Names and evolution

Zheng Fan and Leomon did not have to wait long. Guardromon soon told them that Andromon had recovered. Zheng Fan was actually very curious about what kind of information had caused Andromon to crash.

"Zheng Fan, according to what you said, does everyone where you come from have a name of their own?" That was the first question Andromon asked upon seeing Zheng Fan. Without waiting for an answer, Andromon continued, "I think I've found a way to make Digimon evolve. Names! Every Digimon should have a name of their own." With that, Andromon actually turned around, and a wall of the Factory lowered. "Super Missile!" After unleashing the powerful attack, Andromon said calmly, "Just letting out some excitement." Who would have thought that the ever-composed Andromon had such a wild side?

Zheng Fan thought for a moment, then said, "Names probably aren't what causes Digimon to evolve. I think communication is the key." Andromon did not actually understand the significance of either names or communication.

Zheng Fan explained, "Andromon, you must only ever talk to that one Guardromon, right? Since none of them have names, whenever you need an assistant, you just call for a Guardromon. So the one with self-awareness comes over of their own accord, and the other Guardromon never get a chance to communicate with you."

Andromon considered this and said, "That's right. Any Guardromon could do what I need an assistant to do, but the Guardromon nearby never come over."

"Actually, to my eyes, Digimon of the same kind look almost identical. Just imagine a village full of Leomon-" Leomon interrupted Zheng Fan. "Zheng Fan, don't use me as an example," Leomon said. By now, he had long since learned just how skilled Zheng Fan was at coming up with examples. "Fine. See? Since all Digimon of the same kind share the same name, the moment I mention a village of Leomon, Leomon thinks I'm using him as an example." Seeing Leomon's unfriendly glare, Zheng Fan hurriedly started over.

"In a village of Ogremon, an Ogremon shouts every day, 'Ogremon, come fight me!' And then all the Ogremon in the village start brawling."

"I understand," Andromon said. "Many Digimon only know what kind of Digimon they are. If everyone has a name of their own, there will be more communication between Digimon. As long as they communicate, the number of self-aware Digimon will keep growing."

"Zheng Fan, thank you. This may be the greatest discovery in Digimon World."

Zheng Fan said to Andromon, "Andromon, could you show me what happens when a Digimon evolves?" Even the most powerful beings could not create something entirely unknown to them. If a weakling like Zheng Fan wanted to grow stronger in Digimon World, he at least needed to see how Digimon evolved.

With Andromon leading the way, Zheng Fan and Leomon entered a room whose walls were covered in symbols.

"The symbols on the walls are a manifestation of the power of data. They're the Factory's energy core and the key to Digimon evolution." As Andromon spoke, a hand swept across the wall, actually wiping away the symbols. The Factory instantly lost power. "Digimon World is a world of data energy. All freely scattered data energy is meaningless, while everything that exists is meaningful data energy. These peculiar symbols are the key. By arranging meaningless data energy, the symbols can turn it into meaningful data energy. Like this." Andromon produced a pen from somewhere and restored the symbols, and power immediately returned to the Factory. "Something this magnificent is unique to the Metal Empire."

Andromon adjusted the evolution program and summoned an ordinary Guardromon. That was how pitiful Digimon without self-awareness were.

The evolution began. The data energy scattered throughout Digimon World passed through the symbol-covered walls and became an orderly whole. Each sequence of symbols had a different meaning, which it imparted to the data energy passing through it. Once a large amount of orderly energy entered Guardromon's body, a beam of light descended from the sky, passing through the Factory's ceiling without the slightest obstruction. Beneath the light, an eggshell formed around Guardromon's body. Soon, the shell shattered, and an Andromon appeared before them.

Andromon stepped forward and said, "From now on, you're Andromon No. 2. I'm Number One." Even the people of the Metal Empire were disciplined about naming.

"You see, this is Digimon evolution. Normally, the data energy a Digimon absorbs and accumulates must be converted by the Digicore before it can enable evolution. But we in the Metal Empire use these symbols to do the Digicore's work, allowing Digimon to evolve quickly. This is the power of data," Andromon emphasized again.

Andromon then demonstrated how each part of a Digimon's body was strengthened during evolution. For the vast majority of Digimon, evolution could be described as a qualitative transformation that occurred after every part of their original body had been strengthened to its limit. Only then did Andromon say, "Zheng Fan, would you stay here and help with my research? I'll help you find a path to greater strength without changing your appearance." So even the Digimon of the Metal Empire knew how to play their cards. Leomon, at least, wanted to accept the offer.

If it's only strengthening, it isn't really unacceptable, Zheng Fan thought to himself. Although he used a light sword, that did not mean he disliked heavy swords. He simply lacked the innate superhuman strength needed to execute heavy-sword techniques at his own cultivation level.

