After the Resplendent One had finished transforming, Alastomon let out a mighty roar, and all at once, his twelve spheres of energy went darting toward them. The Resplendent One flipped up out of the way of the initial attack before summoning a thin whip made of white magic. They cracked it against the air, immediately dealing massive damage to the sphere made of the element of Darkness on account of the spell coming from light magic. Afterwards, the Resplendent One pulled the whip into a sphere and sent it hurtling towards the orb of Darkness. As soon as the new attack made contact with its target, the sphere splintered and shattered in a brief blaze of black fire that left behind no traces the orb had been there in the first place.

When the Resplendent One landed, another sphere was waiting for them. The orb of Wind sent out a blast of air that sent them flying into the air, but the Resplendent One didn't let this fluster them. Instead, they twirled in a circle before creating a boot of rocks on their left foot. They slammed down against the orb of Wind magic, breaking it in half before it went up in pink smoke. The Resplendent One ducked backwards when the orb of Fire drew a little bit too close to them, and they responded with a sharp blast of Water magic that dried out the sphere and left it as the perfect vulnerable target for yet another kick attack. The stones surrounding the Resplendent One's feet flew away and embedded themselves into the orb of Fire, eating away at its hardened shell before it caved in on itself and exploded.

Alastomon reeled backwards at the sight of his energy spheres being destroyed so readily and easily, and he prepared to release a blast of fiery magic from his mouth. The Resplendent One remained still just long enough to bait the attack out of him before they launched up into the air as the flames licked the ground where they had just been standing. They twirled around after creating a platform of purple energy to spring off as they turned back to Alastomon. They created a sphere of energy and sent it flying. The orb slammed into his cheek, forcing him to stop his fiery attack and sending him staggering despite the differences between their sizes.

Alastomon took this chance to kick off the ground and begin flying, his wings beating mightily against the air. The Resplendent One was barely bothered by this and began to levitate for themselves. None of the people inside the mind of the Resplendent One had realized that was something they could do, but then again, they didn't know a lot of what this new form of theirs could do. All they knew for sure was that if they kept fighting and working together, they would be able to come out on top. Fighting as a unified combatant was easy for them. They had been taking advantage of their synergy as a team for ages now, and fighting in a single body was effortless as a result.

Another set of energy spheres came after the Resplendent One, and they let out a small chuckle before they prepared their counterattack. The first orb to fly in their direction was that of the Energy element, and the Resplendent One placed their hands together in front of their chest before spreading them apart slowly, creating a rift of Cosmic magic between their fingers. When the attack was finally ready, the Resplendent One launched it forward just before the orb of Energy could pull together an attack to fire at them. The rift consumed the orb on the spot, leaving behind just a pocket of a galactic portal in the air before the Resplendent One. The rift pinched and distorted a few times as the Energy sphere fought desperately to escape its new cage, but it made no progress in the end. Instead, the rift opened once again, spitting out only a few ashes left behind from the orb of Energy. That was all that remained of it after its brief time in the cosmic portal, the space within having completely eaten it alive. 

The Resplendent One had grown stronger when the sphere of Energy was destroyed too. In fact, they could slowly but surely feel themselves getting stronger as the orbs Alastomon had summoned were ruined. They were pieces of Lucemon's power, and in destroying their malice, then the Resplendent One could grow stronger through the magic of hope they embodied. At this point, it didn't matter what Alastomon tried to throw at them. It wouldnever be enough to defeat them, and he would see that brutal truth soon enough.

The orbs of magic swirling around the Resplendent One started to converge on Alastomon a few moments later, relentlessly tearing away at his scales with blasts of their respective elements. Alastomon slashed at a few of them instinctively, but the Resplendent One didn't let him destroy them. Instead, they whistled sharply, and the endangered spheres came rushing back to their side. It was a strategic move too. The spheres of Ice and Thunder had arrived just then, and the Resplendent One had summoned back their orbs of Wood and Steel. What better way was there to counter Alastomon's newest attempt at winning the battle?

The Resplendent One reached out for the sphere of Wood, and after touching it, they pulled their hand away as a dagger made of vines, leaves, and thorns appeared in their hand. The knife was surprisingly sharp for something made only of greenery, and Alastomon's sphere of Ice magic was going to find that out soon enough. The Resplendent one let out a fierce roar of rage and determination as they stabbed straight through the icy sphere. It spurted out a few puffs of snow in a desperate bid to be useful even in its final moments, but it was all for naught. The Resplendent One twisted the knife with all the brutality they could muster, and that was it. The orb of Ice seemed to power down before blue flames consumed it, destroying the Resplendent One's knife of nature magic in the process. They didn't care about that too much though. They were going to need something else if they were to defeat their next target.

The sphere made of Thunder magic let out a powerful pulse of electricity as soon as it was close enough to its target, and the Resplendent One flipped away from it before regaining their balance a few seconds later. All the while, they remained suspended in the air, playing the part of a gymnast without any need for outside materials and only using their techniques when it was absolutely necessary. The sphere of Thunder refused to be deterred even after seeing the strength of its opponent though, and it darted forward with yellow magic crackling across its surface. 

The Resplendent One raised one hand, creating a small purple spell that slowed the orb of Thunder to a crawl. It couldn't do much more than desperately attempt to escape the field of violet magic, but that wouldn't be enough to save it now. The Resplendent One pressed their free hand to their temple while keeping the spell active through their splayed fingers on their other hand. The Resplendent One closed their eyes for a few moments as a massive pulse of psychic power washed through the area, causing the orb of Thunder to explode into nothingness on the spot. 

The sphere of Steel magic wasn't the only one that was stunned by the attack though. In fact, nearly all of Alastomon's smaller spheres had been forced to pause when the psychic attack struck them. The only one that was left immune to the strike was, naturally, the Steel orb that couldn't have its power used against it in such a way. Alastomon didn't think to send it out to attack while the other spheres recovered though. He was far too distracted by the sudden pulse of pain that had seared across his body at the Resplendent One's command. For a moment, Alastomon dipped a bit lower in the sky, too stunned to remember to flap his wings for the sake of staying afloat. He recovered quickly though, and when he did, he let out yet another snarl before sending out a massive column of energy that churned with dark purple and black ichor.

The Resplendent One ducked low and swerved off to the right to avoid the impending attack, throwing up a shield to deflect one small fragment of Alastomon's blast back at him when the assault appeared to be at its end. Alastomon avoided the attack with a swift swerve to the left before he dove after the Resplendent One. Their eyes went wide with surprise for a split second before they remembered themselves and started to dash away, taking advantage of their smaller size to make a quick escape. 

It took Alastomon a while to turn around and face the Resplendent One once again after that, his body too bulky to keep up with them readily. He snarled before scratching in their direction, and the Resplendent One pulled away using their levitation. They rushed toward Alastomon while he was recovering, charging up one fist with white energy before punching up across the bottom of his foot, sending small fractures across the claws on that foot in the process. Alastomon roared in pain before trying to push his limb down on top of the Resplendent One to pin them to the ground. A quick explosion of light magic was enough to give the Resplendent One the room they needed to get away though, and they settled on floating a short distance away from Alastomon.

He could see that the Resplendent One was too fast for him at this point though, so he decided to change his strategy. He roared as the spheres of energy around him darted after his target. His supply of orbs may have been cut in half by the Resplendent One's previous efforts, but at the very least, the remaining spheres would offer the distraction he needed to recover his energy and come up with a plan to push back against his foe. He needed to remain calm and rational despite the rage screaming as a flame against the walls of his heart. Even in this state, Alastomon knew the importance of remaining calm in the middle of a crucial battle, and that was something not even the Resplendent One would be able to take away from him.

The Resplendent One barely cared about his ideas for his upcoming strategy though. As far as they were concerned, Alastomon sending out his other spheres of magic in their direction was just asking for every last one of them to be destroyed, and that would just make the battle easier. If Alastomon had nothing left to defend himself with, then he would have no choice but to face the Resplendent One head on, and with how much slower he was compared to his opponent, that wouldn't end well for him. The Resplendent One was smaller, but they were just as powerful, and their extra maneuverability would be the saving grace that delivered them to victory.

But in the meantime, if Alastomon wanted a fight, then the Resplendent One was more than happy to offer it. They had come here to win this battle, and they wouldn't let Alastomon win now. No matter what it took, both Earth and the Digital World would be saved. There was no question as to how this would end as long as the Resplendent One had something to say about it.

They would win.

~~~~~

The sky was changing colors.

Katsuharu couldn't say he was surprised at all. He looked out through the window of his bedroom, his eyes locked on the heavens overhead. Behind him, the rest of the investigation team watched him carefully. They had delivered the message of the Legendary Warriors to their families the night before, and as soon as the sun came up, they decided to meet with one another to watch out for any signs of weakness in the barrier between Earth and the Digital World. Katsuharu didn't want to think the barrier would get weak enough for them to see the fight even from a different world, but he wanted to be safe rather than sorry, and more importantly, he wanted to be with his friends so they could try to alleviate their fears as a team rather than suffering through it on their own.

As it turned out, Katsuharu had been wrong to be so optimistic about the barrier between worlds holding firm even in the middle of a battle. The day Lucemon fell, the show in the sky had started with a splattering of various colors of light across the clouds. From there, the colors came into focus and showed Lucemon fighting against Susanoomon. Katsuharu remembered it perfectly even months later, and he had even watched videos of that day when he had been too anxious to fall asleep the night before. There were a lot of parallels between that final battle and this one, and Katsuharu really wished he had been wrong about all of this.

But if he was going to be right, then he was at least going to preserve the battle as a memento for the Legendary Warriors to remember it by once all of this was over. He pulled out his phone and started recording as he looked up at the sky. He was about three seconds into his video before Teppei spoke up. "Maybe we should go outside," he suggested. "We can all see it from out there, and there won't be anything to get in our way there in case the fight ends up too big to catch from the window."

Katsuharu nodded. He had been too caught up in the heat of the moment to think about the next logical course of action, but that could wait for another time. He started towards the door as quickly as his legs could carry him, the rest of the investigation team hot on his heels. They pulled on their shoes as quickly as they could before stepping out onto the street just outside Katsuharu's house and turning their attention up to the clouds.

The sun was just barely rising, its warning rays for the new day cast across the tops of the tallest buildings and nothing else. Despite it all though, the colors in the sky managed to appear bright and vivacious. Katsuharu already knew those colors were going to transform into actual figures soon enough, and when they did, he would be able to see the end of the war against Alastomon for himself.

Katsuharu started recording again just as the colors began to consolidate themselves into clearer shapes. It took about thirty seconds longer for the fight to fully clear up, but the sight was enough to make Katsuharu's heart skip a beat. One of the Digimon involved was massive, a deep and dark dragon. It took up a massive part of the sky where the fight was playing out, and if Katsuharu knew anything about the first battle, it was that the horrifying dragon was the villain, not the person to cheer for. 

After a short while longer, the dragon's opponent came into focus, and Katsuharu couldn't help smiling at the sight. He knew without needing to ask that his friends were all there in the shape of that other person. They were small and barely made a dent in the dragon's massive height, but they were still putting up one hell of a fight. That had been the case during the battle against Lucemon too. Susanoomon had practically wiped the floor with Lucemon despite being a fraction of his impressive size.

"That's them... I can feel it," Masae whispered as she pressed her hands against her chest. "Izumi told me everything there was to know about the Digital World, but... It's still strange to think everyone we know as part of that team is there in that one body."

"It happened when they turned into Susanoomon too... Though that's definitely not Susanoomon," Teruo remarked with a frown. "I have to wonder what that new form of theirs could mean... Though I suppose that's a detail I'm just going to have to wait until later to hear. I bet they'll explain everything when the time comes for them to give us a glorious retelling of what it was like to kill Alastomon."

"This is going to be all over the news soon," Chiaki realized. "That was what happened before... But it was all suppressed for some reason. There hasn't been a way to keep everything quiet since Alastomon started sending out his attacks here on Earth. I feel like more people are going to start connecting the dots soon."

"We can connect dots too," Teppei told her. "For example, now that we're looking back on everything that happened when the fight against Lucemon was erased from the world, I know for a fact that Alastomon's accomplice was the one to cover it up. Who else would have had a reason to sweep all of it under the rug right away?"

"We're dealing with a powerful opponent then... Alastomon chooses his allies carefully," Katsuharu murmured, keeping his voice quiet so as to not overwhelm the video footage as he continued to record the fight on his phone. "We'll have to start investigating that as soon as all of this ends."

"But for now, let's just sit back and enjoy the show," Shinya suggested, cutting through all other conversation immediately. "They're going to need all the support we can give them even if they don't know we're cheering them on." He paused for a moment before shaking his head. "No, they definitely know we're rooting for them. This way though, we can catch it on video, and they're going to love watching this later."

Katsuharu didn't know if they would necessarily love it since that would likely just remind them of how horrible everything had gotten to the point where the battle could leak through between worlds. Still, he was willing to be optimistic for as long as he could, and that started with following Shinya's advice to cheer on their friends for as long as he possibly could. They had more than earned the extra voices in their corner as far as he was concerned. To the rest of the world, the Legendary Warriors were unsung heroes, but they would always be remembered and honored by the investigation team, and that had to count for something. 

"You can do this," Katsuharu whispered into the speaker of his phone. "We're all counting on you, and we all believe in you too. Go get him."

