Time in the Digital World flowed by quietly amidst exploration, battles, and shocking changes.
So much had happened in the past month or so.
WereGarurumon had successfully evolved into the powerful CresGarurumon.
However, GrapLeomon's path to evolution seemed to have hit a bottleneck.
Ace decided to head back first and continue searching for a chance to break through later.
...
On the outskirts of Magnolia.
On his way to the guild, his thoughts were interrupted by an unusual commotion.
On the streets, people were whispering about the news that Lisanna had been ambushed by a dark guild near the abandoned mine tunnels east of the city and had escaped with serious injuries.
'Lisanna was attacked?!' Ace's heart tightened as a sense of foreboding washed over him.
This was too much of a coincidence.
Without hesitation, he turned and sped towards the abandoned mine tunnels in the eastern suburbs.
....
Deep within the abandoned mine tunnels, in the old mining area's plaza.
When Ace arrived, he realized it was a trap.
A trap set specifically for him.
Moreover, the moment he stepped into the plaza, he felt his own magic being severely suppressed by a powerful restriction device.
"Come out," Ace said coldly.
Dozens of people slowly emerged.
Their auras were strong and their gazes hostile.
They were clearly from a bunch of different dark guilds, but they were clearly the elite aces of their respective organizations.
They were a joint ambush team, temporarily formed by several guilds that harbored greed and enmity towards Ace, the newly-risen S-Class mage with a strange summoning ability.
"You've really gone to great lengths just to deal with me." Ace scanned the unfamiliar but powerful faces, some of whom even had auras on par with Ultimate level Digimon.
"Enough talk! Get him!" roared a hot-tempered, muscle-bound man from a dark guild known for its body-enhancement magic.
Ace said no more.
With his magic severely restricted, he unhesitatingly summoned his most trusted close-combat digimon.
A steadfast lion warrior stepped out from behind Ace, positioning himself in front of his partner and calmly surveying the powerful enemies around them.
"All of you, attack! Take out this lion first!" the leading dark mage ordered.
Instantly, all sorts of dark magic, curses, and energy blasts assailed them from every direction.
GrapLeomon roared, his golden fighting spirit erupting as he transformed into a streak of golden lightning and charged into the enemy ranks.
GrapLeomon threw a punch at the person directly in front of him.
The man threw a punch back, but before their fists could even connect, he was already howling and clutching his arm as he fell to the ground.
GrapLeomon followed up with a kick that killed another, then another punch that pulverized someone else.
It displayed astonishing close-combat prowess and battle instincts.
The high-speed rotation of the turbines on its arms and legs made it difficult for ordinary mental powers to keep up.
Even though the enemy had the advantage in numbers and coordination, constantly harassing it with control spells and ranged magic, they were still being suppressed by GrapLeomon.
"This lion's are so tough!"
"Don't let it get close! Use binding magic!"
"Wear it down!"
Facing the relentless attacks, GrapLeomon's breathing grew heavy.
Its golden fur was soaked with sweat, and its movements gradually lost their initial swiftness.
But the fighting spirit in its eyes burned ever brighter, like a raging flame.
"Now!"
A curse master hidden in the shadows saw an opening as GrapLeomon blocked a bolt of lightning.
He unleashed a powerful binding curse he had long prepared—several pitch-black magic chains materialized out of thin air, instantly wrapping around GrapLeomon's limbs and torso.
"Roar!" GrapLeomon struggled, but the chains were exceptionally tough, severely restricting its movements.
"Good chance!"
Several deadly attacks that had been building up power struck at the same time.
A ghastly green corrosive ray, a giant blade of condensed, violent wind pressure, and a spiritual shriek that struck directly at the soul.
There was no escape.
Just as Ace was about to transform and rush forward to help—
An unprecedented golden light burst forth from its bound body.
Inheriting the data of Leomon the king of beasts, its powerful will for justice caused the turbines to spin at their ultimate speed.
The pitch-black chains binding it shattered inch by inch in the brilliant light.
GrapLeomon threw its head back and let out a roar that shook the entire mine.
In that roar, there was no despair, only the fury of being pushed to the limit, the unwillingness to accept its own weakness, and a deeper, more fervent will and the ultimate desire for "strength."
"What?!" The curse master who had cast the binding spell was aghast.
Under everyone's horrified gazes, GrapLeomon's form began to change drastically within the golden light.
Its body grew taller and more robust.
It now wore black denim trousers and a red cape, held a short blade in its left hand, and had a blade of grass dangling from its mouth, giving it a wild and untamed style.
Its once majestic lion head now had a touch of ferocity and defiance.
