Solo Leveling: Digispirit.

A/N: woaah 200 power stones, as I said, every 100 power stones a bonus Chapter. another 100 and another Chapter.

Takuya slowly approached Fladramon.

The Digimon remained perfectly still.

He didn’t move.

He didn’t even open his eyes.

Leaning peacefully against the tree, he looked as though he had been waiting there for centuries, completely unconcerned by Takuya’s arrival.

When Takuya was about five meters away, he noticed a flat rock facing Fladramon.

Without really thinking about it, he walked over and sat down.

Only then did Fladramon open his eyes.

The blue Digimon looked directly at him before speaking.

"Was it difficult to reach me?"

Takuya blinked.

It was the first time a Digimon had spoken to him.

For a moment, he had even started wondering if they communicated through some completely different language—binary, data signals, or something equally bizarre. Apparently, that wasn’t the case.

"It was," Takuya admitted with a tired laugh. "I almost died during the last fight, you know? If it hadn’t been for the data restoring my body, I’d probably be dead."

For some reason, Fladramon didn’t give him the impression that he was about to attack without warning.

"That is true," Fladramon replied calmly. "Lynxmon is indeed quite strong. So... do you believe you can defeat me?"

As he spoke, Fladramon leaned forward slightly.

It was strangely human. The way he sat, the way he moved, even the way he held the conversation—it all felt remarkably natural.

"To be honest..." Takuya sighed. "If you’re stronger than Lynxmon—and I’m pretty sure you are—I don’t think I have much of a chance. Maybe if I had time to prepare some kind of trap... but I don’t know this place well enough."

He glanced around at the valley.

"And I definitely wasn’t expecting this."

His eyes wandered across the sea of flowers and the enormous tree overhead.

"I thought I’d find another volcano full of lava."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"I certainly didn’t expect a field of grass and flowers."

Fladramon nodded, looking genuinely pleased.

"Yes, it is. The soil here is excellent fertilizer. What’s more, the lava flowing from the surrounding volcanoes enriches the valley below. That’s where most of the Digimon live."

"And the Kings of the Volcanoes?" Takuya asked.

"They—or rather, we—simply live here," Fladramon replied. "Most of the Digimon below are still in the Child stage. If one evolves into a Fire-type that could accidentally burn the forest, it moves to the mountain range."

"The mountain range?" Takuya repeated. "Not the volcanoes?"

Fladramon shook his head.

"No. These four volcanoes were set aside specifically for the trial. As you already noticed, the Digimon guarding them were Armor-level Digimon. They couldn’t evolve through normal means, so they competed with one another for the chance to undertake this test."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"In exchange, whenever a challenger arrived, they were required to fight. If they reached the next stage, they were free to leave, and another Digimon could use the Digi-Egg to become the new guardian."

Takuya remained silent for a few moments, thinking it over.

"...Isn’t that a little cruel?" he finally asked. "Considering they might have to fight to the death?"

It was a genuine question.

Fladramon laughed softly.

"Perhaps that’s how a human would see it."

He looked toward the valley below.

"But as you’ve already experienced... we fight to evolve. It is in our nature."

"That doesn’t mean we seek conflict all the time. We also value peace and balance. However, sooner or later, most Digimon who wish to keep growing will have to risk their lives. That is simply how evolution works."

He looked back at Takuya.

"Of course, there are other ways to gather data besides fighting. But the higher one’s evolutionary stage... the greater the amount of data required."

"In that regard, you won’t find an Adult Digimon hunting Babies, nor a Perfect hunting Children or Adults," Fladramon explained. "The amount of data they would gain is insignificant compared to what they need to continue evolving."

"The birth rate of Baby Digimon is also very high. Perfect-level Digimon and those beyond are actually a minority. There are still many of them, of course, but compared to the number of Babies, Children, and Adults... they are vastly outnumbered."

"I see..." Takuya nodded slowly. "So I guess we have to fight now."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"That’s... kind of a shame."

