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

“Speaking of Cheng Yuan, he’s really strange.” Li Dongsheng, the principal of Meisha Middle School, frowned and said, “I thought that the level that grassroots high school students could reach was the limit, with that Agumon tamer last year. I didn’t expect another one to emerge this year, and he even managed to get it to the Champion stage for the first time.”

“Everyone has their own destiny… Didn’t the first generation of beast tamers more than 20 years ago also start from scratch and explore?” A gentle female voice suddenly interrupted the discussion. The owner of the voice was wearing a horse-face skirt and had a cold and aloof temperament like a winter plum blossom. She sat down in the group of people discussing the topic.

"Greetings, Minister Li!" Everyone present stood up to greet him, their voices filled with undisguised reverence.

Upon seeing the visitors, the leaders from various schools took the initiative to greet them; these were truly high-ranking officials.

The woman walking slowly towards us was Li Xiaochun, the Minister of Education. She also holds a high-ranking position in the Animal Trainers Association and is one of the twelve divine generals known as "Mao Rabbit". Her elegant horse-face dress accentuated her refined temperament, and she exuded an aura of authority with every gesture.

The Minister of Education has been conducting on-site inspections of animal trainer education systems in major cities. This inspection has lasted for more than a week in Shenzhen, far exceeding that of other cities. It is rumored that she is the mastermind behind Shenzhen's innovative move of upgrading the college entrance examination simulation battle into a league.

This is clearly intended to use Shenzhen as a pilot city to bring the mature university-level animal trainer league system down to the high school level, stimulate the competitive spirit of high school students, and get novice animal trainers "rolling up" earlier.

Li Xiaochun nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the arena: "In the next match, shouldn't Cheng Yuan's Gatomon and Deng Yong's Shellmon be on the field?"

The school leaders nodded and looked at the venue, waiting for the new animal trainer, who might be related to the "Dragon Crystal Palace" of Donghai Digital Space, to take the stage.

Chapter 116 Unstoppable Momentum

The individual competition has begun, and Cheng Yuan's first match in the round of 16 was against the captain of Bao'an Middle School.

The opponent's partner was a ferocious little wolf, its limbs wrapped in bandages, its eyes flashing with a dangerous red light.

【Little Wolf Beast】

[Virus Type - Monster Type]

[Growth Period]

[Skills: Roaring Demonic Flame, Spiral Bite]

[Description: Its appearance is somewhere between a wolf and a dog. Its digital core contains data of a mythical wolf from the real world, and it often exhibits a berserk state that is inconsistent with its growth stage.]

As soon as the starting whistle blew, the little wolf-mon tried to close the distance and launch a melee attack. After all, Gatomon's signature Holy Light Bullet was really troublesome, and ranged attacks were no match for it.

However, Gatomon's speed far exceeded its opponent's expectations. A flash of white light appeared, and the gloveless version of "Panic Punch" slammed heavily into Slugmon's abdomen. This strike was clean and swift, directly knocking its opponent out of the arena.

To everyone's surprise, Gatomon, which was initially thought to be a turret-type creature, also possessed fighting skills. With its Cat Punch combined with incredible speed, even the referee could only see a blur.

Although its power is limited, it is sufficient to deal with Rookie-level Digimon.

In the quarterfinals, Cheng Yuan faced off against Qianhai Experimental Middle School. His opponent was a female Digimon trainer named Guan Ying, whose temperament was quite similar to Zhao Lu's; both were top students. Her partner Digimon was a delicate and adorable jellyfish.

Jellyfish

[Data Type - Software Type]

[Growth Period]

[Skills: Paralyzing Lightning Strike, Electric Punch, Spiral Flying Kick]

[Description: Possesses a head as soft as a jellyfish and a humanoid body, which is also extremely flexible, allowing it to retract into its head. It has a proud and strong personality, greatly appreciates cleanliness, and resents human pollution.]

The fight between the two was truly spectacular. Jellyfishmon's fighting skills were amazing; even without attribute boosts, Gatomon's Cat Punch struggled to gain an advantage for a while. The two Digimon exchanged blows, their fists and feet clashing and sparking dazzling fireworks, drawing cheers from the audience.

However, when Gatomon's fist began to flash with holy light, the battle immediately turned one-sided, and the difference in energy levels between the mature stages became obvious at that moment.

