Digital Hackers' Memories

This resulted in very few fully evolved beings during that period, so few that a single powerful fully evolved being could even rule over a small continent.

After all, beings who can tap into their full potential and evolve into their perfect form without any external force are extremely rare, even in the most prosperous era of Digimon.

In this situation, finding a shortcut to evolve into the Ultimate form has become a difficult problem that most Digimon are pondering.

The "Steel Empire" was born under these circumstances and truly solved this problem.

As the first recorded large-scale legion organization in the Digital World, there are different opinions among various organizations regarding who forged the "Steel Empire."

Rumors suggest that the Steel Empire was created by "gods" as a special organization to allow the Digital World to evolve.

There are also rumors that the Steel Empire was created by a powerful dragon-mon who, in order to break through its own limits, joined forces with certain data life forms that existed before the birth of the Digimon to massively modify its own kind.

There are even rumors that the Steel Empire is not a native organization of the Digital World, but rather a secret experiment conducted by powerful hackers from the human world to observe Digimon.

However, regardless of their viewpoints, they all share some "consensus"—the original Steel Empire was not a pure Digimon organization.

In the early days of the Steel Empire, the Digimon existed merely as "experiments".

Within the Steel Empire, the true force driving its development is a mysterious entity that calls itself the "Agent."

Under the leadership of the "Agents," the early Steel Empire was not an organization that specialized only in mechanical and biochemical modifications.

On the contrary, the original Steel Empire had a wide range of interests, and the mechanization of Digimon was just one branch of it.

For example, in order to enable Rookie-level Digimon to have strength comparable to Champion-level or even Ultimate-level Digimon.

The Steel Empire once collected and recombined the data of dead Digimon, and then created "Digital Armor" that allowed Digimon to evolve temporarily.

However, the conditions for creating "digital armor" were too demanding, and the results were not ideal, so the Steel Empire eventually chose to abandon the research.

In addition, the early Steel Empire also had a mechanical modification plan that "mechanizes the entire body of Digimon, thereby creating naturally perfect Digimon."

And a biochemical modification scheme that "assembles the biological components of all powerful Digimon together to create a Digimon that can unleash its full potential."

The original Andromon and Boltmon were products of these two different designs.

Andromon is a Digimon based on the concept of "machinery," composed entirely of various mechanical parts, and 100% mechanized. It is born at the Ultimate level.

As the most powerful artificial warrior in the early days of the Steel Empire, Andromon possessed the fighting power to defeat Digimon that had not yet reached their Perfect level in a single blow, laying a solid foundation for the expansion of the Steel Empire.

However, Boltmon, a "prototype modified Digimon" created at the same time as Andromon, was not so lucky.

Based on the concept of "physical body", it is a naturally perfect form that has been 100% biologically modified by transplanting the most powerful biological components of various Digimon.

Although Boltmon possessed even more ferocious power than Andromon, its violent emotions made it extremely prone to losing control, leading the Steel Empire to abandon and banish it as a failure.

It can be said that the early research directions of the Steel Empire were diverse and it was not a true "Steel Empire" in the real sense.

It wasn't until those mysterious beings who called themselves "agents" made breakthrough progress on powerful dragon beasts through continuous experimentation and modification that the era of the "Steel Empire" truly began.

By implanting mechanical components into the bodies of the dragon beasts and even directly modifying their limb structures, the Steel Empire has completed a replicable safety body manufacturing technology.

Moreover, compared to the fully evolved forms that evolve normally, these specially modified mechanized fully evolved forms are even stronger. They not only have excellent defense and terrifying attack power, but are also skilled in various powerful guns and machines.

Undoubtedly, that era was the era of the Steel Empire, and also its most prosperous period.

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"Have I entered the Digital World?"

Gazing at the boundless desert, Chen Ze, who had regressed back into a different type of Agumon, murmured pessimistically.

He had been wandering in this desert for a whole day since he woke up.

A desert that seems to stay at a constant temperature, a scorching sun that never seems to set, and a desert terrain that changes like a labyrinth...

Agumon was absolutely certain that he had arrived in the Digital World.

Because in the normal real world, such an obvious "abnormal" phenomenon would not occur.

