Chapter 32 – Decisions
The melody sounded soft, but also sounded sad despite the sunlight. Matt sat on the bed in his room and played harmonica. His eyes were closed and he blew what he could think of. Ever since the blonde-haired man knew Gabumon had been kidnapped, he had no desire to play something happy.
Eventually, he let the instrument sink and he lay down on the bed. His eyes closed and he sighed heavily. He was very worried about his partner. And to make matters worse, Hackmon was only standing by idly as Omnimon was kidnapped by Alphamon.
In Matt, an unbelievable rage stirred up at him. The four-footed dragon had done nothing to prevent the kidnapping, but he was the one who worked with the Homeostasis. The more the blonde-haired man thought about it, the angrier he became. With a heavy sigh, he shook his head and stared at the ceiling. Suddenly the room door opened and Tai stepped in.
"Tai?" asked Matt, astonished that he saw him: "How did you come here?"
"Your father opened the door," he replied.
The blond-haired man remained silent and made no attempt to get up.
"Hey... I'm as worried about Agumon as you are worried about Gabumon... But we cannot change anything. We have to wait and see," Kari's brother tried to cheerful him.
"You don't help, Tai!" he shouted at him.
"Don't be so angry with me! We can't do anything, so finally keep your mouth open! Do you think I'm not worried?! The fact that we can't do anything makes me angry, but unlike you, I try to make the most of the situation!"
"And you're just hiding behind your worry freedom!"
"I'm not hiding! In contrast to you-"
"Come on! You're just jealous because I'm with Sora!' the blonde-haired man screamed and straightened up again.
Tai crossed the distance between them and hugged his best friend. The brown-haired patted Matt's back gently. He knew that the blond-haired man was very depressed.
"Calm down, Matt. We both worry about Agumon and Gabumon... But you can't shout at me about it," Tai said calmly.
"Sorry, Tai..." Matt replied, putting his arms around the brown-haired man: "The only thing I can think about is Gabumon... I have ignored-"
He broke off and unleashed the hug before looking to the side.
"Matt. Please never say again that I am jealous of you because you love Sora," Kari's brother said earnestly: "It's true. I loved Sora. But... No more now. I love Meiko."
"I know," the blonde-haired man sighed: "I'm sorry... I'm way too restless. Not knowing what's going on with Gabumon."
"He's strong," Tai paused for a moment: "I also feel like Omnimon has already freed himself."
"An animus, isn't it?" Matt forced himself to smile.
"Exactly!" he nodded firmly to his friend.
The blonde-haired man started laughing slightly, but quickly got serious again.
"Tai? I kept you a little secret," T.K.'s brother said depressed.
"What?"
"I got a commitment..."
"What?" was now aroused Tai's curiosity.
"To study in America."
"That's great," the brown-haired man smiled happily at him, before realising what Matt was trying to do: "Oh..."
"Exactly. I will probably leave Japan for study. In other words, I won't be able to see you for years," Matt bit his lower lip.
"Hey. It's your dream and we support you. After all, everyone has dreams. Like Mr Nishijima, for example, I would like to become an official. Meiko wants to become a biologist, Joe doctor. Everyone has their dreams that they want to realize." Tai put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Unlike you, however, I will study in America..."
"And? I will not study in Japan, but in England. Just like Meiko. Ask Sora if she wants to study in America."
"I already have. She will stay here in Japan."
"But why are we DigiDestined? We can meet in the digital world, right, Matt?"
"Right. Sometimes I forget I'm one," he smiled.
"You see? Now you're better off."
"Yes... Thank you, Tai. I don't know what I would do without my friends."
"You're welcome. What if we go for a walk? The air in there still kills me," Tai suggested.
"Good idea. Fresh air will certainly do me good," the blonde-haired man sighed.
Matt got up and followed his friend outside. Both quietly walked through a park. They couldn't say anything else. After a while, the two friends saw Veemon, Hawkmon, Armadillomon and Wormmon. The four Digimons chatted under a bridge. The blue dragon looked depressed three. Tai was about to go to the digimon when he noticed Matt's hand in front of him.
