Holy War Chapter 11 Part 2: Judgment of Miracles, a digimon fanfic

(Author's Notes: Here's Part 2. Enjoy!)

Chapter 11: The Judgment of Miracles (Part II)

It wasn't long before the Royal Knights were on the move. RhodoKnightmon and Magnamon were led through the rainforest by a small squad of scouts from the Forest Defence Forces. Among them was a JewelBeemon, a Stingmon, and a Searchmon, who acted as their guides through the terrain.

They walked off-trail through some thick underbrush. Although the ground was dense with plants, flowers, vines, roots, and the like, the spacing between the trees was expansive, so there was plenty of room to move around. They were surrounded by a verdant green and an earthy brown.

A soft breeze blew through the forest that caused the leaves and plants to quiver. The sun began to wane towards the horizon. The slowly setting orb cast a blood-rose hue across the sky. To the travelling party, the sky was only just barely visible through the canopies.

The three scouts moved ahead of the two Royal Knights, checking out the terrain ahead of them. Every so often, the Searchmon would relay received signals from the RADAR on its back.

"Are you ready for this, Rhodo?" Magnamon asked the pink Royal Knight beside him.

"Very ready," RhodoKnightmon responded seriously.

Magnamon smiled a bit. "It's funny how you can be so carefree during some missions but completely focused and serious during others," he noted.

"We're going up against a data absorber. This is serious," RhodoKnightmon answered plainly. "They're some of the most disgusting sort of Digimon."

Magnamon frowned and nodded. He looked up when he noticed the Stingmon beginning to slow down his pace to match theirs.

"We're almost at Tera Sector," the Stingmon scout explained to them. "Would it be alright if the both of you stay here while the three of us scout ahead to check it out? We'll be back in several minutes and we'll allow you to take over from there."

"That sounds fine," Magnamon replied, coming to a stop. "I suppose our armour does kind of stand out."

"But we look so fabulous," RhodoKnightmon insisted, folding his arms. "And Magna wears gold so well."

"Indeed. We'll be back soon," the Stingmon said, politely bowing his head before walking to meet with the other scouts. As soon as he did, they disappeared through the foliage of the rainforest.

Magnamon walked over to the base of a tree and leaned against the trunk. RhodoKnightmon eyed him and walked over.

"How are you feeling now?" RhodoKnightmon asked the dragon Digimon.

"I'm fine," Magnamon answered as he readjusted the golden spaulders over his shoulders. "What should we do about that Boltmon once we find him?"

"Simple. Exterminate him," RhodoKnightmon replied matter-of-factly.

Magnamon winced at the casual way RhodoKnightmon spoke about it. "…Just like that? Shouldn't we figure out what's going on?"

"I don't see the need. He's deleting and absorbing innocent Digimon; the situation seems quite black and white to me," RhodoKnightmon insisted.

"We don't know the whole situation," Magnamon told him. "Things are rarely black and white."

"Are you saying that King HerakleKabuterimon was lying to us?" RhodoKnightmon asked him, folding his arms. "I don't know why you're getting cold feet, Magna. We're dealing with a data absorber. You weren't willing to extend the same graciousness to the Metal Empire just a few hours ago, so what's different here?"

"Maybe I was wrong before," Magnamon said with a wince. "I was angry and I lost sight of my values – of the Royal Knights' values. Violence shouldn't be the first option we take…"

"I would say that violence is completely in line with the Royal Knights' values. What are we if not a military order?" RhodoKnightmon asked him rhetorically. "We act as a deterrent, and if Digimon still insist on evil actions, then we must have the resolve to delete them before they can cause harm to Digimon or the Digital World itself. Whether it be the Metal Empire or a data absorber, we must take action."

"The Royal Knights represent peace, not war. It's our creed to uphold peace throughout the Digital World, not smite every potential evildoer that we come across," Magnamon argued.

"And those evildoers will cause pain, strife, and war if we leave them unchecked," RhodoKnightmon coolly told him. "They are a threat to peace and stability.

Magnamon frowned. "There are still other ways to deal with them," he insisted.

RhodoKnightmon took one of his ribbons in his hands and fingered at the firm fabric. "So… you don't think that we should go to war with the Metal Empire even after they attacked us, killed two Order soldiers, and attempted to assassinate MetallifeKuwagamon?" he asked him pointedly, wanting Magnamon to put his money where his mouth was.

An uncertain grimace formed on Magnamon's face. "I… don't know anymore," he responded.

The rose knight frowned. "It's odd for somebody who's so concerned about the Royal Knights' appearance to falter in the face of evildoers."

Magnamon clenched his teeth a bit. "It's also odd for somebody who's so flippant about low key, peaceful missions to turn around and go into kill-mode as soon as evil Digimon become involved," he countered. "I don't like seeing this side of you. You go from being happy-go-lucky Rhodo to downright merciless."

RhodoKnightmon lowered his head, causing his helmet to darken against the setting sun. "That is simply who I am, Magnamon. I am not two different Digimon – just the one. I have strong views on justice. You just don't happen to agree with them," he explained. "And in this situation, I don't see why not. We are going up against a repeat data absorber who slaughtered several Digimon and prevented them from being reborn. Are you saying that somebody like that deserves mercy?"

"I never said that…" Magnamon answered grimly. "I just don't like how casual you are about it."

"I'm not casual about it. In fact, I take this very seriously. I just don't see the point in wringing our hands and trying to think of alternate solutions when we know what needs to be done," RhodoKnightmon explained with cool determination. "I don't see why you are making such a big deal about this Boltmon. Given how your father fought and defeated those data absorbing Diablomon, I would think that you would have a more negative view on them."

Magnamon glared up at RhodoKnightmon. "Don't do that, RhodoKnightmon…" he warned him.

The rose Royal Knight looked at Magnamon quizzically. "Don't do what, exactly?" he questioned.

The knight of miracles looked him in the face. "Please don't compare me to my father."

RhodoKnightmon rubbed his chin and tilted his head to indicate his confusion. "Why not? Your father is a hero, isn't he? He's one of the most well-known names of Brighthelm."

"And Digimon never fail to remind me of that…" Magnamon said, looking off to the side.

"I'm sorry. I don't see the issue here. Do you not like your father?" the slender knight asked him.

"That's not it. Of course I do," Magnamon replied with a frown.

"Then…?"

Magnamon sighed. "It wasn't easy growing up with a hero for a father… My dad became a continent-wide name after he almost single-handedly destroyed that bunch of Diablomon who were absorbing data and running rampant. I was pretty young at the time. But since then, I felt like I was living in his shadow. It didn't help that he went on to do more benevolent things. Of course I was proud of him, but I always felt like people were comparing me to him, as if asking, 'Now what are you going to do?'. It was a lot of pressure…"

"Really? I never knew this, Magna…" RhodoKnightmon said, looking at him with interest.