"So, the spacetime rift I tore open at the last moment leads to the Digital World?"

A Gumon looked at his two paws with some uncertainty. The Infestor that Agumon remembered didn't seem to have such powerful abilities, right?

If that "time travel" ability could truly transcend time and space, then the original Invaders wouldn't have made such a big fuss about entering a Digimon black market.

So, what exactly happened back then?

Chapter Two: Mechanical Digimon

Time seemed to rewind to the very last moment before Chen Ze's time travel.

In Chen Ze's memory, he only remembered that when he faced the Sword Emperor Beast's fatal blow, he instinctively sent the Fox Demon Beast X away and planned to quietly welcome his "death".

At that time, Chen Ze's mental data had completely merged with Agumon's, and Agumon's death meant that his consciousness would disappear.

However, just as death was about to strike, a mysterious force came from the end of the shattered spacetime, driving him to use the spatial abilities of the Invader.

Under the spatial ability that had been enhanced a million times, the original spatial rift was completely transformed into a spacetime vortex. Chen Ze didn't even have time to think about the real reason for this series of changes before he was "forced" to jump in.

So, when he awoke again as Agumon, he appeared in this desert.

"Who saved me?"

Muttering to himself, Agumon was quite certain that someone had saved him, but he had no idea who it was.

Of all the humans and Digimon he had ever seen, only Gankomon was capable of rescuing him from Emperormon.

"It can't be a stubborn beast; that doesn't fit its style."

Despite only having a fleeting encounter with the power of Vulcan, Agumon was still able to discern Gankomon's fiery personality from Sistermon's series of actions.

If the stubborn beast had actually been there, it certainly wouldn't have done something as simple as just rescuing itself.

Judging from the stubborn beast's behavior, it is more likely that it will overturn the table on the spot and forcefully push back the attack of the sword-king beast.

If possible, it wouldn't be impossible to catch the Sword Emperor Beast and give it a good beating through that spatial rift.

"Woo..."

Just as Agumon was racking his brains trying to figure it out, a sudden, long whistle blared from a distance.

Immediately afterwards, the earth began to tremble and a fierce wind swept across the desert, as if some unknown behemoth was approaching from afar.

Rumble…

This is the sound of locomotives crushing the earth, and the sound of railway tracks rising from the wasteland.

"That's...a Digimon?!"

When Agumon's eyes widened and it saw the enormous figure in the distance, it couldn't help but show a look of horror.

It was a huge, mechanical Digimon that resembled a steam locomotive.

Like a "steel monster" that has traveled from the steampunk era, the long, mournful whistle of the steam engine gave this Digimon great power, allowing it to break through the limit speed of "1,300 kilometers per hour" in this wilderness.

The opponent's body, hundreds of meters long, snaked across the earth like a python, bearing thousands of tons of weight without showing any signs of fatigue.

More importantly, as this mechanical Digimon moved forward, the surface of the wasteland cracked open, and then sections of corresponding railway tracks emerged from underground, allowing it to maintain full speed even in such a harsh environment.

Rumble…

From a distance, it looked as if the Digimon in the form of a motorcycle was laying tracks as it moved forward, exuding a strange and majestic aura that could never exist in the human world.

"There are Digimon like this in the Digital World?"

Having never seen a Digimon that resembled a vehicle more than a living being before, Agumon could only watch helplessly as it drew closer and closer before speeding past, creating a raging gust of wind and a sonic boom.

call!

Under the combined onslaught of the gale and sonic boom, Agumon had to grip the ground firmly with its claws to barely keep itself from being swept into the Digimon's territory.

Rumble…

Such a powerful performance has completely shattered the preconceived notions that Digimon held in Agumon's mind.

In Agumon's mind, no matter how a Digimon evolves, it seems to maintain the most basic biological form.

But this Digimon is less of a living being and more of a genuine motorcycle.

Moreover, compared to high-speed trains in the real world, this Digimon clearly possesses greater intelligence and speed.

At the very least, Agumon had never heard of a high-speed train in the real world that could cause a series of sonic booms and gales simply by its speed.

Even the world's fastest high-speed train only travels at 520 kilometers per hour, less than half the speed of sound, let alone exceeding the speed of sound.

