Chapter 129: Speed of Life and Death

It had been two days since he was transported by the pillar of light to the Dark Area. Not only had the number of Digimon trailing behind Feng Xue’s motorcycle failed to decrease, but they had actually multiplied.

Many of the Demon Lords had even heard rumors of this newcomer—a Demon Lord riding a motorcycle—and had dispatched subordinates to hunt him down. Fortunately, none of the high-level Demon Lord-class powerhouses had joined the pursuit; it seemed they either disdained such a task or were far too preoccupied with watching over the Crests of the Seven Deadly Sins. Who knew if someone might attempt to access the Gate of the Seven Deadly Sins while everyone else was busy chasing Feng Xue?

This provided an opportunity. According to the data he had acquired when evolving into Beelzemon, the Dark Area was a world where strength reigned supreme. To live securely in this realm, there were only two paths: either pledge allegiance to a powerful Demon Lord and join their legion, or carve out a path through blood and iron. Only by making every enemy fear him could he truly secure a place in the Dark Area.

Currently, Feng Xue was utilizing the agility of Behemoth to avoid being surrounded, while sniping at Digimon with the devastating firepower of his "Death Slinger."

"What a persistent bunch!" Feng Xue sat backward on Behemoth, observing the Digimon trailing him. After two days of pursuit, the Perfect-level Digimon had either been killed or had exhausted their stamina. Only a few species known for their speed and endurance remained. Fortunately, the Ultimate-level Digimon were all regional legion commanders; once their initial interest waned and boredom set in, they had no desire to continue the chase.

This gave Feng Xue a chance to shake them off. However, he did not intend to lose these Perfect-level pursuers just yet. The reason was simple: he could not guarantee he would never return to the Dark Area. Based on the plot of *Digimon Tamers*, any future arrival would likely leave him in a weakened state. Rather than struggling later, it was better to establish a reputation here and now.

Mind made up, Feng Xue abruptly turned his motorcycle around and charged straight into the horde. An ordinary Digimon might have been startled by such an unexpected move, but this was the Dark Area, where life-or-death struggles occurred every second.

Several Cerberusmon saw Feng Xue approaching and lunged forward without hesitation, their Digi-alloy claws aimed directly at his chest.

"Snap!" Feng Xue extended his left hand, easily grasping a Cerberusmon by the neck. With a slight squeeze, the creature dissolved into data. Yet, this brutal display did not serve as a deterrent; instead, it ignited the ferocity of the pack. Driven by intense rage, more Cerberusmon swarmed toward him.

Only now did Feng Xue realize why the Seven Great Demon Lords were so formidable: Digimon killed by them could not even reincarnate. The data of any Digimon slain by the Seven Great Demon Lords was absorbed directly into the Dark Area, becoming the flesh and blood of the Demon Lord, rather than passing on to Anubismon’s castle as in a normal death. It was precisely because of this that Anubismon, a top-tier powerhouse who also resided in the Dark Area, remained in constant conflict with the Seven Great Demon Lords.

Feng Xue had merely crushed a Cerberusmon out of convenience, without any intent to absorb it, yet the dissipating data automatically merged into his body. He even acquired the Cerberusmon’s signature move, which he could manifest at will if he so chose. This was not a shared ability of the Seven Great Demon Lords, but a unique trait of the Demon Lord of Gluttony. That was why, among the many Digimon in the original work that had absorbed data, only Beelzemon was capable of using the special techniques of those he consumed. Unfortunately, the Cerberusmon’s signature move, "Gate of Hades," was a door to the Dark Area itself, rendering it useless for creatures already living within it.

Kicking the remaining Cerberusmon away, Feng Xue struck out with a "Darkness Claw," slicing a scythe-wielding Phantomon in two. At that moment, a warning flashed in his mind. Feng Xue tilted his head sharply, feeling a searing hot current graze past his ear.

"That was close!" Feng Xue turned his head, surprised to see that the Cerberusmon who hadn't lunged before had transformed into their humanoid Werewolf modes.

"As expected of veteran legion members," Feng Xue sneered. It was clear that upon seeing Feng Xue abandon his mobility, the Cerberusmon had split into two groups: one acted as bait to distract him, while the others changed their form from the stamina-and-speed-focused beast mode to the attack-oriented humanoid mode.

"But it’s meaningless!" Even in their artillery-specialized humanoid mode, a Perfect-level was still a Perfect-level. Feng Xue could crush them with raw physical stats alone, hardly needing any technique. Had it not been for the ambush, these Cerberusmon wouldn't even have had the chance to fire their cannons!

However, the advantage of a mixed-unit formation soon became apparent. Just as Feng Xue dodged the Cerberusmon's cannon fire, the Phantomon threw their chains equipped with flails. Had it been only one, Feng Xue could have easily broken free, but with over a dozen Phantomon throwing their chains simultaneously, he was instantly bound by the overwhelming barrage.

"Damn it!" Seeing the wolf-head cannons on the arms of the Werewolf-mode Cerberusmon beginning to charge, the vertical pupil on Feng Xue’s forehead narrowed. A terrifying aura erupted from his body, and countless ownerless data fragments flooded into him, spreading like circuit board patterns across the skin beneath his trench coat.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" A series of explosions rained down as five Cerberusmon simultaneously fired their ultimate move—"Hellfire." Not only that, but two or three other Cerberusmon that hadn't been killed yet began their own transformations; these were all rare, sudden variants!

"Haaah!" Feng Xue roared, only to be swallowed by the dust and flames kicked up by the heavy bombardment.

It wasn't over yet. These Digimon, hardened by countless life-or-death battles, would not stop simply because their skills had landed. The Mummymon in the back row raised their machine guns, and countless bullets poured into the smoke with a rhythmic, mechanical clatter.

"Bang!" Suddenly, the Phantomon felt the tension in their chains slacken. Before they could even signal a warning, a massive blade of energy shot out from the smoke, catching the Phantomon—who were off-balance from the sudden release of their chains—within its attack range.

The Phantomon were stunned; this strike was all too familiar. It was none other than their own signature move: "Soul Chopper."

Caught off guard, the Phantomon were severely damaged, and two were sliced clean in half. Only then did the smoke surrounding Feng Xue disperse. Although his elegant black trench coat was scorched, Feng Xue showed no signs of weakness. His three eyes locked onto the Digimon, his right hand forming a blade as he unleashed another "Soul Chopper!"

"Sin Claw!" Just then, a skill-activation sound effect echoed. Feng Xue looked toward the source, only to see a pale demon wearing a mask, reaching out with its claws toward him.