Chapter Sixty-Three: The Surviving Candle Beast

Qin Fei knew that the training the Fairy Beast spoke of was most likely intended solely for Taiyi and Agumon. It was all to help them rediscover their courageous hearts and successfully evolve into MetalGreymon. As for the other children, whether it was cleaning or meditating, at best it would help them calm their minds and heal the shadows lurking within. But for himself, Qin Fei felt there was little benefit; both he and Loletta Beast needed to grow stronger through combat and fierce struggle, and he had no particular psychological burdens to resolve.

So in the end, Qin Fei decided to remain outside, seeking out fierce Digimon for Loletta Beast to absorb data from and increase her strength. The Fairy Beast’s training simply wasn’t suited to him.

“Qin Fei... why are you staying out here?!”

Seeing Qin Fei lingering outside, the children all looked puzzled, especially Mimi, whose face showed even greater concern.

“I’m not going in. I feel more at ease staying outside,” Qin Fei replied with a smile, shaking his head at them. Then, glancing at the equally puzzled Fairy Beast, he said, “I’ll leave them in your care.”

“Why, Qin Fei? Isn’t it better when everyone’s together?”

“Yeah, Qin Fei. If you run into the Monkey Beast, you’ll be in danger.”

“And there are still many vicious Digimon out here. It’s too risky to be alone.”

Seeing Qin Fei and his companions lingering near the entrance to the illusion, Taiyi and the others seemed eager to persuade him to come in.

But Qin Fei simply shook his head and turned away with utter composure. “My path to strength isn’t in there, but out here. When you’ve overcome your inner obstacles, we’ll meet again.”

“Qin Fei!”

Mimi’s cry echoed after him, but Qin Fei strode resolutely toward the far side of the desert.

“Let him go,” the Fairy Beast said. “Perhaps his choice is the right one. I see a different kind of shadow in him.” Waving its tiny spear, the Fairy Beast closed the entrance.

Turning to the still-worried children, it said, “He’s not like you, and things aren’t as simple as you imagine. He’ll be fine.”

“Qin Fei... is he really that strong?” Mimi’s gaze turned bewildered after hearing the Fairy Beast’s explanation. Its words seemed to surpass everything she’d ever thought about Qin Fei.

“Yes. He’s much more confident than you. When we mentioned the Monkey Beast, he showed not the slightest fear. In fact, I sensed a strange threat from those two peculiar Digimon at his side.”

“Really?” Taiyi and the others crowded around, as if it was the first time anyone had spoken of Qin Fei this way.

“No wonder he was able to escape from the Monkey Beast. It seems we’re falling behind. Who knows what Qin Fei has been through lately? Maybe Loletta Beast has already evolved, or perhaps that Black Dorudamon has, too.”

“It’s quite possible.”

Yamato murmured, a spark of determination flickering in his chest.

“That’s why you must train even harder,” the Fairy Beast said. “Don’t let your companion leave you too far behind.” With that, it turned and flew into the woods.

Taiyi stared in the direction where Qin Fei had disappeared, clenched his teeth, and made up his mind. He strode after the Fairy Beast. The Fairy Beast was right—if Qin Fei had earned its recognition, then he too must train and catch up.

...

Beneath the blazing sun, Qin Fei didn’t know how far he’d walked; everything around him looked unchanged. But guided by Loletta Beast’s intuition, Qin Fei finally found the luxurious cruise ship they had previously planned to abandon. He wondered if Candlemon and the others were still there.

“Qin Fei...”

“Qin Fei, I smell it too.”

“What is it, Lolo?”

Suddenly, hearing both Loletta Beast and Dorudamon sound the alarm, Qin Fei’s expression shifted, and he looked in the direction they indicated.

A familiar figure lay on the ground, seemingly unconscious.

“It’s Candlemon!”

Qin Fei and Loletta Beast exchanged a look of puzzlement and quickly hurried over, Black Dorudamon following curiously. Sure enough, the Digimon resembling a giant candelabrum lay on the ground, disheveled as if it had suffered a terrible attack.

“Candlemon, wake up! What happened?” Qin Fei propped it up, staring at the flickering flame atop its head, and asked in surprise.

“Ugh... is it the chosen child? You finally came... wuwuwu...” After a moment, as Qin Fei shook him, the weakened Candlemon finally awoke, and upon seeing Qin Fei, Pumpkinmon’s sorrow and relief burst forth. It buried itself in Qin Fei’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

The flame atop Candlemon’s head stung Qin Fei’s skin, but seeing its grief-stricken face, he couldn’t bring himself to push it away.

“What happened? Where are Ore Beast and Revolver Beast?” Loletta Beast pulled Candlemon out of Qin Fei’s embrace and questioned with a cold face.

“They... they...” Candlemon recalled something even more painful and wailed even louder.

“Take your time,” Qin Fei soothed gently. “With us here, you’re safe now.” He glanced around but saw no sign of Ore Beast or Revolver Beast.

“Not long after you left, the Monkey Beast found this place...” After a bout of weeping, Candlemon finally calmed down, though its vacant eyes still made one’s heart ache.

“Ore Beast and Revolver Beast covered for my escape... both were caught by the Monkey Beast...” At the mention, Candlemon broke down again.

Hearing this, Qin Fei sighed, understanding most of what had happened. Evidently, once the Monkey Beast repaired the network, it detected something amiss with the cruise ship and came straight over, catching Candlemon, Ore Beast, and Revolver Beast before they could evacuate. Candlemon survived thanks to their sacrifice—or perhaps the Monkey Beast’s arrogance led it to ignore the fate of a single, seemingly helpless Digimon, more interested in tracking the chosen children, and so it inadvertently spared him.

“Where’s the Monkey Beast now?” Qin Fei surveyed the ship, noting that everything seemed untouched, though the Numemon were nowhere to be seen.

“It left, pulling a mine cart with a Monochromon,” Candlemon replied, sitting up but still dejected. With its two best friends gone, it was utterly lost.

Suddenly, as if recalling something, Candlemon turned to Qin Fei with hope in his eyes, speaking nervously, “Can I go with you? I have nowhere else to go...”

Seeing that glimmer of hope return to Candlemon’s eyes, Qin Fei sighed and nodded. It had been his own oversight that had brought misfortune to Ore Beast and Revolver Beast, and guilt welled up within him.

“Come on, let’s check the ship. Maybe there’s something to eat,” he said, casting his gaze toward the luxury liner. He wondered why the Monkey Beast had left it behind.

“Find food,” Black Dorudamon muttered happily. Having carried Loletta Beast all this way, he was thirsty and hungry.

But as they approached the ship, the once-quiet luxury liner suddenly powered up.

“Lolo, cut the dark cable at the rear of the ship!” Qin Fei called urgently.

Without hesitation, Loletta Beast leaped to the stern, raised her cleaver, and brought it down hard. A thick, black cable snapped and thrashed through the desert like a decapitated serpent, kicking up clouds of yellow sand.

The cruise ship, which had already started to move, finally came to a halt.

“What’s going on?” A voice of confusion sounded from the ship, and Qin Fei saw a Gazimon peering curiously over the side.

Clearly, the luxury liner had a new master.