After finalizing the specific terms, Aomori and SuperStarmon formally signed an agreement. The contents of this pact remained known only to the two of them.
Simultaneously, news that Aomori's persona, HellKnightmon, had defeated SkullMeramon and occupied Ore Town spread across the entire Server Continent.
...
"Lord Etemon! Lord Etemon!"
Across the desert, a rabbit-like Digimon was shouting at the top of its lungs, chasing a tanker-like trailer pulled by a Monochromon.
As if hearing the call, the Monochromon slowly came to a halt. When the rabbit caught up, one side of the trailer flipped upward. Under the radiance of multicolored spotlights, a monkey-like Digimon was revealed, holding a microphone, wearing sunglasses, and striking what he considered a suave pose.
This was the self-proclaimed "Strongest in the Universe," Etemon.
"Gazimon! What's with all the fuss? You're making enough noise to wake the dead this early in the morning!" Etemon shifted his posture, his booming voice amplified through the microphone as he scolded his subordinate.
"But... Lord Etemon, clearly you're the one being louder."
"Hmm?"
"Ah! I mean, I was too loud! My apologies! So sorry!" Gazimon quickly bowed his head, acting quite submissive.
"Hmph!" Etemon's mood brightened slightly. "Spit it out. What is it? I have to rush to my next concert soon!"
"Yes!" Gazimon gathered his thoughts and began, "I just received intel that a mysterious Digimon appeared out of nowhere, defeated SkullMeramon, and has now occupied Ore Town."
"Wait. That SkullMeramon... isn't he one of Myotismon's lackeys?"
"Yes, yes! That's the one!"
The corners of Etemon's mouth gradually curled up until he burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! Myotismon, you finally got what was coming to you! Serves you right! We're both members of the Nightmare Soldiers under Lord Piedmon, yet you had the nerve to try and make me your underling? Pfft, I'm number one in the world!"
"Having his territory snatched by another Digimon... he must be so embarrassed. No, I have to give my old comrade a call to offer my 'condolences.' Hahahaha!" Etemon gloated incessantly, picking up a telephone receiver, intent on gloating to Myotismon.
"Lord Etemon, you forgot. Lord Myotismon blacklisted your number a long time ago," Gazimon reminded him from the side.
"Oh, right." Etemon hung up the phone, annoyed.
"Um, Lord Etemon, shouldn't we be worried about that mysterious Digimon?"
"Hmm? Why worry? Are you doubting me? I'm number one in the universe! If he dares to act up in my territory, I'll punch him into orbit!"
"Right, right! Lord Etemon is invincible, the greatest in the cosmos!"
"If that's all, then beat it! Don't interrupt my concert prep!" Etemon commanded. The trailer door immediately slammed shut. The Monochromon in front let out a loud roar and began pulling the carriage forward at high speed.
"Cough, cough." Gazimon was left coughing in the swirling dust. Looking at the Etemon crest on the back of the receding trailer, he felt worried, but he could only return to his post.
...
At the same time, far on the other side of Server Continent, in Myotismon's castle.
"Lord Myotismon! Lord Myotismon! This is bad!" DemiDevimon, the bat-like Digimon, was flying frantically through the castle hallways in search of his master.
"I am here." Myotismon sat on a high-backed chair, resting his chin on one hand, responding calmly.
He was a humanoid Digimon dressed in black, wearing a high-collared cape that was black on the outside and red on the inside, with a red mask over his eyes. The very image of a vampire.
"Lord Myotismon!" DemiDevimon landed before him and blurted out, "Lord SkullMeramon, whom you sent to guard Ore Town, is dead! Even Ore Town has been occupied by the enemy!"
"Ore Town?" Myotismon straightened his back, his narrow eyes squinting. "Do we know who did it?"
"It was a Digimon calling itself 'HellKnightmon.' He even sent Bakemon and Vegiemon back to deliver a message to you."
"HellKnightmon? A name I've never heard. What was the message?" Myotismon looked puzzled.
"He said... he said, 'I, HellKnightmon, will visit your castle in ten days. I hope you are prepared; don't let the castle be empty and disappoint me.'" DemiDevimon added his own flair to the delivery.
"Hmph, arrogant!" Myotismon stood up abruptly, his face flushed with rage. A blood-red whip appeared in his hand; he lashed out, shattering the floor in front of DemiDevimon.
"Lord Myotismon, please calm your anger!" DemiDevimon prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to look up.
"DemiDevimon, raise your head." Myotismon sat back down, seemingly regaining his composure. "What do you think we should do?"
DemiDevimon slowly looked up and said uncertainly, "I... I think we should gather our forces and, when he arrives in ten days, grind his bones to ash!"
Myotismon shook his head. "Aren't you usually quite clever? Think harder."
"Hmm, let me see." DemiDevimon tilted his head in thought for a moment before a spark of inspiration hit him: "HellKnightmon said he'd come in ten days, so he definitely won't expect us to launch a preemptive strike! Yes! While he's preparing to subjugate us, we'll strike suddenly and catch him off guard!"
"An improvement, but still not enough." Myotismon looked like a grandmaster with every move calculated. "The 'ten days' is merely a smokescreen he put out. There's no need to pay it any mind. What we need to do is first determine his true strength, and then, concentrate our power to defeat him in one blow!"
"As expected of Lord Myotismon!" DemiDevimon was completely won over. "Then, which lord should we send to scout his true power?"
"There's no need for us to act ourselves." Myotismon gave a sinister smile. "The subordinates of Lord Machinedramon have always had their eyes on the Digizoid, but they didn't dare move because of my strength. Now that a stranger has snatched it, they must be ecstatic. It won't be long before they make their move."
"All we have to do is step in and wipe them all out once they've fought each other to a standstill!"
"Then... which lord should be sent to clean up the mess?"
"Those four are doing nothing, aren't they? Send all of them!"
"Lord Myotismon, do you mean..."
"Indeed. DemiDevimon, take my orders and notify them. As my nominal subordinates, it's time they shared my burdens. Furthermore, HellKnightmon surely won't expect someone as cautious as me to deploy my main force."
"Understood, Lord Myotismon!" Filled with deep awe, DemiDevimon immediately left to notify the four Digimon known as the "Four Lesser Dark Kings."
"The Digidestined will descend soon. Before that, I shall eliminate all restless factions on Server Continent!"
In the empty hall, Myotismon wore a smile of absolute certainty.
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If you want to read ahead of everyone, head over to my p-atre-on: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]