"Let's listen to what they have to say," the blonde-haired man explained.
Kari's brother nodded and remained silent as he looked at Veemon again.
"So you're collecting energy?" the green insect questioned.
"Seems like this... But... Why?" the blue dragon sighed, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Cody always says there's an explanation for everything," said the armadillo digimon, who lay down on the floor.
"Even for the most inexplicable things in the digital world," the falcon tried to cheer him up.
"Despite this, I feel so helpless. I can't do anything to protect Davis... And then there are those dreams... With Quetzalmon and... three ultimate-level Digimon," Veemon said depressed.
"Do you know what ultimate-level Digimon's they are?" was Hawkmon's question.
"Unfortunately no..." Davis' partner shook his head: "I only see their silhouettes... However, I think you are these ultimate-level Digimon."
"We?" Armadillomon sounded astonished.
"How do you get there?" asked Wormmon.
"It... is just a feeling..." the blue dragon looked to the side.
"Hm..." both the falcon and the armadillo Digimon closed their eyes and pondered.
"You're feeling had never fooled you," said the green insect.
"Are you sure?" Veemon sighed again.
"Sure! Of all the Digimon I know, you have the best sense, Veemon. If you believe that the three ultimate-level Digimon from your dreams are us, then so be it."
"Thank you, Wormmon."
"You're welcome. Now… I have to go back to Ken. He's certainly worried," Wormmon said, saying goodbye before he left.
Hawkmon and Armadillomon also said goodbye and left the blue dragon alone. He sighed heavily. He wanted to talk to his friends for a longer time, but he couldn't. Tai rushed to Veemon, who was astonished.
"How... much have you heard?" he asked.
"Everything," replied the brown-haired man.
"I... what am I supposed to do?"
"We are in a similar situation, Veemon," Tai said, kneeling down to him.
"We? Is there anyone else?"
"Yes" Kari's brother nodded: "Matt is here too. We just wanted to take a walk... Wanyamon and Sera and Shin are also in a similar situation. They miss Akira. But you know that."
"Actually, I would have screamed at you now... but you are also powerless. Davis hasn't been kidnapped, but I can't digivolve anymore!"
"But you heard Izzy. You gather energy to make a massive digivolution."
"Or another armour-digivolution... Davis hadn't told me, but a third Digimental is forming in the communication device. I just know."
"Then focus on the fact that it will be soon. You just have to be a little bit more patient," Tai encouraged him.
"Patience..." began Matt, who had joined in: "Soon you will surely be able to use the Digimental."
Veemon felt a little better after talking to both his Digimon friends and two people. The blue dragon closed his eyes and sighed with relief.
UlforceVeedramon went through the conversation with Akira and Omnimon as he flew through the air of the digital world. He didn't like the fact that he served King Drasil. But he was afraid of the wrath of the god and the other Royal Knights. His eyes looked down, where he saw several Digimon. They played happily together. How much he would have liked to have played with them... how much he would have liked to have had a carefree life. Why did he have to be a Royal Knight? Why him? And why on the side of King Drasil?
UlforceVeedramon landed on the ground and folded his wing. No one seemed to understand him. He just didn't want to go on. But he did not want to betray his master. Perhaps the best thing he could do was to follow King Drasil blindly, but then he would think that this way was the wrong one.
With slow steps, the blue knight continued. He seemed completely depressed. With a heavy sigh, he thought back to the time when all the Royal Knights protected the digital world. UlforceVeedramon did not understand why Omnimon, Sleipmon, Gallantmon, Dynasmon, and Jesmon sided with the humans. But he wanted to understand it. No matter what reason he came up with, it sounded so unreal, childish or even idiotic.
"UlforceVeedramon!" a deep yet catchy voice shouted at him.
The said Digimon turned around and recognized Craniamon, who was in the air. The blue knight briefly wondered why the diabolical Digimon was here. But that idea was quickly driven away by him. Perhaps Craniamon was only here because he had received an order from King Drasil. After all, the purple knight was very faithful to the deity. Craniamon landed on the ground in front of UlforceVeedramon and looked at him with his red eyes.
