Outside the cabin, intricate patterns unfolded, shimmering with the wondrous power known as magic.
Magic Script, an advanced programming language of the Digital World possessing extraordinary power, filled the spaces left within those intricate patterns.
Finally, the two combined into an exceptionally high-level Magic Circle.
The sacred power Mo Yan had released.
The bonds the children and their Digimon had displayed.
Under the Magic Circle's influence, these two forces blossomed into boundless light within the cabin.
Outside the cabin, however, all was darkness.
Amid that boundless radiance, Mo Yan sensed a vast, benevolent power of light emerging.
Focusing his mind, Mo Yan extended his awareness to sense and guide that power.
Fortunately, because part of that power had come from Mo Yan, it did not resist his guidance.
With its aid, Mo Yan began refining the standing-or rather, the permissions-of an Angel-type Digimon according to his plan.
He did not have to wait long, nor did any unexpected complications arise.
The moment that power entered Mo Yan's body, the Angel Core he had originally condensed through a shortcut began generating profoundly mysterious data.
Immediately afterward, golden patterns began spreading across the surface of the DigiCore representing his Angel Form.
From the inside out.
A new transformation began.
At that moment, Mo Yan's angelic appearance also changed slightly.
Although he did not grow any more wings.
The pair on his back began growing larger and stronger, and the beginnings of Holy Script even appeared upon them.
So where had the power born through the Magic Circle been put to use?
The answer lay in the Holy Rings now appearing around Mo Yan's wrists.
Golden bands engraved with Holy Script were symbols possessed only by high-ranking angels.
And now, they had appeared on Mo Yan's wrists.
Of course, the Holy Rings on his wrists were a far cry from true Holy Rings.
A true Holy Ring bore comprehensive Holy Script representing its angel's abilities, glory, qualifications, status, and more.
The Holy Rings Mo Yan possessed, however, each bore only a single indistinct character of Holy Script.
Holy Script that had yet to form phrases or sentences possessed no special power.
Holy Rings like these had more symbolic significance than practical value.
Mo Yan understood all of this perfectly, yet he had still chosen to condense these symbolic objects rather than grow a second pair of wings.
This was the advice SageMon had given him.
In SageMon's view, securing the qualifications first mattered more than obtaining a second pair of wings.
Power could be obtained at any time.
Qualifications, however, were not so easily acquired.
Even incomplete, imperfect qualifications were far harder to obtain than ordinary Digimon could imagine.
Mo Yan's acquisition of those qualifications had seemed simple and smooth.
In truth, it had been inevitable all along.
A closer look at the advantages Mo Yan possessed made that clear.
First, Mo Yan was Qinglongmon's apostle.
Then, Mo Yan possessed the Twelve Digicores, which represented a certain standing. (In SageMon's eyes, Qinglongmon had bestowed these upon Mo Yan. In reality, they were Mo Yan's own innate gift.)
Next, Mo Yan had spent some time receiving instruction in the Realm of the Gods.
Finally, Mo Yan's mentor was SageMon. (A boast from SageMon.)
Taken together, Mo Yan's success had been inevitable.
Of course, Mo Yan had only obtained the qualifications to advance toward becoming a high-ranking angel.
Otherwise, the Realm of the Gods would not have had only one King of Angels and the Three Great Angels.
Well, Goddramon and HolyDramon were excluded from the ranks of angels.
After all, Qinglongmon, Goddramon, HolyDramon, and Megidramon were collectively known as the Four Great Dragons.
There was also a rumor.
Well, it came from gossip SageMon had overheard, so it was not reliable.
According to that gossip, HolyDramon was actually the mascot of the Realm of the Gods.
Would you believe that?
Well, I did.
Back to the matter at hand.
To turn those qualifications into actual standing and power, Mo Yan still needed to keep inscribing his own sacred passages upon the Holy Rings.
When those passages were complete, Mo Yan would ascend to the rank of a high-ranking angel.
Honestly, Mo Yan had once believed that by creating an angel-line DigiCore and then entering Lucemon's data, he could obtain Lucemon's power.
That naive idea had, naturally, failed.
