"Go, go!" A gaggle of kids shouted from the sidelines to the players sprinting across the soccer field.
"Tai, incoming!" Sora glanced back and saw two opposing players tight on her heels. She sidestepped a defender in front of her and sent a sharp pass toward Tai.
Tai turned his right leg, trapped Sora's pass, and broke for the opponent's box.
He dribbled with nimble footwork, slipping past one challenge after another. Three defenders chased in a pack behind him. Tai looked back and flashed a grin—just enough to make them freeze for a heartbeat. In that heartbeat, he snapped his foot through the ball. The keeper couldn't get there in time. Goal.
Ignoring the cheers on the field, Tai walked to the sideline and sat to catch his breath.
"Here." A pleasant voice came from behind him. A bottle of water appeared in front of his eyes. Tai looked up—Sora stood there, toweling sweat with one hand and offering him the bottle with the other.
"Thanks." Tai took it and downed half in one go, then exhaled.
Sora sat beside him, watching the match continue in silence. The two of them just sat there, gazing at the green pitch.
Sora turned to him. "Tai, can't we go back to the Digital World anymore?"
Tai smiled faintly. "The Digital World is still reassembling itself. We aren't actual Digimon—being there would be dangerous. We could even be flagged as anomalous data and deleted."
Sora's eyes searched his, complicated and unsure. "Tai… what kind of person are you, really? I can never see through you. In the Digital World, you were so mature—not like a kid at all. Especially when you fought the Archdemon King—your combat strength even surpassed Omnimon's. And then there's the Steel Empire… Sometimes I wonder: which Tai is the real you?"
Tai listened, then lay back on the grass and looked up at the clouds. "That Ultimate Warblade Fanglong Sword wasn't my achievement alone. It was summoned by everyone's power together. Right now, I can only call the sword of light—the Sacred Sword: Genesis Edge—from the digital magic circle. I can't bring out the Ultimate Warblade Fanglong Sword on my own. As for fighting… no one likes it. If there were a choice, I'd rather live quietly. But the moment Tokomon came to my house, it was set that our lives wouldn't stay peaceful. No one can change that. Sometimes when I think back on everything in the Digital World, it feels like a dream. But none of it is up to me to decide anymore." He stood. "All right, it's late. I'm heading out."
Sora watched his back in silence, then lowered her head.
What Tai didn't say was: "What I want is to decide my own fate—and make sure the people around me aren't decided by someone else."
When he opened the door at home, Kari's voice rang out. "Tai, you're back?"
"Mm."
He stepped into the room and found Kari using a program Datamon had written. With a Digivice, the software could open a window to the Digital World on the computer so partners could talk face to face.
Hearing the door, Kari turned. "Tai, you're back."
"Mm." He sat beside her. "How are Gatomon and the others?"
"We're doing great on File Island. There aren't any enemies here now. It's just that too many new Digimon have been born all at once. Elecmon can't keep up by himself, so our main work right now is caring for the newborns. Tai, look." Gatomon appeared on the screen, cradling a Fresh-stage baby Digimon.
"So cute." On the screen was a baby covered in soft white down, fluffy and adorable.
"Tai, when can we go to the Digital World again?" Kari looked up at him. On the screen, Gatomon set the baby down and also looked over at Tai.
Tai gently patted Kari's head. "Soon. Once the Digital World settles, we can go. Then you two can meet again."
Kari smiled. "Okay."
Night fell. After dinner, Kari and Tai returned to their room to rest.
"Good night, Kari."
"Good night, Tai."
Moonlight streamed through the window onto Kari's bed, lighting her peaceful face. Before long, her breathing turned soft and even. Tai opened his eyes, slipped out of bed, and looked at her. He turned away, raised his right hand toward the PC. The dark screen flickered to life. Streams of data raced across it, and a prismatic interface blossomed open.
Tai glanced back at Kari once, then stepped through the shimmering gate. Behind him, Kari opened her eyes and watched him vanish into the seven-colored glow from the screen. The display dimmed again. Kari lay back down and closed her eyes.
