Digimon: I really didn't want to be the Digimon Emperor!

But Cheng Yuan still ignored him.

He simply bent over with difficulty, using his battered body to tightly protect the weakened puppy-like beast at his feet. The puppy-like beast, in its growth stage, could absolutely not withstand any attack from Flame Wizardmon.

Cheng Yuan quickly turned on the arc light machine and scanned the puppy beast into it.

This move left him wide open!

How could the Flame Wizard Beast let this opportunity slip by? With a flick of its staff, the [Terror Illusion], combined with the power of spatial confinement, descended instantly!

Cheng Yuan felt his body sink as if into a quagmire, the surrounding space becoming incredibly viscous, making it difficult to move! Although he wasn't completely swallowed by the phantom thanks to his willpower, his mobility was severely restricted!

Seeing this, Lin Yu revealed a victorious smile. He finally couldn't resist and walked over himself, squatting down in front of the almost immobile Cheng Yuan, his tone full of temptation and mockery:

"Why bother? What made you fight to this point? If you're willing... hand over the power of your Transformed Digimon, I swear I'll spare you, and your cute little dogmon too. How about it? Trading power for life, a very worthwhile deal."

The dark beast that Cheng Yuan had transformed into had its head lowered, its massive body trembling slightly, and its breath weak, as if it had reached its limit.

A faint voice came from beneath his mask: "Come closer, I have something to say to you."

Lin Yu thought Cheng Yuan had finally given in and was overjoyed. He leaned closer and asked, "Tell me, how's your strength...?"

Just as Lin Yu approached—

The Dark Beast's mask suddenly swung open, revealing Cheng Yuan's pale face, which wore a mocking sneer!

"Pooh!"

A glob of saliva, streaked with blood, was spat precisely onto Lin Yu's face as he leaned in!

"Baka!" Lin Yu was caught off guard and jumped up in disgust. He frantically wiped his face, trembling with anger and completely losing his composure!

"Flame Wizard Beast! Kill him!!" he roared hysterically!

With a swing of his staff, the Flame Wizard unleashed a tremendous force that slammed into Cheng Yuan's chest!

boom!

Cheng Yuan, holding the little beast, was kicked away like a kite with a broken string, tracing an arc in the air before falling into the depths of the palace.

In mid-air, Cheng Yuan used his last strength to summon seven sound-bird beasts that had not participated in the battle due to insufficient strength and were responsible for guarding.

"Caw!" The birds and beasts hurriedly swooped over, desperately using their weak strength to grab Cheng Yuan's falling body and slow his descent.

And the direction of their fall, whether by coincidence or Cheng Yuan's guidance, was precisely that of the stone platform radiating pure light!

Cheng Yuan crashed heavily onto the stone platform, the immense impact rendering him unable to maintain his Dark Beast form.

The black armor receded like the tide, turning into streams of data and dissipating, revealing Cheng Yuan's original human form once more.

His face was ashen, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his body was covered in fine wounds, clearly indicating that he was severely injured.

He struggled, grabbing the edge of the stone platform with his hands, trying with difficulty to stand up.

Lin Yu wiped his face clean and looked at Cheng Yuan, who had revealed his true appearance. He was stunned for a moment, then his eyes blazed with even more fervent and enlightened light:

"It really was you! That student from Shanghai University of Technology! No wonder... no wonder you could absorb those ancient souls. It seems that all of this secret is related to your armor that can transform into a Digimon!"

He became increasingly excited as he spoke, his face once again displaying a manic joy: "The later performance of a tamer and a Digimon partnership is often limited by the tamer's weak physique! If you yourself possess the power and growth potential of a Digimon... God! This is simply a groundbreaking breakthrough! This power... will be mine soon!"

He saw Cheng Yuan leaning against the stone platform with difficulty, his gaze seemingly fixed on the mysterious object protected by the light barrier on the platform, and a look of extreme disdain and mockery appeared on his face:

"Hmph! Still clinging to wishful thinking even as death approaches? I've already deciphered that the opening of this stone platform is related to the power of light, completely opposite to your repulsive dark attributes! You are utterly..."

His sarcastic remarks came to an abrupt end.

Because he saw that a flower of light—pure, warm, and radiating boundless light power—slowly growing from Cheng Yuan's palm, which was pressed on the stone platform!

The light was so pure that it complemented the prop on the stone platform!

"What?! This is impossible!!" Lin Yu and the Flame Wizard Beast beside him screamed at the same time!

Before their incredulous eyes, the protective barrier on the stone platform, which had guarded the soul of the Warrior of Light for countless years, did not reject the power of the same origin as the "Flower of Light" in Cheng Yuan's hand. Instead, it emitted a joyful buzzing sound, and then—shattered with a bang!

The pure flower of light resonated instantly with the wolf-headed, human-bodied armor-like prop on the stone platform, and they merged!

