Gennai's attention

"So Kung Fu can do that too? Zhou Zhu, could you teach me?" Seeing how relaxed Zhou Zhu was, then remembering how Matt had collapsed into sleep earlier, Tai immediately felt the urge to learn.

"Heh, it's not that easy to learn. I started practicing Internal Energy before I could walk. It took over ten years of Internal Qigong to achieve this effect. You wouldn't stick with it, Tai."

Teach you? Are you kidding? I'd like to learn it myself. Still, now that I think about it, Wisemon's sword techniques should count as Kung Fu too, right?

He was gradually becoming familiar with Wisemon's sword techniques. As long as he had a sword, combined with the physical combat strength of this Perfect-level Digimon body...

He might just be able to take on an ordinary Perfect-level Digimon... er, provided he had a sword in his hand, of course.

"Huh? It takes more than ten years to get that effect? Forget it, then. I think staying home with the air conditioning on is pretty nice too."

The thought that he would already be an adult ten years from now instantly killed Tai's interest. Besides, Zhou Zhu couldn't possibly stay by his side and teach him for ten years...

"Tai, that's very rude. Every school has its own rules. As far as I know, learning a combat art like Kung Fu requires formally accepting a master. Never mind the Dragon Country-even here in Japan, learning Bushido requires accepting a master and passing tests."

Although Joe envied Zhou Zhu's Kung Fu, he still patiently explained these basic facts to Tai.

"Ah, that sounds like such a hassle..."

After hearing Joe's explanation, Tai felt even less inclined to learn Kung Fu.

"Heh. The martial way was never something so simple!" Watching Tai back out, Matt felt a hint of contempt and disdain.

"Hm? What's that up ahead?"

Just then, Joe, who was walking at the head of the group, suddenly found his attention drawn to an enormous plant in the distance!

"Is that... Cactuar???"

Mimi immediately recognized the familiar shape in front of them.

"It's not Cactuar. It should just be a giant cactus!" After taking a closer look, Izzy looked just as astonished.

Cacti were common enough in the desert, but one this big... that was certainly rare!

Still, remembering that they were in another world, along with all the strange things that had happened already, Izzy accepted it.

Tap, tap, tap...

Once everyone reached the giant cactus...

Whoosh...

As the phantom image faded, the enormous cactus vanished with it.

"So it was a mirage..."

Tai's curiosity gave way to disappointment, written all over his face.

"That makes sense. A cactus that big really was a little ridiculous!" Sora wasn't particularly disappointed. She hadn't been interested in that sort of thing to begin with.

"DigiDestined..."

"DigiDestined!"

Just then, light suddenly radiated from where the giant cactus had stood, and the elderly Gennai appeared before them once again.

That giant cactus must have been an illusion Gennai deliberately created to draw Tai and the others over, right? Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? At the sight of Gennai's return, Zhou Zhu grew wary and quietly slipped behind the others, trying to make himself less noticeable.

Still, Wisemon's conspicuous figure probably won't be so easy to hide. Hopefully nothing goes wrong.

"Huh? It's Gennai?"

"Hey, old man! We found the Tags and Crests just like you told us to, but Agumon still can't digivolve!"

Seeing the man before him, Tai didn't bother wondering why he had suddenly appeared. Instead, he went straight to the problem that had been troubling him all this time!

The other children weren't particularly puzzled by Gennai's sudden appearance either. Given their current understanding, they wouldn't think too deeply about it.

"Calm down first. Digivolution isn't something you can achieve simply by wishing for it. Although you've obtained the Tags and Crests, your Digimon won't be able to digivolve properly if you use them the wrong way!"

Gennai looked at the Tag and Crest around Tai's neck, then turned toward Agumon beside him, before finally fixing his gaze on Wisemon.

What's going on with this Perfect-level Digimon? Why is he with the DigiDestined? Wait! Is this that unexpected variable from before? In that case, this Wisemon must have digivolved from that Wizardmon!

But this child named Zhou Zhu clearly doesn't have a Digivice or a Crest! I've thoroughly investigated that Wizardmon's origins over the past few days. He was nothing more than a Digimon who digivolved from an ordinary Mokumon hatched normally in the Village of Beginnings.

But how did he digivolve to the Perfect level so quickly?

"Then what's the right way?" Without noticing Gennai's gaze, Tai continued to uphold the admirable habit of asking whenever he didn't understand.

Why does this guy keep staring at Wisemon? Could he be plotting something bad? Although Zhou Zhu was nervous to the point of panic, he still put on an innocent expression.

His expression was little different from those of the DigiDestined around him.

"As for the proper way to... digivolve... well... that is... it's..."

Before Gennai could finish, some unknown force cut off the image before them.

Phew... that old guy's finally gone. Looks like Apocalymon pulled the network cable...

"Come on! Every time he talks, he only tells us half of it..."

Tai stared resentfully at the Tag and Crest in his hand, trying to work out the proper method of digivolution from Gennai's few brief remarks.

Since Gennai had said the wrong method was preventing digivolution, his earlier approach of feeding Agumon clearly wasn't going to work.

But what is the right way? There wasn't any warning at all before Wisemon digivolved to the Perfect level. There's nothing there I can learn from...

Somewhere in the space between the Digital World and the real world!

"So that's how it happened? Then it was the Digivice after all, and there wasn't anything particularly unusual about that Wizardmon himself?"

In a quiet little courtyard, Gennai watched footage of Candlemon and Leomon being bathed in the Digivice's light, finally resolving the doubts in his mind.

Beep, beep... beep...

As Gennai worked the controls, the image switched back to File Island...

A Perfect-level Digimon who closely resembled Leomon appeared on the screen.

"Fighting Leomon? So it really was the Digivice? This Leomon also benefited from its power and digivolved to the Perfect level." Watching the digivolved Leomon, Gennai finally put all his doubts to rest.