"Hello..." the blue knight greeted him.
"Is there something wrong, UlforceVeedramon?" asked the diabolical Digimon.
"Do you think that the path King Drasil takes is the right one?" was his counter-question.
He wanted to know a response from Craniamon. The Digimon he trusted most.
"It's the right way," the purple knight replied.
"What makes you so sure?"
"What are these questions, UlforceVeedramon?!" Craniamon replied angrily: "We serve King Drasil without a question... Why should it be wrong?"
"I mean... King Drasil was also wrong when it thought that Ordinemon would destroy the human world, wasn't he? In the end, the DigiDestined were able to defeat Ordinemon."
"It was only because Jesmon and Omnimon supported them."
"You think so?" UlforceVeedramon didn't believe his friend's words: "Jesmon contributed only a small part. And Omnimon could only defeat Ordinemon with the help of the other digimon. Did you forget that, Craniamon?"
"Of course not. But both are Royal Knights and both are on the side of the DigiDestined and the humans... Not only them... Even Dynasmon, who had never doubted King Drasil, Sleipmon and Gallantmon." he sighed heavily.
"And what about Examon, Duftmon and... Magnamon?" the blue knight recalled.
Magnamon was also a Royal Knight. According to King Drasil, he had survived the attack. But what became of him remained unknown. UlforceVeedramon would have liked to have asked Quetzalmon, but she was already dead and could not be reborn.
"Magnamon... This name evokes memories," Craniamon said: "Where might he be now? King Drasil doesn't know."
"Maybe Magnamon... was not reborn. It can happen, can it?" the blue knight looked to the side.
"Don't you remember? He had said shortly before the attack that because of the disputes, the Royal Knights could never exist again."
"But we exist! Although we are divided! We exist!" said UlforceVeedramon angrily.
"Don't get angry with me!"
"Sorry... I know I shouldn't shout at you... But I don't get rid of the feeling that we are only being exploited by King Drasil."
"Don't doubt King Drasil, UlforceVeedramon," Craniamon said, "otherwise you will pay for it with your life."
"But what is the right way? What is wrong, what is... right? Isn't the unconditional service of King Drasil a reason for escaping reality?"
"That..." he broke off.
"What gives us the right to believe in King Drasil? Do you understand what I mean, Craniamon? Everything we stand for, no..." he shook his head briefly: "Everything we stood for... Stability, harmony, security. Hasn't that become insignificant?"
"Do you want to turn your back on King Drasil? Do you want to join the Homeostasis?"
"I... don't know... Maybe all I need is a break. Perhaps I no longer want to serve King Drasil, because I understand that even he makes mistakes. Mistakes so serious that almost an entire world has been wiped out."
"That is why you behave so naive in the presence of King Drasil and the other Royal Knights."
"I don't want all of this. I don't want to fight my old comrades," UlforceVeedramon sighed.
"Then go. I'm not stopping you, my old friend. If you have doubts, think. But if you stand against King Drasil, I will show no mercy to you."
"I know. But thank you for your words, Craniamon. They mean a lot to me.", the blue knight flapped his wings vigorously: "I will think. And maybe my doubts will soon be gone and I can support King Drasil with full heart."
UlforceVeedramon rose into the air and nodded to his friend before flying away.
"You go into your ruin, UlforceVeedramon," Craniamon said, "When you deceive King Drasil, only death awaits you."
Davis yawned extensively. Why did they have to come to school on Saturday? And then also so early and without Kari? Veemon, who had made himself comfortable on his back, smiled slightly at him. Cody was in high spirits because he liked to work on school projects. Ken was also in good spirits, because it was his first "school day" at his new school. He was finally able to go to school with his friends. Yolei herself also seemed happy. Especially because Wormmon's partner went to the same class she was in it
"I honestly don't understand why you're looking forward to such a school project," the red-brown-haired man quipped.
"It's a good opportunity. School projects are always fun," the boy said cheerfully.
"Exactly! And we can even do this with Ken. In that case, it's going to be great!" Hawkmon's partner exclaimed with delight.