~~~~~

As Alastomon's six other spheres came chasing after the Resplendent One, they surveyed the area to see which orb they should try to fend off first. In the end, they settled on the orb made of Wood magic. All it took to fend off that sphere was a sudden, sharp blast of cold air pointed straight at it. The sphere began to wither away, its plant magic dying at the concept of winter, before the Resplendent One dealt a firm uppercut to the frozen orb. It splintered into thousands of tiny fragments of ice before melting away in a matter of seconds. No pieces of the ice even had the chance to hit the ground before they were already gone thanks to the heat the Resplendent One gave off in the midst of a fight.

Next up, the sphere made of Earth came darting toward them. The Resplendent One was ready for it though, and they slashed both arms outward with enough force to create twin strikes of air magic that eroded at the orb's thick shell. A series of other quick movements created other tempests that continued to eat away at the sphere until it was left without any of the rocky defenses provided by its element. The sphere tried to summon a barrage of earthen knives to send at the Resplendent One, but they shattered them all with a quick kick. Afterward, they kicked off against the ground, planting their hands firmly against the sphere before twisting around while doing a handstand on top of it. In doing so, the Resplendent One was able to avoid a blast of fluid soaring toward them from the sphere of the Water element. After they landed on the other side of the orb and had returned to fully levitating, the Resplendent One dealt a firm kick to the sphere, sending it flying up into the air where it was sliced to pieces by yet another series of blades made of air magic. That was all it took to destroy the orb, and pieces of stone rained down around the Resplendent One, but they destroyed every remaining fragment with a simple combination of a punch and a kick. 

Alastomon was glaring at the Resplendent One with rage burning at his eyes as he continued to recover nearby. He was feeling better than he had been a few moments prior and was just about ready to jump back into the fight, but his hatred of the Legendary Warriors threatened to consume him entirely. Between his own vendetta against them and the natural hatred that fueled the magic he had taken from Lucemon, Alastomon was little more than a puppet to his own rage at this point, and he barely tried to fight it. There was no way for this hatred to play to his advantage anymore, especially when it would only rob him of his control even further, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying.

Alastomon rushed at the Resplendent One in one quick motion, calling back his remaining four spheres along the way. He opened his jaws wide in an attempt to swallow them whole, but the Resplendent One avoided the attack and created a blast of light as they retreated, briefly stealing Alastomon's vision as he shrieked in pain and desperately tried to recover. He tried the same attack again a few moments later though, his rage no longer something he could calm. He wanted the Legendary Warriors to die for not standing at his side in this war, and the magic he had come to command was desperate to rip them to shreds. He had been losing control throughout the earlier stages of this battle, but now, it was completely gone. All Alastomon could focus on was killing the Resplendent One even though he was at a severe disadvantage and wouldn't be able to win as long as he was thrashing around mindlessly. 

Even so, a cornered beast was often a beast at its most dangerous, and that continued to ring true in the heat of the battle. Alastomon darted after the Resplendent One as soon as he recovered from the explosion, and he slashed his front claws after them. The Resplendent One backed out of his range at the last moment, but they needed to one again throw up an explosion of energy so they could escape. Alastomon refused to be deterred quite so easily though, especially after they had already used the trick against him multiple times, so he created a portal of cosmic energy to swallow the blast, leaving the air humming with the percussion of the blast. Alastomon continued to follow the Resplendent One all the while, his jaws spread wide as if he wanted to eat them alive.

The Resplendent One avoided a few attempts on their life with a series of swift movements before Alastomon snarled once again. The dark fire that had consumed his body continued to eat away at his scales, transforming him slightly and strengthening his body. Alastomon's rage was only changing him more, and while it was making him stronger, it also seemed to be eroding at his stability and control slowly but surely. It wouldn't be much longer before he completely lost the ability to decide what he was doing and just raged after the Resplendent One mindlessly, and that already appeared to be his plan. 

"We need to try to find a way to use his lack of control against him," Junpei declared from his place in the Resplendent One's mind. "That dark fire seems to be what gives him his extra strength... Perhaps we can fight it off with our own abilities. If it comes from the element of Darkness, then we can counter it with some Light magic, right?"

"That's not just Darkness magic he's using," Koichi corrected him, and Kana nodded her confirmation. "That power comes from the Void element, and that appears to be the embodiment of Lucemon's hellish magic." 

"Normally, we would be able to use Lucemon's heaven abilities to fend that off, but we don't have the Grand Spirit right now," Haroi hummed. "Instead, I believe we're going to have to turn to something else..."

"It may work even without the Grand Spirit," Kana pointed out. "We may not have the Grand Spirit, but the fact remains that Susanoomon is made of all the elements coming together into one single body. That's what we've done here, and even if it's slightly different, we can still use it to our advantage if we push it in the right direction. All we have to do is push forward with everything we have. That should help everything to fall right into place."

"Then we all work together on a single blast that will cut through his scales," Mayumi concluded. "While he's staggered, we should send our energy orbs after him while cutting his away. I don't want him to try and destroy us with those later in the fight."

"Are you ready, everyone?" Takuya asked, and around him, the rest of the Legendary Warriors nodded. They all reached their hands out to one another and grabbed tightly to those next to them in the circle. Energy coursed through all of their bodies, and the Resplendent One could feel it too. All that remained was to let it fly free.

The Resplendent One avoided an attempt from the dark fire to lash out at them before they cried out fiercely and thrust one palm forward. The resulting blast of energy whistled as it streaked through the air towards its target, slamming into Alastomon's side and eating away at his dark fire immediately. When the flames were destroyed, Alastomon was left crying out in pain and pulling away from the Resplendent One as quickly as his body could carry him. 

Meanwhile, the Resplendent One commanded all of their energy spheres to pursue Alastomon while they decided to clear out the remaining four orbs that surrounded his body. They started with the sphere of Cosmos, and the Resplendent One slammed an open palm against the orb. Energy coursed through their fingertips, and the raw power of the strike was enough to make the Cosmos sphere explode on the spot. The Resplendent One flipped backwards to avoid being injured by the explosion. 

When the Resplendent One went to retreat though, they found themselves almost being knocked out of the air by a blast of fluid from the Water sphere. The Resplendent One donned a grin not at all unlike Takuya's impish smile just before he released a particularly powerful attack before punching both hands forward, creating twin comets of fire that spiraled toward the orb before slamming into its side, causing it to completely rupture in a matter of seconds. The Resplendent One blew off their fingers after the fact, and a small trail of smoke flaked away from their palm before vanishing on the wind.

The sphere of Light had gotten the same idea the Resplendent One had earlier in the fight and pursued the Legendary Warrior, trying to create an explosion that would disorient them enough to win the battle. The Resplendent One was ready for it though, and they created a thin swipe of dark magic just in front of their eyes to block out the bulk of the light. Afterward, they expanded the dark strip to create a full shield that they then pushed toward the orb. The sphere struggled to escape or otherwise retreat, but the shield wrapped around it firmly, crushing the orb on the spot and leaving behind nothing but a memory. 

Alastomon recovered just before the Resplendent One could reach the orb of Steel, but luckily for them, Alastomon's lack of thought and strategy as his sanity continued to slip played right into the hands of the Resplendent One. They were already prepared for the attack when the orb of Steel was sent after them with all the rage it had after its siblings fell. The Resplendent One filled their fingertips with lightning before clapping their hands together, creating an echo like thunder throughout the area. The orb of Steel was immediately stunned as its opposite was used against it, making up for earlier in the battle when it was the only sphere left unbothered by a blast of its own element. The Resplendent One didn't give it the chance to survive again though, instead rushing straight towards the sphere with their fingers still crackling with electricity. They slammed their palms onto the orb as lightning ripped it to pieces. A high-pitched squeal pierced the air before the sphere finally went silent, leaving behind only a pile of ashes that fell to the ground lifelessly. 

The Resplendent One called their spheres of energy back to their side once they were finished with taking care of Alastomon's added assistants. The orbs immediately heeded their call and retreated back to the side of their master. Alastomon had taken significant damage from the orbs though, and he was far less composed now than he had been a short few minutes ago. The dragon was breathing heavily but clearly trying to regain his sense of control. He let out a roar of anger and agony, and the dark fire around him redoubled its efforts to try and heal his injuries. 

"Of course he can heal himself," Koji scoffed. "Lucemon knew how to do that when we fought him, and I shouldn't have expected anything different. Alastomon might wear a different face, but at the end of the day, he's a lot like Lucemon."

"We'll just have to deal enough damage to him to the point that he won't be able to recover from it," Izumi said simply. "He was the one who wanted to make this a fight, and I'm happy to make sure it ends in failure for him."

"If we work together the way we did before, then we'll be able to pierce through his defenses without him having a chance to fight back," Yumiko pointed out. "Let's keep doing that, and we can go from there after we've gotten rid of more of the dark fire."

