Chapter Nine: Out of Control

Hearing Loretta-mon’s way of addressing him, Qin Fei couldn’t bear to look and covered his face. Thankfully, there were no other people around; otherwise, he felt he would have died of embarrassment right then and there. But Kuga-mon didn’t understand Qin Fei’s awkwardness; in its eyes, there was only one purpose—to tear apart the Digimon before it, whose evolution remained a mystery…Loretta-mon.

“Watch carefully, young master… See how I defeat it.” Her tone brimmed with confidence—as if Loretta-mon’s personality had grown unusually proud after evolving. She, a mere rookie Digimon, didn’t even deign to regard the mature Kuga-mon before her as a threat.

With a hiss, a scarlet, menacing bone-cleaving axe appeared in Loretta-mon’s hand. Despite her petite and delicate attire, the juxtaposition lent her a strange, captivating charm.

Kuga-mon, clearly angered by Loretta-mon’s disdain, snapped its enormous insect jaws toward her, swift and relentless. On appearances alone, the tiny Loretta-mon facing the massive Kuga-mon looked like a mere mouse confronting a ferocious lion. The brutality that might ensue was almost unimaginable—even Qin Fei felt a cold sweat for her.

Yet Loretta-mon showed no fear; her small frame, brimming with the will to fight, met Kuga-mon’s ferocious attack head-on, ready to clash axe against jaws.

A sharp, ringing clash echoed as the orange-red jaws met the bone-cleaving axe, producing a metallic screech that made one’s teeth ache. Loretta-mon’s petite form remained rooted to the spot, her axe improbably holding back Kuga-mon’s giant jaws, not giving an inch. The only evidence of their struggle was the two clear indentations her shoes left in the earth beneath her.

Her exquisite little shoes remained pristine, though it was hard to imagine what pressure they bore.

With a spirited shout, Loretta-mon suddenly gripped the axe handle with both hands and began to push Kuga-mon’s jaws upward.

“Get out of my way!”

With her yell, Kuga-mon was actually forced back a step by her strength. Its jaws lifted high, its footing unstable—Loretta-mon seized the moment, drew back her right leg, and in the next instant leaped up and kicked Kuga-mon right in the groin.

Qin Fei, watching from the side, winced in sympathy.

Bang… Bang… Bang… Kuga-mon was forced to retreat again and again. Loretta-mon’s assault, improbable as the might of an ant against a tree, somehow delivered enough force to stagger it.

“Did she win? She actually won in terms of strength?!”

Qin Fei stood aside, his expression equally incredulous, then grew excited, shouting, “Ha ha ha! As expected of the Digimon I created—so strong! Maybe she can win!”

“She will definitely win!” Loretta-mon somersaulted back to Qin Fei’s side, dissatisfied with his uncertainty. “Watch, young master Qin Fei—see how I defeat it!”

Covering his face and turning away, Qin Fei was once again mortified by Loretta-mon’s way of addressing him, silently resolving that, after the battle, he would make her change it; it would be better for her to simply call him Qin Fei. Otherwise, if they returned to the real world and she called him like this, he would never be able to face anyone.

A harsh screech rang out—Kuga-mon was clearly shocked that its massive form had been forced back by a mere rookie Digimon. A surge of indignation flooded its heart.

Its carapace snapped open, wings buzzing, and it seemed about to take flight and reclaim the sky.

“You won’t get your way!” Loretta-mon knew that if Kuga-mon took to the air, she would be in trouble.

A flash of red—

A scarlet bone-cleaving axe whistled through the air, striking precisely at the joint of Kuga-mon’s wings, sending the would-be flyer crashing back to the ground.

Loretta-mon had been waiting for this moment. With a few swift steps, her petite body darted forward, leaping onto the downed Kuga-mon’s back. She seized the bone-cleaving axe lodged at the joint and even flashed an unnervingly cruel smile.

Seeing Loretta-mon’s fierce grin and those unnaturally sharp little tiger teeth, Qin Fei couldn’t help feeling she looked more like the villain.

Without hesitation, Loretta-mon’s slender arms slashed forcefully.

With a sickening tear, the translucent insect wings were ripped apart, flesh and bone alike.

A guttural scream—driven by agony, Kuga-mon went berserk. An explosion of strength sent Loretta-mon flying.

But agile as a black cat, Loretta-mon twisted in midair and landed lightly, unharmed.

She licked her sharp tiger teeth, the corners of her mouth curling into a wide, wild arc, tinged with a hint of madness.

Qin Fei clenched his palms. He sensed that Loretta-mon might no longer be under his control.

She was enjoying herself.

Enjoying the thrill of battle, reveling in the joy of slaughter, savoring the excitement of her enemy’s screams.

It seemed that, behind the black band covering her eyes, a murderous red light shone forth…

The bone-cleaving axe became an extension of Loretta-mon’s body, swinging freely; every blow left a long gash on Kuga-mon’s orange-red hide, stripping away its data.

Kuga-mon was finally afraid. It wanted to escape. Never had it imagined that it would be driven to this state by a rookie Digimon. The once adorable figure before it now appeared as the fiercest demon.

But every attempt at fleeing was thwarted by the sudden appearance of the scarlet axe, inflicting fresh, searing wounds.

Despair overcame it… She wasn’t satisfied with simply killing—it felt she was toying with it…

“…”

“Loretta-mon!”

It was the boy’s voice. Kuga-mon sensed that the bone-cleaving axe poised to sever its arm suddenly paused.

Loretta-mon halted, slowly turning to her tamer.

At that moment, Qin Fei sorrowfully shook his head at her.

Time seemed to stand still.

Loretta-mon’s raised axe hovered in midair, as if she couldn’t comprehend Qin Fei’s sadness.

Kuga-mon lay there, uncertain if it was barely alive or simply too terrified to move.

Qin Fei gazed at his Digimon, sadness evident in his eyes.

“Qin… Fei… young master…”

Reason quietly regained hold of Loretta-mon’s heart. Seeing her tamer’s sad expression, she wondered if she had done something wrong again.

Just then, the seemingly dead Kuga-mon seized the opportunity, flinging Loretta-mon from its back and fleeing frantically away from them.

But it managed only a few steps before a scarlet bone-cleaving axe buried itself deep in its forehead, extinguishing the last flicker of consciousness.

“…”

“Young master Qin Fei, I won!”

Loretta-mon waved as she approached, her petite figure framed against the dissolving data of Kuga-mon, which scattered into the air. Qin Fei’s heart was a tumult of emotions—there was little joy in victory.

Suddenly, the dispersing data from Kuga-mon slowed and, strangely, split into two streams. One portion gathered around Loretta-mon, absorbed by her; the other coalesced in Qin Fei’s hand, gradually forming a card bearing Kuga-mon’s image.

“This…this is…!”

Qin Fei’s eyes widened involuntarily.