Chapter 79: The Door Back to the Human World

“How are you holding up, Qin Fei?”
“Hiss... Still manageable.”
He gently moved his injured ankle; the pain was no longer as acute as it had been two days earlier when he first arrived.
Still, it hurt enough to make Qin Fei suck in a sharp breath.
What had once been so swollen it resembled a steamed bun had now subsided considerably.
Fortune favored the unfortunate: though the ankle pain was severe, it was only a serious ligament injury. There had been no dislocation. Otherwise, Qin Fei truly wouldn’t have known how to set it back in place.
“I should be able to move around soon.”
Loretamon nodded, apparently relieved that Qin Fei hadn’t ended up maimed.
“In that case, once you’ve both recovered enough, you should return to wherever you came from.”
The Puppy Beast entered, dragging in some food. After depositing it, he addressed Qin Fei with a cold tone, then added, “And be careful around certain Digimon. Many are extremely hostile to humans. I can’t guarantee you’ll come out unscathed in your current condition.”
“Thank you.”
Qin Fei nodded. Despite Puppy Beast’s frosty demeanor toward him, he could sense the concern hidden beneath it.
“But we no longer know how to get back.”
With a wry smile, Qin Fei gave Puppy Beast a helpless look. Tai had been summoned back to the real world, but he himself had ended up in this strange Digital World, with no idea how to return.
“Heh, you humans invade the Digital World so often—how could you not know the way back?”
Puppy Beast scoffed at Qin Fei’s words.
“We have no reason to lie. We fell here by accident and have no way to find a way back,” Loretamon explained.
“...”
Puppy Beast fell silent, weighing the truth of their words.
“If you truly wish to return to the human world, I do know of a way. But it’s very dangerous.”
After a long hesitation, apparently choosing to trust them, Puppy Beast spoke at last.
“A way back to the human world?”
Qin Fei and Loretamon froze, stunned to hear there might be a way to return from the Digital World to reality.
“Is it the gate in the Vampire Lord’s castle?”
A sudden thought struck Qin Fei, and he asked in surprise. Could this Puppy Beast be the partner of Kari, who had been taken by the Vampire Lord?
“What are you talking about now?”
This time, Puppy Beast was the one left puzzled.
Qin Fei: “...”
Puppy Beast: “...”
“I was overthinking. Tell me your method.”
Rubbing his bare chin in embarrassment, Qin Fei gestured for Puppy Beast to continue.
Puppy Beast shot him a strange look, then hesitantly said, “Far from here, there’s a place called the Infinite Ice Wall. It’s said that Mercurymon lives there, and inside his palace there’s a Digital Gate that connects to the real world...”
Qin Fei: “...”
“What is it?”
Seeing Qin Fei’s eyes widen involuntarily, Puppy Beast paused, suspecting he’d said something wrong.
“Mercurymon?”
“Yes, have you heard of him?”
“Mercurymon who lives at the Infinite Ice Wall? And his palace holds a Digital Gate back to the real world?”
Puppy Beast’s expression grew even stranger. Hadn’t he just explained all this? Why did this human child keep asking the same thing, over and over?