"Don't look at it so negatively, Davis," Ken said, slightly pushing him into the side.
"And we can eat a lot! Free snacks, kind of!" said Armadillomon.
"Right. Do you think they have rice balls there?" asked Veemon.
"Maybe," Hawkmon replied, flapping his wings excitedly.
"I definitely want to eat fried noodles!" said Wormmon.
"Can you think of anything else besides food, you four?" was Davis's annoyed question.
"We're hungry!" the blue dragon protested: "We two of us ran out of the house at seven o'clock in the morning, because you had once again overslept, Davis!"
"You had also overslept, Veemon."
"Hello? Unlike you, I try to find out in my dreams why I knew Quetzalmon."
"In other words..." the red-brown-haired man smiled: "You wanted to sleep as long as I did!"
"No, I didn't!"
The two argued a little more, while Ken rubbed his forehead annoyed.
"Are they arguing again?" he asked, though it sounded more like a statement.
"Yes..." Cody laughed a little dryly.
"Well... I think they're arguing because it shows their close bond," Yolei said, shrugging her shoulders.
"How can arguing show a close bond?" was Wormmon's question.
"No idea," Armadillomon replied, "Do you have an idea, Hawkmon?"
"Nope." the hawk replied.
Suddenly, a distortion arose behind the DigiDestined and their partner. Davis first noticed this and shouted:
"Watch out! A distortion!"
The red-brown-haired man briefly recalled that Alphamon had brought them into the digital world through a distortion and then defeated them there.
"What?!" Ken turned when he saw a hand.
It did not belong to the black knight, but it still frightened him. Before the other DigiDestined or their partners could say anything, the hand grabbed them all and dragged them into the digital world. Yolei cried out with surprise and shock alike.
"Are we being attacked again by King Drasil?!" asked Cody in a panic.
"I don't know!" shouted Davis.
Before they could exchange more words, they ended up on the hard ground of the digital world.
"Ow..." moaned Veemon.
"We are..." Ken began.
"In the digital world," Cody concluded the sentence.
Meanwhile, the young woman looked at the digimon that had taken her into the digital world. It wasn't Alphamon... It was a different digimon.
"Who... are you?" the red-brown-haired man asked, somewhat insecurely.
"UlforceVeedramon," the stranger Digimon replied coolly.
"Are you working with King Drasil?" was the boy's question.
"Yes. I am a Royal Knight. According to King Drasil's order, I should get you out of the way," the blue knight declared.
"Then..." Ken swallowed heavily.
"We're not going to surrender without a fight, right Veemon?" shouted Davis.
"Exactly!" he confirmed the words.
"Digimental of courage, up!"
"Veemon armour-digivolve to... Flamedramon!"
"We should digivolve as well!" suggested Armadillomon.
"Good idea. Wormmon warp-digivolve to... JewelBeemon!" shouted Ken's partner.
"Hawkmon warp-digivolve to... Velgremon!" the skeletonized bird flapped with his two wings and growled a little.
"Armadillomon warp-digivolve to... Brachiomon!" the dinosaur stretched his long neck forward and hit the ground with his tail.
"We may only be three perfect-level digimon and one armour Digimon, but together we can defeat you!" said Flamedramon euphorically.
"Actually, it's impossible." sighed JewelBeemon.
"Yes... We will probably die again and then be controlled by Alphamon." Brachiomon laughed dryly.
"Definitely. We don't have a chance against a Royal Knight," Velgremon sighed.
"Where is your enthusiasm?! How do you want to protect your partners when you don't even have positive thoughts?" the flame dragon asked, "When we faced Alphamon, two of us couldn't even digivolve to the perfect-level..."
"But we had an ultimate-level digimon," the dinosaur clarified.
"And it was just a fusion that we can't do anymore," the insect man continued.
"So our chances of winning are lower than they were back then," the skeletonized bird landed back on the ground.
"Why have you digivolved then?! We don't have a chance if we don't try!" Flamedramon exclaimed: "Why do you have your perfect-level now?! For what?! So that you can protect your friends!"