A ray of light shot into the sky, as if the sun had descended into the depths of this dark palace, completely engulfing Cheng Yuan!

The light was warm and powerful, yet it carried an irresistible majesty!

"No—!! Flame Wizardmon! Stop him!"

Chapter 196 Armed Evolution! Wild Wolf Beast!

"Armed Evolution—!"

Cheng Yuan's left hand held a dazzling flower of light, while his right hand tightly gripped the "Soul of the Warrior of Light," a wolf-headed, human-bodied object.

Two forces of the same kind but different origins intertwined and resonated fiercely in the air, forming a dazzling vortex of light that completely engulfed him!

The familiar, excruciating pain! It felt as if every cell was shattered and then forcibly reassembled, just like when I fused with the Dark Warrior's Soul, only this power was warmer, purer, and filled with even more soaring fighting spirit!

A massive cocoon of pure light data enveloped Cheng Yuan. Just then, the [Exploding Fireball] that the Flame Wizard Beast fired in anger struck the cocoon, but was deflected by the extremely dense power of light, exploding to the side and creating a huge blast.

The light gradually dimmed and faded away.

A new figure stands tall in the light.

It turned out to be a werewolf-type warrior wearing a wolf-shaped helmet and white metal knight armor.

The armor was inlaid with hard holy amethyst crystals in key areas, and the blue and purple patterned cloak fluttered in the blast of the explosion, giving it a very knightly look.

"【Wild Wolf Beast】!"

[Wealth Points -100]

[Free Race, Warrior Type, Light Element]

【Hybrid (Humanoid Warrior of Light)】

[Skills: Victor of Light (two lightsabers), Light Bullet, Double Victor (two lightsabers combined), Light Speed ​​Movement]

[Introduction: A warrior of light imbued with the power of the "Radiant Beast of Supreme Light," possessing exceptional mobility and attack speed. The thin purple components covering its body are sacred amethyst crystals sealed with divine light. When the wielder's heart is righteous and unwavering, the sacred amethyst crystals maintain extremely high hardness; however, they become fragile upon experiencing negative emotions or wavering.]

"How could this be!" Looking at Cheng Yuan, who had regained his fighting spirit and obtained the item of light power, evolving into another humanoid Digimon, Lin Yu gritted his teeth: "So what if you evolve again? I have already detected it. It's just the data of the Champion stage! As long as I defeat you, both the light and dark powers will be mine! Flame Wizardmon, crush it."

The Flame Wizard raised his staff high, and even more violent flames and spatial energy began to gather!

However, Cheng Yuan—now the Wild Wolf Beast—simply leaped backward at an extremely fast speed, easily dodging the Flame Wizard Beast's first wave of attacks like a streak of light.

He felt the surging light power brought by his new body, which was indeed in its mature stage. With this form alone, it would still be extremely difficult to defeat the Flame Wizardmon, which was infinitely close to its perfect form and had bizarre magic.

But has he forgotten where he is? This is the ruins where the warriors of light have passed down their legacy! It is a place where these ancient spirits have silently guarded for countless years!

Cheng Yuan slowly closed his eyes, not giving up, but spreading his pure will of light out like ripples, communicating and calling upon the remaining thoughts of the entire ruins.

The next moment, the entire palace seemed to come alive!

On both sides of the passage, the ancient Digimon stone sculptures that had been silent for countless years began to glow with a soft light of soul power!

One by one, translucent ancient souls stepped out of the statue! The flames burning in their eyes were no longer pale, but golden, battle-ready radiance!

They stood in silent formation, their eyes all fixed on the wolf-beast, as if worshipping their king and awaiting his command!

"What...what is this?!" Lin Yu was stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Cheng Yuan had a thought!

The ancient soul warriors, like a flood bursting its banks, surged madly towards the Flame Wizard Beast with an indomitable momentum!

They have no physical form and their attack power may not be strong, but they are immortal and indestructible. With obsession and the will of light, they rush forward one after another, tearing, hindering, and exhausting the Flame Wizard Beast!

No matter how its exploding fireballs and sky-splitting blades bombarded it, more ancient souls would always replenish its ranks!

At the same time, another group of ancient souls, fewer in number but more solidified, transformed into streams of golden light, flowing into the body of the wolf beast like rivers flowing into the sea!

The light emanating from the wolf beast grew ever brighter, its aura surging higher and higher! The amount of data skyrocketed from the early stage of maturity, through the mid-stage, late-stage... almost reaching its peak!

But Cheng Yuan knew that this was only temporary.

This is the last remaining soul power of this ruin, the final obsession and gift of countless ancient warriors. Even if its data volume is temporarily increased to the late stage of maturity, it is difficult to completely retain the Flame Wizard Beast, which is determined to escape, and it cannot last long.

So he made a decision!

Instead of using this soul power to improve his own data level, he frantically poured it into the two lightsabers that had just been formed in his hands—the [Victors of Light]!

