Chapter 41: Breaking the Shell

"Here will do."

The next day, Qin Fei arrived in a grove not far from the sea and nodded to Loretta Beast. Loretta Beast took out her bone-cleaving axe and glanced at Qin Fei.

Qin Fei produced the card of Ancient Garurumon.

"Card swap! Scissor Arms!"

Clutching the crimson long blade tightly, Loretta Beast vanished into the woods like a shadow.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

A flurry of splintering wood echoed through the grove, and towering trees fell one after another.

"Loretta Beast is amazing!"

On the other side, Tai and the other children watched tree after tree topple with exclamations of awe. Their own Digimon couldn't possibly achieve such feats.

"Stop gawking! If you really want to set off earlier, come help! Hauling to the shore, stripping branches, trimming ends, making straw ropes, tying everything together—none of this can be done without plenty of hands!"

Seeing the onlookers at the forest's edge, Qin Fei called out irritably.

"Alright, we're coming to build the raft, oho!"

Tai responded loudly, then ran over with Agumon, clearly finding it all rather fun.

"With our strength and tools, building a real ship is impossible, but a large raft shouldn't be a problem," Izzy observed, watching Tai and Agumon struggle to hack through tree roots, then summoned Kuwagamon to join the wood-clearing team.

Soon, Sora, Matt, and Joe joined in with their Digimon. Mimi and T.K., being the smallest and weakest, set off to collect food and water.

"…"

"Sigh, just removing all these branches takes so much time."

At last, after clearing one tree, Izzy lifted his sweat-drenched face and grimaced.

"Take it slow—rushing won't help," Sora panted, then suddenly paused with a look of uncertainty, glancing behind her as if sensing someone approaching.

"Ah, it's Leomon!"

Once she made out the tall figure, Sora called out in surprise.

Leomon approached Sora and Izzy, silently surveying the freshly cleared trunk at his feet before speaking. "It seems you’ve decided to head to Shaba Continent…"

"Huh? How did you know?"

Izzy looked at Leomon in surprise.

"I heard it from other Digimon. Is there anything I can do to help?" Leomon explained, then eyed the logs below as if measuring them.

"Ah, you really want to help us?!"

Understanding Leomon’s intent, the children’s faces instantly brightened with excitement.

"Not just me…"

As he spoke, Leomon motioned for the children to look behind him.

Sure enough, several more distinctive figures were following Leomon toward them.

"Ah, it's Elecmon!"

"Monzaemon and Centarumon are here too!"

Tai waved excitedly at the incoming Digimon.

Elecmon smiled, "Let us lend a hand as well."

"It's Bearmon!"

Mimi and Palmon called out with delight as another figure approached, but then, casting a glance at Qin Fei—who was still directing Loretta Beast—Mimi's face clouded a little.

"Yukidarumon!"

"It's freezing," Joe said with a shiver as Yukidarumon drew near, but he was nonetheless happy.

Finally, Flaremon arrived, leading a group of Biyomon, who, upon spotting their long-lost comrade, joyfully crowded around her.

No words were needed. Seeing the children struggling with the lumber, every Digimon who had ever been helped by the children stepped up to take on the work.

"Beast King Fist!"

With Leomon's mighty roar, tree after tree crashed to the ground, startling flocks of birds into flight.

Flaremon used his searing heat to swiftly strip branches from the logs, then tossed them to Centarumon, who chopped them neatly to length.

Thus, the previously sluggish raft-building suddenly gained tremendous speed.

"Finally, a chance to rest," Loretta Beast murmured, her long blade vanishing in an instant. Watching the children and Digimon working in high spirits, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She’d thought she would have to shoulder most of the boat-building herself.

"See? Wasn’t I right?"

Watching Loretta Beast lean back against a tree, Qin Fei smiled contentedly.

"So, all those times you wouldn't let me take them out, you were waiting for this moment?" Loretta Beast muttered, sounding none too grateful. "I could have managed this in a little extra time, but if I’d absorbed their data, wouldn’t we be even stronger? At least then, facing powerful enemies, we’d feel more secure."

Qin Fei shook his head. "The two of us are still too weak. The enemies ahead can’t be defeated by reckless bravery alone. More companions and friends are always better than fighting alone."

Thinking of the future threats—the Puppet King and the Apocalypse Beast—Qin Fei couldn’t imagine any way he and Loretta Beast alone could triumph.

Now, though, all the other children could truly evolve their Digimon to the mature stage.

The path of Loretta Beast’s evolution remained a mystery to Qin Fei. Even the “incorrect” evolution into Dark Spider Witch was something he had no confidence in replicating.

If, by the time they faced the final boss, things remained this way, hope would rest solely on Tai and the "official" DigiDestined.

"I will evolve. To Champion… to Ultimate… all the way to Mega. When that time comes, I’ll help you destroy any enemy."

Loretta Beast seemed to see right through Qin Fei’s thoughts, her expression solemn and resolute.

"I believe you will," Qin Fei replied with a smile, then leaned in beside Loretta Beast, pressing close.

"But time is running out for us," he added, and both fell silent.

"…"

"By the way, what’s with that egg?"

At last, it was Loretta Beast who broke the silence. She’d been curious about the DigiEgg in Qin Fei’s arms for a long time, but never had the chance to ask.

"Hmm? You mean this little one?"

Qin Fei gently handed the DigiEgg to Loretta Beast.

"It was entrusted to me by a friend, someone just like me."

"Tch."

Loretta Beast scoffed, clearly unconvinced by Qin Fei’s evasiveness—after all, she had already discovered the Sacred Plan in his possession.

Gazing at the beautifully patterned DigiEgg, Loretta Beast hesitated for a moment, but under Qin Fei’s sincere gaze, she finally accepted it.

"Aren’t you afraid I’ll smash it? I don’t want to share my Tamer with another Digimon," Loretta Beast grumbled, staring at the egg as if she really might crush it.

"I rather trust you won’t," Qin Fei replied.

Loretta Beast fell silent.

For some reason, Qin Fei caught a flash of shyness on Loretta Beast’s face.

"Why did you draw me to look like this, back then?"

Loretta Beast blurted out another question, almost against her will.

She already knew the full story of her own creation from Qin Fei.

"Because I drew what I liked," Qin Fei answered boldly and without reservation.

Loretta Beast’s face turned even redder.

Crack.

Just as Loretta Beast grew flustered, a sudden crack sounded from the egg, and both she and Qin Fei tensed.

Both quickly lowered their heads to look at the DigiEgg in Loretta Beast’s arms.

The egg, which had been utterly still in Qin Fei’s embrace, now showed a clear fracture line as it lay in Loretta Beast’s arms.

"How… how can this be?"

If Qin Fei hadn’t caught it in time, Loretta Beast might have dropped it in surprise.

"It’s actually hatching now!"