Narumi Akira understood why Homeostasis was willing to "sell" him the title of ruler of the Digital World.
Homeostasis really was a conservative god—so long as order remained stable, it didn't care who sat on top or what they did.
He also understood why it dared to make such an offer: it was a deliberate jab at Yggdrasil—at that "slimy god" who acted like it didn't interfere with the Digital World's development, yet the moment Digimon stopped evolving the way it liked, it would flip the table and start killing.
Still… Akira couldn't shake the feeling that Homeostasis had stopped caring about living a normal life.
Those two "gods" had fought for who knew how many years, maintaining their balance for who knew how long.
And now Homeostasis pulled such an openly provocative move—this was basically a declaration of war on Yggdrasil.
Akira had only one thought:
Don't drag me into this.
"We're negotiating a business deal," Akira said coldly to Homeostasis. "Not starting a war."
"The Digital World's sovereignty belongs to Yggdrasil. You don't have the authority to sell it to me—and I have no interest in stealing it."
"I'm human. I develop the human world," he continued. "If you keep trying to stir trouble around me, then this three-way meeting becomes a two-way meeting."
"…"
Homeostasis fell silent.
It hadn't chosen Akira in the first place because it already knew—since the Hikarigaoka incident four years ago—that he had psychological maturity and judgment far beyond his age.
He was not someone easily persuaded.
By Homeostasis' understanding of humans, most ambitious people—even knowing it was a hollow promise—would still find it hard not to be tempted by the word "sovereignty."
The moment Akira's desire twisted, Homeostasis could keep raising the price, offering weapons and resources enough to ignite that ambition, using him as an anti–Yggdrasil force to tie the World Tree down.
And even if he resisted temptation and rejected it outright, Homeostasis could still fan the flames from the side.
What it didn't expect… was that the boy not only refused to play along, but threatened to jump to Yggdrasil's side and target Homeostasis instead.
Even knowing it was a bargaining tactic, Homeostasis still had to take the hit.
Because this fragile three-way balance could not be allowed to tilt in a direction unfavorable to itself.
"Even if you refuse to rule the Digital World, we will not interfere with your actions," Homeostasis said at last. "And regarding the human-run containment institution for the Chosen Children—we will fully cooperate."
Sure you will. Akira thought. You're the type to offer support in every form except actual support.
"All right. Enough," Akira cut it off, not interested in hearing more poison wrapped in polite words. He turned to Alphamon. "Now I want to hear Yggdrasil's demands and price. You—shut up."
Alphamon straightened, expression serious, and spoke.
"Yggdrasil has only one demand: do not provide assistance to Homeostasis," she said. "Anything Homeostasis can give you—Yggdrasil can give as well."
…Damn. That was fast.
Was this really the Yggdrasil he knew? The one who would massacre on a whim the moment things didn't suit it?
"Yggdrasil didn't tell you any lines we must not cross?" Akira confirmed. "If you negotiate like this on its behalf and something goes wrong, you're the one holding the bag."
"Yggdrasil did specify bottom lines," Alphamon replied. "But I don't think we need to bring them up."
She stared straight into his eyes.
"Because I know you're not the type to ask for the sky."
So that was it.
Yggdrasil wasn't lowering its face and handing out benefits—it outsourced the entire negotiation to 'Sister' here.
And if he started making outrageous demands… Alphamon would share responsibility.
Which meant… she was absolutely a potential target for his "Royal Knights recruitment plan."
Still, forcing a wedge between Yggdrasil and Alphamon right now was too obvious, too early, and too likely to backfire.
So Akira moved straight into pricing.
"Homeostasis gave me a Digivice and a Digi-Egg," he said. "Yggdrasil can match that, right?"
He added, "And I know Yggdrasil won't fully trust me, so give me a prototype Digimon—one with old-style interfaces. That's not excessive, is it?"
"Prototype Digimon…"
Perhaps remembering her own past and the X-Program, Alphamon's expression dimmed slightly—but she didn't forget her job.
"That does not violate Yggdrasil's bottom line," she said. "However… do you want an egg, or a Digimon?"
"Homeostasis gave me an egg," Akira said. "So give me an egg too. Easier for me to manage."
"Agreed."
Alphamon lifted her hand and sliced a rift through the air, passing over a Digi-Egg prepared by Yggdrasil.
The moment Akira received it, he handed it to Xiao Ai to examine.
After she nodded, Akira continued.
"Good. Homeostasis offered the Digivice. Then the Crest—Yggdrasil should contribute there too."
"Of course."
Alphamon produced a crest marked with a horizontal S symbol.