Tailmon evaded all attacks with astonishing speed, its fists crackling with holy light energy as it aimed straight for Jellyfishmon's head. Although its opponent stubbornly stood firm, it had already lost consciousness.

"This is the suppressive power of maturity..." some of the school leaders and guests remarked.

Meanwhile, the other two captains, each possessing a Champion-level Digimon, also advanced with overwhelming force. Zhao Lu's Gearmon X, after a fierce battle, barely managed to defeat both captain-level opponents, even after revealing almost all its trump cards.

The final four have been announced: Cheng Yuan (Gi-Oh!), Deng Yong (Shellmon), Lu Ming (Magpiemon), and Zhao Lu (Gearmon X).

In the team competition, Cheng Yuan's Pengcheng No.1 Middle School team won another victory, easily defeating Qianhai Experimental Middle School.

The remaining team match is against Meisha Bilingual, a team with mature-level Shell Beasts. If they win consecutive matches, they will undoubtedly take first place in the team competition. If they lose, their ranking will be determined by their points.

After numerous battles, Gatomon's popularity soared with each competition. This was not only due to its formidable strength, but also to its irresistibly cute appearance.

A "cat-loving" craze swept across social media, with countless fans going crazy for this adorable cat-shaped Digimon. Some younger students even secretly decided that they would also sign a partnership agreement with Snowballmon next year.

Who can resist the temptation of petting a cat?

"Cheng Yuan, the Great Demon King, is indeed terrifying. He is worthy of being the beast tamer who sparred with us back then."

The members of the "How to Train Your Dragon Avengers" have gradually changed their tune online. They went from being haters to fans, and even became whistleblowers, detailing how the members and the little dog beast sparred with them one by one and fought against them, and how they helped them grow. They seemed to be saying, "We had our eye on him all along," as if they were trying to ride the wave of popularity.

"Cheng Yuan, how are you feeling?" Kang Zhao handed him a bottle of energy drink.

"Thanks, big guy. It feels alright, there's a chance, but I'm not too sure." Cheng Yuan took the energy drink, opened the bottle, and gave a few sips to Gatomon, who had just finished fighting.

"You say it's alright? If it were me, I would have gotten cocky by now," Kang Zhaodi laughed. He was eliminated before the round of 16 due to insufficient points, ranking 28th, which is a decent result for someone in his normal growth period.

Zhao Lu smiled wryly, "I guess this is the best I can do. I'm not as abnormal as you guys, you're all in your prime."

Wang Wei joked, "The number one beast below the mature stage, Gear Beast X, that title is no small feat, haha."

Wang Wei's Hedgehog Beast also achieved a ranking of 57th, which is in the middle and not bad.

Eliminated contestants like Kang Zhaodi and Wang Wei, who were already quite free, joined the online frenzy to generate buzz and promote Pengcheng No. 1 Middle School.

At this moment, Gatomon and Gearmon X had already been called over by the school doctor and Lalamon for treatment and recovery.

There are two more individual matches and one team match to follow.

Cheng Yuan and Zhao Lu waited outside the treatment room. Cheng Yuan asked, "Zhao Lu, how is Gear Beast X doing with the direction of the development technique we discussed two weeks ago?"

Zhao Lu frowned: "We've been practicing and have absorbed a lot of data on electromagnetic cannons, but it's always unstable and frequently explodes. Gear Beast X has even injured itself several times."

After the two Digimon came out, Cheng Yuan checked the time: "There's still some time before the next match, shall we go to the practice room and try again?"

"Is it okay, Three-in-One Gear Beast?"

"quack!"

"If you can learn the Railgun before the competition, I'll arrange for you to meet my family's Gear Beast. Otherwise..." Cheng Yuan deliberately dragged out his words.

Gear Beast X nodded frantically: "Mission accomplished, quack quack!"

Ever since seeing the photo of Cheng Yuan's Gearmon, who was wearing a white lab coat, this mechanical Digimon has been obsessed with meeting him in person.

"Do Digimon have genders?" Cheng Yuan once asked curiously.

Zhao Lu shrugged: "This remains an unsolved mystery in the Digital World. However, it is true that Digimon do have an instinct to breed stronger offspring by recombinizing their DNA."

During the afternoon's special training, motivated by the "blind date," Gear Beast X finally achieved a breakthrough.

"Develop the Railgun, master it!"

"Is this the power of love?" Zhao Lu joked.