“...”
“Heh, at last, I know where we are...”
With a bitter smile, Qin Fei realized at once that he was indeed not in the first season’s Digital World.
“But why is it the fifth season?”
In this series, the relationship between humans and Digimon was anything but harmonious. Originally, the Digital and human worlds had coexisted peacefully, but under Akihiro Kurata’s schemes, the two worlds had been driven to open enmity.
Mutual hatred festered.
And Mercurymon, one of the Digimon who, under the influence of the protagonist Marcus’s father, had once harbored goodwill toward humans, now believed he had been betrayed by them—and thus nursed a deep grudge.
Qin Fei realized that if he went to seek out Mercurymon and ask to use the Digital Gate behind his throne to return to the real world...
He might as well challenge the god to a battle outright.
But as one of the Twelve Olympian deities of the Digital World, Mercurymon was an immensely powerful Mega-level Digimon. With only Loretamon and Black Dorulumon at his side, Qin Fei knew it would be tantamount to suicide.
“Forget it. Better to remain in this Digital World a while longer.”
Shaking his head, Qin Fei ultimately gave up on the idea of seeking out Mercurymon—at least for now.
“I agree. There’s no way you’d get Mercurymon’s permission. He might just destroy you instead.”
Puppy Beast nodded, conceding that his own suggestion was hardly practical.
“If you truly have nowhere else to go, you can stay here for now. There aren’t many Digimon nearby, and those that are aren’t very strong. If you’re cautious, you shouldn’t be discovered.”
Qin Fei nodded at Puppy Beast’s offer.
Night fell.
The cave remained relatively warm, but there was still no fire, so they huddled together for warmth.
Puppy Beast, who usually refused to stay near the human, surprisingly did not leave the cave that night.
“Is your home nearby?”
Watching Puppy Beast play happily with Black Dorulumon, Qin Fei suddenly asked.
After all, the creature had cared for him for so long, yet he had never seen Puppy Beast interact with any other Digimon, nor had any come looking for him. It seemed he was always alone.
“I have no home, or rather, the Digital World is my home.”
Puppy Beast paused his play and answered with casual indifference.
“I see. So you’ve always been wandering alone?”
Qin Fei seemed to understand.
“...”
Puppy Beast said nothing more.
“Then... would you like to leave with us?”
Qin Fei didn’t quite know why he made the offer.
Perhaps it was sympathy for his loneliness, or a desire to repay his kindness, or simply a spontaneous spark of empathy.
“Hah! Cunning human, so you finally reveal your true intentions! Let me tell you—forget it!!”
Puppy Beast bristled with indignation, and in the blink of an eye stormed out of the cave, fuming.
“...”
Qin Fei and Loretamon exchanged a glance. He suddenly noticed a hint of mockery in Loretamon’s gaze.
“Hahaha, failed to abduct him, did you?”
Loretamon burst out laughing, then looked at Qin Fei with mock annoyance. “You’ve already got me.”
“Er, your tone is a little odd.”
Qin Fei suddenly felt that Loretamon’s gaze was somehow off.
“I just saw he was all alone, that’s all.”

Qin Fei hadn’t meant to explain, but somehow the words slipped out.
“All right, let’s sleep. We’ll talk about everything after we’ve recovered.”
“...”
Loretamon seemed a little sulky.
The cave fell silent.
In the pitch-black darkness, Qin Fei suddenly felt a petite figure cling to his arm, pressing closer still.
...
The next morning, Puppy Beast returned once more.
Judging by the casual expression on his face, he seemed to have entirely forgotten about Qin Fei’s invitation the previous night. He brought back plenty of food as usual.
Qin Fei had the sense not to mention it.
“I feel much better. My ankle can just about support me. Let’s go outside for a look later.”
After finishing the food brought by Puppy Beast, Qin Fei clapped his hands and, using the cave wall for support, stood up.
Here in the Digital World, Qin Fei felt an inexplicable energy was remaking him. What would have taken ten or fifteen days to heal was nearly mended in just three or four days—his recovery was far quicker than he had imagined.
Soon, he would be able to walk normally again.
“Are... you planning to leave?”
Suddenly, Puppy Beast asked, a little haltingly.
“We probably won’t stay much longer.”
Qin Fei nodded, looking at Puppy Beast with a subtle gaze.
“Then, could you grant me a request?”
Puppy Beast asked softly.
“Mm, as long as it’s within my power, I’ll do it gladly...”
Qin Fei leaned against the cave wall, trying to relieve some of the weight from his injured foot.
“Could I see that thing in your pocket again?”
Puppy Beast asked.
Qin Fei was taken aback—he hadn’t expected such a request.
But after only a brief hesitation, he pulled out the Holy Plan Digivice and handed it to Puppy Beast.
Puppy Beast immediately cupped it in his paws, closed his eyes, and began to sense it.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Qin Fei’s eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before him.
The Holy Plan began to shine again.
“What a warm feeling...”
Puppy Beast murmured, seeming to savor the sensation of being enveloped by the Holy Plan’s radiance.
“Qin Fei, something’s off about Puppy Beast,”
Loretamon frowned, clearly disturbed by the overwhelming aura of light.
A silvery-white glow suddenly descended from above, enveloping Puppy Beast, accompanied by a torrent of data...
Puppy Beast suddenly stood upright, transforming into a Digimon resembling a cat on its hind legs, wearing what looked like tiger-striped gloves.
“Di... Digivolved... Gatomon?!”
Puppy Beast’s sudden transformation left everyone speechless with shock.