Starting from a Koromon! [65]

Zero himself had never expected that, after following Rina through all of the beginner-zone plotlines and halfway to Server Continent, he would actually run into the truly fated sibling heroes.

Indeed, as direct participants in the Hikarigaoka Incident, these two were originally the core of the Chosen Children program. As for the others…

It wasn’t exactly that they were filler, but their importance, in some sense, really wasn’t high. Well, except for the official cheat known as Hope. And regarding the other four, something had already been said. As for Friendship…

…Uh, actually, let’s talk about something else.

Really, there are some things that just annoy you the more you think about them—better off not thinking about them at all.

Due to the earlier disruption, the boundary between the Digital World and the Real World had become blurred, causing certain Digimon to inadvertently “spirited away” into the human world.

And of course, this phenomenon wasn’t one-way. Humans getting lost in the Digital World was equally possible.

The situation with Yagami Taichi and Yagami Hikari, rather than accidental, felt to Zero more like destiny…

…Though Zero’s interference had essentially trashed the Adventure script, clearly, the Host Computer hadn’t given up on the Chosen Children program entirely.

Even if we lose the other six, these two direct participants of the Hikarigaoka Incident—I must bring them over! I won’t allow years of careful planning to be wasted!

Even though the current Host Computer was just a half-hearted, jaded salaryman, even salarymen had their limits. You messed up my project proposal—fine, whatever, I’ll adjust it according to your wishes. But now you’re telling me we’re switching to someone else’s plan after all that? Absolutely not, I’m not doing it!

No, this has to go my way!

Zero was both amused and speechless. Taichi clearly had no memory of the Hikarigaoka Incident, but Hikari evidently remembered.

Of course, Zero wasn’t the Koromon they’d met back then. Either way, the next step was the standard routine: introductions and world-building explanations.

Zero explained their current circumstances as briefly and simply as possible.

Hikari seemed relatively calm, but Taichi’s expression grew darker by the second.

“The Digital World? Digimon? Then isn’t this world super dangerous? Wait a second—how do we get back to the human world?”

Zero felt tears streaming internally once again. See, this is what a normal person’s reaction looks like, right?

…Not that he was dissatisfied with Rina, but Taichi’s response definitely felt more realistic.

Compared to Taichi’s worsening complexion, Hikari simply replied with absolute confidence:

“It’s alright. Koromon… no, Zero will definitely protect me and big brother!”

Zero had introduced himself earlier, and Hikari quickly adjusted how she addressed him. Her obedient, cooperative, and sensible demeanor made Zero sigh in appreciation.

…As expected of the childhood goddess who enlightened an entire generation on sis-con and lolicon complexes. Really, Taichi, why are you chasing after Sora? Why not obediently surrender to your sister—is that so wrong? Is it?!

Well, the incest thing was obviously just a joke. Taichi’s feelings toward Hikari were nothing beyond a typical brother’s protective instincts toward his younger sister.

As for whether Hikari’s feelings for Taichi were purely innocent—well, that depended entirely on the director’s intentions. Though certain episode writers indeed slipped in personal biases, claiming “Hikari’s feelings towards Taichi surpass those of ordinary siblings,” it was only unofficial subtext. At least the director hadn’t openly acknowledged it.

Young children developing parental or sibling attachments beyond typical affection wasn’t abnormal; these emotions typically faded as their social circles widened. After all, at an early age, the most reliable and frequently encountered opposite-sex relationships usually involved family.

Developing feelings slightly beyond familial affection was perfectly normal. However, if that persisted into adulthood, it was another matter entirely.

“So you’re saying we’re actually under the ocean right now?”

After hearing Zero’s explanation, Taichi finally realized their location. After accidentally stumbling into the Digital World, he’d appeared directly in this location—he’d thought it was merely a natural cave but never imagined it was an undersea cavern.

In other words, without a reliable method to leave, he’d effectively be trapped here forever. Thankfully, Zero calmly reassured him:

“Relax. With me here… I’ll definitely protect you both.”

He wasn’t just being polite. Even though Zero was Rina’s Digimon partner and not the original Koromon who’d formed a bond with Taichi in the official storyline, for some inexplicable reason, the moment he saw Taichi and Hikari, Zero felt an intense fondness toward them.

…Well, maybe not so inexplicable, he admitted to himself, since childhood nostalgia does factor in.

Not to mention, Taichi and Hikari were undeniably the destined saviors. Ever since the Hikarigaoka Incident, these siblings had an inseparable connection to the Digital World.

And more importantly, they were virtually guaranteed to trigger the power of their Crests—something countless Digimon dreamed of…

“In short, the Digital World is currently very dangerous. I’ll explain more as we go, but before that… Drimogemon.”

Zero called out, and the Drimogemon who’d instantly betrayed the Dark Masters obediently rushed forward, head bowed submissively.

“Yes… What are your orders?”

“…You surely know this place better than I do. So, you know exactly where the ‘treasure’ is hidden, right?”

Drimogemon was the guard responsible for watching over the Tags, so naturally, it knew their precise location. Plus, Taichi and Hikari had been attacked nearby—so the hiding spot must be close.

As expected, Drimogemon confirmed that the siblings had accidentally approached the hiding spot of the Tags, prompting its attack.

Zero immediately ordered it to lead the way, guiding the three of them straight to where the Tags were hidden.

“And don’t try anything funny… As long as you cooperate obediently, I promise not to harm you. Once we’ve taken what we need, I’ll let you go.”

Clearly understanding the situation, Drimogemon readily agreed. After all, it didn’t possess any strong loyalty to the Dark Masters in the first place.

Zero signaled for the Yagami siblings to climb onto Drimogemon’s back, and he reverted to Koromon form to save space.

“Alright, is everyone settled in? Let’s move out.”

Watching Zero devolve back into Koromon, Hikari showed no surprise, as Koromon was exactly the form she knew best. Taichi, however, was stunned.

“First you’re that huge dinosaur thing, and now you’re a little blob—what exactly are you?”

Zero replied with a smile. “Perfect timing. It’ll take a while to get to the Tags anyway, so let me explain along the way. This is called Digivolution and de-Digivolution… It’s the power Digimon have to change our forms—and it’s a power that nearly every Digimon seeks desperately!”

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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!