The shorter knight nodded reflectively. "Well… It was mainly while I was growing up. I took it very seriously… I always trained really hard and honed my abilities because I thought I needed to live up to him. I eventually became an adventurer and I worked very hard at that too."

"Pardon me for saying so, but that doesn't sound very beneficial," RhodoKnightmon mused. "It sounded like that the one putting pressure on you was yourself – more so than anybody else…"

Magnamon smiled a little and looked down. "You're right, Rhodo. It was…" he admitted. "My parents were always proud of me, and it was really me feeling like I needed to live up to Dad's image. My good friends – Rapidmon, Alphamon - helped me realize that I was the one putting pressure on myself. They helped me realize that I didn't want to just be seen in the context of being in comparison with my father. What I really wanted was to be my own person," he explained, remembering clearly.

RhodoKnightmon nodded quietly, allowing him to continue.

"I wanted to be viewed on my own merits," Magnamon stated. "I also wanted to view myself on my own merits… Once I realized this… I felt free." He smiled at the memory. "The weight I had been carrying around was suddenly lifted and I was able to act how I wanted. What I wanted to do was to help change the world for the better."

RhodoKnightmon smiled. "Valiant, indeed…"

"It was during those years that I met the rest of the founding Royal Knights. I had only met Alphamon and Ouryumon before that. I befriended Omegamon, Imperialdramon Paladin Mode, Dukemon, Grani, Dynasmon, and even DarkKnightmon…" Magnamon explained, still smiling. "When we founded the Order, I finally found my purpose. I knew that this was what I wanted to do."

"You certainly have passion when it comes to the Order," RhodoKnightmon observed in agreement.

Magnamon rubbed the back of his head. "I admit, I didn't change immediately… I still had a few insecurities going into the Order."

"Only going into the Order?" RhodoKnightmon asked him, folding his arms.

Magnamon smiled and flushed sheepishly. "…Okay, maybe I still have a few sore points. A bit," the knight of miracles admitted. "I've improved a lot though."

RhodoKnightmon smiled. "I don't doubt that."

The gold knight sat down at the base of the tree. "I think that most of the Royal Knights all had their own challenges that they needed to overcome either before or after the point that the Order was formed."

"I suppose that's true…" RhodoKnightmon agreed contemplatively. "Though it's nice to know why exactly you're so concerned about how the Royal Knights are perceived and why you take the Order so seriously. You care about the Order a lot and you want to be respected. Am I wrong?"

Magnamon shuffled a bit at the accurate analysis. "I suppose not… Though it's more the Order that I'm thinking about than myself," he insisted.

RhodoKnightmon smiled. "Oh, admit it. You like to be admired. That's why you're so ostentatious in public and strike those cool poses all the time," he teased him.

The Digimon in question tensed up and blushed. "I-I do not do that!" he protested adamantly. Magnamon then folded his arms and turned his head up indignantly. "Although, who doesn't like to be admired on some level?"

"See? You love putting out that image of 'the Royal Knight'," RhodoKnightmon exclaimed with a chuckle. "There's nothing wrong with it; I think it's cute."

Magnamon shot him an annoyed look. "First, could you be a little less patronising? Two, I really don't think that I do that. And three, I don't want to be told that I act too extravagant from you of all people," Magnamon fired back, although there was a playful levity in his words at this point. He smiled at the rose knight. "And anyways… I just take being a Royal Knight very seriously. Unlike a certain pink, ribbon-wearing Digimon I could speak of."

"Moi?" RhodoKnightmon asked, gesturing to himself with a finger. "Are you suggesting that I'm anything but committed to my duties?"

An incredulous laugh escaped Magnamon's mouth. "Come on, Rhodo! You're lazier than Dynasmon with a hangover at sunrise."

"Not all the time! I can be fully committed when I want to be. It just depends on my mood," RhodoKnightmon insisted, nodding.

"You're not helping the stereotype that aristocrats having fleeting interests," Magnamon joked.

"I hope you aren't suggesting that I only joined the Order out of boredom," RhodoKnightmon responded seriously, folding his arms.

The dragon's smile fractured a bit. "Well, no…" he sheepishly replied.

"I know that, when I joined the Order, I started off on the wrong foot," the rose knight explained. "I was used to a different way of doing things."

Magnamon raised his three-fingered hand and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, Rhodo. I didn't mean any offence…" he told him. "Why don't you tell me about it? I only know bits and pieces of your time before the Order, come to think about it."

Thumbing one of the ribbons that hung from his armour, RhodoKnightmon nodded. "I suppose that's only fair…"

After sitting back against the tree, Magnamon looked up at the slender Royal Knight. "You really were an aristocrat, right?" he asked him.

"Indeed," RhodoKnightmon confirmed. "I was born into an aristocratic family on a fancy estate. We had a large house, large grounds, servants, tutors, that sort of thing. It would be fair to say that my life was quite comfortable while growing up."

"No judgments here," Magnamon assured him. "Duftmon's of a similar upbringing, isn't he?"

RhodoKnightmon nodded. "I believe so. Then again, I didn't go to a university like he did, so I'm sure he finds me lacking," he joked. "Anyways, while growing up, there were no real challenges. It was easy to just laze around in luxury. It was really quite boring… I know I shouldn't complain about having a fortunate upbringing, but that was how I felt."

"Go on," Magnamon said curiously.

"Mm… Well, out of boredom, I started to find hobbies for myself. I got involved in cooking and I found that I really enjoyed that. It was relaxing somehow," RhodoKnightmon noted. "I also learned how to fight. That was my other passion."

Magnamon raised an eyebrow. "Did somebody teach you?" he asked him.

"One of my tutors taught me the basics but I worked out my own fighting style by myself," RhodoKnightmon replied.

"Same with me and my father," Magnamon noted.

With a nod, the rose knight continued. "Like you, I'm sure, I became a proficient fighter. However, it all still felt so self-indulgent. I felt like we were in our own world as the Digital World struggled on around us. I suppose I became fed up with the way things were, from a moral standpoint," he noted contemplatively. "Eventually, I decided to leave in order to travel and see if I could be of some use to the Digital World. I wanted to make a positive difference, somehow."

"How long was it until you caught our attention?" Magnamon asked him.

"Hmm. It took me years to become renowned as a capable warrior, and, a few years after that, I was approached by you all and invited to join the Order. I believe that was a couple years after that sordid business with DarkKnightmon?" RhodoKnightmon looked at Magnamon for clarification.

"That sounds right," the dragon man replied. He laughed a bit at the memory. "When you joined, there was definitely culture shock on both sides."

"I remember that clearly… Obviously none of you had ever met a Digimon so fabulous before," RhodoKnightmon recounted, folding his arms and nodding. "Although, joking aside, I have to admit it wasn't an easy transition. I remember frustrating more than several of you."

