Chapter 129: Belle, Don't Be Afraid, Meet the Fist Head-On!
Blooming petals drifted on the gentle breeze, painting a quiet, living record of the passing days. The vibrant forest stood as a silent witness, etching the rapid growth of the Chosen Children into its ancient roots. In what felt like the blink of an eye, an entire week had slipped away.
Under Piximon's grueling, unorthodox training regimen, Tai and the rest of the group had pushed past their limits, evolving in ways they never thought possible.
Yet, among all of them, Izzy stood out as the undisputed prodigy of the week.
By carefully analyzing and adapting Piximon's methods, the young genius had achieved the impossible: channeling and firing a Champion-level Digimon's special attack using only his fragile human vessel. Better yet, he had refined the energy flow so efficiently that the violent recoil no longer drained him of his strength.
Fueled by the radiant Light of the Heart, Tentomon achieved a breakthrough of his own. Following closely in Agumon's footsteps, the insectoid partner became the second Digimon in their ranks to shatter his limits and achieve Super digivolution entirely without the aid of a Crest.
A blinding pillar of data erupted into the sky.
"Kabuterimon Super Evolve!"
The digital rings expanded, shattering into fragments of light as a massive, crimson-armored titan materialized above the canopy.
"MegaKabuterimon!"
The sheer concussive force of the crimson beetle's arrival washed over the clearing. Every child present felt the heavy, suffocating pressure of an Ultimate-level aura pressing down on their shoulders.
Standing beside Tai, Agumon clenched his claws. Though he already possessed the raw combat power of an Ultimate, the sight of his comrade's new form ignited a blazing inferno of competitive spirit in his reptilian eyes.
Tai caught the fiery glint in his partner's gaze and grinned, crossing his arms. "I know that look. If you want to test him out, then go for it, Agumon."
A triumphant roar tore from Agumon's throat. Brilliant orange light bloomed from his core, swallowing his small frame in a vortex of surging data. In a fraction of a second, the light condensed and exploded outward.
"MegaKabuterimon!" The metallic behemoth hovered in the air, the thrusters on his back whining as his tattered purple wings beat against the wind. MetalGreymon leveled a massive, cybernetic claw toward the crimson beetle. "How about a sparring match?"
Unlike the battle-hungry dinosaur, MegaKabuterimon possessed a rather docile nature. However, the intoxicating rush of his newly acquired Ultimate form thrummed through his data veins. He needed to understand the limits of this immense strength.
"I accept your challenge, MetalGreymon," the giant insect buzzed, his voice echoing with a deep, metallic resonance. "But I must state for the record: I am not accustomed to this level of combat. If my performance proves disappointing, I ask for your understanding."
MetalGreymon threw his head back and let out a booming laugh that shook the leaves. "Don't be so modest! Let's see what you can do!"
The two colossal titans turned and flew toward the distant edge of the treeline, their massive shadows sweeping over the ground. They were acutely aware of their own destructive potential. A clash between two Ultimate-level Digimon would easily level the surrounding landscape, and neither wanted to ruin the beautiful, tranquil forest Mizuki had so carefully cultivated.
Tai watched the shrinking silhouettes of his partner and friend, a helpless but fond smile tugging at his lips. "Those two are fired up today."
He turned his head, expecting to share a laugh with the boy standing beside him. Instead, his smile faltered.
"Izzy?" Tai blinked, his brow furrowing. "What's wrong?"
Izzy flinched, his shoulders jerking upward as if pulled from a deep trance. "Ah? Tai? Did you say something?"
Tai tilted his head, his sharp eyes scanning his friend's pale, tense features. "You don't look happy at all." He gestured toward the sky where the two Ultimates had vanished. "Tentomon just achieved Super digivolution. That's huge. So why do you look like you're carrying the weight of the Digital World on your shoulders?"
Izzy averted his gaze, his fingers nervously twisting the hem of his shirt. He took a slow, measured breath, forcing his erratic heartbeat to steady before deploying the excuse he had rehearsed in his mind.
"I... I just feel that my current progress is insufficient," Izzy muttered, his voice tight. "Yes, it is a remarkable achievement that Tentomon can reach the Ultimate stage. But we cannot afford to be complacent. There is still the Mega level towering above us."
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Mere Ultimate-level strength won't be enough to—"
"Stop right there, Izzy." Tai's voice cut through the tense air, firm and leaving no room for argument. He stepped closer, planting himself directly in Izzy's line of sight.
"You are pushing yourself way too hard," Tai said, his usual carefree demeanor entirely absent. He held his friend's gaze, speaking with slow, deliberate emphasis. "I get it. I really do. None of us want a repeat of the nightmare on File Island. The helplessness, the fear... I know."
Tai placed a reassuring hand on Izzy's trembling shoulder. "But you have to take this one step at a time. Do you understand? If you crush yourself under all this pressure, you won't just break your own spirit. You'll end up hurting the very companions standing right beside you."
Izzy's breath hitched. He stared up into Tai's brown eyes, startled by the raw, unyielding sincerity burning within them. It was rare to see the goggle-wearing boy act with such mature, grounded authority.
The tension slowly drained from Izzy's frame. He offered a small, fragile nod. "I understand, Tai. I... I will try to adjust my mindset."
Tai studied him for a long second before his grip softened. "Good."