Its aura was no longer just one of steadfastness and fighting spirit; it now possessed an overwhelming dominance that looked down on all, a defiant pride forged in countless battles, and the extraordinary bearing of a "leader."
BanchoLeomon!
This was the new form GrapLeomon had evolved into in a desperate situation, when its will to protect resonated with its ultimate understanding of the pursuit of strength, allowing it to break through its bottleneck.
Digimon who bear the title of "Bancho" are all powerhouses who have endured countless battles and possess unwavering beliefs and the charisma of a leader.
The moment the evolution was complete, BanchoLeomon's eyes, burning with golden flames, coldly swept over the incoming attacks.
It didn't even make a big move.
It simply raised its right fist, covered in a deep blue gauntlet, and threw a simple punch forward.
There was no flashy name, only the purest form of violence.
A shockwave, condensed to the extreme, erupted from its fist.
It shot out after the attacks had been launched but reached them first, brazenly colliding with the corrosive ray, the wind pressure blade, and the spiritual shriek.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The three attacks, each powerful enough to severely injure an Ultimate-level Digimon, crumbled and disintegrated like paper before this unadorned punch.
The spiraling shockwave continued unabated, like a roaring lion, and slammed viciously into the group of dark mages behind.
"Waaah—!"
"Impossible!"
"Quick, block—"
Cries of alarm mixed with the sound of shattering shields.
The few dark mages at the forefront were sent flying by this incredibly domineering force, their bones broken.
Those further away were also knocked off their feet, their magic thrown into disarray, their faces filled with horror.
With the might of a single punch, the tide of battle was turned.
"What... what is this monster? It evolved?!"
"Its aura... it's completely different from before! Such terrifying pressure!"
The dark mages stared in terror at the deep blue figure exuding a horrifyingly oppressive aura.
Their earlier advantage had vanished, replaced by a deep-seated fear.
BanchoLeomon slowly retracted its fist and began to walk towards the enemy.
Its steps were steady and full of pressure, each one seeming to land on the enemies' heartbeats. Its deep, majestic voice rang out:
"Ganging up, setting a trap... Is this the 'strength' you seek?"
"True strength is tempering oneself, protecting one's beliefs, and having the courage to face any hardship."
"And you... are not worthy of being called 'strong'."
As its voice faded, its figure suddenly vanished.
The next moment, it appeared before the curse master who had cast the binding spell.
Its gauntleted left hand clamped around his throat like an iron pincer, lifting him into the air.
"Ugh... let go..." The curse master struggled in terror, feeling his magic completely suppressed by the other's domineering aura, unable to circulate it.
"The weak have no right to choose the battlefield," BanchoLeomon said indifferently, casually tossing him like a piece of trash against the nearby rock wall.
Thump!
The curse master was embedded in the wall, knocked unconscious.
Another mage hidden in the back hurriedly activated a concealed Magic Circle.
Immediately, an eerie purplish-black light flared up around the plaza.
A powerful suction force and chaotic spatial fluctuations emanated from it.
It was clearly an attempt to forcibly teleport away, or perhaps to activate something even more dangerous.
"Trying to escape?"
BanchoLeomon's eyes sharpened.
It took a deep breath, its chest swelling as all its power and the domineering will of the "Bancho" gathered in its throat.
It opened its massive mouth and faced the activated Magic Circle and the remaining enemies—
"Lion King's Roar!"
A terrifying soundwave cannon of visible, dark red destructive energy erupted in a fan shape. Wherever the soundwave passed, space vibrated violently and rocks shattered.
The light of the purplish-black Magic Circle flickered wildly before exploding under the intense interference.
The terrifying soundwave and its energy aftershock brutally swept over all the enemies in front.
"Ahhhh—!"
"My ears!"
"My magic... is out of control!"
Screams rose and fell.
Under the roar, the remaining dark mages were like small boats in a storm.
They were shaken until blood poured from their orifices, their eardrums ruptured, and their magic backfired.
They fell unconscious in droves, completely losing their ability to fight.
The soundwave slowly dissipated.
The entire abandoned plaza was a complete wreck.
BanchoLeomon slowly exhaled the foul air from its chest, and the domineering pressure around it gradually receded.
It turned to look at Ace, its majestic golden eyes once again showing their familiar steadfastness.
"You've worked hard, BanchoLeomon." Ace walked forward, looking at his partner, who now had a completely different and much more powerful and domineering aura.
His heart was filled with excitement and pride.
He knew that GrapLeomon had finally found its own path of evolution—not by pursuing the ultimate destructive power, but by forging an unyielding heart of protection and the will of a leader.