"This is the Crest of Destiny," she explained. "It can enable Digimon evolution, and it can also grant the power of Destiny Armor."
"Destiny, huh…" Akira murmured. "I thought it'd be 'Miracles' or 'Darkness.'"
He accepted the Crest of Destiny and teased, "This is an item that can let a Terriermon evolve into Golden Rapidmon, a form that can stand on the same tier as Magnamon. Does this count as you gifting me a power that can oppose Royal Knights?"
"Royal Knights are not the same as ordinary Ultimate-level Digimon of the same species," Alphamon replied evenly. "Golden Rapidmon does possess the capacity to fight us… but it cannot defeat any of us."
"What about Magnamon?" Akira pressed.
"At best, a draw," Alphamon said. "Neither can pierce the other's armor. One cannot catch the other's speed. Even their finishing moves cannot decide a winner."
…So that's the benchmark we're using. Got it.
Akira couldn't help feeling a little wistful.
Even if Golden Rapidmon could be measured against Magnamon, if you don't have enough popularity to become a Royal Knight, your combat value just… doesn't hold its price.
Still, Golden Rapidmon X was a flagship among Terriermon-line Digimon. With the Crest of Destiny, raising a Terriermon wouldn't be bad at all.
"Since Yggdrasil is showing this much sincerity, I won't ask for more," Akira said.
Then he turned back to the Homeostasis side—the one he'd left alone for a while.
"Hand over Oikawa Yukio's Pipimon," Akira said bluntly, "and Bakumon, the one that died with Maki Himekawa."
"I want Bakumon with its memories. I know you have a data backup. Don't try to weasel out."
"…Understood."
Maybe because it saw Akira and Alphamon talking smoothly—something that could tilt the balance against it—Homeostasis didn't haggle. It simply opened a gate to the Digital World and delivered Pipimon and Bakumon directly before Akira.
Akira wanted to believe Homeostasis wouldn't play tricks, but given its stellar reputation, he still asked to confirm.
"Bakumon," he said. "Do you remember your partner?"
"My partner… Maki…" Bakumon blinked, hesitated, then answered instinctively, "...I think… it's this person?"
"I extracted Bakumon's record from a backup file from five thousand years ago," Homeostasis explained. "It does retain memories. It simply needs time to recover."
So you admit you've been screwing Bakumon over for five thousand years, huh?
Akira's disgust only deepened.
If he hadn't run into Xiao Ai… who knew what kind of monster these "gods" would've molded him into?
After his worldview of "Homeostasis' non-humanity" was refreshed yet again, Akira was, frankly, done.
"Since both sides have shown their hand, I won't be the only one taking benefits," he said.
"I won't interfere in your dispute over the Digital World's ownership. I can even stop setting foot in the Digital World."
"On one condition: your war cannot affect the human world."
"We accept," Homeostasis answered immediately. "We do not wish to interfere in the human world. It was Yggdrasil that funded Apocalymon and broke the boundary between the two sides."
"Shut up," Akira snapped. "Apocalymon only exists because you don't manage Digimon that fail to evolve in the first place."
"…"
Maybe because it understood its own credibility problem, Homeostasis stopped trying to posture.
"But we can accept this condition."
Akira knew Homeostasis was tossing dirt while the other side was down—but since it wanted to stir trouble, he was more than happy to use it as leverage to raise Yggdrasil's cost.
"I know Yggdrasil can't meet this demand right now," Akira said.
"So I can set the specific activation date of the agreement after the Apocalymon incident ends. As a sign of sincerity, I will remain in the human world until the Apocalymon incident is resolved."
"Of course, if any of the Chosen Children are endangered during that time, I reserve the right to enter the Digital World and intervene."
"That isn't excessive, is it?"
"That is a reasonable request," Alphamon said. "After the Apocalymon incident passes, we will honor the promise."
"Then the meeting is adjourned."
Akira smiled pleasantly and waved them off.
"I can't go to your side right now, so please forgive me for not seeing you out."
Homeostasis' light withdrew from Hackmon first, leaving the room.
With Homeostasis gone, Alphamon and Jesmon opened a gate back to the Digital World as well, preparing to depart.
Before they left, Akira decided it was time to execute a small part of his "Royal Knights recruitment plan."
He wouldn't openly try to recruit them—too direct, too early.
So he simply tossed a spark into the fire.
"I don't care whose justice is closer to the truth," Akira said. "But justice is a concept that changes as the era changes."
"So as you pursue your justice… don't forget that."
Both Royal Knights paused, their expressions briefly thoughtful.
"Understood."
"Thank you for the reminder."
And with that, the two holy knights—each carrying a different justice—returned to their own paths.
.....
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