No one knew how Leomon's duel with Ogremon had gone, because neither of them would let anyone watch. The outcome was obvious, though: Ogremon had slunk off to train, looking thoroughly dejected.
"Zheng Fan, you're going to find Andromon? I was already a Rookie back when Andromon was still a Baby-stage Choromon. Now he's an Ultimate-level Andromon, and I'm still a Rookie." Zheng Fan could hear the deep resentment in Elecmon's voice.
After saying goodbye to Elecmon, Zheng Fan and Leomon set off toward the Factory again. "Kuwagamon have been pretty violent lately." After killing another Kuwagamon foolish enough to attack them, both Zheng Fan and Leomon sensed something was wrong. Kuwagamon weren't exactly rare, but there were only a few dozen on all of File Island, and Zheng Fan had already seen seven die. They weren't weak Digimon, either. If two or more Kuwagamon were attacking elsewhere, even villages guarded by Champion-level Digimon wouldn't be able to hold them off.
"Leomon, there's a Kuwagamon attacking the buildings over there." Although Zheng Fan wasn't as strong as Leomon, his perception was far sharper. "Those buildings? Let's take our time getting there." Leomon's calm voice made Zheng Fan wonder whether this really was the warmhearted Leomon he knew. Leomon had lived on File Island for who knew how long. Even though Zheng Fan had only said "the buildings over there," Leomon knew exactly where he meant, and had even calculated how long it would take them to arrive. If they strolled over as Leomon suggested, they'd be far too late. "Those buildings are ruins. My good friend Centarumon is their guardian." Leomon did a decent job as a part-time tour guide, clearly explaining File Island's local customs and conditions. "Leomon, your good friend is being attacked by Kuwagamon. Shouldn't we help? Is he really strong?" Leomon wasn't the kind to stand by while a friend was in trouble. Even if they weren't friends, he would take the initiative to help weaker Digimon. If he was this calm, it had to be because he trusted Centarumon. "Centarumon is a speed-type Digimon. Even normally, he's faster than the average Ultimate. If he activates the Super Alloy Jet on his back, he can even reach the speed of sound. Not even Andromon's Super Missile can lock onto Centarumon when he's running at high speed."
Super Alloy Jet? Super Missile? Hearing those two terms straight out of the technological age left Zheng Fan a little confused. "Centarumon is a very proud Digimon, and extremely rigid. Even more rigid than the people of the Metal Empire. He's sworn to defend those ruins to the death. Even I get attacked if I try to go inside for a look." Leomon's voice was full of resentment. His fighting style was at a disadvantage against high-speed Digimon, so Centarumon had probably made him suffer quite a few times.
As they entered the ruins, Zheng Fan suddenly caught a strange smell and asked, "Leomon, do you smell something weird?" "What weird smell?" Leomon really was remarkably slow to notice things like this. They continued walking leisurely for a few minutes. "What's that strange smell?" Leomon had finally noticed it too. After a moment's thought, he said, "Oh no! Centarumon's in danger. It's Numemon, a Champion-level Digimon." As soon as he realized, Leomon sprinted toward the ruins. Zheng Fan followed close behind. "Leomon, are Numemon powerful Digimon?" "Numemon are incredibly disgusting Digimon. The first Numemon were Gazimon who chose mechanical modification to grow stronger when they couldn't digivolve. The modifications failed, and they became Numemon. They're Virus-attribute, undead-type Digimon, almost immune to physical attacks. Their special move is Stinking Sludge Splash." After hearing Leomon's explanation, Zheng Fan understood. Numemon were practically the natural enemies of speed-type Digimon. "Although Numemon are disgusting, no Digimon go out of their way to destroy them. Only Digimon with ranged energy attacks actively hunt them down." Leomon must have suffered badly at Numemon's hands.
By the time they finished talking, they had reached the ruins. Besides the two Kuwagamon flying overhead, there was a foul-smelling black substance on the ground. Those were presumably the Numemon Leomon had mentioned. Although the black substance formed one large heap, Zheng Fan thought there were two Numemon, because he could see four eyes. Taken on their own, Numemon's large eyes were actually rather cute.
The Kuwagamon in the sky spotted Zheng Fan and Leomon as well. Both abandoned Centarumon and prepared to destroy the ruins directly.
"Leomon, help!" According to Leomon, Centarumon was an extremely proud Digimon who wouldn't show fear even in the face of death. Hearing his request, Leomon immediately unleashed his special move at the Numemon. His Beast King Fist did considerable damage, blasting away a quarter of a Numemon's body. Meanwhile, Zheng Fan used the surrounding rubble as footholds to leap onto the roof and hold off the Kuwagamon preparing to attack the ruins. Seeing that Zheng Fan understood his intent, Centarumon's eyes filled with gratitude, though the sight of Zheng Fan's figure also left him puzzled.
