Chapter Forty-Two: Setting Sail

“What… what is this?!” Qin Fei stared in confusion at the little head poking out before him. It didn’t quite match any of the Digimon he remembered.

“What kind of Digimon is this?” LorettaBeast craned her neck as well, scrutinizing the fluffy little creature. Its whole body was covered in soft, plush fur, and it was undeniably adorable: a black body, a white mouth, and those pointed ears.

Yet, for all his knowledge, Qin Fei couldn’t immediately identify which Digimon it was.

He instinctively reached out a hand to stroke it, but the moment he touched its seemingly soft yet remarkably tough fur, the creature snapped at him viciously.

“Ouch! Ow, ow, ow…” He quickly grabbed the small “hard-furred ball,” trying to pry it off his hand. But its jagged maw clamped down on his flesh so firmly that he dared not tug too hard for fear of making it worse.

“I’ll help you!” LorettaBeast, seeing her tamer in trouble, secretly rejoiced but feigned concern as she hurried to hold onto the strange little creature, acting as though she was going to pry its mouth open.

“With this, Qin Fei probably won’t like it much,” she thought gleefully.

Yet, neither expected what happened next. The moment LorettaBeast touched the little thing, it released its grip on Qin Fei’s hand of its own accord and, delighted, leapt into her arms, nuzzling her affectionately.

It seemed to adore her scent.

Now it was LorettaBeast’s turn to freeze, forced to let the little Digimon snuggle in her arms, all the while casting a pleading look toward Qin Fei.

“I think you’d better hold onto it for now—let me have a look,” Qin Fei said, shaking his arm. Thankfully, the wound was shallow, but he dared not approach the creature so recklessly again.

“I feel like I’m starting to remember what it looks like… but…” This time, Qin Fei scrutinized it with greater caution. Although it resembled a Digimon he recalled, the colors were all wrong.

“But what is it?” LorettaBeast asked, curious about Qin Fei’s hesitation.

“It looks like a Motimon, but Motimon should have a blue body and a white mouth. This little one is black with a white mouth,” Qin Fei muttered, puzzled, unable to confirm if this odd creature was indeed a Motimon.

“Maybe the corruption from that dark energy earlier caused its appearance to mutate?” LorettaBeast offered her theory. She too found the creature’s presence oddly soothing.

“Well, that’s the best explanation we have for now,” Qin Fei nodded, thinking it plausible.

Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, his eyes lit up. He pulled out his Sacred Plan Digivice and held it up toward the black Motimon nestled in LorettaBeast’s arms.

“Hmm, it seems to be reacting!”

Seeing the black Motimon’s curious gaze fixed on the Sacred Plan, Qin Fei felt a spark of hope. He braced himself and tried once again to approach the creature.

Snap!

“That was close!” He jerked his hand back with lightning speed, cold sweat breaking out as the creature’s white mouth snapped shut on empty air right where his fingers had been.

“Hahaha!” LorettaBeast couldn’t help but laugh at Qin Fei’s comical retreat.

“Keh-heh-heh…” Suddenly, as though infected by LorettaBeast’s laughter, the black Motimon opened its mouth and let out a strange, cackling sound of its own.

“Hahaha… this little one’s quite amusing. I think I’m starting to like it,” LorettaBeast said, now actively playing with their new companion, who “laughed” along with her.

“Qin Fei! The raft is ready—are you guys about done?” Just as Qin Fei was at a loss with the black Motimon, Tai’s voice reached them from afar.

“We’re just about ready!” Qin Fei called back.

He slung the food he’d gathered on the island over his shoulder, breathed a sigh of relief, and headed for the large raft waiting by the shore. As for the newly hatched black Motimon in LorettaBeast’s arms, he’d have to find a way to bond with it later. For now, at least, LorettaBeast could keep it calm; otherwise, with its earlier aggression, chaos would surely have broken out.

Arriving at the shore, Qin Fei found not only the chosen children waiting but also Leomon and the others.

“Sorry, something came up and I’m late,” Qin Fei apologized as he stepped onto the raft, smiling sheepishly at Tai and the group.

“No worries, we’re all a bit reluctant to leave this place, and we haven’t been delayed long… Hmm?”

“Qin Fei, did your egg hatch?” Sora suddenly noticed that Qin Fei’s arms were empty and that LorettaBeast was holding an unfamiliar baby Digimon. She quickly put two and two together.

“Wow, it really did! How cute!” Mimi and T.K. crowded over, their faces full of curiosity and delight as they gazed at the black Motimon in LorettaBeast’s arms.

But as Mimi drew close to Qin Fei’s face, she suddenly felt a flutter of nerves and instinctively edged away.

“Ah! Mimi, careful!” Qin Fei noticed her unease and, seeing her drifting dangerously close to the edge of the raft, stepped over in a flash and gently nudged her back to safety.

Splash!

“Qin Fei! Are you all right?”

Only after hearing the splash did everyone realize what had happened and rushed to pull the dripping Qin Fei back aboard.

“S-sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” Mimi said, a bit embarrassed.

“It’s nothing. I’m a guy, after all—better me in the water than you. Besides, with the sun this strong, getting some sea breeze on my bare skin isn’t half bad,” Qin Fei shrugged it off, unbothered.

“Need Agumon to help? His Baby Flame can dry your clothes in no time,” Tai suggested with a grin—clearly, this wasn’t Agumon’s first time doing so.

“No problem, Qin Fei! I’ve practiced and can control the flames much better now,” Agumon assured him, full of confidence.

But, glancing at Tai’s slightly singed trousers, Qin Fei politely declined.

“What kind of Digimon is that?” T.K. asked.

“Uh, let’s just call it Black Motimon,” Qin Fei replied with a smile.

In the original story, it should have been his Patamon’s egg that hatched at this moment.

“Time to say goodbye!” With the sail set, everyone climbed onto the raft and waved farewell to the Digimon waiting on the shore.

“Take care!”

“Thank you!”

“Goodbye… thank you!” As the raft drifted farther away, the Digimon’s farewell calls gradually faded.

Hanging his soaked clothes on a wooden post, Qin Fei gazed out over the endless blue sea, lost in thought.

The story had already diverged in so many ways; he wondered if they would still encounter Whamon.

In the original concept, Digimon were originally considered as computer viruses raised for various purposes—by internet users known as “Tamers”—to serve as electronic pets, experimental programs, combat games, hacking tools, and more.

Yet, in all these uses, one common thread bound them together: battle.

Tamers raised Digimon to fight against one another, showcasing the fruits of their training, their skills as breeders, and even winning honor as Tamers.

For Digimon themselves, battle was a vestige of their origins as computer viruses, a primal instinct and a key driver of their evolution.

In a world without Tamers to impose order, the Digital World became a savage place where only the strong survived—every Digimon fighting for survival, preying on others for energy, evolving to higher forms, and raising their chances of staying alive.