The Resplendent One nodded their head as the rest of the Legendary Warriors did. Once again, the thirteen souls within the Resplendent One linked hands and gathered all the strength they could. The Resplendent One held their hands out in front of their body, creating a massive column of energy that extended from their palms and scorched the air around it. Alastomon's eyes went wide in a show of fear, but he already knew he wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time. Alastomon could do little more than stare as the column of churning white light slammed into his chest, and he cried out in pain as the dark fire around him began to deteriorate. 

Alastomon refused to go down without a fight though, so he opened his mouth wide and breathed out a blast of dark fire at the Resplendent One. They didn't run from the attack though, instead creating an aura of white fire that would defend them. The Resplendent One held their arms out in front of them, and the two opposite flames ate away at one another in desperate search of victory. They were flames of hope for a better future and surrender to eternal tragedy, and neither refused to back down just as their bearers did not. 

"You may not think the Digital World is worth fighting for, but we know better than that!" Tomoki cried out. His voice alone left the lips of the Resplendent One when he spoke. "There will always be hope as long as there are those willing to hold it!"

"We've proven the world is more than it has been in the past. Us being humans is all the evidence you need!" Chihiro pressed, and the Resplendent One pushed out the white fire a bit farther away from their body. Alastomon redoubled his efforts to keep the flames at bay, but it was a losing battle. 

"The two worlds can exist in harmony, and they all its people can as well so long as you are willing to fight for it!" Haroi exclaimed. 

"Life is a beautiful thing, and regardless of how you believe this world will end, no one deserves to be denied that hope!" Hinoka shouted. "We won't let you take that away from us!"

"War has ruined many lives, but it does not need to be eternal!" Saki proclaimed. "As long as we stand here, it will not last forever!"

"There is no reason for you to harm others because you have suffered!" Koji went on. "You can make this world a better place and use your pain to aid those who need it most!"

"For the sake of everything we have found along the way..." Kana started as the white fire began to lick at Alastomon's scales with far more passion than ever before.

"For hope!" Mayumi declared.

"For salvation!" Yumiko exclaimed. 

"For trust!" Junpei continued.

"For family!" Izumi shouted. 

"For a chance!" Koichi cried out.

"For every person we have ever loved..." Takuya began. 

"This is where your battle ends!" 

The Resplendent One let out a fierce battle cry as their white fire consumed Alastomon, eating his body alive in a matter of seconds. Alastomon was forced to stop summoning his dark fire, and a scream tore its way from his lips as white light spread across the area in an explosion that made the Resplendent One's ears ring. Even so, they remained firm, their arms stretched out in front of their body. They would not surrender until they knew for sure this battle had been won, and that began with destroying every remaining piece of Lucemon's power. 

When the light finally faded away, Alastomon was left standing at the heart of the white light. All traces of Lucemon's power were gone from him now, the darkness of the Angel of Hell having been chased away by the light the Resplendent One had to offer. He had reverted back to his regular form as a Human Digimon too, and he looked down at his hands apathetically. "It seems... I have lost," he murmured. His voice had no rage behind it. Instead, he seemed resigned to his own fate. He let out a heavy sigh as he closed his eyes. 

"The Digital World will always have a chance so long as there are people willing to fight for its future," the Resplendent One said, their voice layered with each of the Legendary Warriors' when they spoke. "You may not have seen it, but I always will. I will forever believe in this world and its people."

Alastomon laughed as he looked up to meet the Resplendent One's gaze once again. He was bordering on hysterical as darkness began to eat away at his body, slowly filling his silhouette with darkness. "You think this is a victory, don't you?" he asked. "Of course it's not! You haven't won! My ally is still there on Earth, and they will win this war for me. My ideals will live on even with my death. There are many Human Digimon who believed in my purpose, and they are still out there waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The Digital World is right back to where it began before I appeared alongside Biastamon. In a matter of moments, the leaders of this world will both be dead, and there will be a power vacuum left to fill. The Legendary Warriors won't be able to bring peace no matter how hard they try. This world has always been doomed... I simply wished to bring salvation to the most people I possibly could."

"Your answer was never justice," the Resplendent One countered. "There will always be hope for this world as long as people are willing to carry it... And we will not allow your lack of faith to tear it apart. The people of the Digital World deserve better than that, and they always will."

Alastomon laughed and shook his head. "This world is doomed to an eternal cycle of war. That is the truth of existence: suffering, hurting others, and fighting wars. Conflict will always exist, and you cannot stop that. You will see the depth of your failures one day, and when you do, you will see that I was right... You have not won, and you never will. Good luck, Legendary Warriors... You will need it."

Alastomon's silhouette filled itself with darkness in full with those final words, and a ring of Fractal Code appeared around his still body. The Resplendent One reached out one hand before absorbing his memory data. They watched quietly as Alastomon's egg spiraled high into the sky, off to join the other eggs in the Village of Beginnings. The Resplendent One stared up into the heavens for an eternity even after Alastomon's egg vanished permanently. The world seemed to fall still around them, and they didn't want to be the one to shatter the silence. Alastomon's words hung heavily on their shoulders and in their mind, but they did not let it show. Instead, they simply sighed, allowing their body to ease itself to the ground slowly but surely. 

The sun had begun its climb across the sky in earnest by now, and the light splashed across the Resplendent One's cheeks as the Digimon guides dashed up to them. Patamon practically launched themselves into the Resplendent One's arms, and the Legendary Warrior laughed as they scooped him and the rest of the Digimon into their arms. Various cheers of victory rose up from the mouths of the Digimon, and the Resplendent One relished in them but didn't entirely hear what was being said. 

Instead, the Resplendent One was still thinking about what Alastomon had said. He had been doing all of this with horrible intentions, and wiping out half of the Digital World's population because of his ideals about war and conflict was wrong. He hadn't even seen the hypocrisy in his plan. He declared that there would always be war in the Digital World, but he didn't seem to realize that killing all of the Beast Digimon wouldn't be able to fix that. He may have had the population he wanted if he had won this battle, but he wouldn't have saved the Digital World as a whole. No one could do something like that as long as the realm was truly doomed to war as he said it was.

He was right about the Digital World's extensive history with conflict and war though. No matter who appeared or how hard they fought, the Digital World always seemed to be caught up in some war or another, and the people were the ones who suffered from it the most. There would always be conflict, and the Legendary Warriors couldn't change that. Alastomon was right about the state in which the Digital World was being left too. Not much had changed since he and Biastmaon first took charge a few months ago. The planet was still lacking in central leadership, and those who had filled those positions previously were dead. There was yet another power vacuum that needed to be filled, and if the wrong people took control, then the world would fall into chaos. 

But were there even good people to fill those positions? Could anyone be trusted with looking after the Digital World after everything that had happened? Was the planet truly doomed to eternal conflict and horrible leadership that would never be able to save them from their cycle of war and bloodshed? Alastomon had been right, at least to an extent... And the mere implication of that was horrifying. 

For the moment though, the Resplendent One chose to not think about that. They had won the final battle, and in doing so, they had saved the Digital World from Alastomon's desire to tear it apart. The people of the Digital World and Earth were safe. Alastomon's accomplice was still out there, and the Legendary Warriors would have to find and stop them as soon as possible, but that was something they could save for another day. For the moment, they had won, and they deserved to celebrate their victory. 

"I think it's time to go home," the Resplendent One whispered, and they set down the Digimon guides carefully. Now that the fight was over, the Resplendent One was completely exhausted, and when they closed their eyes, light of all colors washed over their body. When the glow faded, the Legendary Warriors were left behind in their human forms, all of their energy from Resplendent Evolving earlier having been drained by the intensity of the battle. They would need quite some time to recover from that fight, not that they minded. They had earned the rest and then some. 

Neemon smiled up at the Legendary Warriors even as half of them collapsed gracelessly into the dirt below, barely managing to stay in seated positions on account of their exhaustion. "You did it," he smiled. "You should be proud of yourselves."

"I can't wait for the festival to celebrate!" Salamon chimed in. "I know Darcmon and Hippogriffomon are going to make sure it's a night we'll never forget! It's going to be amazing!"

"Yeah... We've certainly earned it," Takuya agreed with a small exhale. He tilted his head back so he was staring up at the sun as it continued to rise overhead. "But first, we have to get back home... Everyone is waiting for us, and I don't want to leave them hanging for too long."

"You're right," Izumi nodded. "I bet the investigation team is wondering what happened to us after we said we would be back once we won the battle..."

"I get the feeling they already know," Saki frowned. "Something tells me the barrier between the worlds weakened during the fight. I could feel it begin to distort when we were fighting against Alastomon. The corruption of the barrier may not be as bad now as it was when we fought against Lucemon, but it's still nothing good."

"The Digital World is in one piece this time at the very least," Koichi pointed out. "That's not something we could say about our fight against Lucemon after our initial adventures here."