Fladramon raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"You’re actually pretty nice."

Fladramon laughed.

"Hahaha... I could say exactly the same about you."

His expression gradually became serious.

"But yes... we must."

He glanced back at the flower field.

"Just... not here."

His eyes wandered over the colorful meadow.

"Let’s not damage this oasis, shall we?"

With that, Fladramon stood up and began walking.

Takuya silently followed.

After a few minutes, they left the valley behind and arrived at a wide, circular clearing surrounded by dark volcanic rock.

It looked almost like an arena.

Takuya slowly walked around, observing the place.

It wasn’t natural.

Someone had built this.

"So..." Takuya said quietly.

"This is where we fight."

A thought lingered in the back of his mind.

And after this...?

He wasn’t going to win.

So... was he simply supposed to die?

"Don’t overthink it."

Fladramon’s calm voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Come."

His posture remained completely relaxed, as if nothing in the world could trouble him.

Takuya took a deep breath before rushing forward.

Their fists collided.

Then another.

And another.

In an instant, both of them disappeared into a blur of martial arts exchanges.

Punches.

Kicks.

Elbows.

Knees.

Their movements were far too fast for an ordinary human to follow.

Yet neither of them used fire techniques.

There was little point.

Against another Fire Digimon, brute skill mattered more.

Takuya immediately realized something.

Fladramon’s body felt like steel.

Every punch that landed hurt him more than it seemed to affect his opponent.

Still, he refused to stop.

He poured every ounce of concentration into maintaining his rhythm, chaining one movement into the next while searching desperately for an opening.

Nothing.

Fladramon countered everything.

Perfectly.

He was unquestionably beyond an ordinary Adult Digimon.

This wasn’t just a feeling anymore.

It was a fact.

If Flamon was around C or C+ Rank... then Fladramon had to be at least B... maybe even B+ or even A? .

At one point, Takuya jumped into the air, spinning to strike with his tail.

Fladramon simply caught it.

Then slammed him into the ground once.

Twice.

Before tossing him several meters away.

"That’s not a technique you should use against someone stronger and faster than you," Fladramon said calmly.

"The tail is a powerful weapon, but it leaves you completely exposed."

A faint grin appeared on his face.

"You’re not Ankylomon, kid."

Takuya gritted his teeth and charged again.

The moment he threw another punch, Fladramon struck him square in the stomach.

"Your guard is too open."

Another exchange.

A kick narrowly grazed Takuya’s neck.

"Careful with your neck."

Again.

Another mistake.

"You rely too much on instinct there."

Again.

"Don’t cross your feet."

Again.

"Your weight is shifting too early."

It no longer felt like a battle.

It felt like a lesson.

Within minutes, Takuya’s body was covered in wounds, streams of exposed data leaking from countless injuries.

Meanwhile...

Fladramon looked almost untouched.

The difference between them was overwhelming.

Yet Takuya stood back up.

Again.

And again.

Dirty tricks wouldn’t work here.

Neither would reckless sacrifices.

Fladramon was simply too experienced. Even if Takuya tried the desperate tactics that had worked against Lynxmon, Fladramon would throw him aside before they could accomplish anything.

After several more exchanges...

Takuya’s left arm gave out completely.

With a sickening pop, his shoulder dislocated.

He staggered backward, breathing heavily.

Then he looked directly at Fladramon.

"...Why haven’t you finished me?"

His voice was strained.

"Instead of killing me... you’ve just been pointing out every weakness I have."

He lowered his useless arm.

"You could have ended this from the very beginning."

"You’ve got time to ask questions, but not to keep fighting?" Fladramon said with a faint smile. "Come."

Takuya gritted his teeth and charged once more.

He fought with everything he had left.

This time, he mixed in Fire Toss, exhaling flames from his mouth as he closed the distance.

The attack struck Fladramon directly.

It did nothing.