"Wait, is that a motorcycle beast?"

Having witnessed the giant Digimon sweep past him, Agumon suddenly remembered the name of that Digimon.

Although Agumon's previous incarnation didn't play any digital games, he did watch all the Digimon anime and movies.

The Digimon that is currently just passing by is Agumon, which I saw in a movie in the third season of the Digimon anime.

Although this motorcycle beast looks somewhat different from the one in the animation, its most obvious feature is exactly the same as the animated version.

Locomotivemon – A Perfect-level, machine-type Digimon that resembles a steam train and lives by constantly moving.

It is said that Motormon exists as data within the transportation network in the Digital World, thus possessing speed and size far exceeding that of a normal Perfect level Digimon.

For the vast majority of Motorbeasts, in the digital world where a large amount of information is exchanged, the reason for their existence as cargo-carrying Digimon is how to transport information faster.

However, an excessive pursuit of speed often leads to older locomotives going berserk.

In that theatrical anime, the Beast appeared in a berserk form until it was defeated by the main characters and returned to its normal state.

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The front of the motorcycle beast is located in the control room where it is operated.

"Was that an Agumon just now?"

A mechanical Digimon, no more than 50 centimeters tall and about the same size as a Rookie Digimon, was tapping on the control panel in front of it with a puzzled look on its face.

"But that color... seems to be a mutated free species?"

Undisguised in its curiosity, as one of the first mechanical-type Ultimate Digimon created by the Steel Empire, Molemon (Nanomon) is different from Andromon and Boltmon in that it evolves in the direction of intelligence, which most Digimon do not value.

In fact, as a vaccine-like entity originally created to repair damage and treat organisms, Molecular Beast would not be a virus-type Digimon if it had not been infected by some malicious program.

But it was that encounter that turned out to be a blessing in disguise, giving birth to a "self-will" that most of the Digimon in the Steel Empire did not possess.

Although this "self-will" is frenzied and paranoid, it gave the agents who controlled the operation of the Steel Empire a glimmer of hope, and the molecular beasts were thus preserved as "special cases".

"Hmm, the free-type Agumon seems to be a very interesting research case?"

Chapter Three: The Rebellious Molecular Beast

"This Digital World seems to be different from the Digital World that Renamon described?"

In Renamon's previous descriptions, the Digital World should be a world where various powerful forces are entrenched and different new generation Digimon fight each other.

However, the Digital World that Agumon sees now is so desolate that even after walking for a whole day, he has not encountered a second Digimon besides Motormon.

Moreover, that motorcycle beast clearly didn't fit the characteristics of the "new generation," but instead exuded a hardcore steely aura.

If we were to map it to real-world time, that motorcycle beast would look exactly like a train from the 1980s or 90s, and even a steam train with a punk vibe.

"Could it be that, like with Hikari-oka, I've been transported to another Digital World?"

Agumon felt that his guess was probably pretty accurate, since he didn't even know how that spacetime vortex had appeared.

Or rather, it would be quite strange if, in the spacetime vortex leading to countless parallel worlds, one happened to stumble into the digital world corresponding to the real world.

Rumble…

Before Agumon could even sort out his thoughts, another sound of a massive earthquake came from afar.

"Uh?"

Agumon initially thought it might be another Carmon passing by, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the same Motormon that had turned around and was driving back in its direction.

The carriage that was originally at the rear of the train had somehow become the front of the motorcycle beast.

The head, which had been covered in steel, opened a pair of anthropomorphic eyes and rapidly closed the distance between them with a heavy roar.

"Is it coming for me?"

Instinctively sensing something was wrong, Agumon's first reaction was to turn and run away.

After all, the power of the Motorbeast is undeniable; it can drag thousands of tons of weight and break the sound barrier. The power alone is beyond what a typical Perfected form can achieve.

And that is indeed the case. As a specially designed vehicle of the Steel Empire, the Beast Machine possesses supersonic power even under normal conditions.

When necessary, the motorcycle beast can even operate its "power reactor" at full capacity, unleashing a speed exceeding ten times the speed of sound.

This is the "war machine" that the Steel Empire specifically manufactured for transportation, the "King of Speed" that can cross the entire continent in no time.