"I'll keep an eye on the Digital World here. All of us will," Kana assured the Legendary Warriors as she gestured over to the Digimon guides. "We'll be in touch with all of you. For now..." She allowed herself a small smile as she opened a portal to Earth with one hand. "It's time to go home."

~~~~~

Takuya let out a heavy sigh as he stepped out of the rift and onto the ground behind a house. There was no one around to see him and the rest of the Legendary Warriors return to Earth, and Takuya thanked the universe for its grace in that regard. Instead, everyone else in the area was gathered up by the street, all of them murmuring to one another about something that had happened recently. The day was only just starting, but it seemed like nearly everyone on the street was awake and staring up at the sky. Takuya remembered what he had heard about the Lucemon battle and held back a wince. Saki had been right about the barrier weakening during the battle. Chances were high that the fight between the Resplendent One and Alastomon had once again been projected against the skies of Earth, and everyone there was trying to see the action. It was over now on account of Alastomon having been killed, but Takuya hoped no one had seen the Resplendent One split up into its thirteen components once again. That would only make all of their lives harder going forward. 

"There you are!"

Takuya snapped out of his thoughts and observations at the sound of Shinya's voice, and he glanced over to see the investigation team gathered together on the street. Takuya realized belatedly that Kana had dropped the Legendary Warriors off just behind Katsuharu's house, no doubt having sensed that this was where the group was meant to be after the battle. Takuya made a mental note to thank her later for that as he jogged as quickly as he could manage over to the investigation team.

"What's all the commotion about?" Koji questioned even though something about his tone told Takuya he already knew. Saki had been right in thinking the barrier had gotten weak enough for the fight to project itself in the sky on Earth again. Why else would so many people be out on the street so early in the morning? They had heard the chaos and went outside to try and investigate it.

"You can see for yourself," Katsuharu replied as he passed over his phone to Koji. The Warrior of Light didn't even bother with watching the video on the screen, instead just wincing as soon as he saw the previous pop up. "I bet this is going to be all over the news for the next few weeks. I hope you're ready for that."

"It won't be fun, but it'll be something, I suppose," Chihiro shrugged. "I'm choosing to not think about anything else that's happening right now. We deserve a break after all that, especially since I imagine it's just a matter of time before we have to go back to school again. I'm going to crash first and ask questions later."

"The rest of the world might not know the truth of what you did, but it still means a lot to us," Shinya smiled as he nudged Takuya with his elbow. "They might not see you as heroes, but we certainly do. It doesn't matter if they don't know the truth. We do, and we're proud of you."

"Thanks, Shinya," Takuya grinned. "I could get used to you being sappy and constantly praising me. I don't think you've been quite this adoring since you were a little kid." He reached out to ruffle Shinya's hair, and Shinya scoffed playfully before pushing Takuya's hand away from his head, prompting the Warrior of Fire to laugh. 

"Okay... It's time for us to all go home and get some rest," Izumi declared as she let out a careful sigh. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm exhausted after everything that's happened today, and it's only been a few hours since we woke up." Takuya resisted the urge to cringe at the mention of it having been a few hours. The fight had made time feel like it was slowing down, but in truth, they had been fighting Alastomon for long enough for the sun to noticeably change its position in the sky overhead. It had been far longer than Takuya wanted to admit, and he could only hope that didn't hold him back or otherwise bother him in the near future. 

"We can go back to the Digital World when we're ready to see what's going to happen there next," Hinoka suggested. "And when we do, we can enjoy the festivities the Digimon have planned for us."

A bright grin spread across Mayumi's face as she turned to face the investigation team. "On that note... You wanted to learn more about the Digital World, didn't you?" she asked, and they all shared excited but confused glances before Chiaki nodded. Mayumi let out a small laugh. "I might be able to make good on that wish... How do you all feel about parties?"

"I'm in!" Shinya chimed in with a smile of his own. "You've told us so much about the Digital World, and I think it's high time we finally had the chance to go there and meet your friends for ourselves."

"Consider it done then," Mayumi nodded. "But for now, it's time for all of us to rest. We'll get back to you when the time is right. Stay out of trouble until then." She flashed the investigation team a wink before she started to walk away, and the rest of the Legendary Warriors took that as their cue to go their separate ways at long last.

Takuya, Chihiro, and Shinya started walking back in the direction of the Kanbara household, all three of them quiet for the first few minutes. Soon enough, Chihiro let out a heavy sigh to break the silence. "We did it," they murmured. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but... We actually did it."

"I'm proud of you," Shinya said, unable to pull his smile from his lips. "I meant what I said before. You should all be proud of what you did today. I know there's still a lot for you to take care of over in the Digital World, but it's nice to know things are getting better."

"Yeah..." Takuya murmured. He felt the fire in his chest burn a little bit brighter as he nodded, tilting his face up to the rising sun. "I guess they are."

~~~~~

The next few days were chaotic beyond imagination, not that Takuya expected anything different. He was completely exhausted after the final battle with Alastomon, and he had slept for nearly twelve straight hours after getting back home. He didn't know how he hadn't just collapsed into bed as soon as he returned to his house after the Lucemon fight. Then again, it had been a different time for him and the rest of the Legendary Warriors. They were still adapting to living on both Earth and the Digital World, and finding a middle ground was tiring on its own. 

The reconstruction effort following the massive invasion was going well. The people of Shibuya were giving it their all, and the government was doing its best to maintain peace in the face of all that had happened. Takuya had gotten used to seeing reports about the attacks on television at this point, and he found himself smiling proudly when it came up each time. He was still a mystery to the world, but he was glad he had been able to contribute to the victory of his team even if no one understood the truth. Takuya would remain an unsung hero for the rest of his life, and he was far more okay with it than he could have expected. 

Just as the investigation team had implied, the fight between the Resplendent One and Alastomon's dragon form had been projected across the sky on Earth. Practically everyone in Shibuya had seen the details of the battle now. Alastomon's accomplice had seemingly given up on trying to keep the truth about the Digital World hidden, no doubt because the facts were already well out of their control. Everyone in Shibuya knew there were monsters living in a parallel world to Earth, and they were grateful to the 'human monsters' for saving their lives so many times. The details behind the Legendary Warriors' true identities remained mysteries that many people were intent on solving, but Takuya knew they would fail. After all, most of the journalists and broadcasters compiling evidence had never met any of the Legendary Warriors. How could they learn the truth when there was no solid proof for them to pull from in the first place?

Takuya woke up slowly four days after the end of the final battle, stretching his arms high above his head as he got ready for the day to come. He was still tired from the fight, but he was starting to bounce back. Resplendent Evolving was draining on a good day, and combining with the rest of his team to become the Resplendent One had only tired him out more. However, Takuya knew he wouldn't be able to linger in his exhaustion forever. Later that day, he would be going to the Digital World with the rest of his friends to enjoy the festival on Inaie. The investigation team had been invited too, and they couldn't wait to see what the Digital World had to offer. Of course, them being allowed to come had only been cleared if they limited their time in the Digital World as much as possible to ensure they didn't start to lose their human traits the way the Legendary Warriors had over the last few months. Even if the investigation team didn't need to worry about transforming into Digimon and changing because of that, being in the Digital World could still morph them into something less than human, and that wasn't a chance anyone wanted to take. 

Takuya collapsed gracelessly onto his couch and leaned his head back so he was looking up at the ceiling. He couldn't say he was entirely satisfied with how the last few weeks had gone, but at the very least, he had come out of it on the other side. That was an accomplishment to be proud of whether he wanted to admit it or not. Takuya had a lot to think about still when it came to Alastomon's final words, and he would no doubt need to work through his concerns about if Alastomon's philosophy had at all been correct. That was a worry for another day though. Takuya knew this was a day to celebrate, and he was going to enjoy it to the best of his ability. 

The rest of the Legendary Warriors would too, Takuya was sure. They had gone through just as much as him, and they would no doubt be looking forward to the party coming later in the day. They really hadn't been given the chance to enjoy themselves in the Digital World even after saving it countless times thanks to so much happening in so little time, but all of that was about to change. Inaie's people had promised them a day they wouldn't forget, and Takuya intended to take them up on it. 

For the moment though, Takuya just let himself breathe. He had earned it. The rest of his friends had too, and he hoped they were enjoying their brief moments of peace as long as they had the chance to do so.

~~~~~

The train ride back home was exhausting and longer than it had any right to be. Koichi knew realistically that it wasn't any longer than it had been every other time he needed to take the train to get home, but he was tired enough for time to pinch and distort around him. Luckily, the trains were largely empty on account of the early hour and the vast majority of people interested in riding the train being up on solid ground to watch the sky. Even though the battle was long over, everyone was still curious as to if it would start up again. Koichi knew the truth, but he couldn't afford to share it with anyone else. He had to return home where his mother was waiting for him. 

Koichi felt as if he was on the verge of collapsing when he arrived back at the Kimura apartment, and he fumbled with his keys for a few moments before managing to push the door open. He wondered for a moment if he would end up returning to an empty apartment. It wouldn't surprise him at all if his mother was already out at work. There were more people than ever who needed help after the invasion, and Koichi couldn't have blamed her for being busy at all.

Much to his surprise though, Tomoko was waiting there for him when the door opened. The television was on in the living room, and she was standing beside the couch, no doubt after having paced out much of her anxieties after realizing Koichi was involved with the fight projected in the sky. She was watching a report about that very battle, and the news anchors offered their commentary as videos of various perspectives from the fight played out across the screen.

Their voices faded into the background quickly though, and Tomoko looked up when she heard the door open. Koichi met her gaze immediately, and he allowed a smile to spread across his face. Tears sprung to life in his eyes on the spot, and he kicked off his shoes haphazardly before rushing forward into an embrace. Tomoko gladly waited for him where she stood, and they melted to their knees in a hug tighter than any other Koichi could ever remember. 

Despite everything Koichi had been through, he felt alright. As long as he had those he loved there for him and willing to support him through his darkest hour, he would continue to survive. Tomoko was just the tip of the iceberg, but Koichi couldn't have been happier to be there with her. 

"This... This is nice," Dusk murmured, his voice soft and fragile in a way Koichi couldn't quite describe. Dusk hadn't ever experienced true affection like this, had he? In the past, he had been too focused on survival to ever come close to reaching out to others as he so desperately needed to.

At the very least, everything was different now, and Koichi nodded within the dark realm of his own mind before responding. "Yes... It is."

~~~~~

Returning home from the final battle was difficult.

Haroi practically collapsed into his bed as soon as he got back home, gladly leaving his wheelchair behind near the entrance of his room before letting his eyes drift shut. He couldn't believe it was finally over. Against all odds, he and the rest of the Legendary Warriors had managed to win their final battle against Alastomon. The Digital World was safe once again, and Haroi had played a major role in the fight to reach that point. He was proud of himself, but he was shocked all the same. 

Haroi never would have thought he would turn out to be capable of something like this. Sure, this was his second time saving the entire Digital World, so he should have known he could do it, but he found himself shocked by it even so. He had never thought he would amount to much on account of what he had been told growing up. Everyone around him save for his parents was convinced that he would never go anywhere because of his disability. Not only had he proven them wrong, but he had done it on his own terms. He was proud of his place in the Digital World, and even if the people who had mistreated him so greatly would never know the truth, Haroi did, and that was what mattered. 

He was looking forward to being able to enjoy the Digital World without the pretenses of having to fight in a war. That had always been exciting to Haroi, and that rang true even after he had been put through the hellish final battle against Alastomon. There was hope for both worlds once again, and Haroi had been one of the people to ensure everyone was delivered safely to the dawn. He would have laughed at the idea if someone had told him that he would do this even just a few short months ago, but a lot could change in a short period of time, and Haroi saw that all too clearly now. 

For the moment though, Haroi knew he had something else to take care of. His body was exhausted, and even though he wanted to stay awake and celebrate his recent victory, he knew to not push himself too far. That would only end in disaster, and Haroi knew just how horrifying that could be from experience. The best thing he could do was rest. He had a festival to look forward to in the near future too, and Haroi didn't want to end up running himself into the ground before that. 

Haroi hoped he would be able to remember all of this when he awoke. He never wanted to forget the sensation of being able to help those he loved most. No matter what, he would treasure this feeling for the rest of his life. Nobody could ever take that way from him, and that included those who had spent so many years doubting him. 