Not even a scorch mark remained.

Takuya followed with a barrage of kicks.

Those proved just as ineffective.

His breathing became ragged.

His movements grew sloppier.

His balance worsened with every exchange.

Yet...

He refused to stop.

It was a strange contradiction.

He knew he was going to lose.

He knew there was no realistic path to victory.

And yet...

He simply refused to give up.

As Takuya threw another desperate punch, Fladramon spoke.

"Do you know the name of the Digi-Egg that allowed me to evolve?"

The question sounded casual, almost unrelated to the battle.

Between heavy breaths, Takuya answered.

"...The Digi-Egg of Courage."

Fladramon nodded.

"Correct."

"But do you know why?"

He effortlessly deflected another punch.

"It could just as easily have been called the Digi-Egg of Fire. It’s even referred to as the Digi-Egg of Flames in some places."

Another strike.

Another effortless block.

"So why call it the Digi-Egg of Courage?"

Takuya frowned.

He had honestly never thought about it.

It was true.

Most Digimon born from that Digi-Egg were associated with fire.

"So..." he muttered between exhausted breaths. "The name doesn’t really make much sense?"

Fladramon smiled.

"No."

"It makes perfect sense."

He stepped forward, landing a light strike against Takuya’s shoulder that sent him stumbling backward.

"Fire is courage."

"If your courage is weak..."

"...then your fire will also be weak."

"The Digi-Egg was born from the remaining data of a courageous Digimon. To truly draw out its power, you must possess the same spirit."

He looked directly into Takuya’s eyes.

"Emotion strengthens the element."

"If you lack courage..."

"...you are unworthy of Agnimon’s flames."

A faint smile crossed Fladramon’s face.

"But you..."

"...you have already shown it."

Takuya blinked.

"What?"

"You know you cannot defeat me."

"You understand the difference between us."

"And yet..."

"You continue to stand."

"You refuse to retreat."

"You refuse to surrender."

Fladramon’s voice remained calm, almost teacher-like.

"The greater the courage you display..."

"...the deeper your connection with the element of fire becomes."

He folded his arms.

"And never forget."

"This is a trial, a test."

Takuya stood there, breathing heavily.

His body screamed in pain.

His wounds burned.

His mind was too exhausted to fully understand what Fladramon was trying to tell him.

"you passed, don’t worry, I don’t have intention of dyng, this was a choice the other kings also had but they didn’t want it" exclaimed fladramon.

At Fladramon’s words, Takuya finally stopped.

He lowered his fists.

He truly didn’t understand this Digimon anymore.

If this had been a trial, then why hadn’t Fladramon simply defeated him?

Before he could ask another question, a crimson sphere of light slowly emerged from Fladramon’s chest.

It was perfectly condensed, radiating a warm, steady glow.

Takuya didn’t need anyone to explain what it was.

Data.

Pure Fire Data.

As the sphere floated away, Fladramon’s body began to shimmer.

The blue armor dissolved into countless streams of data.

His horn disappeared.

The heavy gauntlets faded.

His body became smaller and smaller until, standing where Fladramon had been only moments ago, was a Veemon.

The little dragon smiled at him.

"Take it."

He pointed toward the floating sphere.

"The data contained within this orb is enough."

Takuya hesitated for a second before looking back at Veemon.

"...Why?"

Veemon simply smiled.

"Takuya..."

"There is more than one way to defeat someone."

The red sphere floated forward on its own.

The instant it touched Takuya’s chest, it dissolved into countless streams of data that merged with his DigiCore.

Immediately afterward, a familiar screen appeared before his eyes.

King of the Oasis Volcano has acknowledged defeat.

Trial complete.

Takuya stared silently at the floating text.

"...That’s it?"

He had won.

Not by overpowering his opponent.

Not through some desperate gamble.

Not by sacrificing himself.

Fladramon had simply acknowledged him.

And by conceding the match...

The final trial had come to an end.