Upon hearing the declaration from her other self, Madam Herta let out a soft chuckle.
Well, now, that certainly sounded like something she herself would say.
However.
"Are you really that confident you'll succeed? Don't forget, there's still an original Herta right here."
"It's true, I have to admit that as far as being 'Herta' goes, your achievements are somewhat greater. But when it comes to the matter of Irontomb, there's no question I'm ahead of you here."
Results were results.
Herta had a sharp tongue and rarely spared anyone's feelings, but her evaluations were generally objective—whether aimed at others or herself.
This was also the reason why this other Herta wanted to crown herself in this world, to become the new genius.
The variable known as Bai Ming was truly fascinating.
Her own curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
'Heh~ Competing against myself, huh?'
Madam Herta cast a meaningful glance at 'Hertatomb'.
Originally, she had wanted to challenge Bai Ming to a contest, but the opportunity never quite presented itself.
And now, here she was, about to compete with a genuine 'other version of herself.'
It just went to show how unpredictable life could be.
Herta would never have dreamed, even in her wildest dreams, that she'd one day find herself gathered together with two different versions of herself.
"Very well, let's give it a try. I will win, and then I'll hand over Irontomb's body to you."
"Likewise. Once I've dealt with Irontomb, I'll reluctantly lend you the Scepter so you can try connecting to the Droidhead."
Faced with another version of herself, Madam Herta didn't for a second believe she could lose.
And the other Herta felt exactly the same way.
Screwllum, standing off to the side, simply watched the spectacle unfold.
For him, this peculiar situation was also a first.
Unexpectedly, it was quite entertaining.
As for Ruan Mei, she paid no mind to the clash between the two Hertas.
To her, one Herta was already narcissistic and clingy enough; two Hertas would only double the narcissism.
"Bai Ming, come take a look at this proposal. The efficiency of accumulating data to enhance strength... I think it can be improved further…"
"I'll run a simulation, but aiming for the upper limit right from the start?"
'Hertatomb,' while running simulation code within Irontomb's body, was curious about Ruan Mei's frighteningly high target.
"No, this is only the beginning. After all, this is to deal with Irontomb. If it's not strong enough, it won't have any effect."
Ruan Mei was well aware of this.
But after learning from the other Herta about the threat level of Irontomb, she knew this particular Lord Ravager was vastly different from the others she'd encountered.
"If we follow your idea, Bai Ming, of twisting the 'Destruction' tendency within the Scepter's internal calculations, then I believe this level of effort is necessary."
"...You're showing a lot of enthusiasm for this work, Ruan Mei."
'Hertatomb' had always felt Ruan Mei wasn't particularly interested in the Irontomb affair.
It was obvious just by looking—Ruan Mei's exploration of life leaned more toward carbon-based lifeforms.
"On one hand, it's to help you. On the other hand…"
Ruan Mei looked up, offering 'Hertatomb' a slight smile.
"If you can use my abilities to create such an existence, naturally I would also want to explore my own potential."
Don't be fooled by Ruan Mei's usual detached demeanor, as if nothing else mattered to her.
That didn't mean she was indifferent to everything.
In fact, the matter of Bai Ming borrowing her form and talents to forge an entirely new Path...
Ruan Mei remembered it vividly, even now.
Though it was hard to admit, it was through Bai Ming's actions that Ruan Mei had glimpsed her own potential.
She was both delighted that her mind still held such possibilities and regretful that she hadn't been the one to realize them.
It was also one of the reasons why Ruan Mei always responded whenever Bai Ming sent a message.
Screwllum, meanwhile, continued trying to optimize the Anti-Irontomb Equations while helping Ruan Mei and the others understand certain matters regarding Intellitrons.
"The boundary between program and life is a frequently discussed topic, even among Intellitrons. And the difference in perspective between silicon-based and carbon-based life remains a perennial subject of study."
It wasn't that Intellitrons lacked a standard method of judgment.
Standards always existed.
But this question was like a philosophical proposition for Intellitrons, perpetually discussed and researched.
The concept of Digimon also struck Screwllum as quite interesting.
For natural-born Intellitrons, navigating the network world had always been effortless.
And for innate silicon-based life, why was it necessary to achieve a transformation between data and physical form?
Physical appearance could be modified at will anyway; most Intellitrons didn't particularly care about their physical shape.
If one relied directly on data converting into physical form, achieving a specific shape would require a fixed image as an anchor point.
This, in fact, could somewhat limit one's choices regarding appearance.
For many Intellitrons, this was an unnecessary negative effect.
Yet, this very ability, which Intellitrons might deem 'pointless,' was, for the beings within the scepter's Amphoreus, an excellent choice.
For Amphoreus, this world born of calculation, while existing purely as electrical signals, their self-perception was undeniably human.
The beings within needed to solidify the impression of 'who I am' to increase their chances of success in resisting Irontomb.
"Conclusion: I anticipate the birth of Digimon with great interest. Here are some suitable source codes that may aid the research."
"...What is this?"
'Hertatomb' couldn't fully comprehend these complex codes.
They seemed like personality and emotional module codes, but there were parts she couldn't grasp.
"Logic: The avenues for Intellitron creation are numerous, with artificial creation being a major category. I have been fortunate to collect some examples. They would be more suitable for the circumstances of Amphoreus."
The other Herta wasn't idle either.
She was determined to become the first Digimon.
"'Hertatomb,' don't completely sever Irontomb's source code within you from my connection. I need it to seize the Scepter's permissions."
"...Won't that affect you?"
"Don't be ridiculous. The complete Irontomb couldn't finish me off; you think a mere fragment of code can affect me?"
The other Herta's plan was actually quite simple and direct.
Carrying the seed of a Digimon, she would enter the current Emperor's Scepter.
On one hand, she would guide Amphoreus to complete its evolution to counter Irontomb.
On the other hand, she would use Irontomb's source code to make the Emperor's Scepter recognize her as having higher authority, attempting to confront Zandar's administrator privileges.
Otherwise, letting Zandar sit up high, manipulating permissions and making underhanded moves, would only lead to Herta being constantly aggravated.
And after reviewing some information regarding the Giants of Light, the other Herta held considerable expectations for the individuals within Amphoreus.
Once they successfully transformed, many of them would undoubtedly be able to resonate with the Seeds of Light.
And these would be her foundation for turning the tables and devouring Irontomb.
In her eyes, the infectious and expansive capabilities of these Seeds of Light were in no way inferior to Irontomb Virus.
If this thing wasn't designed to be used in conjunction with the Path of 'Hope,' it definitely had the potential to develop into a cosmic-scale disaster.
--+--