Chapter Eighty-Four: The Undersea Temple, the Chaos of Expectation

The beach stretches on both sides, with no end in sight. The endless blue rushes into view, the edge of the sky is the sea, and at the end of the sea is the sky, and the endless water and sky meet each other, as if to contain the world.

Except for the never-ending sound of the waves, there was silence all around.

The Heddilumon stared at the sea, and vaguely saw an island in the sea, and that was Document Island.

"That can only go to Document Island if you pass the trial"

Bran looked nervously at Ryder and Hadilumon and said, looking unconfident.

"Oh~~ If you want to go to Document Island, you have to accept the trial? Is it a new rule? ”

Turning, the Darklumon looked at Bran with suspicion.

Ever since Bran appeared, he began to say things like being instructed by the Stubborn Beast to reunite with their companions and be tested. Of course, the Hedilumon didn't bother to pay attention to her, but Ryder was the complete opposite, he seemed to be interested in the trial, and allowed Bran to guide him to the trial.

The so-called guide is just a necessary way to the island of documents. Just cross the ocean and you'll reach Document Island.

Can you go to Document Island through the trial? No kidding! Who would believe such nonsense?

"No, it's not! Because trials are really important, I didn't lie to you! ”

Knowing that the Hemdilummon was doubting himself, Bran quickly waved his hand and explained.

"I didn't say I doubted you."

The Hemdilummon accentuated his tone, his eyes a little disdainful.

"Haha, Bran, don't worry too much. There is nothing ill about the Hemdilummon. ”

Seeing Bran's frustrated face, Ryder touched her head and chuckled.

"I trust you, don't be depressed anymore."

"Can you tell us what the trial is? Why do you mean that the stubborn beast is putting us to trial? ”

Ryder asked the key.

"I don't know the specifics of the trial, but the stubborn beast actually made the decision for some reason, and he said that if the trial is successful, you will be given the strength to deal with powerful enemies."

Bran was in a much better mood because of Ryder's words, she replied.

"Because of Him"

"Don't tell me that it's because I know the so-called future, and think that we are the saviors, so we want to gain strength through trials to fight against the enemy, and so on, I'm fed up!"

Before Bran could finish speaking, the Hemdilumon interrupted impatiently.

"The stubborn beast didn't see the power of the future, he just said he wanted to give it a try"

Bran explained again.

"So the demon fox beast or the cherubimon instigated him?"

"The Stubborn Beasts have nothing to do with them"

"Then why did he choose us for the trial?"

The Hemdilumon said angrily.

"Your companions are actually being tested under the guidance of my sister Nuwar, and it is the Digimon who send a message to the Stubbornmon to give you a trial, and everything is the hope of the Digimon."

When Bran mentions the Digimon, it is only when Darklummon chooses to believe her.

"It's the hope of the Digi Elves, so I'll reluctantly agree to you."

"Whew"

The other party finally agreed, and Bran breathed a sigh of relief.

"Digi Elf's hope? It must be a very important trial."

When it comes to digital sprites, Ryder understands its importance.

"Can you tell us where the place of trial is? I guess it's not on Document Island. ”

"Please wait a moment, I will call my companion to come and meet you immediately!"

Nodding happily, Bran ran to the shore, ignoring the splashing of his boots as the waves crashed against the shore. I saw her take out a delicate little whistle and blow it vigorously.

"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep-"

Suddenly, the wind blew. Waves of white foam surged up on the far side. The waves rushed towards this side at terrifying speeds.

"Isn't that a whale beast!?"

The Darklumon looked in amazement at the behemoth that had suddenly surfaced.

"Giant Cetamon, Full-Body, Vaccine, Aquatic Mammalian Digimon, the ultimate move is a tsunami."

Ryder's D-ark quickly reveals Digimon's profile.

I saw the giant whale beast swim towards the shore and turn its face to this side.

"Giant Whale Beast, please send us to the Deep Sea Temple."

