By every measure, this was the highest-level battle on Server Continent—excluding the Dark Masters themselves.
Because it was a three-way battle, everyone was effectively fighting two opponents at once. In terms of strength, Zero and Myotismon were evenly matched, while Etemon couldn't defeat either of them individually, but made himself the perfect shit-stirring nuisance.
Now, with the blood-red moon high at midnight, Myotismon's attributes were maxed out. Normally, he'd fall slightly short of Zero's power, but with the full nocturnal buff, he matched Zero blow for blow—perhaps even edging slightly ahead.
Zero himself hadn't exactly planned on brawling with a vampire in the dead of night.
Seriously, wouldn't it have been better to just show up at high noon and blast him apart?
Yet clearly, Myotismon knew full well his strength plunged in daylight. At night, he fully leveraged the terrain advantage, trading blows fiercely with Zero.
Two crimson whips shimmered in his hands, shifting unpredictably between solid and intangible, capable of striking at any distance. Nor were they confined to a whip's form—he could reshape them into any weapon he desired.
Zero, meanwhile, had fully unleashed his Trident Wings, surrounding himself with floating cannons that seamlessly transitioned between offense and defense. His Trident Revolver swung fiercely, making even the fully buffed Myotismon wary of receiving a direct hit.
And then there was Etemon, who—relying on a dazzling, circus-like acrobatic style—kept tumbling and jumping wildly around the battlefield…
…Of course, describing him as "wildly fleeing attacks" wasn't entirely wrong, either. After all, he really did lag behind in combat strength.
But Etemon didn't need to beat Zero or Myotismon directly. It was enough to dart chaotically through the battle, tossing Dark Spirits here and landing a punch or a kick there, creating constant headaches.
Because of their fundamentally opposed positions, neither Zero nor Myotismon could team up to eliminate Etemon first—after all, who could guarantee their temporary ally wouldn't conveniently stab them in the back?
Compared to Etemon, they each saw the other as the true threat.
At Ultimate-level, everyone had at least one or two secret trump cards. Moreover, both Zero and Myotismon fought seamlessly, with virtually no weaknesses.
Myotismon conjured swarms of bats and whipped up protective zones with his twin crimson whips, while Zero's floating cannons formed a constantly shifting, attack-and-defense array. Their intertwined silhouettes flashed through explosions of flame and wind, sending rocks and dust swirling throughout the valley…
…Yet after dozens of minutes of combat, neither side had landed a single decisive hit on the other.
High-level duels mostly consisted of careful probing—strike and parry, evade and counter. The battle was decided the moment someone failed to dodge or parry effectively…
…And outside those decisive moments, the whole thing essentially resembled tai chi—an endless dance of attack and defense.
On the battlefield's edge, the Drimogemon dared not even twitch. This level of fighting was far beyond their ability to participate; without sufficient strength, even spectating could cost your life.
No amount of curiosity was worth throwing your life away.
Taichi and Hikari similarly stayed far removed from the battlefield's chaos.
They were just ordinary elementary-schoolers. A battle between Ultimate-level Digimon was far beyond anything ordinary humans could influence—yet Taichi watched anxiously, hardly able to breathe.
He clutched the Tag—the empty pendant—in his hand…
…Zero had said this held the power to evolve Digimon, a gift prepared by some mysterious big-shot specifically for Taichi.
Taichi didn't know why this "big-shot" would give him a gift, but he understood clearly enough: if Zero hadn't been joking, he possessed the ability to help Zero…
…With the Tag's power!
But Zero hadn't explained how to use it, nor did Taichi have any idea. Charging directly onto the battlefield certainly wouldn't work—anyone with half a brain could figure that out.
He hated that he could only stand by helplessly watching. Frustration filled his chest, accompanied by a faint yet unmistakable longing.
If only…
…At that very moment, the pendant clenched tightly in Taichi's hand began to faintly glow.
The Crest and Tag needed to be combined to reach their fullest potential, and the Crest itself was essentially a cheat code custom-made for the Chosen Children.
A subtle connection naturally existed between child and Crest. If the child felt a strong enough wish or call, truly speaking from their heart, the Crest would respond.