"That's true... But-", Velgremon broke off.
"No buts! We will do it! So pull yourself together!" the flame dragon encouraged the other Digimon.
"Okay." JewelBeemon nodded to Flamedramon resolutely.
The dinosaur raced towards UlforceVeedramon.
"Hammer Head!" Brachiomon rammed the blue knight with his head.
But he grabbed Cody's partner by the neck and hurled it at the skeletonized bird, which was about to unleash a beam of dark energy. Velgremon suppressed a curse when he and Brachiomon slammed to the ground. Immediately, the dinosaur rose and apologized briefly before Velgremon himself straightened up. The skeletonized bird flew back into the air and shot towards the enemy. But just before he reached it, Velgremon let himself fall into a side position, so that his left wing touched the ground. Then he flew a circle around UlforceVeedramon. The blue knight instinctively knew that this had to be an attack. So he blew up.
"You're not going to do that," JewelBeemon raved, flying over him: "Spike Buster!"
The insect man swung his spear in his right hand and created a shock wave that hurled the enemy back into the centre of the circle.
"Zone Deleter!" Velgremon closed the circle and a violent explosion captured UlforceVeedramon.
Shortly before the explosion, Flamedramon had already engulfed himself in flames.
"Fire Rocket!" he said, ramming his body into the enemy's.
Then the flame dragon jumped back.
"Now!" he shouted, "All together!"
"Good! Spike Buster!" JewelBeemon created a shock wave.
"Master of Darkness!" Velgremon shot a beam of dark energy.
"Brachio Bubble!", Brachiomon spit a gigantic bubble out of his mouth.
"Knuckle Fire!" Flamedramon fired three fireballs.
The four attacks collided with the blue knight and encased him in a cloud of dust.
"He's gone!" cried the flame dragon.
The dust cloud cleared and revealed nothing but a crater.
"We actually have..." the insect man began.
"… a Royal Knight..." the skeletonized bird continued.
"… defeated," the dinosaur concluded the sentence.
Suddenly something raced towards them and ignited a wave of energy that threw everyone on the ground.
"Do you really think that's enough to defeat me?" UlforceVeedramon asked coolly: "I'm a Royal Knight. I'm not going to be defeated by three perfect-level Digimon."
"Damn!" Flamedramon quipped, standing up.
"Now you will die and work again for King Drasil."
"Never!" cried Brachiomon.
'We don't want that! We don't want to attack our friends!" said Velgremon.
"You can do whatever you want with us, but you leave our friends alone!" said JewelBeemon.
"Good... Dragon Impulse X!", the blue knight created a sphere and hurled the four Digimon further away from themselves.
"JewelBeemon!" screamed Ken and rushed to him.
"Velgremon!" Yolei ran to her partner.
"Brachiomon!" Cody raced to him.
"Flamedramon..." Davis walked slowly to his friend.
He was shrouded in a light before he turned back to Veemon.
"I'm sorry, Davis... I can't do more. If I wasn't so weak then..." he broke off.
"Don't worry about it, Veemon. You did your best," the red-brown-haired man eased him.
/No... that can't be the end... We are always a burden for others... I don't accept that anymore... I don't want to be a burden anymore.../, JewelBeemon's partner thought: "I will not allow JewelBeemon to be forced to work for King Drasil again! Never!"
"Ken..." the insect man looked at him and, despite the injuries, straightened up again.
"My friends mean everything to me! I don't want to lose Wormmon again... That's why I'm going to protect him, even though as a human being I can't do anything against a Digimon."
"Stop, Ken," JewelBeemon said.
"No. I'm not going to let you down, JewelBeemon. You are my friend. That is why I will stay with you. Even when I became a Digimon Emperor, you were always with me and tried to protect me because you were my friend. This time I will protect you!"
"Ken... I..." a light formed around his body: "Yes... You are my friend... and that's why I'm going to protect you!"
JewelBeemon screamed resolutely and stepped in front of his partner.
"I'm going to protect Ken!" the insect man shouted: "JewelBeemon digivolve to... BanchoStingmon!"
