Chapter Thirty-Seven: Patamon Evolves

"Who are you?"
A Digimon that looked like a large red frog but with rabbit ears and a sparrow's tail glared menacingly at Takeru and Patamon.
"Us? I’m Takeru Takaishi, this is Patamon, and the one lying over there is—"
"That’s not what I meant! I want to know why you’re here! You’ve made all the babies cry!"
Elecmon interrupted Takeru’s introduction, looking even angrier.
"Ah, we’re taking care of them…"
Takeru looked at Elecmon with equal annoyance, feeling his good intentions had been misunderstood.
"Taking care? More like bullying them!"
Elecmon shouted furiously.
"We weren’t bullying them, we were looking after them."
Takeru and Patamon defended themselves, clearly unhappy with the accusation.
"Hmph, you say that, but no one asked you to look after them."
Elecmon shot them a sideways glare.
"If that’s how you see it, then what are you to these babies anyway?"
Riled by Elecmon’s scorn, Patamon retorted angrily.
"I…"
This time, Elecmon was left speechless.
"What does that matter! You brat."
After a long pause, Elecmon grew flustered and angry.
"Aren’t you a brat too!"
With that, Patamon’s words became the spark, and soon enough, Elecmon and Patamon were rolling and wrestling in midair, locked in an angry scuffle.
Watching the two small figures brawling above, then glancing at the still-unconscious Qin Fei and the onlooking Loletta, Takeru grew increasingly anxious.
"Patamon, stop fighting!"
Takeru pleaded, but the two Digimon, lost in their fury, paid him no heed and fought even more fiercely.
"Stop it."
Realizing his words had little effect, Takeru’s anxiety grew heavier in his heart.
Ping.
Takeru’s holy Digivice suddenly lit up, its energy gauge rising one bar.
"Stop it…"
His frustration mounted, and, affected by his emotions, the energy in the holy Digivice in his arms continued to climb.
"Ah!"
"Argh!"
As the fight continued, Patamon and Elecmon started to injure each other.
Ping ping ping…
The energy in Takeru’s holy Digivice was nearly full.
"Stop…"

"Stop it."
"Both of you, I said—"
Just as Takeru was about to shout, a long, dark figure suddenly descended behind him.
"Heh heh, what a delightful surprise."
Hearing that familiar, chilling voice behind him, Takeru’s cry caught in his throat, his expression changing.
"Ah!"
At the same time, his scream snapped Patamon to his senses, making Elecmon halt the fight as well.
"That’s… Devimon!"
Patamon and Elecmon exclaimed in unison when they saw the terrifying figure behind Takeru.
No one knew why Devimon had appeared here.
"Takeru!!!"
Patamon immediately gave up attacking Elecmon and instead rushed frantically toward Devimon. At that moment, only one thought filled his mind: Takeru must not come to harm.
A monstrous hand seized Takeru’s small body, and Devimon’s eyes gleamed with vengeful delight.
"As long as I eliminate one of these chosen children, my mission is complete. The Puppet Master won’t punish me too harshly. Hahaha…"
Devimon’s crazed eyes shone with a suppressed ecstasy and excitement that nearly burst from his sockets.
"Crimson Shatter!"
"Damn it!"
Just as Devimon was about to snap Takeru’s neck, a blood-red cleaver flashed through the air, striking Devimon’s wrist.
Yelping in pain, Devimon released Takeru.
"What are you doing here too?!"
Recognizing Loletta’s familiar form, Devimon was startled and about to flee, but then caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of the unconscious figure lying under a tree.
"…"
"So that’s it…"
Devimon halted, an even more maniacal grin spreading across his face.
"So you’re injured too, how… how very fortunate."
Watching Devimon’s twisted, mad expression, Loletta’s heart sank.
The arm, leg, and wings severed by the Dark Spider Witch were now replaced with black gears, emitting an eerie buzzing.
Devimon’s aura grew all the more terrifying and powerful.
"Darkness still favors me! Heh heh… Hahaha!"
Once more, he spread his hands, and countless black gears converged from all directions, pouring into his body.
His wings flared, and Devimon’s form swelled again.
Though smaller than his previous fusion, he was still a towering demon exuding a fearsome presence.
Loletta could sense that, while Devimon’s strength wasn’t as great as before, he was still far beyond what the weakened Loletta and Patamon could handle.
"Takeru, Patamon, take Qin Fei and run! I’ll hold him off!"
With that, Loletta conjured another blood-red cleaver and hurled it at Devimon.
"None of you are getting away."

Batting aside the frail Loletta, Devimon turned his attention to the petrified Takeru and Patamon.
He intended to deal with them first.
Indeed, Devimon was still afraid.
He feared that if he pushed Loletta too far, she would once again evolve into that terrifying form.
But the weak Patamon and Takeru before him posed no such risk.
Devimon felt he could crush them with ease.
As long as he eliminated any pair of the chosen children, he considered his task a success. Even if Loletta did become the Dark Spider Witch again, he could simply flee.
Otherwise, he could exact his revenge and claim the lives of two children—surely the Puppet Master would forgive him.
With this in mind, Devimon’s clawed hand swept down toward Patamon and Takeru.
He could hardly wait to crush them and savor their delicious screams.
"Don’t bother struggling. You’re the youngest of the chosen ones, aren’t you? As long as I get rid of you… as long as I get rid of you, I’ll have nothing left to fear."
"Air Shot!"
Seeing the menacing claws reaching for Takeru, Patamon mustered his strength and attacked.
"Air Shot! Air Shot! Air Shot!..."
But no matter how desperately Patamon attacked, his moves had no effect on Devimon.
"Useless, I’m so useless! Why, why can’t I evolve?"
Patamon sobbed, watching the monstrous hand looming over Takeru. In the end, he charged forward, determined to use his small body to shield Takeru for even a moment.
"Patamon!"
Terrified, Takeru shut his eyes and crouched, screaming.
Ping!
At last, the energy in Takeru’s holy Digivice burst through the top, unleashing a radiance stronger than anyone had ever seen.
"Impossible!"
The blinding light instantly knocked Devimon’s hand aside.
Patamon was transformed into a brilliant star, rising before everyone’s astonished eyes.
"Patamon digivolve…"
In the light, three pairs of snowy-white wings unfurled, as if an angel had descended.
"Angemon."
The powerful force of light repulsed Devimon, as if his very nemesis had appeared.
"Impossible!"
Devimon roared his frustration as the holy light seemed to scorch his soul.
Once again, he had failed at the final moment.