Underground on File Island, in a room crammed with monitors and instruments, Datamon hammered rapidly at several keyboards, eyes glued to a bank of massive screens. Indicator lights blinked in constant patterns, and torrents of data scrolled by.
Clack—clack—. Hearing footsteps behind him, Datamon stopped, turned, and faced the newcomer. "Tai, you're here."
"Mm." Tai nodded, braced both hands on the console, and watched the live feeds. "How's the Digital World now?"
"The Digital World's basic recombination is nearly complete. Primary Village functions have been restored and are running smoothly. All Digimon that perished during the reassembly have already been reborn. The new Digital World has begun the process of converting data to material, so compared to before it's far more refined."
Tai tapped a few keys and reviewed the maps. The Digital World really was much improved: no more jarring jumps like a glacier turning straight into a desert, or a forest giving way to a volcano without transition; no more walking over one mountain from Tokomon's village and somehow covering thousands of miles. It now felt much closer to the human world.
"How's the Digital Armor production going?" Tai asked, turning to Datamon.
Datamon keyed in a command and switched the feed. A huge chamber appeared onscreen. At its center stood a great glass capsule encasing a red box forged from Temporal Chrome Digizoid.
"The Armor Project is complete," Datamon explained. "New Digital Armor has been produced. The link between Digital Armor and the Digivice has been established. As long as the Digivice has energy, the Digital Armor can keep operating. However, we lack test data. We can't yet confirm performance when armor is mounted on Digimon, and combat power boosts are unstable. We need more trials to perfect the Armor Project."
Tai rested his chin in his right hand, thinking. "Right now, Sora and the others can't enter the Digital World. Gabumon and the rest are holding at Champion, Gatomon's at Champion, and Agumon can freely evolve to Mega. If they're our testers, they'll handle Digital Armor too well, and the post-test results won't reflect the actual power-up for other Digimon. We need new Digimon for trials. Looks like it's time to start a new Chosen Plan."
Decision made, Tai turned to Datamon. "In that case, let's select new children. Assign them newly born Digimon to raise. Give them copied Digivices with high-tier evolution removed, plus the Digital Barrier and evolution-promotion functions. Use older-grade Chrome Digizoid to manufacture Digital Armor so their partners can perform Armor Digivolution. We'll build an arena and first have mechanical Champion-level Digimon fight the new Chosen Children, then collect their combat data to fix the flaws in the Digital Armor. We'll launch the plan once the Digital World stabilizes."
Datamon nodded. "Also, the Four Sovereigns seem to be preparing something. They've started secretly gathering some Digimon."
Tai frowned. "So they're not dead."
"They used the faint rules still lingering in their bodies to open an extra-dimensional space with their followers, letting them escape annihilation. We wrested operational control of the Digital World from them. From current intel, they're unwilling to give that up and may be plotting to take control back."
Tai let out a cold snort. "I planned to let them walk away. If they insist on coming at us, don't blame me for being rude."
"The Dark Ocean isn't calm, either. The BraveBeasts can't keep Millenniummon suppressed much longer. It's only a matter of time before Millenniummon breaks free. We should prepare in advance," Datamon continued.
"Millenniummon…" Tai rubbed his temples. That one was no easy foe. "If the BraveBeasts need support, they'll call for it. Don't worry about that front. Put your energy into the Chosen Plan and Armor Digivolution. Millenniummon is my problem. Leave it to me."
"Yes, Tai."
Back in his room, the night was very still. Tai slid open the balcony door and stepped outside. Leaning on the railing, he tilted his head to the moon.
It was especially round tonight—and bright. Its cool light washed over Tai's face.
At some point, Kari had come over. Tai only noticed when he felt her at his side. He'd been staring at the moon so long he hadn't sensed her approach.
When he turned, she looked back. "Tai, you just went to the Digital World, didn't you? I just… don't know when I'll get to go and see Gatomon."
He took off his cape and draped it over her, holding her close and smoothing her hair. "Soon. Don't worry, Kari. I won't let anything hurt you."
In his arms, Kari looked up, not quite understanding what he meant by that last part.
"It's late. Time for bed."
"Got it, Tai."
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