BanchoStingmon had red scales on the underside of the forearms, chest, head and legs. The upper arms were protected by black armour parts. On the cubits sat a purple ring and on the shoulders a golden one with silver-grey spines. The top of the forearms were covered with golden plates, while at the end of it there was a silver-grey sting several centimetres long on each side. The four fingers were deformed into claws and could probably also leave deep wounds. The insect man wore black trousers up to his knees, which were decorated with gold buttons. His feet consisted of only three claws. Two were facing forwards, the third backwards to give him support. The purple cape blew majestically from his back. Two large holes on the back of the cape gave the four transparent wings freedom. The head of BanchoStingmon was shaped like an insect, apart from having a grey mouth guard. The green insect eyes looked resolutely at the opponent, while the two red probes shrugged slightly. There was purple hair at the back of the head. The insect man was accompanied by two drones that bore a little resemblance to Digmon.
"Wow...", Yolei marvelled: "It's... unbelievable."
She couldn't put it into words. Had Ken's partner just digivolved to his ultimate-level? Her eyes widened with astonishment.
"Yolei!" said Velgremon, and straightened up.
Immediately, she turned to him and nodded decisively to him.
"What he can do... can we, or Velgremon? After all, you're a part of my family," she smiled.
"Yes.", the skeletonized bird nodded to her resolutely: "Velgremon digivolve to... Ornithmon!"
Ornithmon looked like a primeval dinosaur that had long since died out. Its purple scales shone slightly in the glow of the sun. On the inner side of the wings were two rows of feathers. The inner row was turquoise; the outer one had a strong pink. At the end of the wings, three grey claws were visible, but they did not function at all. The base of the head and tail was embroidered with a turquoise ring of fur. A comb held in turquoise connected the fur ring from the head and tail. Also on the base of the grey feet, which consisted of two forward-facing claws and a rear-facing claw, was a ring of turquoise fur. The long tail was studded with purple scales and pink feathers at the edge. At the bottom of the tail were a row of yellow scales, which allowed the bird to move its tail better. Ornithmon's head was pink and had two red eyes, while a kind of horn was running over them, pointing backwards. Under the eyes ran a row of purple scales, while the beak looked as if it were made of teeth.
"Well... Now all we're missing, Cody," Brachiomon said, taking a deep breath.
"Do you think we can do it?" he asked.
"Sure. After all, you are my partner and you always give me courage and a feeling of security."
"Good. Then let's do it!"
"Okay! Brachiomon digivolve to... Spinomon!"
Spinomon was partially embroidered with light brown scales. The underside and inside of the arms and legs, however, were covered with yellow-brown scales. Several knives grew on his back. At the edge of it were white spikes, which in turn were framed with red scales that resembled armor rather than scales. The dinosaur ran on two heavily built hind legs, which were embroidered with three forward-facing claws and a rear-facing claw. The arms were also very strong and had three fingers each. Spinomon had two blue eyes and a mouth embroidered with sharp white teeth. On the forehead grew a kind of comb, which was however very stable and could not be bent. The dinosaur's long tail balanced it.
"They all..." Veemon began depressed: /They all manage to digivolve to their ultimate-level.../
"Veemon..." Davis said, hugging him.
The other DigiDestined were very happy about the sudden new digivolutions of their partners. They looked up at them with pride and smiled.
"Good. Go!" BanchoStingmon shouted to the other two.
"We're going to defeat him," Ornithmon said, flapping hard with his long feathered wings.
"And we will protect our friends!" said Spinomon: "Blue Prominence!"
The dinosaur spit blue flames on UlforceVeedramon. He dodged to the side, but the insect man had already followed him and crossed the blades with the opponents.
"Bakuraiten.", the two drones raced to the blue knight and exploded as they touched his body.
Just like that, UlforceVeedramon was able to fly into the air to escape another attack by BanchoStingmon. The bird hurried to him and flapped his wings.
"Tempest!" he shouted, throwing the enemy into the air before creating a tornado.