Haroi was more than he had been told, and he would never forget it again.

~~~~~

Takuya found himself waking up in the middle of the night after he arrived back at home, and he rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands. He was still exhausted, and his body protested even the suggestion of being awake, but he pushed himself into a somewhat upright position before staring into the darkness. Takuya knew he had been disturbed by a less than fortunate dream, but he couldn't quite tell what he had seen in his slumber. The memory of the dream was slipping through his fingers like sand, and Takuya didn't bother with trying to grasp at the pieces enough to make them stay. 

Instead, Takuya just let himself sit there in the darkness and breathe. He had come a long way since he was last pulled from his nightmares by a disturbing vision of his past, and he was proud of just how much he had changed. Takuya didn't know if he would ever fully be able to shake off the pain he had endured in the Digital World, but he would survive it no matter what. He had a group of incredible people there with him, and they wouldn't fail him. They never had, and they never would. 

Takuya had all of his friends to thank for him being there at all. He wouldn't have ever escaped the realm of the Dark Trailmon if not for them. Takuya couldn't say he entirely understood just what it was that drew him into that alternate world in the first place, but he didn't care enough to investigate it either. He had his friends there to pull him out of the darkness, and he would be thankful for that as long as he was alive. Takuya could ask questions when he had fully had the chance to celebrate his victory. Until then, he deserved a break. 

Against his better judgement, Takuya sat up in his bed and stared into the darkness. He halfway expected to see a phantom of Duskmon there waiting for him, but he was met with nothing. Perhaps Takuya had finally managed to leave the pain of the past behind when he left the realm of the Dark Trailmon for the second time. Takuya somehow doubted it would be that easy, but he was willing to face whatever it was that came with braving the future regardless. He deserved to look onward with hope in his heart, and he wouldn't let any reminders of the past hold him back from that. He had earned his Resplendent Evolution, and even if it had taken him longer than he would have liked, he was there now, and that was what mattered most. 

One day, Takuya would face the future and past with his friends at his side. Until then, he would rest and relish in the peace he had brought through saving both worlds. He deserved it. 

~~~~~

The day after she returned from the final battle against Alastomon, Izumi was completely exhausted. It was to be expected even if she wasn't happy to feel her energy taken from her so readily. She had slept for as long as she could stand, and her body put itself back together while she slumbered. When Izumi next opened her eyes, the sun had almost set on the horizon, and the smell of something delicious reached her seconds later.

Izumi pushed herself out of bed and went out to the kitchen to find Masae standing near the stove. She was humming a tune as she made dinner, and Izumi leaned against the wall with a smile spread proudly across her features. "I didn't realize I could look forward to a home cooked meal," Izumi remarked. 

"I felt like it was the least I could do," Masae replied with a shrug. "You've done a lot lately, and no one else will ever know it. Besides, you need to keep your energy up if you want to keep fighting. I figured I would make you something nice and simple so you could digest it easily."

Izumi pressed a hand against her chest with a smile. "That means a lot to me. Thank you, Masae." She knew the other reason Masae was going out of her way with this. Masae had seen Izumi crumble when she didn't let herself rely on others, and her eating disorder had hit its peak when she was closed off from the world. Of course Masae would worry about her on the heels of such a life-changing battle. This was Masae's way of looking after Izumi after she had been stopped form doing so countless times, and it meant more than Izumi could ever hope to say. 

Minutes later, Masae finished cooking their meal, and she put the dishes of the hour down on the kitchen table. Masae and Izumi slid into seats opposite one another as the former reached for her glass of water. She raised it high, inviting Izumi to do so the same. "Here's to the Legendary Warriors," Masae began. "And to the best older sister I could ever ask for."

Izumi felt tears fill her eyes at her sister's kind words, but she forced herself to fight them back as she reached for her own glass. The two tapped glasses gently, and Izumi beamed against the tears in her eyes. "And here's to the best younger sister I could ever ask for." 

The two sisters enjoyed their drinks before turning their attention to their food. Izumi was glad to have finally been given the chance to spend time with her sister again after she had been hiding herself for so long. Izumi had needed this for longer than she could ever hope to describe, and she was glad she wouldn't keep herself from it anymore. 

Her Resplendent Evolution had been right; more than anything, she needed family, and now, she finally had it.

~~~~~

Junpei awoke to find sunlight streaming through his window. He yawned and stretched himself out the best he could, finding that he had been asleep for so long that his body had started to go tense. He let out a sigh as he worked out the lingering tension in his body before he walked over to his computer and powered it on. 

As was to be expected, the story about the battle in the sky had been plastered all over the news for the last day. Countless witnesses had caught it on video, all of them refusing to be caught off guard as they had been the first time this happened during the final fight with Lucemon. The truth wasn't suppressed on the media this time either, and everyone seemed to have their own opinions about what had really happened. Nearly everybody agreed that this was the work of the human Digimon who had been defending Shibuya over the last few months, but the details were where people disagreed. They all agreed the human monsters would be making themselves known again sometime soon though, and Junpei knew he couldn't dispute that.

There was something else on Junpei's mind after all of this though. He wanted to be able to leave all of it in the past and just breathe for a while, but he knew that wasn't an option as long as Alastomon's ally was still at large. Junpei wished he knew what to look for when it came to tracking them down, but he was at a loss for the truth. Whoever Alastomon had been working with knew how to hide themselves. They knew the Legendary Warriors would be after them soon enough, and they were ready for whatever that would mean for them.

Junpei didn't think he would be able to stop thinking about the mastermind until after they had been defeated. He had no idea who they were or what they could have been trying to accomplish by working with Alastomon, but he had the sneaking suspicion the truth would come out soon enough. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he was ready for the battle to come regardless. Junpei would do anything to see the Digital World and Earth delivered to safety, and if that meant spending the next few months tracking down Alastomon's accomplice, then so be it. 

In the meantime, Junpei hoped he would be able to leave all of that behind. He and the rest of the Legendary Warriors had won their battle, and they deserved a chance to celebrate. The festival on Inaie was bound to be fun, and Junpei couldn't wait to see what else it brought him. He still had a few days to rest and recuperate until then though as Darcmon and Hippogriffomon planned the festival, and he intended to use them. 

No more thinking about the accomplice. He had a break at long last, and he was determined to enjoy it. 

~~~~~

Koji sat in his room staring at the picture of him, Koichi, and Tomoko in the frame on his desk. He had woken up a few hours ago after sleeping through a majority of the day before, and his mind was finally starting to clear itself. At first, the battle against Alastomon hadn't even felt real to him. He was still getting used to thinking that he had managed to win that fight for the fate of the Digital World. It wasn't his first time saving the world, but it caught him off guard a lot more than the first time had. 

Koji knew that was because of what he was going back to. He had told his father and Satomi the truth about his recent strange behavior. He hadn't been given much of a choice, but the thought still haunted him. Koji had promised he was going to try and give his father a chance even if he wasn't ready to entirely forgive and forget the way Kousei had treated him for so many years. Now that the battle against Alastomon was over, Koji was going to have more than enough time to try and put effort to fixing his relationship with his father. 

In all honesty, the thought of trying to mend his connection with Kousei was terrifying, and Koji didn't know how he was supposed to grapple with that. He had promised he would at least make an attempt, and he intended to stand by it, but he didn't know where to start. Koji would give it his all when he could, at the very least. He hadn't been able to talk to Kousei or Satomi much the day before thanks to his deep exhaustion over fighting Alastomon, but he would have to fix that soon enough. 

Koji was anxious about it, yes, but he found that he was oddly at peace with the idea as well. He had no guarantee that his conversation with Kousei was going to end well, but he wanted to try. He had been struggling on his own for too long, and it was time for Koji to try and fix this for his own sake. Koji didn't know if he would ever be able to fully forgive Kousei, but he would at least try to reach out. That had to be worth something. 

Koji let out a small sigh as he reached out to brush his fingers across the glass on the picture frame. He hated Yutaka for exposing him, yes, but he was going to do his best to make this situation right somehow. Maybe this would be the start of Koji finally coming to peace with everything he had been pushing away over the last few years. He didn't know for sure, but he was ready for it against all odds. 

Somehow, Koji was going to make this right. He owed it to himself if nothing else, and if his father benefited from it too... Then it would just be an extra bonus. This was about Koji first and foremost, and he wouldn't forget it.

~~~~~

Mayumi hadn't imagined she would be able to pull herself together so soon after she arrived back on Earth. She had slept through much of the day after she fought Alastomon, but she woke up nice and early the following day. After that, she started to dart around the house, desperate to fill her time with something productive that would make her feel better about everything that had happened recently. 

Each time Mayumi thought about the Digital World, her mind instinctively drifted back to Biastamon. He hadn't been a baby in decades upon decades, and Mayumi could only imagine how bizarre it was to be reborn with only a fraction of his power. The best she could do was try to make his life that much easier. If he ever wanted to visit the fortress, then she wanted him to have a place to call his own. Mayumi imagined he would spend most of his time on Inaie, but she wanted to have a solution if he decided to come see the Legendary Warriors at any point.

Mayumi sat down on her bed with a small pile of old blankets she had found around the house. Her father had a hobby of thrifting, but not all of the materials he bought wound up being used right away, and she doubted he would object to her taking the older items to make something new with them. Mayumi and Haroi had told their parents as much as they could about the Digital World, but the details had been saved for later. Mayumi couldn't wait to tell her father about Biastamon while showing off the new baby sized bed for Wanyamon. 

Mayumi was halfway through planning out what she was going to do with the old blankets when she finally allowed herself to stop and stare down at the materials scattered out before her. She tilted her head back so she was staring up at the ceiling above. Mayumi never would have expected her life to change so completely thanks to a creature from another world... Though she also hadn't expected to find out there were any other worlds out there in the first place. Life was full of surprises, she supposed, and Mayumi was fine with that. The twists and turns of life had brought here to the Digital World and her friends, and Mayumi couldn't have asked for anything better. 

Biastamon had taught her a lot, and she wasn't going to forget it. She wouldn't ever be able to erase her disability, and she shouldn't have been thinking about doing so in the first place. Instead, she was going to work with it however she could. Mayumi was going to use it to her advantage now to fixate on finishing up this gift for Wanyamon. He was going to love it because she had made it. She was sure of it. 

He would love her no matter what, after all, and that was worth more than she could ever hope to express.

~~~~~

Unsurprisingly, the news ate up the story about the fight between the Resplendent One and Alastomon being projected into the sky. Chihiro had seen it on every social media platform they were active on, and they had been shown a few previews of other websites too that featured the same clips from the fight. A few people had been awake early enough to see the battle as it happened, and from there, they got the attention of others to come out and watch it with them. Many people thought to record the battle this time since the first fight had passed without most people having high quality footage. 

"What are you watching?" Shinya asked as he sat down next to Chihiro on the couch in the living room of the Kanbara household. Chihiro didn't know why he asked; the truth was already clear based on the headline stretched across the bottom of the screen. 

"You'll never guess," Chihiro answered with a loose shrug as they set the remote down beside them. "A lot of people seem interested in this fight... I can't say I understand the hype." They cast a mischievous smirk in Shinya's direction, and he laughed in response before shaking his head, already very used to Chihiro's particular brand of humor.

"I think it's nice to see this everywhere," Shinya confessed. "It might not be what any of us would have liked, but it's still nice to see that there's proof of everything that happened. No one is going to forget it... And honestly, I think most people are going to be grateful to these human monsters for as long as they live. How could they not be?"

"It's a shame they'll never know who they are," Chihiro hummed. It was for the best that the general public didn't know the truth to ensure the Legendary Warriors' safety, but they still wished they could have gotten in on the fame. It would have given them the perfect opportunity to rub in their parents' faces that they could thrive even without them around. 

"But I will," Shinya pointed out. "And I think they did a great job." He leaned in a little bit closer against Chihiro, and much to the Warrior of Earth's surprise, they didn't pull away from the touch. "And I want them to know that they're the best older sibling I could ask for." 

