object in Qin Fei’s arms, not only Devimon but even Loretta Beast wore an expression of utter disbelief.

Qin Fei possessed another Digimon besides her.

"Qin Fei, you didn’t steal that from the accessories, did you?" Seeing what was in Qin Fei’s hands, Loretta Beast suddenly lost all fighting spirit and rushed straight to his side—as if she feared something would take him away.

"Heaven’s Knuckle!"

Seizing the moment while all were distracted, Angemon unleashed a full-force blow to Devimon’s chest.

Countless black gears within Devimon were corroded by the holy light, causing him to shrink.

"I’ve failed again, but I won’t give up so easily. Just wait, Chosen Children—next time I’ll…"

Clutching his wounded chest, Devimon’s body slowly sank, clearly preparing to escape once more.

"Fox Fire!"

"Super Flame!"

"This time, you won’t get away so easily."

Greymon and Garurumon’s special attacks struck Devimon, earth and stone flying.

In the deep pit, Devimon’s broken body lay motionless, barely alive.

"It’s all over," Tai and Matt emerged from hiding, looking at Devimon.

"Heh… Is it really over?" Devimon, far from dejected, even began to laugh.

"This is only the beginning."