Mo Yan had not even been able to condense a single Holy Ring.
Never mind the fact that the real Lucemon possessed four Holy Rings.
With such immense power and exalted standing, Lucemon needed only to separate out a portion of that power and authority to create the Three Great Angels, who stood above countless other angels.
And so, Mo Yan's path of imitation had ended before it even began.
Now, with help from various sources, Mo Yan had condensed two essentially blank Holy Rings. This was an immensely precious achievement.
If Mo Yan could one day finish composing his own sacred passages, he would rival, or even surpass, the Three Great Angels.
As for matching Lucemon, SageMon had advised Mo Yan to look for a solution in his dragon-line DigiCore instead.
After all, everyone knew that dragon-line Digimon frequently produced "gods."
Despite the power of dragon-line Digimon, Mo Yan still preferred Angel-type Digimon, who were both handsome and impressive.
Mo Yan had defiantly argued that even a hopeless slacker had a chance to turn things around, so why couldn't he dream?
Forget certainty. What about the slightest possibility?
What if it actually came true?
After all, Mo Yan's boss was Qinglongmon (one of the Four Holy Beasts and one of the Four Great Dragons), his mentor was SageMon (Ancient SageMon!?), and his coach was Angemon (Blazing Angemon's successor).
With a background like that, couldn't he indulge in a little ambition?
As the Holy Rings began dimming their radiance, the enormous Magic Circle enveloping the cabin also began to dissipate.
Inside the cabin.
As the power gathering the light faded, the children and their Digimon gradually awoke from the warm, comfortable, relaxing radiance.
"Takato, aren't you going home today?"
While the children were still a little dazed, Guilmon's adorable yet pointed question rang out beside Takato Matsuki's ear.
"What!?
Ah!!!
It's already this late? I'm doomed!"
At Guilmon's words, Takato Matsuki looked down at his wristwatch in a daze.
He had been blissfully unaware until that glance gave him a fright.
The time displayed on the watch showed that it was already late at night.
Thinking of the grilling his parents would give him, Takato Matsuki immediately erupted into a panic that not even Holy Light could soothe.
"Sorry, sorry! It's so late, I have to go home. Please look after Guilmon for me."
Pressing his palms together, Takato Matsuki asked Mo Yan to help take care of Guilmon.
The strength Mo Yan had revealed, the experience evident in his words, and the refinement visible in his every gesture had quietly made Takato Matsuki feel that he could trust him.
Of course, most importantly, Takato Matsuki now understood that Mo Yan meant no harm.
Their earlier battle had been just as Mo Yan had described: a way to gauge the strength of the DigiDestined-meaning them-and their bonds with their partners.
So Takato Matsuki was willing to take that first step and try trusting him.
"Thank you for your explanations. They've helped me understand much more about Digimon and the Digital World.
I hope you'll continue to guide me in the future."
Seeing that Takato Matsuki was leaving, Li Jianliang did not intend to stay any longer either. He stood and bid Mo Yan farewell with the courtesy of a student.
Treating anyone who could teach him with a student's respect was a Chinese custom Li Jianliang's father had taught him.
Besides, if he stayed any later, his parents would worry too.
No, they were probably already worried sick.
At that thought, Li Jianliang hurried toward home.
"Renamon, let's go."
"All right, Rika."
Seeing that Takato Matsuki and Li Jianliang had both left, Rika Makino got up to leave as well.
However, Rika Makino did not say goodbye to Mo Yan.
He had beaten Renamon so badly earlier, then lectured her afterward!
Hmph. I'm not going to bother with a Digimon like him.
That thought flashed through Rika Makino's mind.
In truth, she had listened more attentively than anyone else while Mo Yan told his stories.
Seeing Rika Makino leave without looking back, Renamon politely pressed both palms together toward Mo Yan.
Then Renamon swiftly departed.
Throughout all of this, Mo Yan said nothing, merely smiling and nodding.
Most of Mo Yan's attention remained on understanding the changes he had gained.
And then Mo Yan noticed Guilmon staring at him with wide eyes.
A moment later, Guilmon and Impmon were both hit with a Sleep Spell.
Before you continue