Chapter Fifty-Six: The Hardship of Evolution

"Look, Dagu Beast! It..."
Suddenly, as if it had discovered something, an injured Digimon pointed incredulously at the terrifying, motionless figure before them.
Countless data fragments, like swirling powder, continuously disintegrated from Dagu Beast's back, then surged toward both Qin Fei and Loretta Beast.
Gradually, a gaping, horrific hole appeared, clear from front to back.
Finally, with a crisp crack, all of it dissolved into a mass of data.
"Loretta Beast!"
Dolly Beast let out a joyful cry, wriggled free from Qin Fei's arms, and leaped toward Loretta Beast.
"You annoying Dolly Beast!"
Seeing Dolly Beast suddenly wedged between herself and Qin Fei, Loretta glared at it with obvious discontent.
"Wait! Loretta."
"What is it?"
At Qin Fei's sudden exclamation, both Loretta Beast and Dolly Beast paused in confusion and looked over.
They found Qin Fei scrutinizing them both back and forth with a searching gaze.
At last, as if discovering something startling, Qin Fei urgently said to Loretta Beast, "Loretta, you and Dolly Beast should move apart, quickly..."
"Loretta! Hey!"
Dolly Beast echoed Qin Fei's shout, but was promptly rewarded with a firm flick to the head from Loretta Beast.
She then swiftly set Dolly Beast down and retreated a few steps.
Though Dolly Beast seemed eager to leap into her arms again, a single glance from Loretta kept it at bay.
"As I thought..."
Watching the data steadily flowing into both Loretta Beast and Dolly Beast, Qin Fei's expression turned peculiar.
"Qin Fei, what's wrong?"
Loretta Beast hesitated, then asked.
"Do you feel any strange connection between yourself and Dolly Beast?"
Qin Fei pressed his lips together, and finally voiced his question.
"Um... I don’t feel any connection between us. Isn't Dolly Beast your Digimon? Why ask me..."
Loretta Beast thought for a moment, then shook her head, seeing nothing odd about her relationship with Dolly Beast.
"But Dolly Beast is very close to you," Qin Fei reminded her.
Loretta Beast let out a chuckle and said to Qin Fei, "You're its tamer, aren’t you? I’m surprised it’s not more attached to you."
He glanced at the black-furred Dolly Beast snuggled in Loretta Beast’s arms, its coloring starkly different from an ordinary Dolly Beast. Qin Fei seemed to sense something at last.
Perhaps because Loretta Beast had once removed a black gear from Dolly Beast’s Digi-Egg, the lingering trace of darkness not only affected Dolly Beast’s appearance but also shaped its perception of Loretta, the “surgeon.”
"Never mind, we’re off topic."
Coming back to himself, Qin Fei looked helplessly at Loretta Beast and Dolly Beast.

The most crucial problem was still unresolved.
"No more riddles. Let me explain the anomaly I just noticed."
Qin Fei cleared his throat and organized his thoughts before continuing, "I discovered that Dolly Beast seems capable of sharing in the data we obtain from defeating other Digimon."
"Really?"
Now it was Loretta Beast’s turn to be surprised.
"Tch, that means I’ll get even less data,"
"So that’s what bothers you..."
Qin Fei muttered, speechless, realizing Loretta Beast only seemed to care about the amount of data she could absorb.
"Just now, when Dagu Beast collapsed and turned into data, I sensed that besides you and me, some of the data also flowed into Dolly Beast," Qin Fei explained.
"Strange, why didn’t we notice before?"
Loretta Beast also eyed the unusually lively Dolly Beast curiously.
"I think it’s because one of us was always holding it," Qin Fei reasoned, suddenly clapping his fist into his palm, "We’ve always kept it close, so the data it absorbed just blended with ours, making it hard to detect."
He glanced at the card he’d managed to condense from the data—formed from what Dagu Beast left behind.
"After sharing some data from a Perfect-level Digimon, why hasn’t this little one evolved?"
Loretta Beast quickly cast aside the anomaly, now more concerned with why Dolly Beast hadn’t changed.
"Perhaps it needs a particular stimulus,"
In truth, Qin Fei didn’t understand either. This little one remained a mere child, but its appetite seemed boundless.
"Don’t worry about it, Qin Fei. Since Black Dolly Beast is our partner, the stronger it becomes, the happier we should be."
Loretta Beast patted the black-furred Dolly Beast by her side, signaling Qin Fei not to overthink it.
"Let’s go. Our journey isn’t over yet. Next stop, the arena. Let’s see if Taiyi’s Zombie Greymon appears again."
Qin Fei dusted off his hands; the swirling sand and dust had left a thick layer of grime on him, making him uncomfortable.
If only they could find a place to bathe.
"Um... um..."
Just as they were about to set off, three familiar figures timidly approached.
It was Candlemon, Ore Beast, and Revolvermon.
"You’re amazing! You really must be the Chosen Children!"
Candlemon’s tone was almost excited, Ore Beast’s eyes shone with hope, while Revolvermon maintained its aloof demeanor.
"We’re not... Never mind, believe what you like,"
Seeing the unwavering conviction in Candlemon and Ore Beast’s eyes, Qin Fei could only respond helplessly. Clearly, they wouldn’t accept any denial now.
"Truly remarkable!"
"So, what do you need from us?"
Qin Fei accepted their praise with a straightforward nod.

"Um... we have a request."
Clearly nervous, Candlemon still mustered the courage to speak.
"It’s their request, not mine,"
Revolvermon interjected coolly, apparently unwilling to ask for favors.
Qin Fei: "..."
"What is it? We may not be able to help."
"But if you’re the Chosen Children, maybe you can,"
Who knew what stability or fate had instilled in the Digimon of this world, for they placed such faith in the Chosen Children.
"The Chosen Children possess the power to make Digimon evolve, like what just happened. So... could you..."
"Could you help us evolve!"
Seeing Candlemon’s hesitation, Ore Beast blurted it out for him.
"..."
Qin Fei and Loretta Beast were both taken aback by this request and exchanged glances.
"Um... I can’t do that,"
Qin Fei replied with a wry smile, unable to meet their hopeful gazes.
"What!"
"Does that mean the legends are wrong?"
Seeing Qin Fei hesitate, as though unsure whether to explain, Candlemon and Ore Beast’s faces immediately fell with disappointment.
"Please, help them,"
Perhaps thinking Qin Fei was making excuses, Revolvermon suddenly knelt, explaining earnestly, "They don’t like fighting, but they both want to evolve. I’ve tried to help them, but failed, so they hoped the Chosen Children might know how to evolve without battle, just as the legends say."
"I’m sorry."
Qin Fei shook his head and finally decided to explain.
"The stories are true—the Chosen Children can help Digimon evolve. But only certain Digimon."
As he spoke, Qin Fei gestured to Loretta Beast at his side.
"She’s my partner, my only partner who can evolve. It’s the same for the other Chosen Children—each has a fixed evolution partner."
Qin Fei didn’t mention Dolly Beast in his arms; otherwise, it would be even harder for them to believe him.
"I see..."
Hearing his explanation, Candlemon and Ore Beast looked even more crestfallen.