Two hours and thirteen minutes remained until Mount Fuji's eruption.
Koshiro held the black Crest in his hand, a smile appearing on his face.
"He's back, stronger than before."
Although he didn't know what Taichi had been through during his disappearance, he sensed an overwhelmingly domineering, world-defying spirit from the mysterious man.
This was something never present in the former Taichi.
As a friend, he couldn't help back in the Digital World. Now was the time.
Koshiro placed the black Crest over his heart.
A profound data storm surged wildly from the Crest.
Interweaving, it outlined a mysterious beam of light, mechanically cold.
Koshiro only felt a strong flash before his eyes, and the world seemed to freeze.
The next second, looking around, everything was pure white and void, unable to touch anything solid.
"Where is this?" Koshiro surveyed his surroundings, a hint of confusion on his face.
He firmly believed Taichi wouldn't harm him.
So this place must hold some mystery.
Whoosh...
Exactly 10.081 seconds after he entered this mysterious space, dense data streams flowed incessantly before his eyes in this void and blankness.
The Crests decoded by Kurai each contained the ultimate power of the Digital World.
If Taichi's Crest of Vengeance symbolized the unquenchable fire of conquest, that wherever the iron tread reached, it became the conqueror's domain…
Then the Crest of Dominate in Koshiro's hand symbolized the endless library of data and knowledge.
Analysis, deconstruction, reorganization, rebirth.
All the secrets of the Digital World were laid bare before Koshiro.
The bearer of the Crest of Dominate must possess intelligence surpassing ordinary humans, at least 8-10 times over.
Such individuals often concentrate all their spirit on one thing.
The mundane world doesn't understand them, considers them socially inept, bookworms.
But in the Digital World...
"Such core knowledge! So this code can be written like this..." Koshiro's eyes were filled only with sky-full data code.
This quality was a talent dreamt of by the highest beings.
In a parallel universe, Hattori once asked Kurai,
"How much of the Digital World's secrets can an average bearer of the Crest of Dominate deconstruct?"
"1.21% - 1.76%. Almost no one exceeds 2%." Kurai explained with a天然 (innocent expression, her voice soft.
"2%? If it's that Koshiro, I'm somewhat anticipating what level he can ultimately reach." A smile curled Hattori's lips as he leaned against a coconut tree, looking content.
2%, the limit of genius?
Koshiro's eyes held only endless data and models. His subconscious continuously supplied blood to his brain.
The thinking speed in the void world was ten times that of the outside.
One hour of thought here equaled only six minutes in the real world.
First hour.
Decoding progress: 1.43%!
This meant Koshiro possessed the ability to create Digi-Eggs and simple Digital scenes.
Second hour.
Decoding progress: 1.99%.
The decoding index was at the critical point, stuck at the key stage of Digi-Eggs evolving to the In-Training level.
If Koshiro could break through this barrier, he would gain the ability to mass-produce In-Training Digimon and decompose any In-Training Digimon.
In a way, this was something even Homeostasis couldn't achieve.
However, the limit even Kurai deemed difficult to break through wasn't so easily overcome.
For ten consecutive hours, Koshiro was stuck here, pondering deeply.
How to break through the shackles of the Digi-Egg.
Life, data, human thought, erupting emotions.
How to blend these things?
After countless failures, Koshiro finally discovered the problem.
"It's emotion." Data flickered in Koshiro's eyes as he stated calmly.
Digimon are born from data, but they evolve through emotion.
Without the courage to dominate everything…
Without the determination to make the world focus on oneself, to be the protagonist…
One could never comprehend the mystery of the moment a Digi-Egg hatches.
Koshiro took a deep breath.
Past events surfaced before his eyes, one by one.
"Koshiro, the final assignment is up to you! Hehe, it's not like you have many friends anyway."
"Koshiro, remember to fix the teacher's computer! Huh? You're busy? What could you possibly be busy with? Just playing on the computer at home. It's the same anywhere else."
"Koshiro, Koshiro, Koshiro, Koshiro..."
Countless voices echoed in his ears.
Disdainful, casual, dismissive, lazy.
They didn't care about him.
'A computer repair guy', someone who doesn't understand social graces, just a guy who silently types on a keyboard.
Worth getting to know deeply?
Countless images, countless voices, finally connected into a beam of light.
A beam composed of countless dark data, intertwining light of absolute reason and absolute emotion.
"Mortals are foolish, thinking that networking and scheming are the essence of the world." Koshiro's body slowly levitated from the data streams.
His ordinarily plain face was covered by strings of dark code, transforming into a handsome, stern data mask.
"Little do they know, human arrogance is the biggest stumbling block hindering civilizational progress."
"In the primitive era, without tribal conflicts and internal strife, humanity could have shortened its evolutionary process by at least a million years, dominating the world sooner."
"In the dynastic era, without suspicion between monarch and subject, corruption and hereditary succession, so many unparalleled emperors wouldn't have perished by the second generation, could have been passed down through generations."
"In the information age, behind every virtual account is a false face."
"The woman who posts 'Honey, I'm going out to get my hair done' might be indulging and degenerating in some high-end hotel."
"The youth sitting in a bright classroom, full of talk about etiquette and loyalty, might have, years ago, through underhanded means, replaced the life that should have been a rags-to-riches story for some impoverished person."
"Hypocrisy, degeneracy, scheming against each other, intrigue."
"Such social graces are worshiped by such a world." Koshiro let out a disdainful sneer, and with one final statement, "Better off without it."
Whoosh…
The vast data ocean instantly washed over Koshiro's entire body, casting his flesh and blood into the ultimate model of a data core, like Yggdrasil.
If Kurai were present, she would surely open her small mouth slightly and say coolly in her innocent voice, "A fellow... a new fellow is being born."
That's right.
Using a mortal body to break through the planar barrier, achieving the Digital World's end.
The void, pure white box shattered.
In the desolate night sky, Koshiro stood atop the golden beetle, traces of data residue still lingering on his face.
His gaze was icy as he stared at the distant Mount Fuji.
"Saving the world is my final duty as a human." The rich emotions belonging to humanity surged into Koshiro's heart.
Intense arrogance filled his soul.
Let those who looked down on him, ignored him, watch.
Let those who treated him as an extra, trampled over him casually, watch.
Let Mimi, Mike, and the other Chosen Children from back then watch with wide eyes.
"Tonight, I am the Chosen One, the only one!"