Chapter Fifty-One: The Proper Evolution

“Qin Fei, we are far too weak compared to it.”
Loretta Beast instantly widened the distance between itself and the Ape Beast, gazing sorrowfully at its own frail form.
The desire to evolve had always lingered in Loretta Beast’s heart, but it remained untouched, like a barrier that could never be pierced.
Qin Fei quietly cradled the heavily injured Dolly Beast, battered by the Ape Beast’s savage kick, and stared at the third-generation Digimon Device in his hand.
A shadow of the Dark Spider Witch Beast flickered through his mind.
“Evolve, Loretta Beast. No matter what you become, no matter how wild you turn…”
Suddenly, Qin Fei lifted his gaze, meeting Loretta Beast’s eyes with unwavering courage.
“I will stay by your side, through life and death. I, Qin Fei, as your tamer, as your creator, will fight with you until the very end.”
There was no retreat left, so he abandoned the thought of escape.
Having chosen to enter the Digital World and to experience firsthand the scenes he had dreamed of, no matter the outcome, hadn’t he already prepared himself in his heart?
He was not one of the chosen children; he had no constant protection, nor any miracle power to turn danger aside. Aside from knowing a bit of the storyline, he was just an ordinary child.
To witness the wonders he had yearned for as a child, to possess his own Digimon, to battle alongside them—he could die without regret.
Perhaps, all of this was merely a dream?
Maybe… when he awoke, he would return home to his parents and that lovable, temperamental younger sister?
“…”
“But I still feel unwilling to give up…”
Loretta Beast looked into Qin Fei’s suddenly gentle eyes, and an unfamiliar emotion seemed to stir within its heart.
“Qin Fei, I think I am afraid.”
Loretta Beast lowered its gaze, unwilling to let Qin Fei see the sadness on its face, not wanting to reveal such weakness before him.
“I dreamed of the days to come… far in the future… even after you grew up, I imagined the beautiful scenes we might share. I thought I could see them… you and me, but alas…”
Without waiting for Qin Fei’s response, Loretta Beast’s eyes rekindled with fierce resolve. Gripping the Bone Cleaver, it charged toward the Ape Beast.
“So these are your final words? How utterly dull.”
The Ape Beast closed its hand, instantly condensing a black sphere of energy in its palm.
It flung the sphere viciously at Loretta Beast, who charged forward as if burning boats behind, certain that this blow would leave no survivors.
Regardless of whether it could evolve, as long as it knew Qin Fei was watching, and would stay by its side until the end, Loretta Beast felt an endless power welling from deep within.
It began as a trickle, like a sprouting seedling, then grew into a rushing river, a mighty waterfall, finally surging as a roaring wave…
“EVOLUTION!”
“What… what is this?!”
Qin Fei and Loretta Beast both widened their eyes in shock.
The instant their determination to fight synchronized, a blinding light erupted with a mechanical sound.
“Loretta Beast evolves!”