"Hang in there, Zero! Don't lose to a guy like him!"
Even if he couldn't directly intervene, at least Taichi could shout his encouragement with all his strength. Hearing this, Zero laughed confidently.
"Of course! How could I possibly lose to a guy like him!"
Energy gathered within the Trident Revolver, a three-second countdown ticking off—and then, a triple shot fired!
The same move that had sent Devimon back to the village of beginnings exploded like a blazing sun over the valley, momentarily drowning out the blood-red moon and turning night to brilliant daylight!
"!"
Myotismon recognized immediately that this attack was lethal to him—if hit, even surviving would cost half his life. He swiftly crossed his arms before him, billowing cloak whipped violently by surging winds. As the piercing white brilliance approached, Myotismon abruptly thrust both arms skyward…
…At that instant, a crimson energy torrent erupted from his body, rising to meet the blood moon.
This was Myotismon's signature Bloody Stream, compressed and released at maximum density into a towering pillar of blood-red energy.
When the pillar reached level with the blood moon, he swung both hands outward sharply!
Instantly, a second stream shot horizontally through the vertical pillar, forming an enormous, blood-red cross!
The massive cross seemed to distort gravity, drawing everything nearby inexorably toward it.
Zero recognized the move instantly—this had been Myotismon's final act in the original series, interrupted when Angewomon's Celestial Arrow struck him down before he could unleash it.
…It had been his desperate, last-resort technique—one he'd never gotten a chance to use.
Now fully formed, the cross devoured all approaching objects, instantly draining them into ash-colored sand.
The blood-red cross and the brilliant daylight blast deadlocked mid-air, each refusing to yield…
Amidst this apocalyptic scene, a shadowy figure gave a shrill cry—"Gyah!"—and was flung screaming out of sight by the clashing energy.
"Damn it! This king will definitely be back!"
Etemon's last words echoed briefly before his silhouette vanished like a comet into the distant night sky.
Just as the daylight energy began slowly overpowering the blood cross, something unexpected happened.
"Waaah!"
Taichi suddenly cried out—the expanding battlefield had forced him, Hikari, and the Drimogemon into a corner. Now, the blood-red cross's gravitational pull dragged their helpless bodies towards it.
"I…"
Before Zero could curse, his body was already moving, instantly placing himself between them and the deadly pull.
This single moment of distraction reversed the clash—the white daylight was pushed back by the blood cross…
…In a battle of masters, a single slip-up determined victory or defeat.
"What a shame. If not for these worthless weaklings dragging you down, you wouldn't have become distracted. That's why… you lose. Fall into hell!"
The blood-red cross surged forward, crushing down upon Zero's position.
Without Etemon's meddling, Myotismon was free to attack recklessly, while Zero had to worry about Taichi's safety.
The scales of victory naturally tilted toward Myotismon.
But just as the cross bore down, a colorful trail of bubbles—shimmering like rainbows—darted into the battlefield from the darkness.
"What—?!"
Myotismon froze, shocked by the sudden intrusion…
This brief hesitation caused his concentration to waver…
…The white daylight and blood-red cross violently collided, exploding into a hurricane of devastating wind. The entire valley was scarred and gouged, left in ruins.
When the dust finally settled, not a single figure remained.
Myotismon slowly surveyed the devastated surroundings, then whispered coldly:
"…They escaped? No, call it a draw. So, the Greymon from File Island—Zero, was it? I didn't expect you to be so formidable. It seems…I must accelerate my plans…"
Meanwhile, a huge rainbow bubble enveloped Zero, Taichi, Hikari, and the five Drimogemon. After wobbling slightly, the bubble popped with a gentle "pa"… and everyone inside realized they'd been transported into a barren desert.
"So that's it…"
Zero, devolving back into Agumon, understood immediately.
Clearly, their battle had drawn the attention of the Sage of the Southern Desert, who had arrived just in time.
"Thanks for your help."
Zero bowed politely. In response, the air shimmered as a small figure materialized before them.
"Haha, no need for thanks. In any case, welcome to my secret base—fellow warriors against the Dark Army!"