Despite the verbal agreement, Tai wasn't fooled. He could see the lingering shadows pooling in the corners of Izzy's eyes. The genius boy hadn't truly absorbed the warning, but pressing the issue now would only make him retreat further into his shell. This was the best Tai could do for the moment.
He let his hand drop, his mind racing. When did this start?
Izzy had always been analytical, sometimes overly cautious, but this obsessive, frantic drive was entirely new.
Tai's eyes narrowed in thought. It started a week ago. That night.
He vividly remembered Izzy volunteering for the night watch, his expression unreadable in the flickering firelight. Something had happened under the cover of darkness. Something that had fundamentally shifted the boy's perspective.
Tai's gaze drifted across the clearing, landing on the small, floating figure hovering near the center of the training grounds.
I need to corner Piximon when we have a moment alone, Tai resolved silently. She knows something.
As he watched, the image of the fluffy, pink fairy Digimon shifted in his mind.
Piximon.
No, that wasn't accurate anymore. Given the terrifying aura she currently exuded, she was better addressed by her true, awakened moniker: Venusmon.
Right now, the goddess of love and beauty was entirely focused on drilling combat tactics into Belle.
"How many times must I repeat myself?" Venusmon's voice cracked like a whip across the clearing, sharp and demanding. "In the heat of battle, if you cannot guarantee a lethal strike in a single breath, you must leave yourself an avenue of retreat! Committing entirely to an attack without a guaranteed kill leaves your guard wide open. A competent enemy will exploit that opening and tear you apart!"
Belle stood at attention, her chest heaving. "Understood, Teacher Piximon!"
The final syllable barely left Belle's lips before a blur of motion crossed the space between them.
WHACK!
Venusmon's leg whipped around in a devastating roundhouse kick, burying her heel squarely into Belle's abdomen. The sickening thud of the impact echoed through the trees.
Tai winced, his own stomach clenching in sympathetic pain. He watched in stunned silence as Belle skidded backward across the dirt.
Are girls always this terrifying when they fight? Tai thought, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. Venusmon possessed an ethereal, flawless beauty that could captivate anyone, yet her combat style was brutally pragmatic and utterly merciless.
Coughing, Belle planted her hands in the dirt and forced herself upright. Her pristine white garments were stained with dust, but the fire in her eyes remained unquenched. She currently maintained her Angewomon form—a deliberate choice mandated by Mizuki to stabilize her Light-side data and pave the way for her Mega digivolution.
Venusmon lowered her leg, her expression cool and assessing. "Can you continue?"
Belle wiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek, her eight angelic wings flaring out behind her. "Yes! Please, don't hold back!"
The instant Belle declared her readiness, Venusmon vanished.
Belle's pupils shrank to pinpricks. Her enhanced angelic vision barely tracked the distortion in the air before a slender, white-gloved fist materialized directly in front of her face, expanding rapidly in her field of view.
Relying purely on instinct, Belle threw her upper body backward. The straight punch clipped the very edge of her golden hair, the sheer kinetic force of the blow generating a localized shockwave. A violent gale ripped through the clearing, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and debris that forced Tai to shield his eyes.
It defied all logic. Tai couldn't fathom how such a delicate, slender frame could generate explosive speed and concussive power that rivaled a seasoned brawler.
"You are too rigid, Belle," Venusmon's voice drifted from above. "You rely far too much on the automated combat programs written into your data."
Belle snapped her head up. Venusmon had used the momentum of her missed punch to launch herself high into the air. The goddess flipped gracefully at the apex of her jump, bringing her heel down in a vicious, vertical axe kick aimed straight at Belle's skull.
With no time to block, Belle threw herself to the side, tumbling ungracefully through the dirt.
BOOM!
Venusmon's heel struck the earth. The ground instantly caved in, spiderweb fractures tearing through the soil as the bedrock groaned under the immense pressure. A crater formed around the point of impact, sending chunks of earth flying like shrapnel.
Tai's jaw dropped. His eyes darted between the massive crater and the serene, beautiful woman standing at its center.
You've got to be kidding me, Tai thought, his mind short-circuiting. Isn't she supposed to be a support type? A healer?! Is this standard for a Venusmon, or is this specific one just a monster?!
Naturally, no one was available to answer Tai's internal crisis.
Venusmon slowly pulled her foot from the shattered earth, her gaze locking onto the scrambling Angewomon.
"Listen to me, Belle," Venusmon commanded, her tone shifting from a strict instructor to a seasoned warrior imparting a vital truth. "The ancient rewrite program inside your core provides you with a continuous, near-infinite stream of data support. It is a phenomenal asset. But it is also a crutch. It makes you predictable. It makes you dependent."
She raised her fists, dropping into a flawless martial arts stance. The air around her began to hum with terrifying kinetic energy.
"If you want to reach the absolute pinnacle, you must learn to fight with your own will! Your own power!" Venusmon declared, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Now, stop running! Meet my fist head-on!"
Belle scrambled backward, her wings fluttering in sheer panic as the goddess of beauty lunged at her like a guided missile.
"Wait! Teacher Piximon, hold on!" Belle shrieked, raising her arms in a desperate guard. "This is too dangerous! I don't understand what you mean—!"
Her protests were instantly drowned out.
KRA-THOOM!
A deafening explosion of raw physical force erupted, swallowing Belle's voice and engulfing the entire clearing in a blinding storm of dust and shockwaves.
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