[On-screen]
Angewomon's last reserve of holy power drained away. She swayed, one knee to the ground.
MegaKabuterimon let down his guard as well; gouges striped his shell from his clash with LadyDevimon. He panted hard.
The battle… was over.
And then, without warning, the sky went black.
Not cloud-dark.
A pure, all-devouring black—like the world had been dragged into a bottomless pit.
A pressure far beyond LadyDevimon's, crushing as an ocean of stone, fell over the field.
MetalGreymon and MegaKabuterimon tensed again, throats rumbling uneasily.
"What is this?!"
[tri World]
Taichi shot to his feet in front of the screen, eyes locked on that uncanny darkness. "This feels… wrong!"
From the heart of the blackness, a sickly violet mist spread.
A figure walked out of the fog.
Gaudy clown's garb. A mask that smiled forever—a smile more terrifying than any snarl.
The last of the Dark Masters.
Piedmon.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
He applauded lightly, the crisp sound obscene in the dead-silent plain.
"Marvelous. Truly marvelous."
His voice lilted like a mocking aria as his gaze slid over the exhausted Angewomon and MegaKabuterimon.
"Alas, the warm-up is over."
"The real game begins now."
Every hair on Taichi and Izzy's bodies stood up.
MetalGreymon roared and moved to shield Tai.
MegaKabuterimon flared his wings wide, walling Izzy with his bulk.
Yet even these mighty Ultimates trembled—the involuntary quiver of life itself under absolute suppression.
Not mere fear.
A primal response to a higher life-order pressing down.
[Pokémon World]
"Who is that clown?! That aura's terrifying!" Ash staggered back; sparks buzzed from Pikachu's cheeks.
Misty went pale, crushing Togepi to her chest. "He isn't doing anything and I can't breathe…"
Brock's eyes were graver than ever. "This isn't just 'power level,' Ash. That Piedmon—his existence is bending that world's rules. Nothing like our past opponents."
Professor Oak leaned over his desk, scholar's awe and dread mingling. "Incredible! Unclassifiable! His data, his output—beyond current theory! He's like a walking black hole!"
[02 World]
"This is a joke! One monster down and an even worse one shows up?!" Davis raged, jabbing at the screen. "Veemon—if we met him, we'd go all out from the start!"
Veemon nodded hard. "Right, Davis!"
Ken's voice was tight. "It wouldn't matter… Conventional attacks likely won't touch him. LadyDevimon's darkness was troublesome—this Piedmon feels… root-level."
BlackWarGreymon—usually aloof—folded his arms, ebon armor taut. Golden eyes fixed on Piedmon. "Strong… a worthy foe. But can Taichi's WarGreymon win?"
Azulongmon's holy voice rolled like thunder. "One pinnacle of darkness… a point of distortion in the world. Chosen Children, you face a calamity that can shake the Digital World's foundations."
[Savers World]
Marcus cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Finally—someone worth punching!"
"Big bro! He looks tough! We can take him, right?!" Agumon S. shadow-boxed.
"Of course!" Marcus thumped his chest. "Whatever kind of 'monarch'—men settle it with fists!"
Gallantmon Crimson Mode raised his spear, solemn. "No, Daimon. Unknown nature—charging in is folly."
Alphamon's stare cut through the screen. "Not a mere data lifeform. His existence carries a concept: turning all things into 'jokes' and 'games.' Actions bound by common sense can be nullified."
Craniummon rumbled a warning. "Beware. Such a being can oppose even Yggdrasil's will."
Meanwhile, deep along Spiral Mountain's twisted ranges—
Sora rode Birdramon hard.
"There! I see them!"
She pointed to a clearing below.
Matt and Gabumon stood together. Matt looked up, saw Birdramon circling, saw Sora, Biyomon—saw friends.
The last haze in his eyes vanished—replaced by iron will.
No more running. No more doubt.
He lifted his Crest of Friendship; orange light flared.
"Gabumon!"
"Matt!"
"Let's go. We're reuniting with Tai—because we're partners!"
"WOOO!"
Gabumon howled; evolution light speared the sky.
On another mountain road—
Joe chased after Mimi, winded. "Mimi, listen! Now's not the time to sulk—Tai's fighting for his life up there!"
Mimi stopped, back to him, shoulders trembling.
She was sick of fighting, sick of seeing Digimon hurt.
But she remembered Palmon's hopeful eyes. Remembered everyone striving to get home.
"…I know."
Mimi turned. Tears still traced her cheeks—but her gaze was steady again.
"Palmon, Gomamon—let's move! Don't keep them waiting!"
Two streams of hope raced for the summit—toward the field smothered in despair.