Using his high speed, Centarumon moved back in to take over holding off the Numemon from Leomon. "Protect the ruins." Centarumon was certainly no weakling, but he was a Data-attribute Digimon, and all four Digimon attacking the ruins were Virus-attribute Digimon, which had an advantage over him. He knew his own limits. Even at full firepower, killing two of them was the most he could manage. If he kept his distance and wore them down, he could easily last several days. Of course, Numemon couldn't keep up with his speed, but they didn't need to catch him. They only had to scatter sludge everywhere. If Centarumon carelessly stepped in it, he was done for. If the Numemon had any brains and hurled sludge at the ruins, Centarumon would certainly die on the spot. "Centarumon, I can't get up there." Leomon wasn't as agile as Zheng Fan. With the battle taking place on the roof, he could only watch. Remembering Leomon's agility, Centarumon had no choice but to leave the Kuwagamon to Zheng Fan, though he still reminded Leomon, "Please, whatever you do, don't let the ruins get damaged."
Centarumon's willingness to die protecting the ruins was a real headache for Leomon, but what could he do? He considered Centarumon his friend.
Zheng Fan was having a hard time fighting Kuwagamon on the roof, especially with two of them. Fortunately, the roof of the ruins was fairly sturdy and hadn't been destroyed even with everyone unleashing their special moves. The Kuwagamon's constant rampages over the past few days had also given Zheng Fan plenty of combat experience. He finally managed to hold out until Leomon and Centarumon finished off the Numemon. With a few light pushes from his four feet, Centarumon easily reached the roof, leaving Leomon watching in envy.
With Centarumon's support, the two Kuwagamon were nothing but trash whose combat power barely exceeded five. Unlike Zheng Fan and Leomon's close-range attacks, Centarumon's Hunter Cannon could directly hit the Kuwagamon flying through the air. Working together, the three soon wiped them out.
"Centarumon, even this desolate place of yours gets attacked? Hahahaha!" Leomon actually abandoned his usual gentlemanly manner and started mocking him. Centarumon looked embarrassed. He had probably mocked Leomon in the past.
"Zheng Fan, you're a human, right?" Centarumon asked eagerly. Zheng Fan found that odd, but at last he had met a Digimon who knew he was human. "Centarumon, I've met so many Digimon. Finally, someone knows what I am." Leomon asked, "Centarumon, you know? What kind of Digimon are humans?" Centarumon gave Leomon a contemptuous look and flatly uttered one word: "Illiterate." Once everyone had finished laughing, he continued, "Humans aren't Digimon, but I don't know what sort of things humans are, either." Zheng Fan immediately protested, "Humans aren't things." Realizing that sounded wrong, he corrected himself. "Humans are things." That still didn't feel right. After thinking it over, he finally said, "You can't describe humans as things." Once Zheng Fan had finished explaining, Centarumon continued, "These ruins are connected to something called a Digivice." "Digivice?" Leomon murmured the word, then suddenly shouted, "Darkness Invasion!"
"That's right. These ruins were prepared to counter the Darkness Invasion." Zheng Fan was actually quite sick of all this talk of holiness and darkness. After all, the Light Domain and the Dark Domain had joined forces to exile him. Still, he knew this was the Digimon world. That whatever-it-was Digivice and Darkness Invasion had nothing to do with the Light Domain or the Dark Domain.
"My task is to wait for humans who come here carrying Digivices. They say that analyzing these symbols on the walls with a Digivice will reveal the truth behind the Darkness Invasion. Zheng Fan, take out your Digivice." Zheng Fan hadn't known he had such an important mission. Thinking over the things he carried, the only unusual development was Night Dawn suddenly gaining a Sword Soul. "Centarumon, all I have besides my clothes is this sword. I don't have the Digivice you're talking about." Centarumon walked over to the wall and pointed at a symbol. "A Digivice should look like this." Only then did Zheng Fan realize it wasn't a symbol, but a drawing. Why did the Digivice in the drawing look so much like a digital watch with its strap removed? Was some strange transmigrator going around selling digital watches? "Centarumon, I really don't have a Digivice." Like a teacher, Centarumon pointed at the symbols or murals and said, "We call the eight children who possess Digivices the Chosen Children. Together with eight chosen Digimon, they will save the Digimon world from the Darkness Invasion." He paused, then added, "A Digivice will resonate with the ruins, but there's no reaction from you at all, Zheng Fan. It seems I was too impatient."
Something occurred to Zheng Fan, though. The Digivices would bring eight Chosen Children here. That meant Digivices, or something else, should allow travel between the Digimon world and the human world. Even if a Digivice's teleportation or summoning power could only bring people here and not send them back, at least there would be coordinates, giving him something to work toward. He acted on the thought immediately. "Centarumon, I think these symbols might help me. Could you let me study them carefully?" Centarumon treated humans who could save the world quite well. Although Zheng Fan had proved not to be a Chosen Child, he still agreed to his request. Leomon was thoroughly disgruntled. "Centarumon, I asked you to let me look around before, too. Never mind how you refused me back then. Now I'm going to study these symbols with Zheng Fan." Centarumon asked, "Are you Zheng Fan's partner Digimon?" Leomon didn't understand what Centarumon meant and had no idea how to answer. Seeing his expression, Centarumon said scornfully, "Illiterate. Even if I let you look, would you understand any of it?"
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