Magnamon retained his smile. "I can verify that. You were definitely a strange force that none of us five were used to at that point in our lives. Between your shameless flirting, your odd sense of humour, and your seeming lack of dedication, you were definitely an acquired taste," he playfully commented.

RhodoKnightmon nodded. "It was for me, as well. I took the Order for granted at first and assumed that it would act in accordance to my whims like almost everything else had, up to that point. I suppose I was a bit spoiled. I thought that I could just do missions when and if I pleased and thought that I could pick and choose. It was embarrassingly naïve and childish, thinking back on it," he explained, rubbing the back of his head ashamedly. "I remember that it took several missions and a few ardent talks with some of you that I realized that I had to change. I needed to be more responsible and take things more seriously now that I was a Royal Knight."

The golden Royal Knight grew a bit more serious. "I remember. Some of us were questioning whether it was a good idea opening up the Order to new Royal Knights," he recalled. "Although some of that was more to do with us, in that particular time. You were a blinding ray of light after we were engulfed in the darkness of the DarkKnightmon incident. At first, the light was harsh, flashy and intrusive, but we adjusted to it over time. We came around and appreciated you."

"Well, that's a relief to hear," RhodoKnightmon responded. "I know I can still be a bit idle at times, but I hope that otherwise I'm a benefit to the Order rather than a hindrance."

Magnamon gave him a reassuring grin. "You are. You're a skilled fighter, a wonderful cook, and a good friend. You're much different now than when you first joined. I think we all are, for that matter," he mused. "When you join the Order, you have to learn to think differently. You have to look past yourself. You come to rely on others and they rely on you."

RhodoKnightmon grinned. "What about Duftmon?"

The gold-armoured Royal Knight chuckled and stood to his feet. "I stand corrected. He's pretty much the same as he was when he first joined. I don't know how he's managed it."

"Duftmon is a very special case. Brilliant he may be, Duftmon has various personality traits that, when combined together, make it extremely hard for him to change," RhodoKnightmon said with a grin.

"I guess you're right," Magnamon said, stretching his arms out. "Still, it's not like the rest of us are perfect. We all still have ways in which we can better ourselves. I'm including myself in that."

"Indeed…" RhodoKnightmon agreed pensively.

A rustling in the plants nearby interrupted their thoughts. Both Royal Knights tensed up and readied themselves – Magnamon clenched his fists and RhodoKnightmon took an elongated sash in his left hand and strengthened it to make it become a blade.

The Stingmon scout emerged through the collection of broad plant fronds. Upon recognizing the Jungle Trooper scout, the two Royal Knights relaxed.

"We have achieved our scouting mission," the Stingmon explained to them. "We are finished investigating Tera Sector."

"What did you find?" Magnamon asked him.

"The way ahead is clear," the scout explained. "However, we came across the Boltmon's trail. It was fresh, so we sent Searchmon ahead. He came back a few minutes later with news that he spotted the Boltmon about a kilometer from here."

"That's good to know," RhodoKnightmon said with a nod.

"Our team will be returning to Evergrowth now, unless you want us to guide you the rest of the way," the Stingmon told them.

"We can handle it. Thank you," Magnamon assured him.

The Stingmon nodded and snapped his fingers, prompting the Searchmon and JewelBeemon to emerge through the verdant flora and begin to walk with him back the way that they came.

"He was last spotted in a bed of blood roses!" the Searchmon called over to the two knights as he flew off.

Magnamon looked at RhodoKnightmon. "What do you want to do here?" he asked him. "Split up? Or approach as a pair?"

"How do you feel about splitting up?" RhodoKnightmon asked him. "It's more risky, but if he sees one of us, the other can still get the drop on him."

"That sounds good," Magnamon agreed. "How about you take the direct route and I'll circle around from the air?"

"Agreed," the pink-armoured Royal Knight concurred, taking a tighter grip of his Pile Bunker and sash-blade.

Magnamon nodded. "I'll see you soon," he told him. With that, he lunged into the air and began flying through the tall canopy overhead as a golden blur.

RhodoKnightmon watched his comrade go off, prompting him to start swiftly moving through the rainforest too.

He dashed over the underbrush, through the spacious gaps between the colossus trees. He moved like a bolt of lightning across the tangled underbrush, leaping over roots and cutting through plants that got in his way. RhodoKnightmon sensed the emerald terrain around him, trying to see if he could notice the data-absorbing Boltmon anywhere.

So far, he didn't notice anything. The only thing he could see were the plants, dirt and grass covering the forest floor, the pillars of wood jutting up from the ground, and the occasional tinge of colourful flowers. The Royal Knight continued to run for several more minutes until he reached the landmark that the Searchmon had mentioned to them.

Ahead of him, surrounded by the atmospheric backdrop of green, brown, and shade, was the unmistakeable clearing in question. The clearing was covered in a wide bed of striking, crimson roses that stood out against the greens all around them. They were short and stood close to the ground, casting the colour of blood red across the glade. Rays of light pierced through the canopy overhead, casting a mystical glow over the area.

RhodoKnightmon slowed down as he approached the open clearing. He readied himself and looked around the spacious bed of flowers carefully. There was no Boltmon to be seen. In fact, the whole area was eerily quiet.

The Royal Knight cautiously stepped towards the field of roses. He looked beyond the clearing, into the other side of the forest, but he couldn't see any movement there either. He faintly wondered if the Boltmon had moved on.

Once the roses were at his feet, he looked down at them. RhodoKnightmon knelt down and plucked one from the ground by the stem, admiring its beauty and scent.

There was a rustling behind RhodoKnightmon. This immediately put his guard up. Indeed, he sensed a presence behind him. It was approaching fast.

The Royal Knight shot to his feet and spun around. Above him, was the rapidly falling, green form of a Boltmon. The hulking, humanoid Digimon had lunged from the canopies of the trees with his massive battle axe in his two hands. He descended on RhodoKnightmon - weapon over his head – with the clear intention of cleaving him in two. Upon being spotted, the Boltmon released a berserker roar.

RhodoKnightmon threw the rose at the Boltmon to free up his hand. The flower whipped through the air, its blood red petals trailing off, and grazed the side of the Boltmon's head with pinpoint precision. The flower's sharp brambles cut along the underside the Boltmon's uncovered jaw-line, drawing a small drop of blood from the cyborg.

However, this didn't deter the Boltmon in the slightest. RhodoKnightmon acted quickly, analyzing the situation. He saw that the Boltmon was massive – bigger and bulkier than the average Boltmon. In terms of physical strength, RhodoKnightmon had to assume that he was stronger than him. As a result, he didn't want to try to block against an opponent with that much strength and downwards momentum.

RhodoKnightmon leapt back through the air, landing gracefully among the roses further into the glade.

Meanwhile the Boltmon landed with a thunderous crash, crushing the flowers underfoot and embedding his massive axe in the ground where RhodoKnightmon had been standing. The Boltmon growled when he realized that he had missed and pulled his axe from the ground with a mighty heave, drawing dirt and flowers along with the thick slabs of metal.

