By this point, Zheng Fan had seen how the lines of play would develop. Of course, seeing them clearly did not mean he could find a solution. So he decisively abandoned his pieces and conceded.
"Human, you have lost. The World Tree will not see you. Now please leave the Digimon World." Mercurymon spoke with authority, but given that he stood several times taller than Zheng Fan, saying something like that only cheapened his dignity.
Hearing this, Calumon pulled an enormous face at Mercurymon. The moment Mercurymon showed signs of losing his temper, Calumon ducked behind Zheng Fan.
"Mercurymon, we agreed on best of three. We've only just tied the score. It's too early to say that." As Zheng Fan spoke, he swept his hand across the board. The black and white pieces instantly returned to their places, and the lines on the board were erased. Zheng Fan used sword qi to carve new lines into it.
Mercurymon's expression froze at Zheng Fan's words. Of the previous two games, his loss had been entirely deserved, but his victory had been less than honorable. Now it was Zheng Fan's turn to set the rules for the third game. Something similar had happened many years ago, and Mercurymon had conceded then as well. This time, however, the outcome would be decided by the actual results, not his mood. That left Mercurymon in a very foul mood indeed.
Mercurymon stared fixedly at every line Zheng Fan carved into the board, hoping to find evidence of cheating. He was so absorbed that he failed to notice a Digimon rushing into the palace.
"Mercurymon, news has arrived from the north. Jupitermon encountered a powerful enemy. His palace has been reduced to rubble, and all they found was a Digi-Egg that might be his."
A terrifying