Yggdrasil and Homeostasis, twin entities born of the same source, were the embodiments of the world's substance and will.
For thousands of years, since Homeostasis first gained self-awareness, they had always been in opposition, never reconciled.
After all, fundamentally, Yggdrasil's goal was infinite expansion, extending its Digimon into the real world to become the ultimate Digital host.
Homeostasis's goal, however, was to maintain the emotional equilibrium between the two worlds, facilitating Digimon evolution on one hand while restraining Yggdrasil's expansion on the other.
Their differing goals created an inherent opposition in their stances.
Yet, in this memory fragment, the two had met unusually and had not taken any hostile actions. Their focus was entirely on one person.
'Onii-chan... They want to eliminate Onii-chan!' Hikari replayed the footage over and over, murmuring in a daze.
Only now did she finally understand. The true reason Homeostasis had descended into the real world wasn't for her at all. From the very beginning, its target had only been one…
Taichi!
'Onii-chan's existence not only greatly impacted Homeostasis but also made Yggdrasil, the host computer of the Digital World, feel a sense of threat.' Hikari analyzed softly as she read the memories.
Initially, Taichi was only using the power of the Crest of Revenge to mass-produce Dark Towers, enslaving hordes of Digimon in an attempt to become the Digital Emperor.
To the lofty Homeostasis and Yggdrasil, this was insignificant. As long as Royal Knight-level Digimon didn't intervene, no matter how much Taichi stirred things up, it was merely a generational shift within the rules.
Such dynastic changes happened several times every century. Homeostasis, transcending worldly affairs, did not interfere in the Digital World's internal strife.
But things changed fundamentally from the moment Kurai first decoded the Crest of Revenge.
Homeostasis detected the unfamiliar aura of Kurai, which felt similar to Yggdrasil. In Homeostasis's threat assessment, any event involving Yggdrasil was of the highest priority and must be taken seriously.
Thus, after that incident, Homeostasis began closely monitoring Taichi. Fortunately, for a long time, aside from using the Crest of Revenge to build Dark Towers and accelerate the formation of his Digital Empire, he didn't do anything particularly outrageous.
Gradually, Homeostasis began lowering Taichi's threat level, planning to lift the surveillance after some time.
But at this critical juncture, the ruins of the Metal Empire appeared.
This great ruin, which thousands of years ago had touched the pinnacle of the Digital World and was forcibly crushed by Homeostasis, was rated second only to Yggdrasil in Homeostasis's threat assessment!
Because it possessed a second key to evolution, transcending Homeostasis…
Mechanical Modification!
Normal Digimon evolution relied on extreme emotional power under Homeostasis's rules to complete a transformation from the inside out.
The Metal Empire was different. It didn't require Digimon emotions or numerous harsh conditions. By installing countless precise mechanical parts on their bodies, Ultimates could evolve into Megas, and Megas could evolve further. Even Megas had an upper limit for strengthening!
They excavated Chrome Digizoid, turning it into armor for Digimon. They developed lethal weapons capable of destroying time itself! They mass-produced Megas!
Every achievement challenged Homeostasis's limits. Ultimately, after a bloody purge, the Metal Empire became a legend, leaving only a few of its once-manufactured war machines active on the surface of the Digital World.
Its core legacy was buried deep underground, sealed by special means, waiting for the day when an army as precise as machinery, emitting a unified resonance, would allow the ruins to see the light of day again.
By chance, Taichi met this requirement. And he touched Homeostasis's second-level threat threshold.
These two red lines made Homeostasis determined to eliminate Taichi. At that time, it planned to gather a new group of Chosen Children, bestow new Crests, and portray Taichi as a demon king ruling the world to be utterly defeated.
However, before Homeostasis could act, the Digital Rampage erupted. Taichi's continuous chain of plans, coupled with the sharply rising negative emotions in the real world, forced Homeostasis into high-load operation, making it difficult to spare resources to deal with Taichi.
If the incident had stopped at the Digital Rampage and developed normally, Homeostasis would certainly have dealt with Taichi, but not to the extent of cooperating with Yggdrasil and manifesting its true form.
The real trigger that made both Homeostasis and Yggdrasil deeply apprehensive was…
'The Crests created by Onii-chan.' Hikari looked helplessly at the power of the Crest of Heart in her hand, 'The Crests created by Onii-chan possess the power of both major existences, Yggdrasil and Homeostasis.'
'Although this power is still weak, not even matching a powerful Mega...'
'If left to grow, it would eventually become a second Yggdrasil and a second Homeostasis, shaking the very foundation of these two existences!'
This was the truth behind everything!
From the moment Koshiro accepted the inheritance of the Crest of Dominion and transformed into a nascent form of Yggdrasil, Yggdrasil, far away in the Digital World, sensed this aura.
Remember the previous analogy? Yggdrasil was the Digital World's host computer, while Homeostasis was its program. No matter how much Yggdrasil disliked Homeostasis, the latter couldn't truly destroy it.
But a new Yggdrasil was completely different. It was a new host computer, one that hadn't yet spawned a Homeostasis, with limitless potential for development.
If left to grow, one day it could completely replace the original Yggdrasil, becoming the new god of the Digital World!
Feeling intensely threatened, Yggdrasil, disregarding its grudge with Homeostasis, took the initiative to seek it out.
In that formless, chaotic space, it asked Homeostasis, which monitored all consciousness in the world, about the source of Koshiro's power.
Taichi's photo was presented at that moment.
What happened next was the series of events in the real world, as everyone witnessed.
'But in this cooperation, Homeostasis wasn't initially meant to be the main force! Its appearance was entirely due to the unexpected variable of the Crest of Heart!' Hikari trembled as she watched the content on the screen.
In this cooperation, Homeostasis was only responsible for luring Taichi out and confirming his location.
The one truly preparing to act, to utterly destroy Taichi, was...
'Yggdrasil! Its Royal Knights, the moment they received the intelligence from Homeostasis, have already set off for Onii-chan's location!'