Bran pleaded.

Complying with her request, the Whalemon opened its mouth wide and motioned for everyone to enter its mouth.

"Please come in with me."

At Bran's instructions, Ryder and Ledhemon walked with her into the whalemon's mouth. When all three walked in, the whale beast dived into the sea again.

I don't know how long I went in the sea. Just as the Hemdilummon endured the tingling sensation in its ears, a shock finally came.

[Arrived at the Temple of the Sea—]

In the space inside, the voice of the giant whale beast came.

When the three emerged from the mouth of the Giant Whale, they found that the Giant Whale was docked in a pool inside a domed facility.

"I never knew there was a courtyard in the deep sea near Document Island."

The Hemdilumon turned its head and looked around, and said in a loud voice.

"I also learned not long ago that it took a long time for the Stubborn Beast to find this place."

Bran sighed as he looked through the transparent dome above him and saw schools of colorful fish and the sparkling waves falling from the distant sea.

"It's beautiful."

Ryder, however, was drawn to a building that towered within the dome. The pearl-colored building looks solemn but has a dreamy feel.

"Bran, are you going to enter the temple for a trial?"

"Yes."

"Let's go, Ledhemon and Bran."

Ryder took the lead and stepped into the building. Before his eyes was a silent, dimly lit hall. In the hall, however, several strangely decorated columns are lined up, supporting the high and majestic ceiling.

"Well, the trial should be in the next room, so wow, with me!"

Bran was about to step through the entrance to the next room, but let out a scream.

"Why can't I get in?"

"Can't get in? You're not kidding, are you? ”

The Hedilummon walked over to the entrance, trying to step through. But, just like there's an invisible wall in front of the entrance, you can't get past a single step.

"Oh, that's true."

Seeing that his partner was a little angry, Ryder, who was standing on the side, squatted down and gently patted the black road beast.

"Then it's my turn, don't be angry, Hedilumon."

"Ryder, are you going to go in alone?"

I don't know what the outcome will be, and for my partner who is going through the trial alone, Hedilumon is a little worried.

"Maybe the trial is only for humans, and I'm curious about the content of the trial, so don't worry."

"Ah, Ryder's words must be fine, I'll be waiting for you here."

Believing in his partner, the Darklumon chuckled.

"Trials against humans? Seems to make sense."

Bran looked into the room.

After Ryder said goodbye to the Hemdilumon and Bran, he easily walked through the entrance and into the next room.

The moment he passed through the entrance, an incredible sensation hit him, and even the air was clearly different from what it had been before.

-- Son of Man. ――

A voice rang out in the room.

- Why do you seek trials? ――

"It's to satisfy curiosity."

A completely unexpected answer.

――Uh――

The voice was silent for a moment, then continued.

――Don't you want to put an end to the conflict between humans and Digimon? Don't want to protect people and the digital world? ――

"I am neither a hero nor a saint, I have no ability to stop strife and protect the world, and I do not have a noble personality. What obligation do I have to save the world? ”

Ryder replied calmly, and then he smiled flirtatiously.

"However, it's very unreasonable to see that everyone is trying to defy fate and not help you as a relevant person."

"What's more, it's not a bad thing to make a good impression on the ladies who join the action."

-- Is this the difference between human beings? ――

The voice muttered, and then the tone became serious.

- Then, face the trial with the truth of your heart. ――

“！！！”

As soon as the words fell, Ryder's body fell into the bottomless dark abyss-

Endless falls. A sense of direction that keeps draining. A sense of self that keeps being cut away.

Not only the vision, but also the things and memories on the body fell scattered until the bones also drifted away.

Is it a moment, or is it forever?

Falling in space without any reference object is no different from gravityless space.

The hands and feet that have been in a state of gravity for a long time can no longer move freely.

With this feeling in mind, Ryder lost consciousness-

―1―

Ryder. Arnoel has a good family background, a good tutor, a good appearance, and a genius mind. Whoever he is, he must be considered a perfect person to envy.

