Chapter 151: Zhu Bajie Beast

[Super Charged Lightning Beam]

In the next instant, Gokuwmon channeled all of his digital energy into the [Ruyi Jingu Bang], and a piercing flash of lightning surged forth from the staff.

"Boom!" Taomon attempted to evade the attack, but was a fraction too second too slow. The moment the [Super Charged Lightning Beam] struck, Taomon's physical form shattered once again into a myriad of spiritual paper talismans and dissipated into the air.

Gokuwmon watched this unfold, lowering his weapon while gripping the [Ruyi Jingu Bang], and slowly scanned his surroundings. He had to admit that Taomon’s technique was genuinely troublesome. There was only one way to counter this trick: sheer speed. If one's speed surpassed Taomon's ability to react, the technique would naturally be broken. Of course, while speed was the most direct solution, other methods existed, though they could hardly be called true counters.

[Sanskrit Brush Flash]

Time ticked away, second by second. Right then, from a patch of shadow behind Gokuwmon, Taomon stepped out and launched a sudden assault.

[Secret Skill: Dream-Reality Shadow]

Yet, Gokuwmon seemed to have anticipated the attack all along. The moment Taomon's strike landed, Gokuwmon's body was destroyed—only to reveal that it had been nothing more than an afterimage.

"The same trick won't work on me twice." A voice echoed from high above. In the next instant, a [Super Charged Lightning Beam] descended directly from the sky, completely engulfing Taomon.

Taomon looked up, a bitter, desolate smile touching the corners of his lips. He ceased all resistance. Gokuwmon's attack pierced straight through Taomon's body, obliterating him entirely.

It was not that Taomon did not want to use his myriad-talisman transformation to dodge again, but the technique demanded an immense amount of digital energy. Having used it consecutively twice already, his reserves were completely exhausted. That last strike had been his final resort.

He had foolishly hoped to settle the match with one definitive blow, unaware that Gokuwmon had been guarding against it the entire time, leaving behind only a phantom. By the time Gokuwmon struck back, Taomon lacked even the will to evade.

Witnessing this, everyone fell into a heavy silence. Nine matches had now been fought. The score stood firmly at five to four. The outcome of this final battle would decide the ultimate victor.

And the tenth and final match would, naturally, be between Jijimon's partner—though in this case, Paildramon. Ichi had never expected that Paildramon would be the one to fight in the very last round. This realization dulled any lingering thoughts of surrender he might have harbored.

Had it been any other round, few would have questioned him if he had chosen to surrender to protect Paildramon upon seeing an unfavorable turn of events. In truth, had the battles not shifted so rapidly that there was no time to voice a surrender before their Digimon fell, they likely would have conceded earlier.

Yet this was the final round—the most crucial one of all. If Paildramon did not fight to his very last drop of blood, Ichi would inevitably face the censure of the others. With his current strength, he had no confidence in taking on ten powerhouses of the same tier all by himself.

Though it seemed as though each of them had already exhausted their strongest Digimon in the previous skirmishes, Ichi knew better. Even if the Digimon they had fielded thus far were indeed their strongest, whatever they had left in reserve might be slightly weaker, but certainly not by much.

Furthermore, throughout this entire battle, Ichi's primary concern remained the warning Elena had once given him. Originally, he had believed that event would unfold midway through the tournament. To his surprise, right up until the final match, absolutely nothing had happened.

This meant one of three things.

Either Elena's intelligence was flawed, and no one intended to make a move at all.

Or this final match was precisely the moment they had chosen to strike.

Or their intended timing was not right now, but sometime later.

Regardless of which possibility was true, Ichi had to prepare for the worst. If nothing happened, that was for the best. But if trouble arose, he and his allies would not be caught entirely unready.

"Paildramon, go." Following Ichi's command, Paildramon took to the air. In truth, even without the order, all eyes were already fixed squarely upon them.

Paildramon, a Dragon Man-type Vaccine species, Ultimate-level Digimon, whose signature move was [Desica Crusher].

On the opposing side, Bajoramon stepped forward. Because she was the final combatant, there was no need for Astamon to remind her.

Bajoramon, a Doll-type Data species, Ultimate-level Digimon, whose signature move was [Dandan-Tai Vampire Drinker]. She was a female Digimon wearing a plush pig costume. Originally an angelic-type Digimon, she had committed grave sins—though the exact nature of those sins remained unknown, being female...—that had provoked the wrath of Ofanimon.

Consequently, she was banished from the Celestial Realm, resulting in her current appearance. She was usually carefree, unbothered by her altered form, and possessed a cheerful disposition. However, the hungrier she grew, the more irritable she became. And once her stomach was entirely empty...

Swinging her [Rujeta Rake], Bajoramon spoke to Paildramon in a muffled, rumbling voice, "I'm starving, so I'm going to finish you off as quickly as possible and go eat."

Paildramon gazed silently at Bajoramon without a word. Instead, the moment she finished speaking, the biological cannons on his hips unfolded, unleashing a direct barrage straight toward her.

Ichi watched quietly, his expression grave. Having traveled across numerous Digital Worlds and witnessed countless Digimon, he knew all too well what it meant the hungrier Bajoramon became.

Presumably, the opposing side had deliberately arranged for Bajoramon to fight last in order to push her combat effectiveness to its absolute limit. After all, had she been sent out too early, she might have lost. But by deploying her at the very end, victory was within their grasp.

As this thought flashed through Ichi's mind, Paildramon's attack reached Bajoramon. And at last, Bajoramon made her move.