The blue knight was captured by the tornado, but survived the attack badly wounded. When he landed on the ground, Digimons' three ultimate-levels surrounded him.
"Dragon Impulse X!" UlforceVeedramon conjured up a sphere that threw away all the fighting Digimon.
Now everyone was battered and would survive only one attack.
"Even if we now have our ultimate-level... We still can't defeat him," the dinosaur growled.
"Patience," BanchoStingmon said, "He's just as battered as we are."
"We combine our attacks and do it," the bird suggested.
"Good! Sonic Slash Rain!" Spinomon fired his spines at his back.
"Bakuraiten!" the insect man produced five drones this time.
"Cosmic Ray!" the bird fired a flash from its beak.
The three attacks combined and collided with UlforceVeedramon. He screamed in pain before collapsing.
"You are... really strong... DigiDestined..." he panted: "Ultimately... I'm glad... that I now... die. I am... tired with... serving… King Drasil…"
With these last words, the blue knight dissolved into data. All DigiDestined and their partners looked silently behind the data before they disappeared completely. There began a long silence between them until Davis cut them through:
"Who would have thought that... that even among King Drasil's subordinates there are those who do not agree with him..."
"Yes" Ken said, smiling.
Yolei laughed happily, while Cody also smiled. The three ultimate-level Digimons shrouded themselves in a light and digivolved back to their in-training level.
"Hey, everyone. Do I dream or were our partner on their ultimate-levels?" the boy asked in disbelief.
"It's not a dream! They've really digivolved!" the young woman cried, taking Poromon in her arms: "You did well, Poromon."
"You too, Upamon," Cody praised his partner after he also lifted him up.
"Thank you. I felt extremely strong as Spinomon," Upamon said.
"I felt strong, too," Minomon laughed cheerfully.
"I can understand," Ken smiled at his partner.
"Wow... It was really unbelievable!" exclaimed Davis: "Your ultimate-levels are so cool!"
The red-brown-haired man congratulated his friends. Meanwhile, Veemon's hands clenched into trembling fists.
/Why... why can't I digivolve normally anymore?/, he asked himself: /I'm just a burden for the others now.../
"Don't you think it was a bit weird?" was Ken's question.
"How do you mean that?" asked Yolei.
"He held back... and his last words..." Cody said thoughtfully.
"It doesn't matter! The important thing is that we have a Royal Knight less!" exclaimed Davis euphorically.
"That's fine," Minomon's partner smiled slightly at him.
"So... and how do we get back into our world now?" the boy suddenly asked.
Everyone then remained silent as their eyes widened. They had absolutely no idea how to get back to their world.
From a distance, Craniamon had watched the fight. He had suspected that UlforceVeedramon had been killed. However, he did not expect Wormmon, Hawkmon and Armadillomon to reach their ultimate-level. Although the purple knight felt a distressing feeling in his chest because of the loss of a good friend, he was strangely happy about it too. Craniamon knew that his best friend would have doubted himself more and more if he had continued to execute King Drasil's orders.
"Well, UlforceVeedramon. That was probably the best way for you." he said, depressed.
With a heavy sigh, the purple knight rose into the air and flew away.
Author's note: Wormmon's, Armadillomon's and Hawkmon's ultimate-levels are now revealed. Yay!
Fun fact. First Valdurmon was supposed to be Hawkmon's ultimate level but then I decided: "No. Valdurmon is too holy to be Hawkmon's ultimate level since his perfect level is Velgremon. And to Velgremon I have to say some things as well. I chose this perfect level digimon because there was literally no other perfect level bird like digimon. Garudamon is Biyomon's perfect, HippoGriffomon is the perfect of Zhuqiaomon and I dislike Crowmon/Yatagaramon. So yeah... The only one memorable left was Velgremon. 😅
I am also sad that the partners from the 02 cast didn't get non-fusion perfect-level or even ultimate-level. Then I started writing this fanfic I wanted them to have those levels because Patamon and Gatomon already got them and fusing with Armadillomon and Hawkmon would be on a tactical standpoint pretty much useless. So the crests for Meiko, Yolei and Cody were created.