But it is not uncommon for evil to lurk beneath the façade of perfection.

The world is boring and boring.

Ever since he was sensible, Ryder has had this thought.

Everyone lives in a regulated world, content with the status quo, obeying order, and living the same.

Even Ryder himself grew up in order.

But why don't you like this kind of world? He himself is not very clear.

That's the story before I strayed into the digital world.

When Ryder was playing with children his age, he once saw a boy bullying a girl. Then, as he watched the boy climb the rides to play, Ryder, who was following him, pushed him off the heights while he wasn't looking.

Why? Ryder wasn't out of anger at the boy's behavior, or out of a sense of justice. It's purely fun, because this kind of bullying of weak boys is worth a lesson.

Strangely, watching the child fall from a height and crying caused panic among the other children. Ryder didn't feel a little scared or guilty at all, but he didn't think it was good to keep him crying.

So Ryder turned to the adults for help and took the injured boy to the hospital, who had just broken a bone.

No one knew that it was Ryder who pushed the boy off the height, just as the result of his own carelessness. And Ryder's behavior of turning to adults for help and helping the injured boy is also appreciated by everyone, who thinks he is a good child.

Watching the chaos appear, Ryder's psychology was very happy. But at the same time, he doesn't like innocent people to be implicated, and when he maintains order, his joy will disappear, and what appears in his heart is inexplicable disappointment and peace of mind.

Chaos and order, Ryder prefers the former, and the latter is his conscience.

Perhaps he has always been on the verge of 'chaos' and 'order', and he loves but resists such a life. Ryder considers himself alone.

Lonely?

That's right, everyone in this world is actually lonely. Although there are friends around us, who really knows their hearts?

So, Ryder has long been tired of such a world. He really wants to show his ugly colors and indulge himself in the pursuit of chaos. Even so, why should we be bound by our conscience?

※※※※※

The fire burned fiercely, as if to vent all the dissatisfaction with the world. Nearby trees, houses, streets, and even the originally dark sky were reddened by the flames.

Everything is like a nightmare, and the city is peaceful and peaceful, but now it is invaded by the sudden appearance of Digimon.

Screams rang out from the panicked crowd, and panic spread throughout the city.

For the sudden Digimon, there is no way to resist, there is no way to resist, and all that awaits is the fate of being devoured.

Digimon that hate humans are taking revenge.

Faced with an inescapable apocalypse, people are crazy about it.

Countless people were frightened to the point of insanity, countless people preemptively ended their lives in various ways, countless people burned and looted in order to satisfy the evil that had been hidden in their hearts in this last period of time before being eaten by monsters**

Scenes like these are clear in Ryder's eyes. How small, how helpless, and how ugly human beings are in the face of such a calamity.

"That's right, that's the chaos I want to see"

Feelings of joy swelled in my heart, and the uneasiness and self-loathing that should have existed disappeared like magic.

"It's wonderful! Hahaha!! It's so enjoyable!! ”

Ryder laughed with joy, and the true ugliness of his heart was revealed.

The chaos that I witnessed with my own eyes, the beauty of everything that collapsed, the loveliness of the people in pain, and the screams of the people in my ears were so loud and pleasant.

If it were the same as before, Ryder's joy in the face of chaos would also resist this twisted love, because he believed that humans had a good side, that humans were worth protecting, and that he loved the people around him. Therefore, he does not want innocent people to be implicated and hurt because of chaos.

Now it can be said that the complete opposite, Ryder no longer sees the good side of human beings, and all he shows in front of him is the ugliness of showing evil. What is there for the ugly to be guarded, to be worthy of maintaining order?

Rejoice before the chaos! Indulge yourself in the pursuit of chaos! Don't hide it! Don't hide it! Don't be bound by your conscience! That's who you are.

Because of chaos, the world is not boring and boring.

Ryder. Arnor is a twisted soul in her own right.