[Frontier World]
"Great! Matt's back in—and Mimi figured it out!" Izumi—Zoe Orimoto—clapped, beaming.
Takuya's brow knotted. "Too late! Look at the peak—he's done waiting!"
Agunimon's flame-shadow burned behind him. "That aura shames KaiserGreymon and MagnaGarurumon together."
Kouji pointed. "His target was always Tai and Izzy. MetalGreymon and MegaKabuterimon are appetizers."
The once-silent Lucemon Falldown Mode curved a cold smile. "Ah, nostalgia—crushing hope with absolute despair. But his showmanship's… a tad crude."
[On-screen]
Spiral Mountain's crown—grey earth drowned in deathly stillness.
Piedmon's outline sharpened in the purple fog.
He held up a white-gloved hand. Between two long fingers spun a razor-edged playing card—the swish swish of its dance slicing the air.
His playful gaze skimmed over Taichi and Izzy, and the Ultimates shaking yet unyielding before them.
"Well then—until the audience assembles, a little interlude."
"The game enters its final act."
He snapped his arm.
"Trump Sword!"
The card at his fingertips vanished—
And then dozens, hundreds of cards flared into being—every edge gleaming—coalescing into a killing storm that blotted the sky as it stabbed for Tai and MetalGreymon!
"Tai!"
"RRRAAAGH!"
At the razor's instant—
The Crest of Courage on Tai's chest burst into flame.
"MetalGreymon—Mega evolve!"
Data torrents wrapped the metal saurian; his form shifted at light speed—
"WarGreymon!"
The golden Mega tore out of the glow. He didn't even have time to pose—survival instinct snapped his arms up, crossing the Dramon Destroyers over his chest.
Chrome Digizoid bit into steel—WarGreymon met the card-storm head-on!
KLANGKLANGKLANGKLANG—!
A thousand shrieks of metal on metal. Sparks fountained from the Destroyers.
Each "mere" card carried power to pierce a mountain.
WarGreymon grunted—feet plowed twin furrows across bedrock as he slid back, back—
The famed Dramon-slaying claws, now reduced to desperate shields.
Every impact hammered through his vambraces and numbed his entire frame.
[tri World]
"WarGreymon!" tri-Taichi's pupils pin-pointed; it felt like a giant hand squeezed his heart.
Jesmon's sensors screamed. "Alert! Piedmon's attack output exceeds normal Mega upper bounds by 300%! WarGreymon's armor integrity continuously degrading!"
Alphamon's voice went grave. "Not mere output. A law-level attack—each card carries the concepts of 'must-hit' and 'sever.' WarGreymon is brute-forcing rules with strength and defense."
Gennai's composure cracked. "He's not even using his real ability yet—this is basic attacks! How do you fight that?!"
[Cyber Sleuth World]
Kyouko set her cup down, brow furrowing for the first time. "This isn't data offense anymore. Nalia, do you see it?"
Nokia's fingers blurred over a virtual keyboard; code torrents raced. "Yeah—every strike spawns a top-priority 'kill' instruction in backend code. WarGreymon's defense routines are being overwritten and punctured. It's not a fight—it's an admin deleting a file."
Arata sucked a breath. "So that's a Dark Master… practically erased the Digital World once? That's busted."
[Adventure/01 World]
"My… my WarGreymon…" young Tai stared, suffocated by helplessness.
"Tai! Stay calm!" Matt clamped his shoulder. "It isn't over! We haven't lost!"
Myotismon chuckled darkly at the sight. "See, my Angewomon? This is your vaunted courage—worthless before absolute might. Even I look up to Lord Piedmon."
DemiDevimon flitted and cackled. "Yeah! Wipe 'em, Lord Piedmon!"
Kari clutched Gatomon tight and prayed in a whisper. "Big brother…"
[Tamers World]
"You're kidding…" Takato gaped. "He's a Mega—how is a bunch of cards doing that?!"
Guilmon shrank. "Takato… that clown is scary…"
Rika's face went icy; she slammed a fist to the table. "Coward. This isn't a fair fight at all."
Renamon, for once, didn't quip—her paws clenched wordlessly.
Henry adjusted his glasses. "So this… is top-tier disparity. No time to probe—straight to life-and-death."
Ryo's voice turned hard. "And that's still not Piedmon's full hand. He's playing."
[On-screen]
At Spiral Mountain's peak, WarGreymon's heels spat sparks; still he slid. The endless card-gale pressed to grind him down.
Piedmon held the same lazy casting pose. Beneath the mask, the smile widened—pure, delighted cruelty.
(End of Chapter)
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