As the Digimon recovered, RhodoKnightmon sized his opponent up. The humanoid Digimon had green skin and huge muscles, many of which had metal pieces lodged in them. He had broad legs and even broader arms. The cyborg also wore black pants, combat boots, and a mask that hid all except the silhouettes of his eyes. He was far larger than either RhodoKnightmon or Magnamon were.

The Boltmon raised his axe and released a savage laugh as he readied the weapon. "I'm going to break you in half!" he announced to RhodoKnightmon with a gleeful look in his eyes.

"You shouldn't underestimate a Royal Knight," RhodoKnightmon warned him, taking his sash blade in his left hand and raising his Pile Bunker in the other. "The consequences are very costly."

"Ooh, a Royal Knight!" the Boltmon exclaimed with a malicious smirk. "I can get so much powerful data out of one of you! I'll be unstoppable if I can absorb what's left of a Royal Knight!"

RhodoKnightmon scowled behind his helmet. "So it's true. You're the despicable Digimon who has been killing and absorbing Digimon…"

The Boltmon let out a deep, throaty, unhinged laugh. "Ahahah! That's me!" he announced, raising his Battle Tomahawk. "Now die! Bousou!" The Boltmon started tearing across the field of flowers surrounded by a battle aura of barbarism that crushed any rose that got in his way.

RhodoKnightmon's gaze hardened. "You are a savage that's beyond mercy," he spoke. He met the Boltmon's steamrolling charge with an assault of his own. He dashed towards the Boltmon, moving swiftly, gracefully and calculatingly. He seemed like he was meeting the roaring beast head-on. The Boltmon poised his axe over his shoulder and prepared to swing it down as RhodoKnightmon came into range.

However, just as they were about to collide, RhodoKnightmon darted to the Boltmon's left. He bypassed him and sliced the bladed edge of his ribbon along the Boltmon's side, out of the range of the Battle Tomahawk.

Boltmon hissed with pain and suddenly stopped his charge short. He used his momentum to spin around recklessly, giving a wild slash with the axe in his right hand. As he lost his balance from the sudden pivot, he slammed the axe into RhodoKnightmon's back. While the axe wasn't able to cut through the Royal Knight's armour, it was enough to throw him through the air and send him rolling across the crimson flowers below.

Both Digimon lay on their backs, but the quickly started to gather themselves. "Is that all?!" the Boltmon taunted, sitting up and inspecting the slim cut along his side. "A tiny cut?! Taking your data will be easier than I thought!" With seemingly boundless energy, Boltmon hopped to his feet and started tearing towards RhodoKnightmon with another guttural howl.

RhodoKnightmon was only just getting to a knee as this happened. The impact from the blow was heavy, and he could feel a throbbing in his back. He didn't have time to think as the cyborg was upon him already. The rose knight shot to his feet as the Boltmon closed in on him, slashing the giant battle axe vertically downwards. The Royal Knight raised his bladed sash horizontally over his head and placed his Pile Bunker against the upper part of the blade to brace for the attack.

The axe slammed against RhodoKnightmon's blade with immense pressure. It sent a shock down his arms and slender body. He felt his elbows and knees threaten to buckle under the immense power. However, he held firm against the attack and the axe successfully rebounded off of his blade.

Just as RhodoKnightmon began to lower his Pile Bunker to counterattack, he found that his hulk of an opponent managed to recover before him. The Boltmon released a rough grunt and slammed his boot square into RhodoKnightmon's chest. The Royal Knight was sent skidding across the flower beds and he had to dig his blade into the ground to keep himself standing.

RhodoKnightmon finally stopped himself and released a breath. He glared across at the Boltmon. "He's stronger than I expected," RhodoKnightmon thought to himself. "Could it be from all that data that he's absorbed? I wonder just how much he has deleted…"

Boltmon tilted his head and released a hearty laugh. "I'm going to enjoy this! Tomahawk Steiner!" He whipped his arm forwards and released his axe from his hand, sending the weapon spinning towards the Royal Knight. RhodoKnightmon gracefully jumped over the axe, letting it pass by harmlessly towards him.

However, the axe began to circle back around like a boomerang, flying towards RhodoKnightmon's back. RhodoKnightmon glanced over his shoulder and saw it spiralling towards him. He quickly brought his blade up just in time to parry the weapon, causing it to go flying away.

Boltmon lunged into the air to catch the hilt of the axe. This had been what RhodoKnightmon was banking on. The rose knight jumped up to meet the Boltmon, who was reaching for his axe.

"Urgent Fear!"

Having swiftly closed the space between them, RhodoKnightmon drove his Pile Bunker towards the Boltmon. However, as he extended his arm, the Boltmon grabbed his axe, and, acting on quick reflexes, drove his arm down to counter him.

RhodoKnightmon's Pile Bunker released a pneumatic shockwave point-blank into the Boltmon's chest. At the same time, the Boltmon brought his axe down onto RhodoKnightmon in a flurry of sparks. The result was a mutual blow. The two Digimon were blasted away from one another.

The data-absorbing, humanoid Digimon was thrown into the massive trunk of a tree. He quickly dropped to the ground and landed on a knee, snarling as pieces of bark fell from his red hair. Meanwhile, RhodoKnightmon had been thrown to the ground by the immense force. He had been able to catch himself, but the attack was a heavy one. He looked down at his armour and saw a deep scuff etched vertically down his chest.

"You dare to…" he muttered incredulously, tightening his fists and glaring at the Boltmon. He sized up the humanoid cyborg. "How can a brute like that have such quick reflexes? Could that be from the data he absorbed as well? He would stoop to such levels in order to gain combat prowess?"

Despite having received a painful blow, the Boltmon stood up straight, dusted himself off, and laughed confidently. He leered across the field of roses at RhodoKnightmon and readied his Battle Tomahawk. "You're finished, Pinky!" he shouted over to him, a gleeful expression behind his mask.

"You think you can defeat me just because you absorbed a few Digimon? Don't be ridiculous. Such a heartless, artificial power like that will never be enough to defeat a pure and just Royal Knight," RhodoKnightmon told him firmly.

"Let's see if you can back that up with action!" the Boltmon yelled, throwing his arm forward and releasing his Battle Tomahawk once again. "Tomahawk Steiner!"

As the axe hurled through the air, its two blades sliced through the roses like they were toothpicks, mowing them down as the weapon wheeled towards RhodoKnightmon. The Royal Knight acted quickly, shooting into the air to avoid it. As the massive battleaxe swept through the flowers below him, RhodoKnightmon glanced over his shoulder to track the weapon's path, leery of it curving around and hitting him from behind.

