Prologue: Qinglongmon Is My Boss

One of the Four Holy Beasts' domains—the domain of Qinglongmon in the east.

Mo Yan tilted his head back to look at Qinglongmon, whose winding body hung in the sky amid thunder and lightning, his feelings a tangled mess.

When Megadramon had seized him and carried him away, he had already formed a few suspicions and involuntarily begun considering how to respond.

But when things turned out exactly as he had suspected, Mo Yan grew uneasy instead, forgetting the responses he had rehearsed earlier.

After all, who would willingly face a being at the very pinnacle of the Digital World?

That terrifying presence and the power spilling out in every direction sent a chill through Mo Yan's heart.

[Qinglongmon, Ultimate, Holy Beast type, Data attribute Digimon.

One of the legendary Four Holy Beasts who protect the Digital World. Qinglongmon guards the east and unleashes powerful lightning strikes to punish the disrespectful.

Like Zhuqiaomon, Ebonwumon, and Baihumon, Qinglongmon is a legendary being whose power is said to rival that of a god.

Qinglongmon is also counted among the Four Great Dragons alongside HolyDramon, Goddramon, and Examon, and is among the beings most revered as divine.

However, despite being a godlike existence, Qinglongmon does not readily help humans or the weak, nor become their ally unless something serious occurs.

The special move is divine wrath that brings fierce lightning down from the heavens-Azure Thunder.]

"Soul from another world, I am Qinglongmon, guardian of the east and one of the Four Holy Beasts who protect the Digital World."

Wrapped in chains, with twelve DigiCores circling around that vast body, Qinglongmon looked down at Mo Yan and spoke gently.

"Revered god, may I ask what commands you have summoned me here to receive?"

Recalling how the Deva had addressed the Four Holy Beasts in Digimon Tamers, which he had watched before, Mo Yan immediately pressed his tail to the ground, lowered his eyes, and spoke with reverence.

As a baby Kapurimon facing such an immense gulf in strength, Mo Yan was obedient and docile.

As a visitor from another world whose identity had been exposed, faced with that same immense gulf in strength, he could only quietly await judgment.

Some might have thought this cowardly, lacking any of the "flair" expected of someone who had crossed into another world.

To that, Mo Yan could only say, Isn't being alive a good thing?

"Soul from another world, there is no need to worry. As guardians of the Digital World, we welcome any friendly visitors from other worlds.

"We hold nothing but goodwill toward them."

Qinglongmon's booming voice

echoed throughout the land and sky, benevolent yet full of danger.

Friendly visitors from other worlds.

The unfriendly ones are all dead, right?

Mo Yan silently grumbled to himself.

Looking at Mo Yan's lowered eyes and humble posture, Qinglongmon felt some regret.

If not for the light that still lingered deep in Mo Yan's heart, and the unique laws he carried that were entirely different from those of the Digital World,

Qinglongmon would long since have struck this fickle-minded otherworlder down with lightning and returned him to the Digital World.

"The Digital World is about to undergo a rebirth. I need you to bring the DigiDestined sufficient trials and guidance."

Qinglongmon looked south, toward Zhuqiaomon's territory.

As one of the more easygoing members of the Four Holy Beasts, Qinglongmon had not stopped Zhuqiaomon from mobilizing the Deva under his command.

On the contrary, Qinglongmon believed that appropriate hardships and setbacks would better spur the DigiDestined's growth.

Of course, Qinglongmon still had reservations about Zhuqiaomon's views.

Thus, as Zhuqiaomon prepared to act, Qinglongmon had also been considering whether to intervene.

And so, upon discovering an otherworldly visitor like Mo Yan, Qinglongmon had come up with an excellent idea.

That was to have Mo Yan take part.

For one thing, the DigiDestined could awaken the light in Mo Yan's heart.

For another, Mo Yan could provide the DigiDestined with sufficient trials.

Furthermore, involving Mo Yan in the Digital World's renewal would allow the Digital World to better analyze the otherworldly laws he carried, thereby achieving a better, more effective renewal.

Thus, Qinglongmon had ordered Megadramon to bring him here.

"Great god, this insignificant Kapurimon shall obey your will."

Mo Yan did not refuse Qinglongmon's command. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief.

If Qinglongmon had no orders for him, that would have been bad news.

Because that would mean he had no value.

