Without warning.
A golden light-screen tore open the firmament across every parallel timeline.
It was silent. It appeared directly in the sight of every intelligent lifeform.
Both in the real world and in the Digital World, all saw it clearly.
…
[Digimon Adventure (1999) World]
Tokyo. Odaiba, shrouded in uncanny thick fog.
Despair and fear hung in the air.
"W-what… what is that thing?!"
Taichi Yagami's eyes went wide. The Digivice in his hand almost slipped free.
Beside him, Agumon stared up, little mouth agape, at the gold that spanned the heavens.
"Taichi, I don't feel any hostility from it. But… the pressure is terrifying."
"An enemy's new trick?"
Matt Ishida frowned and drew Gabumon behind him on guard.
That face of his, usually a touch severe, now showed raw doubt and alarm.
In the deeper shadows, Myotismon's scarlet pupils constricted.
He held his wine glass with elegance, but the joints of his fingers had blanched from the force.
"What is this power? It doesn't belong to this world, or to the Digital World… not even to Darkness!"
For the first time, agitation he could not control laced his tone.
"My lord, my lord, could this be Gennai's doing?"
DemiDevimon fluttered over with obsequious concern.
"Silence, you wretch!"
Myotismon hurled the glass to the floor. Scarlet wine splashed wide.
"If that old fossil Gennai possessed such might, would I have driven him into this corner?!"
Meanwhile, in a space woven of data, the clouded eyes of old Gennai had turned shockingly clear.
He stared hard at the same light-screen floating before him, whiskers trembling.
"An existence beyond spec… Is it 'Them'? No, not quite… This feels more like… a proclamation."
…
[Cyber Sleuth World]
Kuremi Detective Agency.
A rich coffee aroma was blown away by an unseen force.
"Waaah! Kyoko! Look outside! Is it the end of the world?!"
Nokia Shiramine had practically glued herself to the window, pink hair a mess, her face comically stricken.
"Calm down, Nokia."
Kyoko Kuremi raised her cup of house-blend and took a gentle sip.
Even this preternatural phenomenon seemed unable to ruffle her perpetual composure.
But her slightly narrowed eyes betrayed unease within.
"This thing… is appearing directly in our vision, not in physical space. Arata, thoughts?"
On the sofa in the corner, Arata Sanada pushed up his glasses, face pale.
His fingers hammered the keyboard. Code scrolled so fast the screen left afterimages.
"No use… completely non-parsable!"
He snapped his head up, eyes a mix of geek rapture and collapse at witnessing a miracle.
"It doesn't exist on any network layer! It isn't data, it isn't material— it… it is 'existence' itself! This isn't science! It isn't magic! This is freaking theology!"
…
[Pokémon World]
Pallet Town, Professor Oak's Laboratory.
"Ohoho! A discovery of the century!"
Professor Oak nearly pressed his face to the monitor, heedless of how ridiculous he looked.
"Ash, everyone, come see! A brand-new unknown phenomenon! It's global! Every region's observed it!"
"Wow! Such brilliant gold!"
Ash's eyes shone. Pikachu chimed in with a bright "Pika-pika," cheeks full of curiosity.
"What is it, Professor?"
Misty hugged Togepi, worry all over her face.
"It's not something bad, is it?"
Brock stroked his chin with his trademark thoughtful pose.
"From the energy signature, it's very stable. Doesn't look offensive. More like a… colossal display screen?"
Dawn and May appeared on the link from Sinnoh and beyond.
Dawn: "A display screen? What's it going to show?"
May: "A worldwide Contest promotion?"
Ash clenched a fist, fire lighting his gaze.
"Whatever it is! If it's a strong Trainer, I'm battling them!"
…
The light-screen's arrival sent tidal waves through uncounted worlds.
In the Adventure: Reboot world, Taichi Yagami and friends stood off against the dark forces; the sudden anomaly froze the battlefield in eerie stasis.
In Tamers, Takato Matsuki was sharing bread with Guilmon; at the sight of the screen, the bread fell from his hand.
In Savers, Marcus Damon was in his daily scuffle with Agumon; both stopped in unison and looked up. Marcus grinned. "Oh? Looks like a big shot's shown up!"
In 02, Daisuke Motomiya was still vexed over how to surpass senior Taichi; the light-screen made his worries vanish into thin air.
Takuya Kanbara of Frontier. Taiki Kudō of Xros Wars…
All humans deeply bound to Digimon. All mighty Digimon, from the Royal Knights to the Seven Great Demon Lords, even Yggdrasill itself—at this moment, every gaze locked onto that field of gold.
At last.
Under countless watching eyes, the timeless golden screen began to change.
Lines of text surfaced, readable by the minds of all sapient beings.
[Across innumerable parallel timelines, observing every line of causality.]
[Now, the countdown begins!]
[The Top Ten Tamers Who Shaped the Digital World's Fate!]
Silence.
A deathly silence.
Then, a roaring commotion that swept every world!
"Tamers?!"
[Digimon Tamers World]
Rika Nonaka's pupils tightened. She gripped her D-Arc on reflex.