The Boltmon used this momentary distraction to rocket towards RhodoKnightmon. "Bousou!" he shouted, once again being surrounded by an indomitable aura. He slammed his foot into the ground and propelled himself up to meet the knight in mid air. As the green blur caught his vision, RhodoKnightmon responded by stabbing his bladed sash forwards. The band pierced into the Boltmon's left shoulder muscle.

However, the data absorber did nothing more than wince, amazingly. Undeterred by the attack, the Boltmon swept his right arm down, bashing RhodoKnightmon out of the air with his enormous hand. As the rose knight impacted the ground painfully, the axe curved around and soared through the air back the way it came. Boltmon descended and caught the axe in a hand.

He fell to the ground and landed on his feet not far from RhodoKnightmon. The hulk of a Digimon grinned and began walking towards the downed Royal Knight. He raised the Battle Tomahawk over his head as he approached.

"At this rate, I'll be the strongest Digimon alive! Not even the Royal Knights will be able to stop me!" he proclaimed.

However, he abruptly stopped when he heard a strange noise behind him. It sounded like several people whistling, except the pitch was getting progressively higher. Boltmon glanced over his shoulders and his eyes widened to see eight missiles descend on him.

Before the missiles could land, RhodoKnightmon rolled to his feet and jumped out of the way to avoid the blast. The salvo of missiles exploded around Boltmon in flashes of gold, tearing up the bed of flowers around him and enveloping him in their blasts.

"I wouldn't be so sure," a voice said.

Magnamon hovered in the air, his legs together and his arms folded so that he struck a cool pose. The missile ports on top of the plates on his shoulders and hips smoked from the missiles they released. The turbines on the undersides helped to cool them down before the ports closed and caused the plating to become flat again.

The knight of Miracles surveyed the damage he caused and tried to see if he destroyed the Boltmon. The explosions left a multitude of craters that veiled the area with smoke. At first he didn't see any movement. Then, the giant battleaxe burst through the cloud of smoke towards Magnamon.

Grunting, Magnamon eyed the fast approaching axe and quickly raised his arms up to block the blow with his arm guards. The special gold chrome digizoid that Magnamon wore over his body boasted strong defence, so he was easily able to deflect the double-bladed weapon. Despite this, the force of the blow pushed Magnamon back through the air.

While unharmed, Magnamon was impressed by the strength of the throw. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the shadowed silhouette of the Boltmon within the shroud of smoke. The Boltmon emerged from the smoke and the Battle Tomahawk embedded itself in the ground nearby.

He looked up at Magnamon with a glare. "Oh, so there's two of you…" he snarled. His scowl soon morphed into a twisted grin. "Oh well! More first class data for me!"

Magnamon lowered his gaze. "How can you do something so horrible? Not only are you killing Digimon, but you're depriving them of a chance to be reborn. Do you realize what you're doing?" he asked him.

"Spare me the lecture. I really don't care! All I care about is getting stronger! I don't care about anybody else!" the Boltmon fired back.

RhodoKnightmon jumped over to beneath where Magnamon was hovering. "Don't waste your time trying to reason with him, Magnamon. He's vile scum," he told him. "We need to eliminate him."

Magnamon frowned but nodded. "You must be stopped. By holy prerogative, the Royal Knights will bring you to justice," he told the Boltmon.

"Try me, squirt!" the Boltmon taunted him as he ripped his axe from the ground.

The gold knight's eye began to twitch angrily. "Very well…" he replied, trying to rein in his anger.

"Don't underestimate him," RhodoKnightmon told Magnamon in a lowered voice. "He's faster than he looks. I think his power has been enhanced by the data he's absorbed."

Magnamon nodded. "I could feel his strength when he threw that axe. We should make sure that he isn't able to use that strength."

The Boltmon arched his back and rolled his neck, popping his bones. "It's rude to talk behind someone's back!" he taunted, taking a better grip of his Battle Tomahawk and preparing to charge. "I think I'll butt in!"

With those words, he took off in a running sprint towards the Royal Knights, wielding his giant axe over his head.

Magnamon narrowed his eyes. He turned his head towards RhodoKnightmon as his golden armour, shimmering in the light that poured down from the gap in the trees, began to glow with a radiant, gold hue. "Rhodo, break off. Try to flank him while I keep him busy. Don't let him land a blow."

"I will try. The same goes for you," RhodoKnightmon responded, dashing off to the side as the Boltmon grew closer.

"Plasma Shoot!" Magnamon called out, unleashing a multitude of golden beam blasts from his armour. The blasts converged on the Boltmon faster than he could respond, tearing up the ground around him and bombarding his hulking form.

His skin was grazed and the blasts threw him off balance, but he quickly recovered and brought his giant axe down in front of him to block the salvo of golden plasma. When the attack ended, he swept his arm out to disperse the remaining plasma energy with an energized roar. "Was that it?! Tomahawk Steiner!" The Boltmon released his axe with a mighty heave, sending it barreling towards Magnamon.

A scowl formed on Magnamon's face when he saw the velocity of the axe. He wasn't sure that he could dodge it in time. He clenched his fists and arched his back, creating a blinding glow from his armour. "Light Aura Barrier!" he called out amidst the gleam.

The Battle Tomahawk hurled into Magnamon, but was stopped short of hitting him by the golden effulgence radiating from his body. The barrier repelled the axe and sent it hurling back towards Boltmon.

The green humanoid Digimon snarled and caught the axe deftly. He looked up to see the light beginning to fade around Magnamon's body as soon as the attack was deflected. "That won't work twice! Bousou!" he shouted before propelling himself into the air towards Magnamon.

He surged towards Magnamon with an aura of raw ferocity. As the partially mechanical barbarian closed the gap between himself and the Royal Knight, he brought his axe wielding fists over his head and swung them down onto Magnamon.

Acting quickly, Magnamon raised his arms up and crossed them over his head to block the attack. The fists and axe crashed down on his arms mightily. Although he was able to shield himself from the brunt of the blow, the sheer weight of the attack sent him flying towards the ground.

The golden Royal Knight managed to right himself in the air and hit the ground with his feet first. This allowed him to bend his legs on impact and activate the turbines under the winged plates of his armour. He extended his legs and propelled himself into the air at staggering speeds, flying back towards the Boltmon. Magnamon coiled his fist back, which began to be enveloped in a subtle golden aura.

"Magnum Punch!" he shouted. He threw his arm forward and drilled his fist into the Boltmon's gut in a high-pressure uppercut. Just as the green barbarian began to lurch forwards from the painful impact, Magnamon suddenly used his forward momentum to spin around.

"Magnum Kick!" he followed up, whirling around and delivering an aura-fueled back kick. His glowing, golden boot collided with the Boltmon's neck and collarbone. The force of the impact sent the Boltmon shooting through the air and towards the ground. He accidentally released his Battle Tomahawk in the process.

Before he could impact the ground, however, Boltmon saw a flash of pink appear in his vision. That pink soon turned to red when RhodoKnightmon drove his knee into his masked face, stopping his descent immediately.