Chihiro found tears springing to their eyes before they realized what was happening. If Takuya was the best brother Shinya could have asked for, then that meant they were the best sibling. Chihiro had been acknowledged as a member of the Kanbara family many times, but hearing it that way made them sentimental in a way they couldn't quite describe. They sniffled and wrapped an arm around Shinya's shoulders before pulling him in a little bit closer. "You're the best little brother," they murmured. "And no matter what happens, you had better not forget it."

After all, Chihiro already knew they never would. 

~~~~~

Hinoka stood in front of the mirror in her room, brushing the wrinkles out of her skirt. She had put on a turquoise dress that swished gently around her legs when she spun, a smile on her face all the while. As she stared at her own reflection, Hinoka found herself far happier than she had been a few short months ago. Color was finally starting to return to her pale features after her years of isolation, and the hollow circles beneath her cheeks were gone. For the first time in ages, Hinoka cared about the way she looked, and for the first time in even longer, she thought she looked beautiful. 

Hinoka left her home far earlier than she technically needed to in order to arrive on time to the festival on Inaie. She technically didn't have to go and pick up Chiaki before meeting the rest of the group to go to the Digital World. She didn't need to dress up for this party either. Still, this was the best Hinoka had felt in ages, and she wanted to spread that feeling as much as she possibly could, and that started with reaching out to her sister. Chiaki had suffered enough under their father's influence over the last few months, and Hinoka couldn't wait to give her a little break from constant suffering and misery. She couldn't exactly go to Chiaki's house to pick her up in case she was spotted and recognized, but Hinoka was more than happy to meet her in the middle. 

Chiaki was waiting just outside the ice cream shop the two sisters had gone to so long ago when they first decided to establish a connection with one another. She was watching the people pass her by, a smile on her face. She was looking far healthier now too on account of having finally found someone she could trust with her truth after being forced to hide her father's behavior from others for so long. Connection with one another and their other friends had saved both sisters, and they would never dare to forget it.

"I hope I wasn't keeping you waiting for too long," Hinoka smiled as she approached Chiaki. Her sister was dressed up a bit too, not to the point of it being excessive but just enough to feel tasteful and exuberant for the party to come in the next few hours.

"Not at all," Chiaki assured her with a smile and a shake of her head. She held out her hand to Hinoka. "Shall we?" 

Hinoka gladly took Chiaki's hand, and the two started to walk back to Junpei's house to meet him and the others so they could go to the Digital World. They were bound to be some of the earliest people there, but Hinoka could barely be asked to care. This was everything she had ever needed, and she would never be able to go without it again.

~~~~~

Yumiko hadn't stopped humming since she woke up that morning. The festival was fast approaching, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. Bearmon and Kotemon had been beyond excited when they heard about the party to come, and Yumiko couldn't blame them. She wished she and the rest of the Legendary Warriors had been able to enjoy the party the first time around. There was no use in dwelling on it now though. Alastomon was gone, and he wouldn't be able to interrupt their festivities no matter how hard he tried. That was the way it should have been, and Yumiko was happy each time she remembered the truth. 

It had been a long time since Yumiko went to any kind of party. She had retreated into herself after she started being bullied at school, and that made it hard for her to want to reach out to anyone long enough to be invited to a party in the first place. She was starting to come back into her own skin though, and she knew she had the Digital World to thank. The residents of Inaie had done a lot for her, and the rest of her team was much the same. They meant the world to her, and Yumiko couldn't wait to show them how much they meant to her. 

Yumiko knew she didn't technically have to dress up, but she chose the cutest green and pink dress she had in her closet anyway. At a first glance, it just looked like she was just wearing her regular type of outfit, but Yumiko knew the truth. Green and pink were the colors found on her Spirit Evolutions, and they were symbolic of everything she had grown to become since going to the Digital World. Her friends would know the truth, and they would love it. 

Yumiko bent down to brush her fingers across Briar Rose's back as she reached for her D-Tector, and the cat purred against her hand. Briar Rose had grown considerably since Yumiko first got her, and the Warrior of Wood couldn't have been happier at the sight. She made a mental note to take a few pictures with her cat after she returned home from the festivities. She looked cute enough to justify the pictures, and she would love having them later on. 

Yumiko placed her D-Tector on her belt as she rose back to her full height. She stared into her reflection's eyes as she turned to her mirror, and she couldn't help smiling at the sight of herself. She was so much happier than she had been a few months ago, and she had the Digital World to thank for all of it. She wondered if she would ever be able to express in words how much her friends and family in the Digital World meant to her. Even if she never had the chance though, Yumiko knew she would be alright. The people who mattered to her most understood the truth. 

And that was what mattered most to her now and and forever.

~~~~~

Tomoki packed a small bag as he listened to music through his earbuds. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about the upcoming festival on Inaie ever since Darcmon and Hippogriffomon first brought it up. The Legendary Warriors hadn't gotten a proper celebration after they defeated Lucemon the first time, so this was going to be the party to finally make up for every festival they hadn't been able to hold on account of keeping their secret safe. They had won this, and Tomoki intended to make the most of it. 

He had bought a few treats from Earth to show the Digimon. He was confident Bokomon was going to love learning more about candy from Earth since he had always shown such an interest in the sister realm of the Digital World, and Tomoki couldn't wait to introduce him to it. Technically, Tomoki didn't need to do anything like this since there would already be a massive feast waiting for him on Inaie. He could rely on Darcmon and Hippogriffomon to handle the food, but Tomoki still wanted to do something for the Digimon guides. They were the unsung heroes of this war, after all. The Legendary Warriors never would have been able to get so far without having a support system, and their Digimon friends were the perfect symbols of the love that had gotten them so far. 

Tomoki spared a brief glance over his shoulder as he zipped his bag, biting down on his bottom lip along the way. He hadn't told his parents the truth about the Digital World yet, and he didn't know if he would ever feel comfortable enough to do so. He hadn't ended up having time to explain the Yutaka situation to them either, though Tomoki's problems with his brother had seemingly taken care of themselves. Yutaka hadn't bothered him or the rest of the Legendary Warriors ever since Beowolfmon threatened him into backing off. Tomoki doubted Yutaka would be staying away forever, but he could at least enjoy the peace as long as he had it. 

"We can tell them later," Kuma told Tomoki. "For now, we have a party to get to. No more anxiety. Let's go have fun."

There was something Tomoki could get behind. He nodded and pressed a smile across his face. This was a day he was meant to enjoy, and he intended to make the most of it. The rest of the Legendary Warriors were waiting for him, and Tomoki didn't want to keep them waiting any longer than he absolutely had to. He could worry about everything else after he had taken some time to have fun and relish in the victory he had won with the rest of his friends. They had earned a break, and Tomoki was going to make the most of it. 

Their bravery had gone unappreciated for too long, but today was going to change that at long last.

~~~~~

Katsuharu and Teppei stood together just outside the the Fuji house as they waited for Teruo. The three of them had agreed to go to the Shibayama home together before the festival began. The trio had been instructed to dress up a little bit but still be prepared for the heat even though autumn was starting to roll in earnestly now. Katsuharu could feel the chill of the coming season as he waited for Teruo, and he took to tapping one foot against the ground to try and keep himself warm and focused. 

"I wonder what he's doing in there," Teppei remarked with a frown. "He could be saying goodbye to his siblings, but we really need to get going."

Katsuharu couldn't help but snort. "We're going to be early as it is. I think you might be exaggerating a bit." That was one thing Katsuharu had learned about Teppei since they started to get closer. Teppei was incredibly strict about time, and he refused to be late no matter where he was going. Early was on time in his mind, and that included when they were headed to another world. That arguably made him even stricter about arriving on time. 

The door opened a moment later, and Teruo slipped out as he shoved his foot into his sneaker to make sure the heel segment came up to hug the back of his ankle. "Sorry about that," he told the duo. "I had to tell my siblings what I was doing. You know... As vaguely as possible."

"Don't worry about it," Katsuharu assured Teruo before Teppei had the chance to let his impatience get the better of him. "We're going to be fine... You know, unless everyone else decided to get there early too."

"I couldn't blame them," Teruo confessed. "Going to a party in another world is beyond exciting. I can't believe we're actually able to go back there. I was so sure we had seen the last of it when we were there for a few minutes the first time."

"As long as we don't spend too much time in the Digital World, it can't change us, and that should put us in the clear," Teppei told him. "I don't think one night is going to kill anyone... And I don't think a few extra minutes there if we get to Junpei's place early will hurt either."

Katsuharu nodded with a grin. "This is going to be a night to remember." He hadn't ever imagined he would be freely given a chance to go back to the Digital World like this. He had been certain he would have to fight for a place in the alternate world, but there he was, preparing for a festival to celebrate his friends saving the world. Life loved to take unexpected turns, but Katsuharu wasn't complaining about it in the slightest. 