"What a joke! Digimon are partners, not beasts to be tamed!"
Her face stayed cold, yet inside, waves were crashing.
That screen even knew the word "Tamer."
"Rika, don't get worked up."
Henry Wong tried to soothe her, though sweat beaded his brow.
"This countdown… it may expose many secrets we don't know."
"Ryo!"
Ryo Akiyama, the legendary Tamer, simply watched the sky, gaze unfathomable.
"Interesting. Things just got interesting."
[Digimon Savers World]
"Hah? Top ten?"
Marcus Damon dug at his ear with his pinky, completely unimpressed.
"What's the point of rankings? If you wanna know who's strongest, throw hands and find out! Hey! Light-screen! Come down here and fight me if you've got guts!"
Agumon hopped at his feet.
"Yeah! Aniki's the strongest!"
Gallantmon and Alphamon traded a look. Each saw the gravity in the other's eyes.
"This force… far beyond Yggdrasill."
Alphamon's voice was low.
Craniummon drew taut head to toe, entering highest alert.
"Any existence that could threaten my liege must be eliminated."
[Digimon Adventure 02 World]
"Top ten Tamers? Bet I, Daisuke Motomiya, made the cut!"
Daisuke stood akimbo, full of swagger.
Veemon chimed in, "Of course! Daisuke's the best!"
"Idiot."
Ken Ichijouji let the word fall, yet his gaze locked hard on the screen.
Would this countdown mention him? Would it mention his past as a modifier of Greymon?
He did not dare think further.
Not far off, BlackWarGreymon stood alone atop a high tower.
He watched the words. For the first time, a ripple stirred in his empty eyes.
"Tamer… human… the meaning of life… Perhaps the answer lies here?"
Azulongmon's colossal head thrust through the clouds. Wisdom flickered in those august draconic eyes.
"The spindle of fate has begun to turn… but where will its wheel carry us?"
…
[The image shifts, revealing the Top Ten Tamers across uncounted parallel Digital Worlds!]
[Top Ten Tamers!]
[Number One!]
Not from ten upward—
It revealed number one outright!
Every heart ignited at once!
Who?
Who could this mysterious screen place above all others?
The legendary Tamer, Ryo Akiyama?
Marcus Damon, whose fist is truth?
Or some hidden master unknown to all?
Countless eyes bored into the screen, even breath forgotten.
At last, beneath universal scrutiny, a silhouette slowly surfaced.
That signature spiky hair. The goggles on his brow. A frame not tall, yet impossibly upright.
In several worlds at once, incredulous cries rang out.
On the screen, the name appeared, clear as day.
[Taichi Yagami!]
…
Boom!
As if a nuclear blast had struck every world.
[Digimon Adventure (1999) World]
"M-me… me?"
Taichi pointed shakily to himself. His face went through an entire repertoire.
Shock, blankness, disbelief.
"Number one? Me? You've got to be kidding!"
"Taichi! It's Taichi!"
Agumon leapt up and rubbed his head against Taichi's leg.
"Taichi's amazing! Number one!"
"Taichi…"
Hikari Yagami looked at her brother, eyes bright with joy and pride.
"Tch."
Matt turned away, but the corner of his mouth tugged up despite himself.
"That guy… really lucky."
"Taichi… Yagami?"
Myotismon ground out the name, facial muscles twisting with rage.
"That snot-nosed brat?! That fool who only leans on Courage?! By what right?! By what right does he stand above me?! Why first?!"
"Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!"
Darkness raged around him, everything nearby reduced to dust.
This countdown was a humiliation unlike any he'd ever known.
…
[Adventure: Reboot World]
"Taichi… Yagami?"
The Reboot world's Taichi stared at the man on the screen sharing his name—partner also Agumon—and fell into deep confusion.
"Who is he? Another me?"
Agumon cocked his head.
"Taichi, that Agumon looks just like me. But he feels… a little different."
"Wow! Another Mr. Taichi?"
Mimi Tachikawa's eyes sparkled.
"He looks like he's got just a bit more… hmm… mileage than our Taichi?"
Takeru Takaishi and Hikari Yagami traded a look, the same shock mirrored in both.
Parallel selves?
So beyond the world, there are more worlds.
…
[Digimon Adventure tri. World]
"As expected… it's you, Taichi."
Tri-Taichi looked at the younger, clearer-eyed self on the screen and sighed.
Back then, he didn't yet know the weight of choices. He hadn't tasted loss.
Courage had been so pure. So dazzling.
"Number one… huh?"
He murmured.
"That 'first place' isn't exactly something to flaunt…"
Behind that title lay burdens and sacrifices heavy enough to choke.
The man masquerading as Gennai smiled wider, more twisted.
"Taichi Yagami! Again and always, Taichi Yagami! Always center stage! But that's fine. The higher you stand, the louder the fall. Heh-heh-heh… hahahahaha!"
His sickly laughter echoed through the space.
On the screen, images rolled again.
The glorious deeds of the original Taichi Yagami began to play.
(End of Chapter)
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[[email protected]/Zukooo]
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