"Hmm? Are you sure it's not the allure of uniforms...?"

"What temptation?"

"nothing……"

"Super Battery Cannon is a trump card skill that plays a decisive role for Gearmon," Cheng Yuan said, changing the subject. At the same time, he also remembered that Gatomon was currently lacking a decisive killing move.

As an ambitious tamer, Cheng Yuan was certainly not satisfied with Gatomon's current skills.

Whether he wants to explore the digital space, guard the dark areas, or search for the light of evolution in the secret realm of time and space, he needs to constantly push his limits.

He secretly set a goal: to become a professional animal trainer before Xu Xin.

Chapter 117 One Shot, One Kill

The next morning, Cao Jin, the teacher in charge of the team, had a solemn expression after drawing lots.

Among the top four, Zhao Lu was the most relaxed. After all, the other three were in their mature stage, while she, in her growth stage, had no psychological burden.

Cao Jin just hopes she won't be drawn against Cheng Yuan vs. Zhao Lu.

However, even though Cao Jin helped Zhao Lu draw Deng Yong (a mature-stage shell beast) from Meisha Bilingual, she still felt that her luck was bad.

The mutated shell beast with dragon-like features is simply too powerful.

Compared to ordinary shell beasts, although both are connected to huge shells, it has a triangular head, a ferocious face like a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a larger size. In the team battle against the Overseas Chinese Academy, the shell beast's "Destructive Death Ray" successfully clashed with the Magpie Beast's Fish Stream Cannon, causing the Overseas Chinese Bilingual Team to suffer a defeat.

In this team competition final, it's inevitable that they will face off against Meisha Bilingual's Shell Beast.

It's worth mentioning that besides Deng Yong's Shell Beast, Meisha Bilingual also had a team member who was also at the top 8 level, but unfortunately encountered Cheng Yuan and was stopped in the top 8.

Cao Jin said to Cheng Yuan and Zhao Lu: "The semifinals of the individual competition will be held first. Zhao Lu's opponent is Deng Yong (Shell Beast) from Meisha Bilingual School, and Cheng Yuan's opponent is Lu Ming (Magpie Beast) from Huaqiao College. Be careful. The individual competition finals will be after the team battles. Be careful."

"Don't worry, I have confidence in Gatomon." Cheng Yuan said confidently.

Cheng Yuan and Lu Ming (Magpiemon) are like old enemies. Yesterday, during the team competition, Cheng Yuan made Lu Ming admit defeat, and then he and Meisha Bilingual really fought fiercely, revealing all their trump cards. The two Champion-level Digimon fought so hard that the virtual digital space became a bit unstable, which made the staff rush to find the programmers to fix it.

Cheng Yuan's mind flashed through Shellmon's information: a dual-attribute Water/Dragon Digimon, a defensive turret, possessing powerful skills such as Hyper Beam and High-Pressure Water Bubble. Its most troublesome feature was its armor, a fusion of dragon-type stamina and shell-like defense; its only weakness was its movement speed. This Digimon, with the support of the Deng Yong family, had been trained since the third year of junior high school, and its control over its Champion-level power far surpassed that of Gatomon.

Tailmon also faces considerable pressure in dealing with such a "tank" type Digimon.

"I'm going to prepare for the competition." Zhao Lu's voice interrupted Cheng Yuan's thoughts. Her back, which was turned and walked towards the players' room, looked somewhat slender, but her steps were unusually firm.

The first match of the semi-finals kicked off amidst great anticipation: Zhao Lu (Gear Beast X) from Pengcheng No.1 High School vs. Deng Yong (Shell Beast) from Meisha Bilingual School.

In the battle arena, after the two Digimon entered the battle space, Deng Yong shook his head: "Zhao, I heard that you were still training before the competition. Your Gearmon X does have great potential, but unfortunately, its development time is too short. The gap between the Rookie and Champion stages is an insurmountable chasm that cannot be bridged by developing any new skills."

Zhao Lu didn't answer, but simply patted the Gear Beast X's body lightly. The three-in-one mechanical body made a "click-clack" sound as the gears spun at high speed, generating bursts of electricity.

As Deng Yong had predicted, the game began and the situation became one-sided.

Gearmon X's net-like lightning exploded on the shell's surface, yet left not a single mark; the serrated wheel struck the shell, producing a teeth-grinding scraping sound before bouncing away. Shellmon didn't even bother to move, simply standing still and letting its opponent attack, truly as solid as a city wall.

