"What…is going on here?"
Staring at the firewall that had suddenly sprung to life, Chen Ze cast a bewildered glance at Renamon beside him.
Just moments after they'd entered the database—having already been verified by the system as normal data—the previously dormant server had begun operating on its own, as if suddenly alerted to their intrusion.
Chen Ze knew this wasn't normal. A typical firewall could only monitor and block anomalous data.
In other words, a firewall would either recognize malicious "virus data" at the outset and block it immediately, or fail to detect any abnormality, granting it normal access permissions.
From their earlier experience, Renamon's disguise had clearly succeeded. Otherwise, they wouldn't have slipped into the database so easily.
But here lay the mystery: Why was the firewall suddenly targeting data it had already cleared?
"Did someone spot us?"
From a purely logical perspective, Chen Ze couldn't think of any other reason.
Yet even that seemed off. They hadn't yet touched, viewed, or deleted anything from the database. A third party couldn't have detected them this quickly.
Their current situation felt like the firewall had realized—only after granting them access—that they weren't legitimate, then spontaneously decided to revoke their permissions.
But that made no sense. Firewalls weren't sentient.
No matter how advanced, a firewall was ultimately a fixed program operating on predefined logic.
Unless the developer explicitly programmed a particular scenario, it was impossible for it to make spontaneous decisions beyond its coding.
Simply put, unless it was legendary self-learning artificial intelligence, a program's "learning" required regular developer updates.
"We've been detected, but not by a 'person'."
Renamon, whose senses were even sharper, nodded gravely as she stared upward at the firewall, now fully alert and poised for battle.
"It's him interfering."
She hadn't specified precisely who this "him" was, but Chen Ze immediately understood, his face darkening.
"The 'God' Angemon mentioned?"
Only now did Chen Ze and Renamon fully grasp the difference between the internet and the real world—this place was the boundary where the Digital World and physical reality intersected.
Though unable to directly influence the physical world, that mysterious "god" deep within the Digital World seemed fully capable of interfering in this ambiguous, neutral zone.
"An ancient, primitive AI… Is this the birth of the first Digimon?"
Alongside Renamon's incredulous whisper, the defensive program known as the "firewall" began rapidly evolving and reshaping itself, absorbing nearby data at an unimaginable speed to fuel its transformation.
Firewall—embodied.
Fundamentally designed to counter all malicious intrusions, this police firewall was the natural enemy of viruses and malevolent data.
After absorbing residual data left by countless police officers, it had developed a powerful, distinct sense of justice.
No explanations needed, no promises required…
To eradicate all "evil" data, the firewall's new physical incarnation chose evolution toward pure, overwhelming force and violence.
As torrents of data converged toward a single point, the towering firewall separating Chen Ze and Renamon vanished. In its place stood a newly-formed Digimon:
Deputymon.
Without following any known evolutionary line, Deputymon appeared immediately at the Champion stage, proof of its unique, mutation-type origin.
This was a Digimon whose intense pursuit of justice meant fighting any being it judged an enemy.
"All in the name of justice!"
With its body built around a giant revolver, clad in Western cowboy attire, Deputymon stepped confidently before them.
"So, it's a Vaccine-type from the 'Virus Buster' family."
Renamon, herself a Vaccine-type Digimon, knew well that not all Vaccine-types could claim the prestigious "Virus Buster" family.
Only Digimon possessing an exceptionally powerful sense of justice—and a determination to purge all virus data—qualified for that attribute.
In other words, having the "Virus Buster" attribute meant this Digimon specialized in battle.
Bang! Bang!
Exactly as Renamon anticipated, Deputymon wasted no time talking, instantly opening fire the moment it appeared.
Bang! Bang!
Its twin revolvers never ceased firing, marking Deputymon as radically different from Angemon.
If Angemon embodied compassion and wisdom, a scholarly warrior, then Deputymon was a decisive, ruthless general born for battle.
Yet, while Deputymon's strength was formidable, Renamon—who had fended off Angemon as a mere Rookie—was no pushover either.
"[DIAMOND STORM]!"
Following a quiet chant, countless shimmering leaves materialized from thin air, then flew forward under Renamon's precise control.
Clang!
The sharp, metallic sound echoed instantly.
Deputymon's bullets barely traveled a few meters before each was cleanly sliced in two by Renamon's leaves, rendered completely useless.
"You go delete the data—I'll deal with this!"
Her voice was as calm and confident as always. Without waiting for Chen Ze's response, Renamon, slender and agile, launched herself forward toward Deputymon.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Amidst the barrage of bullets, Renamon—though far smaller and weaker-looking than Deputymon—displayed agility and grace that even most Champion Digimon lacked.
Truthfully, Renamon had never relied on brute strength in combat.
Rather than raw power, speed and cunning tactics were her greatest assets—true when she fought Angemon before, true again now against Deputymon.
"…Alright, I understand."
Chen Ze watched Renamon dart through the hail of gunfire like a phantom, answering belatedly only after she'd already engaged Deputymon several times.
Renamon's movements were so swift that Chen Ze struggled to even process what he was witnessing. Her ability to weave through bullets effortlessly, her hyper-alert senses—both far exceeded his comprehension of what a "living being" could do.
I hate feeling powerless like this…