Just as the Boltmon began to fall to the ground, RhodoKnightmon's ribbons extended from his body. "Spiral Masquerade!" The bladed bands began to move almost faster than the eye could see, leaving only yellow blurs as they sliced all over the Boltmon's body. The sashes struck him from all angles, opening up a multitude of cuts and shooting out sparks whenever they struck the metal bits embedded in the Boltmon. The Boltmon released a roar of pain as the ribbons sliced his skin and muscles as he crashed to the ground.

Suddenly, RhodoKnightmon stopped the attack and grabbed hold of one of the ribbons like a sword. The rose Royal Knight poised his arm and prepared to stab the sword through the Boltmon's chest. RhodoKnightmon observed the Boltmon with a cold leer before thrusting the sash forwards.

The Boltmon abruptly got to his knees as the sword drove towards him. With a roar, he grabbed the bladed ribbon with his hand, gripping tightly. Even as blood gushed out of his green palm, the Boltmon held firm and managed to stop the sword from plunging into his body.

RhodoKnightmon was surprised at his act of tenacity and defiance. He tried to pull his sash away from the Boltmon's grip.

Magnamon frowned and began to fly down to help him.

All of the glee that the Boltmon had while fighting them was now gone. He glared at RhodoKnightmon with pure rage. "No more playing around…" the Boltmon said, realizing that he had been taking them too lightly. "Now, you both die."

RhodoKnightmon glowered coldly. He was about to drive his Pile Bunker into the Boltmon's hand so that he would release him, but the hulking brute acted first. Boltmon threw his tree trunk of an arm toward RhodoKnightmon. His giant fist connected with RhodoKnightmon's face, and, at the same time, he released RhodoKnightmon's sash, allowing the Royal Knight to go flying across the ground, strewn with the felled blood roses.

"Rhodo!" Magnamon called out urgently, shooting down towards the Boltmon. "Magnum Punch!"

The Boltmon growled and lunged into the air to meet Magnamon's charge. The balled up his giant fist and threw his punch just as Magnamon did the same. Unfortunately for the Royal Knight, Boltmon had greater reach. The hand larger than Magnamon's head slammed into the dragon's masked face. The punch contained enough power to completely stop his flight and send the Royal Knight flying through the sky.

Magnamon winced at the pain in his face. He tried to regain his senses and performed a backwards somersault in the air. This helped him to right himself and he stopped himself in the air so that he just hovered. A drop of blood trickled out from beneath his golden helmet and crawled down his white neck. He narrowed his eyes and wiped the blood away with his hand.

Boltmon released a laugh at this. "Royal Knights can bleed just like anybody else!" he announced, more to himself than his two opponents. "I'll take down both of you!"

As RhodoKnightmon began to pull himself to his feet, Magnamon decided that it was best for him to stick to ranged attacks. The missile ports on the top sides of his shoulder and hip guards snapped open once again. "Plasma Shoot!" he spoke fiercely.

Eight, golden missiles steamed from Magnamon's armour and converged towards the Boltmon foe. The Boltmon hissed as he saw the ordnance amass in the air in front of him. "Tomahawk Steiner!" he roared, sweeping his arm forwards and releasing his battleaxe.

The axe spiralled forwards in the direction of the oncoming missiles. The Battle Tomahawk collided with the missiles with enough force to slice through them. The first two missiles detonated upon impact with the axe, creating a chain explosion with the missiles behind them as they got caught up in the initial blast. As the air was blasted with string of golden explosions, the Battle Tomahawk's velocity was accelerated by the concussion of the blasts.

Magnamon's eyes widened as the axe flew towards him faster than he could prepare for. The bladed weapon struck him in the shoulder and the upper body; fortunately for him it hit only armour and not his scales. However, the impact was strong enough to send him flying back through the air.

By this point, RhodoKnightmon was up and glaring at the Boltmon's exposed back. "Enough of this," he muttered, dashing towards their enemy. He extended two of his sashes from his armour and made them wrap around the Boltmon's wrists, pulling his arms back to restrain him.

The Boltmon scowled and looked over his shoulders, trying to pull his arms free.

"Magnamon!" RhodoKnightmon called out.

Magnamon, who was clutching his sore shoulder, saw what RhodoKnightmon was doing and nodded. "Got it! It's time to end this!" Magnamon exclaimed, causing his gold chrome digizoid armour to glow again. "Plasma Shoot!"

Golden plasma burst surged from Magnamon's armour like a machine gun. The salvo of beam blasts showered down on the Boltmon, tearing up what was left of the floral landscape directly around him. The Digimon released a roar as he was pelted with burning, holy power.

Deciding that it was best to be safe, Magnamon decided to follow up with the other variation of his Plasma Shoot move. He released four missiles from his spaulders, which descended into the smoke and dust and created an explosion that rocked the forest around them.

RhodoKnightmon released his bands and braced himself as a wave of heat washed over him. When the explosion subsided, he looked ahead of him to where the Boltmon had been standing. The smoke was beginning to clear and there was a shallow crater in the middle of the clearing from the blast.

He suddenly tensed up when he still sensed a Digimon in there. Inwardly, he was surprised that the Digimon was still standing.

Suddenly, the Boltmon burst through the smoke, his form beaten and bloodied. "Bousou!" the Boltmon roared. He tore towards RhodoKnightmon with one hand wielding his battleaxe and the other balled up as a fist. Ripping across the ground, Boltmon swung his axe down.

RhodoKnightmon dodged to the side, causing the blade to embed itself into the earth. Instead of trying to attack with his weapon again, the Boltmon followed up with a bare knuckle punch from his fist. However, this time, RhodoKnightmon was prepared.

"Urgent Fear!" RhodoKnightmon spoke, thrusting his right arm forwards. The Pile Bunker over his arm collided with the Boltmon's fist and burst with a high-pressure shockwave. The blast tore through the Boltmon's left fist, annihilating its data.

The Boltmon released an unrestrained yell of agony. He staggered back from the blow. However, in a pure berserker fury, He reached out with his remaining hand and grabbed RhodoKnightmon by the face. With a mighty heave, he threw RhodoKnightmon through the air towards Magnamon.

Magnamon's eyes widened and he flew back to catch RhodoKnightmon, but the force of the knight's collision nearly knocked him out of the air. However, he managed to hold himself aloft and he gripped RhodoKnightmon's form. "Are you okay?" he asked him.

RhodoKnightmon winced but nodded. "Rm. Yes. Thank you."

Before he could think about jumping down, the two Royal Knights saw the Boltmon lunge towards them with his axe in hand.

"GIVE ME YOUR DATA, BASTARDS!" he roared, swiping his axe wildly and recklessly as he jumped towards them.

"Let's put a stop to this," Magnamon said to RhodoKnightmon, frowning deeply.

RhodoKnightmon nodded. "Throw me, Magna," he told him.