After half a match, even with Gearmon X unleashing all its powerful attacks, it still couldn't break through its solid defense.

However, it was precisely because it underestimated its opponent that it gave Gear Beast X an opportunity.

"Gear Beast X, use the Super Battery Cannon." Zhao Lu clasped her hands together, praying that it wouldn't explode this time.

If the Shell Beast had a high reaction speed, the outcome would probably be different.

The three sets of gears on Gear Beast X's chest spun wildly, dazzling lightning gathering at the muzzle. It had practiced this move countless times, each time ending in a barrel explosion. But now, under Zhao Lu's expectant gaze, a streak of azure lightning ripped through the sky—

"boom!"

Amidst the deafening explosion, a hole the size of a bowl was blasted through the seemingly indestructible shell of the Shell Beast! The entire audience gasped in unison, and even the commentator's voice trembled: "A growth-stage Shell Beast has breached the defenses of a mature-stage Shell Beast! This is the first time in league history!"

"One shot, one kill!"

Gearmon's attack successfully avenged the humiliation inflicted upon it by Shellmon, giving the audience endless surprises.

The audience was stunned, thinking the balance of victory was about to be reversed.

Unfortunately, this attack failed to turn the tide of the battle; it only pierced the shell and did not cause any significant damage.

Enraged, Shellmon, under Deng Yong's command, launched a furious counterattack, unleashing a barrage of Hyper Beams, ultimately forcing Gearmon X out of the arena. Zhao Lu, though defeated, was still a hero; the observers in the stands had already filled their notebooks with notes—to raise a baby to this level, her potential after evolution was limitless.

It even sparked heated discussions online, once again highlighting the importance of Digimon skill development for Digimon trainers.

Zhao Lu gained a good reputation. This battle was not just about rankings and winning or losing, but also about the Beast Tamer University's observers' assessment of the candidates' potential. If they could do well in the growth stage, what would happen if they were trained and evolved to the mature stage?

"Well done." Cheng Yuan stopped Zhao Lu in the contestant's passage. "The observers' eyes lit up."

Zhao Lu wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled with relief: "It's up to you now."

Cheng Yuan felt that Zhao Lu had already received good reviews from the observers, and he and Gatomon needed to work harder.

It's just a bird, I'll give you a surprise later.

The atmosphere in the second semi-final was completely different. Cheng Yuan and Lu Ming stared at each other across the distance, the tension palpable.

Throughout the competition, each contestant accumulated some supporters, and the supporters on both sides cheered fiercely.

Magpiemon is a powerful bird-type Digimon, far superior to Wildbirdmon or Gorgemon. It is incredibly cool from its first appearance to its battles, and its attacks are extremely fierce. Whether it's its skills or its fighting spirit, it follows a fast and ruthless approach.

The loss to the Meisha bilingual team was largely due to the team's overall performance and the constraints imposed by the opponent's two captains.

Tailmon, a sacred beast type, looks small and cute, more like a companion pet Digimon. Beneath its adorable appearance, it mysteriously unleashes tremendous energy and fighting spirit, defeating many powerful opponents in the semi-finals of the battle. No one dares to underestimate it.

Whispers rippled through the audience, while heated discussions raged online.

"As Lu Ming said yesterday, Gatomon has a serious weakness in attack. In a head-on collision, Magpiemon does have the advantage in both size and skills."

"While Gatomon is fast, Magpiemon is no less so. In terms of movement speed, flying bird-type creatures have a significant advantage, and they can attack and defend in the air. Although Gatomon has Holy Light Bullets, their range is limited, and they can be easily dodged at long distances. I wonder how Gatomon and Cheng Yuan plan to deal with this."

“Lu Ming,” Cheng Yuan suddenly spoke from the battle arena, his voice clearly transmitted through the arena’s sound system, “The Magpie Beast is such a big target, it’s easy to hit it, after all, it can’t even dodge the Shell Beast’s slow attack.”

Lu Ming remained unfazed: "If you think this level of trash talk can distract me, then you've miscalculated. No matter what you say, it won't make up for the weakness of your Digimon's attack power. This time, you won't have as many companions to help you."

"How could that be?" Cheng Yuan gave an innocent smile. "I was worried that you would lose too quickly and wouldn't have a chance to show off the secret weapon I prepared."