This was everything he could have ever asked for, and he was going to enjoy it. 

~~~~~

Kana stared up at the door of the Shiraki home, working the skin on her bottom lip between her teeth. It had been nearly two decades since she was last at home, though she didn't know if she would necessarily call it her 'home' as she would have when she first vanished into the Digital World. A lot had happened since then, and Kana had been given a lot of time to sit with the truth about her adoptive parents and the way they had treated her and her brother. These days, Rubrum was her home, and she was happiest there when surrounded by her friends.

Still, Kana knew she would never truly know peace until she faced the past, and with that in mind, she reached up and knocked at the door gently. The sound was so soft that Kana at first feared no one would hear her. She didn't knock again though, instead just letting her fingertips drift to the bottom of her skirt. She fidgeted with the hem far more than she should have, and she was halfway afraid the fabric was going to fray and fall apart beneath her fingertips if she continued too much more. 

Before Kana could think too much more about the past, the door opened, and she looked up to see the familiar but aged faces of Hayate and Yua Shiraki. The years had worn them down, but they still looked similar enough to how they had eighteen years ago for Kana to recognize them immediately. She felt her heart stop for a moment, but she forced herself to press forward regardless. They stared at her in aghast shock, trying to pull together a logical reason to explain how their daughter who had gone missing nearly two decades prior could be standing before them without looking as if she had aged a day. 

Kana swallowed back her nerves and offered a nervous wave to her parents. "Hello... Mother. Father." Her voice was hoarse from anxiety, but none of that mattered when Hayate and Yua rushed forward and pulled her into an embrace. Kana began to cry before she could fully register what was happening, and before she knew it, she was one of three people sobbing in the entryway of the Shiraki home. She was all too aware of the pounding of her heart in her ears, but she didn't fight the sound away. Instead, she sat in the discomfort it brought, knowing it was the best she could do for herself at this point. 

Kana wasn't sure of how long she stood there with her family, holding them close as they cried out every tear they had been hiding for the last twenty years. When she finally pulled away, her breath was shaky and rattled in her ribcage before finding a way out through her lips. Meanwhile, Yua looked her over from head to toe, practically delirious in her surprise at seeing her daughter again after so many years. "How... How is this possible?" she murmured. "You look the same as you did back..." 

"That... That's a long story," Kana started softly. She had known she was going to have to tell her parents everything when she first decided to go back to Earth. It had been a spur of the moment decision, and she had no idea if it was the best call. Even so, it was the decision she had made, and she would have to live with that. She took in a heavy breath once again, desperate to keep herself grounded, before she continued. "Let me start from the beginning..."

And just like that, the truth came out, graceless and clumsy just as Kana had expected. Hayate eventually led them deeper into the home so they could sit on the couches together as Kana painted the picture of her life over the course of the last eighteen years. She fidgeted anxiously on the spot, unable to fully calm her nerves no matter how hard she tried. She eventually gave up on seeming at all calm, instead just letting the truth take up her full attention. Her parents stared at her in ghastly shock. Of all the explanations they had expected to hear from Kana about everything that had happened when Kage went missing, they certainly hadn't anticipated they would learn that she had been right when she said her brother was drawn into a portal to another world. Kana could barely blame them for not believing her. If she had been in their shoes, she wouldn't have believed herself either. 

Kana told them everything she had learned in the Digital World, starting with her alliance with the Legendary Warriors to her new powers as the Arbiter of Souls. She spoke of the home she found there in the other world, how she wanted to stay there even after she had returned to see them. She couldn't go back to Earth again no matter how hard she tried, and Kana wasn't going to push herself to do it either. That wouldn't have been right for her, and she knew better than to try and go past her limits. She was meant to be in the Digital World, and she wouldn't neglect her needs no matter how much her parents wanted her to stay with them. She had another home now, and she couldn't abandon it no matter what. 

"You can't just leave us after saying all of that!" Yua exclaimed, reaching out to take Kana's hand in her own. Her vibrant hair was lined with silver now, and she brushed her fingers across Kana's knuckles. "How are we supposed to go back to our regular lives when we know that you're in some other world? How can we live not knowing if you're safe or not?!"

"I've been fine all this time, haven't I?" Kana questioned softly, but she didn't pull away from Yua's grasp right away. Instead, she simply shook her head. "I know what I'm doing, and I'm going to keep pressing on. I'll be back to visit other times too. I can't just walk away forever. Right now though... I know where my home is, and it's not here."

Hayate was quiet for a long moment before he looked up to meet Kana's gaze. "There's somewhere else you want to be," he murmured. "You wouldn't be this distracted if you didn't have somewhere else to be."

Kana hesitated at that. He was right, but she had been hoping she wouldn't have to tell him that outright so soon. She wanted to see the other members of her family who she hadn't been able to see in almost two decades. She swallowed down her nerves to the best of her ability before nodding. "You're right," she confirmed. "This isn't the last time I'm going to come here. I just... I have another place to be right now. The Digital World is my home, and I can't abandon it. Right now though... There's someone else I need to see."

Kana pulled her hand away from Yua's carefully, and her mother reached for her briefly only to let her hand fall down to her lap when she realized there was no point to it. Kana pushed herself to her feet and started toward the door, hesitating halfway there to look over her shoulder at her parents. "I'll be back again soon," Kana reminded them. "Until then... Stay safe." 

Kana walked away and closed the door behind herself before either of them had the chance to object. She couldn't quite say if she felt better or worse after going to speak with them, but she at least felt as if the pressure in her chest was finally starting to alleviate. As she had expected, going to speak with Hayate and Yua hadn't completely solved her problems, but it was a step in the right direction. She could think about where she wanted to go with this another time. Until then, she had somewhere else to be, and she didn't want to leave her friend waiting. 

Kana walked on autopilot to the cemetery address she had been given by Saki. Soon after she arrived, she saw the Warrior of Steel standing over a pair of graves lacking in any decoration or glory. No flowers had been left there, not that Kana had expected anything of the sort. She had learned the dark truth behind the lives Anri and Harutaka led. They only had one another, and in the last few years leading up to their deaths, they had Kana too. They had died before they had the chance to know their child fully on top of that. 

But now, their two children were there watching over them. Saki's hair rustled gently in the breeze as they turned to see Kana approaching. Neither one of them said a word for a long time, and Kana eased herself down to her knees before pressing her hands together over her chest. "It's been a long time," she whispered to Anri and Harutaka. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come and see you again."

"I'm sure they understand," Saki assured her with a shake of their head. They sat down on the ground in front of the graves beside Kana, reaching out one hand to take her fingers between their own. "You didn't have any other options for a long time, but... At least you're here now. We both are. There's nothing to complain about there."

Kana let out a wet laugh and rubbed at her eyes with her free hand. "Still, I had been hoping I would be able to come a bit sooner... But I suppose that late is better than never." She sighed as she looked down at the graves. "I'm sure they would both be happy to hear we were able to find each other even without them. Your parents made it sound like we would really be siblings after you were born, but... I went missing before we had the chance."

"At least we're here together now," Saki reiterated. "I bet you're right about them being happy to see us here together. I doubt they ever thought we would find each other quite like this, but... Late is better than never. You're right about that."

Kana nodded and continued to look down at the graves as she worked the skin of her bottom lip between her teeth. "I hope they know how much I cared about them," she murmured. "I know I didn't get the chance to say it before they passed away and I was pulled into the Digital World, but... I always thought of them as my parents. I know I had others who officially adopted me, but... They never treated me as their child the way your parents did. They were family to me in a way I could never quite put to words."

"You're right," Saki confirmed. "I didn't get the chance to know my parents, but from what you told me... I know that's how they thought of you too. The fact that you were planning on following in their footsteps when you turned eighteen is proof enough of that to me. I know you weren't able to talk to them again before they died, but... I bet they knew you were safe out there somewhere. It may not have been clear right away, but they would have known that you were okay. Perhaps I'm getting sentimental about it, but..."

"You don't need to apologize," Kana assured them with a shake of her head. "I'd like to think they knew I was alright too. There's no way of reaching out to them now though. It's funny. I have the ability to manipulate the souls of my friends in the Digital World, but I can't do the same here. I suppose that would give me just a bit too much closure. We can't have something like that, can we?"

"I would say that you can still get the closure you need here," Saki pointed out. "We're here together, and we're going to make sure this is a moment to remember. Our parents might not be here to see us now, but we can still live on in their name. I'd like to think that's enough. It took me a long time to accept that this could be where the story ends, but I think that's just what we're going to have to live with."

"And much to my own surprise... I'm fine with that," Kana smiled gently. She sighed and leaned over so her head was resting on Saki's shoulder, and the Warrior of Steel returned the favor. "Thank you for coming here with me, Saki. I don't know if I would have had the guts to come by myself."

"Don't worry about it. I've been meaning to come here ever since you told me the truth of what happened eighteen years ago," Saki answered. They reached out towards the graves with their free hand, and small flowers made of metal sprouted up from the ground before dying themselves purple and cyan, the trademark colors of the two children left behind by the Fushida couple. Saki smiled at the sight of the blossoms, letting their hand fall back into their lap again a moment later. "I think they'd like these flowers a lot better than normal ones."

Kana couldn't help but laugh as she nodded. "I agree. Your mother never liked the idea of picking flowers. She thought it was wasteful," she remarked. "Maybe we could have Yumiko plant a few here. I don't know if we'd be able to get away with it as long as we're on cemetery property, but..."

"I think what we have here is fine," Saki assured Kana with a shake of their head. "Besides... They're symbolic of us. I feel like that has to mean a lot more than they could have ever wanted." 

Kana nodded gently, squeezing Saki's fingers a little bit tighter along the way. "We're going to have to leave to go and meet with the others soon," she pointed out. "Do you think you'll be ready to leave?"

"We can stay here for a little bit longer," Saki countered. "They can wait a few extra minutes."

Kana couldn't help smiling, and she let her eyes slip shut. She hadn't ever expected this to be the end of her story, but she couldn't have asked for anything better. This was what she needed, and she was going to enjoy it for as long as she possibly could. The rest of the world could wait a little bit longer. She was willing to let it. 

~~~~~

"Takuya! Are you ready to go?"

The sound of Chihiro's voice snapped Takuya out of his thoughts, and he sat up before stretching himself out. "That time already?" he asked, and Chihiro shot him a playful glare, silently chastising him for having the audacity to lose track of time on such an important day. "I'm joking. If you're ready to go, then so am I."

"This is going to be great," Shinya grinned. "I was hoping I'd be able to convince you to take me to the Digital World one of these days, but I guess I didn't need to ask you in the first place. Your Mayumi friend took care of it for us."

"You're going to like her," Chihiro told him. "She's got just as much as energy as you, if not even more. Then again, that just comes with the territory for her. Our elements were always well selected for us, but Mayumi is on another level."

"We should thank her for thinking to drag the others into the Digital World for this party though," Takuya said as he pushed himself to his feet. "I think they've earned it. The investigation team has been tracking us for long enough to earn a little prize."

"And they can have it now that they know to not go blabbing about us to the media," Chihiro finished for him. "For now, let's go to meet with Junpei and the others. I'm looking forward to this party, and I don't want to keep anyone waiting any longer than we have to."

Takuya nodded, and the trio set off from the Kanbara home from there. The deeper chills of autumn were starting to set in, but Takuya, Chihiro, and Shinya were dressed for summer anyways. Darcmon had promised perfect weather to the Legendary Warriors for this party, and Takuya intended to see that promise fulfilled. He wanted a party more than anything, and this wasn't a chance he intended to pass up on. 

When the trio arrived at the Shibayama home, the living room was practically overflowing with teenagers as the Legendary Warriors and investigation team prepared to leave for the Digital World. Takuya found that he was one of the last people to arrive, and a quick glance through the area told him that only Saki and Kana hadn't yet arrived. Somehow, the two of them not being there yet didn't surprise him. A quick check using his instincts as a Legendary Warrior told him they were coming from the nearby cemetery, no doubt because they had gone to visit Anri and Harutaka's resting place. 

Junpei sighed as Chihiro closed the door behind themselves. "Now we're just missing Saki and Kana," he remarked. "And here I was under the impression that those two knew how to arrive on time to things like this."

"I don't know if I'd start making snarky comments quite yet," Saki suddenly cut in, and Takuya turned to see the Warrior of Steel peeking in through the door, using their foot to keep it from fully closing in Chihiro's wake. The Warrior of Earth opened the door fully, offering the perfect chance for Saki and Kana to slip inside. 

"Sorry we're late," Kana apologized with a sheepish smile. Her eyes were slightly red from what Takuya could only assume had been a recent bout of crying, but she didn't seem bothered by it at all. "We're ready to leave whenever the rest of you are."

"Perfect," Junpei nodded before he activated the portal on his laptop screen. Technically, the Legendary Warriors could just create portals leading to the other world whenever they wanted on account of having their Resplendent Evolutions, but that took a lot more energy than it was worth, and they wanted to conserve their strength. After all, this was sure to be one night they never forgot. 

The world spun and glowed around Takuya in the moments that followed, and when he found himself on solid ground again, the first thing he noticed was that the weather was just as warm as Darcmon had promised. He grinned at the realization before looking up to the horizon, wondering just when Inaie would appear on the edge of the sky and ground. He had been looking forward to this ever since the final battle ended, and he wasn't going to let it slip out of his grasp now. 

