In the real world,
Koshiro slowly opened the All-Knowing Eye, gazing distantly towards Japan.
Whoosh!
Finally, an intangible pillar of light locked onto Yamato's location.
Data flashed before Koshiro's eyes as he reported back to Taichi.
"Sora's coordinates are still at Tokyo Hospital, but it's a ruin now, unattended."
"Yamato abandoned her. His current location is Tokyo International Airport. He bought a flight to the United States, and it's about to take off."
Hearing Koshiro's words, Taichi's pupils contracted slightly, a playful curve lifting the corner of his mouth.
'Abandoned?'
'That Yamato, who on that rainy Christmas night, promised to be good to her for a lifetime, to make her ten thousand times happier than she would have been with me...'
'When faced with a life-and-death crisis, he ultimately let go after all.'
Of course…
In Yamato's eyes, besides his brother Takeru, who else was worth him risking his life to protect?
The former Taichi thought he might be Yamato's close friend.
But reality slapped him in the face time and again, cruelly proving
That someone like Yamato only truly acknowledges his noble blood relatives in his heart.
He looks down upon all mundane emotions with an innate sense of superiority.
Since buying gifts with money could win him a girl like Sora, then changing locations and repeating the same maneuver, couldn't he obtain a similar 'thing'?
Taichi shook his head with a faint smile, not a trace of sympathy in his heart.
Forgive him for using the word 'thing' to describe this girl who abandoned her dignity.
After all, from the moment she betrayed Taichi and chose Yamato, the image of Sora as a 'human' had died in Taichi's heart.
The girl lying there was just an empty shell, drained by 'pleasure', a heartless walking corpse.
Taichi waved his right hand, and a gateway between the Digital World and the Real World opened.
Agumon followed behind him, swaying slightly as it crossed the gap, arriving in the real world in its true form.
Amidst the ruins, Sora lay on a pure white hospital bed, eyes tightly closed, like an exquisite sleeping beauty.
Barring any accidents, she would continue sleeping like this until her body was drained of nutrients, starving to death.
Such an outcome was neither satisfying nor necessary.
The grudge between Taichi and her... should be settled now.
Squelch…
A hand deeply pierced Sora's heart.
A crimson claw burst through, gleaming with a soul-startling brilliance under the sunlight.
It was Agumon's doing.
He turned to look at Taichi and nodded slightly.
His eyes were full of ruthless light.
This woman betrayed the man who had saved them countless times, betrayed the sincere feelings of a childhood friend.
She personally pushed the originally strong and sunny Taichi onto the path of darkness.
She wasn't wrong.
Seeking advantage and avoiding harm, forgetting morality for profit, is human nature.
From Apocalymon's constant rebirths to the increasingly abundant negative emotional power in the Digital World…
Everything attested to this.
But her unforgivable sin was betraying a youth with the bearing of a conqueror.
Ten years ago, Taichi, as a mere child, could defeat Apocalymon.
Ten years later, now that he has awakened from his slumber and bared his fangs, the entire world will tremble before him.
"It's over."
Taichi looked at Sora's tragically beautiful body.
A certain shackle in his heart seemed to 'snap' and shatter.
The love he once valued, the love he painfully waited for for ten years, was ultimately buried by his own hands.
"Next target, Yamato."
Agumon patted its blood-stained hands, a cruel curve lifting the corner of its mouth.
Compared to Sora, Aguman hated that man, the one who possessed the 'Crest of Friendship', even more.
Knowing full well that Taichi liked that wretched woman, he still took her without hesitation, and without a shred of guilt, acting all high and mighty.
Dealing with him would not be as simple as 'killing' him to settle the score.
"Taichi, change of situation. The flight at Tokyo International Airport departed early. Yamato's plane has already taken off."
"If you go now, you'll have to stop the entire plane to catch him."
At that moment, Koshiro's virtual projection suddenly appeared before Taichi,
Speaking with an apologetic expression.
"No matter. He can't escape."
Taichi's gaze shifted, a cold, grim smile curling on his lips.
Just an airplane.
He could even contend with the Thirteen Royal Knights, the pinnacle of the Digital World, and escape alive, so how could such a trivial matter stump him?
"Agumon, Warp Evolve."
The Crest of Revenge appeared in Taichi's hand, countless data storms swirling.
Whoosh…
Three golden flashes of light passed over Agumon's body in succession.
It rapidly evolved into WarGreymon.
"Hold on tight, Taichi. Thirty seconds at most."
WarGreymon showed a confident smile, carried Taichi on his back, and a storm began to swirl around him.
Boom!
A violent sonic boom erupted half a second after WarGreymon took off, lagging behind.
The orange-red figure disappeared into the firmament, flying towards the horizon.
In the ruins, only a tragically beautiful corpse remained.
Silently memorializing the Conqueror's lost love.
At this moment, on the airplane...
"It's fine, everything will be safe. If Koshiro wants to play the savior, let him. Grandpa and I bought tickets for the Ark. As long as we reach the United States, everything will be…"
Yamato's face was pale, constantly muttering prayers.
He feared the Digital World's descent even more, and feared Koshiro settling scores later.
Only the United States...
That Ark,凝聚 (concentrating) all of humanity's financial power, technology, and labor, could give him a sliver of安全感 (sense of security).
However,
Just as he was thinking this,
An orange-red figure he never expected to see suddenly appeared outside the airplane's narrow window.
Yamato's eyes widened in terror.
"Impossible! It's an illusion, it must be an illusion!"
He rubbed his eyes and looked out the window again.
It was still that figure! And not just it!
On that orange-yellow back was that familiar face—cold, domineering, radiating a terrifying killing aura!
'Taichi!!"
Yamato screamed in terror, snot and tears flowing as he scrambled forward.
"Pilot! There's a dangerous creature! Right next to the plane! Shoot it down! Shoot it down!"
After the Digital upheaval,
Even civilian aircraft were equipped with one or two small missiles for self-defense.
Yamato's panicked shouts quickly attracted the pilot's attention.
WarGreymon and Taichi's position were soon locked on by radar.
"Reporting to Self-Defense Forces. Unidentified alien creature confirmed. Requesting missile launch authorization."
'Authorization granted.'
The pilot took a deep breath and gently pressed the red danger button.
May the great Koshiro protect us.
Everyone on this plane will surely survive this crisis safely!