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<Digital World / Continent Server> <Herissmon - PoV>

"Haa..." I watched wearily as the other Goburimon ran off into the forest, I was confused by the Goblin's sudden retreat but also relieved, I didn't think I could fight him right now. "Ugh..."

I crashed face first into the ground as I felt my strength leave my battered body, that first Goburimon was strong, very strong.

'But I managed to beat it!' I thought excitedly as I put all my remaining strength into staying conscious. 'And it was all thanks to-'

"Herissmon! Are you okay?" Noah's voice brought me back to my senses, turning my head weakly I managed to see Noah kneeling beside me looking at me with extreme concern.

Feeling happy and excited to beat a stronger Digimon, I couldn't help but want to share my accomplishment with my partner. "Noah... I beat him thanks to you!"

Noah looked at me in confusion as he carefully lifted me up and laid me against his chest. "Me?"

"You gave me strength Noah...to keep fighting..." I muttered under my breath as I closed my eyes from exhaustion. "I'm... sleepy..."

"You can't sleep now Herissmon!" Noah exclaimed with a hint of panic in his voice that kept me awake for a moment "Right! I can do this!"

Suddenly I felt my body rearrange itself again, as my code became more complex, as my programming became more solid... more....

I felt my digital self become more complete.

I let out a sigh of satisfaction as Goburimon and Kunemon's data settled deep inside me making their Data mine. It was a feeling...good I think?...I'm not very good with words, but it was as if I wanted more and more Data just to feel this sensation again.

I felt as if Goburimon and Kunemon's life experiences were settled in my mind but I could not access them even though they were now my Data and therefore my life experiences. As if that thought unlocked something, a part of Kunemon's memory entered my mind showing me a small part of his life.

I saw his struggle, his reluctance, his joy, his revenge, his resentment....

It was all happening too fast for me to process it all.

But those feelings morphed into something else.

Something I could use.

"Woah! Herissmon look!"

 

[=====]

Herissmon

Data: 57 / 150

Special Attack: Lightning Dive, Lightning Fur, Electric Thread

[=====]

 

"Now you're on par with that Goburimon!" Noah spoke with obvious awe in his voice that made you smile proudly. "Plus you gained a new attack... wait, isn't that Kunemon's attack?"

"Yes! Now I can throw electric nets!" I nodded excitedly as my mind downloaded the information needed to perform the attack.

Lifting your head slightly you could look at the relieved and content smile on Noah's face, for some reason your desire to be by his side only became stronger than before.

No matter how many times it took.

I would protect my partner until the end of time.

Because he is my partner.

And I am his Digimon.

 

***

<Continent Server / Tunomon Village> <Noah - PoV>

It had been a week since that fight in the forest, during the week we have been doing various things to make the most of the time. We have continued to go back and forth from the forest, mainly to explore but also in search of more combat to strengthen ourselves.

Fortunately for me, I discovered that it is not necessary to assassinate Digimon to get Data. Simply defeating them Herissmon gets Data from combat which is a great relief to me.

But there is one drawback.

The amount received is extremely less than that obtained by killing a Digimon.

Which left me in a bit of a pickle, which I'm going to ignore for the time being.

I don't want to kill Digimon simply to get power.

That's... just not right.

Besides, I don't have to second-guess myself during nights when I can barely sleep properly. I think the only two things that kept me firm about my decision were the promise with TK and the desire to go home.

That said, I have discovered even more things about this Digital World and how strange it is.

For example, food grows from trees.

Yes, from trees.

I saw how inside what looked like a coconut was spaghetti.

I saw how an ordinary plant grew edible meat.

And many more examples that I simply don't want to think about because of how impossible they are and how inexplicable the problem is. It is simply ridiculous.

Which does not lead to.

"That place every day is more ridiculous than the day before..." He can't help but roll his eyes as he looked at the phone booths lined up perfectly in the middle of the beach.  "I mean, why are there phone booths on the beach?"

"So these things are called phone booths?" asked Gabumon as he looked at the beach with narrowed eyes. "Anyway, so what are we doing here?"

"Well, Herissmon and I were going to see if we could get some fish... I'm a little sick of eating meat, rice and eggs. Plus we wanted to test how much Data a workout can give us" I explained as I ran a hand across my forehead wiping away the sweat.

The weather was another crazy thing, while the Village had a mostly cold temperature the beach was strangely warm. I had an idea why this was happening but I didn't think the Digital World was that ridiculous?

Who am I kidding, this World is crazy.

"The question is what are you doing here, I don't remember telling you anything about this" I looked at Gabumon with a raised eyebrow, I wasn't complaining about him being here but it was strange that he was abandoning his post as a Guard.