Someone from a cultivation world might have thought, Transform however you like; I'll sweep the world clean with one sword. But Earth's three great domains had far too many incredible powerhouses, and even more strange forms of power associated with different professions, such as battle aura, mystic aura, soul aura, and war aura. Bizarre beings were a dime a dozen, leaving every young person with little room for arrogance.

Earth was also connected to a vast number of outer domains. Aside from the Savage Beast Domain, they all maintained contact with one another. Dividing them by race still left distinctions such as the Human Race and Elves, but setting race aside, there were only three broad categories: flesh and blood, energy, and assembled beings. Racial prejudice was therefore even less of an issue. Of course, to a human, a humanoid shape was the best appearance.

Once he decided, Zheng Fan acted. He and Leomon stayed at Andromon's Factory. For one thing, Andromon was actually eager to have a test subject like Zheng Fan, especially since Zheng Fan's true qi could remove erroneous data energy, allowing Andromon to conduct even bolder experiments. The price Zheng Fan paid was having both hands converted entirely into data energy. After both arms were strengthened and modified, their raw strength even surpassed the Spirit Realm. With his arms digitized, their meridians naturally moved at his will, and he had no trouble using sword arts with conflicting attributes or those above his level. Andromon told Zheng Fan that his attack power was not at the bottom among Ultimate Digimon.

Leomon was strengthened to the limits of the Champion level. Digimon did not have as many concerns about evolution as humans did, so Leomon confidently accepted Andromon's enhancements. Only when the strengthening of a particular part exceeded its limits did he ask Zheng Fan to remove the excess. Leomon was a Digimon with ambitions of evolving to Mega. If he were accidentally forced to evolve to Ultimate, he would probably choose to kill himself and start over.

"Leomon, watch out!" Zheng Fan knew he had to use a sword art to have any chance of defeating Leomon. "One Sword Slashes the Heavenly Dipper!" Sword arts could be considered a sword cultivator's ultimate attacks. It was not that sword styles were ineffective, but against opponents who were almost immune to physical attacks, sword arts were the only option.

"Shatter Kick!" Leomon leaped high into the air and drove a sideways heel kick into the flat of the Night Dawn Sword. Even someone as powerful as Leomon did not dare face its keen edge head-on.

Yet even with a sideways kick, the power of a sword art was beyond imagination. Sword arts had been developed to compensate for sword cultivators' shortcomings in ranged and energy attacks. Aside from the true qi used to activate them, their power depended entirely on the energy of heaven and earth they summoned. As its name suggested, the Earthly Sha Sword Art summoned the power of earthly sha. That was why an upward sword stroke had such an incongruous name as One Sword Slashes the Heavenly Dipper. Of course, the three great domains and the outer domains had long since proven that, when fighting on a planet, the Earthly Sha Sword Art possessed virtually invincible power.

From Digimon World's perspective, Leomon was being absorbed by the Night Dawn Sword. From Buzhou's perspective, the power of earthly sha was invading Leomon. From a scientific perspective-ahem, how were these people floating in midair? This was not scientific.

Leomon was certainly no pushover. "Hundred Beasts Fist!" In an instant, a dense barrage of enormous Leomon heads filled the sky and bombarded Zheng Fan. Zheng Fan had no choice but to draw back his sword and switch to defense.

The Flowing Water Sword Style was one of Buzhou's finest defensive sword styles. The main measure of a sword style's superiority lay in its variations. At its highest level, the Flowing Water Sword Style could unleash thirty million defensive moves in an instant. Naturally, its demands on the user were immense: at least thirty million movements in an instant, not even counting the mental strain. Zheng Fan was nowhere near that level, of course, but even a simultaneous volley from warships in space might not break through the Flowing Water Sword Style's defenses at its highest level. Buzhou's Blazing Fire Sword Style, however, was said to unleash thirty million and one attacks in an instant at its highest level. That was why Gonggong had been defeated and killed.

Once Zheng Fan switched to defense, the Hundred Beasts Fist exhausted itself without achieving anything. But Leomon had already closed in. "Ha!" Leomon brought the Man Soul down in a heavy slash, instantly breaking Zheng Fan's sword sequence and leaving him wide open. This was a contest between strength and skill, and strength won decisively.

This time, however, Zheng Fan regained the advantage, because Leomon always used the same routine in close combat, and Zheng Fan had long since learned how to counter it.

Even after Zheng Fan completely suppressed him in close combat, Leomon did not withdraw from the fight. This puzzled Zheng Fan and made him grow cautious. Sure enough, although Leomon's punches remained imposing, they lacked their usual fearless resolve. Since Leomon was holding back, Zheng Fan naturally had to attack with everything he had. Whatever follow-up Leomon was preparing, the answer was to keep him from using it.

The idea was sound, but unlike Leomon, who had been strengthened all over, Zheng Fan still had less stamina, even with the support of his true qi. Although Leomon took several punches while preparing his follow-up, none did any real harm, and whenever Zheng Fan tried to retreat, Leomon stuck to him relentlessly. Andromon remained utterly unruffled.