The fate of something without value was easy enough to imagine.

Looking at Mo Yan, who called himself insignificant yet still held a certain pride in his heart, Qinglongmon said, "I will not have you work for me without reward. This will be the trial I grant you.

"When you complete your task and possess sufficient strength, I can help persuade the other three dragons to open the 'Trial of the Four Great Dragons' for you.

"At the same time, I will awaken the power contained within your soul and strengthen it to a certain degree."

At those words, Mo Yan, who already had his tail pressed against the ground and was trying his hardest to prostrate himself, immediately cried out, "Thank you for your blessing, my god! Kapurimon will surely complete the trial my god has bestowed!"

Mo Yan spoke words he did not believe himself, so embarrassed that he wished he could die on the spot.

Winding through the sky, Qinglongmon paid no attention to Mo Yan's complicated thoughts and began to act.

Qinglongmon chanted in a language Mo Yan could not understand, and the power surging from that vast body rumbled like thunder.

A pillar of azure light descended from the heavens, enveloping Mo Yan's entire body.

A mysterious, immense power coursed through Mo Yan.

As that power copied the otherworldly laws Mo Yan carried, it also awakened and perfected the wondrous ability he had been granted.

Soon, the azure pillar slowly faded away, revealing Mo Yan where he had been.

Just then, the light of evolution radiated from Mo Yan's body.

Kapurimon!

Digivolve!

KendoGarurumon!

The light dispersed.

A figure dressed in kendo attire and holding a bamboo sword appeared in its place.

[KendoGarurumon, Rookie, Dragonman type, Data attribute Digimon.

A Digimon who aspires to become one of the Digital World's finest swordsmen. Quiet and reserved, this tireless hard worker trains where no one can see. The protective gear never comes off, leaving the face beneath it a perpetual mystery. Timid and prone to tears, yet deeply considerate of friends and possessed of a strong sense of justice, this Digimon sometimes reveals an inner strength.

The soul from another world caused a mutation in KendoGarurumon's evolution, changing a reptilian Digimon into a Dragonman-type Digimon with power far beyond that of an ordinary KendoGarurumon. The light deep within the otherworldly soul has begun to emerge.

The signature technique is Thunder Strike, which releases electricity from the wrist to deliver an electrified blow to the enemy.

The special move is Flame Strike Mask, which cloaks the bamboo sword in fiery energy and strikes the opponent's head.]

The KendoGarurumon Mo Yan had evolved into was far taller and more muscular than an ordinary KendoGarurumon, and his strength was likewise beyond comparison.

As expected of one of the legendary Four Holy Beasts, the most generous being in the second series.

Feeling the power surging through him, Mo Yan dropped to one knee, placed his right hand over his chest, and said respectfully, "Praise be to my god."

At that moment, Mo Yan wanted nothing more than to cling tightly to Qinglongmon's leg.

Although Qinglongmon had no legs.

Still, that did nothing to stop Mo Yan from wanting to latch onto such a powerful patron.

Keep sucking up, and in the end, you'll have everything you could ever want.

Especially since Qinglongmon was the most generous of the Four Holy Beasts.

Or rather, all four treated their own people quite well.

Every one of the Deva was an Ultimate and possessed a certain degree of network access granted by the Four Holy Beasts.

Impmon, recommended by Cerberumon, had been evolved straight into Beelzemon.

Even Antylamon, who had betrayed Zhuqiaomon, had only been stripped of the power granted by the Four Holy Beasts and could still evolve.

Clearly, if you followed the Four Holy Beasts, unless you insisted on fighting the protagonists to the bitter end,

you would at least become an Ultimate.

Ultimate was not an unattainable dream, either.

Seeing Mo Yan's evolved form, Qinglongmon could not help looking forward to the wondrous changes that might occur once the Digital World analyzed the otherworldly laws he carried.

And so Qinglongmon told Mo Yan, "Go familiarize yourself with your power. Then wait for the right moment to enter the real world."

Hearing Qinglongmon's instructions, Mo Yan, still kneeling on one knee, immediately uttered words that made his own scalp prickle: "As you will, my god."

Since he had already accepted his role as a hired hand, Mo Yan figured he might as well throw his dignity away.

But going to the real world?

Would it be the world of that little angel, Takato?

A flicker of anticipation stirred in Mo Yan's heart.