Qin Fei instinctively glanced at his Digimon Device screen. There was no warning exclamation, no dangerous red alert.
“Holy Tiger Maiden Beast…”
Vast streams of data surged from every direction, forming a new digital life.
When the Ape Beast’s dark death sphere touched the Holy Tiger Maiden Beast, it was instantly disassembled into pure data, absorbed by her in the blink of an eye.
A gigantic, jet-black wing spread wide.
Before them stood a Digimon whose mature form matched Qin Fei’s design perfectly.
A tiger’s body with a human face, her flawless white form clad in sturdy black armor edged with gold, the exquisite features and pointed ears imparting a unique beauty.
Her long, dark golden hair flowed down, lending her an aura of sacredness…
Looking at this figure, so different from the Dark Spider Witch Beast, Qin Fei felt relief, yet a strange sense of melancholy.
It seemed the sickly, half-human, half-spider Digimon had truly planted a seed in his heart.
“Evolved? Impossible! What is this creature?”
Seeing his ultimate skill vanish without a trace, the Ape Beast’s expression twisted with rage and disbelief.
The prideful, cat-and-mouse attitude vanished, replaced by seriousness.
But the battle was not over.
The Ape Beast slung its guitar and struck a chord, unleashing another special move.
“Love Beam!”
Red light surged…
“Roar!”
But a tiger’s roar erupted from the mouth of the humanoid Digimon, instantly shattering the Ape Beast’s Love Beam.
“What!”
Both ultimate skills failed to make any impact, leaving the Ape Beast in utter disbelief.
“How can this be! How can this be! How can this be!”
Like a creature gone mad, the Ape Beast charged at the Holy Tiger Maiden Beast, eyes bloodshot, abandoning previous tactics for close combat.
“Beast God Claw!”
The Holy Tiger Maiden Beast faced the charging ape, unhesitatingly, her right arm forming five sharp, dark gold claws that struck fiercely at the Ape Beast.
Claw met fist, distorting the surrounding scenery in a flash.
Sand and stones flew everywhere; Qin Fei struggled beneath a massive rock, enduring the sand-laden gusts.
The destroyed village of Ball Beast was now buried, its traces erased by flying earth.
“Ugh! I’m furious! Impossible! Even Molecular Beast wasn’t my match.”
Facing the surging power of the evolved Digimon, the Ape Beast sensed that it was losing ground in direct combat, suppressed in both strength and speed, relying solely on its battle experience to hold on.
“How can a newly evolved Digimon possess such immense power?”
The monkey costume was torn in several places, data leaking from the wounds like blood.

Pain, rage, disbelief, and even… fear.
“Is this your ability?”
The Ape Beast’s gaze swept over, spotting the battered Qin Fei nearby.
Rumor had it those chosen children could empower Digimon to evolve—so it was true.
“Yes! It must be. If I eliminate you! If I eliminate you, that will do.”
The Ape Beast roared, its pride refusing defeat, abandoning the Holy Tiger Maiden Beast and charging straight for Qin Fei.
“I won’t let you succeed! Wind Wing Slash!”
With a cry, the Holy Tiger Maiden Beast soared high, unleashing countless razor-sharp wind blades, descending upon the Ape Beast like a colossal whirlwind.
A raging tornado hurled the Ape Beast into the air, carving countless tiny wounds across its body.
“Ow, ow, ow!”
Yelping exaggeratedly, the Ape Beast was forced to abandon its attack on Qin Fei.
“Moon Goddess Flash!”
The Holy Tiger Maiden Beast did not relent; her graceful form arced back into the sky, lips parted as countless streams of data converged to form a jet-black jade.
As if after a lunar eclipse, a white fringe appeared at the edge of the dark jade, morphing from crescent to half-moon to full moon.
“Boom!!!”
A blinding white light flashed.
A bottomless chasm split across the earth.
“I won’t stay to play! Farewell!”
Seeing the white light nearly strike him, the Ape Beast broke out in a cold sweat.
That attack was beyond his ability to withstand.
Taking advantage of the Holy Tiger Maiden Beast’s moment of breath, it fled without hesitation.
All was quiet once more.
“What a pity…”
Watching the vanished Ape Beast, Qin Fei inwardly lamented. Had the attack hit, perhaps one fewer enemy would remain. Though it might affect the Tyrannosaurus Beast’s ultimate evolution, the gains outweighed the risks.
“Not a pity at all…”
Suddenly, a cool yet weary voice echoed from above. In a flash of white light, the Holy Tiger Maiden Beast devolved into Loretta Beast, falling helplessly from the sky.
Startled, Qin Fei rushed to catch the utterly exhausted Loretta Beast.
“I deliberately frightened it away, because I too had reached my limit.”
Loretta Beast’s cheeks were flushed; lying in Qin Fei’s arms, it breathed quietly, truly spent.
Yet she seemed in high spirits, even smiling with a hint of charm: “Qin Fei, this time, I didn’t forget anything during my evolution.”