Magnamon looked at him with some surprise, but he agreed, understanding what RhodoKnightmon was going for. He took hold of RhodoKnightmon's wrist with his two hands and started swinging him around strongly. After a few rotations, he had picked up enough momentum to release RhodoKnightmon. He let go of the Royal Knight and sent RhodoKnightmon flying straight at their oncoming attacker.

As Boltmon readied to strike him down with his axe, RhodoKnightmon extended his sashes and grabbed hold of the Boltmon's shoulders. When he did this, the Royal Knight suddenly pulled to increase his speed and use the point to pivot himself in the air. He raised his body and flipped over the Boltmon, just narrowly dodging his axe. Once he was upside down and behind the Boltmon, he pressed his Pile Bunker against the Boltmon's back and released its energy.

The blast sent the Boltmon careening towards Magnamon, who was ready for him. Magnamon began to suddenly compress the space around him. As the area warped inwards, his body shone brightly with a brilliant golden glimmer. "Shining Gold Solar Storm!" Magnamon shouted.

His form exploded with an incandescent burst of golden energy. It was like a scaled-down version of his Extreme Jihad attack, but one that wasn't so destructive and spent less energy to use. A gold beam blast surged out and engulfed the Boltmon who was thrown right into the explosion.

The Boltmon was enveloped in its folds and was sent crashing to the ground. He impacted the forest floor and lay there, unmoving.

The golden detonation began to fade with Magnamon floating at its epicenter. The gleam that lit up the surrounding forest weakened and things finally seemed to calm down.

RhodoKnightmon landed on the ground and turned around to see if the Boltmon was taken out of action finally. He didn't seem to be able to move.

Magnamon relaxed at the sight and flew over to RhodoKnightmon. He landed beside the Royal Knight and looked over at the collapsed Boltmon. "I think that's it…" he stated, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Not just yet…" RhodoKnightmon told him. He began to walk over to the Boltmon, clutching one of his sashes in his left hand like a sword.

The knight of Miracles realized what he meant and winced. He realized that it was probably for the best, given the Boltmon's dangerousness and brutality, but it still didn't sit entirely well with him. He considered asking RhodoKnightmon to let them hand him over to the Jungle Troopers for punishment. While Magnamon wasn't as pacifistic as Sleipmon, he still preferred not to kill if he could help it. He realized that it often couldn't be helped in the heat of battle, but he didn't feel great about finishing off an already defeated opponent.

However, RhodoKnightmon seemed to have less qualms about it. The rose knight approached the body of the Boltmon and prepared his Pile Bunker. RhodoKnightmon stared down at the Boltmon pensively.

After a few moments, he glanced over his shoulder at Magnamon. He saw that the dragon Royal Knight was looking away from the scene with a soft grimace. RhodoKnightmon tried to ignore the expression, and he turned back to the Boltmon. He pulled his arm back, ready to strike.

However, his resolve faltered. He clenched his fists and turned around fully to look at Magnamon. He gazed at his comrade, prompting the gold knight's attention. "Would you rather I didn't?" he asked him. "I'm sure the Jungle Troopers could dole out a fitting punishment."

Magnamon winced and rubbed the back of his head. Just as he was about to respond, he saw movement behind RhodoKnightmon.

"Sucker!" the Boltmon cried out, bolting to his feet and holding the axe over his head. He prepared to bring it down onto RhodoKnightmon.

"Rhodo!" Magnamon called out. His gaze and resolve hardened, and he caused the missile ports on the surfaces of his shoulder and hip guards to shoot open. "Plasma Shoot!"

Eight missiles ejected from his armour and soared towards the Boltmon, hissing and smoking as they flew.

At the same time, RhodoKnightmon whirled around to face the Boltmon with lightning-fast reflexes. "Urgent Fear!" As he spun, he wheeled his arm around and drove the Pile Bunker straight into the Boltmon's chest. The Pile Bunker burst with a high pressure shockwave at its tip. The blast tore through the Boltmon's body and out his back.

RhodoKnightmon then jumped backwards into the air as the missiles descended on the Boltmon. He landed beside Magnamon and watched as all eight missiles struck Boltmon directly. They detonated and obliterated the Digimon in a devastating, golden explosion.

The two Royal Knights watched as the blast washed outwards and then settled. The smoke and dust faded and they watched keenly to see if he was finally defeated. To their relief, they saw that he had been deleted, and a mass of data particles could be seen blending in with the smoke.

Magnamon sighed. "Let's hope that he's reborn as a better Digimon…" he said.

"He has no right to be, considering how he deprived others of that chance," RhodoKnightmon spoke, folding his arms.

A frown formed on Magnamon's face. "Maybe now that all the data is free, perhaps they might form into Digieggs as well?" he suggested, although he sounded like he was trying to be optimistic.

RhodoKnightmon shrugged and placed his hands on his hips. "At any rate… we're done here. How are you?"

"I'll be fine. Just bruised and a bit swollen," Magnamon responded. "And you?"

"Same with me," RhodoKnightmon said. He looked around at the glade of roses that they had been fighting in. It had been devastated by the battle. There were felled flowers and craters all over. "It's a shame that such a beautiful place has been tarnished so much…"

"Yeah… but the Jungle Troopers will fix it," Magnamon stated confidently.

RhodoKnightmon nodded. "Shall we head back to Evergrowth now? There is still the business of speaking to King HerakleKabuterimon."

"Yeah," Magnamon agreed, beginning to walk towards the side of the clearing that they came from. "Let's go."

RhodoKnightmon strode beside him, and they made their way back to the forest city.

The two Royal Knights arrived in Evergrowth to cheering applause. They walked through the streets surrounded by praise and celebration. A few insects even showered them with flowers. Apparently King HerakleKabuterimon had announced that he had enlisted the Royal Knights to get rid of the Boltmon for them, which had been a popular decision on his part.

Magnamon and RhodoKnightmon made their way up a large walkway that spiralled around a colossus tree. They went to the same place that they had met the insect monarch before: the grounds of the military headquarters. As they walked along the canopy platform towards the bridge that led to the larger platform where the headquarters was located, RhodoKnightmon looked at Magnamon. He noticed that Magnamon had a large grin on his face.

"Honestly, you're as bad as Sleipmon," RhodoKnightmon said with a smile, sniffing one of the flowers that had been showered onto them. "You both love the attention and the admiration, don't you?"

"It's nice to be appreciated," Magnamon responded with a grinning shrug. "Don't act like you don't like it."

"I suppose it's nice," RhodoKnightmon answered as they began to cross the sturdy bridge. "Although I much prefer the satisfaction of knowing that we completed the job."

Magnamon smiled and reached the end of the bridge. "To each their own."

On the opposite side of the spacious platform, the two Royal Knights saw King HerakleKabuterimon walking out of the large building, which was constructed over a particularly strong branch. The monarch beamed when he saw the two Royal Knights walking over to meet him. This prompted him to fly towards them, his large wings fluttering deeply as he went.

