The Terrifying Ultimate

"Mega Cannon!" "Fetid Assault!" "Rending Claw!" "Hellbind!" "Bear Killer!" "Claypot Devourer!" "Bone Crusher Cannon!" "Finishing Spike!" "Thunder Hammer!" "Giant Scissor Arms!" "Rousing War Drums!" "Destruction Rocket!" "Venomous Web!" "Straw Impalement!" "Solar Storm!" "Gatling Gun!"

When the corrupted Digimon fell into confusion again, everyone unleashed their special moves at once. This time, it was not just Oraclemon's advance warning that made it possible. More importantly, Kabuterimon flew back and forth, delivering the latest information to everyone, while Izzy Izumi monitored local movements from the rear. That single assault wiped out more than half the corrupted Digimon's fighting strength.

"Oraclemon, something's wrong." Izzy Izumi's silence status had long since worn off. Although Oraclemon was only a mediocre commander, Oraclemon could still recognize Izzy Izumi's tremendous talent for command. Digimon were not humans. What humans lacked were powerful fighters; as for commanders, setting aside special moves that could influence a battle, there would be no shortage of people on Oraclemon's level. In Digimon World, where commanders were scarce, Oraclemon naturally intended to nurture Izzy Izumi's talent. That was why Izzy Izumi had been observing the battlefield through Oraclemon's shared vision all along.

"Izzy Izumi, did you notice something?" Oraclemon asked.

"Oraclemon, over there. That Numemon's size and color look a little off."

As Izzy Izumi spoke, his hands raced across his laptop's keyboard. "Oraclemon, look. That Numemon's body is a fifth larger than the others beside it, and its skin shines even more brightly than Kuwagamon's."

Although Oraclemon oversaw the battle, Oraclemon was not one of the Metal Empire's Digimon that specialized in compiling data. Digimon had never been identical copies churned out of a factory. Even Digimon of the same species had different experiences, giving rise to countless possibilities. Oraclemon had already noticed that something was unusual about this Numemon, but had not paid much attention-until Izzy Izumi laid the data out before Oraclemon.

Oraclemon glanced at the information on the laptop, and panic stirred within. A gleam of wisdom flashed through Oraclemon's eyes as Oraclemon used the special move Eye of Fate to observe Numemon's future.

"Aah!" Oraclemon screamed, covering the left eye with one hand. Data energy drifted out between Oraclemon's fingers. Only when Oraclemon lowered that hand did Izzy Izumi see that the left eye had caved in. The eyeball must have shattered.

"Izzy Izumi, have Claypotmon fire a signal flare. Numemon is evolving into an ultimate."

Digimon evolution fell broadly into two categories. One was divinely granted evolution, like Leomon's and Agumon's, which took place instantly with the power of Digimon World's blessing. Its drawback was that the Digimon needed time to adjust afterward. The other was adaptive evolution, like the process Numemon was undergoing now. Before evolving, the body automatically adjusted to its ultimate form, allowing maximum control over it once the evolution was complete. However, the battle might already be over by then. Both kinds of evolution were blessed by Digimon World and could not be disrupted by any attack. That was why Oraclemon had not ordered everyone to concentrate their fire, but had instead hurried to request reinforcements.

Upon receiving Oraclemon's message, Claypotmon kneaded and kneaded with both hands until a small clay pot took shape.

Seeing what Claypotmon was doing, a Rockmon redirected a raised fist toward Wind Foxmon. Wind Foxmon's tail lightly brushed the fist, using its force to turn and fire a Wind Blade at a nearby Scarecrowmon.

Claypotmon hurled the little pot against the ground. A series of whooshes rang out, and beautiful fireworks bloomed across the sky. Chaos immediately erupted. Kabuterimon, who had been tied up by three Kuwagamon, seized the opportunity to break away.

In the distance, the resting Cardmaster Twister saw the agreed-upon fireworks. A card flew from his palm and enlarged before him. He leaped onto it and flew toward the Ancient Factory.

While everyone worked to press their advantage, Numemon finished adjusting. A hoarse roar came from Numemon's mouth. "I can still... grow stronger... stronger!" As Numemon roared, the corrupted Digimon lost control of their bodies. Black Gears flew out of Rockmon, Scarecrowmon, and the others.

Almost half the corrupted Digimon died after Numemon absorbed the Black Gears inside their bodies. Another quarter reverted to in-training and rookie forms as the Black Gears' energy vanished. The remaining quarter had yet to be affected by Numemon's evolution.

"Numemon, digivolve to... MegaNumemon!"

MegaNumemon, an ultimate, Virus-type Digimon. Its special move was Demonic Tentacle, nurtured with polluted water.

A glossy black figure appeared at the center of the battlefield. MegaNumemon had an almost perfectly circular base, with its entire body forming a semicircle. Conspicuous little white circles covered every side of its gleaming black body. Those countless white lights seemed to be MegaNumemon's eyes. At the top of the semicircle was a deep fissure, within which an image of an endless abyss could be seen. A Poyomon was caught by a Demonic Tentacle and tossed into the center of the fissure, where that abyss swallowed it completely. Not even disordered data energy escaped. That was MegaNumemon's mouth.

