The colossal demon, like a deity descending from the heavens, slammed down both claws, unleashing a scarlet-red cross attack that completely shattered the mountain’s final foundation. Torrents of rock and debris surged into a roaring tide, swiftly sweeping a familiar figure into the chaos.
“RINAA!!”
Zero and Hajime felt blood rush to their heads. Facing an attack powerful enough to reshape the landscape itself, a normal human stood no chance of escape.
Rina’s physical capabilities far exceeded ordinary humans, yes—but even she was powerless, little more than a fragile girl, against such overwhelming devastation.
Fortunately, Leomon was by her side. He had said clearly before: “Leave Rina’s safety to me.” And since those words had left his mouth, given his steadfast character, Leomon would keep his promise even at the cost of his life.
Leomon fearlessly dove straight into the roaring flood of rubble and wood, using both his blade and claws to dig through the raging torrent, forcibly dragging Rina from the brink of death.
But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, another wave of debris thundered down as the mountain cracked further.
Without hesitation, Leomon gripped Rina’s hand tightly, then, gathering every ounce of strength, hurled her towards the direction of Zero and Hajime.
That one brief delay was enough to seal his own fate. As he released Rina, Leomon’s body vanished beneath the merciless tide of rubble.
“Leomon!”
Hajime swiftly reacted, maneuvering skillfully through the air with her Jet Wings, catching Rina safely mid-flight…
…Zero, meanwhile, desperately lunged toward where Leomon had vanished—but even with his towering three-story-tall body, he was battered off-balance by the crushing waves of debris. How could Leomon, who was only slightly taller than a human, possibly endure?
By the time Zero reached that spot, no trace of Leomon could be seen.
They couldn’t be certain Leomon was truly gone, but the situation looked grim. And before Zero or Hajime had even a moment to mourn their lost comrade, the giant demon’s attacks bore down once more.
“Don’t worry—I’ll send you all to reunite with your fallen friend right now!”
Its next strike aimed directly at Hajime, who was suspended mid-air, carrying Rina—limiting her usual nimble maneuvers.
“—!”
Just as the deadly claw closed in, the continuous desperate circumstances finally triggered that miracle once seen before.
From Rina’s Digivice erupted a brilliant burst of radiance, splitting into two beams of pure white, enveloping both Zero and Hajime…
…Amidst the dazzling glow, two distinctive crest-like emblems appeared upon their bodies.
These were precisely the same Crests activated by powerful emotions when Hajime first evolved during the battle with Andromon.
The official protagonist-grade buff was naturally overwhelming, and this time, the crests’ activation was even more potent than when they had faced Andromon.
Powered up by her crest, Hajime’s spirit surged like she’d been pumped full of adrenaline. In her eyes, the demon’s movements suddenly slowed down, almost as if time itself had stretched by tenfold.
Hajime prepared to activate her Jet Wings—then remembered that, due to continuous use, they only had five seconds left before entering cooldown.
At that critical instant, Zero charged forward from behind, his own body glowing brilliantly with the crest’s radiance.
As the twin lights crossed paths, their minds impossibly linked, thoughts perfectly synchronized without even needing words. In a flash, they executed a seamless tactical swap.
“I’m counting on you!”
“Leave it to me!”
Exchanging quick words amidst a fierce gust, Hajime used the final five seconds of her Jet Wings’ power, exchanging positions with Zero at the very limit of timing. Zero raised his Trident Revolver, mentally counting down—
One… two… FIRE!!!
A blinding flash erupted, forcibly deflecting the incoming claw. But this explosion’s purpose wasn’t simply defense—it also generated a powerful recoil, creating an updraft of wind.
And Hajime, seizing the last second before her Jet Wings entered cooldown, rode that updraft gracefully to a safe landing.
As soon as they touched ground, Rina leapt off Hajime’s back.
“Thanks—I’m fine for now, hurry and help Zero!”
With the mountain completely obliterated, there was no immediate risk of another rockslide. Hajime nodded sharply, steam vented from her Jet Wings, and the grenade launchers on her shoulders finished reloading.
Meanwhile, though Zero’s cannon blast had pushed away the demon’s claw, it swiftly spun its arm, aiming a horizontal sweep directly toward him.
Thankfully, Zero had anticipated this. Using the wind from the earlier blast, he leapt mid-air, barely evading the giant demon’s strike—and in turn, stomped down fiercely onto the demon’s arm.
Using that kick for a secondary boost, Zero raced straight up the demon’s limb, rapidly closing the distance.
On the ground, Hajime sprinted at full speed, coordinating perfectly with Zero’s assault. The crests shining upon their bodies now glowed almost blindingly bright.
Seeing both attackers rapidly approaching, even the colossal demon felt a faint prickle of unease.
“I am the—”
It began a thunderous taunt, a single word rattling the heavens and scattering lightning across the dark sky—but Zero and Hajime interrupted simultaneously:
“‘You’ my ass! Just die already!!!”
Shoulder-mounted grenade launchers—Full volley unleashed—
From the barrel of Zero’s Trident Revolver, a searing radiance compressed to the brink of detonation.
They had only one chance.
Their target: the demon’s DigiCore—its very heart!
“Go!!!”
Amid their roars, the crest’s brilliance solidified into an almost tangible form. Around both Zero and Hajime, a hazy outline briefly emerged in the gathered light, their forms flickering into something else for a split second before reverting.
It was a fleeting glimpse—too quick for Hajime to see clearly from a distance. But up close, the colossal demon saw Zero’s form distinctly.
That brief figure was even larger than Zero’s current body—a massive dinosaur with gleaming silver-metallic claws and chest plates. Beneath its partially ruptured skin, the gleam of metal skeleton was unmistakable.
Even if it lasted merely a fraction of a second, the demon couldn’t possibly mistake that form—
The next instant, the storm of grenades enveloped the colossal demon, while simultaneously, three piercing golden-red bursts ignited against its body…
One at the head, one at the abdomen, and—
The heart!!!
—
This is a fan translation of从滚球兽开始 by 魔王丘比. Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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