Chapter Seventy-Two: A Brave Heart

“Everyone, go help Qin Fei!”

“Agumon, digivolve! Greymon!”

“Biyomon, digivolve! Birdramon!”

“Kabuterimon, digivolve! MegaKabuterimon.”

At Tai’s command, Agumon and the others instantly completed their digivolution and joined the battle between the Furious Tigress and the Monkey Beast.

“Hahaha, I am the strongest! Watch as your king takes you all down!” Ever since his victory over the Furious Tigress, the Monkey Beast’s confidence had swelled beyond measure. He laughed as three more digimon charged at him, making no attempt to dodge, but charging straight in.

But the Monkey Beast had reason to be arrogant. In just a single exchange, Greymon was flung aside. Birdramon and MegaKabuterimon soon followed, swiftly defeated and reverting to their rookie forms, Biyomon and Tentomon.

“Tai, the Monkey Beast is just too strong. We can’t stop him,” Greymon said weakly as he devolved back to Agumon, casting an apologetic look at his partner.

“You did your best, Agumon. It’s not your fault,” Tai reassured him, helping Agumon up. His gaze shifted to the Furious Tigress, who was now the only one still holding her ground under the Monkey Beast’s relentless assault.

“The Fairymon was right—Qin Fei really is remarkable.” Seizing the moment as the Monkey Beast was held at bay, Tai hurried to Izzy’s side, urging him to find the secret passage quickly.

Izzy’s face was etched with tension, his nimble fingers flying over the keyboard without pause, every second precious.

“I found it!” Izzy finally breathed a sigh of relief, calling out to Qin Fei nearby. “Just as you said, the Molecule Beast didn’t really escape. It only looked that way, but in fact, it never left.”

Izzy raised his laptop, explaining quickly, “There’s a hidden chamber deeper beneath the pyramid. I think that’s where the Molecule Beast is hiding.”

He shot Qin Fei a curious glance—it was Qin Fei who had suggested he check beneath the pyramid, leading to this discovery so swiftly.

“You all wait for me in front of the electric grid. I’ll be there soon,” Qin Fei instructed before beginning to enhance the Furious Tigress with his card arsenal.

“Be careful, Sora, Tai, let’s go ahead. There’s nothing we can do to help with Qin Fei’s fight,” Izzy advised. Though Tai was reluctant, he seized the chance while the Monkey Beast was distracted and dashed off.

“Qin Fei, be careful!” Sora called with concern, casting one last look over her shoulder before running out as well. They all knew now wasn’t the time for headstrong heroics.

Qin Fei nodded. Once everyone had left, he slid a card across his Digivice.

“Card Slash! Devimon! Card Slash! Black Gear.”

A shadowy Devimon quickly materialized behind the Furious Tigress, merging into her body. Her eyes soon blazed with a crimson light, her expression now as fierce and predatory as a demon.

“What’s going on?” The Monkey Beast’s sense of danger flared as he saw his opponent’s aura transform before his eyes. Just as he tried to dodge, a black gear sigil appeared under his feet, forming what looked like an arcane circle that radiated outward from where he stood.

The Monkey Beast found his legs suddenly weighed down as if chained to the ground, utterly beyond his control.

“Curse you, brat! What did you do to me?” he roared, twisting his legs desperately as he tried to break free from the black gear’s quagmire at his feet.

“Lolo, leave him. Let’s go after Tai and the others,” Qin Fei said, not wasting another moment. With the Monkey Beast temporarily trapped, he and the Furious Tigress raced in the direction Izzy had gone.

It didn’t take long before Qin Fei found the others hesitating in front of a web of electric wires.

“Izzy, what’s wrong?”

“There’s another electric grid here, but I’m not certain if it hides the secret passage or if it’s a trap set by the Molecule Beast.” Seeing Qin Fei arrive, Izzy and the others relaxed, as though their backbone had finally returned.

“I trust you, Izzy. Just tell me where the secret passage is,” Qin Fei said, giving Izzy a look of confidence.

Izzy studied him in earnest, then nodded. After carefully examining the high-voltage grid, he pointed to a spot. “It should be here.”

Qin Fei nodded and was just about to step forward when a slender silhouette blocked his path.

“This is my Crest. I can’t let you take all the risk alone. This time, I should go first no matter what,” Sora declared, swallowing nervously as she stared at the web of crackling electricity.

“Sora…” Biyomon’s worried voice sounded from behind her.

“I’ll go,” Tai said resolutely. Seeing the fear in Sora’s eyes, he made his decision. Before anyone could object, he reached out and touched the high-voltage grid.

“Tai!” Sora cried out in alarm, not expecting him to move ahead of her.

“Because I missed my chance last time, I realized what I truly need.” Seeing his unharmed hand pass through the electric barrier, Tai instantly understood what mattered most in his heart: courage—the courage to face hardship, the courage not to give up in the face of adversity.

As the Crest of Courage began to emit a faint glow on Tai’s chest, Qin Fei opened his mouth to speak but could only offer his silent blessing.

A heavy thud sounded.

“You little brats, where are you?! How dare you toy with me again and again—I’ll destroy you all!” The Monkey Beast’s furious voice echoed out; he had broken free.

“Hurry! The Monkey Beast is coming!” Regaining his composure, Qin Fei knew that the skill had only limited effect on the virus-type Monkey Beast—it would never hold him for long.

Izzy and Sora nodded, following Tai into the secret passage as quickly as they could.

“I’ll hold him off. Go!” Qin Fei remained in front of the electric grid, eyes fixed on the approaching figure of the Monkey Beast.

“So it’s you two again, stubborn little pests,” the Monkey Beast sneered, halting and glancing around, noticing there was no other exit but the grid behind Qin Fei and the Furious Tigress.

“Card Slash, Shadow Clone!”

Qin Fei wasted no time answering his challenge. With a swift motion, he slashed another card.

In an instant, the Furious Tigress split into five identical figures, all standing together to face down the Monkey Beast.