"Huh? You don't want him here or what?"

"You know he didn't mean that Gabumon!" Herissmon exclaimed as he jumped onto Gabumon's back, the latter almost fell on his face from the sudden weight but he was able to carry Herissmon easily. "You came because you want to spend time with us didn't you?"

"N-No! I just heard that you wanted to train and I decided to join!  I don't magically become strong you know?" Gabumon exclaimed as he shook slightly, I could have sworn his face reddened a little but with this heat I guess it was normal. "W-Whatever! Every once in a while I go out of my stall to hunt as many Digimon as I can... there aren't many Digimon Child that can take me on you know?"

 

[=====]

Gabumon

Data: 143 / 150

Special Attack: Petit Fire, Little Horn, Hidden Knock

[=====]

 

"...I think I understand why" I muttered to myself as I looked at Gabumon's Data in amazement, it was no wonder it was stupidly strong. 'So the Special Attacks are not symbolic of the Digimon's strength...good to know.'

I turned my head towards the sea watching as the waves moved calmly, even in this world the serenity conveyed by the sea was omnipresent. I absentmindedly noticed that the water was completely clear perfect for swimming.

'Too bad we didn't come for that...' I thought as I opened my Tamagochi and searched for a specific piece of information.

 

[=====]

Data: They function primarily to accelerate the growth and maturation of a Digimon by making it more complete and complex. The Data is essential to reach the -Digievolution-.

Combat Type: -Open to read-

Training Type: They are remains obtained by a Digimon that has arduously trained some part of his body or mind, depending on the Digimon's training parts of his body can be strengthened even if it is not visible to the naked eye. -???-

Participation Type: They are remains left by a Digimon that has been seriously wounded during a combat but has not died leaving this data in the open air.

+: If a group of Digimon kills another Digimon, the Data will change from Combat Type to Participation Type distributing the Data by the Amount of Participation that each Digimon has done during the combat, adding in total the amount of Data that had the Deceased Digimon.

+: If the Data of a Deceased or Wounded Digimon is left in the open air, this Data will become vegetation or a Digitama in the same place where the Data was left.

[=====]

 

I reread all the information I had obtained during the week and honestly I was quite happy with everything I had accomplished, although it bothered me that there was still information about the Training Data that I still don't know.

Apparently the "+" are information related to the Data that are not completely relevant, I earned those thanks to a couple of Achievements I got thanks to discovering the crazy vegetation of this World and to a fight I did with TK who wanted to participate in one of my confrontations with Tokomon.

Speaking of that pair...

"Noah, can I get in the water! Please! Please!" TK started tugging on my hand while looking at me with glowing almost star-like eyes.

"I..." I looked at Gabumon with a meaningful look, he apparently understood what I was trying to tell him and simply shrugged.  "I guess it's okay... but don't push him too far away!"

TK smiled broadly before turning to Tokomon. "Okaaa! Come on Tokomon!"

"Wah! I want to get in the water too!"

"After our training!"

After that we started training... or at least what I thought was training.

The truth was that I had no idea how to start training, I had never done it before and the only thing I knew about it were basic exercises I saw on TV thanks to Dragon Ball.

Fortunately for me, Gabumon did know a few things about training. He quickly ordered Herissmon to practice with his Special Attacks until it was almost natural for him to perform them, he also asked him to practice his aim with his spikes and his speed when he turned into a spiked wheel.

And me, well, I really had no reason to train but I felt bad just letting Herissmon do it alone, so I joined him.

Of course, I don't shoot spokes or spikes so I just mimicked what I remember seeing on TV.

Running back and forth, push-ups, squats, among other basic exercises.

While we were training I watched Gabumon perform one of his Special Attacks, Petit Fire.

And it was terrifying, the description of the attack says that it is a small light blue flame that inflicts damage to his enemies and is obviously capable of burning them.

This wasn't a small flame, it was a blue flamethrower.

Gabumon's control on his Special Attack added to his strength allowed him to extend for a long time his attack in originally it should be a small blue fireball.

Comparing the strength of that to Herissmon's attacks the difference was obvious.

'Even if Herissmon was as strong as Gabumon, I don't think we could beat it' I thought in amazement as a relieved smile formed on my face. 'I'm glad we're friends with him...'

As I was about to talk to Gabumon I suddenly felt a chill run through my entire body, immediately turn my head towards the ocean. My heart began to beat rapidly as a dark, oppressive feeling squeezed it tightly.

Although my mind didn't know what was causing this feeling of dread.

My soul knew much better.

Out there in the far reaches of the sea.

A Dark Lord had revealed his presence to the World.

...