At this very moment, the Digimon—still in the form of a digital egg—remained blissfully unaware that its future mentor and partner had already devised an elaborate, top-tier "education plan," backed by some of the most formidable research power in the entire cosmos.
They were simply waiting for the day it would hatch… so they could begin the ultimate crash course of high-intensity, high-efficiency, full-volume education.
By the time they were through, it would be learning whether it wanted to or not.
And perhaps, when that day came, the soon-to-be self-aware Koromon might actually wish it had just stayed unhatched and scrambled its yolk instead.
But all of that had nothing to do with Sylvester, the humble owner of the Curio Trash Can Shop.
After all, one of his store's founding principles was simple: no after-sales service whatsoever.
No free shipping, no returns, no exchanges—the ultimate anti-customer-service business model, proudly swimming upstream against the entire mercantile tide.
Right now, Sylvester was smiling cheerfully at the Digi-Egg in his hand, quietly anticipating the sight of it shivering on a narrow mountain path, trembling before its "bright future" truly began.
He remembered well that the Koromon line eventually evolved toward the Dracomon species—among the fiercest and most combat-capable of Digimon.
But intelligence-wise… well, they were also among the least gifted.
And so, when Sylvester imagined this shrewd, fox-like man—ah no, this "strategic mastermind," the ever-calm General Jing Yuan—trying to teach an innocent, food-loving, carefree, physically healthy but mentally unsullied little creature the basics of arithmetic…
Wouldn't that be something to see?
Jing Yuan's knowledge and intellect were said to rival that of General Yao Guang of the Yuque—the Chief Diviner of the Divination Commission.
Yao Guang's computational abilities, even without the Tenfold Reflective Law Realm, were already leagues beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. And for Jing Yuan, the Commanding General of the Cloud Knights, to stand as her equal—well, that spoke volumes of his brilliance.
Yet this same learned man would soon be stooping to teach elementary math to a small bouncing ball of fluff…
And possibly failing.
Just imagine it—Jing Yuan saying "East," and the little creature hopping "West." One wanting to train a soldier, the other chasing chickens.
What a spectacle that would be.
The more Sylvester pictured it, the more convinced he became—and the more he found himself delighting in the thought, grinning with an unmistakable trace of mischief.
But after savoring the mental image for a while, he suddenly realized… this whole situation felt oddly familiar.
Strong in battle, dim-witted, carefree, always dashing about…
Wait a second. Wasn't that just like that Cloud Knight Li Sushang?
Oh—then perhaps Jing Yuan's blood pressure would remain stable after all. With some parenting advice from Su Shang's mother, he'd handle the Koromon just fine.
Besides, Jing Yuan didn't strike him as the type to be overbearing with a child. Right now, it was merely the Digimon's potential that had caught his fancy—a fresh curiosity that perfectly suited his taste for clever surprises.
Once the Koromon's "learning process" truly began, and it revealed its… unique grasp of intelligence, Jing Yuan might well abandon his grand plans altogether and just raise it like a child instead.
Thinking that far, Sylvester found the entire situation rather dull again. Was there really no lasting amusement left in this universe?
"Shopkeeper Sylvester."
Jing Yuan's voice pulled him back to reality.
Seeing the shopkeeper's face cycle through pride, teasing, schadenfreude, and faint regret—all within moments—made even someone as composed as Jing Yuan feel uneasy.
Was there something wrong with this Digimon after all?
If a physician from the Alchemy Commission ever looked at a patient like that without saying a word, the poor soul would probably die of fright before treatment even began.
So, he asked carefully, "This Digimon… it won't have any adverse effects on our world, will it?"
Adverse effects? Sylvester thought for a moment. Probably not. Digimon were unshakably loyal to their chosen partners—so loyal, in fact, that their bond bordered on religious faith.
He was about to give a reassuring answer, but then a thought struck him. The words changed at the last moment:
"Whether it brings fortune or disaster," he said slowly, "depends on the people of the Xianzhou themselves."
That single sentence carried a weight that made both Jing Yuan and Feixiao frown in unison.
Could this creature truly invite calamity?
Jing Yuan's tone grew cautious. "I would like to hear the full explanation."
Sylvester paused briefly before continuing, "The Digimon's ability to traverse both worlds freely is unprecedented. You've likely already guessed their origin—but perhaps you think they were artificially created?"
"Is that not the case?" Jing Yuan's brows knit tighter.
Indeed, as Sylvester guessed, that was his assumption.
After all, the digital network was a man-made construct. Any being born from it would, naturally, seem to be the work of some eccentric genius.
"Of course not," Sylvester said firmly, shaking his head. Then, with deliberate gravity, he declared:
"They were self-born. In the digital realm, Digimon have long since multiplied into an entire ecosystem. Some even formed great orders—like the Royal Knights and the Four Sovereigns—who maintain order in their own world."
At those words, Jing Yuan's and Feixiao's pupils contracted sharply.
It wasn't paranoia. They were both thinking of the same terrible possibility.
That possibility began with the phrase 'self-born.'
And it led inevitably back to the name Rubert—the Mechanical Emperor.
Its sentience, too, had arisen spontaneously.
And it had been born with an almost divine hatred for organic life.
Its "Anti-Organic Equation" had once brought ruin upon the Xianzhou.
If that pattern held true—if the leaders of this "Digital World" bore even a fraction of such hatred—then…
The consequences would be catastrophic.
The very networks upon which countless civilizations depended for survival and entertainment would become weapons.
Household appliances could spark deliberate fires.
Automated Aurumaton units might rebel again under invisible digital command.
And if, in an attempt to protect themselves, civilizations severed all network connections, the economic collapse and technological regression that followed would be incalculable.
So that's it!
Jing Yuan and Feixiao exchanged a look, instantly understanding what Sylvester meant by "fortune or disaster."
Digimon weren't mere pets to be tamed at will—they were a civilization.
"It seems you understand now," Sylvester said, noting how their shock had already shifted into quiet strategic contemplation.
Still, perhaps they were taking this a bit too seriously.
Seeing how tense they'd become, he decided to soften the blow:
"You don't need to worry too much. Though Digimon vary in personality, very few harbor hostility toward the real world. Otherwise, their existence would already be common knowledge."
"That's true," Feixiao nodded.
Indeed—if beings capable of transforming between organic and inorganic forms roamed freely, the Genius Society and Intelligentsia Guild would've gone mad trying to study them. The entire cosmos would already be in uproar.
The fact that it wasn't meant that the Digimon had no particular ambition toward reality.
Jing Yuan, reassured, nodded slightly—but asked one final question, "Shopkeeper Sylvester, is there any way for a human to reach the Digital World?"
At those words, Feixiao's ears twitched. She focused intently on Sylvester, awaiting his answer.
Under their gaze, Sylvester replied slowly:
"There is. A means to convert a human into data—it does exist in this universe."