"Blanket the skies!" MegaNumemon's hoarse voice rang out. Countless fleshy growths bulged from its body, swelling in an instant before breaking free and rising into the air as foul-smelling lumps of flesh. Ryeonmon fired a Destruction Rocket, but it failed to reach MegaNumemon's body, blocked instead by the airborne masses. Even the explosion destroyed only the few lumps closest to it.

"You foolish Digimon who stand in the way of darkness-be annihilated." Before the floating lumps of flesh could even fall, their foul stench had already robbed most of the Digimon of the ability to fight.

"Claypot Devourer!" The clay pot on Claypotmon's head expanded a hundredfold in an instant. A terrifying suction sprang from its mouth, drawing in the countless lumps of flesh overhead.

"Everyone, attack! Cardmaster Twister will be here any moment!" Fighting Dragonmon shouted.

Humans would probably have dug in and defended once they knew reinforcements were coming. But Digimon were far more competitive than humans. Or perhaps everyone knew that once Cardmaster Twister arrived, they would have no chance to act. Whatever the reason, they all attacked MegaNumemon with everything they had.

"Everyone, don't be reckless!" Izzy Izumi was already on Kabuterimon's back, shouting down at them from the air. Saorimon and Kabuterimon called out as well. Some Digimon gave Izzy Izumi understanding looks, but did not slow down, while battle maniacs like Fighting Dragonmon openly scorned him.

The reason MegaNumemon had not yet made any major moves was that Oraclemon was holding it in check from a distance. But Oraclemon was only temporarily suppressing MegaNumemon through surprise, unfamiliarity, and other such advantages. With an ultimate Digimon's digicore, MegaNumemon would soon unravel Oraclemon's special moves, however unusual they might be.

"Demonic Tentacle!" Oraclemon's suppression only worked within a certain range. Fighting Dragonmon, charging ahead of everyone else, had already crossed that boundary. A pitch-black, whip-like tentacle burst through the ground and lashed Fighting Dragonmon viciously. That single strike killed Fighting Dragonmon.

"Everyone, be careful. These tentacles are incredibly powerful." Those were Fighting Dragonmon's last words.

"Mega Cannon!" Kabuterimon was the only one still able to act at that moment. The Demonic Tentacle was immensely powerful, but killing Fighting Dragonmon had also consumed much of its strength. The Mega Cannon struck its base and blasted it apart.

Kabuterimon's action drew tremendous hostility. Every white eye on MegaNumemon's body turned toward Kabuterimon. Under the gaze of so many eyes, Kabuterimon shuddered from head to toe.

On the cliff behind them, Oraclemon's scepter shattered. MegaNumemon suddenly felt unburdened, and three tentacles burst from the ground one after another to attack Kabuterimon. MegaNumemon could only have three tentacles out at a time; it had to retract one before a new tentacle could appear. Why call it new? Because all the damage everyone had inflicted on the tentacles had vanished.

Kabuterimon deftly maneuvered through the tentacle attacks. Just then, Oraclemon let out a muffled groan on the cliff. Oraclemon's armor shattered, revealing powerful muscles.

Kabuterimon darted merrily around a tentacle that clearly could not reach. Unexpectedly, that tentacle thickened in an instant and stretched to more than three times its original length, stabbing straight at Kabuterimon.

"Kabuterimon, de-digivolve, now!" Amid Izzy Izumi's panicked shouts, the Digivice drew a ray of light out of Kabuterimon. Kabuterimon reverted to Tentomon.

Izzy Izumi clung tightly to Saorimon as he hung from Tentomon. Tentomon's wings fluttered furiously.

At the instant the tentacle reached them, Izzy Izumi actually twisted around, turning his own back toward the terrifying attack.

Cardmaster Twister did not let Izzy Izumi down. A large red joker card appeared above Izzy Izumi's head, releasing a protective barrier. The terrifying Demonic Tentacle, which had killed Fighting Dragonmon in a single strike, could only send ripples across that barrier. Although the simultaneous attacks of all three tentacles made it shake ever more violently, they were still nowhere near breaking through.

Ever since swallowing the masses of flesh that had filled the sky, Claypotmon had stood motionless. The clay pot on its head, which had expanded a hundredfold, was now only a little over twenty times its original size, but Claypotmon's body had also grown more than tenfold. It had expanded more than tenfold even beyond its limit form.

At first, data energy had sputtered out intermittently; now, a steady stream of smoke rose. But black markings had also spread all over Claypotmon's body. The others simply could not see them.

"Oraclemon, die." Claypotmon had been taken over. As soon as the words fell, the clay pot on its head switched to expelling its contents. Claypotmon spat out an enormous lump of flesh. Butterflymon swooped over to stop it, only to shatter from a mere glancing touch. But Butterflymon did not die, instead splitting into countless tiny Butterflymon that struggled desperately.

T.K. Takaishi stood resolutely in front of Oraclemon. Patamon clung to his head, watching the enormous mass of flesh hurtle toward them. They, too, trusted Cardmaster Twister.