"Hahahah!" King HerakleKabuterimon laughed heartily. "You two look like you did it! Did you?"

Magnamon grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "We did. You don't have to worry about it anymore," he explained to him.

"Hah! I knew you two could do it! Ah, Sir Magnamon, you really are your father's son!" he exclaimed with a broad, relieved grin.

There was a twitch at the corner of Magnamon's mouth. However, he closed his eyes and relaxed himself. He knew that the King didn't mean it in a bad way, and he knew that he shouldn't react so badly to the comparison. It was a compliment after all. "…Thank you, Your Majesty," Magnamon responded, opening his eyes again and smiling at him.

RhodoKnightmon grinned and looked at the giant, gold beetle Digimon. "We confirmed that your source was correct and that Boltmon was the data absorber. He was acting alone."

"Good. I'm glad that you handled this. We've already lost too many good Digimon because of him," HerakleKabuterimon said seriously. However, he soon perked up again. "Now to hold up my end of the bargain! Thunderhead Rainforest is now safe once again. Therefore, the Jungle Troopers are free to help you search out those dark rifts. We too believe that we can't let them go unchecked. I don't want any such corruption in my rainforest."

RhodoKnightmon smiled. "Do you mean it?" he asked him. "That's good news."

"Of course!" King HerakleKabuterimon exclaimed jovially. "I will contact all of my commanders and call a meeting at my palace in Under Forest. I'll tell them the plan."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Your Majesty," Magnamon politely said. "It's much appreciated."

"This is all you ask, correct?" the monarch questioned.

Magnamon nodded. "That's all."

"Then that's fine. Is there anything in particular that you need us to do?" HerakleKabuterimon followed up.

"We will send Digimon from our Order down to Under Forest to instruct your commanders on the proper protocol for dealing with these dark rifts. They are very dangerous, so this is a safety precaution more than anything else," RhodoKnightmon explained.

"Otherwise, we'll just have to keep in close, working communication. We would like to know of all developments and discoveries so that we can react accordingly," Magnamon added.

The king nodded with agreement. "Of course. I think we have ourselves a deal." For emphasis, he reached out both of his right arms in order to shake Magnamon and RhodoKnightmon's hands simultaneously.

"Wonderful," RhodoKnightmon spoke, shaking his hand back.

"Thank you," Magnamon told him, smiling.

HerakleKabuterimon grinned and retracted his arms. "Now, is there anything I can do for you dashing knights?" he asked them.

Magnamon and RhodoKnightmon exchanged glances. "We're alright, thanks," Magnamon responded.

"We will likely head to High Branch Market now and then make our way back to Splendour's Reach and Castle Albion before it gets too dark," RhodoKnightmon explained.

"Are you sure? You both look a bit roughed up," the insect monarch noted.

"We'll be fine," Magnamon insisted. "This is nothing."

The large bug chuckled. "In that case, allow me to cover your trip to our famous market. It's entirely on me!" he stated.

"That's very kind of you, but we can't let you do that," Magnamon said with a sheepish smile. "You already paid for our meal earlier."

"Well, if you're offering…" RhodoKnightmon said, much more willing to accept the gesture.

"Rhodo!" Magnamon complained. "We'll pay."

"Now, now, it's my duty as your host!" HerakleKabuterimon insisted with a grin. "You wouldn't deny a king a chance to impress his guests, would you?"

Magnamon stalled reluctantly. However, after a few moments, he released a small sigh and smiled. "Alright… Thank you. …Although, you're going to regret it once RhodoKnightmon starts shopping for ingredients."

"Oh, don't listen to him," RhodoKnightmon spoke, folding his arms.

King HerakleKabuterimon chuckled. "I'll take my chances," he maintained. He began to walk past them across the broad platform. "Now, follow me. I know you're in a hurry, so I'll show you the fastest way to the market."

The Royal Knights followed the large insect king, lingering behind him as he marched ahead.

"Don't go overboard, RhodoKnightmon," Magnamon told him light-heartedly, rubbing his sore shoulder as they walked.

"Me? Go overboard?" RhodoKnightmon innocently asked, pointing at himself. "I simply want to try out the best regional ingredients. The best part about travelling is trying out the local foods."

Magnamon smiled. "And soon we'll be buying them in bulk to have them shipped to the headquarters," he stated.

"Well, if I want to make enough portions for our large scale meals…" RhodoKnightmon reasoned. "Oh, but don't worry. I won't take too long."

"I'm more worried about you taking advantage of the king's generosity," Magnamon teased.

"Don't worry your cute little head, Magna," RhodoKnightmon told him.

"My head is not cute," Magnamon responded, although half-grinning. "But fine. I'll be watching your purchases, though."

RhodoKnightmon looked at him. "Would you be more receptive if I said I was planning to make you your favourite dish?" he tempted him.

Magnamon's eyes widened and he nearly stopped in his tracks. "K-Kuri Kinton?" he asked eagerly. He had to stop himself from licking his lips at the thought of the delicious, gold-hued, mashed sweet potato and candied chestnut treat. "But… it's not the Golden New Year Festival yet…"

"Do I need an excuse to cook a certain dish?" RhodoKnightmon countered, winking behind his pink helmet.

Magnamon folded his arms and closed his eyes. "W-Well… maybe just once… I mean, if you were going to make it anyways," he conceded while trying to maintain his dignity. "I'm sure people would appreciate it…"

RhodoKnightmon chuckled. "You really are cute when you're trying to maintain appearances."

Magnamon shot him an annoyed look. "I don't know what you're talking about…" he stated firmly. "Anyways, we should catch up to the king and get this over with. It's getting dark."

"Very well," RhodoKnightmon said with a grin. "I assume you'll be a gentlemon and help me carry things back to the castle?"

"Within reason," Magnamon reminded him, picking up his pace to catch up with the giant bug ahead of them. "How do you think Alphamon's group is fairing at Saversburg University?"

"Likely being bored to death by lectures," RhodoKnightmon responded with a shrug.

Magnamon raised an eyebrow. "I don't think they're going to the academy to be taught," he explained. "They're going to talk with the Digimon in charge."

"I meant Duftmon's lectures," RhodoKnightmon joked.

The knight of Miracles laughed softly.

The two Royal Knights made their way to the market to buy several different sorts of foods and ingredients. It wasn't long after that that they headed home in the emerging night. They travelled with a sense of relaxation compared to when they first arrived. Magnamon felt more at ease and less fixated on revenge now that he was able to put things into perspective.

Despite his injuries, he walked lighter than before. However, he knew that the Royal Knights still had many challenges that they needed to face. He prepared himself to face these obstacles, not with brimming anger, but the sense of optimism and chivalry that he was known for.

Having completed their mission, the two Royal Knights continued their return to their headquarters, walking under the starry sky.