"Buzz—!!!"

The two lightsabers emitted a loud hum, their blades blazing with light, becoming somewhat illusory and unstable due to the immense amount of soul power they carried!

Golden soul power burned on the lightsaber, becoming the fuel that unleashed its full power!

Pouring out the last of the entire ruins' power and will—the Soul-Scorching Light Slash!

The wolf beast moved! [Light Speed ​​Movement] activated! His figure completely transformed into a beam of light!

Two lightsabers burning with soul power overlapped and merged in front of him to form the "Double Victory". Endless soul power and light energy converged to form a huge and incomparable light blade that seemed capable of cutting through everything!

The target was the Flame Wizard Beast, which was desperately entangled by countless ancient souls, and Lin Yu behind it!

This sword strike embodies the unwavering resolve and final protective will of countless ancient warriors! Swift! Ruthless! Decisive!

Flame Wizardmon sensed a deadly threat and frantically tried to use Blink to dodge, but the surrounding space was forcibly interfered with and filled by countless ancient souls with their last vestiges of will! It was completely unable to teleport!

The devastating giant blade of light was already upon them!

At the critical moment, Flame Wizardmon made its choice!

It abandoned its attempt to dodge and pointed its staff sharply at Lin Yu!

[Flashing]!

Lin Yu's figure vanished from his original spot in an instant, teleported to a safe corner dozens of meters away.

Meanwhile, the Flame Wizard Beast itself was struck on the head by the giant blade of light that gathered the last power of the entire ruins!

There was no explosion, only a humming sound that seemed to purify everything!

The giant blade of light sliced ​​down from the top of Flame Wizardmon's head all the way to the ground, like a hot knife through butter!

The Flame Wizard Beast's body froze in place, and then endless light burst forth from the crack in the middle!

Its body was rapidly decomposed and purified in this pure light, turning into the most primitive data particles, and finally completely annihilated, leaving only a digital core wrapped in a data ring, and the Courage Armor Egg.

As this attack was unleashed, the bodies of all the ancient souls who participated in the attack and contributed their soul power began to become transparent and illusory.

They gazed at the wild wolf beast, and in their empty eyes, a trace of relief seemed to appear, as if they had finally seen the arrival of the inheritor, completed their final mission, and could finally rest in peace.

Then, like candles flickering in the wind, they turned into specks of golden light, scattering and disappearing into the air, plunging the entire palace into deathly silence once more.

In his wolf form, Cheng Yuan's holy amethyst shimmered slightly as he walked step by step toward Lin Yu, who was slumped on the ground, his eyes vacant and completely in a daze.

Chapter 197 Eye of the Storm

He raised the lightsaber, "Victor of Light."

Then... he struck Lin Yu hard on the back of the neck with the hilt of his sword.

Lin Yu rolled his eyes and promptly fainted.

The animal trainers of this four-island nation have a special identity and know too many secrets—the entrance to Ashinoshima, Wilcheni's magic, information about various ancient ruins, and even the digital technology system of the four-island nation.

Killing him directly would be too lenient; handing him over to the Beast Tamer Association is the best way to extract his maximum value.

Cheng Yuan found a sturdy digital alloy rope and tied Lin Yu up tightly like a big rice dumpling, then dragged him outside.

When Zhao Gang and his team were found still busy in the upper hall, they were scanning and downloading information on ancient weapon components with various devices while keeping watch over the bald team leader and another member of the excavator team who were tied up tightly.

Previously, they had been affected by that mysterious force, and their memories of Cheng Yuan's "Qilin" identity and his transformation into the Dark Beast had become blurred. They only remembered that Cheng Yuan seemed to have absorbed some kind of power and his strength had greatly increased. Then, in order to stop the destruction, he left first.

Everyone was startled to see a white-armored Digimon with a wolf's head and a human body, carrying a human-shaped "zongzi" (rice dumpling), which they had never seen before.

The Digimon, including Wind Lionmon and Grizzly Bearmon, immediately assumed a defensive stance.

"Wait! It's me! Cheng Yuan!" The wolf beast's mask opened, revealing Cheng Yuan's pale but smiling face.

It wasn't that he was deliberately showing off this form, but rather that his human body was quite injured, and by maintaining the Wild Wolf Beast form, he could actually use the Digimon's physical abilities to move around and carry Lin Yu back.

"Cheng Yuan?! You...you look so cool in this new skin!" Lin Yu was the first to exclaim, thinking that Cheng Yuan was doing some kind of high-level cosplay.

Only Guan Yan looked at Cheng Yuan's armor, a thoughtful light flashing in her eyes.

Cheng Yuan was both amused and exasperated, but at the same time felt it was time for the Beast Tamer Association to pay attention to and explore these ancient digital powers.

Otherwise, situations like today's, where foreign forces covet and sabotage our cause, will continue to occur.