It didn't take long for Inaie to arrive, and all the while, the investigation team stared up at it with wide eyes and dropped jaws. Izumi flashed them all a smile before she started up the stairs on the side of the island when Inaie came to a stop. "You're going to love this," she assured them, and the investigation team finally pulled themselves together enough to recognize that she was speaking to them. From there, they started after Izumi up the stairs and toward the heart of the island. 

The streets of Inaie were decorated intricately, and streamers of all colors had been strung freely between the streetlights. A few lanterns hung from the streamers too, all of them glowing with countless colors to represent the Legendary Warriors. Darcmon hadn't been kidding when she said the festivals were something to behold. She hadn't held back in decorating the city for the party. 

The city square was where everything really came together though, and the fountain was covered in spotlights that dyed it bright colors. A few massive tables stretched through the area as well, most of them bearing food but some of them being left empty to offer people the space they needed to sit down. To say the feast was impressive was an understatement. Takuya didn't think he had ever seen so much food in one place. 

"Welcome, everyone," Darcmon declared as she approached the Legendary Warriors and the rest of their entourage. "I'm glad to see you were able to make it here alright." Her gaze shifted to the investigation team at that, and she laughed when she realized just how shocked they were to see her. "I don't bite. I promise."

"This is amazing!" Teppei cried out, clapping his hands together as he practically vibrated on the spot. "I never thought there would be so much to see and do!" The real intention of his words was clear even if he didn't say it out loud. He couldn't believe he was speaking to an actual Digimon. He had heard about the Digital World in the past, but he hadn't seen a full Digimon up close like this before. The Legendary Warriors were one thing, but this was another matter entirely, and it was an accomplishment he would never forget. 

"We go all out for our festivals," Darcmon answered simply. "Feel free to mill about and talk to everyone. Soon, we'll feast, and after that... Well, all that will be left for us to do is party until the sun comes up."

"That's perfect," Takuya grinned. He glanced over to see the Digimon guides gathered together with Wanyamon, Kotemon, and Bearmon. All of them were clearly getting along swimmingly, no doubt trying to make up for lost time with not being able to speak to one another. They were all friends with the Legendary Warriors, but they hadn't ever been able to kick back and relax with one another despite their common thread of friendship. 

"I feel like I'm dreaming," Masae admitted. "I never would have thought the Digital World would be so... Vibrant. I mean, all we heard about for a long time was the war, and while I understand why... I guess it's different being here and seeing so much life at once."

"Inaie is a great place even when they're not hosting a party. We were supposed to come for one of their festivals before the massive invasion of Earth, but that didn't wind up happening. Now that Alastomon is out of the picture though, we can do whatever we want, and I couldn't be happier," Izumi grinned. "How about we show you around and introduce you to everyone? It'll be great."

Masae nodded, and Izumi smiled as she led her sister away. The rest of the investigation team followed two pair a moments later, and Takuya couldn't help but smile at them before he trailed after them. He never would have imagined he would have the chance to enjoy himself in the Digital World like this, much less that the investigation team would be there. So much had changed since the Void Fragments first appeared, and he was happy with the resolution. This was what he had needed for ages, and he was glad he had finally been given the chance to see that. 

The investigation team was, unsurprisingly, excited to be able to speak with even more Digimon as they were introduced to the other major players there for the party. Bokomon and Neemon couldn't stop chattering to one another excitedly at the sight of the new humans. Patamon and Salamon were happy to have new people to sit on and more perches to enjoy. Lopmon and Wanyamon were on the shy side, but they were teased out of their shells with time. Mayumi offered Wanyamon a gift in the form of a small bed she had made herself, and she told him she would be leaving it in the fortress in case he ever decided to pay the Legendary Warriors a visit. Bearmon and Kotemon finally got a formal introduction to the rest of the group thanks to Yumiko, and Takuya spent the entire process smiling like he had never smiled before. His cheeks were starting to sting as the minutes crawled by, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He was too happy to mind it. 

Darcmon hit the base of her staff against the ground to earn the attention of everyone in the area, and they all turned to face the leader of Inaie as Hippogriffomon came up to stand beside her. "Attention, everyone," Darcmon started, and all eyes fell solely on her. "We've been given an incredible chance here today, and we need to make the most of it. The Digital World has been saved once again, and just like before, we have the Legendary Warriors to thank for it. Alastomon has been defeated, and we can finally see peace once more. Tonight, we celebrate everything that led us to this point. The road may not have been an easy one, but we managed to reach the other side, and that's what matters most."

Darcmon reached to the nearby table and picked up a glass filled to the brim with a red liquid that Takuya could only assume was a Digital World type of soda. She grinned as she held it up and out toward the Legendary Warriors. "Tonight, we prove that life is worth living, and we thank those who have given us this chance. A toast... To the Legendary Warriors. To the peace they have brought us. To the future of the Digital World." Darcmon took a sip of her drink before she put it down once again and hit the base of her staff against the ground. "And now, we feast!" 

Excited clamors rose up from the crowd at that, and everyone started toward the food. Takuya hung back for a little while longer though, knowing that he could save himself some time in line if he just let the rest of the crowd take care of their own food first. Instead, the Warrior of Fire let out a heavy sigh and tilted his head back so he was looking up at the sky. The sun was starting to set now, dying the sky in an ombre of sunset. The sight was beautiful, far more so than Takuya felt any other sunset ever had been. He was going to remember this the same way he was going to remember everything else that had happened that night. 

Takuya couldn't help but smile at the thought of everything that had happened recently. He couldn't say he was entirely satisfied with the way the final battle had ended since he still had to worry about Alastomon's accomplice who was roaming through the world freely, but the Warrior of Fire knew it would be fine. No matter what the accomplice did next, the Legendary Warriors would be there to stop them. They wouldn't be able to get far in carrying out Alastomon's mission before they were halted in their tracks. After all, that was what the Legendary Warriors did. 

This battle had been far from clean, and it certainly felt a lot messier than the original confrontation against Lucemon had been. There were a few loose threads that had yet to be resolved, but Takuya found that he minded it a lot less than he would have expected. He had a lot to think about, and the rest of the Legendary Warriors did too, but that was alright. No matter what, they would find a way to push through all of this by working together just as they had before. They had saved the Digital World before, and they would do it again as long as there was a need for them to do so. 

Even if there was a lot Takuya still couldn't say he understood about the confrontation against Alastomon, he wasn't going to let his uncertainty make him sell himself short. He had come out of this on the other side, and even if he and the rest of the Legendary Warriors had made a healthy dose of mistakes along the way, it was fine. They had survived, and the Digital World was in a far better condition now than it had been when Lucemon rose to power. They had avoided completely planetary destruction, and they had helped Earth on top of that. Even if the war hadn't gone the way they would have liked, they still had a lot to be proud of themselves for, and Takuya wasn't going to let them forget it. 

"All's well that ends well, right?" Aguni remarked. 

"There's a lot we still don't understand," Vritra started. 

"But I think we can put the responsibilities of the future to the side for one night," Alda finished for him with a shake of his head. "I'd like to think we've earned that much."

"I agree," Takuya nodded. He looked down to his hands and pressed them together. He sparked a small fire between his palms, and he cradled it with a smile. The war against Alastomon may not have ended as cleanly as he would have liked, but he was okay with that. He was still alive, and that was something for him to be proud of. The Digital World was safe, and Takuya would make sure it stayed that way no matter what came next. 

The flame in Takuya's hands burned a little bit brighter, and he felt his heart sing in the harmony of the firelight. 

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And here we are once again... The end of the line.

I'm going to force myself to save all of my rambling about finally being finished with this story for the afterword, so first, let's dive headfirst into everything that happened in this chapter. First off, the fight against Alastomon was won... But unlike the fight against Lucemon, it has a much more bittersweet undertone to it. The Legendary Warriors prevailed, but they're left thinking about everything Alastomon claimed to know about the Digital World before his death. His insistence that the realm was doomed to chaos and the cycle of war is bound to hang heavily on their minds even though they were able to come out on top of this battle.

In fact, the entire epilogue sequence seems to be obscured by this general fog as well. Much like in the first book, this epilogue has the same idea of not necessarily being in chronological order. Takuya starts to think about how the Legendary Warriors are doing, and while everything after that leading up to the present is in chronological order, it's still a jump back compared to how Takuya is in the present. This book ends very similarly to the first book, but rather than being purely hopeful for the future, there's a constant theme of uncertainty that hides beneath the surface of everything people say and do. Alastomon's accomplice is still out there, and the Digital World is essentially right back to where it started when all of this began. The Legendary Warriors are doing their best to look to the future after everything they've been through, but it's much easier said than done when there's so much left weighing on them.

My favorite part of this epilogue sequence is without a doubt the segment with Kana and Saki. It's the longest piece of the epilogue because it honestly needs to be. Kana finally has the chance to go back home after being given a human form again, and while she has a lot of unresolved baggage around her adoptive parents, she was at least able to start the process of finding closure. There will be more of this dynamic in the next book, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

For now, I want to talk about the scene in the cemetery with Kana and Saki. The two of them have different histories, but they still think of themselves as siblings because of everything Saki's parents did over the years. They were able to fix a lot of harm done to the Digital World, but not everything is perfect since they still carry that grief. However, they can both work toward leaving it in the past at long last though thanks to having one another. Developing the dynamic between these two was one of my favorite parts of the story, and it's incredible to see them finally letting their defenses down around one another after being so masked for so long.

The last important piece here is the festival on Inaie. It's been promised for ages now, and at long last, it's time to deliver on the party everyone has been waiting for. The investigation team got to come along at Mayumi's suggestion because they're important to this journey too. They might not be able to fight the same way the Legendary Warriors can, but they're a support system the group definitely needed. They love having each other there when they need help, of course, but keeping a secret that massive has its consequences, and the investigation team acts as an extra bit of support for the team. Plus, it gives the investigation team the chance to enjoy the Digital World the way they always wanted to, and that includes talking with actual Digimon for the first time. It's really sweet to see their dreams fulfilled after all this time.

This book ends in a very similar way to the first one in that Takuya feels that fire within, the very power that fuels his element even just beyond his magic, continue to burn. I love wrapping around to the start of a story when I finish it, and having Takuya talk with Aguni, Vritra, and Alda again is a perfect way of doing that. A lot has changed, but a few things have stayed the same too, and Takuya still has that passion and courage that push him onward through every difficulty.

Last but not least, I want to talk about the chapter title here. The first book, and the English version of Frontier as a whole, had an incredible naming scheme for the first and last episodes. All Aboard and End of the Line are just so perfect, and I couldn't bear to change them. For this book, I decided to mimic that, and so, the first and final chapters are Almost Human and Barely Human respectively. It shows how the Legendary Warriors have changed over the course of the story, and while they're not quite human the way they once thought they were, they've come a long way, and they've been able to make peace with that too. It's a triumph for them even though the story ends on a somewhat bittersweet note thanks to the unresolved tension.

Okay, I'm finished here for now. I'll see you all in the afterword to discuss the future of the story going forward!

-Digital