32. Gorilla Beast Powered Up, Gorilla Beast Got Killed

Page 1 of 3

“No, no way! That can’t be possible!”

Etemon’s jaw dropped at the sight of this.

Taichi made no attempt to conceal his disappointment. “Seriously? Is that really the best you’ve got?”

Compared with Apocalymon, Etemon did not even come close. Even Andromon’s Spinning Energy Sword was more ferocious, more domineering, and more powerful than Etemon.

For Taichi as he was now, how could an opponent of this level possibly get his blood pumping?

“Grrr...!” Etemon clenched his teeth.

For someone who loved basking in the admiration of others, seeing disappointment on another person’s face was the greatest insult imaginable.

“What is that look supposed to mean?! Do you have any idea who I am? I am the King of Digimon, the Super Star of the Digital World—Etemon!”

Etemon reached behind himself and pulled out an item. The sight of him producing something from what looked like an extradimensional rear pocket instinctively sent a chill through Taichi.

But when Taichi saw that it was only a pink guitar, he sighed in relief.

Thank goodness it wasn’t some kind of planet-destroying bomb.

Etemon glared viciously at the group of Rookies. “You think you’re the only ones who can power up? You got a little strength from your Crests and suddenly you’re feeling invincible? Then watch this!”

“A grand performance worthy of a superstar!”

As an ear-piercing guitar riff rang out, the black cables around them began to writhe as though they were alive, burrowing into Etemon’s back.

Those cables all originated from a gigantic heart beneath Etemon’s main headquarters. An immeasurably powerful darkness lurked within that heart, and every black cable spread throughout the Shaba Continent was an extension of that power.

Those extensions formed the network Etemon used to monitor and enslave Digimon.

Now, through the cables, Etemon drew part of that network into his own body. Although this enhancement was inferior to merging directly with the heart, it allowed him to retain the body size he needed for battle.

“Love Serenade!”

Pulsing streams of black-and-red electricity burst outward in all directions to the rhythm of the guitar. Hackmon hurriedly warned his companions, “Everyone, be careful! If you get touched, you’ll lose your strength!”

Yet even the greatest expert could never dodge every drop of rain in a storm—unless they possessed Ultra Instinct.

The moment the electricity touched them, the Digimon felt their limbs go weak. The power Taichi had granted them suddenly became meaningless.

Like a berserk Unit One, Etemon tore himself free of the cables. His body transformed into a blur in an instant. The arm strength that could have crushed a Greymon became even more terrifying. The muscles beneath his simian suit swelled, expanded, and bulged with explosive force—as though the man inside had transformed from Shunsuke Gondo into Koji Nakamura.

Hackmon barely had time to raise both arms in front of himself before an irresistible force blasted him backward.

He smashed through seven or eight trees, each so thick that three adults would have needed to join hands to encircle it, before finally crashing to the ground. His eyes spun in circles, and he was unable to rise again.

The other Rookies fared no better.

Page 2 of 3

Agumon and Gabumon were slammed headfirst into each other by Etemon and promptly knocked unconscious.

Dracomon unleashed a Small Breath, but Etemon merely fired a dark orb the size of a pellet from his index finger and won the clash without the slightest suspense.

Salamon and Liollmon, the two Digimon bearing Holy Rings, drew the most of Etemon’s attention. He evaded their sight with high-speed movement, then gathered his strength and took them down with a single punch.

As for the remaining Rookies, they too were defeated in an instant.

Etemon, who had been thoroughly suppressed moments earlier, had completely reversed the battle after absorbing the black cables.

Taichi scanned Etemon with his Digivice and discovered that his stats had multiplied several times over in an extremely short span.

“Next, it’s your turn!” Etemon smoothed back his hair, then pointed his index finger at Taichi.

With his powerful, well-developed muscles, he certainly cut an imposing figure.

“Just as I thought. To become the greatest source of darkness on the Shaba Continent, you really do have a few tricks of your own.” Taichi nodded.

The un-evolved Koromon carried the Rookies to the rear. One by one, Taichi used his Digivice to transmit healing data into their bodies.

Then, together with Zeromaru, he turned to face Etemon.

It was time for them to end the battle.

Taichi had held back until now out of respect for Hackmon and the others, who had wished to protect their village with their own strength. Besides, the power of the Crest of Courage had always safeguarded their basic survival.

Taichi had an adventure of his own to pursue. He could not protect the Koromon and the others forever. Now that he had seen Digimon whose Rookie-level strength was already no weaker than—and in some cases even greater than—that of ordinary Champions, he could finally leave without worry.

But before he departed, there was one last thing he had to do.

He had to defeat Etemon.

“Heh heh. Even after seeing the power of this superstar soar, you didn’t run away. You’re actually coming toward me?” Cold sweat broke out across Etemon’s forehead, revealing how nervous he was. But as a self-proclaimed superstar, he still maintained his usual arrogance as he spoke.

Not bad. He had guts.

Taichi raised an eyebrow and walked toward him. “If I don’t come closer, how am I supposed to smash those tasteless sunglasses of yours?”

“You said I have no taste?!”

Those words drove Etemon into a furious rage. He charged at Taichi. “Don’t you know anything about fashion?!”

When Etemon swung his heavy fist, Taichi neither dodged nor retreated. He met it with a straight punch of his own.

“Boom!”

The two forces collided in midair, forming a violent shock wave that nearly uprooted the surrounding trees.

“Tch. Looks like we’re evenly matched.” Seeing that he had failed to gain the upper hand, Etemon curled his lip.

Taichi, however, said, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Page 3 of 3

“What?”

“The will to keep fighting until the very end is certainly worthy of praise, but...” Taichi slipped one hand into his pocket and raised his Digivice toward Etemon with the other.

“I’m a Tamer.”

A shadow simultaneously enveloped Taichi and Etemon. Etemon looked up, and the pupils beneath his sunglasses instantly contracted.

So huge...

When had this Champion-level body become so enormous?!

Zeromaru appeared behind Taichi without a word. Heat poured from his open mouth as he raised both arms with seemingly slow movements—yet at a speed Etemon could not possibly react to.

“Oh, no...!”

Before Etemon could finish speaking, Zeromaru’s fist crashed into his face.

The punch was more terrifying than the ultimate attack of any Perfect-level Digimon. Etemon’s eyes rolled back instantly.

But that was not the end. Before the force of the blow could send Etemon flying, Zeromaru’s fists rained down upon every inch of his body like a torrential downpour.

“ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!”

“ORA!”

The barrage ended in the blink of an eye. Only after Zeromaru finally withdrew his fists did Etemon fly wildly in every direction, carried along by the momentum of the blows.

The right hand Etemon had used to punch Taichi suddenly began to glow with the orange-yellow light of the Digisoul of Courage.

Taichi and Zeromaru turned around at the same time.

“BOOOOM!”

A tremendous explosion erupted.

Only then did Taichi slowly say:

“You are already dead.”

Could it be that Etemon, the leader of the first dark force to arise on the Shaba Continent, was about to exit the stage here and now?

Did the wild Etemon still have more to reveal? Was he hiding another reserve source of energy capable of turning defeat into victory?

Find out in the next episode—

The Death of Wild Etemon.